2015 Houston Summer Boat Show Program

OFFICIAL PROGRAM

28th Annual

Houston Summer

June

3-7

2015

Digital Edition PUBLISHED BY

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TEXAS FISH & GAME

MAGAZINE

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OFFICIAL PROGRAM

Summer

2015 HOUSTON

BOAT SHOW

TABLE OF

Contents 7 10

Exhibitor Directory

12

Boat Show Locator Map

4 |

FEATURE ARTICLES

Introduction

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16

Boat Show Shopping, 101

20

Boating Safety: A Star to Steer By

18

Ten Boat Handling Tips that Help Catch More Fish

22

Trailer Trials and Tribulations

HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW

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Download the MOBILE EDITION • Interactive Tools • Videos • Links to Exhibitor websites & More!

Visit www.FishGame.com

OFFICIAL PROGRAM

2015

HOUSTON

Summer June 3-7, 2015 Sponsored by

The Boating Trades Association of Metropolitan Houston Program Published by

Texas Fish & Game Magazine 1745 Greens RD • Houston, TX 77032 (713) 227-3001 • (800) 750-4670 STAFF: Ardia Neves VP Sales Larry Dalton, Advertising Coordinator Anna Campbell, Graphic Designer Melinda Buss, Graphic Designer Roy Neves Publisher

CONTRIBUTORS: Chester Moore, Lenny Rudow, Linda Water Nelson PHOTOGRAPHY: Houston Boat Shows, Andrea Muscatello, R. Peterkin, Jack Bissell, Canstock, Bigstock, Van Dutch Boats, Boston Whaler, Humminbird, Mercury Marine, Yamaha Marine, Evinrude, Suzuki Marine, Blue Wave Boats, Chester Moore, Natalia Merzlyakova

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2015 Houston Summer Boat Show

Where It’s Okay to Be a

Show Boat!

A

S ANOTHER HOT Houston summer descends upon us, it’s time to look for ways to cool down in the summer sun.

And the best place to do that is the Houston Summer Boat Show.

If you’re new to boating or even thinking about it, then the Houston Boat Show is the perfect place to learn more.

Did you know there are 365 mil-

lion trillion gallons of water on the earth? Learn about how exploring the open water helps reduce stress from fast-paced everyday life and brings families together while they create lifetime memories.

Experienced boaters already know about the benefits of boating and they also know that the Boat Show is the place to go to get the greatest deals on new boats and boating gear and to learn about the latest in marine technology and maintenance.

The 2015 Houston Summer Boat J U N E

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Show will feature hundreds of powerboats, personal watercraft, fishing gear, wake and ski accessories and fun activities for the whole family. Also shop the more than 100+ exhibits that offer the latest in electronics, dockage, clothing, jewelry and other must have accessories.

FISH-O-RAMA: A Boat Show Tradition

COME EXPERIENCE A BOAT SHOW tradition at Fish-O-Rama for a rare chance to fish for rainbow trout

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Fish-O-Rama promises loads of fun... but there is a catch!

(native to the rivers and lakes of North America) in the indoors. Fish-O-Rama is a great opportunity to introduce kids to the challenge of fishing for this hardfighting and tasty fish. Kids of all ages can take their catch home with them or just take home the story of the big one that got away at the Houston Summer Boat Show.

Come by, grab one of the already baited fishing poles, and get ready to

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Get a fish-eye view of fishing in the 5,000-gallon BassTub aquarium.

hook your own prize rainbow trout.

Personnel are on hand to help with your catch. Anglers can keep or release their fish, and staff will even bag it for you to take home. Plan on hanging around the show a little longer? No problem; they can even keep your catch on ice until you are ready to reel it in for the day. Don’t miss your chance to hook ‘The Big Catch.’

Bass Tub GET UP-CLOSE VIEWS OF A BIG BASS striking a lure, as professional angler Chuck Devereaux demonstrates a variety of techniques for casting and retrieval.

Visitors to this year’s show will marvel at the giant 5,000-gallon Bass Tub aquarium, which offers views from both sides and stands nine feet tall. A Bass

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PHOTOS: HOUSTON BOAT SHOW

Tub is a unique aquarium, over 40 feet long, which rolls down the highway as a gooseneck trailer and is transformed into a natural habitat for largemouth bass. To simulate the conditions normally found in nature, the tank comes fully stocked with rocks, stumps and dozens of live fish. Using live fish during our demonstrations offers you the chance to see the fish and lure presentation in action. This is a great educational experience for the newbie and the veteran.

Bubble Runners ROLL, FLIP, AND SPIN ON WATER without getting wet in one of our giant human hamster balls!

Come enjoy the 360 degrees of fun you can have with Bubble Runners.

Used by all ages, all over the world, these giant inflatable balls are 5.5’ and you crawl inside for a splashing good time without getting even one drop of water on you. Once inside, the ball is

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Flip, spin, or just walk on water in the Bubble Runner attraction.

filled with air and you can run like a hamster in an inflatable pool. Bubble Runners are a safe way to have fun and make great memories to talk about for years to come.

So get to the 2015 Houston Summer

Boat Show where there is plenty of sizzling summer deals on hot summer fun in an oasis of air-conditioning!

