Cats, Wheels and Fighting Cancer: Southwest International Boat Show

“At least it’s closer than Oakland [Calif.],” my brother said.  The show is in two days and he’s trying to convince me to go.

So we drove to Kemah, Texas on Sunday morning for the Southwest International Boat Show.   I’m glad he pressed.  It turned out better than we expected.  Heck I even met Bob Bitchin, one-time bodyguard, sailing legend and founder of Latitudes & Attitudes magazine.  (That magazine is now defunct, but Bob has a new publication, Cruising Outpost.)

Here are my highlights from the show.

Even Keeled
The Beneteau/Lagoon dealer was on hand with their new models (The Yacht Sales Company, Kemah, TX).

The Lagoon 450 catamaran was such a hit we had to wait in line to board.  I was eager to see the 450 because I’ll be sailing the similar 400 with friends this summer in the Caribbean.  When I stepped on the bridgedeck and looked over the wheel the boat felt really huge – I mean expansive.  I sailed a Leopard 45 cat ten years ago, but I forgot how big they feel.  With 24 feet of beam the boat is nearly as wide as my boat is long.  I’m glad we’re renting the smaller 400 this June!

Aboard the 450 a salesperson told me this tale:  He was on this boat in a freeze breeze.  When the wind gusted over 30 he set his coffee down and jumped up to put in a reef (note: a reef reduces the amount of a sail making the boat more manageable in high winds).  After he finished the reef he thought darn, I’ll have to clean that coffee off the galley sole.  But his mug was right there waiting for him – not a drop had spilled.  Now that is a stable boat!

Down below, this boat is a waterborne apartment.  The starboard hull is an “owner’s suite” with a queen-size berth aft,  full-size head forward and a sitting area in the middle.  Two cabins share the port hull.  The galley and saloon look big enough to entertain a crew of ten.

I can’t wait to sail the 400 in June.  Maybe we’ll upgrade to this yacht next year!  (www.theyachtsalescompany.com)

Electric Conversion?
Torqeedo showed their line of battery-powered outboards.  Electric motors are compelling:  quiet, reliable power with no messy fuel or smelly exhaust.  For sailboats it’s more realistic than ever to replace petroleum with electricity.

I’d love to replace my cranky outboard with a Torqeedo, but like most new innovations they are still expensive.  (John Steinbeck – yes that Steinbeck – wrote a hilarious piece on the perils of outboards which you can read here.)  To replace mine with an electric outboard, I’d spend around $4,000 – much more than the $700 used Honda I have on my 25′ Hunter.  Besides, the batteries weigh around 400 lbs which is a lot of extra weight for my mid-sized boat.

I expect prices and battery weight to come down in time.  (www.torqeedo.com/en)

Steering on the Side
The Marlow-Hunter 31 has a new approach to an old steering problem.  Some background.  Most steering wheels are in the center of the cockpit, which is natural but not ideal for a few reasons.  For one, in the middle you have to crane your neck to see around the sails.  Second, the steerer’s weight belongs on the high side to offset heeling.  Finally, in my opinion, it’s more comfortable on the high side.  All of that means a wheel in the center is a pain.

Some larger boats — starting around 35 feet — have two wheels to address this problem.  That adds weight and complexity.  Some builders even put redundant navigation instruments on each side.  That’s even more weight, expense and  things that can break.

Hunter’s solution is a wheel that pivots to either side.  See the photo nearby.  [The photo may be confusing because the wheel is folded behind that red sign.]  Hats off to Hunter for a cool design.  I’d love to try this one out someday.  (http://marlow-hunter.com/)

Cooler Squared
Taking the prize for Quirky but Ingenious was the portable “air conditioner” from IcyBreeze.  It’s built just like a regular cooler, but it’s really a combo AC/cooler.  It uses a closed radiator system to blow air cooled by the ice inside.  It runs up to six hours on a battery charge.  (www.icybreeze.com)

Leukemia Cup Regatta
Of the 160+ exhibitors, this booth caught my eye and tugged at my heart.  As an acquaintance said to me the other day, “there’s too much cancer.”  And he’s right of course.  But there’s hope.  From The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society:

In the 1960’s a child’s chance of surviving leukemia was 3%; today 90% can expect to survive into adulthood.

My niece Alli just went through a terrifying experience with leukemia.  Thankfully she is in remission and doing fantastic after the six month ordeal.

The nice ladies at the booth told me all about the regatta and how it helps fund research for a cure of the blood cancers.  The Texas Gulf Coast chapter has raised $2.8 million since 1998.  This year the regatta is June 26-28 at the Houston Yacht Club on Trinity Bay (near Clear Lake, TX).  I can’t make the race this year, but I’ll be sending a check to support this worthy cause.  (http://www.leukemiacup.org/txg/)

See you at the show next year.