Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Outdoor World Trade Show

Hi gang, Rick here from Used pontoon Boats with news from the Outdoor World Trade Show. If you love outdoor sports, the Outdoor World trade show is sure to float your boat. Boats, boats and more boats line the north end of the Amarillo Civic Center.

Also in abundant display are recreational vehicles, campers, sport utility vehicles, fishing gear and everything from fishing guide services to kitchenware.

And don't forget the boats. An array of boats - fishing boats, skiing boats, pontoon boats - stand ready to lure potential buyers.

Doug Parsley has owned I-27 Marine and Power Sports in Lubbock for 15 years. Parsley displays his boats at the Amarillo show every year, he said Saturday. "We always look forward to this show," he said. "We do a lot of business." Parsley said displaying his products at the show will result in about 18 sales during the year. "We (sell) a few here at the show, but most of them will come in the next year," he said. "This just kind of gets them kicked off, gets them in the mood."

Visitors can pet the 3½-foot-long alligators for free and can have their picture taken holding them for $10. Tape holds the animals' mouths shut and prevents their razor-sharp teeth from doing damage.

"Business is pretty good on photos," said Randy Henderson, ranch spokesman. Tamer critters can be found at a pen featuring the likes of chickens, goats and rabbits.

Children also can opt for face and body painting and try their luck at catching catfish from a tank.
One lucky boy hooked a catfish about a foot long and brought applause from onlookers. His proud mother, of course, snapped a picture of her son and his lunker catch. Thanks to Dan Packard at amardillo.com for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Nelson Boats in Australia TV Show

Hi gang, Rick here from Used Pontoon Boats with some cool news from the Nelson boat firm.

A Nelson-designed and manufactured boat is about to make a big splash in Australia, firstly as a central prop in the television industry and later dressed up as a police boat in a new TV series.

Nelson firm Alloyd Engineering has secured a contract with Gold Coast film company Shoot Management to supply a new Osprey 610 hard top boat as the company's media response vessel.

Alloyd Engineering Ltd owner Lloyd Elliott said Shoot Management handled on-the-water news items for Australian Channel 9. The boat would soon feature in a documentary being filmed on the Gold and Sunshine coasts for the Discovery Channel, for an audience of more than 150 million people worldwide.

"When filming is complete the Osprey will be dressed up as a police boat and will star in a new water police series pilot, before going back as the Channel 9 response boat," Mr Elliott said.

He said the company had now built more than 450 boats for several different markets, and annual turnover was now in the multi-millions.

More than 25 of the aluminium, pontoon-style boats were now used as water taxis in the Abel Tasman National Park, several were used in the aquaculture industry, but most were used as family recreational fishing and diving boats, Mr Elliott said.

The 610 hard top retailed for around $NZ80,000, but $12,000 would get a person on the water in an Osprey 4m dinghy. Around $240,000 would buy a luxury 8.5m version, complete with kitchen sink, Mr Elliott said.

Eight Osprey designs were used in Colorado as water research boats, and three container loads had recently been exported to Tasmania and Darwin.

He said their sleek lines, buoyancy and stability were key features, plus their ease of handling and agility.

The expansion in business had led to the company needing to increase the size of its premises and workshop staff from eight to about 12 over the next 18 months, Mr Elliott said.

A new workshop was being designed.

The aluminium used to build the boats was imported from around the world. Demand for the product globally from the aviation industry, plus other industry around the world had seen prices soar, but it was still less expensive than New Zealand-made aluminium, Mr Elliott said.

Alloyd Engineering had recently set up an offshoot company Osprey Marine to handle sales and marketing, and to liaise with other companies involved in the finishing of some of the larger boats. Craig and Andrea Thomson had become shareholders in the new company, and Mr Thomson would be running its daily operations, Mr Elliott said.

He and his wife Denise would soon be heading to Australia for the boat's official launch by Shoot Management. Thanks to TRACY NEAL, The Nelson Mail for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Monday, January 28, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Fishing From Your "Toon"

Hi Gang, Rick here from Used Pontoon Boats on fishing on your pontoon boat, can be both a relaxing and fun experience. Fishing from a pontoon boat can much more enjoyable than fishing on other smaller vessels. While fishing on a pontoon boat, you are often free from worries regarding the sturdiness of your vessel, or tipping the boat over while leaning in for larger catches.

Fishing on your pontoon boat is also often much more comfortable than fishing in smaller vessels. In between catches you can relax on the deck of your pontoon boat, or go cook a few filets on the on board grill.

When you fish on your pontoon boat, you can often go out fishing for the entire day, without leaving behind the small

luxuries of home, such as a refrigerator to keep your lunch, and chilled drinks, and a stove to do some minor cooking, or to cook up a catch later in the day. You can even outfit your pontoon boat with a small restroom, making it so you have no need to go back to shore until your fishing journey is complete.

The size of a pontoon boat is also ideal for group fishing outings. With a pontoon boat several people can fish off of different sides of the boat without fear of their lines becoming entangled, or interfering with each other’s fishing. Fishing with others on a pontoon boat can also help spread out the area in which you are

fishing, and help make your entire fishing experience more enjoyable.

It is also easy to fish while on a pontoon boat with others who wish to engage in other activities about on the boat. Pontoon boats are often separated into several different sections, so that a section can be devoted solely to fishing, while another section be reserved for others to play games, dine, or participate in other activities away from where the fishing is occurring.

If you use your pontoon boat as a fishing vessel frequently you may want to outfit the boats with accessories, catered to your fishing style. You can purchase special holders for your fishing rod to attach to your favorite space, as well as a

variety of other accessories to accent your pontoon boat and enhance your fishing experience such as custom seats. No matter what your style, a pontoon boat can help turn a day of fishing into a spectacular experience.
Thanks to bassfishing6.megabassfishing.com for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Iowa Boat and Vacation Show



Wilbert, left, and Hazel Neuenkirk of Waterloo examine a Bass Tracker Pro Crappie 175Saturday at the Iowa Boat and Vacation Show at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. This year's expo kicked off Friday and continues today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults. Kids 12 and under get in free. The first 250 children at today's show will recieve a free life vest. Photos by MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Staff Photographer

Hi gang, Rick here again from Used Pontoon Boats with news about the Iowa Boat and Vacation Show from CEDAR FALLS.

For the past year, Wilbert and Hazel Neuenkirk have been eyeing a 17-foot-4-inch Bass Tracker Pro Crappie 175.

On Saturday, the Waterloo couple got an up-close-and-personal look at the fishing boat at the 20th Annual Iowa Boat and Vacation Show at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

"We're getting ready to retire and this will be a small enough boat for us to get into the little lakes around here," Wilbert said, while peering into the vessel. "This is the boat that we've been looking at, but while we're here, we're also going to compare it with some of the other ones."

This year's boat and vacation show kicked off Friday and continues today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. John Bunge, event producer, said he expects 12,000 to 15,000 people to attend the three-day exposition. Some customers come to the fair hoping to sniff out show specials, Bunge said, while other attendees simply stop by to get a look at the latest boats and recreation vehicles.

"This is where they get a chance to see the new 2008s, and it's also a great time for deals," he said. "With the way this winter is going, I think we're seeing a lot of people who have cabin fever and they are ready to dream about summer."

The Iowa Boat and Vacation Show is believed to be the largest event of its kind in the state. About 25 marine dealers are showing their products at the expo. Boats of all kinds, from speed cruisers to canoes, are displayed alongside RVs and marine accessories

The motorized watercraft for sale at the show "start at the $10,000-range, and go up over $100,000," Bunge said.

"People have a chance to look at a wide variety of boats," he said. "Some people will buy boats here today, but it also gets the sale season started for the dealers."

Jack Benskin, owner of J&L Marine in Guttenberg, has five boats on display at the show. Letting customers inspect product features, such as cockpit size and engine performance, helps buyers make an educated purchase, he said.

"Most people like to touch and feel and sit in them," Benskin said.

The majority of the expo attendees come to the show "just to look," said the vendor, "but for the person who is really interested in buying something, this will usually help them make up their mind."

Lenny Bean, a sales representative with Bryant Boats, was in Cedar Falls Saturday working in conjunction with Kennedy Marine, of Cedar Rapids.

"The customer can come here and see just about every model in the industry," he said. "These shows are really about compare and contrast."

And for several families, the fair provided a chance to dream.

Robert Hewlitt, of Cedar Falls, relaxed aboard a spacious pontoon boat Saturday with his daughter Rebecca Orr, of Cedar Rapids. The man's 1.5-year-old grandson, Zander Orr, stood atop the captain's chair, pretending to pilot the large vessel.