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2015 HoustonSummer

Exhibitor Directory 1-2-3 1Smart Spa

E

KingCachalot.com Booth 353 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

Endeavour Marina

Booth 129, 131, 228, 230.......PG/Grid: 14/G4-F3

303 Products

Excell Boat Lifts LLC

Booth 436 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F7

Booth 343, 345, 442, 444....... PG/Grid: 12/E7-E7

A

F

Anchor Marine Insurance Booth 321 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7

Austin Canoe & Kayak

Booth 446 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E7 Booth 242, 244 ....................... PG/Grid: 14/E3-E3

Booth 127 .................................... PG/Grid: 14/G4

Bader Models

Gene’s Powersports Country

Booth 137 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/F4

Bath Fitter

Open Area 1303 ................ PG/Grid: 15/H1 to H2

Gene’s Powersports Country - EZ Dock

Booth 430 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F7

Booth 323, 325, 327.............. PG/Grid: 12/G7-G7

Grind Terminal Tackle

C

Booth 357 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

Capt. Kirk’s Marine, Inc. Open Area 1102 .................. PG/Grid: 15/H4 to I5

Charter Lakes Marine Insurance

Gulf Coast Marine, Inc. Open Area 1246, 1344 .......................................... ....................... PG/Grid: 14/C2 to D2-C1 to E2

Booth 125, 224 ...................... PG/Grid: 14/G4-G3

ChickenBoyLures.com Booth 355 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

Booth 139 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/F4

I & L Cutlery Booth 159 .................................... PG/Grid: 14/D3 Booth 121, 123, 220, 222...... PG/Grid: 14/G4-G3

DLFender / Wipeout Eraser

JNW Marketing Solutions, LLC

Open Area 1621, 1720 .......................................... ....................... PG/Grid: 12/F2 to G3-F1 to G2

Dottie’s Booth 361 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/C7

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Max Home Booth 232, 234 ........................PG/Grid: 14/F3-F3

Millennium Marine, Inc. Booth 161, 260 .......................PG/Grid: 14/C4-C3

Mt. Houston Marine, Inc. Open Area 1221 .................PG/Grid: 14/F2 to G3

Booth 533 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F4

K Booth 537, 539 ........................PG/Grid: 12/F4-F4 J U N E

Booth 428 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7 Open Area 1520, Booth 529, 531 ......................... .......................................PG/Grid: 12/F4 to G6

Northshore Marine Supply, Inc. Open Area 1245 ................ PG/Grid: 14/C3 to D3

Northtown Group Nutty Buddies Too Booth 147 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/E4

O

Ken’s Beef Jerky

HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW

Nationwide Insurance

Booth TBD ..............................PG/Grid: TBD/TBD

J

Booth 642 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E4

Dockside Marine

Booth 521, 523, 525, 527, 620, 622, 624, 626 ..... .......................................... PG/Grid: 12/G4-G4

The Nautic Group

I

Ideal Outdoor Living

D

Mattress Firm

N

Hi Dow Professional

Booth 359 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

Cutco Cutlery

Open Area 1601 .................. PG/Grid: 13/H2 to I3

H Booth 329 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7

ChillingTheMost.com

Open Area 1001, 1021, 1120 ................................ ............................PG/Grid: 15/H5 to 14/F4-G5

MarineMax

Galveston Yacht Basin

B

LMC Marine Center, Inc.

M

G

Booth 638 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F4

Open Area 1320 .................PG/Grid: 14/F1 to G2 Booth 143 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/E4

Freedom Boat Club

Awards, Etc.

Lakeshore Sports LeafGuard Gulf Coast

Fujimi Luxury Massage Chairs

Booth 557, 559, 561, 656, 658, 660 ..................... ...........................................PG/Grid: 12/D4-C4

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Booth 448 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E7

Oil Paintings & Frames Booth 337, 339 ........................PG/Grid: 12/F7-F7

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Exhibitor Directory Outdoor Republic

The Rust Game Place & Meat Market

Booth 460 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/C7

Booth 145 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/E4

Open Area 1741 .................PG/Grid: 12/E1 to E2

R Red Wing Boat Co., Inc. Open Area 1421 .................PG/Grid: 12/F6 to G7

Reynolds Marine, Inc. Open Area 1243 .................PG/Grid: 14/D2 to E3

RG Enterprizes Booth 438 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F7

Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.

S

Booth 456, 458 .......................PG/Grid: 12/D7-D7

Ron Hoover Marine, Inc. Open Area 1043, 1065, 1142, 1162, 1165 ........... ........................................... PG/Grid: 14/A3-E6

Ron Hoover RV & Marine Centers Open Area 1163 .................PG/Grid: 14/A4 to C5

Texas Tigé Marine

School of Seamanship Booth 238 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/F3

Shark Tested Optics, LLC Booth 543, 545 ....................... PG/Grid: 12/E4-E4

SlimRita Booth TBD ..............................PG/Grid: TBD/TBD

SMG Wake Of Houston Open Area 1643 .................PG/Grid: 12/C2 to E3

Star Glow Products, LLC Booth 236, 426, 547.............. PG/Grid: 12/F3-E4

Open Area 1443, 1542 .......................................... .......................................PG/Grid: 12/C4 to E7

Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.

