T R A W L E R   N E W S   

IN THIS ISSUE #120

IDLEWILD TRANSITS THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE

http://www.idlewildexpedition.ca/
http://dieselducks.com/Idelwild.html
http://www.athropolis.com/links/nwpass.htm

GREAT HABROUR INTRODUCES N47 DECKHOUSE TRAWLER

Read this edition online with photos and additional text at 
   http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com

Coinciding with the advent of the N47, is Mirage 
Manufacturing's announcement of its CruisePro 
trawler training program. This program, included 
in the price of a new Great Harbour, evaluates 
each customer's skills and provides 
individualized training in areas where needed 
from boathandling to maintenance.

"There's a hole in the process of helping people 
transition into trawlers from smaller power and 
sailboats, and we feel that CruisePro fills this 
void. We've been hearing about the need for such 
a program for years, so why not be the first 
boatbuilder to incorporate that kind of service 
into boatbuying?" Fickett asked.

A Great Harbour N47 with cruising options, 
including genset, air conditioning, extended 
batteries, the glass helm navigational system, 
bow thruster, fuel polishing and oil transfer 
systems, would go out the door for under 
$600,000. The optional flybridge would cost an 
additional $30,000.

    http://www.mirage-mfg.com/html/trawlers.html
    tel: 352-377-4146

One of the most respected weather routers in 
yachting circles, Walter "Walt" Hack, 59, died at 
his home in Fanwood, New Jersey, after a 
three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Hack founded Ocean Marine Navigation Inc. in 
1994, offering weather routing services to a 
rapidly growing client list made up almost 
entirely of large motor yachts.

An associate, Bob Jones, will continue to offer 
professional weather routing services and manage 
the operational side of OMNI. Jones was Walt 
Hack's stand-in and assistant for more than six 
years. 

    mailto:ocmarnav@aol.com
    tel: 908-322-1215

If you have a passion for trawlers and trawlering 
and can write, please send us 250 words about 
your most memorable boating experience. We're 
expanding our editorial team.

    mailto:editorial@trawlersandtrawlering.com

Claiborne Young is starting The Salty Southeast 
Cruiser's Net on his Watermark Publishing 
website. Here's how he explains the service:

"For the first time (at least that we know of), 
cruisers plying the waters of the Southeastern 
U.S. will have a real-time webnet where they may 
post all the cruising news that results from 
their travels. Now, if you find, for instance, 
that flashing daybeacon #4 near the Atlantic 
Beach, NC Bridge is missing, you can simply send 
an e-mail to <opcom@cruisingguide.com>, and 
within 24 hours, this data will appear on the 
Salty Southeast Cruiser's Net.

    http://www.cruisingguide.com

Safety and security at sea depend in part on the 
ability to detect, observe and identify activity 
and objects in many weather and light conditions. 
To deliver images in the widest range of 
situations, vision systems utilizing 
multiple-camera technology offer the best 
solution. Night Vision Technologies makes systems 
for larger yachts and ships but the technology is 
of interest to all mariners.

    http://www.nvti-usa.com

Barb Hansen of Southwest Florida Yachts reports 
that charters and training continue uninterrupted 
in Fort Myers, Florida:

"Although our base of operations at Marinatown 
Marina in N. Fort Myers was in the zone of 
hurricane winds, our sturdy fleet survived all 
that Wilma could fling at us."

    http://www.swfyachts.com
    tel: 800-262-7939

Mirage Manufacturing of Gainesville, Florida, 
builder of Great Harbour trawlers, has taken 
issue with a report in Trawler News #119 under 
the headline "No Stopping Trane as Island Pilot 
Launches."

    http://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/trawler-news/2005-May/000030.html

According to company president Ken Fickett, 
company the article "mischaracterizes" Reuben 
Trane's role in the development of the Great 
Harbour N37 full-displacement trawler, 
particularly the part in which Trane is quoted 
calling the N37 "my last full displacement 
design." Trane also said Great Harbour trawlers 
was a brand that he "brought to market."

Fickett said Trane's seven-year relationship with 
Mirage was primarily as a commissioned 
salesperson. "Reuben did some interior design and 
styling details, but the majority of the boat's 
design was a collaboration between myself and Lou 
Codega, one of the finest naval architects 
working in the United States today," Fickett 
said. "As far as 'bringing to market,' Mirage has 
been building boats in the same location since 
1971, building thousands of sailboats and 
sportfish boats before launching the Great 
Harbour line, and we've done this without 
bankruptcy, merger or buyout. Reuben was a 
salesman and did some marketing, as you would 
expect in a small company, but I think it would 
be more accurate to say that Mirage Manufacturing 
brought the N37 to market."

As to the merits of the Island Pilot concept, 
Fickett said he was content to let the market 
decide that question. "Reuben worked for us for 
seven years, and we wish him luck in his new 
venture. We feel that history will regard the N37 
as one of the great boat designs of its time, and 
we want to ensure that the record of the N37's 
design and development is truthful and clear." 

    http://www.mirage-mfg.com/
    http://www.islandpilot.com/

IF YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRIAL COPY OF POWER CRUISING . . .