"We came because Zander loves to see all the big machines," Hewlitt said. "And, we like to look too." Thank to Mary Stegmeir , Courier Staff Writer, wcfcourier.com for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Porter County Boat Show



Hi gang, Rick here again from Used Pontoon Boats with an update from the Porter County Boat Show in WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. Sunshine yellow, glittery fire engine red, glossy black and sparkly turquoise blue were just some of the colors of the big toys on display at the Porter County Boat Show at the Expo Center over the weekend.

Jack and Roxane Anderson, of Lowell, were in the market for a pontoon boat.
"We're interested," said Jack Anderson, who was shopping with friends Sonny and Linda Klemm, of Valparaiso, who own a pontoon.
"They're contagious," said Roxane Anderson, pointing to her friends. "It would have to be a pontoon boat so the grandkids could get on it."

Besides pontoon boats, shoppers could climb aboard ski boats, runabouts, bass boats and cabin cruisers and admire the smaller personal watercraft and boating accessories.

With warming weather and melting snow outside, boat shoppers -- and those who encouraged them -- were dreaming about the upcoming boating season.

"We have 12 feet of seawall and a 33-acre sandbar in Lake Wawasee," Linda Klemm said.

"It's a family thing," said Sonny Klemm, admiring a shiny black Mercury 150 engine.
Thanks to BY SUSAN O'LEARY, Times Correspondent for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Sunday, January 27, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Boater Education Ongoing

Hi gang Rick here again from Used Pontoon Boats on boater education. An interesting article from the LAKE OF THE OZARKS. The potentially hazardous conditions on the lake prompted Janet Foley of Camden County to take her first Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Skills and Seamanship class three years ago. It would not be her last.

'I think everyone, young or mature, needs to know the basic rules. It makes everyone safer,' Foley said. 'But you should never expect anyone else out there to know the rules.'

Foley took the course for the first time three years ago. She listened and absorbed the information, but had limited participation. The following year, she signed on for the class a second time, now armed with more information.

I decided I wanted to start asking questions, Foley said. The course is extensive and allows students to specialize in areas of interest. It's a huge knowledge pool. You can take from it what you want, Foley said.

The art of tying knots was Foley's main fascination. When she started the class, she did not know how to untie a boat after it had been tied to a dock with a granny knot. Placing figure eights on a cleat with a half hitch or tying the versatile bowline knot is now her forte.

Foley, and her husband Tony Dietz, purchased a 26-foot pontoon boat 14 years ago. We had limited knowledge. We had gone out with friends lots of times, Foley said. Ignorance is bliss and if you don't have a clue, you are totally off the mark. At least I knew I didn't have a clue and took the course.

Her husband did not attend the class. I guess he felt he didn't have to, she said. I spent hours telling him about it. We go out all the time together, so I am his walking book.

Foley has assumed responsibly for ensuring that all safety gear including a life jacket for each passenger is on board. One of the most important guidelines that Foley walked away with after taking the course is it does not matter who is in the right and who is wrong, boaters need to do whatever is necessary to stay safe.

The 2008 Boating Skills and Seamanship classes get underway Feb. 19 and will run for six Tuesdays. Each two-hour session will be held at 7 p.m. at Central Bank in Osage Beach.

Students will invest $30 to cover the cost of the instructional book. Couples or families willing to share a book can purchase a single book and pay $5 for each additional person within their group, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary public education officer Jack Williams said.

The course goes beyond the basics and covers boating rules and regulations, choosing a vessel, handling and trailering, waterway markings and other topics that every boater should be familiar with before heading out onto the water.

The class is conducted as an informal presentation that encourages student interaction. Although the course is not rigidly structured, the material is thoroughly covered, Williams said.

Boating experts within the community teach specific sections of the course. For example, a Missouri National Guard communications officer taught the radio section of the course, Williams said.

The course meets and exceeds the mandatory education requirement set by the Missouri Water Patrol for all boat operators born after Jan, 1, 1984. Once completed, the certificate can be used to satisfy the state requirement and could possibly lower insurance premiums, Williams said.

One advantage of the Coast Guard program is it not only teaches about boating on a lake, but also on rivers and inland waterways and places where boaters will find currents and debris not common on the lake.

For more information, call Williams at 365-2779. Thanks to Brian Fleagle, lakesunleader.com for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Seaside Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here from Used Pontoon Boats with another boat show update. This time from Ocean City, Maryland.

OCEAN CITY -- The 25th annual Seaside Boat Show, sponsored by the Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club, returns to the Roland E. Powell Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 15, through Sunday, Feb. 17.

This event raises money for youth programs through Worcester County and lower Delaware.

The show will feature more than 150 exhibitors with more than 40 boat dealers and an estimated 400 boats on display, both inside and outside of the facility.

This year's show also welcomes wood carvers, model boat builders, jewelers, hot tubs, artists, pottery and clothing.

Show hours are Friday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 16, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission costs $8 a day or $15 for a weekend pass.

North Bay Marina is donating a Sweetwater pontoon boat which will be given away as the grand door prize at the conclusion of the show on Sunday.
Thanks to dailytimesonline.com for this.

For more information on the Roland E. Powell Convention Center.
http://www.ocean-city.com/convention/main.html

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Saturday, January 26, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Wichita Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here with Used Pontoon Boats with yet another boat show update. Annual boat show is this weekend at Century II If you're in the market for a boat, this is the weekend to shop.

Vendors at the annual Wichita Boat Show are in the height of "boat show season," and the manufacturers are giving them incentives to move the merchandise.

Deals will abound.

"People can shop and compare between two or three boats from different dealers, and they can do it right here at one place," said Gary Krahn, the Colorado-based promoter who organizes the show.

The event, which continues today through Sunday at Century II Expo Hall, will feature more than 300 bass boats, ski boats, pontoons, cabin cruisers and more.

Every dealer in Wichita will be represented at the show, Krahn's 13th in Wichita.

Browsers are welcome, too.

In addition to watercraft, the show will again include one of its most famous attractions -- a 50-foot tub filled with water and live bass.

A professional fisherman will be stationed at the tub, demonstrating bass-catching techniques every two hours. The tub is always popular with kids, Krahn said.

The Wichita Boat Show runs from noon to 9 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for children ages 7 to 15; and free for children 6 and under.

For more information, call 970-218-5645. Thanks Denise Neil at Kansas.com for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Friday, January 25, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Boat Fire

Hi gang, Rick here from Used Pontoon Boats. State police in LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. are investigating the burning of two boats in Drumore Township early Wednesday morning.

Although state police are involved, the fire had not been labeled "suspicious" as of Thursday evening.

"At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation," state police stated in a news release Thursday.

At 1:13 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters from Robert Fulton Fire Company responded to a fire on Ford Lane in Drumore Township.

Upon arrival, crews found a 1988 Hurricane boat, owned by Joseph Dynda of Reading, engulfed in flames under a carport.

Flames from the Hurricane were spreading to a 1990 Procraft pontoon boat, owned by William Keesee of Drumore, police reported.

Robert Fulton fire Chief Ray Glick said firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. The Hurricane was destroyed, he said, but the Procraft was saved. Total damages were estimated at $6,000.

According to Glick, the area where the two boats were parked is a community area where residents who live on Ford Lane keep boats, vehicles and other equipment.
Thanks to P.J. REILLY,Intelligencer Journal for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats -Charleston Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here again from Used Pontoon Boats with another boat show update. This event is the Lowcountry’s biggest boat show and sale featuring more than 90 boat lines representing the latest models, many offered at discount prices.

Thirty of the region’s leading dealers will be on-site to showcase a multitude of powerboats including: sport cruisers, motor and express yachts, sport fishing boats, center console fishing boats, bass boats, bow riders, deck and aluminum boats, ski and pontoon boats, runabouts, bay boats, shallow water flat skiffs and family cruisers.


Exhibitors will feature an extensive assortment of the latest in marine and fishing products including: fishing tackle and accessories, marine electronics, boat lifts, dock systems, and marine finance and insurance and nautical artwork.

This year’s Show is sure to please as it presents some exciting new features such as Steve Gryb, Miami’s “Pied Piper of Percussion”. Steve performs all over the country and people of all ages participate in his musical shows. Island Trio will also perform throughout the weekend.

Also new this year is the “Hook the Future” Kids’ Fishing Clinic. This educational experience is taught by marine wildlife experts, and will focus on teaching children fishing ethics as well as how to select the right lures and tackle, tie knots and cast nets. Fishing backpacks will be given away to 35 participants each day. For the adult fishing enthusiasts there will be educational seminars conducted by local fishing captains. These seminars will cover various fishing related topics and are scheduled Saturday and Sunday of the Show.

