Captain's Corner

  It that time of year to enjoy the open water.  You may be vacationing at a lake, river, or open ocean where you or not that familiar or feel comfortable in operating a boat in.    So, what is the best option for you, your family and friends’ safety and pleasure?   There are a few options:   1. Hire the service of a USCG Captain to pilot your personal vessel 2. Hire a USCG Captain to pilot a boat that you rent. 3. Hire a USCG Captain that offers a comprehensive charter service (Boat, crew and associated service)   What is a USCG Captain?    A United States Coast Guard Credentialed Captain is a individual that has a Coast Guard issued Merchant Mariner’s Credential suitable for the vessel’s service. Credentialed mariners have met rigorous training and testing requirements along with background checks by Homeland Security, FBI. Competed a drug testing program and is tested on a periodically; as well as having their vessels and inspected and insured to meet high safety standar

Sales of new powerboats in the U.S. increased by about 12% in 2020 to more than 310,000 compared with 2019 as per the marine association.  Among the categories of boats consumers bought, freshwater fishing boats and pontoons boats were extremely popular, accounting for half of the powerboat sales. Boat sales skyrocketed during the pandemic.  The trend,continued  in 2021, shocked industry players who were certain they were in for rough times as the pandemic shut down the economy. Now, dealerships are struggling to maintain inventory and manufacturers are expanding production capacity to meet demand. Wait times for buyers have jumped from a few weeks to several months. What’s more, first-time buyers are entering the market in larger numbers, a sign that the growth has staying power. The global recreational boating market was valued at USD 29.0 Billion in 2019 and is projected to reach  USD 35.4 Billion by 2027 , registering a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.1% from 2020 to 2027.