During the Stuart Boat Show in mid-January, we purchased a special 3-day pass for cruisers for just $35 each, which included coffee and bagels each morning, lunches, and happy hours, along with various seminars of interest to cruisers, plus unlimited access to the boat show itself. The best thing for us was that it was all located at three marinas right across the street from us. In fact, some of the displays were actually set up right on Dixie Highway, which passes in front of our marina.
Boats of all kinds, both new and "pre-owned," were on view on the docks of the three adjoining marinas.
There was something for every power boater's taste, whether it was trawlers or speedboats, like the one below powered by four 350 hp engines. We could just imagine the amount of fuel that baby must consume!
And if you you couldn't make it to the show on foot or by car, well how about using Sky Limo Air Charters?
One thing we noticed that was different from other boat shows we have attended in the past was that the vast majority of boats on display here were used boats for sale, such as this one with the sign, "Pre-Owned & Repo Bargains."
As one can see from the photos, the weather was just perfect for the show, for which we felt very lucky indeed, especially when we considered what was happening in latitudes north of us. In fact, although some days have been somewhat cooler than one might expect in Florida, most of the time it has been warm enough to enjoy a walk on the beach.
Jensen Beach is the closest one to us. We found a nice beach park there with free parking and a pavillion with free public restrooms and a lunch counter.
Another reason we like being in the Stuart area is that it is very easy to find skilled marine mechanics and technicians to address the various problems one can encounter with a boat. While we've been here, we have certainly experienced at least our fair share of mechanical, electrical, and electronic problems, but have been able to get everything fixed to our satisfaction.
After the fuel leak problem was solved and fixed (see our last blog posting), we had trouble getting our KVH satellite TV system to work. As it turned out, our M1 unit was experiencing some signal interference, which kept the satellite dish under the dome from locking onto the proper satellite.
Our KVH dealer finally figured out the problem and solved it by attaching a ferrite bead to the cable to eliminate the interference. Problem solved. The best part was that, since the unit is still under warranty, it didn't cost us anything to get it fixed!
Next, our aft head (toilet) stopped working. This turned out to be a simple electrical connection problem which was easy to solve (if you have the right guy to do it, which we did). Then, our fresh water pump started leaking, requiring the purchase and installation of a new one.
Once again, this was quickly and easily taken care of because we had access to a mechanic who knew what he was doing, and who came right away.
So, why would we want to leave? Because, although we are EXTREMELY comfortable here, points south still beckon. To that end, we have been checking out some marinas south of here which are also part of the Loggerhead chain of sister marinas, all the way down to Aventura, just north of Miami. The neat thing is that they have reciprosity agreements with all other Loggerhead Marinas. So, since we have paid for the month of February here in Stuart, we can go to any of the other ones for no additional fee. What a deal!
We don't know where our next blog posting will come from, but 'til then, we'll try to have as much fun as we can.
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