There will be a great selection of food from Lowcountry Boils including Frogmore Stew, pulled pork sandwiches, boiled peanuts and more.

Various prizes will be given away all weekend. Sunday afternoon one lucky winner will be chosen for the grand prize, a 7 day cruise to the Western Caribbean!Attendees may also register to win a 9.9 horsepower engine from Mercury Marine or weekend vacation packages from Visit Jacksonville.
Visit www.thecharlestonboatshow.com

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Oklahoma City Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here again from Used pontoon Boats with yet another boat show update. Oklahoma City Boat Show sets sail Thursday. It happens more than one would imagine, according to Tom Stidham, who owns Norris Marine in Norman.

So why does the Oklahoma City Boat Show do so well?
“Cabin fever,” Stidham said. “Dealers are hungry because it is winter, and we’ve found that the harsher the winter, the more people come out here.”

The 53rd edition of the show opens at the state fairgrounds today from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and will continue from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and end with a Sunday program from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bad weather equals good attendance, Stidham said. Those hoping for deteriorating weather conditions just might get their wish. The National Weather Service calls for highs in the 30s today with a 20-percent chance of light snow or sleet, a 50-percent chance of the same on Friday with temperatures in the 30s, and dry on Saturday and Sunday with highs in the 30s and 40s.

Oklahoma City Boat Show Director Nick Sadler said the show will be in the Travel and Transportation Building, Cox Pavilion and the Centennial Building. He’s expecting 10,000 to 15,000 visitors to the show, which will feature 12 metro boat dealers and up to 300 boats.

“It’s very lucrative for the boating business; we’ll have boats from $8,000 on up to $160,000,” Sadler said. “For people who love boating, it’s tough from October to January and they are excited to be able to see the new line of boats.”
Sadler said the show will include powerboats, pontoons, deck boats, bass boats and runabouts.

“About six dealers will have competition ski boats this year,” Sadler said. “A lot of us used to ski and now it’s all about wakeboards and competition ski boats. It’s a big change in the industry.”

In addition to the dealers, the show will have booths manned by 100 different exhibitors who will sell everything from women’s jewelry to the latest boat accessories, skis, life jackets, purses to cleaning solutions.

This year will mark the first time the show will be presented in one long weekend. It had been spread over six days and two weekends in the past.
“Our attendance was always better the first weekend than the second,” Sadler said. “During the second weekend we were conflicting with boat shows in Tulsa and Dallas, and with the Super Bowl. We’re down to four straight days but will have almost the same amount of hours for the show.”

Stidham said the show is a great opportunity for dealers to get off to a good start for the year. “As high as 25 percent of our business can be related to this show,” said Stidham, who bought Norris Marine in 1971 and has had boats on display at the show since then. “Our numbers (for sales) through the years have ranged from 25 on the low side to 60 on the high side for this show. We expect to be in that range again this year.”

Stidham said he’s looking forward to completing it in the same week.
“It was confusing to people having it two weekends; this is all for the better,” Stidham said. “Another good thing is that boat representatives can come in and make it all in one week. This show offers a lot of additional incentives for people and it also gives up a look at what’s hot this year.”

Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Nashville Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick again from Used Pontoon Boats. Another boat show, the fourth of its kind since December, is headed to Nashville. The Nashville Boat Show is Feb. 8-10 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.

Nearly 200 boats — including fishing, sporting yacht, pontoon, and personal watercraft — will be on display along with about 100 exhibits.

The show begins Feb. 8 at noon. Admission is $6 adults, $3 ages 7-14, free for ages 6-under.

Big Buck contest: Winner of the Bass Pro Shops and Tennessee Outdoor News Big Buck Contest will be awarded Saturday at the store in Opry Mills mall.

Scoring begins at 10 a.m.

“Last year we had an unbelievable turnout and the tables were pouring over with antlers that would make hunters in the Midwest proud,’’ said official scorer Tony Smotherman, editor of Tennessee Outdoors News.

Five of the top antlers scored from three categories — archery, muzzleloader and center-fire — will be officially scored the day of the contest. Prizes go to the top three in each category.

Call 514-5200 or visit basspro.com for more information.

No wake meeting: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has scheduled a public meeting for Feb. 5 to discuss a proposal to widen the no wake zone on Percy Priest Lake in the cove near the YMCA camp.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Stones River Hunter Education Building at 2618 Hobson Pike.

“There is an existing no wake zone already there, but we want to widen the zone because we plan to use it as a major part of a boating safety education effort beginning this summer,’’ TWRA boating education coordinator Jeff Winfree said.

“Fishing and other boating recreation will still be allowed. We have plans to educate thousands of youngsters … about boating safety and this cove will play a major role in our classes.”

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Tulsa Boat, Sport and Travel Show

Hi gang, Rick here again from Used Pontoon Boats with another boat show report. The Tulsa Boat, Sport and Travel Show will return to Expo Square Jan. 28- Feb. 3 in the QuikTrip Center.

More than 460,000 square feet of the QuikTrip Center will be filled with canoes, fishing boats, pontoons, runabouts, sail boats, house boats, cruisers, boat docks, vans, tent campers, trailers, camping and fishing tackle equipment, water and snow skiing equipment, personal watercraft, camping resorts and lodges, free fishing seminars and more. The 2008 event expects approximately 60,000 boat, sport and travel enthusiasts.

This year’s event is the 52nd year of the show. It is the largest single event held at the QuikTrip Center annually, with the exception of the Tulsa State Fair. The Tulsa Boat, Sport and Travel Show has been rated by the Consumer Travel Agency as the fifth best overall show in the United States and ranks top ten in the nation for attendance, according to the Marine Retailers Association of America.

Ugly John’s Custom Boats and RV’s will give away a 180 Sport I/0 2008 at the 52nd Annual Tulsa Boat, Sport and Travel Show.

The show will be open during the following hours: Monday, Jan. 28 from 6-10 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, Jan. 29-31 from 12-9 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 1 from 12-10 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 2 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tickets for adults are $10. Children under 12 are free. Monday, Jan. 20 is VIP Night and admission is $20.

For more information, visit www.tulsaboatshow.com or call the info line at (918) 58-BOATS (582-6287).

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Charleston Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here from Used Pontton Boats. with the boat show report. Mercury Marine presents the Charleston Boat Show this weekend, January 25-27, at the North Charleston Convention Center and Coliseum.

This event is the Lowcountry’s biggest boat show and sale featuring more than 90 boat lines representing the latest models, many offered at discount prices. Thirty of the region’s leading dealers will be on-site to showcase a multitude of powerboats including: sport cruisers, motor and express yachts, sport fishing boats, center console fishing boats, bass boats, bow riders, deck and aluminum boats, ski and pontoon boats, runabouts, bay boats, shallow water flat skiffs and family cruisers.

Exhibitors will feature an extensive assortment of the latest in marine and fishing products including: fishing tackle and accessories, marine electronics, boat lifts, dock systems, and marine finance and insurance and nautical artwork.

This year’s Show is sure to please as it presents some exciting new features such as Steve Gryb, Miami’s “Pied Piper of Percussion”. Gryb performs all over the country and people of all ages participate in his musical shows. Island Trio will also perform throughout the weekend.

Also new this year is the “Hook the Future” Kids’ Fishing Clinic. This educational experience is taught by marine wildlife experts, and will focus on teaching children fishing ethics as well as how to select the right lures and tackle, tie knots and cast nets. Fishing backpacks will be given away to 35 participants each day. For the adult fishing enthusiasts there will be educational seminars conducted by local fishing captains. These seminars will cover various fishing related topics and are scheduled Saturday and Sunday of the Show.

There will be a great selection of food from Lowcountry Boils including Frogmore Stew, pulled pork sandwiches, boiled peanuts and more.

Various prizes will be given away all weekend. Sunday afternoon one lucky winner will be chosen for the grand prize, a 7 day cruise to the Western Caribbean! Attendees may also register to win a 9.9 horsepower engine from Mercury Marine or weekend vacation packages from Visit Jacksonville.

The Charleston Boat Show is hosted by the Tri County Marine Trade Association and is presented by Mercury Marine. Promotional Partners include WEZL 103.5, WCBD TV-2, and Tidelines. The Show has been produced by JBM & Associates for the past seven years.

Show Hours: Friday, January 25: noon-8pm, Saturday: January 26: 10am-7pm; Sunday, January 27: 11am-6pm
Tickets: $9 adults; Kids 10 and under- FREE; $5 after 5pm
Parking: FREE

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Also we value your comments, if you can add more info in regards to this article please do so. Thanks............Rick

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Sweetwater Pontoon Boats

Hi gang, Rick again from Used Pontoon Boats on Sweetwater Pontoon Boats and what boat owners have to say.

