Podcasts about sea tow

Don welcomes in Christian Orfanello, owner of Sea Tow, to discuss the best things to remember before heading out on the water so you and yours DON'T need to call Sea Tow and what kind of rescues they've done.

This hour, Don discusses with Mike Gallo how tide movement could be a concern for both fish and fishermen today, Eric Muhoberac details where all the fish are showing up for all the paddlers out there, this week's Bad Boys shot up a whole lot of Coots, Ryan Lambert goes over how Louisiana is a ways away from changes coming to their Duck season but we have to wait a while before they can be implemented, and owner of Sea Tow, Christian Orfanello, dropped by to discuss how you and yours can be better prepared for being out on the water so you don't get stuck out there!

On today's show, Don is wondering why so many people are in town, is there some big event going on or something, maybe we will found out but Don does find out what is going on around the Gulf and waterways of Louisiana hearing from Robbie Campo about the best looking bait for this weekend, Daryl Carpenter tell us all about how side of the road fishing has been fairly quiet. Later on, Mike Gallo covers how tide movement could be a concern on the water for fishing today, Eric Muhoberac goes over what is up next for the BCKFC and how the Minimalist Challenge was won by our very own, Brendan Bayard, a Bad Boy of the Week case that involves shooting Coots, Ryan Lambert details big changes to our Duck season that may take a while, and owner of Sea Tow, Christian Orfanello, talks to us about the rescues he's had to do and the importance of telling others where you are when out on the water.

In this episode of the Business of Boating podcast, we delve into the world of marine assistance with Kristen Frohnhoefer, President of Sea Tow Services International, Inc. Kristen shares her unique journey from teaching to leading a major marine business, discusses the strategies that have driven Sea Tow's success, and offers insights into the future of the marine industry. Join us as we explore the challenges and triumphs of managing a family-owned business, the importance of safety and technology in boating, and Kristen's vision for fostering diversity and innovation in the marine world.Sea TowMerrill CharetteMIDA.PRO - Marine Industry Digital Agency - MarketingSupport the show

In this podcast episode, Ethan Maass, a seasoned Sea Tow Captain with over 15 years of experience in assisting mariners, engages in a conversation with Bela Musits. Throughout the discussion, Ethan shares invaluable tips and insights aimed at helping mariners avoid the need for a tow back to their home port. This informative and engaging episode offers practical advice and guidance for mariners of all levels, making it a must-listen for anyone who enjoys navigating the open waters. The sponsor for this episode is NauticEd. which is short for Nautical Education, an established company with a really cool online platform for learning the knowledge elements of sailing at your convenience, along with a network of experienced sailing instructors for the hands-on skill development elements on the boat. To check out NauticEd, click on the link below and as a bonus you will receive your first two lessons for free. https://www.nauticed.org/?school=bela-l-musits&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium= If you would like to support the podcast, we now have a Patreon page.  Just go to Patreon.com/sailingtheeast.   Our podcast is now also available on YouTube, just search for “Sailing the East” https://www.youtube.com/@sailingandcruisingtheeast We love to hear from you, our listeners, send us your questions, comments, and suggestions at sailingtheeast@gmail.com.  If you know someone that would be an interesting guest on the show, please reach out to us and let us know—wishing you fair winds, and calm seas. Bela and Mike --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bela-l-musits/support

Dave winkler is a Sea Two captain in Boston. We talk about sailing in Boston, problems sailers face and ask Sea Tow for help with, towing sailboats and using drogues during rudder-failure, mast breakage, the importance of taping over cotterpins in the standing rigging and lifelines, dangerous rescues, lobster bouys, rescuing a leatherback turtle, tips to avoid needing to call for help, and more. Find the shownotes here https://www.paultrammell.com/podcast-season-7 Support through Patreon here patreon.com/paultrammell

In this bonus mid-week episode, I interview Sea Tow captain Ethan Maass, from Sea Tow Boston.  We talk about how Sea Tow serves sailors, how far they go to help, working with the Coast Guard when there's a problem, communications, what membership includes and doesn't, collisions, common safety shortcomings in boaters, emergency anchoring, getting lost, using divers, ordering pizza, and more. Shownotes are here https://www.paultrammell.com/podcast-season-7 Support through Patreon here patreon.com/paultrammell

If you are a boater, you may have Sea Tow insurance, or you may have considered joining Sea Tow. In my opinion it is a good idea to have towing insurance for your boat, and Sea Tow may be a good choice. There are some important things to consider if you do not have boat insurance and you become stranded or grounded. In this podcast we discuss a recent situation where Sea Tow cam under fire for their actions after towing a boat where a boat was lost at sea and died. A massive search for Jeff Kale and his boat took place after he went missing off the North Carolina coast. Jeff Kale was never found, but his boat was found and recovered by Sea Tow. Many will ask, was Sea Tow wrong for doing this, and is it legal for Sea Tow to do this. It's a question that you will have to answer for yourself when it comes to Sea Two and how they handed this situation. Click here to visit my website dietermelhornfishing.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dieter-melhorn/support

We head down to Shell Beach to talk to Robbie Campo from Campo's Marina about the wind picking up this weekend, diving into the ongoing CCA Star tournament, what Sea Tow can do to make sure you and yours make it home safe, and the status of the 5-10 Bridge for this weekend.

Mike Gallo of AAofLA.com gives his plans on dealing with thick fog and where you should head to find a good catch and where you can find a Sea Tow booth at the Louisiana Sportsman Show.

In this episode of The A100 podcast, hosts Keaveny Hewitt and Meghan Henning are joined by guest Gail Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation. Broadcast live from ASAE, the group discusses the organization's Life Jacket Challenge initiative in addition to tips for operating as a two-person team with limited resources.  Gail introduces the Life Jacket Challenge, which tests participants' ability to locate and put on a life jacket in less than 30 seconds. She explains that most boaters refrain from wearing life jackets, often keeping them underneath seats or in lockers. The initiative is intended to simulate real-life, water-based boating emergencies, emphasizing the difficulty of putting a life jacket on in such situations.  Keaveny draws an analogy between wearing life jackets and fastening seat belts during a car crash, emphasizing the importance of being prepared and taking proactive measures before emergencies happen.  “Life jackets save lives, but really only if they're worn.” Gail shares statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard, citing 75% of boating incident victims drowned, and of those drowning victims, a shocking 85% were not wearing a life jacket. She adds that most people only wear a life jacket on board when it's required. Hit play now to discover how the Sea Tow Foundation, operating as a two-person team, manages to stay creative and innovative with limited resources. Subscribe today so you never miss out on future episodes.  Follow along for best practices, top trends, helpful ideas and smart strategies and tactics that work in the world of associations.  LinkedIn: /company/the-association-100

Don is joined by Mike Gallo, AAofLA.com to discuss the fish he's been caught this past week, night fishing advice, Trout report in Seabrook, Mike's experience with Sea Tow. 

This episode: All nonprofit organizations depend on program funding, but 501c3 organizations (charities and foundations) are keenly aware of its importance when dues are not a revenue source. It's a never-ending search that requires balancing grants, donations, and sponsors -- and after the funding is received it's up to staff to implement steps to bring the programs to life! My guest, Gail Kulp, CAE, is the Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation, a group that educates the public about boating safety. We discuss their 4 major programs, how Gail works with Sea Tow's supporters, and the unique challenges that a small staff nonprofit faces (Sea Tow has 2 full-time staff). We discuss life jackets, e-flares, sober boat driving, and their awards program. I learned that the Susquehanna River is the longest non-navigable river in the United States. Why is that? Gail explains. She also shares an inspiration from McDonald's Corporation that helped increase donations. We have a great time discussing our love of boating and being on the water and how a strong funding program helps make the goals a reality. How do you balance your program funding? Share a comment! https://bit.ly/RadioFree501cProgramFunding --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cecilia-sepp/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cecilia-sepp/support

I met Jack, along with his wife, 2 kids, a dog, and a duck, in The Bahamas. Along with some great stories, we talk about sailing a ketch, youtube channels, sailing to the Bahamas from NY, engine trouble, Sea Tow, staying calm, bad crew, the ICW, heaving-to, sailing off anchor, docking a full-keel boat, having kids onboard, home-schooling, and much more.