HOW TO REACH US

HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE

Latest Circumnavigator is here! http://www.nordhavn.com/circumnavigator/cirumnavigator.php4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ T R A W L E R N E W S  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Read this edition online with photos and additional text at http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IN THIS ISSUE #120 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Idlewild transits the Northwest Passage Great Harbour introduces N47 deckhouse trawler Mirage unveils CruisePro trawler training Weather router Walt Hack dies at 59 Roving reporters wanted Salty Southeast Cruiser's Net starts See better in the dark the multi-camera way Southwest Florida Yachts survives Wilma How Mirage sees N37 design history Request your FREE trial copy of Power Cruising How to reach us How to unsubscribe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDLEWILD TRANSITS THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Idlewild has succeeded in making the treacherous Northwest Passage across North America--the first trawler yacht to accomplish the feat. That's not the only reason she'll likely be known as the Incredible Idlewild before her voyage ends. Already, the label Crazy Canucks is perfectly appropriate. Skippered by Ben Gray, 66, a retired buffalo rancher from Alberta, the 55-foot George Buehler custom design was one of eight boats attempting the passage this year. Only four boats made it, and Idlewild was the only one to succeed without being towed. For Gray, the Northwest Passage was only one chapter in an ongoing adventure that he hopes will conclude in a successful circumnavigation of the world. (At press time, Idlewild was in the Canary Islands after calling at Greenland and the Azores since leaving the Arctic in late September.) If he is successful, Gray will be the first to circumnavigate--under sail or power--starting inland and using portages! Gray's adventure on the high seas actually started 2,100 nautical miles from the ocean, near Grande Prairie, Alberta, where he owned a buffalo ranch until he sold it to finance construction of Idlewild and the circumnavigation. Prior to ranching for 15 years, Gray worked the oil patch for three decades. Departing on May 24, Idlewild followed the Peace River system--where twice the 15-ton boat had to be portaged--to Great Slave Lake and then rode the Mackenzie River to the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean. http://www.idlewildexpedition.ca/ http://dieselducks.com/Idelwild.html http://www.athropolis.com/links/nwpass.htm As background information on the Idlewild Expedition, here is the first post to Passagemaking Under Power List: http://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/passagemaking-under-power/2005-June/001203.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GREAT HABROUR INTRODUCES N47 DECKHOUSE TRAWLER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Although the new Great Harbour N47 is ocean-capable, according to its builder, Mirage Manufacturing recommends shipping rather than cruising across the Atlantic. Mirage will begin building its first Great Harbour N47 trawler in January. The impetus to create an N47 was twofold: feedback from boat shows and market trends. Mirage has sold three N47s at the introductory price of $525,000. "We've had many people at the boat shows saying they were wowed by the N37, but they needed more living space. At the same time, the high end of the market continues to be very healthy. As a business decision, the N47 makes good sense," said Ken Fickett, company president. "We also felt that the esthetic of the N47 was one that would appeal to sailors looking to make the switch." The 47-foot trawler yacht is the fourth iteration of the Great Harbour series, all of which share a form-stable hull designed by naval architect Lou Codega. While it is common among workboats, the Codega hull is unique in the recreational market. With its 1,000-gallon fuel tank, the N47 will be the first Great Harbour trawler with trans-Atlantic capability. The biggest chunk of open water in an Atlantic crossing is the 1,900 miles separating Bermuda from the Azores. The N47 will be able to negotiate the passage with more than 100 gallons in reserve, the company says. "While the N47 is ocean-capable, we would not recommend that anyone drive across the Atlantic," Fickett said. "It's just too inexpensive to ship an N47 to, say, Barcelona, Spain. The $14,000 shipping is hardly much more than the price of fuel, insurance and wear and tear for an Atlantic crossing, especially with today's fuel costs. The last thing you want to do is buy 1,000 gallons of fuel in Bermuda." Fickett said that while Mirage's earlier trawlers were not marketed for their ocean capabilities, they were indeed versatile enough to make significant bluewater passages. For example, the N37 holds the niche record of being the smallest twin-engine powerboat to make the crossing from California to Hawaii after having been fitted with additional fuel tankage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Read this edition online with photos and additional text at http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MIRAGE UNVEILS CRUISEPRO TRAWLER TRAINING ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coinciding with the advent of the N47, is Mirage Manufacturing's announcement of its CruisePro trawler training program. This program, included in the price of a new Great Harbour, evaluates each customer's skills and provides individualized training in areas where needed from boathandling to maintenance. "There's a hole in the process of helping people transition into trawlers from smaller power and sailboats, and we feel that CruisePro fills this void. We've been hearing about the need for such a program for years, so why not be the first boatbuilder to incorporate that kind of service into boatbuying?" Fickett asked. A Great Harbour N47 with cruising options, including genset, air conditioning, extended batteries, the glass helm navigational system, bow thruster, fuel polishing and oil transfer systems, would go out the door for under $600,000. The optional flybridge would cost an additional $30,000. http://www.mirage-mfg.com/html/trawlers.html tel: 352-377-4146 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WEATHER