Whiteaker Yacht Sales Blog

Miami Yacht & Brokerage Show - Feb. 2012 - Shake-a-Leg Fund Raiser.

Your DisplayName here! — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:37:04 GMT

The Florida Yacht Brokers Association and Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club will sponsor Shake-A-Leg Miami at the Miami Yacht & Brokerage. The theme will be “Mojitos, Mambo and the Macarena!” There will be live music, drinks and appetizers. The fundraiser will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Show Management tent on Cocktail Barge No. 1 in the 4700 block of Collins Avenue in Miami Beach. Tickets ($30) may be purchased online. Sponsors are also needed - if you are interested in being a sponsor you are urged to contact Florida Yacht Brokers Association. Proceeds from the event will benefit Shake-A-Leg Miami, a charitable organization that helps people of all ages with disabilities enjoy and learn the sport of sailing. Shade-A-Leg Miami has helped many children and adults overcome their physical, developmental, and economic challenges and this event is well worth your support.

2012 Leukemia Cup Regatta - Sailors, help find a cure for blood cancers.

Your DisplayName here! — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:08 GMT

The 2012 Leukemia Cup Regatta schedule has just been released. There will be 48 events this year. Register and start fundraising now for a Leukemia Cup in your area or in one of your favorite sailing locations. Get a jump start on the season which will conclude at Fantasy Sail Dec. 7-9, 2012 in New Orleans when winners will be recognized. Support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's efforts to discover new therapies and cures for blood cancers with this exciting event for sailors. Learn more at the following link: http://www.leukemiacup.org.

Regatta Pointe Marina Spring Boat Show

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:51:06 GMT

Whiteaker Yacht Sales invites you to visit us during the Regatta Pointe Marina Spring Boat Show Friday, April 8th through Sunday, April 10th, 2011 at Regatta Pointe Marina, 1005 Riverside Drive, Palmetto, FL. Our office, also located at Regatta Pointe and situated on the beautiful Manatee River, will be open throughout the show so stop by and say hello. The show begins at 10AM and ends at 6PM and is FREE to everyone. Other marine industry companies will be present including Marine Finance and Marine Insurance Specialists.
This is a rare opportunity to see many sailboats in a relaxed atmosphere. There are two well known restaurants on the property so bring the whole family and enjoy a day of boat shopping at a leisurely pace in a picturesque atmosphere.

Danny & Johanne Quinn's Boat Buying Odyssey

Your DisplayName here! — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:22:02 GMT

The story of "DJ’s Casa"

By Danny and Johanne Quinn

We left Montreal, Quebec, Canada June 24^th, 2010 bound for Seattle, WA to check out an IP 380 … and also to visit the country … with a Palomino, Gazelle 17 foot travel trailer towed behind a Dodge Nitro.

The deal did not happen in Seattle . We spotted another IP 380 in Bradenton , Florida on the net. We contacted Ed Whiteaker of Whiteaker Yacht Sales, crossed the US again cross wind like my wife and first mate of 31 years, Johanne, likes to say bound this time for Bradenton , Florida . Met with Ed. Visited an IP 380 in an ordinary state. No possibility of negotiations. Jo and I got really tired and depressed with the situation of not being able to find a cruising yacht on which to realize our long, long awaited dream.

In mid august 2000, we had purchased an Irwin 37 MK4 CC Ketch in Annapolis , MD. We took ownership September 1^st, and moved on board September 19^th. We left for the DR by way of the Bahamas and Turks … the usual route. We sold DJ’s Casa in Montreal a year later and went back to work to finish our careers. For 9 years we planned and planned and shopped and traveled and read and shopped again for our new, used, cruising boat.

Finally October 2010 we closed a deal on alias Bonanza, an IP 40 in Bradenton , Florida . She is being prepared for our long term cruising and living aboard. She will be known as DJ’s Casa.

We traveled approximately 10,400 m through the US , crossed 15 states, visited a bunch of National and State Parks but always with the traveler, wanderer, bohemian or gypsy kind of life in us. We sold our house in October 2009 and retired 2 weeks later … November 1^st ! Left soon after for our search.

Family and friends look at us with a weird eye! We are not normal. They wonder how on earth are we going to pull this off. They seem to think that we are the first to do this … go cruising.

Debbie and Ed Whiteaker were a blessing in our search. Ed did not push us towards Bonanza as we told him we were looking for a 380. When options ran out for the 380s that were available at the time he introduced us to Bonanza an IP 40. We simmered it for a bit and then started the process of purchasing her.