Texas Sportfishing Yacht Sales Open Area 1301 .................. PG/Grid: 13/H7 to I7

P Primo Hot Tubs & Swim Spas

........................................ PG/Grid: 13/H4 to I6

Open Area 1423 ................. PG/Grid: 12/F4 to F7

Texas Tigé Marine Booth 535 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F4

Texas Yamaha Motorsports Open Area 1302 .................. PG/Grid: 15/H1 to I2

TKO Lures Booth 422, 424 ...................... PG/Grid: 12/G7-G7

Tuff Spas Booth 331, 333, 335................PG/Grid: 12/F7-F7

Z

T

ZShow

Texas Marine Open Area 1365, 1465, 1564, 1665, 1765 ........... ........................................... PG/Grid: 12/A1-A7

Booth 347 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E7

l

Texas Outdoors Journal, Inc. Booth 420 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7

Texas Sport Boats, LLC Open Area 1500, 1501 ..........................................

Locator Map The following 4 pages provide a detailed floor plan of the show.

Open Areas 1301 to 1765 Booths 321-660

Open Areas 1001-1364 Booths 121-260

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Hall A

PAGES 12-13

Hall B

PAGES 14-15

Find each Exhibitor listed on the map page for the hall in which their booth is located.

Also, look up individual Exhibitors in the EXHIBITOR LISTING above on these two pages.

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Hall A A

B

C

D

E

F

G

t AISLE 1700 u

1

1765

1742

1741

BASS TUB

Texas Marine

1720

PRIMO HOT TUBS

Dockside Marine

2 1665

Dockside Marine

SMG Wake of Houston

Texas Marine

EXIT

3

1621

1643

t AISLE 1600 u

1564

660 658 656 654 652 650 648 646 644 642 557-660 561 559 557 555 553 551 549 547 543 545 & 543 545

4

Texas Marine

5

t AISLE 1500 u

1542

Nautic Group Texas Tigé Marine

1443

6

1421

Red Wing Nautic Group Boat Co.

Rinker’s Boat World

1520

Texas Marine EXIT

1520

1423

Rinker’s Boat World

1465

Texas Marine

638 636 634 632 630 628 626 624 622 620 521-626 537 539 & 537 539 535 533 529 531 & 529 531 527 525 523 521

t AISLE 1400 u

7 1365

460 456 & 458 454 452 450 448 446 444 442

438 436 434 432 430 428 426 424 422-424 422 420

361 359 357 355 353 351 349 347 345 343

337 339 & 337 339 335331-335 333 331 329 327323-327 325 323 321

t AISLE 1300 u A

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2015 HoustonSummer Boat Show

LocatorMap

EXHIBITORS ON THESE PAGES

OPEN AREAS: Dockside Marine

Open Area 1621, 1720 ...................Grid: F1 to G3

MarineMax

Open Area 1601 ..............................Grid: H2 to I3

Primo Hot Tubs & Swim Spas

Open Area 1741 .............................Grid: E1 to E2

Red Wing Boat Co., Inc.

Open Area 1421 .............................Grid: F6 to G7

Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.

Open Area 1443, 1542 .......................................... ........................................................Grid: C4 to E7

SMG Wake Of Houston

Open Area 1643 .............................Grid: C2 to E3

Texas Marine

H

I

J

K

Open Area 1365, 1465, 1564, 1665, 1765 ............ ........................................................Grid: A1 to C7

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Texas Sport Boats, LLC

Open Area 1500, 1501 ....................Grid: H4 to I6

Texas Sportfishing Yacht Sales

Open Area 1301 ..............................Grid: H7 to I7

Texas Tigé Marine

Open Area 1423 ............................. Grid: F4 to F7

YOU ARE HERE

1700

1

The Nautic Group

Open Area 1520 .............................Grid: F4 to G6

BOOTHS: 303 Products

Booth 436 .................................................Grid: F7

Anchor Marine Insurance

Booth 321 ................................................ Grid: G7

Austin Canoe & Kayak

Booth 557, 559, 561, 656, 658, 660...Grid: D4-C4

Awards, Etc.

Booth 638 .................................................Grid: F4

2

Bath Fitter

Booth 430 .................................................Grid: F7

ChickenBoyLures.com

Booth 355 ................................................ Grid: D7

1601

ChillingTheMost.com

Booth 359 ................................................ Grid: D7

DLFender / Wipeout Eraser

ELEV.

Booth 642 .................................................Grid: E4

Dottie’s

MarineMax

Booth 361 ................................................ Grid: C7

Endeavour Marina

Booth 448 .................................................Grid: E7

3

Booth 343, 345, 442, 444 ................... Grid: E7-E7

Freedom Boat Club

Booth 446 .................................................Grid: E7

EXIT

ATM

$

Excell Boat Lifts LLC

Gene’s Powersports Country - EZ Dock

Booth 323, 325, 327 ................................ Grid: G7

Grind Terminal Tackle

Booth 357 ................................................ Grid: D7

Hi Dow Professional

Booth 329 ................................................ Grid: G7

Texas Sport Boats

JNW Marketing Solutions, LLC

1501

4

Booth 533 .................................................Grid: F4

Ken’s Beef Jerky

Booth 537, 539 ....................................Grid: F4-F4

KingCachalot.com

Booth 353 ................................................ Grid: D7

Mattress Firm

1500

Booth 521, 523, 525, 527, 620, 622, 624, 626 ..... ................................................................. Grid: G4

LOBBY

The Nautic Group

Booth 529, 531 ................................... Grid: F4-G4

Nationwide Insurance

Texas Sport Boats

Booth 428 ................................................ Grid: G7

5

Oil Paintings & Frames

Booth 337, 339 .........................................Grid: F7

Outdoor Republic

Booth 460 ................................................ Grid: C7

RG Enterprizes

Booth 438 .................................................Grid: F7

Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.

