I am happy to brave freezing temps to prep for our first big boat show ATLANTA of the year . The signals are good for a continued uptick in sales with a tangible pent up demand for what we feel are the best “pocket cruisers” or “trailerable trawlers” on the market today . We will be featuring them in some of the major Southeastern boat shows this year . We do love the “in the water” shows in the spring and fall months as we can show off the true attributes of this style of boats and watch a potential owners response to the demo experience . Just good , clean, fun in the boat business .Alternatively , in the winter and being indoors , yet still on a boat , even in a convention center when its cold outside, is just a bonus of the boat business if you are hopelessly in love with boats.Yes , I am guilty .

So, we will be in Atlanta with C Dorys and Ranger Tugs starting Wed 01/13 through 01/17. At the Georgia World Congress Center in space H 44.

Then in a joint effort  with C Dory ,Wefings Marine  , and Suzuki we will be in the water at Sea Isle Marina for the Miami Boat Show with one of the first boats to be equipped with the new design , ultra light 60 H.P. Suzukis . It will be a C Dory 23 Venture . The twin 60s should be an ideal match with the new light and powerful motors .I am quite  happy to represent the new owners of C Dory , who will be showing off their boat building skills [ they are now the manufacturers of Sea Sport/Osprey/Skagit Orca and C Dory ]  Performance stats will follow .Should be most interesting to see how these motors stack up .

The shows for the spring are still in up the air , but I am leaning towards Jacksonville , Bay Point Panama City, and Pensacola.I love to do boat shows and am always open for a new venue . Its pretty wide open this year as far as available space goes .

Shows will be more important  in the new boat economy as dealers will be fewer and further between . That will mean shows will be a great place for a shopper to see whats new and purchase from a dealer that is serious about their craft . Sales may be somewhat stagnant but new designs and features will always be on the boat horizon. The best dealers will have them available .And they will do the shows . See you at the show !

Marc

I was driving across the 6 mile bridge that I traverse every morning on my way to work in Eastpoint this morning. Otis Redding was singing “Dock Of The Bay” through my truck’s stereo and I glanced off towards the mouth of the 5 rivers that feed this vibrant Apalachicola Bay. I spotted a boat in the morning light and as I got closer I observed it was one of my customer’s boats that we had recently picked up, serviced and delivered back to the Fish Camp where it is stored. They were peacefully at anchor fishing in near perfect conditions.

Fishing Apalachicola Bay

I thought about the changes we have seen in the industry this year and had a sense of pride to be heading to work and opening the gates for another day of “reinvention”.

I say reinvention because we have had to change our model as a business to some degree, to remain in business. First of all I have a service department that has really stepped up and worked hard. I have had to change the strategies of our business in the areas of sales [there weren't many]. Many of our boat lines simply dissapeared over the last year with one of the biggest in the industry [Genmar] announcing just yesterday they wont be reorganizing ,but selling out ,from an an unexpected [by most] bankruptcy declared in June. Consignment sales that seemed like a waste of energy a couple years ago are now a valued part of our new business model.

I have found myself acting as a purchasing agent for a number of folks that are not willing or able to purchase new boats. They trust that I will find them what they are looking for and will reward me with a fee for my services.  That’s the value of relationships working to help make those ends meet.

I have had to find ways to market that did not cost as much but were effective.  No more Yellowpages ads for instance as we discovered our buyers were generally doing their research in front of a computer screen, not a book and a telephone. We have a much complimented, ever changing web site [thanks Mike!], I write this blog, a newsletter,  have nearly daily participation in the owners groups of our most popular boat lines,  I tweet, facebook, use boatradderonline, boats.com etc…..

I still believe in boat shows.  Not as a pressure tool for generating immediate sales [although we certainly wont turn you down], but as a means to introduce folks to boats they have never seen or experienced in person, like our C Dorys and Ranger Tugs, to meet and start a personal relationship with a potential future customer, and to be a part of the industry. I still enjoy the people who enjoy boats, and go out of our way to meet them.  Even at a Waffle House on the way to a show.

We are not out of the woods.  I have a new perspective and we are still in an industry in turmoil.  I dream about this business, and sometimes lay awake.  Winter is coming, and we will work that much harder. I feel a sense of responsibility to my staff, and my customers.  But for now, I suppose it’s business as “unusual”.. I appreciate the support of our customers more than you know.  Without them, there would be nothing to “reinvent” and observe.

