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Boating season looks bright Gas prices push trend toward pontoons, smaller craft

Pablo Conze — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:18:31 +0000

By VICTORIA GUAY
vguay@citizen.com
Sunday, March 27, 2011

Boaters heading to some of the area’s many lakes and ponds this summer may see more pontoon boats and smaller craft on the water as people look to save money on gasoline prices.

Ryan Crawford, whose family owns and operates Winnisquam Marine, said pontoon boats have grown in popularity among boaters over the last two years.

“We used to sell a lot of fiberglass boats, but pontoon boats have taken over our business,” Crawford said.

Because of the increase in pontoon popularity, last year was a good year in terms of sales, he said.

“The year before was challenging,” he said. “It was the biggest part of the (economic) downturn … the fiberglass market was slowing down and pontoon boat sales hadn’t picked up yet.”

He said last year, it was like somebody threw a switch and everyone began looking at pontoon boats.

“This year sales look to be up again,” Crawford said, adding that their business has had success at regional boat shows, including several in Massachusetts and one in Salem.

There are a few reasons why pontoon boats have become so popular, he said.

“You can bring a bunch of people on them; there is room to move and they have smaller engines that are more efficient,” Crawford said.

He added that pontoon boats are versatile — they can be used for leisurely trips with many people; they can be anchored out in the middle of the lake, they can be used for fishing, and the newer engines, some of which have up to 300 horsepower, allow them to go faster.

“You can have a boat now that does it all, instead of three,” he said.

He added that the new outboard engines on pontoon boats are more fuel-efficient.

“They consume probably half the fuel as stern-drive boats,” he said.

He said with a typical stern-drive runabout, a person might spend $100 to $150 on gas for a day of boating, whereas with a newer-model pontoon, a person may spend only $60.

He said most people like to take their pontoon out on the water, anchor and relax.

“It’s like a living room on the water,” he said.

Crawford said that, given the newer, fuel-efficient pontoon boat motors and the fact that Winnisquam Marine only sells smaller to mid-size boats, rising gas prices don’t have much of an impact on business. At least it didn’t in 2008, the last time gas prices topped $4 per gallon, before the economy crashed in October of that year.

Also, Crawford said, most boaters have more discretionary spending power than others.

“These are people who are going out for recreation,” Crawford said. “Whether they are spending it on fuel to go snowmobiling, or for a trip to an amusement park or for boating, the gas prices aren’t as a big a factor.”

Dave Ewing, co-owner of Dave’s Motorboat Shoppe LLC, in Gilford, said because of the economy people are looking for smaller boats and more efficient engines.

He said his company specializes in four-stroke outboard engines and smaller boats.

Ewing said he’s not so much concerned that gas prices will affect boating habits out on the lake; he worries they may affect how often out-of-area boaters will visit during the season, depending on the weather.

“The people who come up here, if they see gray skies or that the weather isn’t pristine, they aren’t going to come; they won’t want to spend the gas money to come up here,” Ewing said. “Once they are here, the boat gas is not exactly negligible, but it’s not a significant factor.”

Ewing said business was slow over the winter, but he thinks that’s because the area received so much snow, and many summer boaters were busy with winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.

Bill Irwin of Irwin Marine said he is looking forward to a busy — and hopefully sunny — summer.

“I think that people are excited to get out on the lakes,” Irwin said. “Everyone has cabin fever; they are just real excited to see spring and summer, more so than in other years because of all the snow we’ve had.”

In terms of what’s popular this season, Irwin said he’s also noticed an increase in the pontoon’s popularity.

“Bow riders are always popular,”Irwin said. “Pontoon boats have become popular because they can fit so many people.”

Irwin said while he doesn’t have a crystal ball, he thinks the coming year will be prosperous.

He said the economy the last couple of years has had an impact on everyone in the boating industry.

“We’ve had to become better salesmen, run a little leaner and more efficiently,” Irwin said.