Booth 456, 458 ........................................ Grid: D7

Shark Tested Optics, LLC

1401

Booth 543, 545 .........................................Grid: E4

Star Glow Products, LLC

6

Concessions

Booth 426, 547 ..................................Grid: G7-E4

Texas Outdoors Journal, Inc.

Booth 420 ................................................ Grid: G7

Texas Tigé Marine

Booth 535 .................................................Grid: F4

TKO Lures

Booth 422, 424 ........................................ Grid: G7

Tuff Spas

Booth 331, 333, 335 .................................Grid: F7

ZShow

Booth 347 .................................................Grid: E7

I

H

EXIT

7

Texas Sportfishing Yacht Sales 1301

ELEV. J

K

See www.FishGame.com for Details

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HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW

EXIT

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Use the Interactive LOCATOR MAP in our Digital Version

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EXIT

Hall B

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

t AISLE 1300 u

1364

1362

1

1344

Blue Dolphin Beach Club

Bubble Runners Kids Area

Gulf Coast Marine

1243

1246

1361 Miss Geico Race Boat

2

1320

Gulf Coast Marine

1245

Reynolds Marine

Lakeshore Sports

1221

Mt. Houston Marine

Northshore Marine

1165 3

t AISLE 1200 u

Ron Hoover Marine EXIT

260 258 256 254 252 250 248 246 242 244 & 242 244 161 & 260 161 159 157 155 153 151 149 147 145 143

238 236 232 234 & 232 234 230 228 226 125 224 222 220 129-230 & 121-222 224 123 121 139 AISLE 137 135 133 u 131 129 127 125 t 2000

t AISLE 1100 u

1162

4

1142

1120

Ron Hoover Marine

Ron Hoover Marine

Ron Hoover Marine

Ron Hoover Marine

LMC Marine Center

5

6

1065

1043

LMC Marine Center 1021 t AISLE 1000 u

7

A

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HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW

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LOBBY

2015 HoustonSummer Boat Show

LocatorMap

EXHIBITORS ON THESE PAGES

OPEN AREAS: Capt. Kirk’s Marine, Inc.

Open Area 1102 ..............................Grid: H4 to I5

Gene’s Powersports Country

Open Area 1303 ............................ Grid: H1 to H2

Gulf Coast Marine, Inc.

Open Area 1246, 1344 ...................Grid: C1 to E2

Lakeshore Sports

Open Area 1320 .............................Grid: F1 to G2

LMC Marine Center, Inc.

Open Area 1001, 1021, 1120 ................................ ......................................................... Grid: F4 to I6

Mt. Houston Marine, Inc.

Open Area 1221 .............................Grid: F2 to G3

J

K

J

ELEV.

EXIT

I

H

Northshore Marine Supply, Inc.

Open Area 1245 ............................ Grid: C3 to D3

Reynolds Marine, Inc.

Open Area 1243 .............................Grid: D2 to E3

Ron Hoover Marine, Inc.

1303

Ron Hoover RV & Marine Centers

EXIT

Texas Yamaha

1

Gene’s Power Sports

Open Area 1043, 1065, 1142, 1162, 1165 ............ ........................................................Grid: A3 to E6

1302

Open Area 1163 .............................Grid: A4 to C5

Texas Yamaha Motorsports

Open Area 1302 ..............................Grid: H1 to I2

BOOTHS:

YOU ARE HERE

1Smart Spa

Booth 129, 131, 228, 230 ................... Grid: G4-F3

Bader Models

Booth 137 .................................................Grid: F4

Charter Lakes Marine Insurance

1203

2

Booth 125, 224 .................................. Grid: G4-G3

Cutco Cutlery

Booth 139 .................................................Grid: F4

Fujimi Luxury Massage Chairs

Discover Boating

Booth 242, 244 ................................... Grid: E3-E3

Galveston Yacht Basin

Booth 127 ................................................ Grid: G4

Ideal Outdoor Living

Booth 121, 123, 220, 222 .................. Grid: G4-G3

LeafGuard Gulf Coast

Booth 143 .................................................Grid: E4

Max Home

3

Booth 232, 234 ....................................Grid: F3-F3

Millennium Marine, Inc.

Booth 161, 260 ...................................Grid: C4-C3

Nutty Buddies Too

Booth 147 .................................................Grid: E4

Show Entrance

School of Seamanship

LOBBY

1200

Booth 238 .................................................Grid: F3

Star Glow Products, LLC

Booth .......................................................Grid: F3

The Rust Game Place & Meat Market

Booth 145 .................................................Grid: E4

1102

4 ATM

$

Use the Interactive LOCATOR MAP in our Digital Version

Capt. Kirk’s Marine CONCIERGE

5

LMC Marine Center 6T

6

1001

7

DOWNLOAD THE APP from the iTunes or Google Play App Store See www.FishGame.com for Details

H

I

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K J U N E

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Boat Show Shopping, 101

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OAT SHOWS CAN BE overwhelming—gleaming white fiberglass hulls of all sizes surround you in every direction, dozens of aluminum boats sit to your left and to your right with everything from sizzling-hot paint jobs to camo finish to shiny bare aluminum, and— wait a sec—those Jet Skis sure do look like a lot of fun!