We have dealt with other brokers in the past. Not all were fun to deal with. The Whiteakers are just human and understand what we, as a purchasers are going through. There is no pressure, no BS, no trying to sell you something that is not for you and especially no degrading of the other fine yachts on the market. We personally do not like when a broker pushes his product down our throats.

I think we have become and will remain friends for a long time after we leave. Debbie and Ed always want to know how we are doing.

In life, sometimes we have good and bad experiences in the purchase of different things. We are often quick at blasting the guy that did bad in a transaction. When people do good … it should also be shouted out loud.

If you need a pre-owned IP … talk to Ed ! … he does good and does not bite!

Way to go Danny & Johanne. You're an inspiration to us all!

Fall 2010 Boat Shows of Interest

Your DisplayName here! — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 18:48:19 GMT

The always enjoyable Annapolis Boat Shows this year will be U.S. Sailboat Show - Oct. 7 - 11 followed by the Powerboat Show Oct. 14 - 17. For more information you can call 410-268-8828.
And one of the nation's biggest boat shows, The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show will be held Oct. 28 - Nov. 1. For more information go to www.showmanagement.com.

Second Quarter 2010 Boat Sales

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:55:45 GMT

Second Quarter 2010 Reports Show Boat Sales Continue Slow Improvement

When looking at the Sold Boats Report from Yacht World (the country's most shopped internet
site) sales continue a slow improvement. In looking at the past five years the best years
were definitely 2005-2007. Sales went down considerably in 2008 but started a slow rebound in
2009. The first quarter of 2010 reflected double digit growth but that has slowed in the
second quarter with the economy seeming to stall again.

Currently the average time it took to sell a boat according to the Sold Boats report on Yacht
World was 300 days. This probably reflects the fact that there are a lot of unsold new boats
still on the market. It is not uncommon to see boats 2 to 3 years old that are still listed
as new units. The best deals on the market continue to be "pre-owned" boats that are 10 years
or less old. One other interesting note while sailboats seem to take as long as power boats
to sell their valuation seems to be creeping back up while power boat values continue to show
downward movement.

Florida Boating and The Oil Spill - "The Coast is Clear" - Jump In!

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:25:47 GMT

Marinas and other boating related businesses in Florida's Panhandle area are reporting greatly depressed sales. This is very frustrating for many business owners in that area as the effect of the oil spill has thus far been minimal.
What is even more frustrating is the fact that it has depressed the boating industry in many other areas of Florida where there has been absolutely no sign of oil. Not a single tar ball related to the oil spill has washed ashore outside of the Panhandle area. The vast majority of Coastal Florida remains oil free. However many businesses throughout Florida have reported cancellations or changes in plans related to boating activities. This is really a shame and can only be blamed on the uncertainty and lack of clarity about the quality of the water brought on by an overactive news media.
On the bright side for many years the planet has some how found a way to withstand and even bounce back from much worst oil spills. For example in 1991 Iraqi forces purposely spilled over 500 million gallons of oil in order to slow the American invasion. The slick was four inches thick and covered 4000 square miles of ocean. Today with virtually no help from man the area is recovering with sand beaches being the area that have best recovered. Imagine how much quicker the area could have recovered if helped by man. Similar stories like an oil well explosion in Mexico in 1980 in which over 100 million gallons of oil was spilled and went on for a full year. In 1994 over 80 million gallons were spilled in Russia in a leak that lasted for eight months before it was finally noticed and repaired. In 1979 90 million gallons spilled after an oil tanker collision during a tropical storm in Trinidad and Tobago. The list goes on and on. Somehow Mother Earth has managed to find a way to deal with these disasters. Instead of pointing fingers of blame it is time for us to all band together and give Mother Earth a helping hand to clean up this latest spill.
In the meanwhile come on in…the water’s fine in Florida. Have you noticed on many of the maps predicting where the spill will go that the West Coast of Florida and Tampa Bay remain completely untouched? While no one knows for sure what will happen in the days to come we at Whiteaker Yacht Sales remain very hopeful that not just the area where we are located here in Tampa Bay will be preserved but the vast majority of Florida waters will retain their beauty. Beginning early this year we have noticed an increase in boat sales and they have somehow remained steady throughout the oil spill media frenzy. If your dream is to own a boat, you'll find some outstanding deals right now in Florida so don’t postpone that dream. The "Coast is Clear" - Jump In!
Debbie Whiteaker

Whiteaker Yacht Sales Welcomes New Operations Manager

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:07 GMT

Whiteaker Yacht Sales is very proud to welcome Jeanelle Phillips as our new Operations Manager. Jeanelle has many years of office management experience, most recently having managed a 225 slip marina in Bradenton, Florida. We are very happy to be able to add Jeanelle's years of experience to our already knowledgeable staff.