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Boat show attendees, marine owner say the economy is spurring boat sales

Pablo Conze — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:39:14 +0000

Boat show attendees, marine owner say the economy is spurring boat sales
Blaine King, left, of Port Harbor Marine, shows a boat to Teresa and David Shorey of Etna at the annual Bangor Boating and Marine Show held on Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center. The Shoreys are starting to look into buying a boat. “We came here to window shop, which always leads to temptation,” joked Teresa.
Kate Collins | BDN
Blaine King, left, of Port Harbor Marine, shows a boat to Teresa and David Shorey of Etna at the annual Bangor Boating and Marine Show held on Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center. The Shoreys are starting to look into buying a boat. “We came here to window shop, which always leads to temptation,” joked Teresa. Buy Photo
By Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN Staff
Posted March 19, 2011, at 7:35 p.m.
Print this Print | E-mail this E-mail | Facebook this Facebook | Tweet this Tweet
Blaine King, left, of Port Harbor Marine, shows a boat to Teresa and David Shorey of Etna at the annual Bangor Boating and Marine Show held on Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center. The Shoreys are starting to look into buying a boat. “We came here to window shop, which always leads to temptation,” joked Teresa.
Kate Collins | BDN
Blaine King, left, of Port Harbor Marine, shows a boat to Teresa and David Shorey of Etna at the annual Bangor Boating and Marine Show held on Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center. The Shoreys are starting to look into buying a boat. “We came here to window shop, which always leads to temptation,” joked Teresa. Buy Photo

BANGOR, Maine — When Ellsworth resident Pat Corson saw a friend from Millinocket at the 26th annual Bangor Boating and Marine Show on Saturday, he gave him a big smile, a hearty handshake and asked him if he was buying.

Marty Legassey answered in the affirmative, and then asked his buddy the same question.

“I’m stimulating the economy the best I can,” Corson responded.

Sportsmen and recreational boaters can find pretty much anything they’re looking for during the annual Bangor boat show, which kicked off early Friday afternoon and runs through 4 p.m. Sunday. The three-day show, which features the latest in fishing boats, bass boats, pontoon boats, kayaks, docks and trailers and marine accessories, typically attracts more than 3,500 attendees each year, officials have said.

Corson was at the boat show with his 4-year-old son, Isiah, and Legassey was shopping with his wife, Lu Lu.

The Millinocket couple, who have a camp about seven miles from their home on South Twin Lake, already have a boat and are in the market for a new pontoon, which can accommodate large groups and are fuel-efficient.

“We think we’ve found one over there,” Lu Lu Legassey said, pointing across the boat-filled Bangor Auditorium. “We’re comparing prices a little bit” before signing on the bottom line, she said.

Dan Higgins, owner and general manager for Hamlin’s Marine, said people are buying boats this year, which is a “big improvement” over last year when the economy wasn’t as strong and

“people were holding off.”

“We’ve sold quite a few,” he said Saturday, as customers climbed in and out of the boats on display. “I’ve sold a number of pontoon boats, sport boats and we have a whole other room of fishing boats and Eastern salt water boats” on display in the Civic Center.

This year, “there is pent-up demand,” Higgins said. “People have cabin fever.”

Boat people remember last year’s great boating season and with the quickly melting snow, they already are looking forward to hitting the water, he said.

Hamlin’s Marine was one of a half-dozen boat dealers on hand who are offering “a great variety of boats” this year, Higgins said. “It’s really good to see.”

Many of the boats on display are on sale and the dealers also are offering incentives to buyers, he said.

Hamlin was founded in Waterville 26 years ago by his wife’s parents, Dave and Chris Hamlin, and the company acquired a full-service marina on the Penobscot River in Hampden five years ago and are opening a 10,000-square-foot boat showroom on Main Road North in the next couple of weeks.

In addition to the marinas and boat sellers on hand, the Bangor boat show also features a dozen vendors, including the Penobscot River Keepers, Maine Marine Patrol and Penobscot River Restoration, and it is host to the 11th annual Paddle Smart Symposium.