I would just like to tell you how pleased my wife and I are with our 2002 Sweetwater 2019 SC pontoon boat. We stopped into Atwood Lake Marina on a whim and came out owners of our 1st pontoon boat. It is just a pleasure to take it out on the water and relax after a long week at work. This year we will be spending our vacation on the boat instead of traveling. WE CAN'T WAIT. Thanks again. -Russ Bender -Canton, OH.

Clint (Hardy) called me back in less than a week and authorized me to send my boat back to Godfrey on Travis's next load. I sent the boat back and it arrived back in Memphis in about 2 to 3 weeks in brand new condition. I have never experienced any manufacturer that backs up their warranty the way Godfrey does. I feel Clint went out of his way to exemplify the meaning of "Customer Service" and I truly appreciate all you have done. I have become and will always be an unpaid salesperson for Godfrey Marine. I have told everyone I know of my experience in dealing with Godfrey. I know of two Sweetwaters sold because of my treatment. These were friends of mine that were looking at other brands and both bought a Sweetwater pontoon. My Sincere Thanks! Al Ratheim.

My wife and I were at the Springfield Boat Show in Springfield, Mass, on March 9, 2003. We were planning to look at the options and various manufacturers of pontoon boats. I thought you might be interested in why we selected your boat. As an engineer, I am very inquisitive and look for things that many others fail to notice. The seating comfort is noticeably better in your boat. The quality of the seating material was also noticeably better. Your boat has as nice expansion chamber for release of the fumes while filling the tank. I also like having the watertight Deutsch connecters. We are certainly looking forward to many years of boating with our new boat. You should be proud of the quality that you have put in your boats.

We recently purchased a 20 foot Sweetwater pontoon (fishing model) with 50hp Johnson. We have really enjoyed cruising and fishing with this boat. It meets all our needs and haveing alot of fun with it. I caught a 5 lb 22" bass Marilyn on Green Lake in Northern Michigan (lower penn).I believe the new boat had something to do with it and I wanted to tell you that we really enjoy our boat.

My father as well as myself, my wife and our three daughters had the best summer ever after spending many hours aboard our new pontoon (Sweetwater 2423 SC) cruising the Sebago Lake area of Maine. Thanks for making an affordable and family friendly product. Jim Young Billerica, MA

"This will be our 23rd year with a pontoon boat. The Sweetwater is the best built pontoon boat we have owned, or even looked at. We are very pleased with the unit, and with the outstanding service provided by Godfrey Marine." Regards, Daryl Brown.

"My wife and I attended the Richmond, Virgina boat show in February 2006 to look at pontoons. We originally were pretty much set on another manufacturer but I convinced my wife to go and look at all of them again one last time before we buy. My wife instantly fell in love with the Sweetwater 2586DC. I was very pleased with the construction, warranty and the guys at the dealership. We looked over the Sweetwater pontoon several times and compared it to the one we "planned" on purchasing. After going home that evening and making a spreadsheet of pro's and con's of each boat, the Sweetwater 2586 DC won hands down. Our boat was delivered and as promised we did a complete walk-through from trailering, complete boat functionality, engine care and mechanical operation, docking, dealer set up dock lines and a nice little cruise on the river. Thanks JD and the guys at Southeastern Marine for making my wife and I feel very pleased and comfortable with our new Sweetwater pontoon purchase. WE LOVE IT!!!!" Jimmy and Pam Teets Richmond, VA.

We've had our 18-foot Sweetwater "fish and ski" for 8 years now, and it is certainly among the best purchases we've ever made. It is so well designed, so well-made and really a joy to use. Thanks so much! Erik C. Orlando, Fl.

Download their 2008 Catalog
http://www.sweetwaterboats.com/

Download their Boat Review Library

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Monday, January 21, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Holiday Travel Destinations

Hi gang, Rick here from Used Pontoon Boats with our latest holiday travel destination , Central Florida Winter Park. The tour boat glides past lavish lake front homes as the guide recites the names of notable past and present occupants: Walgreen as in drugstores, Sinclair as in oil, Horace Grant as in the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic.

We might have been cruising past the genteel mansions of Lake Geneva, Wis., if it weren't for the Spanish moss hanging from the cypress trees and the alligators lurking in the reeds. The simple pontoon boat ride seemed typical of a Midwestern lake resort.

If you think of Central Florida as all theme parks and tourist attractions with little history and culture, Winter Park will surprise you. Though only 30-40 minutes up I-4 from Walt Disney World, this city of 28,000 seems a world apart, a world with several Chicago connections.

In the early 1900s wealthy Northerners came to Winter Park by train to escape the harsh winters back home, just as they escaped to Lake Geneva to flee the summer heat of Chicago.

In Florida, they built cottages, then posh estates that became year-round homes with the advent of air conditioning. Arts and Crafts bungalows lined the streets of Florida's first planned community and French provincial, Mediterranean and Tudor homes sprouted along the city's seven lakes.

One of these winter residents, Charles Hosmer Morse, was the controlling partner at Fairbanks, Morse & Co. in Chicago. As the Industrial Revolution took off, this manufacturer of presses, trucks, motors and other machinery made a fortune. When Morse retired in 1915 his winter home became his primary residence and he made Winter Park the beneficiary of his philanthropy.

He donated the land for Central Park, still a downtown haven with fountain and rose garden, and helped organize the Winter Park Country Club, a public nine-hole course with a 1914 clubhouse on the National Register of Historic Places.

Perhaps his greatest legacy came two generations later when granddaughter Jeannette McKean, who grew up in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood, founded the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, the world's most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

For fans of Tiffany glass, Winter Park is a mecca. More than half of the museum's visitors come from out of state, detouring around Disney to wander through 19 galleries of stained glass, favrile glass and Tiffany's works in pottery, jewelry and furniture.

Chief among them, the Tiffany Chapel, once drew crowds in Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.

Designed as a promotional tool showcasing Tiffany's talents, the Byzantine-style chapel was never a consecrated sanctuary. Nevertheless, visitors reacted with reverence, the men instinctively removing their hats as they entered. A 1,000-pound electrified chandelier in the shape of a cross hung over a marble and white-glass altar, a dome-shaped baptismal font and 16 mosaic columns. The chapel had several windows, one containing 10,000 separate pieces of glass.

After the fair, the chapel was dismantled and moved to St. John the Divine church in New York City, where it fell into disrepair. Tiffany reacquired it and moved it to his Long Island estate, where he restored it.

McKean and her husband, Hugh, an artist who studied at Tiffany's estate, had become friends of the Tiffany family. In 1957, when one of Tiffany's granddaughters phoned to say a fire destroyed much of the estate, they rushed to Long Island and salvaged what they could, bringing the pieces back to Winter Park. The chapel was kept in storage until recently when it was restored for a second time and installed in a new wing of the museum.

The McKeans' estate, where they once kept a flock of peacocks, sits on Lake Virginia and is passed on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour. The pontoon boat also motors by Eastbank, built in 1883 for William C. Comstock, former president of the Chicago Board of Trade, and the estate of sculptor Albin Polasek, now a museum and sculpture garden open to the public.

The Mediterranean architecture of Rollins College also can be seen from the boat. Florida's oldest institution of higher education was founded in 1885. Alonzo W. Rollins, owner of a Chicago company that sold dyes to woolen mills, donated money and land for the college, which became the artistic heart of Winter Park. The campus contains the Annie Russell Theatre, which showcases both student and professional talent, and the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, the oldest collection of art in Florida with more than 6,000 objects.

Several prominent families sent their children to Rollins. Jeanette McKean attended classes there and later served on the college board. Hugh McKean was an instructor there and then college president. Fred Rogers of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" courted his wife there while earning a degree in music composition.

Cruising along the shoreline of Lake Osceola, the boat's skipper points to a red brick home where Rogers lived. "That's the real Mr. Rogers' neighborhood," he quips.

Corny jokes and odd bits of trivia are as thick as the vegetation along the two manmade canals navigated on the one-hour tour. Originally built by the logging industry to connect the lakes in the area, the narrow channels wind past backyards where bamboo, Egyptian papyrus and banana trees flourish. Gliding along the Venice canal brings gondolas and singing boatmen to mind.

Winter Park compares itself to Europe in other ways, especially the downtown shopping area with its brick streets, sidewalk cafes and restaurants that buy produce from the local farmers market. Among the 120 shops and galleries are some national names, including Nicole Miller, Lilly Pulitzer, Pottery Barn, Ann Taylor and Williams-Sonoma, but no big chain stores. Instead, Park Avenue is lined with one-of-a-kind boutiques and salons.