We talk with the guys from Sea Tow South Mississippi and Fishing The South. Download our app: Apple Here  Android Here Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles, Hilltree Marketing, and Calvin Taylor for Circuit Court Judge for the support!  Want to be a part of the pelican gang? Check out our merch here. 

Coming up in this episode, paddling in a pumpkin, creatures from the deep, and the top 5 things you didn't know about life jackets!

Lt. Col. Dan Hampton (Ret.) was on to talk about his new book, "Valor." He wound up talking quite a bit about his own military career, 151 missions, but one in particular stuck out as he wasn't sure he'd make it back. (0:00) Ethan from Sea Tow in Boston was on to talk about the viral video of a whale breaching the water and landing on a small boat. He's seen and responded to calls like this in the past, believe it or not! (12:05) Dumb Ass News - A 15-foot snake killed it's owner, and almost everyone on the show feels like snakes are terrible pets. A Tribe member called in to defend pet snakes, but failed miserably when he shared a little too much information. (22:14) Stump the Show is usually a sure-fire way for the Tribe to win tickets, but not today! AJ was the MVP, swatting down question after question with correct answers. (31:24)

In this episode, we sit down with Ethan Maass, Captain of the Sea Tow South Shore.  In the waters of Boston's South Shore recreational boating and fishing is a huge part of life on the coast.  Just like a driver having peace of mind from a roadside assistance program, many boat owners rely on Sea Tow for their service and recovery needs on the water.  Ethan tells us all about the industry and what makes Sea Tow different from the rest.  He has built a team of skilled captains focused on customer service and safety while always putting their Sea Tow members first.  We discuss the day-to-day calls, exciting sunken vessel recoveries, and much more.  Ethan also gives us some great tips on what you should do to prepare yourself and your boat to be out on the water safely.  You can find out more about Sea Tow South Shore here: IG / FB: @Seatowsouthshore  https://seatow.com/south-shore/ https://revivalmotoring.com/  

Sea Tow Captain John Bilski talked about salvaging boat wrecks. A vessel sunk in Long Island Sound this weekend, and Sea Tow was on hand to begin removing the wreck within 20 minutes.  Image Credit: Dariusz Terepka Photography In Fairfield

Dan sits down with Zach Rollins on his 28 Bertram. Zach has had myriad jobs in the marine industry including that of a delivery captain and Sea Tow captain. Most recently, Zach is the founder and host of the 'Along the Keel' podcast. In this episode Dan and Zach talk about new boaters, what you need to know about towing and everything in between. We hope you enjoy the episode.  

Meet Kristen Frohnhoefer, President of Sea Tow Services International. She takes us thru her journey from childhood, thru to now, the story of Sea Tow Services and what the future holds.  "Sea Tow has been the on-water assistance fleet of choice for boaters since 1983." To contact Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-frohnhoefer-2700209/ For more information on Sea Tow International and their services: www.seatow.com https://www.facebook.com/SeaTow https://www.instagram.com/sea_tow/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/sea-tow-services-international-inc./ #yachting #yacht #yachtlife #sailing #yachts #boat #boating #luxury #superyacht #luxuryyacht #boats #boatlife #sea #yachtdesign #luxurylifestyle #yachtlifestyle #yachtworld #megayacht #yachtcharter #motoryacht #sail #travel #yachtinglife #superyachts #sailboat #sailinglife #ocean #yachtinglifestyle #vlog #yachtinginternationalradio

In this episode of Boat Buyers Secret Weapon Podcast, Captain Matt talks about…   And, much more   Links discussed in today's episode:   The Boat Buyer's Toolkit, a free gift for listeners: BoatBuyersSecretWeapon.com/Toolkit   Get a 7-Day Pass to the US Boat Expo at USBoatExpo.com   If you are a first-time boat buyer that is confused, overwhelmed and frustrated with the buying experience, the First-Time Boat Buyer's Academy is right for you. BoatBuyersSecretWeapon.com/academy   Own a boat but are a little stressed around the docks and other situation, check out BestBoatCaptainOnTheWater.com or www.BestPontoonCaptainOnTheLake.com   Youtube Videos to Accompany this Podcast:   1:   How To Buy A Used Pontoon Without Getting Ripped Off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfbgGMEHfMs   2:  How To Buy A Used Boat Without Getting Ripped Off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW5KhxkiHV0   3:  Advice For First Time Boat Buyers (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6x0c-2g_kk   4:  Boat Loan Basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n97MsMqXybk   5:  Pontoon Trailer Basics, How To Buy The Right Pontoon Trailer: https://boatbuyerssecretweapon.com/pontoon-boat-trailer-for-sale/   6:  Boat Trailer Basics, How To Buy The Right Trailer For Your Boat: https://boatbuyerssecretweapon.com/boat-trailer-basics/   7:  Insider Secrets To Trading Your Boat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgqQyZc4U0E   8:  How to Buy a Pontoon or Tri-Toon https://youtu.be/MfbgGMEHfMs   9:  How to Buy a Used Center Console https://youtu.be/ApWArNPhyBk   10:  How to Buy a Used Bow Rider https://youtu.be/oPbZ9blQPVM   11:  How to Buy a Used Aluminum Fishing Boat https://youtu.be/ouLO0KwHX1E

I had the opportunity this week to catch up with Gail Kulp from the Sea Tow Foundation to get the scoop on some updates going on there with their two big programs- The Life Jacket Loaner Program as well as the Sober Skipper Program. We also talked about the new federal kill switch law in effect. We also covered the National Boating Industry Safety Awards as well as a new program they're working on regarding flare disposal. All exciting topics on this week's episode of the show! Anyone interested in knowing how to promote boating safety should definitely listen to this episode and find out how you can be involved! Mentioned in this Episode: Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program Sober Skipper Program Flare Disposal Program Sea Tow Engine Cut-Off Switch Wristband (free for a donation!) Additional Resources: The Woman Angler & Adventurer Facebook Page The Woman Angler & Adventurer Facebook Group The Woman Angler & Adventurer on Instagram The Woman Angler & Adventurer on YouTube Women's World of Fishing Monday Night Takeover YouTube Channel Listen on Apple Podcasts (subscribe and leave a review!) Listen on Google Podcasts Listen on iHeartRadio!  Support our Sponsors! Lance Camper Freedom Boat Club Nashville Key West Boats St. Croix Rods Hellwig Suspension Products RUNCL (10% OFF Discount Code: TWA10RUN) Stealth Rod Holders Al's Goldfish Lure Co. YOLOtek (use Coupon Code Angie for free shipping!) Additional Mentions: Lady Bass Anglers Association National Professional Anglers Association Waypoint Outdoor Podcast Collective Full show notes at thewomanangler.com/192

I had the opportunity this week to catch up with Gail Kulp from the Sea Tow Foundation to get the scoop on some updates going on there with their two big programs- The Life Jacket Loaner Program as well as the Sober Skipper Program. We also talked about the new federal kill switch law in effect. We also covered the National Boating Industry Safety Awards as well as a new program they're working on regarding flare disposal. All exciting topics on this week's episode of the show! Anyone interested in knowing how to promote boating safety should definitely listen to this episode and find out how you can be involved! Mentioned in this Episode: Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program Sober Skipper Program Flare Disposal Program Sea Tow Engine Cut-Off Switch Wristband (free for a donation!) Additional Resources: The Woman Angler & Adventurer Facebook Page The Woman Angler & Adventurer Facebook Group The Woman Angler & Adventurer on Instagram The Woman Angler & Adventurer on YouTube Women's World of Fishing Monday Night Takeover YouTube Channel Listen on Apple Podcasts (subscribe and leave a review!) Listen on Google Podcasts Listen on iHeartRadio!  Support our Sponsors! Lance Camper Freedom Boat Club Nashville Key West Boats St. Croix Rods Hellwig Suspension Products RUNCL (10% OFF Discount Code: TWA10RUN) Stealth Rod Holders Al's Goldfish Lure Co. YOLOtek (use Coupon Code Angie for free shipping!) Additional Mentions: Lady Bass Anglers Association National Professional Anglers Association Waypoint Outdoor Podcast Collective Full show notes at thewomanangler.com/192 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Golden Episode has 101 and JSG bring on the FU Open winner to discuss his first title, the BOMB, and Sea Tow gift certificates.