Paddle Smart workshops help teach attendees everything from how to survive hypothermia to what paddlers need to know when they move from kayaking lakes and streams to paddling in the open sea.

Corson said he already has a small recreational fishing boat and an older speedboat and was at the boat show looking for an outward motor.

“I’ve been asking a lot of questions,” he said. “And we hit the trout pond.”

For younger attendees, the city created “Lake Bangor,” a large swimming pool stocked with 8-inch to 10-inch rainbow trout where children under 12 can try their hand at landing a fish using frozen corn, which they can take home or catch and release.

While watching her sons fish, Lincoln resident Sue Johnstone said that Saturday’s boat show was a first for her family.

“We’re here looking,” she said . “The men are dreaming.”

Her husband, Jason, watched as their boys, Cameron, 11, and Spencer, 8, and family friend Brandon Savage, 8, attempted to catch a trout.

Spencer said fishing — ice, stream and lake — is a something he enjoys with his family.

While youngsters were fishing downstairs by the concession stand, the Bangor Bass Club was upstairs helping youngsters learn how to cast.

“We’re teaching short-range” casting, said David Simpson, the club’s vice president. “It’s called pitching and flipping.”

The club has two targets set up on the floor that those age 7 to 14 can use to practice cast, and the best caster will take home a spinning rod and reel, he said.

Corson said in addition to looking for a new boat motor, he also attended the Bangor Boating and Marine Show to check out what’s new.

“I like to dream,” he said.
Guidelines for posting on bangordailynews.com

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Enjoyable Boating should Start with Preparation

Pablo Conze — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:37:01 +0000

Posted: March 20, 2011 – 4:17pm

LITTLE ROCK – With winter firmly in the rear-view mirror and spring just around the next turn, Arkansas boaters are in action on the state’s lakes, rivers and streams.

As the days become even more inviting, boaters and fishermen will line up at boat ramps to enjoy lake and river outings. But to prevent a fine day on the water from turning into a miserable experience, some simple but important boating requirements must be followed.

All boats with motors over 50 horsepower and all personal watercraft must have a minimum of $50,000 liability insurance before operating in Arkansas.

Proof of insurance is required to register a boat or renew a registration.

Operators must be at least 16 years old to operate a personal watercraft without supervision. Persons at least 12 years old may operate if a person at least 18 years old is aboard who was born before Jan.1, 1986, or has a valid boater education certificate, and is in a position to take immediate control. Persons under 12 years may operate if a person at least 21 years old is aboard who was born before Jan.1, 1986, or has a valid boater education certificate and is in a position to take immediate control.

Personal watercraft operators cannot exceed 10 miles per hour within 100 feet of the rear of another boat or personal watercraft, and within 50 feet of either side of another boat or personal watercraft.

Operating at a greater than no-wake speed within 100 feet of an anchored or moored vessel, shoreline, dock pier, swim float, marked swim area, swimmer, surfer, person engaged in angling or any manually propelled vessel is prohibited.

Personal watercraft operators must have an observer 12 years of age or older to tow a skier. Mirrors are not allowed for skiing on personal watercraft. Also, the personal watercraft must be able to accommodate the operator, observer and person being towed. Personal watercraft must be designed for a minimum of three persons to tow skiers.

Personal watercraft cannot be operated from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise. Running lights do not exempt personal watercraft from this.

The personal watercraft operator is required to wear the engine cut-off lanyard (kill switch) securely attached to his/her person, clothing or personal flotation device at all times while operating.

Becoming airborne while jumping the wake of another vessel while operating a personal watercraft, within 100 feet of that vessel, is prohibited.

No person who owns a personal watercraft or who has charge over or control of a personal watercraft may authorize or knowingly permit the personal watercraft to be operated in violation of the personal watercraft law. This applies to a renter, too.

Marinas are required to have renters view a state-approved personal watercraft video before operating a personal watercraft.