At Shou'ture you get a free pedicure when you buy designer shoes (minimum purchase $250). You also can buy the themed pedicure of the month or the signature chocolate pedicure using chocolate-scented products applied while you sip a chocolate martini or cappuccino.

BullFish, named for its two owners, one a Pisces and the other a Taurus, sells an eclectic mix of pet items, gifts and gourmet food products. You can buy a designer collar for your dog, a wine caddy or a bottle of balsamic vinegar.

Along with Park Avenue's chocolate shops and men's and women's clothing boutiques is the Wine Room, a combination wine store, wine bar and deli. It stocks more than 15,000 bottles representing 1,200 different labels, some hard to come by. Purchase a card for access to samples at the push of a button and drink to the notable Chicagoans who had the foresight to settle in Central Florida.

If you go

Winter Park, Fla.

Go: To see Tiffany glass, shop and cruise along a chain of lakes and canals

No: If you go to Florida for theme parks or beaches

Need to know: Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, (877) 972-4262, www.winterpark.org; City of Winter Park, www.cityofwinterpark.org

Getting there: The closest major airport is in Orlando and is served by several airlines with flights from Chicago. Go north of the airport on I-4 and take the Fairbanks exit (exit 87) east to Park Avenue.

When to go: Central Florida records average high temperatures in the 90s in summer, in the 70s in winter.

Where to stay:

Park Plaza Hotel, 307 Park Ave. South, (800) 228-7220, www.parkplazahotel.com

Best Western Mt. Vernon Inn, 110 S. Orlando Ave., (800) 992-3379, www.bestwestern.com/mtvernoninn

Thurston House bed and breakfast, 851 Lake Ave., Maitland, Fla., (800) 843-2721, www.resortsandlodges.com/lodging/usa/florida/central-florida.html

Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art: 445 N. Park Ave., (407) 645-5311, www.morsemuseum.org. Open Tuesday through Sunday; $3 adults.

Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour: 312 E. Morse Blvd., (404) 644-4056, www.scenicboattours.com. Operates daily except Christmas; $10 adults, $5 ages 2-11.

Rollins College: 1000 Holt Ave.; Cornell Fine Arts Museum, (407) 646-25, www.rollins.edu/cfam; Annie Russell Theatre, (407) 646-2145, www.rollins.edu/theatre.
Thanks to the Daily Herald for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Chicago Boat, RV and Outdoor Show

Hi gang, Rick from Used Pontoon Boats with another boat show update. January is a popular month for holding boat shows across North America.

If you’re looking for a little summertime fantasy amidst this arctic freeze we’re having, then head on over to McCormick Place for the 78th Annual Chicago Boat, RV and Outdoor Show, which is in its final day.

New for this year is the Accessory Center, which highlights all the latest we need to bling our boats, from safety equipment to the latest in outdoor entertaining. You can also “test drive” a pair of Crocs, borrowing a pair while you’re at the show.

The show highlights all the latest in boating, from first-time starter boats and pontoons, to high-end sea-going yachts. Same is true for the RVs. Whether you’re a veteran boater or just beginning to embrace the boat-people lifestyle, you’ll find the show a terrific diversion from the sub-zero temperatures we’re experiencing.

It’s a sea of boats out at the Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoor Show.
Thanks to Tim State, chicagoist.com for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Central Florida Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here from Used Pontoon Boats with an interesting article from the Central Florida Boat Show, taking a mental time-travel trip back to 2005, when owning a Regal Sport Yacht was not just a fantasy.

I'd sell you my house for a $200,000 profit.

You'd sell me your house for a $200,000 profit.

And we'd each buy one, let Citigroup hold the titles, and head off for the Bahamas and drink rum punches on the equity loans.

Ah, those were the days, when what you bought didn't depend on what you were worth.

And if you actually were worth something, you upgraded to the 4060 Commodore Express, an oceangoing luxury RV with the electronics of an aircraft carrier.

Want to go to Grenada? Type in the coordinates and hit autopilot.

This thing will even go sideways. Just push the joystick controller to whichever side you want to go. Twist the top around to do a pirouette.

If you get hot, pull down the cabin enclosure and turn on the AC. The bathroom is nicer than the one in my house.

The twin Volvo engines suck down 30 gallons of fuel per hour, meaning an afternoon cruise would cost you about $500.

If you're interested, it has been marked down $25,000 to $467,643.

Remember when a downtown condo was worth that? And the Commodore Express has about the same square feet.

But this is no fire sale. Salesmen here at the Orange County Convention Center say such luxury boats remain a hot item because the people who actually have money still are spending it. As one noted, "It always is the little people who get hurt in times like this."

I disembark from the Commodore Express, one of the little people now stuck forever in his lesser boat. It sits in my garage, a 13-footer that couldn't make a decent dent in a manatee.

I have no more inflated assets to leverage, not even to buy a 33-foot Hydra-Sports with twin Yamaha 350s on the back. Just the cooler costs $4,000. It keeps ice frozen for two weeks.

"Boats like this are selling," says salesman Steve Musso. "I have more deals for boats over $200,000 than anything else."

So let's see how the five-figure inventory is moving.

Here is a measly 23-foot Nautique, marked down to a boat show special price of $72,299. The 11-speaker stereo system, including a big subwoofer under the passenger seat, cranks out more than 1,000 watts. You can upgrade to three more subwoofers and three more amps in case you want to share with everybody else on the lake.

"I sold one of these to Vince Carter," says Jason Webster of Southeast Correct Craft. "Our buyers are higher-end buyers. They're not as affected by the economy."

To find the little-people boats, I continue on to the pontoons, where I find a SunChaser for $16,999.

"They're two hollow pieces of aluminum strapped to a deck. and that's it," says Jeremy Prouty, a professional bass fisherman representing Advanced Marine.

"For everything on this, it's half the cost of my bass boat," he adds. "Don't tell the guys, but I'd like to get one of these."

I find a Sun Catcher pontoon for the bargain price of about $13,000 from Sonny's Marine Center. Owner Jim Eazsol admits sales are slow in the little-people category.

"I've been up and down with recession and gas shortages," he says. "But if you treat people right, they'll come back when the times are tough."
Thanks to Mike Thomas, Orlando Sentinel for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Snorkeling in Crystal River, FL

Hi gang, Rick here again at Used Pontoon Boats. Snorkeling in the shallow, gray-green water off Banana Island is, frankly, a bit spooky. The winds of a passing cold front have stirred up Kings Bay, and swimming through suspended silt is like flying through fog. Snook and mullet and Lord-knows-what are little more than silver wiggles in the green gloom.

A dive mask narrows my field of vision so that I don't know what's out there until it's dead ahead. A yardstick away. Floating still, I cock my head to scan left and stare into a tiny obsidian eye. The eye is set in a small head attached to a huge gray body. I've been searching for manatees, and a manatee has found me.

Manatees have been coming to this part of Florida longer than New Yorkers. Both come for the same reason: to find a warm spot to survive the winter. Despite their bulk — the typical adult weighs more than half a ton — manatees fall victim to hypothermia when water temperatures fall below 68 degrees. The waters of the nearby Gulf of Mexico chill to 58 degrees or so in the winter, driving hundreds to Kings Bay and the Crystal River where more than 30 springs pump out 72-degree water year-round. The federal government established the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in 1983 to protect the manatees' winter haven.

The hundreds of visiting manatees draw thousands of visiting humans. No more than six of them each day board the Captain Mike's Ultimate Manatee Tour, one of a handful of tour boats that cruise the refuge. And those six passengers are the warmest people on the water.

Other tour boats anchored at the springs are pontoons with only taut vinyl curtains to protect passengers from wind and cold. A few don't have that. Our boat is a hard-sided houseboat equipped with a propane heater and a head, the nautical term for restroom. That latter amenity alone earns the tour the ultimate tag. It's a six-hour trip, and the package includes all the hot coffee you need to keep your innards warm. Or you can choose hot chocolate or bottled water to wash down doughnuts, bagels and other snacks.

Everyone onboard begins fueling up as tour captain Doreen Fender eases away from the dock. Every trip begins with viewing a video on the etiquette of swimming with manatees. The practice has some critics, who believe troops of tourists splashing about in wet suits stress the massive mammals. The rules are pretty simple: The manatee initiates contact. You don't chase down a manatee or corner it. You don't do anything that might separate a calf from its mother. You don't feed the manatees. And, most sternly stressed, you don't cross the floating markers that define a manatees-only sanctuary.

