All About Boats

Tartan was one of 72 yachts which left Sydney Harbour last Saturday afternoon following the start of the Audi Sydney Mackay and Audi Sydney Gold Coast yacht races. The Audi Sydney Gold Coast fleet pulled in to port at Southport while four yachts passed through the finish line and continued on to Mackay. Tartan was the last to finish, at 6.50am this morning, marking the end of the longest ocean race in Australia.

Skipper Ian Sanford was delighted with the outcome of his first ocean race, ‘no breakages, no seasickness and the crew of long term friends are still long term friends’ but wasn’t as thrilled with being becalmed off Fraser Island for a day and a half.

Frontrunners Limit and Sailors with disAbilities had sufficient wind and therefore boat speed to take on the 1.5 knot opposing current with little resistance but by the time Amante and Tartan reached Fraser Island there was barely a breeze blowing.

Engine trouble two days out from the finish left Tartan powerless. Luckily for them the wind again filled in from the south and they surfed towards the finish in a 30 knot sou’wester, recording a top boat speed of 11.5 knots…

Source: Sail-World.com

There is something about a cruise that is exhilarating. It might be the open air and freedom of being on the water, the breeze that so easily carries on and on, or the music and chit-chat that drifts among people. This years’ summersplash was compounded with a boat cruise on Harriet Island in downtown St. Paul.

The day was hot and humid and the night cruise was a welcome excursion. While the boat personnel prepared themselves to board people waiting anxiously, the Mezesha Entertainment crew busied themselves setting up their music equipment. There was idle talk as everyone eagerly awaited to start the evening.

As the sun slowly set, the downtown St. Paul skyline materialized as bright lights -red, green, orange- shone above the skyscrapers. With the lights around the boat lit up too, the night appeared open to anything pleasant…

Full story: Mshale.com

Pete Imirie grew up spending his summers on the water - crabbing, oystering and learning about boats. His father and grandfather taught him a lot, but some things he learned the hard way. He has seen serious boating accidents that might have been prevented had people known what to do.

Imirie now is a boating-safety instructor who lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He teaches other people about boats and boating safety. During the summer, he says, as many as 300,000 people are on the Chesapeake Bay at one time, “so you better know what you are doing.”

The Chesapeake is different from a lake. Its tides and currents make handling a boat more difficult, and you have to be able to read a nautical chart so you know where you are.

In Maryland, the boating-safety course takes eight hours and is required for boat operators born after June 1972. There’s lots to learn. KidsPost’s Ellen Edwards asked Imirie for some basic tips to get you started thinking about boating safety. While the rules apply to Maryland, the advice is good for boaters anywhere.

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A boat caught up in a court battle over a $500 million sunken treasure was cleared to leave a Spanish port Tuesday after an inspection by police, authorities and the Florida-based company said.

The Ocean Alert was seized by the Civil Guard on Thursday about three miles off Algeciras in southeastern Spain.

Authorities were acting on the order of a Spanish judge, who in June instructed police to seize two vessels belonging to Odyssey Marine Exploration if they left the British colony of Gibraltar - on Spain’s southern tip - and entered Spanish waters.

Odyssey, a treasure hunting company, said it had found the colonial-era shipwreck on May 18 and the coins have been flown to the United States from Gibraltar.

Spain filed claims last month in a U.S. federal court over Odyssey’s find, arguing that if the shipwrecked vessel was Spanish or was removed from its waters, the treasure belongs to Spain…

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A ground-breaking ceremony was held July 9 at Altamer Resort, one of the world’s most luxurious villa resorts, to launch a joint venture partnership with Island Global Yachting (IGY). The five star mega-yacht marina and real estate development will comprise a luxury resort hotel along with retail and residential components, and will be the first marina facility on the island. It is scheduled to open during the fourth quarter of 2009.
The Altamer Resort & Marina project expands on the vision of owners Rebecca and Michael Eggleton to develop a product that would appeal to the upper end of the tourism market.

The partnership with IGY will develop the island’s first luxury mega-yacht marina facility capable of accommodating boats and yachts up to 300 feet, and will be an official port of entry to the island. The development will feature a 101-slip marina of which a significant portion of the berths will accommodate mega-yachts, as well as 740,000 square feet of upland space which is currently slated for a 164-unit luxury resort…

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Marine Travelift’s over 40 years of experience in the engineering of self-propelled straddle type mobile boat hoists has resulted in the company providing many advanced technical operating features and an exclusive, patented sling equalizing system.

Marine Travelift executives point out that this system has resulted in much safer boat handling than traditional methods. Since development of the mobile boat hoist system, marinas operating Marine Travelift machines have been able to haul boats safer, gentler and with reduced stress in the hull of the vessel.

Official site - http://www.marinetravelift.com/

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For more than 30 years, ShoreMaster has covered the waterfront with world-class equipment designed to help people enjoy their waterfront experience to the fullest.