Marc

I went to Tampa with 2 boats to do the NMMA sponsored Tampa Boat Show there .

I have never done a “fall show” as most of ours fall in the winter or spring . I was leading Burt [our trusty truck driver] towing the 25 Ranger behind my truck and Burt carrying the R 29 Ranger Tug . Left Eastpoint about 5 A.M. and all was on schedule for a noon arrival at the launch ramp at Davis Island . There is an private airport and public Marina there and an old seaplane base . Beautiful area .

For whatever reason my factory representative and only scheduled help was no where to be found ,leaving me with a logistics problem getting 2 boats,2 trailers,and two trucks rearranged by myself. Boats in slips at Tampa Convention Center ,trailers in parking spaces at Performing Arts Center and Burt back on the road to pick up another trailer to bring back to Eastpoint was the task. Then there is the cleaning and staging of the boats.

So we pulled into the launch area and a crusty looking thin fellow came hustling over to tell us we couldn’t launch there cause there isnt enough water .He had a tide table to show me when the next high tide was and it wasn’t for a while . A local crabber concurred and graciously allowed me to get on his boat with his crab trap retrieval stick to check depth . He went to check his traps and offered to help .

Ranger Tugs , most likely due to their high profile, appear to draft more water than they really do , and those guys were being very helpful showing their concern . That was my first impression of Tampa.

As I spoke with my new friend [he is called Red], I noticed he was missing a few things .Like his right ear,eye and half his jaw. Red lived on his sail boat in the Marina and had been a skin cancer victim . He was not a wealthy guy and obviously lived a very hard life .He was lucky to have had a surgeon remove these parts to save his life . Not everybody in this country is that lucky.

But he was just there to help and spent his life doing odd marine related jobs . He didn’t ask me for a thing .

I was wrestling with the dilemma of whether to launch the boats regardless of the questionable depth situation or start cleaning them right then and there as I was rapidly running out of time .

Red disappeared and I was thinking I oughta go for it and launch . Then the thought struck me of how I was going to get back to the ramp after tying up at the convention center.

About that time my cell phone rang . It was the crabber . He said Im almost done and I could pull you over the bar after you launch to avoid damaging your running gear on the not too friendly looking bottom . I thought to myself ,that’s about all I can do and If I can get a ride back here on his boat I can launch # 2 and get Burt back underway .

I turned around to make one last ramp check and there was Red on his ancient skiff with his new 4 H.P. outboard . He said “I can pull you over the bar with this ,I tow stuff all over Tampa Bay” . Wow these folks are great . So I launched the 25 footer with no issue and before I knew it I had a skiff in tow and a deck and dock hand along and a new friend . There was my ride back in tow ,local knowledge onboard and most of my problem solved .

We tied off the 25 and rode back in the skiff . Then it was time to launch the 29 . It also went in without incident and off down the road went Burt, and the R 29 ,Red ,and I and “little skiff that could” went back to the convention center docks.

Both boats tied off , Ranger Factory rep on the dock helping set up , it was time to stop at Jackson’s via skiff for a beer for my new friend .Then back to move trailers . It was near dark when I was done . Red gave me his cell # and said if you need anything ,give me a call . I handed him some thank you cash , which I knew he could use . He came to the show every day to see if we needed help . I got him a pass . He was a little disconcerting for some to look at , but he was beautiful to me . Just a great guy that so far has beat the odds ,and is happy to be alive . Made me happy to have all I have and put alot of things in perspective.

We had a good boat show , I had good help getting the boats out , you can guess who made it happen .

Thanks Red !

The 1st annual Franklin County inshore fishing tournament is happening Saturday at Battery Park next to 10 foot hole marina [Apalachicola City Marina] . Wefings is sponsoring as well as yours truly will be the official weighmaster for the event . The categorys are Redfish,Trout ,and Tripletail. There is a kids division and they will be selling raffle tickets for some great prizes and serving their famous chicken dinners for 6 bucks which goes to charity . I am looking forward to the event and seeing all my fishing friends . We will have some brand new boats there to see and think it will be a great event . More info at http://www.franklinsheriff.com
All proceeds go to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Youth Programs
Marc

Greetings Ranger Tug fans, I hope this post finds you well. As we get further into the summer boating season I am just sending a note to say we have all Ranger Tug models here and ready for demo on an appointment basis. I have met quite a few folks over this past boat show season and would like to offer scheduled demos for those interested here in our home waters Apalachicola. We have done a number of updates to the R 29 that we have shown this year and we have her ready to demo and have her priced aggressively to sell. If you are interested in what these upgrades are, please call or e mail me .We also have the new Yanmar BY series powered R 25 in stock as well. We have new and previously owned R 21 Tugs in stock in various colors and configurations. Summer will soon be upon us and we would like to see our group of Ranger Tug owners expand!
We offer our free docking and lodging program for new boat buyers at the Water Street Hotel, and look forward to seeing you here in Apalachicola.
Marc Grove and the Wefings Staff .