That means that while you're certain to see a manatee December through March, it's less certain you'll get close enough to touch one, to gaze into its tiny obsidian eye.
The odds are with us this January morning. A manatee casually approaches the boat as Fender sets anchor at King Springs off Banana Island. I zip up my wet suit and slide into the water and kick toward Banana Island, to the spot where I'm ambushed, delightfully so, by a manatee.
When I tentatively reach out to touch the 8-foot sea cow, it edges closer and I begin petting its hide, a mottled mix of leathery gray skin, slick green algae and bumpy barnacles. Slowly it rolls onto its side to expose an expansive pale belly as if to say, "Rub my tummy."
And I oblige.

The manatee matches my movements to accommodate several minutes of back-scratching and belly rubbing. At times it brings its whiskered mug within a couple of inches of my face mask.
I feel an ever so slight bump on my right shoulder and I spin to see a yearling about 5 feet long. I'm sandwiched between mother and child.

After a few more minutes of scratching and rubbing, first one and then the other, the two swim off and disappear like gray-green ghosts. The manatees are even friendlier later that morning at Three Sisters Springs where the water is Dasani clear. While at least 15 manatees rest still as stones on the boulders within the marked no-humans zone, a dozen others swim slowly among the snorklers seeking, apparently, a belly rub.

One calf takes to grabbing with its front flippers the arms and legs of members of the Roddick-Ament family, here from northern Alberta as part of a four-week sunshine tour.
"It's a bit disconcerting when the flippers wrap around you," says Tye Roddick-Ament, laughing while toweling off in the warm boat cabin. "It's a bit of role reversal — 'Let's go pet the humans.' "
IF YOU GO
• Getting there: Crystal River is a seven-hour drive from Atlanta, taking I-75 South to Gainesville, Fla., and Fla. 121. Take 121 South to U.S. 19 South to Crystal River.
• Where to stay: Best Western Crystal River Resort, 614 N.W. U.S. 19, 352-795-3171, http://www.crystalriverresort.com/. Sitting by the docks of the bay, this motel is the most convenient lodging for manatee watchers. You can sleep until 7:30 a.m. and still walk over to the dock for the 7:45 a.m. tour check-in time. There is also a pool, dive shop, gift shop and tiki bar with a nice view of Kings Bay.
Day's Inn, 2380 N.W. U.S. 19, 352-795-2111. About two miles north of docks, across from Crystal River Mall.
Comfort Inn, 4486 N. Suncoast Blvd., 352-563-1500. Off the main drag of U.S. 19, also near the mall.
• Information: http://www.visitcitrus.com/

Homosassa Springs
You have a good chance of getting a good look at a manatee without getting wet just a few miles down the road from Crystal River at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. You can also get a look at a hippopotamus, a living legacy of the park's history.
The site on the Homosassa River was developed as a roadside tourist attraction, part nature preserve and part zoo. That is where Lu the hippo comes in. The park is still part zoo, featuring panthers, otters, black bears, alligators and other wildlife native to Florida. Except for Lu, of course.
An underwater observatory near a spring provides views of snook, sheephead, crevalle jack and, if you're lucky, manatees. You're almost sure to see manatees during one of the three educational programs. It seems they can't resist cabbage and carrots.
Lu, by the way, turns 48 on Jan. 25.

• Getting there: Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is located in Homosassa Springs on U.S. 19, about nine miles south of Crystal River.
• Hours: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily
• Admission: $9 adults; $5 children ages 3-12; free for children under 3
• Information: 352-628-5343, http://www.homosassa%20springs.org/

Thanks to Clint Williams, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

If you found this interesting, please tell others by clicking on the bookmark icon in top left corner of page and insert a brief remark to let others know were here.

Also we value your comments, if you can add more info in regards to this article please do so. Thanks............Rick

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Used Pontoon Boats - River City Fishing & Boat Expo

Hi gang, Rick here from Used Pontoon Boats. The River City Hunting and Fishing expo probably wouldn't be the same if Bass Pro Shops didn't have a booth there. Located just across the street, workers won't have to travel far for the expo.

"Bass Pro Shops is looking forward to being a part of the River City Hunting, Fishing, RV & Boat Expo. An event like the expo is a great opportunity for people to get involved and to learn more about all the great activities that can be done in the outdoors," said Carrie Kitt, promotions manager at Bass Pro.

The shop will have a booth in the convention center and merchandise will be available for purchase, along with product demos. "There will be a lot of stuff we carry in the store, with special sale prices on shirts and hats," said Kitt. In the arena, Bass Pro Shops will have boats from its Tracker Boat Center on display.

"Our boats will be showcased in the arena showcasing new 2008s and new models," said Kitt. The Tracker Boat Center offers Sun Tracker, the nation's number one selling pontoon boat; the Nitro; the Tahoe; the Mako; the Kenner; the Seacraft; and the Myacht. One or more of those models will be displayed in the arena at the Mid-America Center.

Bass Pro Shops pro staffers Mike Langford and Dave McCoy will present three seminars throughout the Expo. Langford and McCoy seminars topics include: Midwest Bass Fishing, New Products for 2008 and Spring Fishing Tactics.

Anyone who visits the Bass Pro Shops booth will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a free XPS Grill or a Pond Prowler. Bass Pro Shops opened at 2901 Bass Pro Drive in November 2005. It houses Islamorada Fish Company and Starbucks.

Kitt hopes that the expo will both attract lots of people to their booth and bring in more customers to the store. "Hopefully, we'll see some new traffic," she said.
In addition, she said the expo itself provides a great opportunity for outdoor people.

Bass Pro Shops is the world's leading supplier of premium outdoor gear.
For more information on Bass Pro Shops, call (712) 325-6000 or go online to http://www.basspro.com/.
Thanks to Heather Alexander, Staff Writer SouthwestIowaNews.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Also we value your comments, if you can add more info in regards to this article please do so. Thanks............Rick

Please check out our Video Library on Bass Pro Fishing
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Used Pontoon Boats - Bassmaster Southern Open

Hi Gang, Rick here again at Used Pontoon Boats. Fisherman gearing up for another exremely competitive Bassmaster fishing tournament. Home Waters, Home fans. Nights at home instead of a hotel. Home pressure? Not really, according to one of the Putnam County professional anglers fishing this week’s Bassmaster Southern Open.

“Terry (Scroggins) and I have fished for $500,000 before. That’s pressure,” said Palatka’s Preston Clark on the phone Wednesday night, hours before he arose for Thursday’s first round. “This is one of the more relaxing tournaments for us.

“I want to do well and we’re going to fish as hard as we can. I’ll have a lot of family and friends there, as Terry will. We’ll fish as hard as we did when we were fishing for $500,000.”

Top prize this week is a good bit less — $45,000 in cash and merchandise — but the competition is just as keen. Most of the country’s top bass fishermen are on hand, here from as far away as California and New England.

Clark couldn’t help feeling a little hometown pride during the anglers’ pre-tournament meeting Wednesday night. “We fish all over the country and at every meeting, we have a local government group welcome us here. It’s usually the same-old, same-old. Usually one of them tells the joke about fishing with dynamite,” he said. “Mayor (Karl) Flagg and (county commissioner) Chip Laibl were both short and sweet and they were both interesting. It makes us proud.”

Clark was up at 4:30 Thursday morning, as is typical on tournament days. He’ll adjust the time if his boat is to be out particularly early or late, but Thursday Clark was No. 99 in a field of 200 boats. The launch order is to be flipped today, meaning he’ll be No. 101 — again right in the middle.

“First place I head (after a shower and coffee) is straight to the gas station, gas up my boat and get cold drinks and water and ice them down,” Clark said. “I’ll pick up my co-angler at 6 at the Quality Inn and get him situated.”

Then it’s down to the City Dock to get in position to launch at safe light — around 7 a.m. this time of year. It takes about 45 minutes for the entire field to get away. The time to report for weigh-in is staggered in the order in which the boats left, giving the anglers the same amount of time on the water.

It is under unsettled weather such as that of recent days that the locals have an advantage.
“I know where not to waste time looking for fish,” Clark said. “From Lake George to Green Cove, I’ve got about 19 spots. I’m going to hit every one of those spots unless I’ve got a good bag of fish and I don’t want to use the others up.”

This is where Clark had to make the biggest adjustment from amateur angler fishing one-day tournaments to professional working in a three-day event. The idea is to bring in a respectable stringer every day rather than wear out all of one’s “hot spots” in a scramble for first. It is somewhat like the transition a sprinter makes to long-distance running.

“(In) a three-day tournament, you’ve got to manage your fish. You don’t go try to catch everything you can in one day,” Clark said. “Most of the time, the guy who has a solid stringer every day is the one who will win.”