This episode covers the main boating issues that Sea Tow sees on the water each spring, with suggestions on how to avoid those spring boating issues, and it also discusses general safety guidelines regarding float plans, cruising, and marine radios.

En el verano de 2019, cuatro hombres, familiares del presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, Carlos “Johnny” Méndez, salieron a navegar desde Fajardo y nunca regresaron. Su desaparición ha estado rodeada de enigmas y rumores. ¿Qué se sabe desde entonces? ¿Cuánto de lo que se ha dicho es cierto? Advertimos que este episodio los va a dejar haciéndose muchas preguntas. Anfitrionas Valeria Collazo Cañizares Adriana De Jesús Salamán Edición Víctor Ramos Música original Rigoazulado Música adicional Terminal by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4478-terminal License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Dreams Become Real by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3678-dreams-become-real License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Odyssey by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4995-odyssey License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Sunset at Glengorm by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4437-sunset-at-glengorm License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ On the Cool Side by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4164-on-the-cool-side License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Transcripción Todos los días, el mismo ritual. Doña Acenet llega al colmadito de Villa Marina y se sienta en la mesa de la esquina, frente al cristal. Desde ahí, puede ver mejor. A veces, llegan personas de su iglesia y oran con ella. También llegan parientes para acompañarla en su dolor. El resto del tiempo está en silencio. No ha perdido la costumbre de llamar a su hijo o enviarle mensajes de texto. Sueña con volver a verlo caminando por el muelle, como siempre. De aquí salió y aquí lo espera. Ya pasó más de un año desde que Víctor fue a navegar, pero nunca regresó. INTRO Víctor Goytía, de 58 años de edad, no estaba solo. Junto a él, estaban Héctor Lino Méndez, de 60, Héctor Méndez, de 30, y Javier Méndez, de 50. Todos unidos por lazos de familia. Ese 8 de agosto de 2019, cuando salieron de Villa Marina en Fajardo, no había mal tiempo. Lilly Patterson Méndez: “En los retratos que Javier me mandó, el día estaba precioso. Y de hecho, oscureció tarde. (…) Un día precioso de verano”. Los cuatro hombres subieron a bordo de Wepa, una lancha Proline de 22 pies de eslora. Acennette Goytía: “Salieron y no sé si cerca de Palomino o algo, se les queda la primera vez y los mismos muchachos que ya iban entrando, los remolcan hasta el área de la tiendita. Ahí ellos parquean la lancha y otro muchacho, junto con mi hermano, se ponen a tratar de bregar con el motor y volverlo a prender”. La embarcación estaba dando problemas. Acennette, quien se llama igual que su mamá, cuenta que su hermano, Víctor Goytía, fue un aficionado de la navegación toda su vida, y solía hacer reparaciones él mismo cuando algo fallaba. También era quien manejaba la lancha ese día. Acennette Goytía: “Entonces, logran prender el motor y vuelven y salen”. A pesar de la bandera roja que había levantado la primera salida fallida, los cuatro hombres decidieron seguir adelante con su plan. A la mañana siguiente, sus familiares empezaron a llamarse unos a otros. Y confirmaron lo que temían: ninguno de los cuatro había llegado a su casa. Lilly Patterson Méndez: “Imagínate, se me fue el mundo. (…) Pensé van a aparecer, todavía es temprano”. Dos hermanos, un sobrino y un cuñado de Lilly Patterson Méndez estaban desaparecidos. La última señal de ellos fue una llamada de auxilio en la tarde del día anterior a la compañía Sea Tow. Lilly Patterson Méndez: “Ellos estaban pidiendo rescate y cuando fueron a buscarlos, no los encontraron en el área donde les habían indicado”. Nunca se supo por qué la compañía no alertó a las autoridades, tras no encontrarlos en las coordenadas que habían provisto. El caso rápidamente comenzó a acaparar la atención pública. No solo por el misterio que rodeaba la desaparición, sino también porque los náufragos eran parientes del presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, Carlos “Johnny” Méndez, y la Primera Dama de Fajardo, Diana Méndez. A veinte horas de la desaparición, la Guardia Costera inició el operativo de búsqueda. Durante cinco días, hicieron 46 misiones por aire y mar. Cubrieron más de 22,000 millas náuticas cuadradas. No había rastro de los cuatro hombres. Reunieron a la familia y les informaron que suspenderían la búsqueda. Los dieron por muertos. Acennette Goytía: “¿Cómo que “‘they're gone'? ¿Tú me has traído a mí un cuerpo? ¿Tú tienes evidencia para decir y certificar que ‘they're gone'”? Es cierto, no había cuerpos. La familia no se daba por vencida. Acennette Goytía: “Yo empecé a agitar las masas en Facebook para que pusieran a Nino porque era increíble porque pasaba la semana y todavía no ponían a la persona que es experta en búsqueda”. El Negociado de Manejo de Emergencias se hizo cargo del operativo. A Nino Correa, reconocido como el mejor en este tipo de misiones, le permitieron guiar los esfuerzos, aunque un poco tarde y por presión. Archivo Nino Correa: “Esperamos encontrarlos porque el esfuerzo es que los encontremos con vida y que demos con ellos”. Nino Correa lideró intensas jornadas de búsqueda, con una sensibilidad que la familia Méndez recuerda con afecto. Las autoridades sobrevolaron ocho veces el tamaño de Puerto Rico. Fue un pescador quien encontró la única pista de los náufragos, a 23 millas al norte de Loíza: una chancleta. Lilly Patterson Méndez: “Mi hermano menor tenía unas chancletas como esas y tengo entendido que las tenía con él, pero nunca se pudo probar que era de él o que no era de él”. Solo eso. Una chancleta, y nada más. Acennette Goytía: “Ni gasolina en el agua, ni aceite, nada de lo que ellos llevaban, que llevaban neveritas de corcho blancas, llevaban unas papitas Lay's”. Hasta el excomisionado de Manejo de Emergencias, Carlos Acevedo, quedó desconcertado por los hechos. Carlos Acevedo: “Lo más raro era que no teníamos ningún indicio de que esa embarcación se hubiera hundido. Pudimos hacer gestiones con la compañía de telefonía, pero había tres teléfonos celulares dentro de esa embarcación y esos teléfonos se fueron apagando con relación a cuatro o cinco minutos. A eso de las 6:24 se apagó el primero, a las y 30 el segundo, a las y 34 el tercero. No hicieron llamadas, no entraron en Facebook”. La búsqueda terminó, sin ninguna respuesta. ¿Qué había pasado con estos cuatro hombres? Una de las primera preguntas que todos nos hacíamos era: ¿para qué habían salido ese día? ¿Iban a pescar? ¿Era un simple paseo? Acennette cree la versión que le había dado su hermano. Acennette Goytía: “A probar una lancha que había comprado uno de ellos, Junior, el cuñado de él. Para ponerla al día y comprar las cosas que hacían falta”. Entonces, ¿por qué insistieron? ¿Por qué salir tarde y con problemas mecánicos a probar suerte? En las redes sociales, empezaron a surgir rumores. ¿Y si estaban en una transacción de drogas? A Cici Méndez, hija, hermana y sobrina de los desaparecidos, no le convence. Lydia “Cici” Méndez: “Si vamos por ese lado, tú no vas a ir con una lancha que no está capacitada para aguantar eso. Ellos fueron a probar la lancha. (…) No estoy diciendo que son santos, pero no había necesidad para arriesgarlo”. Otro rumor empezó a tomar fuerza. Se decía que los cuatro estaban presos en la isla de Tórtola. Acennette llamó a la cárcel. Contestó la retén. Acennette Goytía: “Y me pone a uno de los presos que habla con acento dominicano. Y me dice ‘mira, qué tu quieres, que ella me puso para traducir'. Y yo le digo ‘estoy buscando a Víctor Manuel Goytía, puertorriqueño, a ver si está'. Y entonces, él me dice ‘sí, sí'. Y tú sabes que mi corazón se quería salir. Estos segundos, se sintieron como horas. Acennette Goytía: “De momento, cuando me pone a otra persona, yo no reconozco la voz como si fuera de mi hermano. Yo le digo ‘¿Tito? ¿Es Víctor Goytía, de Puerto Rico?'. Y entonces él ‘no', me gritó así y le dice al otro ‘ese no soy yo'. (…) Pregunté por los demás. Javier, Junior, Pepe. Y tampoco”. No estaban ahí. Este no era el primer esfuerzo que se hacía para buscar a los náufragos fuera de Puerto Rico. El excomisionado de Manejo de Emergencias así lo confirma. Carlos Acevedo: “Hablamos con el comandante de las Fuerzas Armadas de la República Dominicana, incluso nos enviaron fotos de embarcaciones que estaban deteniendo a ver si eran ellos, pero arrestados puertorriqueños no tenían ninguno con la descripción de los cuatro puertorriqueños. (…) Hablamos con ambos ambos cuerpos policiales, con los jefes de la Policía de ambas partes de St. Maarten, no tenían descripciones de estas personas. Llamamos también a St. John, Islas Vírgenes, Islas Vírgenes Británicas”. Nosotras llamamos directamente a algunas prisiones, pero no tuvimos suerte. En la base de datos del Negociado de Prisiones de los Estados Unidos tampoco aparecen sus nombres. Tommy Dardet, un portavoz del gobierno de las Islas Vírgenes Británicas en Puerto Rico, descartó categóricamente que los cuatro desaparecidos estén en el territorio. Tommy Dardet: “Si ellos estuviesen detenidos en las islas, esto hubiese explotado en los medios y en las noticias de allá hace mucho rato porque eso se convierte en datos públicos y cualquiera tendría acceso a esa información”. A más de un año de la desaparición, y a pesar de grandes conflictos familiares, las tres mujeres con las que hablamos están de acuerdo en algo. Lydia “Cici” Méndez: “Sí, yo todavía pienso que están en otro lado y están vivos. Porque, como vuelvo y repito, a dónde está la lancha, a dónde están cuatro cuerpos, las dos neveras”. Creen que los náufragos están vivos en algún lugar. Y sí, aunque las llamadas han indicado lo contrario, la cárcel es una opción. Acennette Goytía: “Si no hay malas noticias, pues hay oportunidad de que hayan buenas noticias, incluyendo que a lo mejor puedan estar presos. (…) Y esa incógnita me mata, me arrastra, a mi mamá la tiene mal. Porque no tenemos el dinero, ni la capacidad para ir de isla en isla a buscar. Además de que si llegamos a una cárcel no nos van a decir”. Pero si están en una cárcel o en otro lado, ¿por qué no se comunicarían? Cici dice que ha escuchado de casos así. Lamenta que, cuando la noticia desapareció de las primeras planas, nadie los guió sobre cómo buscarlos fuera de la Isla. Lydia “Cici” Méndez: “Como que fuimos importante por un momento y después como que todos cortaron comunicación. (…) Ahora mismo hay un montón de gente que se está desapareciendo, no tiene que ser ni en agua. ¿Tú me estás diciendo que no hay un plan b para buscar gente pensando más afuera de la cajita? Cuando hay gente que se está desapareciendo por todos lados. ¿Es como que buscamos por encimita y ya?” No encontraron cadáveres, no encontraron la lancha, no había mancha de aceite. No había nada que indicara que se habían hundido. Tampoco ha habido comunicación, ni información sobre ellos en prisiones o en islas vecinas. Acennette Goytía: “Esto tiene que tener una contestación. Son cuatro personas adultas, no se pueden haber desaparecido así. (…) Existe la palabra incertidumbre, pero yo no sabía que dolía tanto”. ###