For those new to boating or those who want to become more familiar with laws and navigation rules, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the U.S. Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary conduct boating education classes.

Motorboat and personal watercraft operators need to be aware that boating education is mandatory in Arkansas for anyone born after 1985.

The classroom courses are free and are given by the AGFC. Dates and places for the courses can be obtained by phoning 501-223-6377 or 877-493-6424. Course dates and locations can be found on the AGFC website at http://www.agfc.com/education/Pages/EducationBoating.aspx.

The AGFC also publishes a boating laws guide that all boaters should have on board. For more information, contact Boating Education, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, 2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205.

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The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Westport Flotilla 6-18 will be offering a safe boating course titled About Boating Safety.

Pablo Conze — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:30:57 +0000

Enrollment is open, and interested boaters of all ages are encouraged to attend starting Thursday, April 7. It is a seven-week course that will be held weekly on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Westport Fire Department, 54 Hix Bridge Road, Westport. The course fee is $35.

A certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of the course.

For more information or to enroll, email info@uscgauxwestport.org or visit www.uscgauxwestport.org.

Read more: http://www.heraldnews.com/archive/x13293836/Coast-Guard-holding-boat-safety-seminar-in-Westport#ixzz1HSrUkASY

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Vancouver boat show selling the dream

Pablo Conze — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:46:31 +0000

English.news.cn 2011-02-10 16:01:55 FeedbackPrintRSS

by Al Campbell

VANCOUVER, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) — After having to navigate some fairly rough waters over the past couple of years due to the economic downtown, the Vancouver International Boat Show re-launched Wednesday offering what organizers were calling some of the hottest deals in the show’s 49-year history.

The return of the exhibition after a one-year absence due to Vancouver’s hosting of the Winter Olympic Games was welcome news to the more than 300 companies exhibiting anything nautical-related at the show’s two venues — the indoor Vancouver Convention Center and the outdoor False Creek marina, where several million-dollar boats were moored.

“Some of our exhibitors can see up to 40 to 60 percent of their annual revenue as a result of the show,” show director Linda Waddell said. “The economic impact of recreational boating to British Columbia is more than 1.4 billion (Canadian) dollars (1.393 billion U.S. dollars) annually. Our industry is a major economic contributor.”

All the big boating names were in attendance: Zodiac, Sea Ray, Bayliner, Evinrude, Johnson and Mercury, among them.

Brock Elliott, general manager of Campion, Canada’s largest manufacturer of pleasure boats, said the past couple of years had been “very tough” for the industry.

He said his own British Columbia-based company, Kelowna, had been forced to cut staff numbers from 185 to 65.

“We do believe we’ve hit the bottom. We’re seeing increased activity in every market with the exception of the U.S. The U.S. market is still very weak for us, but we sell boats in 30 countries around the world now. We’ve just signed up a new dealer in Russia and we have boats in production for them right now.”

Elliott said China was a logical market for the family-owned Campion to expand into. The company has already sent boats to an exhibition in Tianjin and will exhibit a couple of models at the upcoming Shanghai Boat Show. In all, Campion makes 37 different models with 48 variations.

“We think it (China) is just coming to maturity now. What we are starting to see is some real interest in some infrastructure being built there. Obviously, the increased wealth of the citizens of China is showing signs of wanting to have a luxury item such as a Campion boat. And we just think there is a real good opportunity to get a foot in the door there.”

He said the company was currently looking for sales in China, and wouldn’t rule out manufacturing in the country in future. “We wouldn’t close the door to that. But we want to control the quality and partner with someone who could assure us that quality.”

One company looking the other way is Weihai Hibo Yacht Company. The four-year-old company from China’s eastern province of Shandong is exhibiting in Canada for the first time with the idea of picking up distributors and exposing its brand to the boating industry.

Company official Shawn Pi said the plan was to move into the U.S. market next year to promote its line of inexpensive inflatable boats. The three boats on display at Hibo’s tiny booth, which are very similar to France’s famous Zodiac brand, are being offered for between 800 and 900 Canadian dollars.

