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CRUISERS 34 GLS OB Wide open spaces. p. 32
BOSS BOAT
A custom, historic yacht that has been well-loved for 100 years. p. 36
LIFE ABOARD
A Michigan boater shares a half-century of Great Lakes boating memories. p. 38
HELPER BY NATURE
PORT OF CALL
years
Chautauqua County, NY: Visit vineyards, beaches and Lake Chautauqua. p. 44
One woman who grew up in boating now sells the lifestyle. p. 41
SPOTL I GHT S F R AT E LLI AP R E A ★ PALM B E AC H 1946
P R I N C ESS ★ SEA R AY
YE A R S
2021
1946
2021
YEARS
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T O U R C H A U TA U Q U A
TABLE OF CONTENTS
44 Features
ON THE COVER
The 2022 Cruisers Yachts 34 GLS OB is an outboard dayboat that you have to see to believe. According to Chuck Warren, who tested the boat for us, it will easily become your new favorite boat thanks to “its clean lines, roomy floorplan and a couple of Mercury 300s strapped to the transom.”
Boat Test: Cruisers 34 GLS OB
Space ship. by Chuck Warren ................................................ 32
Boss Ladies
The story of one historic, 100-year-old boat and its impact on several generations of boaters. by Dianna Stampfler ................ 36
51 Years Afloat
At 99, a Michigan boater looks back on a half century of Great Lakes cruising. by Ted Hugger .................................... 38
Selling a Lifestyle
A lifelong love of boating — and knowing her stuff — pays off for this people-loving saleswoman. by Kim Schneider ....... 41
Port of Call: Chautauqua County, NY
Land of America’s Grapes: Bluffs, beaches, sunsets and grapes. by Stephanie Schuckers Burdo ............................. 44
@
lakelandboating.com
★ Shop boats for sale by owner ★ Place a classified ad ★ Peruse dozens of exciting destination stories ★ Check out our latest Boat Tests & Spotlights ★ Purchase our Great Lakes Cruising Guides and Lakeland Boating hats ★ Access past issues with our online magazine ★ Stay current on all the latest Great Lakes news ★ Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter ★ And much more!
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Departments
From the Helm......................................................................... 4 Dock Box................................................................................... 6
Calendar ................................................................................... 8 Scuttle............................................................................................10 Great Gear ........................................................................... 20 Don’t Hesitate to Renovate................................................. 22
Electronics ............................................................................ 24 Safety First ............................................................................. 25
Beneath the Surface............................................................ 26 Boat Spotlights: Fratelli Aprea, Palm Beach, Princess, Sea Ray ...........................................................28
Boat Biz: Advantage Marine ............................................... 50 Lakeshore Life: Sturgeon Bay, WI ...................................... 52
Marine Marketplace ............................................................. 53 Classifieds ..............................................................................67
Classic Craft ......................................................................... 68
FROM THE HELM B Y K AT E B U S H
CONTRIBUTORS
Start ‘em Young
S
eeing the wonder of boating through a child’s eyes is priceless. There’s something so pure about the excitement and awe kids have of feeling the breeze while cruising, cresting the waves, being grandpa’s co-pilot and splashing in the water at a favorite cove. At the end of August, during the dog days of summer, my family and I vacationed in our favorite Michigan port: Boyne City on Lake Charlevoix. This was my 16-month-old son’s first vacation, and it did not disappoint. The crowd had thinned and it felt like we had the water to ourselves. One of my son’s first words was “boat” and it was so sweet to watch him walk down the docks, point at all the other boats in the marina, then hop aboard and run to the bow (his favorite spot) with pure, authentic joy. I’ll soak up these memories while I wait for next season! This issue of Lakeland Boating is packed with heartwarming features, coincidentally all highlighting how the love of boating can cultivate at a young age. One story recounts the memory of Janet Carrington who, many years ago as a young girl, saw a boat in Hessel, Michigan, that she quickly fell in love with; she vowed to own that boat one day and, 50 years later, her wish came true (p. 36) The yacht celebrates its 100th birthday this year after being lovingly restored by E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works. Keeping boating in the family, Don Hugger, a 99-year-old boater details 51 years of Great Lakes cruising adventures with his wife and four children (p. 38). Hugger says: “Boating has been a great, great pleasure, and boating was a wonderful thing for our family. Today, all my children have boats.” Lastly, we talk with Lori Beauregard who was raised in the boating world at a fourthgeneration family owned dealership. She has dedicated her career to sharing her passion for boating and selling the lifestyle to new boaters (p. 41). So, if this issue teaches you anything, it’s to start ’em young, because the pure excitement kids have for boating now will only grow and mature with age.
DIANNA STAMPFLER
Dianna has been writing about unique destinations, historical figures and outdoor activities in her home state of Michigan for nearly 25 years. She is the president of Promote Michigan and the author of “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses” from The History Press. READ HER STORY ON P. 36
HHH
TED HUGGER
Ted has been published in Sail, Power & Motoryacht, Ocean Navigator, Sports Afield, WoodenBoat, Professional BoatBuilder, Maine Boats Homes & Harbors, Multihull, and his favorite, Beer Across America magazine. Hugger and his wife, Jill, live in Edgecomb, Maine where they keep their Grand Banks 32, Sequin, and own two coastal hotels. READ HIS STORY ON P. 38
Do you have a story idea you’d like to suggest? Email me at kbush@lakelandboating.com to share your ideas.
HHH
AREAS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
Sturgeon Bay, WI p. 52
Advantage Marine p 50
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Chautauqua County, NY p 44
STEPHANIE SCHUCKERS BURDO
Stephanie is a writer, editor and publisher who loves to share stories about history, cultural attractions, local foods and craft beverage makers set within the landscape of Western New York. Find more of her work at KERSWOODPUBLISHING.COM.
READ HER STORY ON P. 44
Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht Series II Platinum Edition
Riviera 50 Sports Motor Yacht
Riviera 78 Motor Yacht - World Premiere 2022
Riviera today. Experience excellence, decades in the making. Exhilarating blue-water performance has always been a part of the Riviera heritage. Over 40 years of constant refinement, a timeless contemporary design is evident across the entire 24-model collection. Sweeping lines of grace and beauty, luxurious staterooms bathed in natural light, the finest fabrics, leather and handcrafted joinery from exotic timbers. These are the qualities that make every Riviera a world class luxury motor yacht. Engineering excellence in harmony with state-of-the-art electronics create the ultimate boating experience that is uniquely Riviera. Easy operation creates enjoyable adventures entertaining family and friends. To discover more, contact your nearest Riviera dealer representative or visit RivieraAustralia.com
210024
Step aboard - Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, October 27-30, 2021 Lake Michigan Yacht Sales Bay Harbor, MI p: 231 439 2675 Lakemichiganyachtsales.com Onekama Marine Inc. Onekama, MI p: 231 889 5000 Onekamamarine.com
Bay Marine, Door County Yachting Center Sturgeon Bay, WI p: 920 743 6526 Baymarine.net Bay Marine’s Chicago Yachting Center Waukegan, IL p: 847 336 2628 Baymarine.net
DOCK BOX
years OCTOBER 2021 | VOLUME LXXV, NO. 10
CANINE CREW
PUBLISHER Walter “Bing” O’Meara
Oskar This is “Oskar,” our 8-month-old long-haired dachshund. He loves boating in and around Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix. — Kathy Liggett & John Gaenssle, Charlevoix, MI
1946
2021
Y EA RS
1946
2021
EDITORIAL STAFF Editorial Director: Kate Bush EA RS AssistantY Editor: Abby Thorpe
CREATIVE STAFF Art Director/Production Manager: Christy Tuttle Bauhs
75
CONTRIBUTORS Helen Aitken, Stephanie Schuckers Burdo, Glenn Hayes, Ted Hugger, Kevin Koenig, Capt. Frank yearsTyler & Ashley Minnick, Kim Schneider, Lanier, Dianna er, Heather Steinberger, Chuck ATING LAKELAND BOStampfl Warren BUSINESS STAFF National Sales: Mark Conway Regional Sales: Patti McCleery Marketing Director: Linda O’Meara Accounting: Marguerite Wristen EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICE 1555 Sherman Ave. / Suite 313 / Evanston, IL 60201 312-276-0610 / Fax: 312-276-0619
Correction
In the September 2021 issue of the magazine, we listed Harborside Marina as a Wellcraft dealer in our Boat Spotlight (p. 24); however, this dealer no longer carries Wellcraft inventory. Hall’s Sport Center (with Michigan locations in Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Grand Haven) is a proud Wellcraft dealer. Visit HALLSSPORT CENTER.COM
INFO@LAKELANDBOATING.COM LAKELANDBOATING.COM
CALLING ALL CANINE (AND FELINE) CREW!
We want to learn about your furry friends onboard! Send a short write-up with your pet’s name and your home city, as well as a high-resolution photo (at least 1 MB) to: KBUSH@LAKELANDBOATING.COM. Please put “Canine/Feline Crew” in the subject line. If we publish your submission, you’ll win a Lakeland Boating hat!
Everyone Looks Great in a Lakeland Boating Hat! Need a gift for your favorite boater? Our Lakeland Boating hat is constructed from soft cotton twill for a great fit. Leather band adjustment in back with antiqued brass closure. Available in weathered navy, Nantucket red and khaki. One size. $24.95 + S&H. To order, visit LAKELANDBOATING. COM/STORE.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
E-mail us at KBUSH@LAKELANDBOATING.COM or drop us a line at Lakeland Boating, 1555 Sherman Ave., Suite 313, Evanston, IL 60201. Opinions expressed in “Dock Box” are not necessarily those of Lakeland Boating. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 1555 Sherman Ave. / Suite 313 / Evanston, IL 60201 312-276-0610 x. 24 / Fax: 312-276-0619 CBAUHS@LAKELANDBOATING.COM
SUBSCRIPTIONS Lakeland Boating P.O. Box 386, Lincolnshire, IL 60069 847-504-8475 O’MEARA-BROWN PUBLICATIONS INC President: Walter B. O’Meara Secretary: Timothy Murtaugh Lakeland Boating (ISSN 0744-9194) Copyright 2021, by O’Meara-Brown Publications, Inc. is published eleven times per year (except December) by O’MearaBrown Publications, Inc. • Business/Accounting and Editorial Offices: 1555 Sherman Ave. Suite 313, Evanston, IL 60201, 312-276-0610. • Call 847-5048475 to subscribe. Lakeland Boating, P.O. Box 386, Lincolnshire, IL 60069 (U.S.). Annual subscription rates: United States: $24.95 per year; International and Canadian: $39.95 per year, includes 7% G.S.T. tax (G.S.T. 894095074-RT 0001) and $12 postage included. Single copies are $4.99 for U.S. and Canada. Only U.S. funds are accepted. Periodical postage paid at Evanston, IL and additional mailing offices. • POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Lakeland Boating, P.O. Box 386, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. • Lakeland Boating is a registered trademark of O’Meara-Brown Publications, Inc., Evanston, IL. Published as Lakeland Yachting 1946-1955. • Unsolicited work may be submitted at the creator’s own risk. Lakeland Boating assumes no responsibility or liability for unsolicited material. All submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope with sufficient return postage. All published photos are courtesy of the manufacturer, unless otherwise noted.
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SEPT 24 – OCT 3
Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour Grand Marais, MN VISITCOOKCOUNTY.COM
SEPT 28 – OCT 2 World Dairy Expo Madison, WI
WORLDDAIRYEXPO.COM
1
OCT 1 – 2
Chain O’Lakes Blues Festival Waupaca, WI
Oktoberfest Pentwater, MI
WAUPACAMEMORIES.COM
OCT 1 – 3
Bayfield Apple Festival Bayfield, WI
VISITPENTWATER.COM
1
Pumpkinfest Whitehall, MI
BAYFIELD.ORG
2
Door County Fall Lighthouse Festival Sturgeon Bay, WI
WHITELAKE.ORG
2
DCMM.ORG
OCT 2
Oak Harbor Apple Festival Oak Harbor, OH
VISITCHARLEVOIX.COM
Island Wine Festival Put-in-Bay, OH MILLERFERRY.COM
OCT 2 – 9
MACKINACPARKS.COM/ FORT-FRIGHT
Pumpkin Patch Festival Egg Harbor, WI
EGGHARBORDOORCOUNTY.ORG
Fresh Coast Film Fest Marquette, MI
OCT 15 – 17
Sister Bay Fall Fest 5 Sister Bay, WI
SISTERBAYTOURISM.COM
MICHIGAN.GOV/DNR
OCT 8 – 10
Frankfort Fall Festival Benzonia, MI
FRANKFORT-ELBERTA.COM
Marblehead Lighthouse Festival Marblehead, OH LAKESIDEOHIO.COM
LAKELANDBOATING.COM
Punkin Chunkin Clayton, NY
1000ISLANDS-CLAYTON.COM/ PUNKINCHUNKINCLAYTON
OCT 20 – 22
National Professional Anglers Association Conference Sandusky, OH NPAA.NET
OCT 21 – 24
Kohler Food & Wine Kohler, WI
AMERICANCLUBRESORT.COM
OCT 23
Halloween at the Bay Put-in-Bay, OH VISITPUTINBAY.COM
OCT 23 – 24
Ellison Bay Arts Fall Art Crawl Ellison Bay, WI DOORCOUNTYNORTH.ORG
OCT 30
Boo at the Zoo Racine, WI
RACINEZOO.ORG
Pentwater Spooktacular Pentwater, MI VISITPENTWATER.COM
Thrills & Chills Sturgeon Bay, WI
STURGEONBAY.NET
Tawas Point State Park Haunted Lighthouse Weekend East Tawas, MI
OCT 9
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MILLERFERRY.COM
FRESHCOASTFILM.COM
CHARLEVOIX.ORG
O C T O B E R 2021
Oktoberfest Put-in-Bay, OH
OCT 8 – 9
Charlevoix Apple Festival Charlevoix, MI
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OAKHARBOROHIO.NET
OCT 14 – 17
Fort Fright at Michilimackinac 4 Mackinaw City, MI
ADD YOUR EVENT!
AANNY.ORG/HARVEST-FESTIVAL
Frankfort Beer Week Frankfort, MI
FRANKFORT-ELBERTA.COM
Visit LAKELANDBOATING.COM/ GREAT-LAKES-EVENTS to add your event to our Calendar of Events page!
