Phantom Shipwrecks and Cannons Mark 2007-2008 Winter in Oregon

I like boats and I like history, so the winter of 2007-2008 has been an interesting one. For starters, old and forgotten shipwrecks have been resurfacing up and down the coast. The first popped out of a sand dune in North Bend, near the site of the modern wreck "New Carissa", and proved a mystery for awhile with many people weighing in on it's identity. It has finally been identified as the George L. Olson, a lumber ship built in 1917 and lost in 1944. Winter erosion revealed a couple more unidentified wrecks, then revealed 2 cannons just south of Cannon Beach in Northern, Oregon.

Cannon Beach was named after a couple cannons were found in the the late 1800's, presumed to be from the U.S. Navy Survey ship "Shark". Surprisingly, two more cannons were discovered just south of the town in February. They have been recovered by the state and are now undergoing a long process to stabilize and preserve them for future display.

The image above is from http://historicphotoarchive.com/caps/00068.html where you can also purchase copies The first time I saw this image I thought it must have been PhotoShopped. How would a ship in full sail have run on the rocks like that? What you can't see is that this is faced by a huge cliff and mountain that run right down to the sea, so not really even a surprise rocky shoal. It is real, the ship Glenesslin wrecked on Mt. Neahkahnie (also famous for legends of buried pirate treasure). Apparently more than a couple crew members had been into the spirits - another great reminder to "Boat sober". :?)

For more information on the exposed shipwrecks, check out the Oregonian's coverage at http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/02/oregon_shipwreck_identified_sh.html

I also ran across the following interactive map of the "Graveyard of the Pacific" - Columbia River bar. It shows you a time lapse of the shifting river topography and the wrecks from the mid 1800's to present. Interactive Columbia River Shipwreck Map the data was compiled by the staff of the Columbia River Maritime Museum which is worth a visit in person or on-line - http://www.crmm.org/. In addition to information on the spectacular museum, their site offers a live webcam of the Astoria, Oregon bayfront and the current weather station as well.

I don't know what made me think of it, but I thought I'd mention that at Savvyboater.com we offer a wide array of life jackets, inflatable life vests and personal flotation devices including life jackets for children and pet life vests.

New Universal Boat Covers added to our Boat Cover Line-up

If you've visited SavvyBoater.com, you probably noted that we have a good selection of boat covers at very reasonable prices. we've been spending some time this winter expanding both our Boat Cover offerings and the support materials that will help you find the cover that is just right for your boat and needs.

Among our new additions to our Universal Boat Cover Section are the 4 boat cover lines in the Taylor Made boat Guard Universal Boat Cover line.

The Boat Guard RainBreaker Boat Cover offers a simple, economical mooring and storage cover. Made from 70 denier polyester, it is a light weight easy to manage cover designed to protect your boat from moderate elements as well as dirt and debris. It is available in 6 size / style combination to provide protection for many of the popular boat styles.



The classic Boatguard Universal Boat Cover steps up to 11 styles and offers a number of great features that make Taylor Made covers an industry leader. These include 4 ply seams, double folded hems, sewn in tied downs loops and a 2 year warranty.



The premium Eclipse Boatguard Universal Boat Covers step it up even further. The Eclipse boat covers are made from Taylor Made's Hotshot acrylic coated polyester fabric in a striking two-tone black and gray design and comes with a five year warranty. These boat covers feature sewn-in air vents, reinforced tie-down loops and each cover order includes tie-downs, a support pole and a storage bag. While the cover is premium, the price isn't.



We're also offering the Taylor Made BoatGuard SST Self Supporting Technology universal boat covers. The SST Universal covers feature a unique, patented support system where flexible fiberglass poles slide into sewn in pockets in the cover ,creating a fairly rigid arched support under the cover. Designed for V-Hull Runabouts and Cuddy Cabins, these are an interesting solution to the boat cover support question.



In addition to the Taylor Made Boat Guard Universal Boat Covers, we also offer Carver Covers Flex-fit universal boat covers as well as Wolf Covers Harbor Shell universal boat cover line. we've got fantastic prices on Wolf Covers heavy weight Mariner mooring and storage cover in our clearance section.



When you're looking for a new boat cover, think SavvyBoater.com.

Investing to Protect Your Dock & Boat

It's getting towards the end of the ice season (to the joy of many boaters) But I finally did some catch up reading and ran across an article of interest.