New Tax Cap Good News for Florida Boat Owners & Shoppers

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:26:37 GMT

There's some good news to report for a change for both boat shoppers and people wishing to sell their boats in Florida . Legislation has just been signed into law that will cap Florida sales and use tax on boat sales at $18,000. The law will go in effect on July 1, 2010.

Governor Charlie Crist just signed the Jobs for Florida Bill (CS/SB-1752) which included the tax cap. Many people in the business have high hopes that this will make the state more competitive and bring it more in line with other states and countries. Florida 's usual sales tax on a boat purchase is 6 percent plus a small surtax in some counties. This law will make the maximum sales tax $18,000.00. The use tax component could allow owners of foreign yachts to reflag in Florida if the owner pays the $18,000 fee provided they meet the other state and federal requirements.

Many in the industry including Whiteaker Yacht Sales and members of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association lobbied lawmakers heavily to support this bill in hopes that it will help the state save marine industry jobs, increase sales, and ultimately increase Florida's tax revenue making it a win – win situation.

Many have felt that Florida 's high taxes have been one of the reasons for waning sales in the state with many buyers opting to purchase in neighboring coastal states with more attractive options.

Everyone in the marine industry in Florida can look at this new law as an opportunity to welcome prospective buyers with open arms and to encourage them to stay and enjoy Florida . Not only will boat dealers and brokerages benefit, it will also be good for the many Florida repair facilities, marinas, and other boat servicing and provisioning businesses. Buyers may opt to stay here to get work don e on their boats or to keep their boats on a permanent basis as their home away from home.

Water and Wheels 2010 - Cape Coral, Florida

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:08:32 GMT

Join us again this year at “Water and Wheels” at Cape Harbour Marina in Cape Coral , Florida – Friday Feb. 26 through Sunday Feb. 28. Whiteaker Yacht Sales will be on hand to tell you about all our many quality listings. See a wide display of rare and custom boats, classic and sports cars, and motorcycles. In addition you can enjoy all the other events including some fine food and entertainment. This extensive water and land display of boats and cars sets the stage for a family fun weekend…don’t miss it. And be sure to stop by and say hello to your friends from Whiteaker Yacht Sales.

Winter 2010 Boat Shows

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:00:14 GMT

January 6-10, Nashville Boat and Sport Show, Nashville Convention Center

January 7-10, Kansas City Boat and Sport Show, H. Roe Bartle Hall

January 9-17, Toronto International Boat Show, Direct Energy Centre Exhibition Place

January 9-17, Chicago Boat, RV and Outdoors Show, McCormick Place

January 13-17, Atlanta Boat Show, Georgia World Congress Center

January 20-24, Louisville Boat, RV and Sport Show, Kentucky Exposition Center

January 20-24, New York Boat Show, Jacob Javits Convention Center

January 20-24, Minneapolis Boat Show, Minneapolis Convention Center

January 21-24, Baltimore Boat Show, Baltimore Convention Center

January 28-31, Strictly Sail Chicago , Navy Pier

February 3-7, Atlantic City International Power Boat Show, Atlantic City Convention Center

February 10-14, St. Louis Boat and Sport Show , America ’s Center & Edward Jones Dome

February 11-15, Strictly Sail Miami & Miami International Boat Show, Sea Isle Marina

February 26-28, Cape Coral Boat and Car Show, Cape Harbour Marina

February 20-28, New England Boat Show, Boston Convention Center

Fall 2009 Boat Show Season

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:47:29 GMT

The fall boat show season is heating up. Shows of interest to shoppers on the east coast include:

Sept. 10-13 Atlantic City In-Water Power Boat Show, Farley State Marina, Atlantic City, NJ

Sept. 11-13 Tampa Boat Show, Tampa Covention Center

Sept. 11-13 Central New York Boat Show, New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY

Sept. 17-20 Newport Intl. Boat Show, Newport Yachting Center, Newport, RI

Sept. 18-20 Jersey Shore Boat Sale & Expo, Energy Park, Lakewood, NJ

Sept. 24-27 Norwalk Int. In-Water Boat Show, Norwalk Cove Marina, Norwalk, Conn.