SCHOOLSHIP.ORG
Harvest Festival Craft Show Sackets Harbor, NY
Charlevoix Leif Eriksson Day 3 Row and Run Charlevoix, MI
4
Fall Color Sail Suttons Bay, MI
Michigan Hemingway Society Annual Literary Conference Petoskey, MI
MICHIGANHEMINGWAYSOCIETY.ORG
3
OCT 9 – 10
OCT 16
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P H O T OS C O U R T E S Y O F 1 B AY F I E L D A P P L E F E S T I VA L FAC E BO O K ; 2 P E T E M A R K H A M ; 3 L E I F E R I KS S O N DAY R O W A N D R U N FA C E B O O K ; 4 M A C K I N A C S TAT E H I S T O R I C PA R K S ; 5 S I S T E R B AY T O U R I S M .C O M
DOUBLE-CHECK BEFORE YOU GO! Events may change. Please watch event websites for updates.
Protect your baby (and their toys) with coverage for fishing gear and personal property too. 1- 8 0 0 -PROG RE S S IVE / PROG RE S S IVE .COM
Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. & affiliates. Additional charge may apply. Prices vary based on how you buy.
Shhhhh. No wake zone.
EVENTS
ABM and ACBS Host Symposium
On October 1-3, the Antique Boat Museum (ABM), North America’s premier freshwater boating museum based in Clayton, New York, has teamed up with the Antique & Classic Boat Society (ACBS) to jointly host a Symposium at the museum. The weekend-long event is for people with a passion for boating and building boats, boat owners and everyone in between. This year’s Symposium offers sessions on flipping boats for bottom work, vacuum bagging, rebuilding a Scripps 302, and finishing Mosquito, a project boat that’s been at the last few Symposiums. Registration is $200 for adults and $125 for youth. Fees cover all lesson materials and select meals. For more information or to register, visit ABM.ORG.
SCUTTLE G R EAT L A K ES N E WS
BOAT S
M U ST-HAV E
BUZZ
EV ENTS
BUSINESS
GREAT LAKES NEWS
Two Saildrone Explorers Set Off on Great Lakes
The RCR Yachts dealership — offering Beneteau, Back Cove and J/ Boats models — is updating its Buffalo, New York, marina. This location will soon offer a new heated showroom and building, with a move-in date of Fall 2021. RCRYACHTS.COM
ADD YOUR NEWS! Email KBUSH@
LAKELANDBOATING.COM
to add your company’s Great Lakes News to Scuttle!
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On July 28, two Saildrone Explorers — unmanned surface vehicles that collect data from bodies of water — were deployed in Macatawa, Michigan, for their first mission on any freshwater body. On August 5, the two vessels set off on a 45-day mission to collect data on fisheries in the Great Lakes for the U.S. Geological Survey, and traveled through Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and into Georgian Bay. Specially equipped with a sensor suite that included science-grade instruments to collect air, sea and skin temperature; wind speed and direction; relative humidity; barometric pressure; photosynthetically active radiation; salinity, dissolved oxygen; chlorophyll; and wave height and period, the Saildrones mission was to analyze and report back on the fisheries situation in the Great
LAKELANDBOATING.COM
Lakes, while simultaneously gathering meteorological data. As the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem, the Great Lakes support a $7 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry, but human-caused and natural changes threaten the health of the region’s fisheries. The Saildrone Explorers have completed multiple missions throughout the world over the past seven years from the Arctic
to the Antarctic, and now they’re bringing their special capabilities to the Great Lakes in efforts to better understand and support fish health in the region. Programmed to avoid shipping channels and hazards, the two Saildrone Explorers are quieter than enginepowered, man-operated vessels, and can analyze both the size and number of fish in the area through acoustic surveys. For more information, visit
SAILDRONE.COM.
SCUTTLE
BUSINESS
Bay Marine Acquires Sturgeon Bay Yacht Harbor
BOATS
Meet Sea-Doo’s First-Ever Pontoon, the Switch
BRP, maker of the Sea-Doo brand and leader in the personal watercraft industry, has introduced a brand-new kind of pontoon boat: The 2022 Sea-Doo Switch. Combining the style and functionality of a Sea-Doo with the versatility and stability of a pontoon platform, the Switch is built to deliver fun and a great ride. Built to fit boaters’ ever-changing needs, the Sea-Doo Switch has an adaptable platform with a modular design. The entire deck is made of configurable tiles with a stationary helm, so the rest of the layout can be changed to accommodate any adventure; easy-on, easy-off tiles can change table location, remove seating and more. “It’s a dynamic pontoon with the heart of a Sea-Doo, and its quick-change deck design can be completely re-configured to fit a solo fishing trip in the morning to a family picnic at noon, and a wakeboard session in the evening,” adds Annick Lauzon, director of global marketing for Sea-Doo and Ski-Doo at BRP. A tri-hull keeps the pontoon stable and agile, allowing for that Sea-Doo fun on the water. The Switch is the first pontoon to feature Sea-Doo iBR brakes, making docking easy. Add in a Sea-Dooinspired handlebar steering system and Rotax jet propulsion, and you have a pontoon unlike any other. The Switch is now available for pre-order, starting at $17,999, with two available upgrade packages for cruising and watersports. Visit SEA-DOO.COM.
The printer and distributor of nautical books and gifts, ProStar Publications, has acquired 124-year-old retailer Captain’s Nautical Books & Charts. Captain’s Nautical will now operate as an independent division of ProStar Publications, the largest publisher and distributor of U.S. nautical books.
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EVENTS
Experience Augmented Reality on Toronto’s Waterfront From September 17 until October 3, visitors to Toronto’s waterfront will be able to experience a one-ofa-kind augmented reality (AR) event. Redpath Waterfront Festival, an annual event that began in 2010, has launched a new walking trail that includes AR stops along the way, as well as live and public art installations. Have you ever wanted to see whales jumping out of Lake Ontario? Now is your chance! Simply scan QR codes at each AR stop using your mobile device’s camera and watch each stop come to life. The AR stops are best viewed during the day. During the two-week-long festival, there will also be promotions at local businesses. To learn more, visit TOWATERFRONTFEST.COM.
LAKELANDBOATING.COM
Bay Marine has acquired the assets of the Wisconsin marina, Sturgeon Bay Yacht Harbor. The marina, started in 1944 by George “Butch” Baudhuin, has always been respected for quality sales, service and hospitality. The Yacht Harbor currently maintains a 96-slip in-water marina that neighbors the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club. “We are extremely excited to add the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Harbor to our portfolio of assets,” says Mark Felhofer, co-owner of Bay Marine. “The addition of the Yacht Harbor further strengthens our presence in Lake Michigan as a leading provider of premium yacht brokerage as well as sales and service for all boater’s needs. The improvements we have planned for the Yacht Harbor are sure to elevate the nearly 80-year-old marina back to its former glory.” Those improvements include new docks, clubhouse, pool and an outdoor pavilion in a park-like environment, which will be ready for the 2022 boating season. For more information, visit BAYMARINE.NET. BOATS
Limestone Boat Company Introduces New Aquasport Model The Limestone Boat Company Limited — owner and builder of Aquasport Boats, Limestone Boats and Boca Bay Boats — has been busy. In addition to unveiling a new website for Aquasport and delivering its first Limestone production boat L-200CC, it also announced a new flagship Aquasport model, the Aquasport 3000CC. “The new model showcases a flared bow and deep freeboard that Aquasport’s saltwater models are known for, all on a beautifully running hull for an incredible ride and performance,” says Limestone Boat Company Limited CEO Scott Hanson. “Being stable, dry and sure-footed in just about any chop, this model still has a sporty feel so there’s no compromising. There’s a spacious head, large console for electronics and customization, a vast bow area with comfortable seating, and storage throughout. The large coffin box storage compartment forward is perfect for ice or gear, tackle and tool storage are in the leaning post, and a powder-coated T-top are just some of the noticeable features this AQ3000CC offers. It’s powered with standard twin 300-hp engines, with upgrade options including twin 350s and an additional long-range fuel tank.” For more info and to see the new website, visit AQUASPORTBOAT.COM.
SCUTTLE
EVENTS
BUSINESS
The last remaining survivor of a Lake Michigan shipwreck that killed 33 people in 1958 has passed away. Frank Mays was one of two people who survived the sinking of the Carl D. Bradley, a freighter that was on its way to Rogers City, Michigan. A memorial Mass was held for Mays in Rogers City in August 2021.
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Lowe Boats Introduces New Brand Identity Lowe Boats today unveiled a bold new era, including a comprehensive evolution of the brand with new product designs and features, messaging and a logo to attract the next generation of consumers. “We’re passionate about delivering amazing experiences on the water for our customers, and we have a long history of delivering world-class boats that last generations,” says Greg Falkner, general manager of Lowe Boats. As part of the brand relaunch, the new creative direction not only changes the logo and color palette, but the boats themselves. The rollout of the new branding is highlighted by the completely reimagined 2022 SS Pontoon and Bay Series models and will be carried through Lowe’s full lineup in upcoming model years. Be on the lookout for the full launch later this fall, which will include a newly redesigned website at LOWEBOATS.COM.
LAKELANDBOATING.COM
Miss Geico was the winner in Class 1 at the 12th annual Great Lakes Grand Prix held on August 8, 2021, on Lake Michigan in Michigan City, Indiana. The crew consisted of driver Brit Lilly and Englishman Steve Curtis on the throttles. Miss Geico is a 47-foot Victory catamaran hull powered by two Mercury 1100 twin turbo inboard engines with a total of 2,200 hp. The top speed of this offshore powerboat is 160 mph. It was announced that this is the last year of the Geico Insurance company sponsorship for this storied career team. This event was sanctioned by the APBA (American Power Boat Association), OPA Offshore and Powerboat P1 racing organizations. —Paul Kemiel
R A C E P H O T O B Y PA U L K E M I E L
Manitou’s model year 2022 lineup brings more power and premium features to an already impressive offering of performance, luxury and leisure pontoon boats. “The best days on the water are those that can’t easily be put into words, with memories that will last a lifetime,” says Garrett Koschak, manager of global product strategy. “That’s our focus every single day at Manitou. Being on the water is a unique opportunity to spend time with family and friends, and whether you’re looking to have a relaxing cruise or ultimate thrills, Manitou has a model that is perfect for you.” The sport and luxury Manitou XT and LX models are now certified with a maximum 900-hp rating. And with Manitou’s V-Toon technology hull, boaters will experience optimized performance. For even more control and peace of mind, boaters can add an optional Mercury VesselView display, which allows them to monitor engine data and access select SmartCraft engine controls on one intuitive digital interface. With optional Mercury Joystick Piloting for Outboards (JPO) controls, low-speed maneuvering on a Mercury-equipped Manitou boat becomes as easy as moving the joystick in the direction you want to go. The 2022 Manitou Aurora LE, packs even more features for fun for the whole family. The Manitou Aurora LE Premium Package — one of three available packages on this model — features additional LED courtesy and interior lighting, as well as topof-the-line Fusion stereo components. Manitou has also refreshed its color schemes. The Manitou XT models will surely turn heads on and off the water with brand-new colors including Purple Potion, Chromaflair Pearlescent, Highland Green and Lemon Zest. To learn more, visit MANITOUPONTOONBOATS.COM.
Great Lakes Grand Prix Returns
BOATS
Chaparral Boats Debuts the 247 SSX The newest model from Chaparral, the 247 SSX, has a pedigree and design that is true to Chaparral’s DNA, and a host of standard and optional features that set the model apart. At 24 feet, 6 inches, it’s a full-size family boat capable of fitting up to 14 people. Multiple options available at various price points help this model match budgets and boating needs, with the inclusion of some of Chaparral’s looked-for design benefits like a self-bailing cockpit, oversized bow and cockpit rails, one piece “weather door,” Clearview windshield design and stainless steel pull-up cleats. “The 247 SSX is a boat that you can customize to your family,” says Buck Pegg, Chaparral Boats founder. “This boat is designed to attract luxury boat buyers that are seeking value in a 24-foot boat.” It comes with multiple standard features as well as a host of select optional features to take it above and beyond and tailor it to your unique needs, like the award-winning Infinity Power Step, choice of Mercruiser or Volvo Penta engine offerings, optional trailers, and the exclusive Black Edition package, which includes black EFX II Electric Arch, blackedout gelcoat hull, new Envision Cayenne silicone upholstery interior with black accents, special edition badging and more. For more information, visit CHAPARR ALBOATS.COM.
‘THE UPNORTH
Manitou Unveils 2022 Lineup
BRADLEY PHOTO COURTESY OF DON MEMORIES GUY’ HARRISON/FLICKR
BOATS
Introducing Sorrento 7.50
Introducing Fratelli Aprea Sorrento 1890 USA. Handbuilt by generations of master craftsmen in the heart of the Mediterranean. Create your own private Italian island for delivery in North America.
P.O. Box B Boyne City, MI 49712 +1.313.908.3818 www.FratelliApreaUSA.com
• 7.50 Open Cruise Sport/ Semi-Cabinato • 7.80 Traditional Gozzo • 32’ Open Cruise Sport Semi-Cabinato/Cabinato/Hard Top • 36’ Open Cruise Sport Semi-Cabinato/Cabinato/Hard Top • 50’ Lusso
SCUTTLE
BOATS BOATS
Boston Whaler Unveils 420 Outrage Anniversary Edition In 1971, Boston Whaler debuted its first Outrage — a 21-foot, 4-inch model that was designed to fulfill “the frequently expressed wish of fans and sport fishing enthusiasts for a bigger, roomier ‘Whaler Quality’ boat.” Fifty years later, the boatbuilder has unveiled a larger version of its flagship model: The 420 Outrage Anniversary Edition. This stunning offshore cruiser features updated styling, cutting-edge technology and breathtaking performance, courtesy of triple 600-hp V12 Mercury Verado engines. And while it has a lot of new amenities, it still retains everything that boaters love about the original Outrage. Key features of the anniversary model include upgraded exterior and interior upholstery, a teak accent package for the helm deck, second row seating, as well as a black hardtop frame package. A FROSTBOX refrigeration system makes sure the catch of the day stays fresh and beverages stay cool. Spend the whole day on the water without any roll, thanks to the Seakeeper gyro system. Painted engines and painted hardtop bottom allow boaters to create a color-coordinated boat. For more info on this new model, visit BOSTONWHALER.COM.