Volvo Penta is a propulsion manufacturer. Their innovations have redefined the marine industry, focusing on efficiency, sustainability, and making boating easier. Join us as we speak with Jens Bering, Vice President of Marine Sales, and Christine Carlson, Marketing Communications Manager at Volvo Penta, to learn more. Find Your Next Boat: https://www.marinemax.com/boats-for-saleStay tuned for boating headlines and a social media update - Boating Magazine tests a technologically advanced Nautique, Maryland Waterways get a makeover and an Azimut inspired by Malibu Beach houses, plus a shout out to our friends at Sea Tow!#volvopenta #volvoips #boatingHeadquartered in Clearwater, Florida, MarineMax is the nation's largest recreational boat and yacht retailer. Focused on premium brands, such as Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Meridian, Hatteras, Azimut Yachts, Ocean Alexander, Galeon, Grady-White, Harris, Bennington, Crest, Mastercraft, Scout, Sailfish, Sea Pro, Sportsman, Scarab Jet Boats, Tige', Aquila, NauticStar, Nautique and Yamaha Jet Boats. MarineMax sells new and used recreational boats and related marine products and services as well as provides yacht brokerage and charter services. MarineMax currently has 63 retail locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas and operates MarineMax Vacations in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. MarineMax is a New York Stock Exchange-listed company. For more information, please visit www.marinemax.com. Connect with us in one of our many storesFind your store: www.marinemax.com/storesFind your boat at MarineMax: www.marinemax.com/boats-for-saleMarineMax Website: www.marinemax.comMarineMax Twitter: www.twitter.com/MarineMaxMarineMax Instagram: www.instagram.com/marinemaxonlineMarineMax Vacations: www.marinemax.com/vacations

Welcome to From the Helm with MarineMax, where hosts Lisa and Kelley connect with boating industry leaders for weekly Boating Broadcasts. This episode features Kristen Frohnhoefer, President of Sea Tow International and Gail Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation. Founded in 1983 by Captain Joseph Frohnhoefer (Kristin's Dad) Sea Tow, became a resource for boaters in need of assistance on the water. Sea Tow remains family-owned with over 100  franchised locations worldwide. Hear more about the benefits of membership, the Sea Tow Foundation, the Sober Skipper program, life jacket loaner stations, and so much more!Sea Tow Websitewww.seatow.com/ Boating Safetywww.boatingsafety.com Sober Skipper Programwww.soberskipper.comwww.boatingsafety.com/soberskipper  North American Sober Skipper Advisory Councilhttps://www.boatingsafety.com/page/nassacFirst Mate Checklisthttps://www.boatingsafety.com/store/ListProducts.aspx?catid=734824Lifejackets // How to Fit a Child's Life Jackethttps://www.boatingsafety.com/store/ListProducts.aspx?catid=734824Life Jacket Loaner Stationswww.boatingsafety.com/mapDos and Don'ts of Social Distancinghttps://www.boatingsafety.com/blogpost/1828549/341902/Sea-Tow-Foundation-Announces-Inaugural-Winners-of-National-Boating-Industry-Safety-AwardsSea Tow Foundation Announces Winners of National Boating Industry Safety Awardshttps://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/0V0ICmZkkJF1yK6xhMg74e?domain=boatingsafety.comSea Tow Foundation's Sober Skipper Program is Saving Liveshttps://www.boatingsafety.com/blogpost/1828549/339547/Sea-Tow-Foundation-s-Sober-Skipper-Program-is-Saving-LivesTow Bee Boating Safety Tipshttps://www.boatingsafety.com/blogpost/1828549/340127/Tow-Bee-Boating-Safety-Tips?hhSearchTerms=%22Tow+and+Bee%22&terms=Boating Safety Online Storehttps://www.boatingsafety.com/store/default.aspxHeadquartered in Clearwater, Florida, MarineMax is the nation's largest recreational boat and yacht retailer. Focused on premium brands, such as Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Meridian, Hatteras, Azimut Yachts, Ocean Alexander, Galeon, Grady-White, Harris, Bennington, Crest, Mastercraft, Scout, Sailfish, Sea Pro, Sportsman, Scarab Jet Boats, Tige', Aquila, NauticStar, Nautique and Yamaha Jet Boats. MarineMax sells new and used recreational boats and related marine products and services as well as provides yacht brokerage and charter services. MarineMax currently has 63 retail locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas and operates MarineMax Vacations in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. MarineMax is a New York Stock Exchange-listed company. For more information, please visit www.marinemax.com. Connect with us in one of our many storesFind your store: www.marinemax.com/storesFind your boat at MarineMax: www.marinemax.com/boats-for-saleMarineMax Website: www.marinemax.comMarineMax Twitter: www.twitter.com/MarineMaxMarineMax Instagram: www.instagram.com/marinemaxonlineMarineMax Vacations: www.marinemax.com/vacations

