Racing is tough and no one can tell me I don’t know what I am talking about when it comes to putting the money together to put on a offshore race especially in a large market like Miami. So when I was talking with Performance Boat Center owner Brett Manire the other day. He told me he was writing the check for the full prize purse for the Super Vee Light OSS Class for the upcoming Lake of the Ozarks Offshore Super Series Race Lake of the Ozarks Invitational Powerboat Race | Thurs. June 6th . This race returns to the Lake of the Ozarks in June 2013. The Lake of the Ozarks Invitational Offshore Super Series Race Event will be hosted by Beavers at the Dam June 7-9, 2013.

Also supporting the event is National and World Champion as well as World Record Holder Dave Scott, who will be the honorary chairperson. This will be a world-class race event that will attract race teams, support operations, and thousands of spectators from the Lake area and the surrounding communities.
The OSS race committee is currently working with officials from Ameren Missouri, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and the city of Lake Ozark on a plan to allow spectators onto the dam in order to view the race.

Brett said the loves the Super Vee light Class and the guys who run in it. Of course as an Outerlimits Dealer he is supportive of the Factory Entry but overall said it is a great class and it’s affordable as can be compared to the other options in the sport.

Personally I applaud Brett and his crew for showing this outstanding support and leadership. It is these kinds of efforts that feed the machine to keep all of us going in the direction of success. The camaraderie friendship and common goals are what will give us all the success and ability to keep on Powerboating! In addition to the cash he is setting up deals for tow money, hotels and other needs for the teams.

Bravo Zulu! to the entire team

Yes! it was supposed to be at the Miami Boat Show as we had previously reported and it just showed up in Miami last night and we just finished running it down to the new owners house. It’s here and it is fabulous. The boat is beyond comparison to all the other center console offerings and my words can’t explain it or do it justice. The shape, feel, and touch of this boat is very different. The longtime slogan from MTI is “Shaping the Future of Offshore” and they certainly lived up to the slogan with this latest creation.

Larry Goldman of North Miami‘s Xtreme Powerboats sold the boat from the model displayed to a gentleman from Europe who had an Outerlimits but wanted something more than a dazzled up fishboat. Larry said “This boat meets or exceeds all of his customer’s expectations”. Larry said the Boat was close for Miami, and Randy Scism (owner of MTI) had to make the ultimate decision. We didn’t want to rush it and took the extra time to make it right and be worthy of the design, quality, performance, expected from MTI.”

The boat features a revolutionary hull design with a small full tunnel, recessed storage compartments, full queen sized berthing area, protected powered bolster seats for up to six occupants, and a ride in big water that is incomparable to any other offering on the market. We know of at least one new customer who after going for a back to back sea trial on the SV42 Prototype boat at the Miami Show cancelled his existing order for another brand because of how impressed he was with the ride of this boat.

“Was it worth the wait?” I asked the new owner, he said “The best part is before you get the boat, when you are imagining how it is going to be, what it’s going to be, and how you are going to use it. Now that its here that process is over” He also told me he enjoyed the adventure of traveling to the MTI plant in Missouri with his good friend Larry Goldman who guided him throughout the entire experience and it was an incredible adventure. He also said “ I have finally found what I was looking for since I have been here in Miami, a boat to which I can have no headaches and enjoy boating with my family and friends. We love to tour around Miami and view the sights and homes from the water.”

Today we splashed the boat full with about 420 gallons of fuel and five of us onboard. The boat was incredible; it rolled up on plane and ran 67 MPH at 6000 rpm so there is more to come with props and weight loss. The wind in Miami today was uncomfortable and the lack of lean from the large molded T-top was impressive. The boat turned and responded in a way not common to center consoles. Today Monday 25 March the boat is leaving Miami for Key West on a 320 mile commissioning run. I also have to tell you I have trailered and followed a long list of impressive boats around Miami and Fort Lauderdale. This one takes 1st prize for the number of heads turned and pictures taken, today on A1A cars on both sides slowed to take pictures and heads turned all the way to the ramp. See more in the forums.

This weekend Powerboat Nation rolled as a spectator to the Florida Powerboat Clubs Fort Myers Poker Run. Returning to the Pink Shell Resort ideally located at the north end of Fort Myers Beach, this newly renovated resort hotel with a bay side marine immediately across the street was a perfect location for such an event.

