Mark Your Calendar for the Florida Boat Shows in 2009

January 22-25, 2009 - The Naples Boat Show and Seafood Festival - Renaissance Village, Naples, Florida

February 12 - 16, 2009 - "The Big One" - The Miami International Boat Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The "Strictly Sail" portion of the show will be held at Miamarina at Bayside. As always bus shuttle service will be available to transport guests from one event to the other.

February 12 - 16, 2009 - 21st Annual Yacht & Brokerage Show (not to be confused with the Miami Intl. Boat Show) in Miami Beach on the Indian Creek Waterway.

March 26 - 29, 2009 - Palm Beach International Boat Show along Flagler Drive & the Intercoastal Waterway.

April 17 - 20, 2009 - Suncoast Boat Show, Ken Thompson Park, Sarasota, FL

Feb. 27 - Mar. 1, 2009 - Water & Wheels, Cape Harbour Marina, Cape Coral, FL

I want to tell y'all about our first offshore "big adventure".  I think y'all might find it interesting (and comical in a way).  Up until this trip all of our sailing had been up and down the west coast of Florida.  Pretty routine.

Last May, Frank and I headed to the Bahamas.  We left Burnt Store mid-afternoon and by dark we were several miles offshore.  The wind (what little there was) was on our nose so we were motoring.  The moon was almost full and the sky was clear so it was a beautiful night and we were all excited about finally heading out on our adventure.  We planned to take 3 hour shifts and I was to begin at 1:00a.m.  It was hard to go to sleep since I was so excited but I did.  Then about 10:45p I woke up because the boat was bouncing pretty hard.  I went up to see what was going on.  We had entered an unpredicted wind and wave event.  As time went on, the wind and the waves increased (no rain or lightning). The current was behind us and the winds became steady at 30knts with gusts up to 36knts.  The waves grew to approximately 6 feet with every fourth wave about 8 feet (I was counting).  With those 8 footers the bow would plow through the water and go completely over the entire length of the boat.  The first time it happened the reflection of the running lights on the bow spread about 3 feet to each side of the boat.  My comment was "Shoot, it broke our lights".  I wasn't worried about our situation; I was worried that it hurt our boat.  Quickly I learned it was just the light shimmering through the water.  All of us were harnessed and tethered to the cockpit.  We never felt scared - just a little queasy.  The boat handled beautifully!  It was as if it was on a joy ride! Although at times the power of the waves would slow us down to 1.5knts, our boat kept plugging along.  What a GREAT boat!  This lasted 7+ hours.  It started to calm down around dawn.  Whew!!! What a night!  To add a little insult to injury, Frank had not completely closed the forward hatch so you can imagine how everything in the forward stateroom was drenched, including all the linens under the bed.  I had asked him before we left if all the hatches were secure and in an "impatient tone" he said yes.  Well as we arrived in Marathon and discovered the "water issue" he looked so green I didn't have the heart to say anything - in fact nobody said a word, we just cleaned it up.  No harm.

What a way to experience our first overnighter.  But, after that, everything was a "piece of cake".  We absolutely loved the outer islands of the Bahamas (Exumas).  It was more than we ever expected.  We're looking forward to going back and with more time we plan to head further south, maybe the Turks and Caicos.

(Article appearing in the Sept. 28, 2008 Florida Mariner)

            Whiteaker Yacht Sales is proud to welcome William Mayberry to our team of yacht brokers. William is a licensed USCG Captain and is very knowledgeable about all types of boats. He has been an avid boater for more than 30 years having owned runabouts, houseboats, power cruisers, and sailboats.

            He has cruised the Tennessee River system, Gulf Coast, Eastern US Coast, and The Bahamas. He currently lives aboard his Island Packet 37 sailboat with his wife, Judy at Twin Dolphin Marina. He is a former business owner and has extensive knowledge in marketing and customer service.

            Those of you who have met William know he takes very seriously our pledge to provide "Exceptional Service" and to demonstrate honesty and integrity at all times. Plus, he's a darn nice guy! If you happen to work with William when buying or selling your boat, you'll be happy you did. And, you will probably make a friend for life.

Whiteaker Yacht Sales, Bradenton, FL

888-717-7327

www.whiteakeryachtsales.com

                         Keeping a Ship Shape Boat

Ahhh…fall in Florida.

Question: How do you know fall has arrived in Florida?
Answer: By all the presents left on your boat by the migrating birds!

Yes, the birds are beginning to make their way south for the winter and that means extra scrubbing and rinsing for all us boat owners.
It's a very good idea to rinse your boat often during this time because the toxic ingredients in those bird droppings can put an ugly stain on your gelcoat and canvas. Of course, we highly recommend regular cleaning in all four seasons; but it's especially important during 'bird season'.

Rinsing your boat regularly with freshwater will reduce the amount of time needed to wash and wax your boat. After a voyage we suggest first spraying the entire boat with a fine spray. This includes the cockpit area and the underside of the bimini. For sailboats you should spray as high up the mast and rigging as possible. It will take a few minutes for the dry salt crystals to begin to dissolve. Once you have given them time to dissolve go back over the entire boat with a high pressure rinse.

When it's time for a good scrubbing, using a high-quality marine soap is better for the boat's surfaces. Some household cleaners can have a high alkaline level and may cut short the life of your wax job. They can also scratch the gelcoat if not removed promptly.

Try to BE GREEN. Many cleaning products contain chemicals that aren't good for marine life. Phosphates for example are very unfriendly to aquatic life. Pay attention to the ingredients and try to stay clear of high chlorine, ammonia, potassium hydroxide, and solvents. It is best to use a soft bristle deck brush for cleaning cushions and canvas and never use a brush of any kind on dodger windows. For bright finishes, imitation lamb's wool brushes are the least abrasive. For tough areas, try to avoid stiff bristles and opt instead for a natural bristle brush if possible. And if you want to avoid water spots, we suggest drying the boat thoroughly.