So, how are you to make sense of it all? How can you intelligently shop the show? And perhaps most important, once you’ve picked out the right type of boat, how can you make sure you get the best deal available?

EFFECTIVE BOAT SHOW SHOPPING takes some preparation. Although the whole point of going to a show is to see a huge selection all at once, you should at least have a solid idea of what type of boat you’re looking for, before starting the shopping process. You don’t go to an automotive dealership without having narrowed down the field between an SUV, a pick-up, and a sport coupe, right? Think of boat show shopping the same way.

Before you begin marching down the aisles, you should know whether you’ll be best served by a fiberglass bay boat, an aluminum jon boat, or a cuddy cabin boat. If you’ve done some research prior to coming to the show, you hopefully have a good idea of what size boat is appropriate for your uses, which hull material is going to be best for you, and what the basic design should be.

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Now that you’re at the show, it’s time to get busy: start off by walking around and seeing which models catch your eye. Don’t let pricing drive you away from or attract you

to specific boats just yet (you’ll see why in a moment).

For this initial boat show shopping phase, just gather data. When you see

HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW

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any boat that could be a contender, grab a brochure and keep going.

This could take a while. Sit down,

grab a snack, and let your head clear a bit. You should

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have seen several dozen models of interest by now, and giving your brain some time to digest all of that info is a good move. When you feel ready to get started again, break out all of those catalogs, a pen, and some yellow sticky notes. At this point, you’ll probably discard a few makes and models which, after a bit of thought, don’t seem so good anymore.

But in each catalog which still holds a boat of interest, use a yellow sticky note to mark the model’s page. Then use the direcctory and floor plan (pages 10-15) and plot your course to visit each one.

Now that the field’s been whittled down a bit, start collecting hard numbers. But remember, just like buying a car or a computer, prices can be deceiving. That’s why you don’t want to let the price turn you off (or conversely, get you too excited) at the beginning of the process. After recording the “sticker” price, ask a sales rep to help you make a list of every option you need, and how much it adds to cost. Same goes for power plant options, which can make a huge difference in a boat’s bottom line. Smaller powerplants are less expensive, for sure, but remember that boats with max power (or close to it) usually have much better resale value, and are easier to sell a few years down the line. Also ask the rep about the hidden costs. Shipping, dealer prep and rigging, and tax and licensing fees, for example, are all things that often aren’t included in the sticker price you see on the boat.

But there’s a good chance you’re going to end up paying for them.

After working your way through the show again and gathering hard numbers on all your boats of interest, it’s time to break out a calculator. When you add up all those extra costs, the appeal of this model versus that one is likely to change around quite a bit.

Take another coffee break, clear your head again, and sit down to make a new list of your top 10 contenders, ranked by price. Then, make a completely separate list ranking those 10 by sheer emotion—how the boat looks, its “wow” factor, and other things that just PHOTOS: HOUSTON BOAT SHOW

2015-BoatShowSummer.indd 17

BY LENNY RUDOW plain make you want it. Finally, make a third list ranking the same 10 boats by construction quality. Lay the three lists side by side, and a few models are going stand out, ranking at or near the top of all three lists. Eliminate as many of the other contenders as you can, and you’re ready to get serious about the remaining top three to five candidates.

Strict adherence to a disciplined boat show plan of attack will pay off the first time you break a plane in your new boat.

Brass Tacks NOW THAT YOU’VE LIMITED THE field to a handful of choices, it’s time to start bargaining for real. Circle back to each boat one at a time, and make sure you speak with the same sales rep who helped you earlier. These guys are usually pretty sharp, and will remember the conversation. They’ve seen you taking notes, they’ve seen you gather brochures, and yes, they did notice when you walked over to their competitor’s display and did the same things. When you walk back into their territory, they know you’re a serious buyer who’s doing his homework—and they’ll treat you accordingly.

Sit down with each rep, and let them know up-front you won’t sign anything until you’ve also spoken with reps about the other top few boats on your list. Here’s where all that walking and shopping pays off. At this point, you should know what each specific model offers in terms of standard features, power, and price, as compared to the competition. Call out any failings to the salesman, and see if he has an effective way to counter them. In some cases they may offer an optional feature or two free of cost, and in others, they may be willing to chip away at the overall cost to make up for it. Live up to your word, and DON’T sign anything—no matter how excited you may get about the specific model, until you’ve had the same conversation for every boat on J U N E

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your final list.

When you feel like you have a winner and the best possible deal is on the table, remember to make it contingent on a sea trial. You need to be sure the boat lives up to your expectations when it comes to handling waves, performance, stability, and the like. Dealers won’t always like this, but they will understand it and usually accept this contingency as long as you’re willing to lay down a (refundable) deposit on the boat. Yes, this is one more hoop to jump through – and we’ve already made quite a bit of work for you, at the boat show. But the first time you advance the throttle, break a plane, and feel the wind in your hair on your brand new boat, it’ll all have been worthwhile.

Negotiating Tactics ESSENTIALLY, BUYING A BOAT IS just like buying a car (though the down payment and interest rates are usually higher). But there are a few boat-specific tactics you can use to get the best deal.