Pi said the company would produce about 8,000 inflatable boats this year, up from 6,000 in 2010. The majority are exported to Europe.

“Through this boat show, we really hope that we can export to the Canadian market and North American market,” he said. “We just do our best and let people know our quality. So the low price is not everything, but the quality.”

Pi was confident that China’s pleasure boat market would eventually be one of the strongest in the world, but believed it was still a long way away. For now, Hibo was going to concentrate on promoting its name through North American boat shows.

“This is the best way and fastest way to know people in the industry,” he said, adding that the company would expand its line this year to fiberglass speedboats and aluminum boats.

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Shipmate Marine Directory – the Victorian boaters essential guide

Pablo Conze — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:53:06 +0000

Posted: 1 Feb. 2011
Shipmate Marine Directory

The all new, 2011 edition of Shipmate Marine Directory – the Victorian boaters essential guide, is out now and available free to boaters.

This 136 page pocket wonder, published annually and now in its seventh edition, is essential cabin kit for anyone venturing out on Victorian waterways. Contents include a complete list of yacht clubs and marinas, an A-Z of marine trades and services listed by category, details on the steer clear zones for Port Phillip, Corio Bay and Western Port, information on the new Port Melbourne and St Kilda boating and swimming zones, as well as a complete Docklands boating guide.

A special feature of Shipmate Marine Directory this year is a section headed, ‘Who You Gonna Call’ which helps boaters identify the different organisations responsible for various aspects of our waterways in any contingency. Everything is covered including, who you call in an emergency, reporting pollution, injury to wildlife, on-water events, etc.

Published by boaters, for boaters, Shipmate is a fully inclusive, independent, comprehensive guide to all things boating. Look for the distinctive purple cover and pick up your free copy at yacht clubs, marinas, marine organizations and selected marine businesses. More details at www.shipmate.com.au.

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Boat sales down as Naples Boat Show kicks off

Pablo Conze — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:15:01 +0000

Posted: Jan 27, 2011 5:02 PM EST Updated: Jan 27, 2011 6:03 PM EST

Boat sales down as Naples Boat Show kicks off

NAPLES: The Naples Boat Show kicked off Thursday. We wanted to find out whether in this economy, boaters buying or if they’re just browsing?

Large boats and little boats come with price tags, big and small. And dealers say it’s those stickers with the bigger price tags that have some boaters shying away.

Dealer Phillip Osborne says in some ways, boaters are getting back to the basics.

“The boat sizes are trending a little bit smaller and maybe not the emphasis on options that we saw before,” he said. “If a 25-footer will get the job done and carry them and their family, then maybe they don’t need a 30-foot and that’s really what we’re seeing.”

The trade journal “Boating Industry” estimates as many as half of all boat dealers disappeared during the downturn.

But even on the first day, “sold” signs were popping up at the Naples Boat Show.

Boat buyer Troy Pruitt said he wasn’t about to skimp on the extras when it came to his new boat.

“I went with all the bells and whistles. It’s a passion of mine. I love to fish,” he explained. “I haven’t put it in the water yet, but I’m very excited.”

According to a Bellwether Report, power boat sales dipped with the rest of the economy in 2009.

Sales started to recover during 2010, but business is still down about 14-percent.

“Everyone has the impression that boating is expensive and certainly a $40,000 is still a big purchase,” Osborne said.

As far as price points, there is quite a variety.

At the Naples Boat Show, you can step off of a $15,000 boat and walk right on to a 50-foot yacht that costs $1.4-million.

“We have a saying back at the office. ‘There are boaters and people who boat. Boaters will continue to boat regardless. People who own boats come and go as the economy allows them to,’” Osborne said.

By Jennifer Trammell – email | Twitter

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Southwest Florida Boat show

Pablo Conze — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:05:56 +0000

It’s a Southwest Florida boating and fishing lover’s dream: back-to-back weekends of boat shows.