Williams Jet Tenders Redesigns its DieselJet 445 and DieselJet 505
Williams Jet Tenders has unveiled a complete redesign of its popular DieselJet 445 and DieselJet 505 models. The new DieselJets both benefit from Williams’ trademark slash-cut tube design to enhance the overall aesthetic and to aid fore and aft stability while underway. There is a new helm layout and design featuring a standard centrally mounted multifunction Raymarine Axiom 7 display with two dedicated storage areas to port and starboard of the screen. A flush fit, black Navix panel, in combination with a row of push button control switches, complements the overall helm design. Other new features include contoured upholstery, an integrated boarding pole location in the helm backrest, a redesigned transom, a larger bathing platform with a single lateral stainless steel grab handle and more. For more information, visit WILLIAMSJETTENDERS.COM. Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales is the exclusive Williams Jet Tender dealer for the Great Lakes region. For more information, visit JBYS.COM.
est. 1925
PREMIER FULL-SERVICE YACHT MARINA ON THE SHORES OF LAKE HURON IN THE BEAUTIFUL LES CHENEAUX ISLANDS. Heated and cold storage | Wooden boat restoration Certified mechanics | Yamaha and Honda dealer | Launching & hauling | Gelcoat & fiberglass | Plumbing & electrical
www.ejmertaughboatworks.com 296 s. hessel point rd., hessel, mi 906-484-2434 @ejmbw |
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AR M AT RIV AR CO ING ITI LO SP MO NY R M I M NG 55 AR 2 IN 02 E 2
M55
www.colonymarine.com
St. Clair Shores, MI | Oakland County, MI | Algonac, MI | (586) 772-1550
Sperry Authentic Original Float Boat Shoes
Don’t fret about getting your shoes wet! Sperry’s new Float boat shoes maintain the classic boat shoe look but feature an ingenious system of breathable “portholes” that drain water. Non-marking outsoles with signature Sperry Molded Wave-Siping technology provides enhanced traction. Best of all, the fully EVA material makes these super lightweight — and floatable. Available in nine colorways for men, including navy, camo and scuba blue, as well as 11 colorways for women, like cheetah, champagne and blush. $44.95 AT SPERRY.COM
GREAT GEAR MUST-HAVE GOODIES AND GADGETS FOR EVERY BOATER
CeramicDNA Maintain Starter Pack
Using a scientifically formulated polymer solution, CeramicDNA (Dynamic Nano Application), prevents chemical stains, reduces UV damage, provides carefree easy cleaning, protects against scratches and extends surface lifespans for up to 10 years. The Maintain starter pack comes with one 16-ounce Regenx Ceramic Rebuilder, one 16-ounce Detox Smart Soap and two Drylux Ultra Plush Drying Towels (XL and regular sizes). $105 AT DNASURFACECONCEPTS.COM
Phoozy XP3 Phone Case
As seen on the hit show “Shark Tank,” the Phoozy XP3 phone case is great for boating for several reasons: Its thermal insulation will keep your phone afloat if accidentally dropped in the water; its reflective barrier keeps your phone from overheating; and it offers drop protection for up to 9 feet. Features several different attachment points so you can secure it to your beach bag or cooler. Plus, an internal stash pocket fits all your cards and cash. $49.99 AT PHOOZY.COM
West Marine Super Concentrated Non-Skid Deck Cleaner
ADD YOUR GEAR! Email KBUSH@
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to add your company’s new product news to Great Gear!!
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Clean your boat deck without throwing out your back. The 3x super concentrated formula utilizes chelating agents that break the bond between dirt and the deck without heavy scrubbing. A few ounces will clean your boat’s entire deck, making this as economical as it is powerful. PTEF polymers bond to the treated surface to help block future stains and damaging UV rays. $21.99 AT WESTMARINE.COM
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AzkoNobel Awlgrip HDT
Power House Ice Eater P1000
Keep your boat in the water this winter with the environmentally friendly Ice Eater P1000. With an 80-foot melt diameter, this product prevents ice from forming around boats, marinas, docks and piers. It also melts existing ice by breaking the surface with a continuous current of warmer bottom water. Uses a synthetic lubricating fluid, which is non-toxic, biodegradable and non-bio-accumulating. Available in power options from 115V to 230V, with a cord length of 25 feet to 200 feet. FROM $1,030-
AkzoNobel’s brand$1,305 AT DEFENDER.COM new Awlgrip HDT (High Definition Technology) is a single-stage repairable topcoat that allows owners to protect their boat with a stunning, long-lasting, mirror-like finish. The product combines the functionality of a hard, durable finish (Awlgrip topcoat) with a slightly softer, repairable finish (Awlcraft 2000). It can also be supplied in any color through AkzoNobel’s Awlmix centers. FIND A DEALER AT AWLGRIP.COM
Illinois Performance Boats THE NEW ILLINOIS DEALER FOR FOUNTAIN & DONZI
BOATS 34’ - 47’ • All-new center consoles • Walk around with abundant bow seating • Complete entertainment center: wet bar, refrigerator, grill
• Choose 3 or 4 Engines • She will do 100mph with four Merc 450Rs • Cruises at 54mph, burning only 40gph • Ultra high-quality fabrics • Multiple stunning paint options
FOUNTAIN 38SC
• Stand-up cabin: double berth, galley, enclosed head
BOATS 22’ - 41’ • The classic performance boat • Single engine (300 hp - 560 hp) • Vivid color options • Celebrating 55 years of boat building • Put the throttle down and leave the gawkers behind
DONZI 22 CLASSIC
LOCATION Crowley’s Yacht Yard Lakeside LLC
40 years in business • Five minutes from Lake Michigan • Trained mechanics for Mercury Racing Outboards • Travel lift and fork lifts for quick in/out • Inside heated storage
WWW.IPBOATS.COM JEFF PIERCE 630-240-0409 • jeff@ipboats.com
CROWLEY’S YACHT YARD LAKESIDE LLC 3434 E. 95th Street • Chicago IL 60617
DON’T HESITATE TO RENOVATE B Y C A P T. F R A N K L A N I E R
Rod Holder Installation
This easy DIY adds a ton of value to your boat.
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The easiest way to drill the mounting hole for an angled holder is to use a jig to guide the hole saw, ensuring a proper angle of cut. To make a jig, find a scrap piece of 1-inch-thick wood that is wide enough to be clamped onto the gunwale. Clamp the wood on a workbench and place the rod holder inverted (face down) on center with the angle aligned lengthwise. Match the angle of the drill with the angle provided by the rod holder, then drill. Depending on the angle, you may need to swap out the standard hole saw guide bit with a longer one. After drilling, insert the holder into the jig to verify it fits flush and that the angle is correct.
CAPT. FRANK LANIER is an award-winning journalist, boat maintenance guru and owner of Capt F.K. Lanier & Associates, Marine Surveyors and Consultants: CAPTFKLANIER.COM.
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For starters Flush-mounted rod holders come in a variety of angles, from 0 to 30 degrees. When planning your installation, keep in mind that the greater the angle, the more space required below the gunwale to accommodate it. Vertical (0-degree) holders require the least amount of space, but if you choose 15- or 30-degree units make sure the selected location has the room to accommodate them. Inspect the area you’ve chosen carefully to ensure there are no conflicts with equipment already installed, such as tackle boxes, cable runs, etc. Open access plates or remove equipment if necessary to gain access and make sure you have sufficient space. Consider the orientation of the rod holder as well. For example, a 30-degree holder that’s fine when orientated fore and aft may not have sufficient room if installed at a 90-degree angle to the vessel’s centerline. Flush-mounted rod holders are available in a number of materials, from plastic to stainless steel. Choose those that best match the existing rod holders or fittings on your boat. Rod holders that are open at the bottom will simply drain into the space they are mounted in; if that’s not desirable, other models have a drain tube that can be routed to the cockpit or overboard. Steps to a successful installation 1. Verify the location has adequate access and clearance beneath the gunwale, both to mount the holder and reach and tighten mounting hardware. 2. Cover the area with a good painter’s masking tape to protect the gelcoat from scratches and help prevent chipping while drilling or cutting.
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3. Mark the center of the rod holder position using the provided template. The hole will be more or less elliptical (depending on the rod holder angle). 4. Position and clamp the jig (see sidebar) onto the gunwale. 5. Using the jig as a guide, begin cutting. Start slowly, applying moderate pressure as needed. 6. Once the cut is completed, insert the holder to check fit and alignment, then mark the bolt holes and drill. When drilling the bolt holes, run the drill in reverse until through the gelcoat (to help prevent chipping) then switch to forward and continue drilling. 7. Bevel each hole once drilled. This prevents future gelcoat cracking and provides a better seal once caulking is applied. File or sand the edge of the center hole as well. 8. Dry fit the holder and mounting bolts to ensure a perfect fit prior to bedding (caulking). 9. Seal exposed wood coring with epoxy and let dry. Seal non-wood coring with a suitable marine-grade caulking (such as 3M 4200). 10.Apply a bead of caulking to the flange of the holder and bolt holes, then insert in the mounting hole. Install mounting hardware and snug up until the bedding compound begins to ooze out around the edges, then leave overnight to set up and form a gasket. Come back the next day and tighten to the proper torque. ★
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F W W W .T S H O P.T W
The jig is up
hile rod holders are not critical deck hardware, it’s their absence when needed that makes you fully aware of their value — particularly as they can also be used to mount other equipment, such as a bait prep station or grill. Fortunately, this is one boat problem that can be easily corrected with minimal cash outlay, a little planning and an hour or so of do-it-yourself time. Here are some helpful tips on adding a rod holder to your vessel’s gunwale.
Have you been good this year? Lakeland Boating is the perfect holiday gift for your favorite boater. Call 800-827-0289 or visit lakelandboating.com to order a gift subscription TODAY!
ELECTRONICS BY GLENN HAYES
Simple ways to increase your transducer’s performance.
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ost modern marine electronics can do a good job of charting your way and showing you what’s in the depths under your hull, but sometimes you can be left wanting more. While it’s nice to have the latest and greatest systems onboard, replacing your fishfinder or sounder can get expensive and might be unnecessary. Many times, improvements can be accomplished by simply upgrading the transducer or components of the transducer system.
A Garmin Transducer Spray Shield
Airmar B75M Thru-Hull Transducer
Transducer anti-fouling paint
GLENN HAYES is a marine writer and photographer whose background in the marine industry and in marine electronics spans almost three decades and many thousands of miles at sea traveling the world. He can be reached at HAYESSTUDIOS.COM .
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Replacing a transducer Often, pre-installed electronics from the factory, builder or dealer may have transducers that are not always the premier choice but rather one that could be provided or purchased at a better price point. If it’s a transom-mount, it may well be a lower-end transducer that came as part of a prepackaged bundle. By replacing these basic transducers with more capable ones, or transducers better suited to your personal application, performance can be greatly improved. Of course, before investing in a higher-end transducer or a different format — such as changing from in-hull to a transom-mount or through-hull — it’s important to make sure your fishfinder/sounder can utilize all its capabilities. A quick check of the manufacturer’s website or a call to its tech helpline will make sure you get the right model for your display and application. The type of transducer and the way it’s mounted or installed can also influence performance. For example, you could have an in-hull puck-type transducer that is epoxied on the inside of the hull. These transducers are good in that they do not require a hole in the hull and work where a transom-mount transducer may not work as well, such as on an inboard boat. The downside is that they must send their signal through the hull material, and sometimes through bottom paint, degrading the signal and reception of the sound frequencies they produce. Depending on where they are mounted, they may also get water cavitation running under them while underway, also degrading their signal. Switching to a through-hull or transom-mount can sometimes drastically improve performance. Making improvements Other upgrades can make a difference in your bottom recordings and can even improve on your fuel efficiency. This includes switching from a transducer
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Airmar TM265LH Dual CHIRP Transom Transducer
that requires a fairing block to level the sensor to a flush-mounted unit that has a pre-tilted element within it. They are usually available with 0-, 12- and 20-degree angles and would be selected depending on the deadrise of your hull. Another benefit of going with one of these transducers is that there is less chance of damage from striking something underwater or by careless placement of a forklift or trailer bunk. Another upgrade for those with CHIRP (Compressed High-Intensity Radiated Pulse) capability is a transducer that can operate in the best CHIRP range for your kind of fishing. There are transducers available that can operate in high CHIRP frequencies, which are best for shallow water fishing, medium frequencies for reef and offshore fishing, and low frequencies for fishing at deeper depths. Some transducers are even capable of utilizing two or three of the ranges and can be selected through your fishfinder. I came across an example of this recently when a friend purchased a boat with a newer fishfinder and chartplotter onboard but had a very basic transom-mount transducer that was a traditional unit outputting a single frequency that worked well for shallow water. By checking the manufacturer’s website for compatible transducers, we were able to come up with a transom-mount transducer that not only was capable of CHIRP transmission, but also offered high and medium CHIRP capability. He now has great readings inshore and when he fishes deeper reefs offshore. We also were able to upgrade his depth sounder performance underway simply by making sure the transducer was mounted correctly and at the right position and angle allowing for depth readings while underway at higher speeds. The previous transducer was mounted a bit too high and resulted in the sounder dropping off once he got on plane. Even if you decide the transducer you have is adequate, there are upgrades available to improve its performance and longevity. Items such as replacement brackets that are made of stainless steel rather than plastic are available for some transom-mount transducers. Other brackets have a spray shield built in, or one can be added to knock down the rooster tail some new long transom-mount transducers can produce. There are also specialized anti-fouling paints available specifically for transducers that will keep growth and slime off them that can affect performance. ★
G A R M I N A N D PA I N T P H O T O S B Y G L E N N H AY E S ; O T H E R P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F A I R M A R
Transducer Tips
SAFETY FIRST BY HELEN AITKEN
Being a Good Samaritan Your obligation to help on the water.
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any years ago, on the first voyage of our first boat, my husband, Scott, and I were asked at a wildlife ramp to help a stranded boater after their battery had died. It was easily resolved, and they got on their way. Twenty minutes later, the boat flagged us down again for another jump. In the channel, it was more difficult to do. Hours later, on our way back to the dock, we saw the same boat being escorted back to the ramp by a patrolling Coast Guard boat. As inexperienced boaters, jumping a dead battery was a simple task. We had the tools, knowledge and desire to help another boater, but what if the situation had been serious or life threatening? What is a boater’s obligation?