Nathan Heber is the Founder and CEO of Boatyard, the world's first on-demand marketplace for recreational boating. The Boatyard app makes it easy for boaters to find and book qualified marine professionals for services ranging from fuel delivery to cleaning to captaining a boat. Boatyard also has a B2B application. Boatyard for Business provides marine professionals with an easy-to-use platform for automating their admin tasks, while helping them to deliver remarkable customer service experiences to their boat owners.  Nathan grew up in Miami Beach and has been boating since he was a child. Later in life, he took up sailing and has been hooked ever since. An avid kite surfer, Nathan has found that being on and around the water is an invaluable component of a happy life for him and his family. We discussed his sailing adventures, the founding of boatyard and how it helps both boaters and marine professionals, ways to make the boating lifestyle accessible, and much more. Enjoy! On growing up in Miami Beach…..You grow up on boats. I’ve been boating my entire life. Seven years ago my wife bought me sailing lessons and I’ve been sailing ever since. On learning to boat and sail.....I was probably too young to remember how I learned to boat. Sailing has a lot more components. Understanding angles of wind and all the technical stuff that goes into learning to sail, I’d have to say learning to sail is harder. We took a private lesson, just me and my wife and the teacher He was an Olympic hopeful who teaches out of 79th Street in Miami. We took 10 or 12 hours with him and then we could pay him to have access to the sailboats and jump on whenever we wanted. On the inspiration for Boatyard.com.....In a way, it started when I was a kid because I’ve been hearing about this pain point my entire life. The sailing lessons led to a series of events that led to the creation of Boatyard. We were taking a trip to the BVI and jokingly she said, "Why don’t we just sail down there.?" It was an off-season time and they agreed to do a short, bareboat charter for us. The two of us went island to island and had the greatest adventure of our lives. When we came back we wanted to rent that same sailboat and it was $800 a day. We thought, if our neighbors knew that we were responsible professionals who were certified sailors I’m sure they would let us rent it for less. But at the time there was no mechanism to do that. I set out to build a peer-to-peer marketplace. I was in an accelerator to do that and kept hearing from our boat owners what a pain it was to service their boats and I saw this big opportunity that wasn’t being tapped. So we pivoted the business and that’s how Boatyard was created. On solving boat owner's biggest headache.....When we originally launched, boat owners were really resigned to word of mouth or google searches to find the providers to service their boats. There’s the old joke the best two days of a boat owner’s life are the day they buy it and the day they sell it and a lot of that has to do with what a pain it is in between to find qualified guys who will show up on time. They’re out there but the average boater has to sift through and find those people that they can trust. We looked at that and said, if we could create a marketplace where we aggregated the best providers we could find and then gave boat owners a really simple user interface where they could place a request and get a qualified service provider, and have a really great experience, we thought we could change the way boat services are ordered.  On what boaters use Boatyard for.....The most popular are fuel and boat washing. We’ve been able to expand our service offering to mechanical service, captains, boating lessons, on water help with Sea Tow and a number of other services. On the reception among boaters.....You have people who are forward thinking and progressive about technology and those people really buy into it. It’s a challenge to get people who aren’t forward thinking to try it but once they do they continue to come back. 80% of our orders come from someone who has ordered from us before. On the reception among marine professionals.....Currently, they don’t really have a great place to put marketing dollars where they’re gonna generate a good ROI. With us, the fees we take are far less than the cost of acquisition for attaining those same customers. In addition to that, they don’t pay us until they make money. We’ve had great experiences and great luck finding amazing providers that are very forward thinking and willing to provide this high level of service that we demand for our users. We’ve even had some customers tell us we’re the reason they didn’t close. On finding qualified service providers.....It’s a challenge across the whole industry. It’s hard for me to understand why that’s happening in such a big way. Boating and boat services is one of those industries where it truly needs a skilled labor set, where having that job can provide someone with a comfortable middle-class lifestyle or more. Some of it comes down to messaging. Letting kids know who are coming out of school or who are in other technical schools about the great opportunities there are in the boat services industry. On helping marine businesses grow.....We’ve recently launched a new platform called Boatyard for Business. It’s a B2B SaaS platform that helps marine professionals manage their service requests. They can basically run their whole business off it. It takes all the admin duties that take up a lot of time and keep the smaller shops from growing and allows them to get it through Boatyard for a small monthly fee. On getting new boaters into the industry.....It's great what you guys are doing with Freedom Boat Club, the launch of all the peer-to-peer boat sharing platforms, Boatsetter, Boatbound, Sailo, and then companies like Dockwa that make it easy to book dockage with the click of a button. One of the biggest things we can do is make boating more accessible which is happening but also just getting more people on the water. We all know it’s not the boat that makes you happy, it’s the experiences that you have. On misconceptions about the boating lifestyle.....Still, a lot of people think that boating is for wealthy people, that it’s intimidating, that it’s not accessible. By having boat clubs and peer to peer and all the tech to make it easier to use the boat, I think that’s going to go a long way towards introducing a lot more people to boating. At Boatyard we think that when you own a boat it shouldn’t be a hassle. You shouldn’t spend your free time fixing it, you should be spending your free time on the water and we’re trying to solve that pain point. On the changing demands of marine customers.....Millennials prize access over ownership. There’s a whole significant portion of our business that comes to us because there’s no one else to talk to. Close to 40% of our orders are placed between 5pm and 9am or over the weekend. I think it’s really important to be able to transact 24 hours a day and make it really easy for customers to connect with you. Customers are having much higher standards as far as customer service goes. If the marine businesses are not doing it now, they’re going to have to in order to make customers happy. On how boating can drive happiness.....They’ve done a ton of studies on what drives true happiness and it all came down to experiences. When you’re planning an experience, you have all the excitement leading up to it, then you have the time on the water, then you get to look back on it fondly. That’s what drives true happiness. That’s what we all need to work on – how to enable more people to have these remarkable experiences on the water. On learning to kitesurf.....I picked it up because I couldn’t sail and boat as much. I couldn’t make a whole day of boating but I could throw the gear in the car, set up, go kiting and come home. Last year was the first time I went kiting off a boat and that was spectacular. I’m a pretty good snowboarder and I surf and it still took me 10 hours to pick up. No matter what, it takes some commitment. Once you learn it you can get much better much quicker. The best thing to do is get a little trainer kite and fly it on the beach. Once you get the kite control down, you can pick up the board part fairly quickly. I have a 9-meter kite, a 12-meter kite, and a 15-meter kite for the light winds. The next thing I want to get into is to learn how to foil. On advice for would-be boaters.....It can fundamentally change your life. When we learned how to sail it gave us something we could enjoy together for the rest of our lives. You’re out there, you’re enjoying the elements. And it opens up a world of new experiences you can have. You can go to new parts of the world and have this incredible experience with this incredible perspective that not everyone can have.   It was so great and uplifting speaking with Nathan. He truly believes that boating and being on the water can lead to a happy life and incredible experiences you will never forget, and is working tirelessly to make those experiences easier to come by. Check out Boatyard and keep an eye out for it in an area near you soon! 

