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Nav aids are reversed on the ICW in a few places. When the ICW comes into a river, that become the predominate marker and returns to red, right, returning. The ICW normally has red markers on the mainland side with green towards the ocean but that changes when you go upriver in numerous...

You have to fall in love with the boat you buy. With the amount of money spent on a boat you need to say to yourself "That is my baby" as you walk down the dock to get onboard. Listen to your wife and remember "Happy Wife, Happy Life"

After 22 years as a broker I cannot say there is a best time of year to buy. When I sold boats in Connecticut boats in the 35 to 55 foot range sold best in the fall. Buyers wanted to make sure they had the correct boat for the next summer season and did not want to wait for the spring...

Boats flagged in some countries cannot get a "CRUISING LICENSE" which means that they must clear with customs in each and every port they visit. To go from Fort Lauderdale to Miami a distance of 30 miles, you must clear out of Fort Lauderdale and clear into Miami. Here is a maybe outdated list...

This inflatable boat is sold.

This 18' Novurania rigid bottom inflatable was tender on a large yacht which has been sold. The Novurania has a 115 HP Yamaha four stroke with less than 100 hours and the boat comes with a Continental galvanized 2000 pound capacity trailer. Full boat cover, Garmin GPS, VHF radio, and a lifting...

I was a broker at Cedar Island Marina in Clinton back in the late 1980's. The marina is still family owned and operated, the owner is there on site, a lot of the employees have been there for many years. They have a pool and on weekends they have children's activities. There will be some current...

I like the Waterway Guide, but the first of my 30 plus trips north and south started before the internet was available. I like to be able to read the book in advance, like the night before or the week before to refresh my memory of the trouble spots. (like at every place on the ICW where the...

Marine Trader was not a builder but was an importer. The boats were built in different yards with different quality. Some builders tried to make an excellent product so they could build lots of boats over the long term, others cut corners to save money on the build. What is more important now...

I don't think I have met a boat buyer that knows more about boats then a mediocre surveyor who is approved by insurance companies. Many items found by surveyors are complete surprises to the owner, and many recommendations from surveyors are minor improvements for safety or maintenance.

I have sold boats for over 20 years. In the old days when we would take paper checks, I would ask a buyer to give a deposit to show good faith to a seller. Maybe just enough deposit to get the sellers attention and the balance of the deposit after an agreement was signed by both. Now we don't...

What company did the transport? I have clients ask about suggestions often.

Most boat warranties require that you request an authorization first.

How do you make a small fortune in the boat business? Start with a big fortune!

I wonder what girls might like one of my more recent listings, a 127' Camper and Nicholsons steel Motoryacht built in 1920? They might have a different attitude after finding out about the $7,000,000 refit!!

If you are coming from the Keys layover further south than Lake Worth (West Palm)and you will have more boost from the Gulf Stream to West End. Transient rates in Fort Lauderdale are lower at the city owned docks such as Las Olas and on the New River. There is a city mooring field by Las Olas...

The marina at West End, Grand Bahama is a nice place to wait for a weather window, but sometimes gets full. Call first before you go there. Freeport is an option but adds to your overall distance.

I would avoid a crossing whenever the wind is out of any northerly direction. The winds here normally "clock" in changing direction, north now, NE tomorrow, and then east, then SE. I have been across in as small of a boat as a 26 center console and up to 110 feet, in your 48 foot boat at 8 knots...

I suggest that you make up a rig of "towing lights" to carry on board the big boat so if you ever get caught underway in the dark you can be legal, and be safer. I would also put a strobe light on the tender that would be more visible than regular running lights, and I would still have it on in...

Buy a few boxes of baking soda and sprinkle on the carpet then brush or vacuum. When most of the oil is absorbed use K2r, a spray spot lifter that you might find at some supermarkets but more likely at a hardware store. K2r is also excellent for teak decks if you get potato chips, cheese or...

For around $25 you can get an Abstract of Title from the Vessel Documentation Center that will tell you if there is a current loan on the vessel and if there are any liens against it. It takes about a week to get the abstract back. Be careful about a deposit, a third party should hold it and...

BandB has good suggestions for surveyors, plus Marc Slakoff and Associates or MSG (Marine Surveyors Group) for hull surveys. For the engines, Joe Stafford has done over 5,000 engine surveys and he no longer does repairs so he will not say that he might find something then offer to come back and...

I expect this boat to be purchased by an antique boat fan who would keep it under cover and lavish attention on it. Someone who already has antique cars, or antique airplanes, or antique motorcycles. Maybe an antique checkbook that never runs out. I wrote much of that listing write up and the...

For any boat in that price range a broker will have to be very close to the boat. If there is a broker at the marina where you keep the boat or very close by, talk to them first. If it is easy for the broker to show the boat to a prospective buyer it is more likely he will spend the time to do it.

Before starting the engine bring the oil pressure up by engaging the starter without fuel going into the engine, After so much elapsed time all of the oil has drained down to the oil pan, you want oil in the lines and in everywhere else that normally gets oil. You may also want to remove at...