When we arrived Saturday morning, many of the boat owners on the dock getting ready to go. The weather was perfect and the 25 boats participating in the run were all anxious to underway. Stu was busy getting ready to go but I was able to capture him for a few moments to get his take on how things were shaping up for the event and the club.

Talking with Stu he said he was thrilled to return to Southwest Florida, “The renovated hotel is perfect. it has great floating docks; and near the inlet so everything is easy and convenient” he also said the poker run participants had responded well , to the new event and participation was fantastic, and feels that there’s a strong resurgence of activity from the members both from southwest Florida and also the members from away who enjoy coming here.”

The Florida Powerboat Club also had its safety plan in place and two fully equipped boats were loaded with divers and response gear to support the clubs safety plan.

As soon as the boats began to depart, we rode to the lunch stop to catch them at the docks before leaving from the roll back to the east side of Florida and the Palm Beach Boat Show.

Bravo to Stu, Jacky and the crew of the Florida Powerboat Club for putting on such a great event at a great location on the Gulf Side of Florida! Florida Powerboat Clubs next event is the Tampa Bay Poker Run, April 12-14. This is always a great event, held at the Vinoy Resort.

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Today Brett Manire owner of Performance Boat Center called to let us know he is now the Official Midwest Exclusive Dealer for Statement Marine Powerboats.

Brett said “I am stocking boats for immediate sale. The first boat will arrive in April, a 35 foot center console with party pleasure set up and extremely cool LED lights and an interior that is unique and cool. This is not a fish boat!” Brett went on that the boat is being set up with twin Mercury Marine 300 Verados. www.Mercurymarine.com “The boat is Stoic and will have a system that is incredible!” Exclaimed Brett.

The second boat to come will be the Statement 368 SUV crossover with triple 300 Verados. I asked Brett why 300’s and not step up to the 350’s? “WARRANTY! Was his quick reply, “The 300’s come with a five year warranty that can be extended to 7 years. The 350s come with only one year.” He also said, “The Verados are pleasure, easy to run, and maintain.”

When I asked Brett why Statement when they are so many offerings in the center Console segment? He went on for a while. “I like the fit and finish, great branding, outstanding presence and support at all the boating events, add the innovative outside the box thinking, that separates Statement Marine from all the other brands. They are just a Class Act.” He also said there was one main ingredient that made it all happen. “Craig Barrie was totally responsible for me to become a dealer for Statement” Brett told me he has had a long standing relationship with Craig and the trust and confidence he has with Craig was what brought him to the table. “Crag Barrie is the reason I am a dealer “said Brett

Brett went on to say he is “Excited to get first boat and be competitive in the Center Console arena. Now Performance Boat Center is a Stocking Outerlimits and Statement dealer. Now we have both top of the line performance boat lines. Performance Boat Center will now have Statement and Outerlimits boats in stock for immediate sale.

After talking to Brett I called Craig Barrie to get his perspective. Craig said “Brett has always been a friend and was thrilled to be able to bring Statement to Performance Boat Center. I have known Brett for a long time and it’s really a thrill to have his Performance Boat Center as A statement dealer, they have excellent service, follow through and they are located in a big and important market.”

Look for much more to come from Performance Boat Center in the future!

For over a year the Team at Miss GEICO Racing MISS GEICO RACING | Extreme Unlimited Class Racing under the leadership of Gary Stray has been transforming the old INXS Race Boat into a modern marvel now rigged with Twin Lycoming L13-703 coupling the 3700 total HP to Arneson Drives Arneson Surface Drives, this former Multi-Time World and National Champion race boat will now be campaigned as a bad to the bone pleasure boat.

The boat is now owned by a avid boater from Trinidad and it will eventually return to the islands after running a few Poker Runs here in the states.

Scott Begovich told us today on the phone that he expects to have the boat in the water this week and will be working it up. “Baby Steps to get started and make sure all is in order” Said Scott

Look for more information on the outcome of this project in the coming days.

Some After and Before pictures

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PowerBoatNation.Com staff photographers Don Heldoorn and Frank Robinson traveled to Lake Ming Ca. this past weekend to get a firsthand look at how a top fuel hydro race team puts together an 8000 hp bullet drag boat through the paces of competitive racing.

PowerBoatNation meet up with Sean Broidy who is the master fabricator and fixture builder for the Top Fuel Hydro #460 Toxic Rocket Race Team, www.toxicrocket.com owned by Joe Cassidy of Granite Construction located in San Francisco. Top Fuel Drag Boat Racing is really for the love of the sport, while sponsorship is always welcome racing takes place regardless and the money comes from somewhere. Sean showed us through the pits and talked to us on what it takes to be top fuel race team in the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.