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F W AT E R S P O R T S F O U N DAT I O N
What are Good Samaritans? Good Samaritans are volunteers ready to assist during a time of need, whether that includes a rescue attempt, giving first aid, or being first on the scene. They may not be health professionals, certified technicians, or even trained specialists — they might just be ordinary people willing to help. The Good Samaritan law protects the volunteer and most rescue professionals from litigation after assisting in an emergency or life-or-death situation, and reduces the reluctance for a bystander with good intentions to offer support. In contrast, litigation can be issued against those who fail to assist. State regulations According to USCGBOATING.ORG, its “First Responders, First Aid, Good Samaritans, Search and Rescue” chart summarizes which states have policies or procedures on four categories: Being a first responder at an accident, the use of first aid, the Good Samaritan Law, and search & rescue. The regulations differ from state to state (refer to sidebar). For example, Michigan does have a policy or procedure for being a first responder at an accident, while Wisconsin does not. Every boater should obtain information regarding their state’s marine Good Samaritan regulations before going boating. In Canadian waters, the rules are also different. Preparation • A responding boater can reduce the chances of accidents and injury. Take boating classes, follow the
Rules of the Road and get a Vessel Safety Check from America’s Boating Club or Coast Guard Auxiliary. • Equip the boat appropriately, maintain proper insurance, and opt for additional coverage from Sea Tow or TowBoatUS. Display insurance company and other policies at the helm in case of an accident or if there is a need for a towing service. • Possess and know how to use a VHF radio to signal area boaters, as well as the Coast Guard. • Check the weather forecast and fuel levels, and log a float plan. Responding to a situation Aiding another boater in trouble is instinctive and encouraged by maritime tradition. However, there is a difference between a serious boat accident and a boat that has run out of gas. Allow for experienced vessels or authorities to assist. If no other vessel can give aid, there are things that you can do without putting your vessel or crew at risk. 1. Respond to the distress call, identify yourself and location. Record all information. Assess if there is a serious emergency needing immediate action or if it’s something non-threatening. 2. Ask about medical needs, number of people onboard or in the water and boat condition, then notify the Coast Guard — they will ask for pertinent information. Keep contact with the vessel should the situation change. 3. Make sure all passengers are wearing life jackets and are in a safe location. Have them locate the fire extinguisher and first aid kit. 4. Have the boat activate its MMSI or GPS. 5. Ask about their float plan and notify their float plan contact person to the boat’s situation. 6. Attempting to tow another boat, especially in open water or in poor weather, is not advisable. Instead, call the professionals like TowBoatUS or Sea Tow and, as a last resort, the Coast Guard. 7. Wait with the vessel until help arrives. Safety first Rendering assistance to distressed boaters is both a legal and moral obligation, yet every boater should be cognizant of their state’s liability directives. Know your personal limits and your vessel’s limits. If you’re unsure of your ability to give aid, don’t. Instead make a call for help and stay with the vessel until help arrives. ★
Policies and Procedures by State 1. Being a First Responder at an accident 2. The use of First Aid 3. Good Samaritan Law 4. Search & Rescue ILLINOIS 1. Yes 2. No 3. Yes 4. No INDIANA 1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Yes 4. Yes MICHIGAN 1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Yes 4. No NEW YORK 1. No 2. No 3. No 4. No OHIO 1. Yes 3. No
2. Yes 4. Yes
PENNSYLVANIA 1. Yes 2. No 3. No 4. No WISCONSIN 1. No 2. No 3. No 4. Yes
HELEN AITKEN is a boating writer, photographer and former science educator from eastern North Carolina. She loves classic wooden boats, is an America’s Boating Club member and plays in the Intracoastal Waterway.
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BENEATH THE SURFACE B Y H E AT H E R S T E I N B E R G E R
A Partner for All Seasons
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he 2021 boating season is winding down. Families are planning their last weekends on the water, and they’re scheduling final haul-out by tow vehicle or boat hoist. One critical step, however, lies between fall decommissioning and the eagerly anticipated 2022 spring commissioning. It’s called winter storage, and in the whirl of summer cruising and watersports adventures, it often gets overlooked. Not only do you need a place to keep your boat when ice locks the lakes and snow flies, that place must be a safe haven on more than one level. That’s where your boatyard comes in. Head indoors and keep the heat on Depending on the yard, winter storage options can include heated indoor, unheated indoor and outdoor. To determine which option will be best, boaters need to carefully consider the degree of safety and security they seek. According to Mark Felhofer, owner of Bay Marine, demand for indoor heated storage is soaring. The Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin-based dealership recently expanded its Door County facilities through the purchase of the old Sturgeon Bay Yacht Harbor; it also has locations in Waukegan, Illinois, and Cape Coral, Florida. “We have roughly 150,000 square feet of indoor heated storage space in our northern markets, because the demand is huge,” Felhofer says. “Onboard systems are so sophisticated these days, particularly electronics,
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that unheated storage of any kind doesn’t make a lot of sense. People want to protect their investment.” In addition, after the final cruise of the season, a boat owner can simply leave his or her vessel at the dock. Not only will Bay Marine haul the boat, staff will take care of any items left onboard, from bottled beverages to cleaning supplies. The goal, Felhofer says, is to offer a hassle-free experience. “You just step off your boat, and step back on in the spring,” he explains. “We’ll take it out, and in the spring, we’ll clean and detail it, launch it, and put it in the slip for you.” Craig Duchow is principal and general manager of Milwaukee-based CenterPointe Yacht Services, which has additional Wisconsin locations in Sturgeon Bay, Kenosha and Pewaukee. CenterPointe currently offers approximately 212,000 square feet of indoor heated storage in addition to outdoor storage and employs 31 technicians that perform both mechanical and cosmetic service. He also observes that the boatyard business is seeing a surge in demand for indoor heated storage. A key factor, he says, is that bigger boats and yachts have different needs. “They’re more complex to winterize and decommission,” he explains. “They have more heads, shower sumps, engines and so on. With a bigger investment like that, the best possible solution is indoor heated storage.” What’s more, do-it-yourselfers can tinker with their boats and not freeze. “We welcome DIYers,” Felhofer says. “They either enjoy it, or they’re doing it because it’s necessary for them to afford that kind of boating; either way, we want to support them. We’re happy to be a resource, talking with them and answering questions.” In the event of a power outage, both boatyards report they are prepared. Since the ambient temperature is well above freezing, boats and systems won’t be in any initial danger. And in an extended outage, backup generators will do the trick. “You’ll have that extra peace of mind,” Duchow says. Unsurprisingly, parking spots in
P H O T O S T H I S PA G E C O U R T E S Y O F B AY M A R I N E
The relationship with your boatyard doesn’t end when the water gets hard.
P H O T O S T H I S PA G E C O U R T E S Y O F C E N T E R P O I N T E
heated facilities tend to book out early. Felhofer and Duchow both report that they start taking reservations in late winter and early spring for the next winter. They’re fully booked for winter 2021-22, and yes, there are waiting lists. “We sell out every year,” Duchow says. “I would encourage people to call and ask. One option would be to book cold storage and winterize with us, and then book heated indoor storage for the next winter.” Build a relationship — it’s so worth it That being said, cold storage at a boatyard has its advantages over a driveway, outbuilding, or a random outdoor RV/boat storage lot. For starters, if you choose unheated indoor storage, you won’t have to deal with snow. In the Great Lakes region, spring snows can last through March and into April, leaving snow-plowed ice mountains that are hard-pressed to melt before May. “Sometimes, if we have a cold and snowy spring, the outdoor boats are the last ones to launch because owners could not complete work on their boats,” Duchow says. Next, whether you choose indoor unheated storage or space in a boatyard’s outdoor lot, you can take advantage of the service team’s winterizing expertise. That’s a definite pro for newbies, and even experienced boaters can make mistakes. “I know how to do it myself, but I would always hire someone to handle it for me,” Duchow relates. “It’s the best insurance in the world. If you do it on your own, and you forget a step, the damage is on your dime. “Eighty percent of our smaller-boat owners winterize with us, and it’s an opportunity for us to get our eyes on the boats again,” he continues. “We can handle oil changes, minor warranty issues and things like that. It’s more cost-efficient to do it in one shot, and you’ll have the same certified technician every year, someone who gets to know you, your boat and your engine. This is why you build a long-term relationship with your yard.” Felhofer says it’s also an opportunity to keep an eye on any recalls in the industry. That way, the service team can advise owners of necessary replacement parts and repairs during the offseason. “We took that proactive approach many years ago to really get to know our customers and their boats,” he says. “We’re rarely slow in winter. If we see a recall come through, we contact the owner right away and let them know.
“I remember one year, there was a recall on fire extinguisher seals, and our customers wouldn’t have known,” he continues. With a laugh, he adds, “We changed hundreds! They were all over the place.” In the end, winter storage isn’t just about a place to put your boat until you can splash it again in the spring. It’s about properly caring for one of your most prized possessions. “Ask questions when you’re looking for a yard,” Duchow recommends. “Instead of looking for the cheapest rates, inquire about state-of-the-art equipment and skilled people who have been with the company for years. There’s a reason why the high-quality yards book out so fast.” If you need to make a decision for this year or are ready to make a change down the road: Consider your needs, contact preferred yards in your area to learn more about them, and then when you make your choice, build a meaningful relationship with the people who work there. They’ll be in your corner for the long haul, and in the boating life, that is priceless. For more information, visit BAYMARINE.NET and CENTERPOINTESERVICE.COM. ★
(Opposite page, top) Boaters that choose Bay Marine for winter storage will also get their boat detailed come spring. (Opposite page, bottom) Bay Marine offers about 150,000 square feet of indoor heated storage space. (This page, top) CenterPointe’s Sturgeon Bay location. (This page, bottom) A 75-metric-ton Travelift ready to go to work at CenterPointe Milwaukee.
HEATHER STEINBERGER is an award-winning writer/editor who has specialized in boating, travel and outdoor adventure for more than 20 years.
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BOAT SPOTLIGHT BY KEVIN KOENIG
SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 24’7” Beam: 9’7” Draft: 3’ Weight: 8,800 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 66 gals. Water Capacity: 34 gals. Power: 2 x Yanmar MSRP: Contact dealer FR ATELLIAPREAUSA.COM
DEALER Fratelli Aprea USA Boyne City, MI 313-908-3818 INFO@FR ATELLIAPREA USA.COM
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Fratelli Aprea Sorrento 7.50 All in the family.
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ou may not be familiar with Fratelli Aprea and, in part, that’s by design. The Sorrento, Italy-based builder is fully custom, and its models take time to construct. And while its boats are nearly omnipresent along some parts of the Amalfi Coast, the builder’s U.S. footprint is relatively small. That’s because it doesn’t really need to advertise — its Italian audience is built-in and loyal. Enter Michael Sinacola, an Italian-American boat dealer based out of Michigan. Sinacola, who has lots of family still in Italy, fell in love with Fratelli Aprea nearly at first sight, and has become the domestic outlet for the brand. The builder’s latest model is its 7.50, and Sinacola’s enthusiasm for the 25-foot open boat is readily evident. “The 7.50 is really an Italian fishing vessel gone luxe,” he says. “It’s got workboat DNA because it’s born from that world. She’s got twin Yanmars, a full keel and a super stable ride. That rounded gozzo-style
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transom is a traditional Italian fishing boat feature, but it’s got so much more to offer than that.” Sinacola is particularly excited about the 7.50’s woodwork. “All the brightwork is hand-selected mahogany and teak. One of the uncles from the Aprea family goes out and buys the tree trunks. Then they import them into Italy and we break them down in our own mill. So every single piece of wood in the boat has been cut and milled in-house from those selected trunks,” he says. “The teak on the boat is extremely thick and all the decking is wood. You’re never touching fiberglass on a Fratelli Aprea.” “We have six generations of boatbuilding in the family, and even within the boatyard there are other families that are generations deep,” Sinacola adds. “When you buy a Fratelli Aprea, you are buying a boat that was built by a man who may have used the same hammer that his grandfather used to build the same boats so many years ago.” ★
BOAT SPOTLIGHT BY KEVIN KOENIG
Palm Beach GT60 Life’s a beach.
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alm Beach has always been known for turning out boats with a seaworthy ride wrapped in a classically lined package. But as time has marched forward, the builder has noticed a younger generation showing interest in its products’ performance, though with an eye toward something with a bit more flash. Enter the GT line. The Palm Beach GT50 debuted in 2019, and hot on its heels was the GT60, which officially splashed at the 2020 Miami Boat Show — that is to say, just moments before the world went haywire. So if news about this vessel has been a little quiet, it’s understandable. But now you’re in the know. “The thinking behind this model was to push the design limits and also break some of the constraints on what we are known for building. Palm Beaches are gorgeous but you’re locked into those classic aesthetics,” says CEO Mark Richards. “By going the GT route it freed us of some constraints. So we all sat down and had an
expression session, and came up with an aesthetic alternative to the classic series, and I think the results speak for themselves.” He’s not kidding. The Palm Beach has an e-glass-infused hull, but everything else onboard is carbon fiber. The commensurately light and rigid boat can flat out fly, with top speeds above 40 knots reported by the company, and a cruise that clocks in right around 30 knots. Those numbers are attained with the help of optional twin Volvo Penta IPS1350s (the smaller IPS950s are also standard). The GT60 is specially designed to help you enjoy those speeds to the fullest. With electrically lowering side windows, a Webasto sunroof and a gorgeous single-pane windshield, she’s all but an open boat. And once you experience that smooth Palm Beach ride, with a hull form that throws off almost zero wake, you’ll understand why this new model has everyone so excited. H
SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 65’1” Beam: 17’2” Draft: 3’4” Weight: 51,260 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 845 gals. Water Capacity: 251 gals. Std. Power: 2 X Volvo Penta IPS950s Base Price: $3,300,000 PALMBEACHMOTOR YACHTS.COM
DEALER Factory-direct: Palm Beach Motor Yachts Stuart, FL 772-286-9800
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BOAT SPOTLIGHT BY KEVIN KOENIG
SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 50’10” Beam: 13’6” Draft: 3’9” Weight: 36,262 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 350 gals. Water Capacity: 96 gals. Power: 2 x Volvo IPS 600 MSRP: Contact dealer PRINCESSYACHTS.COM
DEALER Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales Chicago, IL; St. Clair Shores, MI; Holland, MI; Grand Haven, MI; Charlevoix, MI; Spring Lake, MI; Marblehead, OH JBYS.COM
Watch the video at
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Princess V50 Crown jewel.
