You’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat!

If you’re a film fan, you know where this quote came from. It’s the moment in the 1975 release of JAWS when Chief Brody, played by actor Roy Scheider, finally gets an up close and personal glimpse of the shark he, Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and Quint (Robert Shaw) have been hunting.

Well it seems as if famed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg, who helmed the blockbuster film, is heeding this well-known quote. His Seven Seas, the 282ft/86m Oceanco-built megayacht he has been seen on around the world, is, well, just not big enough for the celebrated auteur. Seas, which charters for a mere $US1.2 million per month, complete with over the top accommodations for 12 guests, helicopter pad, gym and spa, and a 15-foot glass movie screen among other megayacht amenities, is for sale.

His new build is scheduled to be around the 300ft/91.4m mark and will come with a $US250 million price tag. As American comedian Mel Brooks quipped: It’s good to be the king.

Up From The Ashes…Redux

Bertram Yachts has had quite the history.  With a daring finish in the punishing 1960 Miami to Nassau race, yacht broker, bluewater sailor and powerboat racer Richard Bertram set a course record with his deep-V design. A year later, he introduced a 31-footer based on that race boat and by late November, 1962, opened a 25-acre plant located at 3663 NW 21^st Street in Miami, Florida.

Throughout the years, and as the model line increased in size, the company experienced expansions to its Miami floor space and later on, acquisitions by such notable companies as Whittaker (1968) and Ferretti (1998). Finally, in 2012, the company was moved out of its Miami facility and settled in Merritt Island, Florida. Two years later, production stopped.

With the recent sale of the Miami property for a reported $US35+ million, and the defunct company now under the control of a group headed up by Benjamino Gavio, a boat building entrepreneur with ties to CCN and Baglietto, there are indications of returning this iconic American brand to its former premier status.

According to industry sources, Susan Davids, Bertram’s new general manager, will be making a major announcement about the company’s new model during this November’s Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.

The Limo Is Waiting

There have been several mentions of Maine-based Hodgdon Yachts, one of Stateside’s most venerated builders, in this column and the latest news from the yard is the introduction of its latest 10.5m/34+ft Superyacht tender

Designed by famed Michael Peters Yacht Design, the 10.5-meter limousine tender is the archetype of Hodgdon’s Venetian series custom tenders, which range from 8.5m/27+ft to 12m/39+ft.

In addition to that dramatic paint job, other features include accommodations for up to 11 guests, two oversized seats for the owners, wood veneer interior, high definition entertainment system, refrigerator/bar, and, of course, air conditioning, hydraulic salon hardtop that lifts for full-height headroom, ease of boarding, and 360 degrees of visibility.

If you happen to be in Monaco during the upcoming boat show taking place during the last week in September, you can get to see the vessel as well as set up a sea trial.

Fast and Furious

One of the more interesting trends I’ve noticed is the emergence of the center console design as a major force in this all-important area of the U.S. boat-building sector.  What was once a small, inshore vessel has now become a big time player in competitive offshore tournament fishing as well as finding its way onto the decks of major mega and superyacht decks.

Regulator Marine, founded in 1988 and based in Edenton, North Carolina, has long been a mainstay with center consoles and has recently stepped up to the bar with a 41ft/12.5m flagship that will surely get things going. With 350+ horsepower options from such names as Mercury, Yamaha, and Seven Marine, one can hang as many as four engines from her transom allowing upwards of 60 mph speeds at top end. Options include dual station tower with controls and hardtop, deluxe tackle center, outriggers and other features.

You can get to see the Regulator 41 in person at the upcoming Ft. Lauderdale or the 2016 Miami boat shows.

Grassroots Getting Things Done

This is one of those feel good postings that, given my own inclination for nostalgia, catches my attention. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term ‘grassroots’, let me explain.

A grassroots movement is driven by a community's social needs, and will often include politics. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional means. Grassroots movements are often at the local level, as many volunteers in the community give their time to support ideas and a way of life that are important.

Volunteers in the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum Boatworks program in Florida are keeping a maritime tradition alive. About 25 people, many of whom are retirees, are building wooden boats, learning the history behind them and sharing their knowledge with visitors. Collaborating with historians and museum archaeologists on each step, the vessels are built with historical accuracy to the smallest of details.

None of those involved are professional boatbuilders and are all self-taught. Dr. Jim Gaskins, a retired general surgeon, has been a volunteer with the program since its launch in 2007.

During the museum’s annual Night Fest completed boats are included in a drawing, with proceeds going back to the museum and into the next round of boat works projects.

The program also received a grant in 2014 from the Crisp-Ellert Fund, which recognizes the boatbuilding process as a type of local folk art.

In today’s technologically advanced world, where everything seems to have a ‘smart’ label to it, it’s nice to see some things can still be done this old-fashioned way.

Fair winds, shipmates. – Capt. Ken

Should you have any special interests that you would like me to look into, please send your request to the OnboardOnline site and I will do my best to track it down for you. I hope to see you around the docks or better yet, out on the water.