Today marks the start of the four-day 44th annual Naples boat show. Sponsored by the Marine Industries Association of Collier County, the event takes place at the corner of Goodlette-Frank Road and Tamiami Trail in downtown Naples.

On Feb. 5 and 6, Florida Sportsman magazine hosts the 118th Fishing and Boat Show at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers.

The popular magazine promises the North Fort Myers show will be better than previous shows, with ongoing seminars, kids’ events, hands-on instruction and demonstrations.

“It’s a family fishing festival, so bring the kids and plan on spending the entire day surrounded by fishing events and fishing stuff,” said Denise Oyler of Florida Sportsman magazine.

The most popular part of the event – a huge indoor tackle sale – will fill the civic center, while fishing boats, kayaks and accessories will cover the lawn out front.

In addition to the stages for inshore, offshore, angler on foot, kayak and fly fishing, there are two new stages: hunting and electronics.

The hunting stage this year will feature Swamp Buggies of Florida and the monster buggy as seen on their new Discovery Channel show. There will be archery and gator hunting seminars. Also, Jonathon Swindle from the TV show, “Blue Collar Adventures,” will be at the show.

At the Humminbird Electronics Stage, representatives will be on hand to answer any plotting questions, while Humminbird will also offer free updates on all its products.

“Anyone who enjoys fishing will have something to see,” promises Oyler.

This weekend’s Naples event features acres of new and used boats and RVs on display and dozens of vendors. Almost all the area’s major boat dealers – 12 to 15 dealers – will be on hand, as well as almost 60 vendors displaying other marine and outdoor recreational products.

“It’s a dreamland for people who own a boat or are fascinated by them,” said Frank Perrucci, president of the Marine Industries Association of Collier County.
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Edgar Hansen from another Discovery Channel TV show, “Deadliest Catch,” will be on site Saturday to sign autographs and tell tales about life on the Bering Sea and aboard the Northwestern fishing vessel.

A Kids’ Corner will occupy the children. Blues music and Southern fare from Texas Tony’s BBQ Shack will satisfy the other senses.

Philip Osborne, vice president of the 22-year family-run Naples Boat Mart, will bring 2011 models and boating gadgets to the Naples show.

“The industry as a whole was suffering from way too much inventory the last few years,” Osborne said. “That stuff has pretty much gone bye-bye now, and we have brand-new factory-fresh models to show.”

New boat sales have taken the helm of the industry, according to boat registrations at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

In Lee County, 717 new fiberglass boats up to 63 feet were sold in 2010, with 470 in Collier County.

“We’re seeing nice, even activity over all our brands and over all our sizes, which is refreshing,” Osborne said. “Nationwide, I think the boating industry is up 11 percent.”
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The 56th annual Oklahoma City Winter Boat Show opens Thursday

Pablo Conze — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:35:05 +0000

COMPILED BY ED GODFREY Oklahoman Comment on this article 0
Published: January 23, 2011

Winter boat show opens Thursday
The 56th annual Oklahoma City Winter Boat Show opens Thursday at State Fair Park.
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The show, which runs daily through Sunday, will be held in the Cox Pavilion and the Travel and Transportation Building.

Sponsored by the Oklahoma City Boat Dealers Association, the show will feature boats, personal watercraft, ski equipment, four-wheelers, fishing tackle and boating accessories.

Professional bass anglers Mark Menendez, Kenyon Hill, Brad Hallman and Terry Butcher will be appearing.

Show hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday; noon to 9 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $7 for adults. Ages 11 and younger receive free admission. On Thursday and Friday only, couples receive $10 admission.

Discount tickets are available at 7-Eleven stores. For more information, visit www.okcboats.com.

Tackle show at Cox Convention Center
After a two-year absence, Oklahoma City is getting a winter tackle show but with a new promoter and at a new location.

The Oklahoma Tackle and Hunting Show will be Friday through Sunday at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City.