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here will always be room in the world for a boat that can do it all. The Princess V50 is one of those boats. At 50 feet, 10 inches LOA, she’s a medium-sized vessel with plenty of onboard space for entertaining and cruising; but since she is an express cruiser, her single-level deck plan makes it easy for a captain to both maneuver and keep clean when the day is done. “The V50 is an awesome boat, whether you want to live it up during the day with groups of people or take extended cruises. Plus because of the [Volvo Penta] joystick it’s an excellent pick for new boaters,” says Amy Krueger Malow, president of Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales, a dealer with seven locations on the Great Lakes. “There’s simply so much to like: There’s a hydraulic swim platform, an opening hardtop, plus the interior is super bright on its own and has great headroom too. There are two
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staterooms — it’s just a wonderful boat with so much to offer.” Another key selling point for the V50 — and one boaters no doubt will find attractive — is its flexible layout. The main deck can be open or enclosed, and there can be either an L-shaped lounge or a sunpad aft. Also, the second salon, located on the accommodations level, can be converted into a third stateroom if you’re cruising with a crowd. “It’s a really great hull. People sometimes don’t realize that the Great Lakes can get rough, but they definitely do, and this boat is up to it,” Malow says. “She’s got a smooth, solid ride for sure.” With standard twin 440-hp Volvo Penta IPS 600s, the V50 can cruise at a sprightly 25 knots while topping out at 32 knots. In that regard, this exceptionally versatile model really does manage to put the “express” in an express cruiser. H
BOAT SPOTLIGHT BY KEVIN KOENIG
Sea Ray Sundancer 370 Outboard Dance class.
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hen it comes to spending a beautiful, sunny day onboard a high-performing boat, it’s hard to beat a bowrider for wind-inyour-hair thrills and a connection to the environment. And when it comes to bowriders, the Sea Ray Sundancer 370 Outboard is a model you absolutely need to know about. “It’s a really exciting boat,” says Rod Bensz, owner and director of sales at B&E Marine. “It’s the first boat Sea Ray has designed with their new modern design language, and it’s full of all the features that Sea Ray lovers and others really enjoy.” To that end the boat has triple 300-hp Mercury Verado outboard engines with Joystick Piloting. The helm has 12-inch touchscreen Simrad displays and a CZone digital switching panel that controls all the boat’s systems. A Fusion Apollo RA770 audio system supplies the cranked-up tunes that put the cherry on top of your on-the-water sundae.
Bensz also points out that the Sundancer 370 is more than just a dayboat. “She can sleep four,” he says, “and has an enclosed head with a separate shower for privacy.” A galley that’s also on the accommodations level has a standard refrigerator and microwave when it’s time for a bite to eat. An optional Seakeeper 3 gyro stabilizer enhances the 370’s cruising credentials by making the boat super steady when the chop kicks up, which greatly enhances onboard comfort. Settees to either side of the cockpit face each other and provide the perfect venue for a cocktail at sundown or a lunch shaded by the boat’s generous hardtop. The Sundancer 370 also comes with Sea Ray’s vaunted three-year warranty, which offers peace of mind to customers who will no doubt get their money’s worth out of their boats. Keep a look out for this versatile runabout. ★
SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 39’9” Beam: 12’ Draft: 43” Fuel Capacity: 250 gals. Water Capacity: 40 gals. Power: 3 x Mercury Verado outboards MSRP: Contact dealer
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SEAR AY.COM
DEALERS B&E Marine
BEMARINE.COM
Colony Marine
COLONYMARINE.COM
MarineMax
MARINEMA X.COM
SkipperBud’s
SKIPPERBUDS.COM
Walstrom Marine WALSTROM.COM
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BOAT TEST
Cruisers
34 GLS OB
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Space ship. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRUISERS
BY CHUCK WARREN
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I
n business for more than 100 years, Oconto, Wisconsin-based Cruisers Yachts designs its products by asking its customers what they want instead of trying to just build the fastest, loudest, most colorful vessels on the water. Cruisers models often feel like the company designed the interior and exterior living spaces of the boat first, and then figured out how to wrap an attractive shell around the design, rather than creating a hull and then trying to figure out how to make it comfortable. No matter what year, model or size, Cruisers has always excelled at one particular attribute — comfort. The new 2022 Cruisers 34 GLS OB is no exception to the rule. With its clean lines, roomy floorplan, and a couple of Mercury 300s strapped to the transom, the new 34-footer is beautiful, fast and nimble, with a great ride and enough standard features to easily become your new favorite boat. Everyone is welcome From the moment you step onboard the new 34 GLS OB, it’s easy to see that this vessel was built to accommodate anybody and everybody. There are no tricks to boarding the boat, like learning a new yoga pose so you can twist around the big outboards.
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Cruisers made boarding or climbing back up from the water simple, with wide wings on either side of the transom that provide an easy way to get from the dock to the deck. There is also a large, folding panel that creates additional deck space across the transom well by covering the cables and umbilical harnesses that link the engines to the helm. Moving forward, the cockpit was designed to provide passengers with plenty of seating and storage. However, there is also enough room to move around under the hardtop and sunroof without tripping over friends and family. At the aft end, a huge rear seat includes a convertible backrest that switches from a forwardfacing configuration to aft-facing. The seat can also become a comfortable lounge for anyone wanting to lay out in the sun. To port, an outdoor galley contains a sink and lots of counter space with an optional grill and fridge available as well. The galley provides extra function and convenience but does not feel like it reduces cockpit seating or affects the traffic patterns from the transom forward. The convertible aft seat is also the rear leg of a large L-shaped seating configuration, which doubles as a dinette
for eating, drinking or entertaining. Beneath each of the comfortable seat cushions is lots of finished storage space, which includes mesh flooring for keeping contents dry. Onboard perks At the helm, a large, adjustable bolster seat is roomy enough for two, while a passenger seat, which is also convertible from forward-to aft-facing, completes the port bench. Just ahead of the controls is one of the 34 GLS’s nicer standard features — a Mercury joystick complete with Skyhook. The 34 GLS is outfitted with a lot of standard features that other manufacturer’s offer as options. Many of these are features that almost any buyer would want, so making them standard is a nice move. There’s no need to watch the base price climb while checking off the boxes next to a bunch of must-haves. Like the rest of the boat, the dash is clean and uncluttered. Flush switches give the captain control over the boat’s systems, while Simrad touch-screens provide critical information. Our test boat had dual screens, although a single screen is standard.
Cruisers 34 GLS OB S P E C I F I CAT I ON S LOA: 35’10’’ Beam: 11’8” Draft: 29” Weight: 14,530 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 200 gals. Water Capacity: 25 gals Base Power: Mercury 300-hp Verados Price: Contact dealer CRUISERSYACHTS.COM
An unexpected feature sits behind the engine controls alongside the helm seat. Cruisers included an inductive charger to make it easy for the captain to keep a portable device juiced without having to fight with charging cables while at the wheel. Forward, a roomy bow seating area creates a truly comfortable spot for cruising in the sun. Here, plenty of cup holders provide a spot for every beverage, while conveniently placed USB ports ensure no one’s smartphone or tablet runs dry. At the helm’s port side, a sliding door reveals a roomy cabin that includes plenty of creature comforts for a weekend away. The space feels larger than it is thanks to opening portholes and an unexpected amount of headroom. Taller passengers will not need to duck their heads on the way to the head. The starboard wet head is also big enough that it doesn’t feel cramped, partly due to a large hullside window and another opening porthole. At the aft end of the cabin, even the cuddy is big enough for a couple of adults to get comfy and can also be accessed without needing to learn a new yoga move. The 34 GLS OB has storage everywhere, including a huge, open space
beneath the main deck where a couple of sterndrive engines would normally hide. There is storage beneath cushions, behind doors and below hatches everywhere you look, providing more than enough space for accessories, supplies and toys. Testing the space ship Somehow, I managed to pick the nicest day of the entire summer for my trip up to Oconto. Firing up the three Mercury 300 Verados, we pointed the 34-footer out into Green Bay across water as calm and flat as a mirror. As we throttled up, the boat jumped up on plane without needing any help from the Bennett trim tabs and with minimal bow rise. The Merc 300s pushed us up to a nice 34 mph cruise while the engine noise was low enough to maintain a conversation. The absence of wind or engine noise while seated in the bow or at the helm was one of the boat’s most unexpected and welcome features. There is no need to shout to be heard in either space. The ride is so quiet that you might be able to hear someone whispering in the adjacent seat, even with a lower profile windshield that does not take away from the boat’s beautiful lines.
D E AL E R SkipperBud’s 800-636-2623
SKIPPERBUDS.COM
Easy to board Easy to access Lack of wind or engine noise Single Simrad screen is standard
The flat, calm seas provided the foundation for a really great day on the water. However, it would have been nice if we had a little chop to see how the 34 GLS OB handled the rough stuff. Either way, the ride was as smooth as the water and the 34-footer carved easy turns and jumped from cruise to 45 mph wide open with ease. With its comfortable layout and large living spaces, a wealth of standard features and a great performing hull, the 2022 Cruisers 34 GLS OB is a welcome addition to the new breed of outboard dayboats. With its focus on comfort and quality, it’s easy to see why Cruisers Yachts has been around for more than 100 years. ★
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B Y D I A N N A S TA M P F L E R
Origin story
(Top) A historic photo of the 1921-built Boss, which has called the Great Lakes her home for the past century. (Bottom) Boss’ 1932 Sterling Dolphin motor is on display inside Les Cheneaux Distillery in nearby Cedarville, Michigan.
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Boss was originally constructed in 1921 by the Great Lakes Boat Building Corporation in Milwaukee for St. Louis cotton mogul Alvin D. Goldman, who gave very specific instructions on how his boat was to be crafted and asked his friend (and fellow millionaire), Al Pack, to manage the project on his behalf. When completed, the one-of-a-kind luxury $13,500 Day Express Cruiser boasted a Cyprus hull, white oak frames, brass and copper hardware (including the air vents), mahogany varnish and trim, and a wooden mast. In lieu of a forward cockpit, the cabin was outfitted with large upper and lower sleeping berths to accommodate four people comfortably. The galley — with a large ice box, sink and kerosene range with an oven — was modern for the era. The spacious rear deck featured a built-in seat along the stern and wicker chairs with cushions were placed beneath a removable canvas canopy with roll-up side curtains — making it the perfect spot for entertaining guests. Powered by a Sterling engine, Boss was ready to head to Goldman’s boathouse in Charlevoix’s Round Lake in June 1921. Like many from St. Louis, Goldman vacationed in northern Michigan, and with Boss, he was able to explore the waters around Charlevoix, Horton Bay, Petoskey,
Harbor Springs, DeTour and Drummond Island, as well as the North Channel of Ontario. And, of course, the Les Cheneaux Islands. Not long after Goldman launched Boss, Gene Mertaugh built his first boathouse out of scrap lumber, and in 1925, the E. J. Mertaugh Boat Works Company was founded. Mertaugh later became the first Chris-Craft dealership in the world, bringing wooden boats made in Algonac (near Detroit) up through Lake Huron during the height of prohibition. Some of these boats were even said to smuggle booze to speakeasies on nearby Mackinac Island. The continued interest in classic boats led Mertaugh to create the annual Les Cheneaux Islands Wooden Boat Show in 1978, which continues to be held every second Saturday in August. Over the years, Boss has made numerous show appearances. For decades, Goldman and his family and friends enjoyed their Great Lakes summers (and Florida winters) aboard Boss. In 1942, there was a time when Goldman thought he might perhaps lose his beloved boat as the U.S. Navy was purchasing private vessels to be used as patrol boats during World War II. He provided the government with the required specs on the boat but, thankfully, it was never commandeered. After Goldman passed away in September 1958, his son, Jack, became the second owner of Boss, although the boat rarely left its enclosed slip in Round Lake until it was sold in 1968 to William (Bill) Dykstra, Herbert Lantinga and Robert Brandt. It was during this era that another young girl from Michigan was introduced to Boss, creating her own set of childhood memories that have lasted a lifetime.
Full circle
Shelley (Glupker) Koster was an impressionable child when her family began making the summer pilgrimage from their home in Grand Rapids to Charlevoix, where her dad had several boats. They would hang out with his friend, Bill Dykstra, and his family on Round Lake; one weekend a month, for as many as 10 years, Shelley and her brother, Mike, along with Dykstra’s children (Mary and Billy) settled into the Boss bunks to spend the night. All these years later, Shelley says the smell of varnish
PHOTO COURTESY OF LES CHENEAUX DISTILLERY
The story of one historic, 100-year-old boat and its impact on several generations of boaters.
Childhood dreams do come true. Just ask Janet (Noyes) Carrington, a seventh-generation resident of the Les Cheneaux Islands in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She was just eight years old in the late 1950s when she first laid eyes on the luxury 42-foot wooden yacht named Boss, docked at E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works in Hessel. It was love at first sight. She admired its sleek lines, rich mahogany color and unique character, and promised herself that someday Boss would be hers. Nearly 50 years later, she turned that dream into reality. In 2006, Carrington became the owner of one of the Great Lakes’ most historic and iconic boats, bringing Boss back to the home waters of northern Lake Huron where she had first fallen in love with it. Since then, Carrington enlisted the help of none other than E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works to freshen up Boss in preparation for its 100th birthday.
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F E . J. M E R TA U G H B OAT W O R K S
Boss Ladies
A L L R E N O P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F D I A N N A S TA M P F L E R ; F L AG P H O T O B Y B I L L V E N E K L A S E N BOTTOM TWO PHOTOS COURTESY OF NIKKI STOREY
can take her back to those magical, youthful nights on that historic boat. Little did Shelley know then the role that she and her family’s company would play in the present and future of Boss. In 2000, Shelley and her husband, Brad, purchased Mertaugh Boat Works from her parents, Bruce and Nancy Glupker, (who had bought it from Gene Mertaugh’s sons, Jim and Jack, in 1989). Over the past 15 years, the story of Boss and Mertaugh’s has become intertwined into one shared by two women with their own distinct recollections of just how special this boat is. “It was so beautifully cared for and had never been messed with,” Carrington said in a 2007 St. Ignace News article. “I looked all around to find something unoriginal, and there wasn’t anything. No brass or wood was replaced. That’s what really impressed me.” When Carrington acquired Boss, much of the canvas was original, as was about 99% of the wood and hardware. Since then, there have been a few repairs to the keel and stern, as well as a few individual planks. The engine was also upgraded to a new fuel-injected Crusader, making the driving process more streamlined for Carrington’s day trips throughout the region. “With the exception of cushions for the berths and an outside curtain, the interior is a time capsule of the highest quality yacht craftsmanship available in 1921,” Koster says. The Mertaugh team has been working for months freshening up Boss’ exterior with fresh paint, polish and a few other refurbishments that are expected on a 100-year-old well-loved boat. It made its first public appearance of the year on August 13 at a special celebration to kick off the Wooden Boat Show weekend, where it once again wowed the crowd. As Boss was a custom commission, there is not another one exactly like it out there. It is regarded by boat enthusiasts to be one of the finest antique yachts on the Great Lakes due to its uniqueness and ongoing love and care at the hands of its past and present owners and restorers. “One thing is sure, were it not for Boss’ diligent owners who were each dedicated to maintaining exceptional standards of originality and quality, we would not be able to enjoy the vision of such a beautiful vessel in the water each year,” Koster says proudly. In addition to her dedication to Boss, Carrington has supported many local organizations in her hometown region, including the Les Cheneaux Culinary School, Les Cheneaux Community Library, Les Cheneaux Community Foundation and, along with her sister, Nancy (Noyes) Ayres, helping to establish the Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville in 2005. ★
(Top four) The crews at E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works spent months restoring Boss in preparation for her centennial. (Below) Janet Carrington, second from left, gathers with family and friends beside Boss during the 100th anniversary celebration in August. (Bottom) Boss has been a fan favorite at the annual Wooden Boat Show held each August in Hessel.