Even if the powerplant or optional equipment isn’t ideal, consider bargaining for a boat the dealership already has in stock. Much like automotive dealerships, boats dealers pay on a “floor plan” (a short-term loan which carries the value of the boats on their showroom “floor”), so the longer a dealership has a specific boat in stock, the more they’ll want to sell it.

Look for last year’s models. As new models come out old ones lose value, even if the boat’s never been in the water. Dealerships will often reduce them quite a bit, to make room for the new models. When you find a prime candidate at the boat show, ask the salesman if they have any left-over of the same type from last year, back at their showroom.

Let the dealer know that you can get financing through your own bank (assuming you can), or, if you have cash in hand.

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Ten Boat Handling Tips That Help Catch Fish

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OME ANGLERS LOOK at their boat as a mere platform they use to get to where the fish are. Others look at it as a true fish-catching tool, right up there in importance with rods, reels, line, and hooks. The ones that see it as a tool are—hands down—better anglers. Why? Because they understand that certain aspects of boat handling will help you and your crew catch more fish. Accept this concept, use it to your advantage, and these 10 tips will boost your success rate significantly.

1. CONTROL YOUR DRIFT. FISHING from a drifting boat doesn’t mean shutting down the engine, and going wherever the currents and winds desire.

There are several means at your disposal which allow you to direct the boat’s path of travel, so you pass directly over that wreck or drift the perfect casting distance from a feature. Cocking the motor all the way to port or starboard gives you a bit of directional control.

On some boats you can get your boat to drift beam-to by tilting the motor up and getting the drive out of the water,

at three knots with a one knot current, your lures may have too slow a motion. If you don’t have a paddle-wheel speedometer that reads speed through water, trolling cross-current can eliminate the variable.

or maintain a stern-to drift by keeping it tilted down. Drift can be speeded up by raising a Bimini top, or slowed by deploying a drift sock. You can also gain some directional control by deploying the sock off of a port or starboard spring cleat, instead of a center bow cleat.

2. WHEN TROLLING PAY ATTENTION to speed through the water, NOT speed over ground. If you’re trolling at three knots into a one knot current, your lures are actually swimming at a four knot rate of speed. This may make give them an erratic motion or, as in the case of some lipped plugs, swim sideways. Conversely, if you’re trolling

3. WHEN POSITIONING over structure, zoom in your GPS. A GPS/ chartplotter is invaluable for knowing where you are with pinpoint accuracy, but most people don’t take full advantage of it because they use a scale that doesn’t allow you to see small changes in position. Don’t start with the chartplotter zoomed out, and then zoom it in some. Instead, start by zooming it in as far as it allows. Then, zoom out only as much as absolutely necessary.

4. ALWAYS HAVE “TRACK” ON, AND always hit MOB the moment you have a strike. This will give you a history of where you got your bites. Not only will you ID the hotspot, you’ll also be able to see trends, such as a school of fish moving deeper, or shallower, as the tide changes.

5. WHEN FISH ARE LETHARGIC, TRY back-trolling. This is, simply put, trolling in reverse. It allows you to creep along half as fast as idling in forward, and when the fish are moving very slowly, it can be the ticket to a full fishbox.

This tactic should not be applied, of course, in rough seas. In that case, slow the troll by tying a five-gallon bucket to a rope, and tow it from a stern cleat.

6. WHEN SEARCHING WITH THE FISHfinder, never go in a straight line. Your finder is looking straight down (side-

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finders excluded) and if you go up a shelf or across a point in a straight line, you’re getting a very limited snapshot of what lies below. There could be a mass of fish 50 yards in any direction, which you never see. Zig-zag your way up this same shelf, however, and you may well spot those fish and discover there’s a lot more than you thought at the spot.

7. WHEN PLANNING A SHORELINE attack with the wind blowing up or down the shore, always start from downwind if you have a bow-mounted trolling motor, and upwind if you don’t. With a trolling motor on the bow, it’s easiest to work a shoreline from downwind because the wind will keep the boat parallel to the shoreline as you apply power. Without a motor on the bow, however, the breeze will catch the bow and turn it downwind.

You’ll end up constantly fighting to swing the bow back upwind to make progress. Instead, in this case start upwind and use short bursts of power

by lenny rudow to keep the boat aligned as the wind carries you along.

8. WHEN ANCHORING, PLAN FOR scope. Many anglers drop the anchor the moment they see the structure they’re looking for on the meter. But it takes some scope—extra line—for that anchor to hold. In 20 feet of water, a 5:1 scope means your boat may be as much as 60 or 80 feet off-target when the line comes taut. Plan ahead for it, by motoring upcurrent (or upwind) the appropriate amount, before dropping the anchor over the side.

9. WHEN A FLY-FISHERMAN IS aboard, position the boat as necessary so the wind doesn’t push the fly and line down the boat (and in your direction). Otherwise, you may end up with a fly embedded in your scalp. We’re not even approaching this factor from

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a safety standpoint. Rather, consider how much fishing time you’ll lose if you have to try and dig a hook out of your skin.

10. DROP OUT OF GEAR AND/OR HIT the throttle, when you spot fish lower or higher in the water column as you troll. Sure, we try to set our trolling lines to cover different depths in the water column. But quite regularly we guess wrong when thinking about the depth they’re running at. When you see a number of fish at the lower end of your spread, don’t hesitate to shift into neutral for a few seconds to allow your lures to drop deeper. And if you spot them at the upper end of the spread, goosing the throttle for a moment will force your lures to rise.