One of the most important adjustments to be made for the weather is dressing for the conditions. “You have to stay dry,” Clark said. “You can’t go out there in a $5 rain suit. If you get wet, you get cold and lose your concentration.”

Windy weather muddies the waters, changing fish patterns. “They’re right on the edge of spawning. Last week, they were just up for a day. We need good weather,” Clark said. “We’ve got more grass in Lake George and Crescent Lake than I can remember. The lakes are so healthy. The rivers are so healthy. Somewhere out there, there’s a 100-yard stretch where you could win the tournament.”

Nevertheless, he calls the St. Johns “a difficult river to fish.” Lunch? Not really, even though Clark is out on the water a good eight hours. “Usually all I bring is a Snickers bar and a Mountain Dew, but my wife’s been on me to eat better,” Clark said. OK for one’s own tank to run empty, but a day seldom goes by without having to refuel the boat.

There’s nothing wrong with heading to the scales a little early if one is comfortable with the day’s catch. Or if an angler is concerned a fish may die before it is released, it’s permissible to come in early in time for the fish to be released alive, thereby avoiding a penalty.

“There’s a chemical we use in the live well that turns the water to a different color and puts the slime coat back on the fish. Where you touched it, there’s no slime and that’s where bacteria can set in,” Clark said. “It also calms the fish down.” Tournament organizers use something like it in the giant containers in which fish are kept until returned to the waters in two giant pontoon boats.

The end of the tournament day n unless it is the final day n begins the process of getting ready for the next. After dropping off the partner, Job One is to recharge the trolling motor. “Most of the boats now have four batteries n one for cranking your big motor and three for the trolling motor,” Clark said. “Then you organize your tackle for the next day. I might start the day with three rods and finish with 20. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Finally, it’s supper, maybe a little TV (or a phone conversation with a reporter) and it’s off to bed.

It’s been said that a bad day of fishing beats a good day at the office. Hard to say whether that applies to those whose business day is out on the water, though Thursday was pretty good for Clark, who stands in third place. This much is certain: It’s a full day.
Thanks to Andy Hall, sports editor of the Palatka Daily News for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Mid-Atlantic Sports & Boat Show

Hi Gang, Rick here again at Used Pontoon Boats. Show organizors and booth operators busy getting ready to kick start the boating season. After filling the sprawling Virginia Beach Convention Center with the latest the boating world has to offer, show director John Kinsley hopes for smooth sailing at the 55th annual Mid-Atlantic Sports and Boat Show.

"It actually takes four days to load it in. We have a crane and three forklifts," Kinsley said of the nine-day event, which kicks off Saturday. "It's a lot of planning to get all those little details. I feel like I'm invading a small country or something."

Folks can browse the 150,000-square-foot showroom to see the latest models of personal watercraft, pontoon boats, deck boats, fishing yachts, center console vessels and cruisers offered by more than 70 exhibitors and upwards of 30 local and regional watercraft dealers.
Past attendees may notice a change in the date range. Last year, the show ran from Feb. 3 to Feb. 11.

T he move was made to accommodate another showcase set for February, said Kinsley. It also ensures that the show will not coincide with Super Bowl Sunday, and it will run through two whole weekends.

Outside of that adjustment, showgoers can expect a similar experience to last year's event, which was the first Mid-Atlantic Sports and Boat Show held in the completed c onvention center. The show's new digs has allowed Kinsley to expand the event considerably, not just in the number of boating businesses, but in the size and depth of the displays.

"You can get a real apples-to-apples comparison, and that's what it's all about," Kinsey s aid. Several local anglers' groups and nonprofit organizations will have hands-on demonstrations. Despite the industry-wide slowdown due to heightened fuel and materials prices, every commercial space at expanded event is sold out.

Kinsey said his focus was to make the show a truly regional showcase dedicated to providing the public with a wide swath of what's available in the boating industry.
Thanks to John Streit, Correspondent with the VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Friday, January 18, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Buying a Used Pontoon on Ebay

Hi gang, Rick here again at Used Pontoon Boats. Here is a helpful guide for picking out a Pontoon Boat on Ebay. When looking at pontoon boats, consider the maximum number of people you'll usually have along. You don’t want to exceed a boat’s rated capacity, but you do want comfortable seating for everyone. Smaller pontoons, like an 18-footer, will usually carry around eight passengers. A 22-footer will have a capacity of about 12 folks, and the larger models like 26-footers and more can usually carry 16 passengers or more.

Pontoons:
Two to tow inflatables, three to go skiing
Choosing a pontoon boat with two tubes or with three tubes depends on how fast you want to go and what your budget will afford. If you need more speed for activities like skiing, then go with three tubes; more floatation means you can get up on plane, and can obtain speeds from 30 mph to more than 50 mph. If leisurely cruising is your thing, two tubes are adequate for the job and will cost less.

Pontoon boat power
For your guests' comfort you want a pontoon boat with an engine that’s quiet and doesn’t put out a lot of smoke, so 4-strokes or the newer direct-injected 2-strokes are definitely the way to go if you choose an outboard. Inboard/outboards (I/Os) are also a good choice and provide plenty of guest-friendly power. Smaller pontoons can do just fine with as little as a 25-hp engine, while mid-sized boats do well with 75- to 115-hp models, but for pontoons more than 24 feet long, nothing beats a V6 outboard or powerful I/O powerplant, especially if you have a three-tube model and want more speed.

Pontoon boat extras
Make sure your pontoon boat is rigged for all the activities you like to do. If you like to fish, look for a boat with a livewell, rod holders and fishing seats. If you go skiing, you need plenty of power, a ski tow bar or eye, and a stern ladder and rear entrance. For cruisers, you want a large fuel tank, dry storage and a camper enclosure.

Find a Pontoon Boat on eBay Motors

Once you know what pontoon boat make and model you want, go to eBay Motors, click the Boats link under Other Vehicles, and start shopping on eBay!

Categories:
Select the type of boat you want from the list of Categories. You can choose from Fishing Boats, Powerboats & Motorboats, Sailboats, and more. Subsequent Categories lists on the left side of listings pages will help you narrow your options further.

Product Finder:
Drop-down menus on the Power & Fishing Boats Finder and Sailboats Finder, found on the left navigation bar, allow you to narrow listings by boat type and length.

Search:
Search eBay listing titles for specific words by entering keyword terms into eBay's Search box or use the Advanced Search feature on eBay Motors. The search items by eBay Motors Category option allows you to specify item location by distance in miles or ZIP code.

Compare: Mark the checkbox next to each boat item listing that interests you. Click the Compare button to view listing and product details side-by-side.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Pontoon Boats With Confidence

Hundreds of pontoon boatson eBay Motors will likely interest you. When trying to select the right boat, get to know exactly what you're buying, research the seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase
Many sellers put a lot of time into creating their listings, making an effort to ensure they include all the information buyers need. Carefully read the details in listings for the boat(s) you consider buying and carefully review available photos. Before placing a bid or buying an item, be sure to:

Have all your questions answered. If you still have questions after reading the listing and reviewing the photos, contact the seller using the Ask seller a question link in the “Seller information” box in the top right corner of every boat listing. Also request additional photos if you want to see the boat from a particular angle that isn’t shown in the photos included in the listing. If you have more questions than you can address in email, get the seller’s phone number and give him/her a call. Some boat sellers even include their phone number so you can call them directly. Just remember that you need to actually bid and buy on eBay in order to be covered by eBay and PayPal protection programs (see "Buyer protection" below for more details).

Get delivery details. Calculate and include delivery costs into your final price. This may simply be the cost of driving across the city or state if the boat is close-by or it may mean working with a shipping company that can transport the boat from anywhere in the country. To learn more about shipping costs, ask the seller or contact DAS, an eBay Motors-approved vehicle shipping service.

Complete your transaction on eBay. Always complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay and PayPal protection programs (see "Buyer protection" below for more details).

Know your payment options. Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know. Instead, pay with PayPal for amounts less than $2,000 (including deposits), a money order, or direct bank-to-bank fund transfer.

Track items with eBay Toolbar. Use the free eBay Toolbar to track items you bid on and watch. It includes Account Guard, a feature that indicates when you're visiting a verified eBay or PayPal website and warns you when you enter your eBay password into an unverified site, even if it looks like eBay or PayPal.

Know your seller
Just as important as researching your boat purchase is getting to know the seller. Take time to research the seller so that you can feel positive and secure about every transaction. Key things to look for when evaluating a seller are:

Positive Feedback. What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have? What do buyers and sellers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

Sales history. Find out how long the seller has been a registered eBay user and look at the types of items a seller typically sells. It’s okay to buy a boat from a seller who hasn’t sold one before — many of the boat listings on eBay are from individuals selling their own boat. If the seller’s feedback seems low, take the time to look at the Feedback details; sometimes a seller's Feedback looks low until you realize that they’re a boat dealer and their Feedback count comes entirely from boat sales.

