After Hurricane Ian devastated Southwest Florida last fall, many members of the offshore racing community stepped up in an amazing display of service to those in need. Dubbed the “Offshore Army,” this group donated supplies, food, water, encouragement and elbow grease to that region in a broad swath emanating from “Ground Zero,” meaning Fort Myers […]
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OneWater Marine Inc. has announced results for its fiscal first quarter ended December 31, 2022. “Our first quarter results came in largely as we anticipated as the industry experienced a return to more normalized seasonality, with revenue growing high-single digits, on top of a 57% increase in the prior year. Notably, our high margin service, […]
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I am excited to report that the 2023 Boat Show had record attendance during at least one of the 4 days at the Ft. Myers ‘Downtown Location’. Full of vendors and people excited about getting out during the beautiful weekend to enjoy the boats and products that are representative and reflected of SW Florida lifestyle. […]
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Tips for a Successful Charter Dos, don’ts, and simple steps to a great boat vacation There’s no vacation like a boat vacation, so if you want to spread your wings and explore new territory, consider chartering. Powercats have made great inroads into crewed and bareboat charter in the past few years, so there are lots of […]
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A gentle introduction to the cruising life set Kate Ashe-Leonard on course for a full transocean liveaboard adventure We’re sailing by the Gulf of Venezuela as we approach the Colombian coastline, a notoriously difficult stretch of water with frequent high winds, big swell and current. This night is no exception. It’s 0100 and Jim and […]
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No matter how much money and effort you throw at it, recovering from a natural disaster such as Hurricane Ian, which pummeled Southwest Florida in late September 2022, takes time. Less than a month ago, there was still too much floating debris and too many submerged hazards in the water for Fort Myers Offshore to […]
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Although an announcement was made a couple of weeks after the Speed On The Water Key West Bash—held last year on November 10 during the Race World Offshore-produced Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla., and the Florida Powerboat Club’s Key West Poker Run—that the ninth annual event raised more than $105,000, $41,000 of which […]
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Fans of Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats will not lack for options when it comes to checking out their favorite brand during the Miami International Boat Show set for February 14-19. The Fort Myers, Fla.-headquartered company is bringing five center consoles to this year’s South Florida happening, and will have them in three different locations. Nor-Tech will […]
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Tackling the Classic U.S. Boating Debate of North Versus South. A couple weeks ago, I attended a yacht club dinner at the invitation of a friend and had a fine time, in spite of the fact that I’m about as yachty as an aluminum canoe. Toward the shank of the evening, as coffee and other […]
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49th Annual Stuart Boat Show The 49th Annual Stuart Boat Show, named one of the top 20 events in the Southeast, kicks off the 2023 boat show season Friday, January 13th to Sunday, January 15th in the Sailfish Capital of the World. The largest boat show on Florida’s Treasure Coast features more than 200 exhibitors […]
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Florida’s Treasure Coast, comprising Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties, has some of the best waterfront restaurants on the state’s East Coast. Feel the tropical vibe in seaside settings that offer everything from sensational seafood and steaks to classic burgers and creative cocktails. Indoors or outdoors, day or night, if you want an outstanding […]
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Can you insure a 30-year-old boat? The answer is yes, but it’s a pain. Here are tips on how to minimize that. Insurance: Can You Get It? Can you insure a 30-year-old boat? The answer is yes, but it’s a pain. Here are tips on how to minimize that. Maybe some of you read last […]
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Reflections from a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Portraits by Keith Carlsen After a Long, Wild Ride, Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Shannon Scaff Ponders a Storied Career and Plots His Next Big Mission. On January 25, 2000, the conditions off Elizabeth City, North Carolina were simply terrible. A cold-front-spawned low off Florida had inhaled a plume […]
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For several good reasons—being the home-base for three days organized casually organized, good-time powerboat fun runs chief among them—Sarasota commanded the spotlight in Southwest Florida last weekend. But despite still being in recovery mode from Hurricane Ian, Fort Myers Offshore produced the first event of its 2022/2023 season on New Year’s Eve. And while the […]
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Those first few seconds are the best. It’s chaos. It can be violent. It can be beautiful, and it’s uncomfortable. It also comes with an element of shock and surprise. This is one of those feelings I look for every day — to feel alive, to not be in complete control. It is something to […]
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Headquartered in Fort Myers, Fla., Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2021 by launching a new charitable initiative each month. Company principal Trond Schou and his team vowed to continue those efforts in 2022. But they had no idea their best opportunity for that would come in late September with Hurricane Ian, which […]
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If you caught the first two installments of “Speed On The Water Stories Of The Year” written by my speedonthewater.com partner Matt Trulio, you already know there was no lack of super-cool news to report in 2022. In the “spare time” I’ve had this week thanks to finishing pre-press production for the 2022 Year In […]
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PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA YACHTS Southwest Florida Yachts, located in Cape Coral, Florida, has an immediate need for sail and power vessels to join its charter fleet. Late-model, diesel-powered vessels in the 30-to-50-foot range are ideal candidates for the program, with monohulls such as Catalina and Island Packet, sailing cats like Fountaine Pajot and […]
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East Coast surfers love New Smyrna Beach, Fla., during the winter—the only better time to catch big Atlantic Ocean waves there is hurricane season. Open to swells from all angles and loaded with sandbars that produce perfect right- and left-hand peaks, New Smyrna Beach is a consistent winner for wave-riders who don’t mind a little […]
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Treasure Hunt Florida’s Treasure Coast is a hidden gem. Tangerine and cotton candy-colored clouds billow along the horizon creating the perfect backdrop for this laid-back, picturesque Florida region. Tucked along the Atlantic Coast just north of Palm Beach, the Treasure Coast comprises Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties. This hidden gem is a wondrous […]
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