If you've bought, built or rent dock space, you know it is a real investment. If you live in many places in the country, you're probably familiar with the kind of havoc that ice can raise. I ran across a great article "Storm Proofing a Marina Can Get Very Costly" by JoAnn W. Goddard in the December issue of the boating industry magazine Trade Only. According to the article, ice causes millions of dollars in damage to docks and marinas each year.

If this article doesn't help you understand the value of investing in ice protection for your dock or boat, nothing will. Marine de-icers are definitely an investment but compare the outlay to the cost of resetting all your pilings, replacing your dock structures or any of the other imaginable. Visit our Dock and Marina De-icer Section at SavvyBoater.com and compare all the major brands. We offer the full catalog of PowerHouse Ice Eaters de-icers, accessories and de-icer parts. We have a wide selection of the popular Kasco Marine De-icers and Pyramid Tech's innovative oil free de-icer line.

Picking it up in the New Year

I hope you are all having a great start to 2008 this year. Its been awhile since our last post, mainly chocked up to the holidays and brisk business during the past couple months.

I attribute the brisk weather for part of that. Demand for dock de-icers is at a peak this time of year, and many customers have discovered that SavvyBoater.com has the broadest selection of dock de-icers you'll find, featuring the full catalog of PowerHouse Ice Eaters, including de-icers, parts ands accessories, the line of popular Kasco Marine De-icers as well as the new Oil-free Pyramid D-icer line. In addition, our prices for Dock De-icers are very competitive. Compare them to the competitions' "Sale" prices and see for yourself.

Despite the weather, we're getting a lot of visitors preparing for the upcoming boating season, however distant that may seem at the moment. One customer from the Great Lakes area picked up and EasyTroller Trolling Plate, and noted wistfully that now he had to wait for the ice to melt before he could use it. I feel his pain. Now that the year has turned, I'm getting restless to get outside. A look out the window looks inviting with blue skies and sun, but we are at uncommonly cold temperatures for our area and a stiff east wind means its still time for indoor activities.

I opened my email this morning and found a notice for the SuperYacht Cup Transatlantic Challenge slated for April of 2008. they are trying to add a little fun to the annual slog of crossing the Atlantic when the Caribbean yachting season ends and the Mediterranean Season begins. I'm glad someone is seeing to this, because it is certainly a misery no one should have to suffer. - ;?)

It is the stuff of day-dreams, running from Antigua to the Azores for a stop over, then on to the finish line at Vigo, Spain. Oh well, I don't suppose my 17' "SuperYacht" would be competitive anyway. They have a pdf SuperYacht Cup Newsletter that is image intensive and will warm you up on a cold, dreary, January morning.

Whether you are boating, or just dreaming about it, we look forward to seeing you drop by SavvyBoater.com to see what's new.

Note, the image of Antigua Harbor above is from TheSuperyachtCup.com.

Jewel of Portland

I was pulling the pictures of the HelmsMate Outboard Extension Handles off my camera, and ran across a shot I took of the Willamette River in downtown Portland, Oregon a couple weeks ago. Tom McCall waterfront park starts just to the left and the odd little building on the dock to the right of the marina is a seafood restaurant with dock side drive up service. Across the river, under the first arch of the bridge is OMSI and moored outside the museum is the submarine USS Blueback.

New Product Review - New HelmsMate T & TE Model Outboard Motor Tiller Extension Handles

If you troll with a kicker or trolling motor, you may have discovered that it is a stretch to steer from the best seat. If you sit clear in the stern, you may throw the boat out of trim, or develop a back kink from twisting and leaning to reach the tiller. If so, an outboard tiller extension handle may be just the ticket. They are designed to attach to your existing outboard tiller giving you the extra reach you need.

We carry the HelmsMate Extension Handles by Ironwood Pacific, and were pleased to evaluate and add two new handles to their line-up. The New Models -dubbed T and TE are much shorter than any of the previous Ironwood handles, measuring in at a fixed 18" for the T model and an adjustable 17" to 23" for the TE model. These are a welcome addition to this line-up as we've talked with a few customers who had purchased the longer versions and sawed them off to get to these kind of lengths.

