NE Boat Show unofficial news

[Legacy]

Spent yesterday afternoon at the New England Boat Show that runs until Sunday of this week. Spoke with several dealers and brokers I know personally and word is attendance is way up and the all important sales are also up. One large broker network said they may even have record sales. Hopefully this bodes well for an uptick in the marine industry. Boat loans are in the 6.7% range. One Albin on display, and all white 29' family cruiser, nice to see them back.

Rick

[jleonard]

Where is that show? Boston?

[Pitou]

Where is that show? Boston?

Aye, aye mate. I'm headed in Thursday night. http://www.naexpo.com/boatshow/flash_hompage.html

[Jeff Lavallee]

I have been the last 2 years and will be heading in on Friday night with my wife. I am excited to tour a new Albin.

[jcollins]

Articles that I have been reading indicate that although attendance is down at most shows, sales are up. The shows aren't much for family outings as they used to be. More serious buyers.

[Pitou]

We attended the show last night and it was pretty slow ..... many vendor booths did not even have representation. Naturally the Sea Ray boats were mobbed with kids all over them. I didn't arrive until 6 and arrived at the Cummins booth at 8:30 for advice, but they had already packed up and left . Talked to my local Zodiac dealer and inquired about the Weaver Leaver .... his consensus "save your $$$$", too much work unless I planned on using a come along to raise the raft. That thought has now passed. I'll continue to carry the outboard in the cockpit when necessary. No big deal. More $$$$ for fuel! He told me I had spent enough .... 3 different Zodiacs, Weaver Snap Davits, and 2 outboards in the last 10 years. One guy was in his booth saying how great his inflatable has been, serving him for 20 years .... there's a guy who needs to loosen his wallet .

Anyway a good show overall. I left with some new ideas and a feeling of splash is close at hand. I just wish some of those vendors I had wanted to see and spend $$$$ with did not go home early. If they worked for me .... well that's another story.

Constitution Marina in Boston .... sign said only 7 or 8 slips left!

[Legacy]

The slips available at Constitution Marina are for boats less that 20 feet but they have a program for bigger boaters. SIgn up and they will keep moving you to open slips for the season and then guarantee you a permanent slip next year.

The next marina down from us is less than 50% full - - horrible management and no upkeep. Pays to keep your clients happy!

Rick

[Mariner]

We attended the show last night and it was pretty slow ..... many vendor booths did not even have representation. Naturally the Sea Ray boats were mobbed with kids all over them. I didn't arrive until 6 and arrived at the Cummins booth at 8:30 for advice, but they had already packed up and left . Talked to my local Zodiac dealer and inquired about the Weaver Leaver .... his consensus "save your $$$$", too much work unless I planned on using a come along to raise the raft. That thought has now passed. I'll continue to carry the outboard in the cockpit when necessary. No big deal. More $$$$ for fuel! He told me I had spent enough .... 3 different Zodiacs, Weaver Snap Davits, and 2 outboards in the last 10 years. One guy was in his booth saying how great his inflatable has been, serving him for 20 years .... there's a guy who needs to loosen his wallet .

Anyway a good show overall. I left with some new ideas and a feeling of splash is close at hand. I just wish some of those vendors I had wanted to see and spend $$$$ with did not go home early. If they worked for me .... well that's another story.

Constitution Marina in Boston .... sign said only 7 or 8 slips left!

I wouldn't necessarily agree on the assessment that the Weaver Leaver makes it too heavy to pull the boat up. That all depends on the boat and engine. Our 10' inflatable with 5hp Mercury was a little heavy, yes, but could be lifted by one able bodied person. I will admit that I always wished I had a small block and tackle on the transom or bulkhead to give me some mechanical advantage, but I wouldn't say you need a come-a-long. Besides, at the time, the only alternative was the Sea-Wise system, which is WAY more expensive. A small block and tackle would make a light dinghy easy for just about anyone to raise, and costs a fraction of the amount of the Sea-Wise. Weaver does now have a manually operated hydraulic system, but I still think a block and tackle would work just as well, or even better (since it would be operated from inside the cockpit).

More importantly, although it is a certain amount of physical effort to raise the dinghy, it's still a hell of a lot less than physically removing the outboard! Not to mention the risk of dropping the thing overboard.

My advice, get the Weaver Leaver unless you're not so "spry" anymore and you've got the disposable cash for the SeaWise.

[Richard]

If the outboard is a 2-cycle (which can be stored horizontal) is the Weaver Lever really necessary ? Seems like using the Weaver ARC at the motor end will help carry the extra weight (it attaches directly to the inflatable's transom). Weaver sells a complete snap davit kit set up this way. You can buy the complete system for $400. See http://www.internetoutboards.com/partdetail.asp?id=586. A complete snap davit system with the Weaver Leaver is $870.

