Things to be Thankful For: Boaters Edition
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? From hurricane relief efforts to new boats, here are 10 things that every boater should be grateful for.
Thanksgiving isn’t really considered a boating holiday (the summer trio of Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day hogs all of that glory) but as everyone sits down around the table for some turkey and apple pie this year, there are plenty of reasons for boaters to give thanks. Here is our list of 10 things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving—boaters edition.
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? These 10 things should be on every boater's list.
Life in the Islands is Slowly Returning to Functional
It’s too soon to write “returning to normal,” but from the Florida Keys on down to the Virgin Islands and northern Caribbean, slowly but surely, hurricane damage and wreckage removal are turning into post-hurricane repair and rebuilding. The waters are as clear and as clean as ever, and the fish are starting to come back to their old haunts—plus a few new ones.
The Big Boat Shows Will Go On
Fort Lauderdale and Miami were spared major damage when Hurricane Irma made landfall across the whole of Florida. That means two of the biggest boat shows of the season—the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and the Miami International Boat Show—will both go on as planned, with lots of new models to check out.
This year's official merchandise brings Guy Harvey full circle in his career, as he got his start more than 30 years ago at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
Guy Harvey
The master fish illustrator and marketer of everything from shirts to tumblers has two new designs to support hurricane relief in Texas and Florida, plus all-new designs for the 2017 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Check out the details here on boats.com.
Cool New Boats
’Tis the season for new-model releases, and a few are looking pretty darn sexy ahead of the upcoming boat shows. Hatteras will premiere its M90 Panacera (with a balcony off the salon); Vicem is bringing a new-for-2018 version of its 58 Classic; and Grady-White will have three new models for 2018 (Freedom 325 Dual Console, Freedom 215 Dual Console and Fisherman 216 Center Console).
Here, the USCG checks a recreational boat to be sure the minimum requirements are met. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Bobby Nash, courtesy of USCG.
The U.S. Coast Guard
Of course, we should give thanks for these brave men and women every day, but they’ve been especially busy protecting boaters and waterways throughout hurricane season this year. If you would like to make a donation to support those who so often support boaters in need, visit the Coast Guard Foundation’s Disaster Relief and Response Fund online.
Intelligent Glass
The team at Videoworks says it has come up with a new product called Intelligent Glass. It’s a transparent, adhesive film that can be applied to any glass surface (think salon or cockpit-door windows). The film then becomes a screen where content can be viewed, as well as controlled by tablets and smartphones with special software. The Intelligent Glass product is scheduled to debut at the METS trade show in mid-November.
1080p Video
GOST, which makes surveillance systems to keep boats safe, just upgraded its entire line of security cameras to 1080p resolution. That means that when boat owners are at home and want to check in about their vessel’s status, they can now easily view the footage on larger monitors in addition to smartphones and tablets.
The New York Yacht Club
In the wake of Oracle Team USA’s loss during the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda, the iconic New York Yacht Club has announced a challenge for the 2021 Cup in New Zealand, re-entering the fray after more than a decade out of the action. Since the NYYC held the Cup for decades prior to leaving the stage, there’s a good chance its sailors will be itching for a return to glory—and giving us all some great racing action.
The Hinckley Dasher is designed from the ground up for fully electric propulsion.
Hinckley Dasher
Hinckley Yachts just unveiled what it’s billing as the world’s first-ever all-electric yacht. The Dasher is a day boat with a length overall of 28 feet 6 inches—meaning that new-age, eco-friendly propulsion is now available not only for superyacht owners, but also in a stylish Down East package for the everyman day cruiser.
The IYBA
The Florida-based International Yacht Brokers Association (formerly known as FYBA) has been working overtime in Washington, D.C., pushing for legislation that would change the timing of a longstanding importation tax that prevents many owners of foreign-flagged boats from offering them for sale to Americans in U.S waters. If the law changes, boaters should have more options on the brokerage market. Lobbying is continuing this fall.