In addition to the anodized aluminum shaft, the two new HelmsMates share other qualities with their big brothers. They utilize the same universal clamp as the longer models, which is really universal. It consists of a marine grade nylon clamp which you shouldn't mistake this for ordinary plastic because it is really tough. I took one of my samples out, laid it on a cement floor, and stood on it with all my weight (200 lbs.) on one foot, then bounced up and down a few times. It flexed and deformed a bit , but sprang right back and there was zero sign of cracking or distress.

The universal clamp comes with a 1/8" thick heavy rubber sizing sleeve that fits many tiller handles perfectly. If your handle is a little thicker, you can slide the sleeve out and if youn eed even more room, just grab the clamp ears and spread it open wider. for some of the smaller motors with a really thin handle, Ironwood Pacific provides what they call a second sleeve. It is a sheet of rubber that you can wrap around the handle from a partial turn to several turns to get the exact fit you need. It doesn't come included, but they will send yo one for free if you find you need it. As you can see from the picture above, there is a big cut-away that allows easy access to the kill switch.

The Helmsmate T Model is a fixed 18" length, but the Helmsmate TE is extendable from 17" to 23". I like the fact that there is a positive lock system consisting of a spring loaded metal button that locks into one of a series of holes in the outer shaft. It took me a couple tries to get the hang of it, but once I did it was very simple and it stays where you put it. This system means that I have to adjust in abut 2 1/2" increments, but I don't picture ever needing more fine control than that. It is a real contrast to the cam-lock systems used by some of the other tiller extension handles I've tried. On the most recent cam lock version I tried, it didn't take opening and closing the mechanism more than a handful of times before it got a little loose. Imagine twisting the throttle, only to have the cam slip and suddenly you lose throttle control and your length setting is lost. I'll take the positive lock over the cam any time.

In summary, these two new handles have all the features that have made the Ironwood Pacific HelmsMate one of my favorite trolling motor extension handles. They fit well on a variety of gas outboard motors and electric trolling motors, they are made in the USA, and they have a very attractive price. We are able to offer the T model at $14.95 and the TE at $18.95.

Dock De-icer Offerings Expand Again With Addition of Pyramid Oil-Free Dock De-icers

Our goal is to offer the most comprehensive offering of dock de-icers anywhere on-line. If you've visited SavvyBoater.com, you may have seen that we offer the entire catalog of Ice Eater Dock De-icers by Powerhouse, including all 4 de-icer models in both 110V and 220V with the full range of cord length options. We also carry all of PowerHouse Ice Eater's de-icer accessories and de-icer replacements parts.

We also offer a wide selection of Kasco Dock De-icers and de-icer parts and accessories. People have been putting their trust in Kasco Marine de-icer for over 40 years, and Kasco has leveraged those years of experience to produce a efficient, durable de-icer, that will stand up to the harshest environments.

We are pleased to announce that we have added the Pyramid Oil-Free Dock D-icers by Pyramid Tech. Why another line of Dock De-icers? We feel that the unique design of the Pyramid oil-free de-icers has a real appeal for users that are interested in protecting the environment or anyone who needs to de-ice a sensitive aquatic area. While standard Dock de-icers may contain a gallon of oil, the oil free de-icer uses only an ounce or two right at the seal. In addition, a higher starting torque motor allows them to use a tighter seal, further reducing the potential for a leak. The Pyramid Tech dock de-icers are very competitively priced, offering an environmentally friendly option, without having to pay a premium.

Pyramid Tech Dock De-icers are available for 110 volt power in the following sizes:

• Pyramid Model 6205D Dock Deicer - 1/2 HP clears roughly 40'-50' of ice.
  
• Pyramid Model 6208D Dock de-icer - 3/4 HP dock de-icer clears approximately 60'-75' of ice.


• Pyramid Model 6210D Dock De-icer - 1 HP dock de-icer which will clear about 80'-100' of ice.

Note: Ice clearance is approximate and depends on a wide variety of local variables including water depth in the de-icing area, overall size of the body of water, temperature and weather conditions. These figures are provided by Pyramid Tech and are based on dock de-icer installations in mid-state New York.

If you are interested in reviewing the full specifications for the Pyramid Tech Oil Free Dock De-icer line, visit our product Pyramid Tech De-icer Product Comparison and Specifications page.

To aid you in your de-icer decision, we have also developed a Powerhouse Ice Eater Dock De-icer Comparison and Specifications page and a Kasco Dock De-icer Comparison and Specifications page.