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BOATING SAFETY

A Star to Steer By

Modern Technology Makes Navigation Easy.

But Are You Prepared to Find Your Way When it Fails?

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BY LENNY RUDOW

OU HAVE NO GPS, NO compass, no chart, and it’s a dark, cloudy night – can you find your way home?

In this day and age, navigation has become so darn easy that most of us have forgotten how to do it without electronics. The rest of us never learned. Gizmos like Chartplotters and GPS-equipped cell phones lead us along to our destinations with ease—giving us a false-confidence that will surely be shattered sooner or later.

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You think those electronic devices are infallible? That they’ll never let us down? Not likely. In fact, according to the DOD several nations (including China, Russia, and North Korea, among them) currently have the technology to jam GPS signals at will. And in 2009, GPS outages were reported (along with air-traffic controller equipment disruption, pager interference, ATM malfunctions, and cell phone blackouts), in New Jersey. The cause was eventually discovered to be a truck driver using a home-brewed jammer to avoid paying tolls on the New Jersey

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Turnpike. Even nature has the ability to bring our satellite-based navigational know-how to a halt; several times in the past sunspots have interfered with GPS signals, knocking out the system in one part of the globe or another for hours at a time. And with the peak in sunspot activity predicted for 2013, there’s a good chance your GPS screen could let you down. Or… maybe you’ll just drop your cell phone overboard, right before your chartplotter goes on the fritz.

So, what are you going to do if and when one of these things happens?

How will you get home? Even if you

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know how to navigate by starlight, what will you do if heavy cloud cover keeps you in the dark?

Situational Awareness

The very best navigational tool you have onboard is your eyes.

Unfortunately, most of us have become so accustomed to setting waypoints and staring at LCD screens that we often fail to bother to really look around—and more importantly, know what we’re looking at.

Along most Texas coastlines, be it on the Gulf or along a lake, there are artificial lights within view when the sun goes down. Radio and cell towers, oil rigs, bridges, and buildings all give us something to focus on, and navigate by. The question is, do you know what is where? When the sun goes down, will you realize that the dull yellow light off to starboard is the one you want to head for, not the bright one that’s actually two miles farther away? In other words, your situational awareness can make the difference between finding the boat ramp, and running into a deserted marsh. Every time you leave a dock or launch your boat, you should take a close look around and take note of those light-providing features you might need in order to return home.

How can you know where you’re going, if you don’t know where you are in the first place? You can’t.

Unfortunately, taking a fix, which allows you to pin down your exact location on a chart, is another important task that many modern boaters don’t know how to do. Using a compass, you can take bearing to a visible and significant landmark such as a tower, point of land, or river mouth. On the chart, use the compass rose to make a line that runs down the same bearing, through the landmark. Choose at least two other landmarks, make the bearing lines for these on the same chart, and the three lines will intersect at your position.

Road Construction

Not so fast, you newly-minted navigators. We mentioned up-front that you IMAGE: TEXAS FISH & GAME

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might not even have a compass. What then? Basic navigation and survival skills demand that you know how to make one.

Making a compass is a lot simpler than most people realize, and although it may not be as accurate as the real deal, it will at least put you on the right path. All you need to do is magnetize a small, straight piece of ferrous metal. A needle is ideal but in a pinch you can straighten out a fish hook. To magnetize it, stroke the dull end 100 times in the same direction against a magnet, which you can find on most boats in the stereo or VHF speakers. (Forget that the old wife’s tale about stroking it against wool or silk to build up a static charge; this won’t actually help the needle point to the north). Then rest it on or push it through the center of a round piece of cork or foam, which you can find on the grip of any fishing rod. A small foam plate will also do the trick. Float the contraption in a bowl or bucket of water, and the pointy end of the needle will rotate to north.

A compass is, of course, of limited value if you don’t have a chart.

Especially if you need to navigate around an unlighted point of land, or shallow flats that you know stand in the way. And since we’re preparing for the worst, now we’re going to assume we don’t have that chart. Maybe it got blown overboard, you’re on a friend’s boat and he never bothered with paper charts thanks that false-confidence we were talking about earlier, or perhaps you just plain forgot it. The bottom line is, you’re going to have to make one.

But instead of just drawing a bunch of lines from memory, you need to first draw equally-spaced horizontal and vertical lines; essentially, give it meridians.

Then reconstruct the shoreline or channel as best you can, using the lines to measure distance. If you think there’s a straight stretch of shoreline for three miles, for example, use each line to measure out quarter of a mile and then draw the shoreline through 12 lines.

Now, you’re ready for dead reckoning. First, identify your approximate position on the chart. Let’s say you J U N E

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need to travel along that shoreline for two of the three miles, and then turn 90-degrees to starboard to enter the creek you departed from. Use your compass to find the direction you need to travel in, then take note of your speed and the exact time. With some quick basic math, you’ll know how far you’ve traveled during any period of time and can judge when to make that turn to starboard. Let’s say that since it’s dark out and you’re feeling your way along, you keep speed down to eight miles an hour. That means it’ll take you 15 minutes to get to the point at which you need to make your turn; mark your position every five minutes to keep track of your location in case you need to stop or alter speed, and when you reach that third mark, use your makeshift compass to get the direction of your turn correct. If there’s a strong current or wind, don’t forget to take that into account.