[Pitou]

[
I wouldn't necessarily agree on the assessment that the Weaver Leaver makes it too heavy to pull the boat up. That all depends on the boat and engine. Our 10' inflatable with 5hp Mercury was a little heavy, yes, but could be lifted by one able bodied person. I will admit that I always wished I had a small block and tackle on the transom or bulkhead to give me some mechanical advantage, but I wouldn't say you need a come-a-long. Besides, at the time, the only alternative was the Sea-Wise system, which is WAY more expensive. A small block and tackle would make a light dinghy easy for just about anyone to raise, and costs a fraction of the amount of the Sea-Wise. Weaver does now have a manually operated hydraulic system, but I still think a block and tackle would work just as well, or even better (since it would be operated from inside the cockpit).

More importantly, although it is a certain amount of physical effort to raise the dinghy, it's still a hell of a lot less than physically removing the outboard! Not to mention the risk of dropping the thing overboard.

My advice, get the Weaver Leaver unless you're not so "spry" anymore and you've got the disposable cash for the SeaWise.

The height of the 28TE transom makes attachment of a block and tackle at that location prohibitive for any leverage. Any leverage would have to come from the hardtop/radar arch. My rib weighs approx. 110 lbs. and the 8hp 2 cycle motor another 54lbs.. Kind of an awkward heavy pull from the deck with the added weight of the motor. I have thoughts of a smaller outboard to make the leaver more friendly for this "old" busted up SOB. Even 10 years ago mind over matter had more strength. Now there is less matter and more scars. Forest Gump here is still strapping on the 2 mechanical braces this weekend and headed to the slopes ..... tips up! The leaver still makes some sense to me and it will continue to be pondered. I just wish I could view one "in action"

[Mariner]

Don't forget that you're not actually lifting the full weight of the dinghy. In fact, you're probably not even lifting half of it. So, from the start, you're lifting 82#, but you're doing so at a low angle of attack, so as long as you weigh more than 82# (which I'm sure we all do), all you have to do is hold on and lean back. I say again, I was able to do this with only moderate difficult on our old boat. It did have a higher transom than the 28', so you could brace your knees and gut against it, and put your whole body into it, but still, the hardest part was the first foot or so. Once you got it to, say, 30 degrees, the weight was almost entirely transfered to the swimstep and you could easily lift it the rest of the way with one hand. It is for this initial pull, however, that a block and tackle would come in handy. But a 3:1 block and tackle would reduce this initial weight to 27#. If a person can't lift 27#, they probably shouldn't be out and about on a boat, no offense to anyone here, I hope.

Yes, a two cycle engine "can" be stored on it's side, however there are several problems with this in the stated application. First, small outboards like those used in this application often have internal fuel tanks that can leak when stored full on their side. Second, storing an engine like this on it's side when exposed to the elements introduces the possibility of rain water getting under the cowl, and into the engine or carburetors where it could cause corrosion. Oh yes, and don't forget that, while side-storage is common for outboards placed in storage, it is usually only done after clearing the engine of fuel. Placing a carbureted outboard on it's side while it still has fuel in the bowls will cause it to leak out and probably drip onto the pontoon of the inflatable, where it can cause untold damage. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the lower unit will be left sticking out behind the boat, extending your LOA and increasing the risk of damage in an enclose marina. And forget about backing into a slip, people would be lining up to do the "limbo" on the dock behind your boat.

It's too bad I don't still have that Weaver Leaver. It surely survived the fire and was probably salvaged by the insurance company (along with the anchor, chain, engine block, cleats, etc...). I will admit, it wasn't terribly easy to use. Until I had gotten comfortable with it, I was always worried I was going to lose a finger or break an arm, but the truth is, such an accident was pretty unlikely and entirely avoidable, and the device was well built and worked quite well. There is no doubt in my mind that the Sea-Wise is a superior product. However, it's also a larger, heavier, and more expensive product. A MUCH more expensive product. On a smaller boat like our old Camano Troll, or a 28' Albin, The Weaver Leaver is clearly the preferred choice.

[Pitou]

Mariner ... you are correct in the 1st 30 degrees or so is where the heavy lifting ends and the pivot of the raft and gravity take over. What I have been doing is pulling the external tank fuel line and running the engine dry of fuel and then removing the motor from the RIB and laying the outboard flat on the deck w/ the engine slightly elevated & cushioned w/ a couple of old life vests. In this manner ... no leaking fuel, rain water running in or extension of LOA.

I am still doing the flip flop on the Leaver and should just pull the trigger and find out if I care for it. If I do it, I will down size the outboard and keep my 8hp for the square stern canoe. The debate .... in my mind .... lives on!

Thanks for the thoughts.

[Mariner]

Our engine was a 5hp Merc 2 stroke with a built in fuel tank. An 8hp would be heavier, I agree. I really do think a block and tackle system would make lifting the rig super easy. The low angle to the roof or radar arch would be just fine, so long as it doesn't ride over the transom. if it did, you could just install a stainless anti-chafing plate.

I will qualify my remarks by saying I don't own a 28 Tournament Express, nor have I spent much time on one, so I really can't say how it would work on that boat. My experience with the Weaver Leaver was mixed. I didn't like it at the time. But now that I see the lack of other products out there, and the drastic price difference between it and the only reasonable competitor, I realize it was a lot better product than I thought.