Oct. 1-4 Boston Fall Boat Show, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, MA

Oct. 2-4 Trawler Fest, Calvert Marina, Solomons MD

Oct. 8-12 U.S. Sailboat Show, Annapolis, MD

Oct. 15-18 U.S. Powerboat Show, Annapolis, MD

Oct. 29-Nov. 2 - Ft. Lauderdale Intl. Boat Show, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Dec. 4-7 - St. Petersburg Boat Show - Bayfront Center/Mahaffey Theatre, St. Petersburg, FL

Whiteaker Yacht Sales Welcomes Bob Underwood

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:34:39 GMT

Whiteaker Yacht Sales is proud to welcome Bob Underwood to their staff of brokers. Bob will concentrate on serving boaters in the area between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina.

While attending the University of Georgia Bob Underwood bought his first boat, a "Snappy Lateen Rigged" Lockley 12ft board boat from a hardware store in Athens, Georgia. He was hooked! Now 30 years later he has owned everything from trimarans to sportfishermen. He has sailed and raced Lasers on Lake Lanier in Georgia, trimarans in the Bahamas and fished a Grady White sportfisherman from his then home base in Tavenier Key in the Florida Keys.

Bob is an active boater and is always looking for his next boat. Let him help you buy or sell your boat and he will work with the same enthusiasm and love of the sport that he has exhibited since his college days.

Anchoring Your Boat in Florida Waters

Your DisplayName here! — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:18:34 GMT

Anchoring Your Boat in Florida Waters

We can all applaud the passage of HB 1423 by the Florida House. Before this bill, boaters sometimes had as little as 24 hours before being told by law enforcement that they had to move or risk a written citation. In the past several local cities or counties could restrict the length of time that a boat could anchor in a particular spot.

With the passage of this important bill local restrictions on where and how long a boat can anchor do not apply. Now boat owners will no longer have to worry about being forced to move because they have overstayed their visit. This new legislation makes it clear that local municipalities cannot override state authority on regulating recreational boat anchoring. They can however regulate anchoring within the marked boundaries of certain mooring fields if they are properly permitted. The details of the new law can be confusing. Some changes went into effect on July 1 while others will become effective on October 1, 2009.

For clarification BoatUS has created a new, easily downloadable 2-page reference document titled "Anchoring Information for Florida Cruisers". It can be found on their website. As often happens many local personnel may be confused or unaware of the new laws. As a result boaters are continuing to be restricted in certain areas unfairly. It would be advisable for all boaters to keep a copy of the new law onboard in case law enforcement is not up to date on the newly passed law.

Debbie Whiteaker

Whiteaker Yacht Sales

www.whiteakeryachtsales.com

New Anchoring Laws Good for Florida Boaters

Your DisplayName here! — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:00:52 GMT

After many years of new laws that were not very friendly to boaters, the new governor and Florida Legislator are being a bit kinder. Gov. Charlie Crist recently signed a bill preventing local communities from forcing boaters to leave an anchorage unless the boat is a liveaboard vessel. The law defines a liveaboard vessel as one that is used solely as a residence and not for navigation, one used as a place of business, or one that has been declared a domicile. In addition, the new law prohibits local governments from regulating anchoring outside of established mooring fields unless it is a liveaboard vessel.

The NMMA director issued the following statement "This law will not only have a positive impact on boaters in the area, but generate revenue for local businesses by allowing boaters more freedom to anchor. We are encouraged by this law's effort to make Florida more boater friendly than ever."

Hopefully this will help reverse the laws in many Southern Florida communities who had very restrictive laws in which there was an anchorage limit of seven days within any 30-day period. Or the most extreme law in Ft. Lauderdale which only allowed a 24-hour window for boaters anchoring there.

Whiteaker Yacht Sales applauds these and any other laws Florida lawmakers see fit to help us make Florida waters more boater friendly.

Good News for the Florida Boat Industry and Boat Buyers

Your DisplayName here! — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:46:53 GMT

Finally some good news for the Florida Boat Industry and for boat shoppers hoping to buy a boat here. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist recently signed into law House Bill 7031, which offers incentives to boaters visiting Florida to stay in Florida. AND spend their dollars there.

A condensed explanation of the Bill is that it allows boaters that purchase a boat in Florida, or those who bring a boat into the state for refit or repair 180 days before being subject to the state's sales and use tax. The old law allowed just 90 days.

"Allows non-residents who purchase a boat in Florida, or bring a boat into Florida for repair or alteration, to remain in the state 180 days before becoming liable for the sales and use tax. Currently, the tax applies after 90 days. Allowing boat owners and their guests to remain in Florida waters will stimulate Florida's marine industry, as well as stimulate businesses that support the marine industry."

Some think Florida has a reputation for being an adversarial state to cruising boaters. Hopefully this new law combined with anchoring and tax laws that are beginning to show a change toward more hospitable standards will help change their minds.