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51 YEaRs I
AFlOaT
t was 1965. Ann and Don Hugger represented the all-American family, right out of Central Casting: A comfortable home in a nice Grand Rapids, Michigan, neighborhood; four kids, between 7 and 12; one slightly neurotic Brittany spaniel named Jody. But most importantly, they had a desire to “do something with the kids — something other than mowing the lawn and playing golf,” Don Hugger, 99, explains. The couple spent an entire summer driving up and down the Michigan coastline looking at cottages without success. And then, serendipity struck. The couple’s across-the-street neighbors, Bob and Barb Pemberton, kept Mañana, a 1936 32-foot Chris-Craft at their Topinabee cottage on Mullet Lake. The Pembertons invited the couple to cruise aboard Mañana to Grand Haven — it would be the first time the Huggers had been on a cabin cruiser. The foursome cast off and steamed up Mullet Lake to the Cheboygan River, and then out into the Straits of Mackinac. By the time the old Chris-Craft came out of the lee of Waugoshance Point, five miles past the bridge, Lake Michigan made it clear with a brutal beam sea that she had other plans for the crew. They got the message, turned tail, and headed back to Cheboygan. With time running out before the wind-blown weather changed, the trip was abandoned. But bad weather or not, the hook had been set — boating was about to welcome its newest members.
FIrSt oUtInG
The Huggers found their boat — a steel-hulled, 1959 35-foot ChrisCraft Roamer — at Barrett Boat Works in Spring Lake. On June 1, 1967, they took ownership and named her after their daughter, Kim. “I had never driven a boat,” Hugger explains. “There we were — my wife, four kids and the dog aboard — as broker John Ennenga took us out on Spring Lake for a quick lesson. After the first docking, as we
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Ann & Don Hugger, circa 1977, aboard Kim.
(Above) The Hugger’s first boat was Kim, a steel-hulled, 1959 35′ Chris-Craft Roamer. (Right) Don docks their second Kim, a 32′ 1968 Grand Banks, in Hessel, Michigan.
AT 99, a MIcHiGaN bOa r lOoKs bAcK oN a hAlF cE rY oF G aT s cRuIs g. By TeD HuGgEr
(Above left) Ann and Jody aboard the Roamer. (Center) The family at Ann and Don's 50th wedding anniversary. (Right) Don and his family cruised more than 33,000 miles over 51 years.
were backing out of the slip for a second round, Ennenga jumped off the boat. I was scared spitless, but we survived our first solo outing.” That fall, the couple took the Power Squadron course, and the following year, made the first of many trips up the big lake, cruising from Grand Haven to Leland where Lake Michigan’s notorious weather promptly pinned them down. They were still gun-shy, reluctant to get underway in questionable weather. “If a red flag was up, we’d turn right around and head back to the slip,” Hugger says. “That was before the Leland marina was built. We were side-tied along the old fish-market pier,” Hugger recalls. “Docked in front of us was Moorefun II, a Chris-Craft owned by Pete and Alberta Moore. While other boats braved the weather that day and left Leland, Ann and I and the Moores declared ourselves officially “chicken” and stayed in port to wait out the conditions. Cruising a year later, we ran into the Moores. Alberta presented Ann with a hand-made chicken flag; a pennant that we’ve since flown with pride whenever the weather kicks up.”
LIfE-lOnG fRiEnDsHiPs
Although the couple had once joined long-time boating friends Kitty and David Hough delivering their boat from Schenectady, New York, to Savannah, Georgia, saltwater and southern boating never held much allure to the Huggers. “The Great Lakes… the water is clean, you can travel up the Lake Michigan shoreline just a few hundred feet off the beach, and marinas and safe harbors are just 10 to 15 miles apart,” Hugger says. Asked about his favorite ports of call, Hugger doesn’t hesitate:
“Beaver Island, Gore Bay, Hessel, Frankfort, Mackinaw City and Pentwater,” Hugger says. “But it’s not about the ports, it’s the boaters you meet and the life-long friendships you build. Boating offers such a great community.” The couple has been involved in that boating community since the beginning. In 1971, he and Ann became charter members of the Riviera Yacht Club. “A bunch of us started a small boat club; we didn’t even have a clubhouse. It was based around six marinas in Grand Haven and Spring Lake,” Hugger recalls. It was all about boaters getting together for family oriented social events rotating between the participating marinas. The Riviera YC still thrives today. “We’d become very close friends with another boating family who we’d met on the docks at Frankfort,” Hugger says. Joe and Mary Kay Janulis traveled aboard an Owens cruiser, the Mary Kay, also with four kids. The two families became regular cruising companions, sharing in more than a few hair-raising adventures. In July of 1972, the Kim and Mary Kay, with a full complement of kids and dogs aboard, left Little Current for Harbor Island in the Clappertons. The Kim’s dinghy, an 8-foot Sportyak, was secured upside down on the bow of the Roamer, with fore-and-aft lines tied to the lifeline stanchions. It wasn’t long before an enormous black and green cloud-wall appeared on the horizon, rolling ominously toward the boats. When the wind and rain struck, it was with a vengeance. Each time the Kim’s bow rose to the waves, the wind would fill under the dinghy, lifting it; the lines would slide from the base of the stanchion to the top, allowing the boat to levitate a few
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(Left) Ann and Don spent many summers at the public marina in Hessel, Michigan. (Right) Ann at the helm on a “no chicken flag required” Lake Michigan day.
feet to the level of the helmsman’s eye. The dinghy hovered there for a minute before the Roamer slid down the back of the wave, the dinghy slamming down on the foredeck. “In the thick of the storm trying to figure out where we were, I noticed that the chart read just 6 feet of water. Well, the waves were going over the top of the boat, and I was sure, with just 6 feet of water, we must be about on the bottom. It was only after safely making it into the harbor, that I realized that the chart was actually in fathoms — we’d never had less than 36 feet of water under the keel!”
KIm NO. 2
The Roamer served the family well. But then one day in Pentwater in 1976, a Grand Banks 36 steamed into port. “Joe and I both thought it was the most beautiful boat we’d ever seen,” Hugger recalls. A few weeks later, while on Beaver Island, a Grand Banks 32 came into the harbor. The owner mentioned she was for sale, and it wasn’t long before the Janulis’ bought the Grand Banks. “About a year later, I got a call from Ted, my oldest son, with news that there was a Grand Banks 32 for sale in Alpena,” Hugger says. She was a 1968 model, launched in 1969, wooden hull No. 106. In short order, the Hugger’s had her under contract and renamed her Kim. Hugger recalls the two Grand Banks being fogged in at Parry Sound, Ontario, in August of 1984. “They didn’t really have a marina then, just the government dock that all the transient boats would tie up to, with only a single electrical outlet. We ran extension cords from one boat to the next and had just enough power to keep the boats’ batteries charged.” After a fog-bound week, the families decided it was time to leave and embarked on the 90-mile run to Killarney across Georgian Bay. Before long, the thick fog closed back in, and on cue, the Kim’s radar failed, leaving the two boats with the Mary Kay’s ancient Loran. “It was thick, thick fog, all the way,” Hugger recounts. “In fact, we cruised between Papoose and Gull Islands and never even saw them. Well, we pulled into Killarney to cheers and applause from the boaters on the docks. They knew we were nuts because they’d been listening to our radio calls all day. We were the only boats out on the bay that day.”
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33,300 GReAt LAkEs mIlEs
After a 29-year career with IBM, Hugger retired in 1983. On May 1, the couple moved aboard the Kim and turned her bow north, cruising into September before laying the Kim up for the winter. From that point on, they cruised full-time each summer. In 1990, they wintered the boat at Shepler’s in Mackinac City, and cruised Les Cheneaux Islands and the North Channel in the years to follow, including an entire summer spent in Gore Bay. “Summer slippage was $368 for the season in Gore Bay, and dockage at Meldrum Bay was just 10 cents a foot,” Hugger recalls. All told, the couple spent 24 years boating out of Grand Haven and 29 years out of Mackinaw City and Hessel. In February of 2009, Ann passed away. While Hugger briefly considered getting out of boating, he later told his son that “your mother would kill me if I got rid of the boat.” And with that, he continued living aboard the Kim in Hessel all summer for the next 11 years. A peek into Hugger’s logbooks dating back to 1967 and covering 51 years of Great Lakes cruising yields some impressive numbers. In the first 10 years with the Roamer and her twin 185-hp Chevy V-8s, the couple logged 1,100 engine hours and traveled 13,500 miles throughout the Great Lakes. “In 1967, marine gas was just 38 cents a gallon,” Hugger quips. Over the next 41 years, the couple cruised an additional 19,800 miles, putting 2,300 hours on the Grand Bank’s 120-hp Ford Lehman diesel; a lifetime total of 33,300 Great Lakes cruising miles. In June of 2021, Hugger sold Kim to a wooden boat enthusiast in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. “Boating has been a great, great pleasure, and boating was a wonderful thing for our family. Today, all my children have boats. Ted has a wooden Grand Banks 32, just 20 hull numbers away from mine; my daughter Kim owns a Grand Banks 42; Eric owns a Sabreline 43, and Jeff has an Island Gypsy 44 — and then there’s a fleet of dinghies and skiffs as well,” he says with pride. Looking over the stack of weathered logbooks covering 51 years of boating, Hugger has no regrets. “I’ve always said, if I’d lost the boat, it didn’t owe me a cent because of the enjoyment Ann and I and our four kids have experienced.” ★
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LORI BEAUREGARD
A lifelong love of boating — and knowing her stuff — pays off for this people-loving saleswoman. by kim schneider
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ori Beauregard, a top salesperson at Colony Marine of Michigan, would love to see more women in the male-dominated industry. Women, she believes, make by far most of the boat purchase decisions, they’re increasingly represented in boating management and they’re well trusted by customers. But there’s only one thing she can deduce as the reason fewer women, so far, are pursuing a career in boat sales. “While a lot of women love to go out for rides,” she says, “a lot of women don’t run boats.”
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Fell in love with boating
Knowing boating inside and out was never a problem for this 58-year-old passionate boater and part-owner of a family owned company going into its fourth generation. “My dad started [Colony Marine] with my grandpa when I was little. [My experience] goes as far back as stamping the brochures back in the day for boat shows; I’d get a quarter a box,” Beauregard says. “I just fell in love with boating. I had my first boat, my brother’s aluminum, when I was 11, and had my first Sea Ray when I was 13. “Every summer I’d work for dad, sweeping the showroom, cleaning the boats,” she continues. “At 15, if someone would buy a small bowrider, I’d show them the boat and go through the systems with them. I’d be teaching these people buying boats how to run them.” Beauregard started in sales at Colony right after college, quickly moving up to senior sales. More than her knowledge of how boats run, she says, it’s been her passion for boating — coupled with a genuine love of people — that’s kept her loving her job and being especially successful at it. “I grew up watching my dad all the time and just found it fascinating,” she says. “I loved being on the water, loved being with my friends. The best thing we had was the memories. I wanted to learn to run a boat so I could take my friends out, and we spent every summer skiing. If someone can see your enthusiasm, if you can tell them the memories you had boating, what you’re selling is a lifestyle.”
persistent and a hard worker by nature, but also a huge people person. “There are lots of hugs, and she has a great sense of humor,” Giles says. “She puts people at ease. If they’re buying a 13-footer or a 40-footer, she has the same excitement as you come through the door. She makes you feel like you’re the only person who has walked through the door that day.” It has never crossed her mind to treat one customer any differently than another,
Keeping core values
The Beauregard family started the business in 1958 with a small shop, later adding on a service center in a small marina before continuing to expand into the largest boat dealer in southeast Michigan. Her brother and nephew still work in the business, her dad staying semi-retired with no plans for leaving completely. No matter how big they’ve grown, Colony has carried on her father’s core values, she notes: Making sure the service end is as important as sales. “We’re old school, a handshake, our word,” she says. “We’re that mom and pop store, even though we’re big.” The “treat others like you want to be treated” ethic was reinforced at home, and it shines through the entire business and particularly the way Beauregard treats customers, according to customer sales manager Dave Giles. She’s 42
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Beauregard says, who makes lifelong friendships with her customers, checking in on each one every three or four months. “That might be their life savings, that 13-footer,” she says. “They could have saved two years for that, and guess what? They’ll have just as good of memories on that boat as the person who has that 50-footer. I just take pride in what I do. I love it. It’s not a job for me; it’s more of a passion. I really just love people. Even if we don’t have what they want, I say to call me if you’re looking at something else. I’ll look it up and see if it’s a good deal. If someone gets a boat and it’s a bad experience, they’re going to get out of boating and the boating industry is not going to continue to grow.”
“If someone can see your enthusiasm, if you can tell them the memories you had boating, what you’re selling is a lifestyle.”
Making memories
A helper by nature, Beauregard shares her home regularly with rescue dogs, always picking for herself the one least likely to get adopted by others. She’s equally passionate about helping customers. The most meaningful part of her job is when they share — or show — how she’s made a difference. A couple of weeks ago, she delivered a boat to a customer and was gifted a handmade bracelet with an anchor on it. And she pays every kindness forward. Recently, another customer who’d bought a boat from her was planning to run it to Charlevoix, leaving early in the morning. Beauregard stocked her boat with a cooler filled with champagne and orange juice for mimosas, water, donuts and munchies.