Getting ready to drive the 29 Tug to Miami for the boat show Thursday . Jeff Messmer and John and Dave Livingston will be there and a cast of thousands . We will look forward to introducing many folks to the best value and most cutting edge design in a “Portable Trawler” the world has seen yet ! Hope to see a bunch of friends there and make some new ones as well .
It will be business as usual at the store and Charlie will be available to help with boat and motor shopping needs as well as Jef and the boys in service will be here as well to address any service or parts need you might have . Ill be sending my regular reports from the show !
Marc

It good to be home in beautiful Apalachicola , spend time with my lovely wife, and enjoy the cool winter weather . But Miami calls ! The biggest boat show on earth, will be the next showing of the 29 Ranger Tug as well as the 21 and 25 footer all located in the Yanmar display at Sea Isle Marina Downtown Miami next to the Marriott Hotel.

Wefing's Location at the Miami International Boat Show

We will have John Livingston and Jeff Messmer from the factory there as well as myself and the good folks from Gulf Island Sails . We are looking forward to some good weather and showing off the entire Ranger Fleet ! If anyone would like to get tickets for the show e mail me and I will arrange that . The in water portion of the show is no charge , but the Convention Center in South Beach requires admission . We would love to see you there !
Marc

Many thanks to John Woolridge from PassageMaker Magazine and his crew as well as Andrew Custis from Ranger Tugs for all the efforts to make our presence at Trawlerfest in Stuart a success . Also the Wefings tech staff [Jef ,Doug, and Jeremy] that worked overtime to get the boat tested ,tidy and running at tip top performance , our extended Ranger Tugs Family that showed up to support us [Henry,Frank,Joe and spouses] . I anticipate we will have more new owners very soon and we are looking forward to Miami for those that want to schedule Sea Trials and a first look at the new R29 . I have some very nice video that a fellow shot and let me copy for our site of the R29 in action . It exceeds our expectations for performance and engineering excellence and was nonstop busy at both of our recent showings.The performance and fuel economy were outstanding with the new BY series Yanmar diesel . Tomorrow we will have the boat home and will continue to fine tune for Miami in a couple weeks . To those who have followed the progress of the project and travels of the boat , thank you !
Marc

Well we left Atlanta at 9 PM and got home through the fog [literally and figuratively] and after a couple hours sleep we are home preparing the boat for Trawlerfest in Stuart Thurs. The boat trailers very well and and is not over height . We have had overwhelmingly positive reaction to the boat and are very excited about showing it . The Ranger Tugs in general seemed to get folks excited about boating and you can see their faces light up when they get a glimpse of the boat. We are looking forward to the more focused trawler fans response in Stuart !Hope to see you there .

Marc

Being so close to the CNN building and Ted Turner’s apartment , I couldnt help it .The news from Atlanta tonight is pretty darn encouraging . Things seemed normal for us . We are the guys with the new and unusual boats . Boats that appeal to real boaters that appreciate timeless designs that are functional and practical . We are always busy for that reason  .There was a good crowd of folks that came to the show on day one to REALLY SEE whats out there and that have a genuine love of boating . They come on day one for a reason . Thats when you have a great chance to get some attention from the folks that have products you are interested in. And you might just have a chance to see something that nobody has ever seen before .

Quite a few folks did have that chance today and tonight with the debut of the R 29 from Ranger Tugs and Wefings Marine . It was repeatedly called “the coolest boat in the show” “The most innovative product in the show”"The nicest boat Ive seen” “Such a great use of space”and my favorite , “The only boat that interests me here ” . After spending the day getting used to the boat and the features and benefits, as well as hearing the first hand impressions, I consider myself lucky to be a part of the Ranger Tugs family . Kudos to the Livingstons and the Ranger Tug Team !

There are some new shots in our gallery on the main Wefings.com site and more to come .

Marc