Wanda Kenton Smith has worked in the boating industry since 1980. A journalist, she launched her career as editor of Water Ski and Windsurf magazines, and later worked as editor on additional trade titles in both the sailing and watersports sectors. She also has served as the marketing columnist for Soundings Trade Only since 1998, a post she still holds today. Wanda previously served as vice president of marketing for Regal Boats for 11 years prior to launching her own award-winning, full service advertising and PR firm for 13 years that serviced more than 35 global and national marine accounts. Today, Wanda serves as chief marketing officer of Freedom Boat Club, continues to consult on select accounts, speaks at industry events and is active in several marine industry initiatives. She is president of Kenton Smith Marketing, president of Marine Marketers of America and chairperson of the RBLC’s New Market Task Force.  She also is the event producer and publicist of Boaterz n Bikerz of America: Hull of a Tour.   On her first boating experiences.....When I was in middle school, my oldest brother purchased and refurbished a 19’ wooden sailboat and my family and I spent a lot of time on that sailboat on the river and local waterways. He had boated when he was younger and had always wanted to have access to a boat. I was obviously the fortunate one to enjoy the benefits of that. My brother and my dad taught me to sail when I was younger but I took a Coast Guard class years later when I was working at Regal Marine and I never looked back. That was a turning point.   On boating in her adult life.....We have owned five boats in my adult life. We had two Regals, a bowrider and a deckboat. My favorite boat that I have ever owned was the very first Super Air Nautique, when the whole wakeboard industry started. We were the kings of the lake and the envy of all of my daughter’s friends. We took them boating and wakeboarding every chance that they got. We also had a Hunter sailboat and a Scout dual console. I now have access to over 500 boats through the SW Florida Freedom Boat Clubs.   On her current boating lifestyle.....Now we like to get out and cruise. Go to waterfront restaurants. We really like going picnicking, finding sandy beaches and trying different locations.   On favorite boating destinations.....Two locations come to mind. The first is Italy. I had the opportunity to go boating in Portofino and Lake Como. It was absolutely spectacular. The second place is the Bahamas. Totally love that turquoise blue water and be able to snorkel and see all that fabulous sea life.   On starting in the industry.....I just got lucky. I was working in Miami and we had moved to Orlando and a friend of mine knew a guy who was advertising for an editor for Water Ski Magazine. I jumped all over it. Terry Snow was the publisher of the magazine and he took a chance on somebody pretty green and helped me launch my career. I went on from Water Ski to launch Windsurf magazine and then to edit Waterski Business, and then got into the agency side of my business.   On championing women in boating.....It was late in the 1980s and I was working for Regal Boats in charge of marketing Part of my assignment was to do competitive research. I went down to the Miami Boat Show to go and visit 25 different booths and to get information on products. I walked away with some interesting insight. First of all, nobody asked if I need any help. Sales guys wouldn’t give me the time of day. From a marketing research perspective that was fantastic. It struck me that no one at any of the booths took me seriously as a buyer. I started a conversation about it in the trade press and wrote a column about it. I went on to launch a training firm that I called Marine Marketing for Women. All told, I had the opportunity to personally train over 4,000 people! I feel like it was an important step in educating the industry about the buying power and the influence that women have in the industry.   On Freedom Boating Divas.....We launched Freedom Boating Divas for female members of the club. Our goal with the program is to make our female members feel more safe and competent at the helm and to provide opportunities to meet other women who share the same passion for boating. Here in Southwest Florida, we offer free unlimited training classes exclusively for the ladies that we schedule twice a month in different locations. The second part of that is the social part. By hosting social events exclusively for the divas they have the opportunity to meet with and mingle with other women who share the same boating DNA and passion.    On engaging new markets.....The RBLC was organized several years ago with the primary purpose of growing the boating industry. I chair the new markets task force. We had a VIP influencers group that represent different ethnicities and our task force addresses opportunities to engage new and diverse audiences to boating. Ultimately, our goal is to promote engagement. We are focused on three markets – all affluent Hispanic, Asian, and African-American markets. We produced an award-winning educational module that includes latest demographic and economic trends and the highlight is five outstanding case studies with best practices from boating companies who are successfully engaging and selling to these markets. All of the information and the webinar is available for free from download at the RBLC.org website.   On Boaterz n Bikerz of America: Hull of a Tour..... It originated from a conversation between myself and Jim Krueger. We were chatting one day during a ride and we talked about our bucket list and we both agreed that our number one bucket list trip would be doing a cross country ride from FL to CA. We planned it and thought it would be fun to mix in some boating activities and decided to invite others in the industry and our friends who also love boating and biking.   On the connection between boaters and bikers.....It’s a fact. I was at the National Sailing conference a few weeks ago and Bonnier shared some statistics – 18% of people who sail are also active motorcycle enthusiasts. There’s such a definite lifestyle crossover. Those of us who like to motorcycle and like to boat like that sense of freedom, that sense of adventure and escape that those lifestyle sports deliver.    On past tours.....It was 3,000 miles. We went from Destin, FL to San Diego. We rode the flatlands, through the scorching dessert mountains, we stopped at the Grand Canyon, plenty of spectacular coastlines, we experienced extreme heat, snow, rain, hail, thunder. It was amazing. We started at Legendary Marine at the yacht club, we had a sunset cruise in Texas aboard a 90’ party boat. And then we had a 2 ½ hour splash down in San Diego Bay aboard a brand new Beneteau poweryacht and sailboat. Our second Tour was the Freedom Ride. It went from Florida to Washington DC. We folded into the million bike extravaganza called Rolling Thunder that’s held Memorial Day in DC and it pays tribute to MIAs and POWs. We got to ride all the way down to the national Mall with veterans. It was a very touching and moving experience for all of us. We stopped at 5 different freedom boat clubs en route. In Annapolis we had an opportunity to board 7 different boats and watch a command performance of the Blue Angels. We had the Pacific Coast Rush. We shipped our bikes to Seattle and we rode down to San Francisco and took a loop out to Big Sur. We launched it at Alexander Marine with Regal Boats and did a launch party on a 78’ Ocean Alexander Yacht. Our splashdown was in San Francisco. We did a sunset sail aboard a large sailing Catamaran. The trip took us through the Glacier National Park. We cruised all the way down Pacific Coast Highway. We rode through the giant redwoods, literally through the trees. And we loved the twisting mountain ride of Big Sur and Monterey. It’s just moments that you’ll never forget, absolutely phenomenal.   On the 2017 Lobster Roll.....The event is July 15th-22nd. We’re starting in Portland and ride the Maine coast to Canada. We twist through the white mountains in New Hampshire. We make a stop at Cape Cod and then we splashdown in Newport, RI. For those of us who are bikers, we don’t like the typical tourist traps. We’re staying in some quaint small towns. We’re going to go whale watching, we’ll be tubing, lots of fun things getting off the beaten path.   On the importance of sponsors.....Freedom Boat Club is back as our title sponsor. Regal Boats is our boating sponsor. Soundings Trade Only is our media sponsor and I will be writing a blog which will be appearing every day of the tour. Sea Tow is sponsoring our chase vehicle so if we have any breakdowns they come and get us. BRP Evinrude is our power sponsor. Moose Landing is going to be hosting our launch party and two Freedom Boat Clubs are going to be participating with boat rides and Kenton Smith Marketing handles the publicity.   On how to participate.....You have to have a motorcycle license and we do require group riding experience but there is no cost to participate. I have a hotel planner with our discounted group rates. If anyone is interested about getting more information they can email me at wanda@kentonsmithmarketing.com or visit www.kentonsmithmarketing.com   On advice for getting into the industry.....It makes sense to talk to people in the industry. There is a lot of opportunity right now for technicians and people working on the service side. Find people who are willing to talk to you about what they do and what they enjoy most. If you’re a passionate boater and you love the water and want to be part of a dynamic industry, this is a great place to drop anchor. We have great people and sell fantastic products and are selling fun. I can’t think of anything else that’s more fulfilling and rewarding than this!

