Something I have wanted to do for a long time , getting my open water dive certification. Steve Bartlett and my “graduating class” at N 2 Deep Divers were great . We went to a site inside of the the St George bridge reef today with perfect sea conditions and enjoyed our first “real dives” . The reef was put down about 2 years ago by the OAR folks [ Organization for Artificial Reefs] http://www.oar-reefs.org/ who endure the environmental processes, pick the sites,get the reefs, and get the grants and run the tournament to make theses reefs happen.

What a great habitat they provide . We  saw parts of the bridge we used to drive out to St George Island on covered with coral,  goliath grouper , schools of amberjack, jack crevalles ,zillions of snappers , remoras, hog fish,shimmering masses of sliver baitfish etc…

Its all I expected and more .

The experience opened my eyes as to how lucky we are to have this resource at out disposal . Did we harvest a few fish ? Specifically Red Snapper ? Yes , Are they abundant in this part of the Gulf ? Yes…..

Now I have seen it with my own eyes …………

Marc

I finished my written and confined dives for my PADI certification this week at N 2 Deep dive center in Apalachicola . Steve Bartlett is a great dive instructor and Steve’s wife Sandy runs a tight ship with a very nice facility located on the Scipio Creek in the pld Benign Boat works buliding . The skills are emphasized and the class is very thorough . They have great rental equipment to get you started and have a full servicxe NITROX and regular air fill center there as well . They carry very nice dive gear and can help you pick good stuff for yor dive style and skill level .

I am looking forward to going out in the Gulf and seeing all the spots I have been fishing for the last 9 years or so as well as exploring while travelling . For me its sort of a completion of my aqueous goals as I have been in the water or on the water all my life . Just never very far under the water . I have many friends that are divers and will be happy to join that fraternity .If anyone is interested in adding diving to their lives , call 850-653-DEEP or see their website at www.n2deepdive.com

Marc

Marc

We have all the current sizes of what we at Wefings call the “Parker Killer” . Defiance Pilothouse Boats are a cut above in so many ways . First of all they have a lifetime warranty on the hulls . Second they are all composite construction . Third they simply ride better and are more fuel efficient . They feature equal or deeper Vee hulls with far more advanced hull design , more standard features and simply represent the best value in the pilothouse fishing boat business . They are also introducing a standup head on the larger models and have what I think is the best bang for the buck for a fish or dive boat the 195 Yellowtail. That little pilothouse boat has a bracket on a 20′ hull powered with a single 115 Yamaha and will get you to the grounds for less $ than anything else out there with a semi enclosed pilothouse . It is also a killer dive boat and will get four divers out comfortably with a bunch of tanks . Come in and see or test drive the defiance boats at Wefings Marine . They are really exceptional value and the best buy in thhe Pilothouse Boat Business.

Marc

Wefings will be hosting our third annual Gulf Coast C Dory Gathering the weekend of October 17th-19th. We will have good food, good company and some fun cruising with our great crew of boat owners and participants . The location is on the Apalachicola river , just above the railroad bridge with space for about 20 boats to dock . There is a great area to cook, eat shrimp and oysters,and gather for swapping stories and our annual lecture from Gibby Conrad about the areas maritime history . We also have a block of rooms available at the Water Street Hotel for those that either don’t have boats or want the great accommodations they provide and a slip in front of their room . All in all we have made this event lots of fun , with more folks every year and new friends made . We encourage everyone to come and see why life is more fun with a boat ! Please call us for more information if you are interested in attending ,even if you are not currently a boat owner , we will have a great time and there will be plenty of “rides” available .

Marc

Our thoughts and prayers are with the folks in the path of Gustav , anyway you look at it there will  be some exciting and challenging times and we hope just minor inconvenience for those evacuating . The Gulf Coast will band together as we have done in the past to help our neighbors . Events like this bring folks of all walks of life together as one for the common good, so lets forget any differences and be ready to help our fellow man .

Marc

Looks like Fay will be bringing some rain our way . We round these parts would like her to park over Atlanta for a week or so . Perhaps we will get some relief from the drought without any property damage . Not only would the rain be welcome for a temporary easing from lack of water in our river systems , but the boating industry in Atlanta could use some help with the water levels . That would truly be a win win situation .The “spaghetti” model tracks go everywhere from Georgia to Louisiana . It will still merit close attention from all along the potential path .I know some commercial fishermen will want to see some stirring up in the gulf , just not too much . Heres to hopin for a positive event

The Ranger Tug “Kokomo” is on its way to South Carolina today , Its a beautiful Hero Red Cummins 150 powered machine with the new Garmin touchscreen  package as well as the 2009 updates such as the more extensive use of vinyl in the headliner , and the Smartcraft information package . Remaining from the original design are the Sidepower Thrusters , and a design so attractive and friendly you feel as though you have known her all your life.

The Ranger 25 is truly one of the best things to happen to boating in a number of years . It has what people need and desire in todays rather humdrum and predictable boating market .

Great efficiency , great performance , head turning good looks with lot and lots of charachter . Wefings has a demo model in stock that we encourage folks to come see . Just give us a call and we will be happy to discuss the Ranger 25 with you. Then you too can find out just what makes her so special.