Terms and conditions. What are the terms and conditions of the sale? Are the terms agreeable to you? Sellers typically set terms and conditions, but you should make sure you agree with them. If not, find another seller/boat or contact the seller to find out if he/she is open to your suggestions.

Good communication. Once you’ve initiated communications with the seller, how is he/she communicating with you? Is the seller courteous and professional? Is the seller responsive? Once you bid on a big-ticket item such as a boat, communicate with the seller through My Messages in My eBay. All legitimate Second Chance Offer messages will come through My Messages and not to your email address alone. Always contact the seller before accepting a Second Chance Offer, and never respond to any request to send money via Western Union or other instant cash transfer service.

Buyer protection
In the unlikely event a problem arises during your transaction, you can typically work it out with the seller. However, if you can’t, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

eBay Motors Vehicle Purchase Protection up to $20,000: Each boat purchased through eBay is automatically covered against fraud and material misrepresentation up to the cost of the boat or $20,000 (whichever is lower) with eBay Motors Vehicle Purchase Protection. To qualify for this safety program, complete your transaction on eBay with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer.

Put down a deposit with PayPal:
PayPal enables you to pay up to $2,000 without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. Also, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. While $2,000 may not be a high enough limit for the full purchase price of most boats, it's great for deposits (many sellers require a deposit on a boat within several days of the close of a listing).
eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.
Introduction and "Pick Out a Pontoon Boat" were provided by Boating World. © 2006 Trans World Publishing, Inc.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Used Pontoon Boats - Grand Strand Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here at Used Pontoon Boats. Tidbits from the Grand Strand Boat Show in Myrtle Beach, SC.

On the eve of the 24th annual Grand Strand Boat Show, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was testifying before the House Budget Committee in Washington on the outlook of the United States economy. Meanwhile, with fears of a recession reverberating through the country, boat vendors were undauntedly setting up their spiffy displays of boats of all types and sizes at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, preparing for the show that runs today through Sunday.

David Perry, owner/operator of Marine Service Center in Murrells Inlet, shrugged off media reports of a sluggish econ omy after helping his crew roll a Triton center console into place. The economy and gas prices and all that stuff have got every body worried to death, but you've still got to have fun, you still got to go fishing, said erry said.

Boat and motor manufacturers have taken the fuel price and economy issues into consideration when designing their products and, as a result, boating is as simple as it ever has been. The trends have been to more economical and the engines are very user-friendly, they're just a turn-key start, kind of like your automobile, said Perry said.

The days of having to worry whether you can get your motor started or whether you need to choke it or what ever are gone, so it makes it very easy to operate your boat now. A lot of people are getting into boating just because of that _ it's so easy to do. The price of gas has gone up but the engines are getting much better fuel mileage than they used to get, so it kind of all evens out.

The seasoned boating enthusiast and novice a like can check out all the new styles for 2008 from john boats to center consoles to yachts at the Convention Center or The Marina at Grande Dunes, which is hosting an in-water display. Stuart Ricks, owner/operator of Coastal Marine in Myrtle Beach, notes the variety of options available to the boater in the Myrtle Beach area, from the open Atlantic Ocean, local estuaries such as Winyah Bay or Little River Inlet and rivers such as the Waccamaw and Great Pee Dee. The variety is reflected in the models Ricks carries and are on display in the show.

I carry saltwater boats, freshwater boats, ski boats, pontoons, cruisers ... I try to carry a little bit of everything, Ricks said. Some boat vendors offer incentives to buy now at the show, while others take a slower approach. Everything's got factory incentives to buy right now. If you wait, you may not get these incentives. Even if you're not planning to use the boat until March or April or May, you can purchase it now and wait to pick it up later, and get the factory incentives we're offering right now.

Brent Ballard of Tailwalker Marine in Georgetown looks forward to associating with his customers, old and new, at the show. ``Boat shows give you an opportunity to represent your company, more so than just coming to a sales show, Ballard said.
I would sum up the Miami boat show as a buyer's show. Here most of the people who buy these boats are not spon taneous. They've thought about it for a long time, they've gotten their wife's permission _ it's a long, drawn-out [process].

The Myrtle Beach area and its growing population are a bit immune to the economic problems other parts of the country are experiencing and, as Perry says, ``We've got a lot of water here, too, you know. You've got a lot of retired people moving down here, they've got a lot of money and they're paying cash for boats instead of financing, Ricks said. I think we're in a good area. I think we're doing better than Florida is right now.

Florida's been the No. 1 state for years and years. People have got to have fun _ there's places you can go on the water and enjoy your boating in a crowd and there's places you can go with no one around you.

The boat show was founded in 1984 by a group of five local dealerships whichthat included Wacca maw Marine, Coastal Marine, Marine Service Center Murrells Inlet, Nautica Marine and Tail walker Marine. Almost a quarter- century later it has grown with the Myrtle Beach area. The boat show is an oppor tunity to come view all the boat ing products in our area and easily be able to distinguish the differences between them because they're all sitting there, Ballard said.

You can absorb all the product from the different dealerships here and see what sets them apart. The show also has something to offer those who are not in the boat-buying market, with fish ing seminars each day on a variety of subjects. Most of the seminars will touch on popular saltwater species such as red drum, spotted seatrout, floun der, king mackerel and cobia and will be conducted by knowl edgeable local guides. Thanks to Gregg Holshouser - For The Sun News

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Used Pontoon Boats - Cleveland Boat Show

Hi gang, Rick here again from Used Pontoon Boats. Area boat dealers were more than nervous heading into this week's Cleveland Boat & Waterfront Lifestyle Expo at the I-X Center. The economy is stumbling while marine fuel and boat prices are on the rise.

The recent recreational vehicle show, usually an indicator of success for boat sales, did not set the world on fire.

Cruising the I-X Center during the opening weekend of the Cleveland Boat Show, it was evident many dealers were pleasantly surprised with boat sales during the first few days of the long show, which runs through Sunday (Jan. 20). With good weather - at least for a boat show - the crowds have been fair to good.

The most robust segment of the boating industry has been the sales of the biggest boats. Some boat makers have scaled back the production of mid-size boats in the past year and focused on the ultra-expensive yachts for the mariners who can best handle $4 per gallon marine fuel.

Ted Patrick, of Lake & Bay Yacht Sales in Marblehead, sells luxury Egg Harbor yachts. Boats that can cost $1 million, and sometimes quite a bit more. His customers aren't as concerned with the price of fuel as they are with the availability of diesel fuel and gasoline, he said.

Sales of small boats and personal watercraft have been good, too. The fishermen in the crowd were looking at smaller boats and less powerful, more fuel-efficient outboards. Only the tournament bass anglers and walleye fishermen want to pin the largest outboards possible on the transoms of their sleek boats.

The everyday anglers are more willing to downsize. Fuel-saving outboard motors in the 40- to 115-horsepower range are becoming the standard. Boats that spend much of their lives on trailers, and can be fueled at the local gas station instead of the more expensive marina gas pumps, are dominating the market.

It's difficult to call the expansive show the Cleveland Boat & Waterfront Lifestyle Expo. For many of us, the winter event will always be the Cleveland Boat Show. And, despite the Cleveland Sports, Travel and Outdoor Show being trimmed to just five days on March 12-16, don't expect the Cleveland Boat Show to shorten its stay.

Executive Director Ken Alvey of the sponsoring Lake Erie Marine Trades Association said his show is hosted by the area's boat dealers, who demand a 10-day show that covers two weekends. Bad weather - a blizzard is always a possibility at this time of year in Cleveland - would be devastating to a show that has only a single weekend to do business, Alvey said.

The most attractive boat of the show was the glamorous Italian 44-foot Mochi Craft from the Ferrette Group and displayed by MarineMax. The on-water two-story condos from Coastal Floating Homes at Coastal Marine II in Port Clinton are expensive, but solidly built. Boats in the 16- to 22-foot range abound, with the high-sided Lund and Starcraft models perfect for the big waters of Lake Erie.

The pontoon-style boats plush each year. Some are designed with a shell that can turn a pontoon boat into a summer cottage. Charles Mill Marina on Charles Mill Reservoir in Mansfield has a model with a pop-up, private portable bathroom.

The marine electronics on display at the show are more sophisticated, as expected. The Lowrance models that combine sonar and Global Positioning System (GPS) are all capable of teaming with a radar antenna. Thanks to D'Arcy Egan, cleveland.com for this.

Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway

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