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.

IBEX Redux

A couple weeks back, I had the opportunity to spend a few days at the IBEX (International Boat Builders Exposition ) in Miami Beach, Florida. It was an awe inspiring site to see all those boating related manufacturers in one place. They had multi-ton lifts and ramp systems for your mega-yacht. There was a robotic milling machine that could carve huge mold forms, and apparently from their video, also be programmed to clean and sanitize a toilet as well?!? If you wanted to cut sheets of fiberglass or canvas into custom forms, lay a teak deck or purchase tanker loads of resin, it was all there among the acres of stainless steel fittings.

While it is a boat builders show, There were a large number of marine supply manufacturers represented as they work to develop OEM sales. Yeti Coolers was there, and I had the opportunity to take some video of both their Yeti Sherpa Coolers and their Yeti Fiberglass Coolers. We are in the process of editing to give you a new perspective on these coolers.

One of the canvas supply companies was offering Ironwood Pacific's Top Snapper Tool, both for boat and canvas builders and as a possible OEM addition to boats. It is such a great tool that it really ought to come with every boat with canvas snaps. I've heard some manufactures are including it, but until everyone does, you can pick yours up at SavvyBoater.com

New folks I met include Dive Dog with their line of Boat & Swim Ladders as well as Aqua Performance with some innovative retractable boarding ladders.
Look for these as possible additions to our Boarding Ladder Category in Spring of next year.

I also had the chance to talk with designers and engineers from Milsco, manufacturers of OEM boat and automotive seats. I had never heard of these folks before (because they generally don't sell you you and me - just manufacturers) but the look and feel of their boat seat line-up caught my attention from across the room. The lines and designs have a very sleek, eye candy look, like they came out of a high end custom sports car. Milsco hasn't sacraficed comfort on the alter of style though, as the seat feel as good as they look, offering good support while sort of scooping you in. While they are an OEM manufacturer, they are in my rolodex and I'm going to see if we can work out a way to get them into your hands aftermarket.

Of course the electronics manufacturers were well represented, showing off their latest and greatest gear. My "wouldn't that be cool" list included the Garmin GPSMAP products - GPS chart plotters integrated with your radar, sonar and other gear on a big, touchscreen LCD display. Advanced graphics chips allow for overlay of satellite imagery over the charts, and toggle to a "point of view" display both above and below water that allow you to see the terrain that should be ahead of you and below you. These items have come a long way since the sonar, radar and loran C systems we used when I was commercial fishing.

Another very cool electronic "gadget" I got to play with was FLIR's Navagator infrared night vision video cameras. Check it out at http://www.cvs.flir.com/maritime/products/navigator.cfm. It hardly does it justice, though. The manual or remote controled infrared camera shows you everything with a heat signature on your monitor - very special OPs.

While there I also got a chance to knock around South Beach, eat some great seafood at CJ's Crab Shack somewhere around 13th & Ocean, and look at some amazing boats. They are very different than what we normally see in the Northwest. The amount of money invested in major and mega yachts was astounding, and the cruisers were a treat. Driving down the freeway and looking to the side to see 35' cigarette boats on cradles, and little flats boats with 300 HP strapped to the back end flying down the labrynth of waterways was a lot of fun. Overall I had a great time visiting Miami and look forward to heading down again next year.

New Product Introduction - Boater Sports Keel Protectors

While meeting with our friends at Boater Sports during the IBEX Show in Miami earlier this month, we learned about a new Boater Sports Keel Protector they have just launched.

If you are not familiar with Keel Protectors, they are typically a protective strip that bonds to your boats keel, forming a protective pad for several inches on either side of your keel. The purpose is to provide protection from abrasion or dings when you beach the boat, or come in contact with shallow structures or debris.

Like many of the other products Boater Sports offers, these are focused on utility at a very nice price point. Similar to competing keel protectors like the Keel Shield or Keel Guard products, the Boater Sports Keel Protector is made from PVC with a special 3M marine adhesive to bond it to your keel. The product is designed for you to install it yourself in an afternoon. It requires some prep work to get the keel surface ready for the adhesive, and a little care when actually putting it into place, but it is well within most boat owners capabilities.

The Boater Sports Keel Protector is available in Black or White in 6, ft., 7 ft. and 8 ft. lengths. Each kit comes with the protector, a pair of rubber gloves, 4 tubes of 3M primer to prepare the surface, a special scouring pad and an application squeegee.

Length - Savvy Price
6 ft. - $109.95
7 ft. - $124.95
8 ft. - $139.95

Compare those prices to any other Keel Protector on the market and you'll know why we are so excited about this product.

We are also very pleased to offer Keel Shield Keel Protectors, the industry leader in Keel protection. While they cost a bit more than the Boater Sports Keel Protectors, they are available in a much wider range of colors and sizes. We currently offer 4 sizes and up to 5 color shades, but as a special order we can get the entire range of Keel Shield Keel Protectors from 5 ft. to 12' in up to 14 colors. If you need a size or color we don't offer on the site, give us a call toll free at 866-560-1330 for pricing and availability.

Kasco Marine Deicers Added to the SavvyBoater.com Deicer Line-up for 2007-2008

While I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around marine deicers at the moment (I just got back from Miami and the Bahamas, and it was 70 here in Oregon yesterday), the time is here to start thinking about protecting your boat and dock from ice damage.

We had so much interest in the Powerhouse Ice Eaters last winter that I decided to expand our offerings for 2007-2008. I think we now have about the broadest offerings of dock deicers anywhere on-line. As noted earlier, we have added the entire catalog of Powerhouse Ice Eaters de-icers this year as well as helped several customers acquire specially built units. We've also added specifications and comparison charts for the Powerhouse Ice Eater line.

We are now offering the popular Kasco Marine Deicers in our line up. These units are available in a variety of configurations including:

• The 1/2 HP model 2400D deicer with 25' 50' or 100' of cord.
  
• The 3/4 HP 120 volt model 3400D with 25' 50' or 100' if cord. The 3400HD is for 240 volt power sources and is available with a 50' or 100' cord.


• The 1 HP 4400D 120 volt deicer is available with a 25' or 50' cord while the 240 volt 4400HD features a 50' power cord.

In addition to the units, we are also offering the many Kasco Deicer Accessories that will allow you to customize your installation. their dock mounting and float mounting kit, deicer thermostat and thermostat/timer units as well as the basic replacement parts you'll need for routine maintenance which you can replace yourself.

Technical specifications and typical deicing poswer for these units is available on our new Kasco Marine De-icer Specification and Comparison page. In addition to a great selection of Kasco models and competitive deicers, I think you'll also find we offer very competitive prices.