“I just try to do little things for people because I care,” she says. “It’s not about making the commission; it’s about making a friendship — just caring about them. She must have texted me three times after saying, ‘I can’t thank you enough.’” Her favorite thing is seeing how happy people are when their boats are delivered, when they learn to drive it and then send her pictures as they’re enjoying life on the water, or when they say ‘Lori, you were right! Our kids want to hang out with us now on the boat!’ “If you can get someone excited about making memories, who doesn’t want that, right?” she says. “I can’t imagine living in Michigan and not boating.” H
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PORT OF CALL
Land of America’s Grapes rape
Chautauqua County , New York: Bluffs, beaches, sunsets and grapes.
by Stephanie Schuckers Burdo
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Buffalo
ie
e Er Lak
Silver Creek
Irving
Dunkirk
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY
Westfield C ha ut
a qu
au
Chautauqua
ke La
Erie
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T O U R C H A U TA U Q U A
A
Dunkirk Lighthouse
Jamestown
long the eastern shores of Lake Erie, just past Erie, Pennsylvania, and a bit southwest of Buffalo, miles of vineyards line the escarpment that sweeps from beaches and cliffs to the Chautauqua Ridge. With a change in elevation from around 570 feet to 2,180 feet above sea level, the landscape is defined by a continental divide between the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and the watersheds that lead to the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and on to the Gulf of Mexico. History was made along these shores: Once a gateway for explorers as well as the transportation of goods to the Ohio River Valley, site of the first gas well and gas-powered lighthouse, a now-quiet port once considered the most suitable point for the western terminus of the Erie Canal, and the home of a girl named Grace Bedell who convinced presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln to grow whiskers in order to look, well, more presidential. He did and won, becoming one of the most important presidents in U.S. history. These shores that stretch for approximately 50 miles and form the northern border of Chautauqua County, New York, offer three very different points of entry. At the northern and eastern point, three launches tucked into the outlet of Cattaraugus Creek in the town of Irving provide entry to the surrounding Sunset Bay community. The popular summer beachfront destination resembles a vacation spot along the Eastern Atlantic with dunes, a sandy beach, beach clubs, kayak and paddleboard rentals and a community of vacation homes. Larger boats prefer the city pier at Chadwick Bay in Dunkirk with its boardwalk of boutique shops, ice cream, small bites and waterfront restaurants. More leisurely visitors, small boats and fishermen find the relaxed community at Barcelona the perfect spot for an afternoon stop.
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Bemus Point on Chautauqua Lake Lakeside Bed and Breakfast
Dunkirk Harbor
The harbors: By land or by sea
Barcelona Harbor Good for medium-size boats, depth 5 feet or less in some spots In 1829, the Barcelona Lighthouse was put into service beckoning ships to land near the Portage Trail, which ran about nine miles up the escarpment to Chautauqua Lake. Originally lit with oil lamps, in 1931 it became the first lighthouse in the world to be fueled by natural gas. A great storm devastated the area in 1844, permanently changing the shoreline, and the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1859. Today, Barcelona is a Safe Harbor located in the Town of Westfield and a regular port for local boaters, sailors, fishermen and kayakers. The beach, once part of the original
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harbor, is a renowned vantage for watching sunsets. The lighthouse keeper’s cottage, privately owned for five generations, is open to the public as a museum and visitor center. Day trippers will find beaches, casual places to eat, including Westfield Fisheries (a local favorite for smoked whitefish), and a walking trail along the Chautauqua Creek tributary stream nearby. For an extended stay, the Barcelona Lakeside Bed and Breakfast commands a view of the pier, harbor and lake. To explore beyond the harbor, you will need transportation, whether on two wheels or four. Dunkirk Harbor Maximum boat length 60 feet, depth 10 feet Near the City of Dunkirk, Chadwick Bay offers another
Safe Harbor and Lake Erie access. Here, the Dunkirk Light signals boaters to the harbor and City Pier where boaters can tie up for a few hours or arrange an extended stay with Holiday Harbor Marina. Nearby, the Clarion Hotel offers waterfront accommodations and dining. Located at Point Gratiot and open for tours May through October, the Dunkirk Lighthouse is a historical site as well as a working lighthouse and veterans museum. With a 61-foot tower and a 27-mile range, the light is one of the most prominent on Lake Erie. And, for lighthouse buffs, the original third-order Fresnel lens still shines its light across the water. Guided museum tours include a climb of the Dunkirk Lighthouse’s
L A K E S I D E P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F W E B S I T E ; A L L O T H E R S C O U R T E S Y O F T O U R C H A U TA U Q U A
Barcelona Lighthouse
Sunset Bay
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F T O U R C H A U TA U Q U A
spiral stairs (approximately 50 steps to the upper observation level), a walk through the restored 1800 lighthouse keeper’s home, and the surrounding lighthouse grounds. Numerous nautical and U.S. veteran artifacts are displayed throughout the site. Sunset Bay Maximum length 35 feet, depth 6 feet or less Sunset Bay near the Village of Silver Creek is Chautauqua County’s most popular port of entry, often drawing summer vacationers from Buffalo. Boaters can access the area via private and state-owned launches, with extended stay options and restrooms with showers. Nearby vacation rentals, a large sandy beach, paddleboat and kayak rentals, a beach club and restaurant
provide multi-day activity and fun for families and groups.
Birding
Thermal currents and flyways along Lake Erie, heavily forested areas, protected wetlands and open fields provide ideal conditions for migratory birds and bird enthusiasts. Notable trails in the region include Point Gratiot near the Dunkirk Lighthouse, locally known as a hotspot for beach glass as well as birding. Significant sightings include Orchard oriole, Whip-poor-will and over 30 species of warblers. While visiting in late August or early September, you might even catch the Monarch butterfly migration. Point Gratiot
Point Gratiot Park
Park has ample parking, a playground, a picnic shelter and restroom facilities.
Day trips
To explore much beyond the harbors, you’ll need some method of transportation. Located nearby, High Tyed Tours provides private, customized Vine Tyed Wine Tours to local wineries with pick-up and drop-off service.
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Noble Winery
Leunsman Overview Park
Chautauqua’s Miller Bell Tower
Barcelona Lighthouse (Westfield); 716-326-2360;
BARCELONALH@PARKS.NY.GOV
Dunkirk Lighthouse (Dunkirk); 716-366-5050; DUNKIRKLIGHTHOUSE.COM
Grape Discovery Center (Westfield); 716-326-2003; GR APEDISCOVERYCENTER.COM
Lake Erie Wine Country Trail: More than 20 wineries scattered over a 50-mile stretch of Lake Erie shoreline from Silver Creek, NY, to Harborcreek, PA; 877-326-6561; LAKEERIEWINECOUNTRY.ORG
Chautauqua Institution (Chautauqua); 716-357-6250; CHQ.ORG
National Comedy Center (Jamestown); 716-484-2222; COMEDYCENTER.ORG
Portage Pies (Westfield); 716-232-4036; PORTAGEPIE.COM
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Specializing in small groups with less than six people, Owner Frank Tye is happy to accommodate requested stops through the region. The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau and Lake Erie Wine Country also maintain lists of available transportation services. A bit farther from the lakeshore, Luensman Overview Park offers a panoramic view of the Lake Erie plain, escarpment and vineyards. Located in the Town of Portland, near Brocton, the 70-acre overlook and mile-long wooded interpretive trail is a must-see stop when visiting the region, especially to see fall colors. On a clear day you can see the Buffalo Skyline and Long Point, Ontario. The park is open June through November 1 from
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National Comedy Center
8:30 a.m. to dusk. Several viewing platforms, a large parking area, picnic pavilion, tables and grills, a well with hand-pump and restroom facilities are available. The region is also home to America’s Grape Country, the oldest and largest Concord grape region in the world and the largest grape-growing region in the eastern U.S. Nestled along the narrow stretch of land between Lake Erie and the Chautauqua Ridge, 30,000 acres of vineyards fill the landscape among and between the beachfront communities and Victorian-era villages and
towns. The sweet aroma of grapes permeates the air during harvest season, which begins in late August and continues through the end of October. A trip to the Grape Discovery Center in Westfield will provide both a history lesson as well as an opportunity to taste local wines and grape juice. It features a gift shop stocked with many locally made products including wines and beers from Lake Erie Wine Country. Visitors can enjoy beverages from the tasting bar on the outdoor patio next to some vineyards. A family friendly exhibit area
MUSEUM PHOTO COURTESY OF WEBSITE; ALL OTHERS C O U R T E S Y O F T O U R C H A U TA U Q U A
Points of Interest
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T O U R C H A U TA U Q U A
Lake Chautauqua’s Chautauqua Belle
tells the story of more than 150 years of grape growing in the region. Plan for about an hour to view the exhibits. Though admission to the center is free, donations are graciously accepted. Chautauqua Lake, western New York’s largest inland lake, lies just about nine miles over the Portage Road from Barcelona Harbor to Mayville with a change in elevation of around 850 feet. At 18 miles long, Chautauqua Lake is well-known for bass and musky fishing, sailing and boating, and as a summer residence for families from Buffalo, Cleveland and
Pittsburgh. Chautauqua’s historical significance includes the Chautauqua Institution, a summer community for learning founded in 1879, and the City of Jamestown, birthplace of prominent birder Roger Tory Peterson, the author of more than 50 field guides, as well as Lucille Ball. Jamestown is also home to the National Comedy Center, which opened to great acclaim in 2018. Plan a day trip in advance and include a stop at Portage Pies in Westfield. Open year-round, owners Connie and Rick Thayer bake up to 100 pies each day and often
run out by noon, so call to reserve your favorite before you go. Featured flavors of the handmade pies include all kinds of fruit, made with locally grown produce, as well as favorites like chocolate, banana cream, coconut, key lime and peanut butter. If history is your interest, be sure to stop at the McClurg Museum in Westfield, though check first to see if it’s open. The McClurg is home to the Chautauqua County Historical Society and houses genealogical records as well as exhibits on the area’s most notable residents, including William Seward and Grace Bedell. ★
Resources
Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau (Chautauqua); 866908-4569; TOURCHAUTAUQUA.COM
Dan Reed Pier at Barcelona Harbor (Westfield); 716-3266633; TOWNOFWESTFIELD.ORG Hidden Harbor Marina (Irving); 716-934-4315; HIDDENHARBORNY.COM
Holiday Harbor at Chadwick Bay (Dunkirk); 716-366-1774; HOLIDAYHARBOR.NET
Sunset Bay State Marine Park (Irving); 716-934-2375; PARKS. NY.GOV/PARKS (reservations at RESERVEAMERICA.COM)
Vine Tyed Tours: customized private tours through Lake Erie Wine Country; 716-680-0397
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BOAT BIZ
BY ABBY THORPE
MORE INFORMATION Advantage Marine 483 Douglas Ave. Holland, MI 49424 616-748-9235 ADVANTAGEMARINE REPAIR.COM
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Advantage Marine
The one-stop shop for all your boating needs.
D
ave Lamer spent 10 years building boats, installing engines, doing electrical installations and more with PowerPlay/PowerQuest Boats. So when, in 1996, he set out on his own and started Advantage Marine in Zeeland, Michigan, it was a natural fit. After just a few years, PowerQuest Boats approached Advantage Marine about becoming a Mercruiser Service Dealer, and shortly after that, the company added Mercury Outboard Service Dealer to its list of distinctions and offerings. Twenty-five years later, Advantage Marine is the trusted one-stop destination for marine service, repair and storage serving Holland, Zeeland, Hamilton, Saugatuck and Grand Haven. In 2020, it was awarded the Mercury Customer Satisfaction Index award. “Advantage Marine has always strived to do quality work at a fair price,” Lamer explains. “We have enjoyed the long-term friendships we have made with many of our customers over the years.”
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Today, you can find Lamer and his son, Eric, at the company’s new location in Holland, close by the former Chris-Craft boat factory, which now offers 72,000 square feet of heated storage. “Major and minor engine repairs, bottom painting and detailing are just some of the services we are able to offer while the boats are in heated storage,” Lamer says. “We also can install new electronics and many other accessories as well.” A 20,000-square-foot indoor cold storage building for trailered boats and pontoons adds extra options for customers. Advantage Marine offers launching and haul-outs, with the capability to move boats as large as 50 feet with its two hydraulic lift trailers. With a complete line of marine repair services for both inboards and outboards and a fully equipped parts and accessories department, Advantage Marine is an easy solution for boaters looking for anything from service to major repair or winterization. ★
LAKESHORE LIFE BY ABBY THORPE
ADDRESS 45-55 Utopia Circle, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 SPECS Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 3 full, 2 half Square Footage: 7,500 Acreage: 1.5 Shoreline: 500+ feet Price: $2,200,000 CONTACT Jamie Sanger Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group 920-559-0673 JSANGER@ COLDWELLHOMES.COM
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Sturgeon Bay, WI
A classic Door County waterfront oasis.
N
estled on 1.5 private, peaceful acres along beautiful Sturgeon Bay, this classic 1980s home is custom from floor to ceiling, with unique touches throughout all 7,500 square feet of space. This Door County home exudes unique flair and luxury with custom-crafted ash millwork and herringbone ash floors throughout. Step outside to take in the pristine location on the water, with lush landscaping, multiple patios and views galore, not to mention your own 100-foot-long deepwater dock. “Utopia Circle features one of the largest private deepwater docks available on the market in Door County,” explains agent Jamie Sanger of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group. “Houses with private boat docks and seawalls are in high demand as consumers buy pleasure craft in record numbers in an effort to social distance and stay healthy in the great outdoors.”
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Inside, three fireplaces — a mix of gas log and wood-burning — keep the fall chill away, while a beautiful kitchen, wetbar, walnut wood library, elevator and ensuite guest rooms make living easy. The expansive owner’s suite on the upper level boasts an impressive ensuite bathroom with a platform jacuzzi and walk-in shower wrapped in natural marble, as well as an exercise area. Three more bedrooms, two full baths and two half baths make this home ideal for entertaining, while the eye-catching architecture, design and signature touches make it one-of-a-kind. More than 500 feet of bay frontage complete this classic property that is close to all of the amenities and attractions Sturgeon Bay has to offer. Escape to your own private retreat and enjoy life on the waterfront, with your boat just steps from your back door and expansive room inside to entertain friends and family. ★
L AK ES HOR E LI F E
ONEKAMA MARINE, INC.