Beside the deep pockets needed to create a race team, it takes a crew of professionals that each have a role in the success of the team. From engine head builder Alan Johnson to clutch setup to engine tuner they all have their part and responsibility, after each pass the team has to remove the engine strip it down, check for ware, bearing seals, go over the whole boat and put it all back together in just 60 minutes.

This day at Lake Ming was just a trial run and shakedown of the boat setup. The team wanted to make sure the propellers were aligned and were in the proper location for the balance of horse power to weight of the boat.

The first pass came at around 11 am and all at once the fans lined the shore to witness and feel the explosive power these incredible Powerboating Beasts produce, and its fast, if you are napping and blink you may miss it. With pilot Glen Wilson at the controls “smoke on the water” becomes a reality not just an ad slogan. The launch was vicious and when the boat came down for the set it was heading left towards the shore and Glen had to shut her down. Back at the Pits when I showed Glen the video of his pass he said “Why did it turn left?” A question I passed off to Sean, and he explained to me that the power from the boats propellers pushed one of the shafts forward 1/8″ which in turn pushed the boat to the left. Sean’s quote to me was, “the props have to be 90 degrees square to the centerline of the boat and if not she won’t run straight”. I asked” isn’t that what the rudder if for?”, “Not exactly”, he explained, “The boat has to want to run straight or all the steering of the rudder in the world won’t straighter her out. You have less than 4 seconds in 1000 feet to keep this 22 foot 3000 pound rocket “PowerBoat” straight so you can keep the pedal mashed to the floor to keep those 4.5 g’s of force pinning you to the seat.” A few hours in the pits and with some minor corrections to the starboard prop shaft and a freshen up of the motor; they were ready to make what was to be their final pass for the day. I witnessed the fuel team empty six, 5 gallon jugs of fuel into the aluminum custom fabricated fuel cell. To keep the boat balanced while the fuel is consumed the fuel cell is aligned along the centerline of the boat. This puts it right behind Glens back. Safety of course is first and foremost and each driver in these boats is protected from a crash and fire in a very well designed safety capsule. In the event of a crash the canopy detaches from the boat and skips to a stop and floats while the rescue boat comes to assist. An air tank is fitted into the boat and a regulator is custom built into the helmet so fresh air is supplied to the pilot in such an event. The second pass proved to be a correct move as that boat launched straight. The elapsed time (e.t.) for the pass was 174 mph. and Glen had to shut down the Toxic Rocket at about the 150 foot line for an engine issue, but they are definitely on the right track for the upcoming season.

PBN will continue to provide updated information on the race team’s progress this season. The first national event can be witnessed at Lake Irvine, Calif. May 3rd – 5th. See here for schedules. For more information about Toxic Rocket racing you can visit their website.

Staff Photographer/ writer : Don Heldoorn

Many Offshore Racing Fans from the late 90’s and early 2000’s will remember Leo Leonard as the enthusiastic and amiable Crew Chief of the Twisted Sticks and Twisted Chicks racing teams. An avid Ohio powerboater from the Great Lakes, Leo could fix anything on an offshore boat and also worked with Keith Eickert and Hardin Marine, helping powerboaters to help themselves with the right parts and service.

After moving to Palm Coast, Florida, years ago, Leo is more often found on a motorcycle than a powerboat. His lovely wife, “Sam” is always at his side and on the back of the bike and unfortunately, they were together when an errant driver move forced the couple into a crash and into medical care. It was then that Sam was also diagnosed with small cell lung cancer—the worst, inoperable strain of the dreaded disease. A fighter through and through, Sam is determined to live for Leo and her two great sons. She is a headstrong woman who we are all putting our money on to beat cancer and prove an inspiration to others.
Since Sam has been denied insurance coverage, her friends in Daytona are putting together a fund raiser to help pay for the astronomical costs of chemotherapy and white blood cell treatments. As the most generous participants in many fund raisers for Boggy Creek and other HOG events, Sam and Leo are now at the receiving end and we hope that people will remember their work for others less fortunate and now help make the good karma “come around.”
A Poker Run will be held in Daytona, Florida on April 20—2, wheels, 3 wheels, 4 wheels—whatever you’ve got—come on out for a great day of riding, entertainment and fun and support Sam and Leo Leonard in their fight against lung cancer.
Sign up:
The White Eagle, (Korona, just north of the Iron Horse on US 1) 10-11 AM $10/hand with free breakfast, $1 Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas, Then head out to:
Houligan’s – Destination Daytona, Hooters (across from the Speedway), Lollipops – North Grandview Ave., Daytona Beach, and back to the World Famous Iron Horse Saloon, US1 in Ormond Beach.
Last bike in at 3:30 PM

