The good fall weather along with over 400 boats on display, and great attendance, made this year’s Annapolis Powerboat Show a spectacular success. For an exhibitor, one of the most interesting times at a boat show is that last hour or two before the gates open and the final, frantic rush to have everything ready.
Rob Hardy of Composite Yachts in Trappe, MD, had pushed hard to have his company’s newest boat, a CY 39, at the show. They made it, and Rob made this comment on his company’s Facebook page: “We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to not only everyone that made this wonderful boat a reality, but also the attendees of the Annapolis Boat Show that gave her such a great reception. You are the reason we do what we do.”
Andy Dize of Roudebush Yacht and Engine Works in Dundalk, MD, brings us up to date: “The end of 2024 is looking to fill up our yard, both short and long term, to take us well into 2025. With the fall boating season in full swing, in addition to the haul outs and winterizations, we are working on a couple of repair/refurbishment projects and looking at new construction projects. We recently corrected a 34-foot Pacemaker engine starting issue and at the same time picked up the client as a new slip holder. We also performed a bottom clean, repair, and paint as well as replaced the tilt-trim assembly on a 26-foot Carolina Skiff.
“The Sea Otter 18 refurbishment is in the ‘put it back together’ stage. This effort includes a topside and hull refurbishment as well as installation of the 150-hp jet-ski propulsion package. Another repair project we just started is for a 28-foot Chris-Craft Heritage Express. The topside fiberglass will be fixed and an AWLGRIP repaint provided. For new construction we are in talks with a local client to build new 28-foot aluminum workboats for their commercial diving operations. For your refurbishment or new construction needs, please reach out to Andy to discuss. We can repair boats up to 44 feet long in our climate-controlled building.”
Alex Schlegel at Hartge Yacht Yard in Galesville, MD, sends us this newsy update. “We have had a good year, especially this fall, a time that work typically slows down. We are also finding winter storage and winter customers committing in late summer rather than waiting until later in the fall. On the downside, not finding enough craftsmen is a concern.
“Some jobs going on this fall include a customer who woke one morning onboard his Sabre 38 in Maine with the feeling that something was wrong. The mooring had come apart and he had drifted ashore during the night. Maine is a wonderful place to cruise, but the shore is mostly rock. The damage was not too bad, one bent prop and shaft and a few places where the rocks had chewed on the fiberglass. After temporary repairs in Maine he could continue the cruise and made it to us for proper repairs. A longtime customer, who has owned both sail and larger powerboats, brought his new Grady White Freedom 275 with twin Yamaha 200s to us. It had been trailer kept, so no bottom paint. He wants to be able to leave it in the waters so we are prepping the bottom and applying antifouling. Allowing the boat to now stay in the water should give him more use.
“Our carpenters continue to be busy this year
on a 61-foot buyboat or, as the Virginia builder called it, a ‘Deck Boat.’ Over the winter we replaced the port side planks, many frames, some stringers, and some bottom planks. Lately, we have been fixing defects on the cabin top, leaks on deck, and deterioration in the trunk cabin. The sturdy trunk cabin, constructed of two and three quarters-inch thick yellow pine, is two feet high to make room for the engine, a Cat 13000. The wheel house, with head and galley, sits on top of the trunk cabin.
“Another special yacht in our yard is a 1958 54-foot Rybovich 54-foot that is here for varnish work. This is the first Rybovich that I have seen that wasn’t a sportfish. Rybovich is a top custom builder near West Palm Beach, FL. Rybovich had a lot to do with the sportfish design characterized by a long flush foredeck, sleek cabin, fly bridge, and a large deep cockpit.
Alex concluded, “In our 75-foot paint booth is a 53-foot Hatteras for hull painting. She is also getting ports painted, window leaks fixed, and rub rail work. Some routine work for our travelift crew is an Albin 40 haul out for bottom paint and a Grand Banks 42 hauled for transducer replacement and various electric repairs. Two Yanmar 4LV250 diesels are replacing the original engines in an Eastport 32. These engines are direct injection, common rail, turbocharged, intercooled, and have all sorts of certifications including IMO Tier 2 and EPA Tier 3. These diesel engines generate 250-hp from only 2.755 liters/168 cubic inches. The old engines ran fine when the electronics cooperated but were so unreliable. New electronic controls do such a good job.”
Cruise and Ferry magazine recently published the following report. “Chesapeake Shipbuilding has started constructing American Maverick and American Ranger, the sixth and seventh small ships in American Cruise Lines’ Project Blue series, at its yard in Salisbury, MD.
“Set to begin cruising in 2026, both ships have been fully stabilized to enable them to sail along the US Eastern Seaboard and will accommodate 125 guests. Each vessel will have 56 staterooms with private balconies, as well as a deck of suites ranging from 420 to 620 square feet.
“Other notable venues onboard the five-deck ship will include the expansive Main Lounge and Restaurant, the Bow Terrace and Horizon Lounge, and an indoor fitness center. According to American Cruise Lines, the ‘newest and most stunning feature’ will be the Sky Lounge, an entire deck ‘dedicated to relaxation and recreation,’ which will offer lounge seating, a 360-degree Skywalk walking track, and a casual outdoor Back Porch Café. American Maverick and American Ranger will join American Patriot and American Pioneer (both set to debut in 2025) in the Patriot class. They mark the latest iteration in the Project Blue series, which already includes four 100-passenger Coastal Cats. Chesapeake Shipbuilding will build all 12 ships in the series.”
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that it has certified Hartge Marina of Galesville, MD; Tradewinds Marina of Middle River, MD; and Lighthouse Point Marina of Baltimore City as the newest Maryland Clean Marinas. The department awards this designation to marinas that comply with all applicable regulatory requirements and voluntarily adopt a significant portion of recommended best practices in the Maryland Clean Marina Handbook. There are now 147 Clean Marinas in Maryland, representing about 30 percent of the marinas in the state.
The Maryland DNR had a large exhibit at the Annapolis Powerboat Show. A feature of this exhibit was a boat docking simulator. DNR boating safety coordinator Donna Seymour demonstrated how easy it was to dock successfully and then had attendees dock the boat. She then produced two sets of goggles. One simulated the visual impairment of moderate intoxication and the second the impairment of being over the legal limit. The effect on docking performance wearing the goggles was amazing and very instructive!
Nancy Noyes sends us this update. “The crew at Chesapeake Light Craft will hold its annual Winter Open House in Annapolis on Saturday, December 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CLC staff always enjoys hanging out with fellow boat nuts in our spacious shop and showroom. As usual, we organized a series of informative seminars focusing on a variety of techniques from basic to advanced. Featuring our own in-house experts, the seminar schedule spans a wide variety of useful topics from boatbuilding basics to fine finish techniques and tips for rowing and paddling. There will be coffee and donuts in the morning, and light snacks in the afternoon, plus door prizes every hour for those who RSVP at clcboats.com. The event is free and family friendly.”
That’s about it for this month. Remember that the water is cold as winter advances, and cold water is dangerous. Be extra careful out there.
By Capt. Rick Franke