Leading up to National Safe Boating Week, I was excited to speak with Kristen Frohnhoefer, President of Sea Tow International. Sea Tow has been the on-water assistance fleet of choice for boaters since 1983. A franchise-based marine assistance organization headquartered in Southold, New York, Sea Tow was founded in 1983 by Captain Joseph Frohnhoefer after the U.S Coast Guard stopped responding to non-emergency calls. Since that time, Sea Tow has grown into a thriving network of over 100 locations across the United States with additional offices in Europe and the Caribbean. Sea Tow Services International is a family-owned and family-run business. As the daughter of the founder, Kristen Frohnhoefer has spent over 25 years working for Sea Tow learning about every aspect of the business. As President, Kristen is responsible for overseeing all internal operations including the membership program, marketing, sales, communications and call center operations. Kristen also serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Sea Tow Foundation, a national public service organization that promotes safe boating practices and educational initiatives that directly reduce accidents, fatalities and property damage related to recreational boating. Kristen grew up sailing and powerboating, spending time in Newport, Essex, and Block Island, RI. She still gets out on the water and enjoys sailing to Shelter Island and Sag Harbor, and cruising around the Peconic Bay, beaching the boat and watching her niece and nephew swim and enjoy the water. Kristen and I spoke about their Designate a Sober Skipper campaign, tips to keep your boat working so you DON’T need a tow, some of the great benefits of Sea Tow membership, and more. Enjoy!   On the Designate a Sober Skipper Campaign…..Just like you wouldn’t get on a car and drive drunk, you shouldn’t do it on the water. Designate the sober skipper before you leave the dock. Boating should be fun and safety helps make boating fun. That person makes sure everyone has a great time and that everyone gets home safely. We all know that boating is one of the best activities out there. Blood pressure goes down when you step out on the water. It’s a great family activity. It should be a good time. If people take a couple small steps to ensure it’s a safe day, everyone’s also gonna have a fun day and be able to go back out over and over and make it that lifetime sport. On the industry reception.....The Sea Tow Foundation launched the campaign a couple years ago. We’ve gotten tremendous support from Sea Tow franchise areas and also partners across the country from the US Power Squadron to the state of Washington State Parks, to Coast Guard auxiliary, local marinas, boat dealers, and individual groups and associations. One of the materials we have is that wristband that someone can get locally or can go request on www.designatedskipper.com. It’s just a reminder that the designated skipper can wear on the boat to say 'I'm the one responsible.' We encourage people to share the message on social media and we do as well. It's not just the boating safety groups, it's actual real boaters doing this on a daily basis. On growing up in boating…..I think the first picture of me is when I was about 2 months old. My parents were really big into boating. My father said the first time I went out we took a wave over the side and I got soaking wet and I didn’t even cry so apparently, that was a good sign and they kept going boating. We first had a 22’ Catalina sailboat and then we had a 30’ Newport sailboat. We also had a couple 13’ Boston Whalers but most of my early childhood was spent out on the sailboat, sailing over to Newport or Essex, spending the night in Block Island, or just rafting up with friends. I remember those great days out with the family. On the learning process…..While I was required to take a boating safety course, I was often the mate, not at the helm. My father liked to be at the helm and that’s what he did. We sort of learned through osmosis but I’m really good at putting the sails up, taking the sails down, and tying us up at the dock! On power vs. sail…..They’re two different experiences. We don’t own a sailboat anymore but my cousin does and luckily, he keeps the boat five minutes from my house so we go out sailing on the Peconic Bay. Sailing is such a serene activity, you’re just gliding through the water. You’re gonna get somewhere faster with a power boat; you take in more of the experience when you’re sailing. It depends upon your mood for the day. On favorite boating activities…..Most of the time it’s going to raft up with friends. Or we’ll take a ride around Shelter Island. Maybe head over to Sag Harbor. Or go out with my niece and nephew. It’s great to see them experiencing the water as children, beaching the boat to get out there and pick up shells or watching them swim in the water and jump off the boat. On the origins of Sea Tow…..My father always loved the water. Back when he was in college he started another company called Water Thrills. He would take people out and teach them to water ski, he would take them parasailing. He was already out on the water trying to get people into boating and have them feel comfortable with water sports. He’s always been involved in the marine industry and found out about the industry changing and the Coast Guard no longer doing non-emergency assistance and said ‘You know what, I can do this and this is going to be my opportunity to really make my living on the water.’ It took a while for the Coast Guard to adjust, it took a while for the boating public to adjust, but I think people realized over time that there’s no way the Coast Guard could possibly provide all these services in non-emergency services while still focusing on their primary mission. We have 102 franchise locations and boaters are covered nationwide. We have over 600 boats in our fleet and operate out of thousands of ports across the country. On what makes a good Sea Tow Captain…..The same thing my father had – passion. They need to have a passion for helping people. Sea Tow is more than just getting on a boat and towing someone. Yes, you need to have the skill, but you need to understand it’s our job to help people, to get them home safely. When someone is calling us, it’s because something happened that was unexpected and it’s ruining their day. So it’s really important that we’re able to get people home safely and quickly. On the most common reasons for calls…..The most common call is just a simple mechanical issue. Something happened that was unexpected, that tow home is our most common. We also get a good number of calls for someone who ran aground. They’re not hard aground but they’re just in an unfamiliar area, or that shoaling moved, or that sandbar that wasn’t there before is now. And then you have the good one where the fuel gauge is no longer working or they ran out of fuel or didn’t plan for the 1/3 rule – always have the 1/3 to head out, 1/3 to get back in, and 1/3 in reserve. And we get a lot of jump start requests. Right at the end of the day when people are coming in after the radio has been on all day and drained the battery. On what boaters can do to minimize risk of needing a tow…..We always encourage our members to be proactive in maintenance. It is important to have that regular maintenance. Especially if you’re in the northeast and there are seasons, you want to do that spring commissioning and winterizing. Double check your fuel gauge on a regular basis, know how much fuel you put in your boat. Those fuel gauges don’t always work. Education ahead of time and knowing the area you’re in and being familiar with the waters is very helpful. On National Safe Boating Week…..We’ll be participating in Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day on Friday May 19th. There are so many options for comfortable life jackets out there, from inflatables to belt packs, that it’s a great opportunity to spread awareness that life jackets can be comfortable, and most importantly can save your life. The Sea Tow Foundation will be promoting everything on social media and you’ll see some of our life jacket loaner stands have ribbon cuttings during Safe Boating Week. On changes in the industry…..The changes I see coming now are in how people are getting into boating. I see the peer-to-peer market, where current boat owners are going to rent their boats out to individuals through sites such as Boatsetter, as something that’s going to change the market. Boat clubs are blowing up at the moment because people see it as a way to get into boating, they’re just not ready to make that purchase yet. They can try it out and eventually move towards purchasing a boat. The way of entry is really going to be the disruptor to the industry of how we get people into boating and how people get that first experience. On essential items for a day on the water…..Make sure you do have a cooler full of water and some snacks because you never know how long you’re gonna be out there. You might want to bring an extra jacket in case you get stuck a little bit later. Before you head out make sure you’ve taken that safety course. Even if you think you know everything, you might not. On advice for would be boaters…..If they’re investigating boating and what type of boat they want, go to discoverboating.com to do some research. They should also try it out. Whether they rent a boat for a day or find some friends with a boat, just head out and see if they like it. Go to a boat dealer and take a ride. Once they’re more serious about it, take a boat safety course. Of course, right before you get the boat, make sure you buy that Sea Tow membership!   Kristen provided a lot of valuable information and I strongly encourage you to visit the websites mentioned for Safe Boating Week and Designated Skipper to continue learning how you can enjoy safe boating practices. Thanks!   

The man behind the franchise reveals how it got started. Trust me, his story is a good one! Christian Orfanello is from Metairie but today he lives in Slidell. Like most Louisiana boys he grew up fishing and, as he put it, “didn’t learn what golf was until college”. Obviously he is joking, but his point is […] The post E55 – Christian Orfanello: Why He Started Sea Tow and How He Succeeds In Fishing appeared first on Louisiana Fishing Blog.