Live music by Country Rocker Bobby Scott will keep you entertained while 50/50 raffles, a silent and live auction, prizes for best and worst hand will keep the action flowing! Special thanks to all the locations and friends who are contributing to the effort, including The Daytona Beach HOG Chapter, Politis & Matovina Law Firm, Budweiser, Twisted Tea, Jim Beam and Thunder Roads Florida Magazine.
Come on out and show support for fellow powersports fans and veterans and friends who need us now more than ever! April 20 – Rain Date May 4, but we’re counting on YOU and sunny skies!
If you cannot make the run but would still like to donate, contact Marilyn DeMartini 954 564 7234 or dmartiniup@comcast.net. THANK YOU for your support!

Arneson and Chief Powerboats, Bobby Saccenti, team up to build a 42’ Chief Powerboat.

Chief Powerboats owner Bobby Saccenti had a vision to produce an endurance race boat for his customer Ole, a Norwegian businessman. The vision started at the 2012’ Miami boat show to build a new era twin stepped 42’ Chief Powerboat to campaign in the 2013 Venture Cup Event. Venture Offshore Cup | Welcome to the Venture Cup – the World’s toughest powerboat race and an adventure of epic proportions. Beginning in June of 2013, fifty of the greatest powerboats ever assembled will leave Cowes in the UK and battle 2,400

At the 12’ Miami show Bobby and Ole walked the show and decided upon the power and the propulsion needed to handle the duties for the grueling job ahead. They decided to use the Ilmor 725hp engines and the Arneson ASD8-6 Drive Units rigged in a stagger configuration and to be rigged by Performance Marine’s John Pompi.

The boat was completed this week, March 11, 2013 for its first seal trial. Bobby Saccenti and John Pompi reported “the boat jumped on plane in virtually its own length, it tracks straight as an arrow and the boat really likes the Arneson Surface Drives” they also stated the original speed goal was surpassed and once they get the tach’s reading correctly they will be able to adjust the propellers for a bit for even more speed. Bobby Saccenti stated he had a lot of nervous nights as the sea trial date neared but was blown away by the boats performance on the flat calm water of the intercostal way they sea trialed the boat on. Stay tuned for the results.

The Specs:
Power: Ilmor 725hp @ 6,400 rpm
Drives: Arneson ASD8-6 Drop Box Drive Units, 1.56:1 reduction ratio
Propellers: Hering 5 Blade
LOA: 42′
Beam: 8’2″
Weight: 9,500 lbs.

Following up on our story of Suitcase of Cash, we have new news. On 7 March 2013 the prosecution in the case against Steven Knight rested its case. Mr. Knight’s attorneys now have 5 days to review the final arguments and respond. From there who knows said Steven when I spoke with him on the phone during his one hour break from the confines of his 12 X 8 two man cell he is forced to share with six other prisoners.

Today I got to hear the story directly from Steven, the hard part is to keep it short so I jump some details and tell you in August of 2011 Steven took the boat to Mexico and sold it. He collected $1.2 Million in cash, declared it with Mexican Customs and with all paperwork in order departed for the US where upon arrival he declared the cash, cleared customs and deposited the money in a U S bank.

Then a short while later he returned to Mexico to collect the final $950,000.00. Same as before he collected the money, checked into and cleared Mexican Customs and while waiting to depart the Mexican Federal Police arrived and decided $950,000.00 was “a lot of money” and they detained
Steven, the plane and his captain who was with him aboard.

Interesting fact is all the paperwork shows everything was done properly, there was no problem. The Mexican Customs agents testified all paperwork was in order and they were surprised he was detained. The Mexican Federal Police who testified said he was detained because while all the paperwork was in place “It was a lot of money”. The DEA looked into the situation and said no drug involvement; it was simply the sale of a boat. The State Department said they don’t deal with the Mexican judicial system, and Congressman Connie Mack’s office pledged to help and then did nothing after they got a nice sound bite. Key West Congressman Joe Garcia is working to get some visibility on the case and hopefully get some sort of final resolution.