Marc

We  have had the first exciting weather of the summer season here in the last few days . Some pretty blustery storms around Apalachicola , St George Island and Eastpoint. There were power outages , including a couple poles snapped across the bay to St George . Last year that happened during the winter and it took a couple days to get it fixed . Looks like the weather will break today and they will get things back to normal in the next few days . The rain was welcomed however .

Marc

Its what the powerboat industry [and America] is built on . Cheap ,plentiful fuel . Gas , diesel , its changing as we speak . I for one will not stop boating and most of our customers will not either . They still boat in Europe , and other places where fuel is far more expensive , they just do it more conservatively. If your boat is encrusted with barnacles ,clean it , shower your vessel with proper care and it will return the favor by using less fuel and being cleaner and greener . Your wallet will be greener too. If you are a new boater and the undeniable attraction is there ,explore your options for efficient boats .We try to be a little ahead of the curve at Wefings . We have embraced fuel efficient boats and motors for years . Catamarans, C Dorys , Ranger Tugs , Shamrocks,Pangas, Etc….

Here is a quote from Soundings Trade Only’s marine industry blog called Trade Talk . Written by F. Ned Dikmen, of the
Great Lakes Boating Federation

“American boating requires fuel—and lots of it—to satisfy boaters’ insatiable appetite for speed. The greening of boating through the use of alternative energy may come some day, but it is not here yet. It remains a dream on the distant horizon, a challenge made more difficult by boaters demand for speed and the inefficiency of conventional hull design. Alternate renewable energy sources remain unable to deliver the performance offered by gas and diesel. Unless we begin the difficult transition into modifying our ways of boating by slowing down and reducing use, the future of boating as we know it is in jeopardy.

In Europe, boaters have been living with nearly $10-per-gallon fuel for quite some time. I recently returned from Istanbul, where I saw enormous marinas filled with thousands of boats of all sizes. Rather than quitting boating, it seems Turkish boaters, not all of whom are rich, have found ways to deal with the challenges of high fuel cost. ”

So , as we enter the new era of efficient thinking . We need to take some hints from the rest of the world ,learn from them , and make America stronger by leading the innovation . And Just keep boating and enjoying the fun that we all know and love .

Marc

I have just returned from the Champion Boat Dealer Meeting in Tennessee . It was a great experience for a lot of reasons . First of all the whole Champion experience has an unmistakable feeling of family .They traditionally have made Bass Boats .Perhaps the best in the industry. They also make Saltwater Bay Boats, that we believe are some of the finest available, and what people that are serious about their fishing and boating want and need .They openly welcomed the Wefings Family into theirs .

It is a privately owned company ,With an average employee tenure of 10 years and is owned by a fellow named Irwin Jacobs .He joined us for dinner on Sunday and spoke about the industry. He just happens to own 13 other major boat companies and is the most important non publicly traded player [Genmar Corp] in the boating industry. Not traded is a key concept here. There is a gloom and doom mentality from some of the marine mega conglomerates [read Brunswick Corp] that are doing poorly in the challenging marketplace we are experiencing at present . They are making and have been making mistakes on a corporate level that are impacting profits and explaining it away to the shareholders as a market and economic condition problem. They still make some great products ,don’t get me wrong. Their specialties are racing , and high performance ,fresh water motors.

Some will always do better than others in love , war , and a less than perfect market , it just isn’t Brunswick Corps turn at this time. Its Genmar’s .Our dealership has embraced some seemingly risky and different concepts to grow and prosper, made some good decisions [some bad ones too], and don’t believe that the boating world is coming to an end . I look into myself and see what joy being on a boat [of any kind] brings me, and know I will never stop boating and loving it .Its what I do . We believe that we control our destiny . We are busy serving our customers .We listen to our customers and try to create new ones and please them .That’s one way we control our destiny.

The meeting was smaller than last year , a sign of the times . The boats looked better than ever , a sign of agility and attention to the marketplace , dealer and customer feedback and the desire to succeed. The dealers that sell this line were upbeat and gave me the impression that they felt the same way we do. Orders were written. New dealers were signed.

We are diving headlong ,yet cautiously ,into the Bass Boat side . Our team pro is a former tournament angler [Blair Morgan,Bluewater Bandit charters]and has some insight as to what folks want, and how Champion has a brand loyalty that is simply amazing .The other dealers present were very willing to share their insights as to what folks want in their boats and their dealers , and in general, the way they think .Great stuff .

I am a saltwater angler . Always have been, salt is in my blood . I know that catching an almost 6 foot tall Sailfish is more exciting to me than catching a Bass .We are not all the same. But a bass fisherman does a different thing . Especially a tournament angler . Its a cult, competition, a lifestyle , far more than meets the eye. And a lot meets the eye. The boats are works of art . There are thousands of color combinations. They are hand made and represent a personal level of craftsmanship and customization that is fantastic, and far beyond most saltwater boats. Its easy to wonder how it all fits together . I have a new respect , as I see the care and technology ,knowledge and skill that it takes to make one of those high performance works of technology and art run at its best. And man, Ill tell you performance bass boats are an e ticket ride all the way. Its a dual purpose racing and fishing boat . The Adrenaline tank is full.

If you are interested in a new or used Champion Bass Boat , feel free to call or e mail the dealership for info, pricing ,options, colors ,performance etc……

Watch for some new video of our trip as well as some pictures . But especially come see and ride a Champion Boat !

You will not be disappointed.

Marc