Wow, I had so much fun recording this episode with Lisa 'The Boatanista' Almeida. Born and raised a Floridian, who claims to bleed salt water when she gets cut, Lisa turned a successful career in Sales and Marketing into her current role as the Owner of Freedom Boat Club, Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Before owning her Freedom Boat Club locations, Lisa rose to Director of Marketing for the nine state Bellsouth region. During her tenure, she was continually recognized for her innovative, creative problem solving, and her ability to engage an audience with her speaking skills. In 2007, when she took an early retirement from Bellsouth to make a career change, she followed her passion for being on the water. Lisa is a member of the Captains Club, The Jacksonville Power Squadron, The Jacksonville Marine Association, and serves on the City of Jacksonville’s Boating Committee. As an Aquaholic she has done many charity boat rides for underprivileged children, and was instrumental in saving the Jacksonville lighted boat parade. In 2016 Boating Industry included Lisa in their list of Women Making Waves, recognizing women in the boating industry who have made large contributions to its success, propelled its growth and led their organizations into the future. Lisa has been a distinguished franchise owner winning several national awards including Marketer of the Year and Brand Champion. Lisa’s passion for boating and enthusiasm is inspiring. We covered so much - how she boated at 3 weeks old, ‘boat-gating’ at Jaguars games, advice for boating with pets, empowering women boaters, essentials for beginners, following her passion into a fulfilling career she loves, and more. Enjoy the conversation!   On getting her boating start…..I like to say that boating is a part of my DNA and I didn't really even have a choice because my parents were competitive water skiers and they competed all over the states. They actually competed at Cypress Gardens. My mom kept waterskiing with me until she was six months pregnant. Then three weeks after I was born she said they would put me in a carrier and tie me up underneath the bow, I would go to sleep when the engine started. When the engine would stop I would wake up and then they would feed me, and then the engine would start and I’d go back into slumberland. On her first boating memory…..I remember being at a tournament and I was three years old. My mom used to ski in a tutu and she would be on one ski skiing backwards and there's a picture of me three years old with a ski rope in front of me, and I had a little bathing suit with a tutu and I'm standing there with my leg out back trying to imitate my mom. I just remember it being such a loving atmosphere, and fun, and everybody was having a great time and that's what boating actually means to me. On the first boats she was on…..I know that it was a Glastron, and another one of the first boats that my dad had was a Wellcraft. There's also another picture of me like four years old sitting at the helm staring at the wheel, and my dad said you're staring at it thinking ‘when do I get to drive.’  On learning to boat…..I was about 8 or 9 when I started learning to drive the boat. And then at 14 or 15 I was driving it with no problem. Later on, when I bought my first boat, my dad came up and really spent a lot of time with me and teaching me about the lines, and currents, and wind, and trailering.  He has a great method called push/pull, learning how to spin on yourself with just one engine. He taught me about the throttle, and putting it in and out of gear, and just practicing and making it okay if you didn't do it right the first time.  On whether boating was intimidating…..Never, and I think it's because my dad had three girls and so because he wanted to ski and he always wanted to go boating, we all had to learn how to drive, back the trailer, etc. It was always a mindset of, 'of course you can do this!' It's really not that hard, I believe it's more of a mindset that women can do it. It's really just about pushing through the fear of the unknown, of the not doing, and if you've got someone there coaching you, teaching you, and letting you just be like, it's okay you made a mistake, then gaining experience and confidence is just what it takes. On the feeling of being a confident boater.....I will tell you it is really really fun when I'm in my 32 Monterey and I am driving and I pull up to somewhere and pull it right in, and there's a guy standing there and many times he's going 'wow that's pretty impressive.' One of my favorite stories was in Fernandina Beach. They have a shrimp festival every year. It's a three day event with bands and music and food. I had a girlfriend and two guys on the boat with me and I was driving my 30 Sea Ray and it was pretty tight and we were coming in and I heard somebody on the dock say 'watch out, there's a lady at the helm.' We came in, I spun it around and backed up, and they gave me a standing ovation. It was awesome!   On her personal boats.....I have a 32 Monterey cruiser with twin Mercs on it which I absolutely love. I have a 22 Sea Ray Sundeck which is an awesome boat. Because you know one is never enough!  On her dream boat…..I’d really love to have a 46 or 48 sedan bridge because it is really nice to get up top on the sedan. The views are different, you can see things different and it's really fun when you're anchored out and everybody's hanging out up top. On boating to Jaguars games…..That is so much fun. It is one of my favorite things for my members to experience, even friends who have never done it. The stadium is on the river and right across from the stadium is the city Marina, so we don't tailgate, we boat-gate. Just like tailgating, everybody brings food, we put a tent on the dock, and it's really awesome when we're going underneath the bridge and you see the bumper-to-bumper traffic and we don't have any. Why go by car when you can go by boat?! On her boating destination bucket list…..I want to go to Put-In-Bay in Ohio and I also want to do the Columbus Day Regatta in Miami, where thousands of boaters come together. Put-In-Bay has the round bar and a bunch of boats rafted up together. That's really when my heart is the most open and it's the most fun, when we're all rafted up together and there's all different kinds of boats and everybody is just one big happy family. It's just that connectivity. You don't ever meet a stranger, but you meet tons of strangers and that's the best thing for me about boating. On her favorite boating activity…..Now my favorite thing really is going to the beach and rafting up with folks - swimming, enjoying activities, having kids around, bringing them up in the boating world. We have an island here called Fort George Island that is a big barrier island. The beaches are gorgeous and everybody just goes and rafts up together and anchors and it's kind of like you took your boat to the beach with a party of your 500 best friends. On a new favorite piece of gear.....Maui Mats!  They are 6 feet wide by 20 feet long. You can walk on it, you can put coolers on it, you can put chairs on it, kids love, it, and adults love it. It's really fun to just hang out on the Maui Mat, swim on it, jump off it, and walk on water. On essentials for beginners.….I think definitely Navionics or something like that on your iPhone is a must. Being a BoatUS member and a Sea-Tow member, I recommend both because they each bring different things to the table, is also very helpful. There is so much you can learn from reading your BoatUS magazine, getting online, seeing their feed on Facebook. Anytime I get the magazine I'm pulling out articles on really cool tools to have on board, places to go, and things about boating. I think both of those things are really really important. On her favorite boating ‘book’..…I don't really have a boating book other than my West Marine catalog! My friends do tease me that I would rather go to West Marine and walk around than go to the mall and it is the truth! On her career change…..I went on an African safari and we were touring this mud hut, and 8 people slept in it and they were gracious and happy and I had an epiphany moment. I came back and decided to leave Bell South. Freedom Boat Club interviewed 12 people (11 men and me) and I got the job. Now I understand the difference between loving what you do and having a passion for what you do. I work all the time and I never feel like I'm at work. Even when I'm on my boat on the weekends at Fort George, in the morning and night I'm on my laptop working but it doesn't ever feel like work. I want to do it. I love doing it. I want everyone to get on the water and experience the joy of boating with your friends and your family! On boating with pets…..It's really fun to bring your animal on board, but you also want to remember that you're in charge of them. You want to make sure they're safe, so number one - your dog should have a life jacket that fits them well and makes them comfortable. Also, when you're coming down to the dock you want to have them on a leash because if it's a floating dock they might feel wobbly and uncomfortable. Then definitely you have got to have water and a water bowl for them. They make a bottle that actually has a ball on it that the dog can lick and water will come out of it. There's lots of different things that you can buy but definitely have to keep them hydrated because when they get in the water they're going to drink, and if it's salty that's not good for them. On success in the boating world..…I think of Carl Blackwell from Discover Boating and the reason that he comes to mind is because his whole goal is to make people aware about boating and learning about boating. Their website and their facebook page has a plethora of information. Of course I think about John Giglio, CEO and President of Freedom Boat Club. Many of our members leave and buy their own boats. They fall in love with boating which is great. We're putting product on the water for people to see and those people are taking friends. It's giving boating so much exposure. John's done an amazing job growing the business, we're at 120 locations.  Final advice for someone thinking about boating..…Stop thinking about it and do it! It doesn't have to be a dream. Just make it happen, make the decision. If you're unsure if you're a boating family, rent a boat. If they like the rental boat and you're still not sure about wanting to buy a boat, join a boat club. If you feel like you already know you're a boating family go to Discoverboating.com, read about the different kinds of boats, go to a boat show and see what kind of boat you think you want to buy. Just make the decision. There's lots of support out there, there's lots of help out there, just do it! Rent, join a club, or buy. Put one foot in front of the other and just make that decision and get your family out having so much fun. They're not on their iPhones, they're not on their iPads, they're laughing and joking and you are creating family memories that are going to last forever!   I can't wait to join Lisa on a boat-gate to a Jaguars game someday. Leave questions or comments below. 

Mad Mariner's MadCast covers all aspects of boats and boating. In this segment, we interview Captain Joe Forhnhoefer, the chief operating officer at Sea Tow, about the complicated topic of marine salvage.

Mad Mariner's MadCast covers all aspects of boats and boating. In this segment, we interview Captain Joe Forhnhoefer, the chief operating officer at Sea Tow, about the complicated topic of marine salvage.