Wings on Your Feet

While checking out some of the updates and and stories from last weekend's Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, I came across a neat bit of water fun technology, called the Flyboard. It's a jet pack attached to a board, onto which riders strap their feet and away they go! Apparently a big hit with the charter yacht crowd, these things will send riders flying - literally.

Photo credit; http://www.seemallorca.com

 Developed by a company called Zapata Racing, only a couple of years ago, there are already over 2,500 deployed throughout the world. Looks like the world of fun on the water just got a little wilder. Here's some video of it in action. Hold on to your hats!

Price? Around six grand.

Rebound For Florida Based Boat Builders

 I recently read a very positive article from the Miami Herald regarding a significant rebound for the 172 boat builders that call Florida home. So, why is that important to the rest of us, you ask? What does Florida have to do with us located well outside of that area of the world? Well, read on. . .

Our visit to the Sea Ray plant in Palm Coast Florida, in 2011.

 

 Firstly, it marks a continuing turnaround from the ugly depths of 2008/9 when boat sales dropped off by 30% and put many builders at risk of going out of business, some of which sadly did. Both attendance, as well as the number of boats shown at the Miami & Fort Lauderdale shows are up by 6% (the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, held every year at the end of October, and is the largest boat show in THE WORLD, so that 6% says a lot!).

The Bahia Mar Marina, home of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS)

 

 This is great and welcome news to everyone associated with boating. Whether one is in the market for big or small, new and even used, the increased capacity and breadth of choices can only be a good thing for the market in whole. Even for those boaters who might be looking to trade up in the years to come, but wouldn't necessarily have the resources to go new, the increased number of these currently sold boats will trickle down to the used market in the future and offer more options for this type of buyer.

The top deck of a new Sea Ray Sundancer is readied for mating with the hull. At Palm Coast Sea Ray plant.

 

 In the meantime, those employed in the industry can take advantage of this hard won turnaround. Bravo to all those who stuck it out, stayed the course and continue to provide the boats and lifestyle we all love :-)

An assortment of brand new Sea Rays and Meridians, almost ready for delivery to their new owners.

Five Things. Boat Show, YouTube, Georgian Bay

Another Friday, another update. And I have FIVE things to talk about today.

 Second - An update on the Dock Crocs Dock. Anchor Girl & I took a drive into the cottage last Saturday (January 17) for a look see & I'm happy to report that it appears that nobody else has been there in awhile. Read: no snowmobilers siphoning fuel from the boats. However, the Canadian flag we rescued from the waters last spring has given it up. I guess that last wind storm was too much, so someone ( . . . .) is gonna have to grab a new one. I figure with the heavy duty mounting we have, a larger flag may be in order;

 

  Third -Videos. Yes, I am having lots of fun sharing the video clips with you all!! If you've noticed, I have pretty much switched over to YouTube to host the clips, as they offer a 'high quality' feature that Google Video doesn't. Funny, as Google owns YouTube . . . Any who, I hope everyone is able to actually view the video clips???? I hope so, because I have recently uploaded a number of new ones, which I'll be posting in the coming days

 Fourth - Boat Show. Everyone get to the Boat Show this year? AG & I headed down on the first Saturday and were happy to catch up with the Free Bird, Water Wings & SunAria crews & share both a meal & cold one, as well as take part in some equipment upgrades. Heck, we even had time to review a Georgian Bay chart. Only 26 weeks to go to The Bay! I think Von A. is going to have a 'Grand' time this year. All ten feet of it;  

 Better get studying that chart plotter manual, Sanja. Remember - north up view, north up view. Ahh, don't sweat it, at least you know someone familiar with the unit who can give you a hand :-)  

 
Fifth - After 3 months, 200 hours and 342 edits, I have F I N A L L Y completed the 2008 Rotten Row / Dock Crocs Year End Video and DVD. Phew, the title almost took as long to type :-) I'm really happy with the finished product this year and I think you'll all really enjoy it. Lots of laughs and even some new features I figured out with the software. In fact, I'm already working on some ideas for the 2009 video. With that in mind, I need you all to get your singing voices in shape. HA! Wait, I'm serious. Here's the plan, Stan. I would like to get all of you to sing parts of - even all of - a popular song. Then, through the power of modern technology, I'll edit it into a musical montage of memorable merit for all to enjoy at Next Year's FFF! I even have the song already picked out; It's 'I've Got You Babe' by Sonny & Cher. How much fun will that be?!?!? 

 

 
On with the show. This is one to go with the last posting, from our overnight on July 5th. A perfect evening with the four boats together on Chicken Bay;  

 

 Here's another clip I took using AG's camera with the time lapse feature. This was at Lock # 42 (Couchiching) on our way up to Georgian Bay. Pretty cool with the boat dropping down the lock and the doors swinging open. If only they all went this quick, eh?  

 

 

 In the spring, we have what seems like thousands of Barn Swallows nesting in the rafters at The Cottage. If not thousands, then they leave droppings in the thousands! Oh well, our new tarps over the boats should help that situation this season. Take a look at this clip, which I took one Friday evening in May. It had been raining all day and the sun poked out for just a short time. Check all the Swallows flying around! I find them quite entertaining to watch - just waiting for them to collide in mid flight;  

 

 The last two from tonight show two extremes of Georgian Bay. HEY! No groaning - I like The Bay. This first one was taken on the last day of our holidays before we started heading back to Orillia way. This was at Beckwith Island, when we got to experience a phenomenon known as 'The Beckwith Bounce'! We spent the night anchored at Beckwith with Water Wings and Maple Leaf. The wind started blowing hard out of the north west - which we were protected from, but the fetch of the waves found it's way into our little bay. Ya, all night long! You'll see the aftermath of this experience on the Year End Video;

 

 

 Finally, in contrast to the above clip, here's a morning panning shot of beautiful Beausoleil Bay. Note all the generators running, including our $99 special. The boats that were immediately in front of us included a guy named Mike, who had swam over to our boats the night before in the buff. At least, that's what he told us. He's the one you blasting away in the Sea Doo at the beginning . . . Fun times;