Regardless of what happened after 17 months of being held guilty until proven innocent the next 2-4 months will be significant for both Steven and his boat captain who remains locked up with him. The judge could rule either way and if the judge does rule in favor of release then the prosecutor may appeal which could delay the return home even longer. When they are released the money remains a problem because who has it and how will he get it back. Beyond the deplorable conditions and being confined to a hole for 23 hours a day, they have lost most everything, being away from your business and income for 17 months can take a huge toll and Steven will need help upon his return to restructure and resettle. He has lost over 60 lbs and is generally not well, he is optimistic he will get out and I am hopeful to meet him in Key West for a drink on the pier as soon as he does!

A call to his attorney again went unanswered. More to come when details become available…

On Tuesday, February 5, and in partnership with numerous other groups, National Marine Manufacturers (NMMA) Association participated in a Hill briefing to educate policy makers and their staff about the negative impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The briefing brought together over 70 House members or staffers and more than 50 members of the Senate, and their staff, as NMMA highlighted concerns about the introduction of E15 into the marketplace. Members of Congress listened as NMMA shared the results of research that shows the devastating effects that E15 can have on marine engines, including photos of destroyed engines which were damaged by E15 during testing. In addition to NMMA’s concerns regarding marine engines, testimony from the overall group touched on a wide variety of important issues impacted by the RFS such as food prices, conservation, emissions, and budget implications.

Jim Currie, director of federal legislative affairs with the National Marine Manufacturers Association said in closing remarks, “As I am the last presenter today, let me offer a hypothetical scenario, based on what you have heard. Suppose an organization approached the Hill today and said, ‘We have a great idea for a new policy. It will largely benefit a small number of people in one part of the country, and members of Congress from there will support it wholeheartedly. The downside is that it will hurt the environment; and conservation practices; and will drive up food costs; and hurt people in developing countries; and will potentially damage every small engine in the country…and it will damage boat engines; and it will potentially damage most automobile engines and will void your engine warranty if you use it.’ That’s where we are today, and we think this law needs to be changed”

For most of us this is not the first time you have heard the screaming over the latest trend in E15 fuel for your power boat. You have possibly heard of the horrors of the damage it is causing in all of the fuel related components on your engine. What you may have not heard about, is possibly one of the biggest fears you should have. When E15 becomes combusted with salt air it becomes like a super catalyst for erosion. For years you have known that salt water was the nemesis attacking your engine and exhaust systems water jackets and that eventually it would rot and corrode its way through the water jacket of your headers. Well hang on tight my friends because here’s an example of some factory Mercury Racing headers only 18 month old on some 700SCI Mercury Motors. These headers have been inspected and had metallurgical tests to verify they literally eroded from the exhaust passage to the water jacket. This new combination of ethanol will be destroying stainless steel exhaust systems around the country. While in this application it can be directly related to the E15 fuel and salt air analysis, time will tell what this fuel is capable of doing in a fresh air environment.

WARNING! E15 is destroying $5,000 exhaust systems and probably more we just don’t know it yet.

Reach out to your Senator or Congressman and let them know you will no longer stand for this outrage!

Wherever you end up when you travel with your sportboat, careful preparation and planning are essential. As members of the “boating press,” we often dole out advice about boating safety and how everyone should listen to and apply our recommendations. But, do those of us who write about all this boating stuff really own boats and go boating? And when we do, do we take our own advice?

For as long as I can remember, I have been attracted to boats, boating, and reaching for the horizon as fast as I could get there— only to be attracted to the next horizon. For the most part I have succeeded in staying on the water. While my financial resources have limited how fast I have gone, I have been fortunate enough to maintain a fairly steady course afloat and so far—knock wood—I have been relatively trouble free.