ROUTER WALT HACK DIES AT 59 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One of the most respected weather routers in yachting circles, Walter "Walt" Hack, 59, died at his home in Fanwood, New Jersey, after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Hack founded Ocean Marine Navigation Inc. in 1994, offering weather routing services to a rapidly growing client list made up almost entirely of large motor yachts. An associate, Bob Jones, will continue to offer professional weather routing services and manage the operational side of OMNI. Jones was Walt Hack's stand-in and assistant for more than six years. mailto:ocmarnav@aol.com tel: 908-322-1215 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ROVING REPORTERS WANTED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you have a passion for trawlers and trawlering and can write, please send us 250 words about your most memorable boating experience. We're expanding our editorial team. mailto:editorial@trawlersandtrawlering.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISER'S NET STARTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Claiborne Young is starting The Salty Southeast Cruiser's Net on his Watermark Publishing website. Here's how he explains the service: "For the first time (at least that we know of), cruisers plying the waters of the Southeastern U.S. will have a real-time webnet where they may post all the cruising news that results from their travels. Now, if you find, for instance, that flashing daybeacon #4 near the Atlantic Beach, NC Bridge is missing, you can simply send an e-mail to <opcom@cruisingguide.com>, and within 24 hours, this data will appear on the Salty Southeast Cruiser's Net. http://www.cruisingguide.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SEE BETTER IN THE DARK THE MULTI-CAMERA WAY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Safety and security at sea depend in part on the ability to detect, observe and identify activity and objects in many weather and light conditions. To deliver images in the widest range of situations, vision systems utilizing multiple-camera technology offer the best solution. Night Vision Technologies makes systems for larger yachts and ships but the technology is of interest to all mariners. http://www.nvti-usa.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SOUTHWEST FLORIDA YACHTS SURVIVES WILMA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Barb Hansen of Southwest Florida Yachts reports that charters and training continue uninterrupted in Fort Myers, Florida: "Although our base of operations at Marinatown Marina in N. Fort Myers was in the zone of hurricane winds, our sturdy fleet survived all that Wilma could fling at us." http://www.swfyachts.com tel: 800-262-7939 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOW MIRAGE SEES N37 DESIGN HISTORY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mirage Manufacturing of Gainesville, Florida, builder of Great Harbour trawlers, has taken issue with a report in Trawler News #119 under the headline "No Stopping Trane as Island Pilot Launches." http://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/trawler-news/2005-May/000030.html According to company president Ken Fickett, company the article "mischaracterizes" Reuben Trane's role in the development of the Great Harbour N37 full-displacement trawler, particularly the part in which Trane is quoted calling the N37 "my last full displacement design." Trane also said Great Harbour trawlers was a brand that he "brought to market." Fickett said Trane's seven-year relationship with Mirage was primarily as a commissioned salesperson. "Reuben did some interior design and styling details, but the majority of the boat's design was a collaboration between myself and Lou Codega, one of the finest naval architects working in the United States today," Fickett said. "As far as 'bringing to market,' Mirage has been building boats in the same location since 1971, building thousands of sailboats and sportfish boats before launching the Great Harbour line, and we've done this without bankruptcy, merger or buyout. Reuben was a salesman and did some marketing, as you would expect in a small company, but I think it would be more accurate to say that Mirage Manufacturing brought the N37 to market." As to the merits of the Island Pilot concept, Fickett said he was content to let the market decide that question. "Reuben worked for us for seven years, and we wish him luck in his new venture. We feel that history will regard the N37 as one of the great boat designs of its time, and we want to ensure that the record of the N37's design and development is truthful and clear." http://www.mirage-mfg.com/ http://www.islandpilot.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Read this edition online with photos and additional text at http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IF YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRIAL COPY OF POWER CRUISING . . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The new magazine Power Cruising has been so well received, it's now publishing every other month. To obtain a free trial issue, please complete the request form at https://secure.palmcoastd.com/pcd/document?ikey=0897ZHDDD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOW TO REACH US ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Trawler News, an independent e-newsletter about voyaging, cruising and living aboard under power, is published free of charge by TrawlersAndTrawlering.com as a public service to the trawler community. To subscribe, or unsubscribe, go <http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawler-news>. We do not sell, rent or trade addresses of our subscribers without their permission. This edition was broadcast to 6,351 subscribers and posted on the Web. You can read earlier editions in the archives: <http://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/trawler-news/>. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Water World Productions respects your time and privacy. If you prefer not to receive further communications, please hit the reply button and send the word "remove." T R A W L E R N E W S  Powered by Apple Macintosh iBook G4 Copyright (c) 2005 Water World Productions. All rights reserved. Trawler News is a trademark of Water World Productions, formerly Trawler World Productions.