The company known today for its wide-ranging products in both residential and commercial applications began in 1972 in Carlos, Minnesota selling all-aluminum boat lifts. We know of more than a few of those original lifts that are still standing and performing with the best of them today.

Our company is just as durable and dependable as the products we put in the water. Operating out of Fergus Falls, Minnesota (since 1985), we put our products up against any other brand in the industry. ShoreMaster’s complete line of residential docks and lifts are sold through an extensive network of knowledgeable, friendly dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada

Official site - http://www.shoremaster.com/

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GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (AP)

The state’s sputtering economy, high fuel prices and reduced marina access have led to fewer boats being sold and registered in Michigan, officials said.

Boat sales are down 10 percent so far this year in the United States and an estimated 12 percent to 15 percent in Michigan, said Ed Mahoney, co-director of the Michigan State University Recreational Marine Research Center.

“Overall, when the economy takes a downturn, discretionary expenditures are impacted by that,”

said Van Snider, president of the Michigan Boating Industries Association.

“This is certainly a significantly challenging time.”

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Scott Financial Services - Offers competitive finance rates for all new and used boat loans
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Eboatloans.com - Provides nationwide yacht and boat loans and refinancing
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Mobile Finance Centre - First mobile finance service. Offers professional advice and finance solutions for all situations including personal loans, car, boat and business finance, second mortgages and debt consolidation
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United Financial Services - Provider of boat and mortgage loans. Find company profile, services, products, office locations and contact details
http://www.unifin.com.au/

Coastal Financial Corp - Provides boat and yacht financing as well as marine insurance
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Home Equity Loans - We are in the busniess of simplifying the loan application process. By bringing hundreds of buyers and lenders together, we can find the best loan rate for you. Hassle free and fast pre-approvals
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Washington Home Loans - We put you the customer first by makeing the loan process simple and worry-free and extending the highest level of customer service. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.
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Smithwick & Clarke - Marine Insurance Inc. - Providing competitive personal and commercial marine insurance rates for power boats, sail boats, yachts, sport fishing vessels and commercial marine risks
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City South Limited - International insurance broker offering international risk solutions for marine and non-marine exposures including hull, pleasure yachts, ocean cargo, inland marine, financial and political risks
http://cslbrokers.com/

London Special Risks - Provides commercial marine insurance, reinsurance and specialist insurance services to world leading ship operators, ship builders and mutual associations throughout the UK and worldwide
http://londonspecialrisks.com/

UnitedMarine.net - United Marine Underwriters Boat Insurance - We offer some of the most competitive policy pricing and superior service available in the boat insurance industry today. Because we are strictly a boat and watercraft insurance company, we can provide the knowl
http://unitedmarine.net/

Geico.com - Out on your boat, you leave your cares behind. You don\’t want to worry about what would happen if your boat was involved in an accident. Boat insurance protects you against accidents, vandalism, and insures you against liability. That means smooth sailin
http://www.geico.com/boat/

NBOA - NBOA Boat Insurance and NBOA Yacht Insurance, MARINE INSURANCE have teamed up to form one of the most POWERFUL PROGRAMS in the boating industry. By leveraging our combined strengths, we will provide unmatched TRUE VALUE BENEFITS to boat owners
http://www.nboat.com/

Jack Martin.com - As experienced boaters with more than 70 years in yacht insurance and over 60 billion worth of yachts insured, we offer knowledgeable, personalized service - we provide yacht insurance, marine insurance and boat insurance throughout the U.S.
http://www.jackmartin.com/

AdvanceAuctions.com.au - Details of a specialist in marine auctions including boats and jet skis. Australia, New South Wales
http://www.advanceauctions.com.au/

MarineBidExchange.com - Request for proposals, procurement and forward auctions for boat repair and salvage vessels from marine insurance companies and repossessed boats from bank liquidations
http://www.marinebidexchange.com/

MarineAuctionServices.com - International Boat and Marine Auction Services - Specializes in waterfront properties
http://www.marineauctionservices.com/

National Liquidators - Specializing in bank repossessions, foreclosures, and government seized vessels for auction. Weekly sealed bid auctions on bank repossessed used boats and yachts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Newport Beach, California and Cleveland, Ohio
http://yachtauctions.com/

Sailmarket.com - Database classifieds and auction site for Sailboats. Also has a discussion forum
http://sailmarket.com/

OldBoat.com - Free classified ads for antique, classic, and older powerboats of all kinds. Cabin Cruisers, Inboard Runabouts, Outboard Runabouts, Steamboats, Workboats, Express Cruisers, Motor Yachts, Trawlers, Power Dories, Skiffs, Speedboats and more
http://oldboat.com/

Neptune Towing & Recovery, Inc. - Boat auctions and marine surplus: boat for sale, sailboats, used yachts, gps navigation systems
http://seasurplus.com/