Now your situational awareness comes into play again. If you paid attention to the location of the tallest structures on the horizon when you left, looking at the lights you now see on the horizon will help you judge your course.

Homeward Bound

Used on their own, no one of these techniques is likely to get you home.

Far off lights can be confusing on the water at night, distances are very hard to judge, and it’s easy to forget what’s what after a long day on the water. A home-made compass isn’t going to be nearly as easy to use as the real thing, and both fixes and directions of travel are probably going to be a bit off. A home-made chart, naturally, is bound to be inaccurate. But when you put all of these together, you’ll have a fair shot at reaching your destination. And when the chartplotter won’t work or your cell phone fell into the drink, that’s what’s going to matter the most—in fact, it may be the only thing that matters at all.

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Trailer Trials and Tribulations

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RAILER-BOATING IS incredibly popular, since it lets you fish, explore, and enjoy countless bodies of water through the course of every season. There’s just one problem. In order to be a trailer-boater, you have to own, maintain, and register a trailer. And just as a car and a boat have differing requirements for all of the above, so do boat trailers.

No, wait a sec—it’s a whole lot worse for boat trailers because they’re designed for use on roads, yet we dunk them into the water. Many of us, into saltwater. If you’ve ever owned a boat trailer, you know how regularly the lights tend to fail, how quickly saltwater-dunked brakes fail, and how quickly the tires wear out.

In fact, getting through a single season without some sort of relatively major trailer repair seems like an epic feat. Now, with the new “Two Steps, One Sticker” program, you may have another thing or two to think about.

First, let’s dispel any serious angst— the new inspection and registration program won’t really have a significant effect on new boat trailers, and for most of us, getting our existing trailers through won’t exactly be a hardship.

On trailers over 4,500-lbs GVW will require inspection, and cost $14.50.

“Other than the slight cost and the time it takes to get the trailer inspected, the impact shouldn’t be dramatic,” explained Ken Lovell, Executive Director of the Boating Trades Association of Metropolitan Houston.

“Existing boat trailer owners may encounter additional cost and inconvenience in getting the trailers they already own inspected. It is possible that some trailers may require some costly work (such as adding a brake system), and some older trailers may have

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indecipherable VIN numbers due to exposure to the elements over time.

The process to secure a new VIN number is somewhat lengthy and complicated. So concerns lean more toward existing trailers than new trailers, which will be purchased with the new requirements already in place, but the overall concern among boat business is that this added inconvenience could discourage people away from boating.”

If you’re an experienced trailer boater, naturally, you already know that the rewards of trailer boating vastly outweigh the costs and inconveniences.

A speed-bump like this isn’t going to stop a boater from splashing his hull in Lake Conroe this weekend, and Corpus Christi the next. Meanwhile, you can make sure a trailer inspection goes smoothly by keeping your rig in tip-top shape. Here are five important maintenance tips that will make sure you pass.

1. GIVE YOUR TRAILER A SELFinspection, to make sure everything’s up to snuff. Things that will be checked for include brakes, tires (for visible wear and at least 1/16th of an inch of tread depth) and wheel assembly, safety guards or flaps, tail, brake, turn signal, and license plate lights, side markers or reflectors, and a serial or VIN number.

For most of these items, it’s easy enough to tell if your trailer makes the grade. When it comes to the tires, if you’re not sure whether or not you have sufficient tread depth, the old saying “Lincoln’s head measures the tread” applies. Just hold a penny with Lincoln’s head upside-down and insert it into the tread, and if any part of his head is obscured, the tread is more than 1/16th of an inch deep and you’re good to go.

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2. WASH DOWN YOUR BRAKE SYStem, immediately after a saltwater dunking. The key word here is “immediately.” Even a 20 or 30 mile tow home is going to take a toll, because that saltwater begins eating away at the metals, regardless whether you have drum or disc brakes. If the marina you launch at has a freshwater hose, use it before you hit the road. And if you launch where there isn’t any freshwater available, carry a pump sprayer (the ones designed for spraying weed killer work great) full of freshwater, and use it to give the brakes an initial rinse-down before the trip home. Back home, give the entire trailer a more thorough wash-down.

3. UNPLUG YOUR TRAILER LIGHTS and give them a moment to cool, before launching. One of the reasons trailer lights go kaput with such regularity is because they get dunked in cool water while they’re still hot. While this is much less of an issue with new LEDs, if you have bulbs back there, a few minutes of cool-down time is invaluable.

4. PROTECT THE VIN. THESE DAYS many manufacturers use a mere sticker to put the VIN on a boat trailer, which is both short-sighted and insufficient.

The VIN wearing away is one of your biggest potential issues, so make sure to protect it. This includes making sure the trailer isn’t stored in such a way that a VIN sticker is in direct sunlight, and if the sticker looks like it may be in danger of fading away, one thing that’s worked for me is clear-coating it with a spray-on acrylic.

5. GO TRAILER BOATING MORE. YES, count your blessings, boaters—the more you use your trailer-boat the happier the trailer will be. Sitting in a driveway for weeks on end is bad for much of your equipment, and often when we encounter maintenance problems, it’s the result of extended non-use. So get out there and hit the road to the water, ASAP!

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