I recently returned to Florida after completing a 7,125-mile cross-country boating odyssey. For whatever reason, I decided it would be a great adventure to trailer my ’01 Cigarette 38-foot sportboat with my ’01 Ford F-350 truck to the Northwest, down into California, then through Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and so on, and finally back to Florida, my home state. Without question, my exposure to many different risks went up exponentially, and before I left, I recognized that I should properly prepare for this road trip to mitigate potential disasters before I departed. With prevention as the primary objective, we prepped the boat. Of course, I had just rebuilt both engines and all appeared to be good with primary power and drives, which were recently inspected. Now it was time to create a checklist to verify that all was operational onboard. Remember, accidents don’t just happen. The devil is always in the details. I went with the following list. Navigation lights, bilge bumps, and the anchor: All required safety equipment was checked before we left home and nicely stowed. Spare parts: If some is good, more is better. Water pumps, starters, header gaskets, fuel pumps, gasket material, plugs, and tools— we brought them all. Trailer safety: The idea of trailering anything more 7,000 miles justifiably had me thinking about the condition of my trailer. So I replaced all the wheel bearings, even if they didn’t need it, and the old ones went into the trailer toolbox for spares. New tires were installed as needed, and we carried four spares. The trailer brakes were checked, parts replaced as required, and everything checked and rechecked. The truck was serviced and received new brake pads and the addition of some extra gear to include emergency lights, markers, new bottle jacks, extra hitch balls, mounts, and straps. I also brought along extra trailer brake parts, just in case.

Traveling around the country and boating on different lakes, bays, and sounds presents challenges and potential safety pitfalls. I knew it wouldn’t look good for Sportboat’s safety expert to have an accident, so I was extra cautious and aware. Of the 30 days away on this trip, the boat was in the water for 15 of them. While we did experience some mechanical breakdowns with the boat, nothing was significant enough to cause more than about an hour’s delay.

Across the nation and, I suspect, the world, boat ramps tend to bring out the usual less-than-competent suspects and the calamities they create. To help prevent such unfortunate incidents, I always walked the ramp before I used it. A stepped-bottom boat can hang up on the trailer bunks, for example, and if you

are not careful, you can drive beyond the end of the ramp to get your boat wet enough to launch. The ramp I frequent near my home in Fort Lauderdale has had numerous calls to recover boat trailers that have gone beyond the end. All the power in the world will not bring the front axle up and over the final underwater curb. So I always looked for the end of the ramp, the structural quality of the adjacent dock, and the depth of water beyond the ramp. It’s also a great idea to check the tides or, on lakes, the water level, as well as the current.

Likewise, mooring in unfamiliar areas can bring unique challenges. One of my goals on this trip was to go boating, not to plan much in advance but just figure it out as we went. In many ways, I wanted to see how accessible and ready the infrastructure was to support boating. I learned quite a bit. The complimentary guest dock at the Port of San Francisco, for example, is a great dock in a great location. But the surge coming from San Francisco Bay was significant. Appropriately sized fenders, long spring lines, proper cleats, and hardware allowed us to safely and comfortably moor.

When we did experience a problem, both on the water and on the road, the severity of the problems was lessened because we had prepared. We had two trailer tire blowouts, one at the beginning of the trip and one near the end of it. Both were insignificant because we had a proper wrench, jack, and blocks at the ready, and we were able to change tires in no time. Unexpected issues did occur, of course. After leaving Lake Tahoe in Northern California, for example, I did the customary double-check of everything, and we were off down Donner Pass to Sacramento. Of course, during heavy Sunday homebound traffic from the lake we lost the trailer brakes. Pulling over at a safe spot for a quick check, I found a broken brake line. I just happened to have extra brake lines in the trailer toolbox, and we were back under way with brakes in about 40 minutes.

The great takeaways from the trip were the people we met. Except for a few snobs we encountered on Lake Tahoe, everyone was wonderful. The brief effects of those who snubbed us at Tahoe were quickly erased by the many gracious people who went out of their way to lend a hand or eagerly recommend some don’t-miss stop along the way. Here’s something cool: The lakes of Northern Idaho, specifically Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene, had loaner life-jacket stands at each boat ramp. It’s a completely free program based on the honor system that enables sportboat owners to borrow a life jacket and return it later in the day or the weekend. Unlike what happens in South Florida, when we were stopped by the United States Coast Guard or the local police or wildlife services, all they wanted to see was our safety gear. No searches, demands, or speeches about speed and mammals, only requests for life jackets, fire protection, and visual distress signals. Environmental safety was also a highlight of the trip, as we
stopped at all the invasive aquatic species inspection areas along the way. Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Lake Tahoe all gave us the once-over to verify we were not transporting any live organisms to their pristine waters. Safety certainly prevailed on our trip, and the waterways, as well as almost everyone we met in our travels, was remarkable. The investment of time and money toward being prepared made the trip wonderful and eventful without unfortunate casualties. Being ready for anything enabled us to stress about nothing.