To restore the shine to gelcoat, some people like to use an oxidation remover. If you decide to give this a try, you should start with a less aggressive rubbing compound. If your boat simply has a moderately dull look, use a fine rubbing compound. If your gelcoat is severely oxidized, you should seek professional help.

For a good wax job you may want to hire a professional as it can be back breaking work. If you opt to do it yourself start the waxing process with a properly prepared surface by using a good fiberglass cleaner. Boat wax can contain powerful acid cleaners so protect yourself with gloves and avoid breathing the fumes for extended periods of time. Try to keep the wax away from metal surfaces as it can cause corrosion. Before beginning the job, be prepared with LOTS of soft clean rags. To save time and conserve your energy, we highly recommend an electric buffer.

A good cleaning kit should contain marine cleaner, sponges, squeegee, wax, lots of soft rags, compound (for deep scratches), good selection of brushes, boat pole with scrub brush attachment, and hose with good pressure water.

At Whiteaker Yacht Sales we believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For the best overall maintenance of your boat, preventative care is the way to go. Always rinse your boat after each voyage, give her regular scrubbings, keep her waxed, and keep all exterior teak touched up. If you're trying to sell your boat, the outward appearance is especially important because it is often considered to be an indication of how well you have maintained her other components. And remember that all important "first impression" goes a long way in attracting a buyer to your boat.

Happy cleaning!

A grassroots effort by many in the boating industry has led to an important victory for the estimated 17 million recreational boaters in the United States. On July 29, 2008, President Bush signed the Clean Boating Act of 2008. This is probably the biggest legislative victory for the boating industry since the repeal of the boat luxury tax in 1993. This important Act will permanently restore the previously long-standing exemption for recreational boats from having to obtain a discharge permit.  Under the Clean Water Act pleasure boaters were caught up in a law meant to mandate treatment of ballast water in large commercial ships. It would have required all vessel owners to get expensive permits in each state that the boat operated in.

It is estimated that 150,000 people sent emails to Congress on this issue. The National Marine Manufacturers Association, BoatU.S., and a coalition including outdoor enthusiasts, conservation groups with diverse backgrounds, and boat owners rallied together to help accomplish this important victory. It is even more impressive when you consider that on average it takes Congress seven years to pass a bill and in this instance the time was cut to 4 ½ years. Plus it was done at a time of gridlock in Washington resulting in Congress passing very few bills.

With all the obstacles we are facing in the boating industry from outrageous insurance rates to high fuel prices it is refreshing to have something go our way. Whiteaker Yacht Sales applauds everyone who participated and made their voice heard on this important issue. It is a very good example of what we can accomplish if we all work together.

At Whiteaker Yacht Sales, we understand that savvy shoppers no longer depend solely on local or national publications when searching for their next boat. Today, the primary tool used to find a pre-owned boat is the internet. Buyers can shop and compare hundreds, even thousands of boats in their desired size and price range. That is why it is extremely important that the online listing for your boat stands out from the crowd. Otherwise, a potential buyer may never notice just how nice your boat really is.

The Headline!
We have an advertising background and we put this experience to work in our listings. Before we get into the details of the boat's systems and inventory, we give a lot of consideration to the opening description in an effort to get the buyer to notice your boat. We give a lot of thought to what makes your boat special and we use descriptive, compelling wording to attract the buyer's initial attention.

Photos, Photos, Photos!
Because so many buyers are looking from a distance, often from another country, photos are more important than ever. We take lots of photos! We often include several shots of the same cabin or area on the boat from different perspectives. We also pay a lot of attention to equipment, engine, and deck photos. Even with the large number of photos we include, we often have buyers asking if we have any more pictures! When it comes to photos, they simply can't get enough.

Details, Details, Details!
Complete and accurate specifications are also very important. We go into great detail when explaining the inventory and systems on your boat. It has been our experience that the more detailed the specifications, the better to attract the buyer and get your boat an extra long look. However, not everyone agrees with our philosophy. You have probably noticed listings on YachtWorld that are very brief and only include the major highlights. Perhaps their logic is the potential buyer will simply call for more details if they are interested. At Whiteaker Yacht Sales, we don't take this approach. We believe that when a buyer is looking at a long list of boats, he will zero in on the listings that answer his questions in advance. This can only be achieved with attention to detail.

The Closing!
Equally important is a good closing. We often have a final entry on our listings which gives the broker's personal thoughts and also a summary of the reasons why your boat is special. Many buyers have told us this final commentary was what motivated them to pick up the phone and give us a call.

The Extras!
YachtWorld is probably the most visited site in the United States for prospective used boat buyers. We budget extra funds in order to have Enhanced YachtWorld listings. When a buyer pulls up a list of boats, an Enhanced listing is larger and includes a small slide show. This is just another way that we strive to make our listings stand out from the pack. Knowing that not everyone uses YachtWorld, we make sure your boat's listing appears on many other major internet sites including several in Europe.

We try to put ourselves in the mind of the average shopper. What would they type into the search engine when looking for a boat? We use key search words throughout our listings in a further effort to draw the prospective buyer to our listings.

Finally, we know the value in guiding the buyer to our website. We pay a lot of attention to our site, never allowing it to become stale. We are constantly working to add, change, and improve the site. In addition, all our boat listings are entered individually on our site, not simply linked to the YachtWorld site. This gives your boat another separate internet entry and will further help draw attention to it.

In today's internet driven economy, a professional approach to marketing your boat online is more important than ever. At Whiteaker Yacht Sales, we are always striving to learn more and do more to make your boat's online presence as special as it deserves to be. It all adds up to give you an advantage over your competitors and to help you sell your boat faster!