The show will include tackle, fishing and hunting guides, gun and knife dealers, a dog show, fishing seminars, a kids’ fishing pond, kids’ archery shooting, bluegrass music, a wild turkey calling contest, a rattlesnake show and more.

Montgomery Productions of Adair, which has put on tackle shows in the Tulsa area for several years, has organized the Oklahoma City show.

Trophy bass guide Chuck Justice, Lake Eufaula crappie guide Todd Huckabee, pro bass angler Mike Delvisco and catfish angler Danny King will be conducting fishing seminars.

Former Tampa Bay pitcher Jim Morris, whose story was featured in the Disney movie “The Rookie” will be signing autographs Saturday.

Show hours are Friday from noon until 9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Admission is $10 for adults, $3 for ages 6 through 12 and free admission for ages 5 and younger.

For more information, visit www.okctackleandhuntingshow.com.

Ducks Unlimited banquet in Edmond
Edmond Ducks Unlimited is having its annual fundraising banquet Feb. 5 at the Oak Tree Country Club.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner being served at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $60 for singles, $75 for couples and $15 for greenwings. A corporate table is $550 and a sponsor couple costs $300.

To reserve tickets, call (405) 282-8313. Register by Friday for a chance to win a prize.

WOW chapter organizing
An Oklahoma chapter of DIVA … WOW (Women Outdoors Worldwide) is forming.

An organizational meeting for the chapter is scheduled Saturday at H&H Gun Range in Oklahoma City from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

DIVA membership is open to women of any age who are interested in discovering their outdoor passion.

SHE Outdoor Apparel and Rawhide, an Oklahoma City western store, will be displaying products.

For information on the organization, visit divawow.org.

Read more: http://newsok.com/outdoors-notebook/article/3534664#ixzz1ByHV1Aty

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Cruising across ice can be exhilarating, scary

Pablo Conze — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:25:28 +0000

leo roth • staff writer • January 17, 2011

How fast can ice boats go?

The common DN class, a 12-foot boat with 16-foot mast, 60-square foot sail and three steel runners, can go two to four times the speed of the wind. On bare ice, DN sailors can hit 60 mph.

“The top sailors will push close to 70 in the right conditions, but it gets scary,” said John Atkins, the commodore of the Irondequoit Bay Ice Boat Club whose son, Chad, is ranked No. 8 in the world. “The boats start twitching at those speeds.”

Lying on your back to improve aerodynamics with one’s head a foot from the ice can be a thrill worthy of Sea Breeze. Or it can scare the goose feathers out of you.

“Very few people who try it say, ‘Yeah, it’s something I’ll do once a year,’” Atkins said. “It’s either you’re addicted, or you walk away from it.”

High-tech Skeeter class boats with 30-foot masts and closed cockpits have been clocked at more than 100 mph.

History: According to historians, the Ice Yacht Club of Poughkeepsie, founded in 1869, was the first formal ice boating group in the United States.

Hard water sailing: To get an ice boat moving, the sailor stands alongside his craft, clutches the steering tiller, and runs into the wind and then angled to the wind before hopping in. He or she will then trim the sails just like operating a sailboat on open water. Steering is a challenge on ice. It takes a delicate hand to keep from spinning out of control.

Wild ride: Ice boats can heel to one side and ride on two runners. This requires the sailor to shift his weight and provide counterbalance.

Safety: Safe ice is 4 to 5 inches thick. Responsible ice boaters wear helmets, goggles and cover every inch of their skin to avoid frostbite. Many also wear flotation devices in case of emergency.

DN Class: Stands for Detroit News, which sponsored a design contest in 1937. The International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association (IDNIYRA) was formed in 1962 and has about 2,000 members in 20 countries. Boat plans are available online.

“The whole idea was to make a low-cost boat that can be home-built,” said Jeff Robertson, an Irondequoit Bay club officer. “We’ve tried to keep the class affordable and on a level playing field.”

This year’s world championships will be held Jan. 29-Feb. 5 in North America. The site is dependent on ice conditions.