LAKE MICHIGAN YACHT SALES
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F I V E L O C AT I O N S
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STURGEON BAY: South First Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI, (920) 746-1912 • Martin Kelsey: (920) 559-0366, Martin@centerpointesales.com • Terry Godres: (920) 559-0730, Terry@centerpointesales.com • Tony Peot: (920) 493-4747, Tony@centerpointesales.com • MILWAUKEE: 700 S. Water Street, Milwaukee, WI, (888) 992-2487 • Tyler Wilkins: (414) 248-9668, Tyler@centerpointesales.com • KENOSHA: 21-56th Street, Kenosha, WI, (888) 992-2487 • Mike Montilino: (612) 419-3772, Mike@centerpointesales.com • WEST MICHIGAN: 430 W. 23rd St, Holland, MI • Brandon Ricci: (616) 405-1715, Brandon@centerpointesales.com
WWW.CENTERPOINTESERVICE.COM OR CALL (888) 9-YACHTS
BROK E R AG E
1988 VANTARE 58 MY $224,500
1985 MAIORA 55 $139,000
2006 JEFFERSON 52 PILOT HOUSE, $399,000
2019 BENTEAU GT 50 $910,000
2013 CRUISERS 48 CANTIUS $565,000
1992 OCEAN ALEXANDER 46 $229,900
1989 CARVER 440 $129,000
1988 GRAND BANKS 42 $139,500
2009 SABRE 386 $199,000
1995 MAINSHIP 370 MY $84,995
1997 MARINE TRADER 34 $59,500
2002 SEA RAY AMBERJACK 29 $46,500
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2022 MCY 66
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WWW.BAYMARINE.NET • SALES@BAYMARINE.NET
* Not all brands sold at all locations
NEW & USED INVENTORY 66 64 60 56 51 46 45 45 44 42 40 40 38 38 38 37 36 36 35 35 34 34 34 33 32 32 32 32 31 30
2021 1984 2012 1985 1997 2011 2022 1995 1999 2003 1996 1995 2002 2009 2000 1998 1984 1996 2011 2016 1994 2006 2001 2022 1996 2016 2014 2005 2017 2005
MCY 66 ................................................................call Skipperliner ..........................................$699,000 Prestige 60 Flybridge.........................$830,000 Hatteras 56 MY ...................................$299,000 Sunseeker Camargue........................$289,000 Regal 46 Super Coupe ..................... $379,000 Sabre 45 Salon Express .................................call Bayliner 4587 Motoryacht............... $125,000 Baja 442 ................................................ $125,000 Sea Ray 420 Sundancer ..................$244,999 Tiara Yachts 4000 Express ..............$200,000 Catalina 400............................................$99,900 Pursuit 3800 Express ........................ $219,000 Fountain Sportfish CC .......................$269,999 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer .................. $109,999 Sea Ray 370 Sundancer................... $119,999 Sea Ray 360 Aft Cabin ........................$35,000 Cruisers 3650 Aft Cabin......................$82,500 Sea Ray 350 Sundancer .................. $225,000 Regal 35 Sport Coupe ...................... $239,999 Silverton 34 Express .............................$54,900 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer .................. $129,999 Cruisers 3470 ........................................$99,000 Crevalle 33 CSF.................................................call Carver Voyager 32.................................$39,999 Boston Whaler 320 Vantage........... $279,950 Chris Craft 32 Corsair........................$249,900 Cruisers 3200 Express.........................$99,000 Boston Whaler 315 Conquest .......$305,000 Pursuit 3070 Offshore .......................$119,999
30 28 28 27 27 29 26 26 26 24 24 25 24 24 24 24 23 23 22 22 22 22 22 21 21 20 18 17 16
2005 2000 2017 2006 1990 1990 2022 2008 2021 2022 2007 2000 2022 2022 2015 2006 2022 1997 2009 2022 1990 1999 2013 2000 2004 2022 2022 2015 2022
Pursuit 3070 Offshore .........................$99,999 Boston Whaler 28 Conquest.............$82,500 Axopar 28 T-Top .................................. $149,999 Sea Ray 270 Sundeck..........................$58,999 Sport-Craft 270.......................................$34,900 Celebrity 270 SC....................................$14,900 Crevalle 26 HBW ..............................................call Sea Ray 260 Sundancer .....................$49,999 EdgeWater 262CC............................................call Qwest LS824 .....................................................call Larson 248 LXI .......................................$26,900 Pursuit 2460 Denali .............................$44,900 Crevalle 24 HCO...............................................call EdgeWater 245CC............................................call EdgeWater 245CC.................................$99,000 Stingray 240 CS .....................................$22,500 EdgeWater 230CC............................................call Donzi 22ZX ..............................................$29,900 Ebbtide 224 SE ...................................... $27,999 Qwest LE 822 XRE CRUISE ..........................call Pursuit 2100 CC..................................... $17,000 Bayliner 2252 Ciera Express..............$22,000 Pathfinder 2200 TRS............................$58,000 Sea Ray 215 EC .....................................$15,000 Bostin Whaler 210 Outrage ...............$45,000 Qwest LS 820 RLS ...........................................call Qwest Edge 818 CTR......................................call EdgeWater 170CC .................................$36,900 Qwest Edge 816 CTR......................................call
BAY MARINE’S BROKERAGE TEAM
Ron Durchin Illinois 847-980-4975
Gentre Vartan Illinois 312-656-4470
Sara Osheroff Illinois 630-362-6317
DOOR COUNTY YACHTING CENTER STURGEON BAY, WI 920-743-6526
Matt Felhofer Illinois 920-495-7125
Chris DePrey Wisconsin 920-366-4320
Bill Carlson Wisconsin 906-202-0014
CHICAGO YACHTING CENTER WAUKEGAN, IL 847-336-2628
Mark Felhofer Wisconsin 920-495-5567
Kyle Mills Florida 941-391-4484
Danielle Harangody Florida 561-601-6870
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORT MYERS, FL 239-295-4332
WELDCRAFT 20 ANGLER XT
RANGER TUGS R-27
NORTHCOAST 315 CABIN
ZODIAC OPEN 7
NORTHCOAST 230 CC DV
ZODIAC MEDLINE 580
MAG BAY 42 HARDTOP EXPRESS
WELDCRAFT 220 MAVERICK
BROKERAGE BOATS 11’ 23’ 23’ 28’ 29’ 30’ 30’ 31’ 32’
2020 2018 1999 1986 2008 1977 1994 2013 1988
Zodiac 2020 360 Yachtline DL NEO............................................................$23,999 Ranger Tugs R-23 ...................................................................................$109,900 Bayliner 2452 Ciera...................................................................................$19,900 Carver 28 Riviera.........................................................................................$8,900 Hacker-Craft 29 Long Deck Gentleman’s Racer .........................................$144,900 Tartan 30....................................................................................................$9,500 Carver 30 Aft Cabin sale pending .........................................................$28,900 Ranger Tugs R-31 CB LE .........................................................................$259,900 O’Day 322 ................................................................................................$24,500
32’ 34’ 37’ 40’ 41’ 43’ 46’ 56’
2011 1986 2000 1994 1971 1987 2002 1983
Legacy 32 MKIII ......................................................................................$165,000 Catalina 34 Tall Rig....................................................................................$39,000 Carver 374 Voyager...................................................................................$74,900 Hunter 40.5 ..............................................................................................$84,900 Hatteras 41 Twin Cabin sale pending ......................................................$60,000 Albin 43 Trawler sale pending ................................................................$58,000 Hunter 466 .............................................................................................$150,000 Hatteras 56 Motor Yacht ..........................................................................$299,900
FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF INVENTORY INCLUDING NEW, USED AND BROKERAGE BOATS AT WWW.REEDYACHTSALES.COM
GRAND HAVEN, MI • Brent Reed 616-402-0180 • Bob Lunt 616-843-1225 LASALLE, MI • Chuck Hutchins 734-497-3721 • Matthew Bolt 734-735-1948 RACINE, WI • Mark Derenne 414-651-3100
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Thinking about that dream boat? Need cash in these crazy times? NOW IS THE TIME TO SELL! List your boat with one of the many Great Lakes dealers found in the pages of our magazine. Or sell it yourself: Contact cbauhs@lakelandboating.com to place a classified ad with Lakeland in print and online!
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MAR I N E MAR K E T PL AC E
TR IDENT
FUNDING
Specialis t s in Marine Financ e
BOAT LOANS
SERVING BOAT BUYERS NATIONWIDE
• Purchase • Refinance
•
Pre-Approval • Low Rates
VINCENT LUZIETTI • JOSEPH CONNOLLY
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
DEALER/BROKERAGE ADVERTISING
888-386-3888 WWW.TRIDENTFUNDING.COM FOR SALE
CONTACT: PATTI MCCLEERY TELEPHONE: 312-276-0610 x.21 PMCCLEERY@LAKELANDBOATING.COM
ADDED SAfEty At thE Dock & on thE wAtEr
Aerial Footage
DOOR COUNTY, WI
Search “Yacht Harbor Property YouTube”
great gifts!
$1.45 MILLION
Situated in the island-studded waters of Northern Lake Michigan
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21 acres sloped to 1200’ of shoreline ♦ Southern exposure ♦ Harbor for vessels in the 100’ range ♦ 4 miles from municipal airport ♦ Subdividable for residential development CONTACT DANIEL KANIFF ♦ 312.998.9010 ♦ DKANIFF@GMAIL.COM
Boarding Pole
Extra assistance boarding the boat. $79.99/$99.99
cAll Jim StEfAno
419-341-0432
Burgee Holder wave that flag. $59.00
nautical cross
Quickly tie-off fenders and tenders. $79.99/$99.99
| www.nauticalcross.com
Dinghy Davit
Proudly Made in an! Michig
hurleymarine.com / (906) 553-6249
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C L AS S I F I E D S
Advertise your boat, boat slip or property with us! Contact us by OCTOBER 6 to get into our November/December 2021 & January, February and March 2022 issues!
2005 18’ SEA RAY SPORT BOWRIDER Bimini top, 236 hours. Excellent condition, kept on boat lift during summer and heated inside storage in the winter. Located in Harsens Island, Michigan. Asking $14,900. Call or text 248-875-3770. OCT21
*N EW !*
1988 O’DAY 322 The O’Day is a very capable sailor thanks to her large cockpit and selftailing winches. All halyards are led aft, and with the autopilot you can spend your time doing other things. Spacious interior with two large cabins. The Silver Lining has spent her life here on the Great Lakes. Asking $24,500. Call Chuck @ 734-497-3721. RYS
Owner found this boat in a Lakeland Boating classified ad almost 50 years ago! 1969 38’ CHRIS-CRAFT ROAMER Classic Chris-Craft Roamer. Aluminum hull, twin 427s, 6.5 gen. Asking $45,000. Leave message at 269-4693849 will return all calls, or email beachfrontii @aol.com. OCT21
2021 ZODIAC MEDLINE 580 New Medline 580 with a grey hull and deck. She has blue/teal cushions and black NEO tubes. The new Medline Series is one of our best sellers this year! Asking $49,900. Call Bob @ 616-843-1125. RYS 2011 LEGACY 32 MKIII Full displacement pilothouse trawler. Custom-built in the USA, freshwater, one owner. Very well maintained. Asking $165,000. Call Matt Bolt @ 734-735-1948. RYS
2014 SAILFISH 240CC Excellent condition. Full Raymarine electronics including autopilot, 300 hp Yamaha four stroke. Under 300 hrs. Located in Vermilion, OH. Asking $70,000. Email cblgolf62@gmail.com or call 440-864-2232 for more info. SEP21
TO ADVERTISE YOUR BOAT IN CLASSIFIEDS: 2008 HACKER-CRAFT 29 LONG DECK GENTLEMAN’S RACER 100% freshwater, one owner in excellent condition! Powered by Crusader 8.1 ltr. gas engine. Always kept in indoor heated storage in winter, and boat shed during summer. Includes 2017 Manning tandem axle paint steel trailer. Asking $144,900. Call Brent @ 616-842-8899. RYS
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*R ED UC ED !*
1995 MAINSHIP 370 MY Champ is a freshwater yacht with 377 hrs on big block 370-hp Marine Power inboards. Spacious interior with two private heads, master cabin head has a separate shower. Asking $84.995. Contact Mike Montilino at 612419-3772 or mike@centerpointesales.com. CNT
2013 CRUISER CANTIUS 48 Freshwater, low hours, and all the Cantius bells and whistles. Hydraulic swim platform, IPS joystick maneuverability, dual Raymarine touchscreen electronics, Raymarine Autopilot, the list goes on. Asking $565,000. Contact Martin Kelsey at 920559-0366 or martin@centerpointesales.com. CNT
2019 BENETEAU GRAN TURSIMO 50 Freshwater, good as new. Low hours, never slept on. 2021 yacht controller added, three staterooms. Trades welcome. Asking $910,000. Contact Terry Godres at 920559-0730 or terry@centerpointesales.com. CNT
Visit LAKELANDBOATING.COM/ for details and to submit your materials. Payments cannot be accepted online. We will contact you for payment once your ad proof is approved. Questions? Email Christy at
CLASSIFIEDS
CBAUHS@LAKELANDBOATING.COM.
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CLASSIC CRAFT
Going Steady In 2014, I talked my wife (my high school sweetheart) into looking at a tired wooden boat in Catawba Island, Ohio. The 1966 25-foot Lyman Sleeper had spent most of its life in the Port Clinton, Ohio, area as a fishing and touring boat. The next step was wooing my parents (also high school sweethearts) into “coming aboard’’ by pointing out the similarities of this boat to my dad’s childhood 1955 Lyman. I was easily able to convince my dad, Randy, that this was a great way to relive the best parts of his childhood. Along with his brothers and sister, he learned to ski off the family’s 1955 Lyman Runabout. John and June (Randy’s parents — you guessed it, also high school sweethearts) had launched their 15-foot outboard from local marinas in the Cleveland area and sometimes trailered the boat to East Harbor State Park, where they camped for family vacations in the 1950s and ‘60s. When my dad and I secured and began to restore the 25-foot Lyman in 2015, it seemed fitting to name her in honor of the three generations of Minnick couples devoted to Going Steady — a name suggested by my wife. Today, the old clinker-built boat is spending the summer seasons docked at The Marina at the Westlake in Rocky River, Ohio. Like all wooden boats, there are always repairs to be made and upgrades to be considered; however, she is still capable of doing what she’s done best for over 55 years: Making memories… steady as she goes. — Tyler & Ashley Minnick, Bay Village, OH ADD YOUR BOAT! Email KBUSH@LAKELANDBOATING.COM if you have Classic Craft with a great story to share!
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF TYLER & ASHLEY MINNICK
1966 25’ Lyman Sleeper.
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