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 October 5 - 8, 2000 |
In October 1999, my wife and I attended the Houston In-the-Water Boat Show for the first time. The Clear Lake/Kemah area and the variety of dealers and sailboats represented at the show pleasantly surprised us. All through the summer of 2000, I anxiously awaited the start of the 2000 show to be held October 5-8, 2000. What new models would be on display? Well, the 2000 event has come and gone and I can say that, despite the poor weather, the show was a winner at least from this participant’s perspective. My wife and I drove from our home in Austin to Galveston on Friday afternoon (Oct. 6). A strong cold front roared ahead of us to the Texas coast; we drove in rain most of the way. Hurricane Keith’s moisture combined with an artic cold front to give us an unseasonably cold and wet weekend. The weather was good for neither participating merchants nor the many fair-weather consumers who frequent each year’s show. Many will likely stay home this year. After checking into the Harbor House hotel (our favorite Galveston hotel near the historic Strand disrict), we ate dinner at the Fisherman’s Wharf at pier 21. We watched as the berthed tall ship Elissa slowly rolled as the waves and 20-30 knot NE wind pounded its stern. It is now a permanent resident of the Texas Seaport Museum. Upon returning to the hotel, we were surprised to see two 35’+ sailboats safely berthed in the Harbor House slips. Who would leave the safety of their home port in this weather? The outlook was not expected to change for many days. Although these yacht owners could take shelter from the wind and rain, they couldn’t escape the incessant pitching and rolling created by the incoming waves. Fortunately for them, there is limited fetch across the Galveston harbor channel and a protective seawall shelters most of the small harbor. Light rain and gusty winds greeted us Saturday morning and they continued throughout the day. Temperatures remained near 60 for most of the day. We drove from Galveston to Kemah on Hwy. 146 through La Marque and Texas City. Hwy. 146 takes you past the large refineries and chemical plants of Texas City, the site of one of the largest ever industrial disasters along the Texas coast. In April 1947, nearly 600 people died over three days when the ship Grand Camp carrying a cargo of ammonium nitrate caught fire and exploded. The fire subsequently spread to the adjoining Monsanto chemical plant and other refineries within the Texas City industrial complex. As we drove by the Union Carbide plant, my wife mentioned that her maternal grandfather had worked at one of these refineries at the time of the disaster. The rain continued after arriving in Kemah. Not having brought raingear with me from Austin, a quick trip to the area West Marine was in order. I bought a cheap yellow poncho that would keep me dry for the remainder of the day. A short distance back down FM 2094 and I’m back to the Watergate Yachting Center, home of the 2000 Houston In-the-Water Boat Show. Regrettably, I was unable to take photos of this year’s show. The rain was constant and I couldn’t find shelter to take any decent photos. Instead, I’ll tell you what I saw. At the Show Tickets this year were $7 for adults, $3 for children under 12. Show sponsors shuttled visitors two and from the various marina parking lots in private vehicles. This, no doubt, in response to the rain. After arriving at the ticket stand, you paid your way and were immediately ushered into the first of two large tents. Each tent housed exhibits by various marine vendors: electronics, sailing schools, charter companies, accessories, magazine publishers, sails, seat cushions, etc. There were no standout vendors. Still, every time I see the Ccushions booth, I remember how much my wife wants those closed-cell cushions on our Catalina 250. Even with a 10% show discount, the price for our boat’s cushions would be $516. I can wait. With nothing much to keep me in the tents except the prospect of staying dry, I move on. Like last year, I move on quickly past the few trailered powerboats on display. I wanted to talk air-conditioning with the folks in the Lakewood Yacht Service tent. But, one potential customer was keeping them busy with water-making questions. After a few minutes I move on to the “main event” . . . the sailboats on display. Catalina & Beneteau Sea Lake Yacht Sales [(281) 334-1993], the local Catalina and Beneteau dealer had a good crop of new boats on display again this year. Given the continuing light rain, there were very few visitors on the docks. I took my time looking around the Catalinas on display: C310, C36, C380 and C42. The Catalina 320 is my “move-up” goal for the future. Although we have been aboard the C320 many times in the last two years, I have never seen the C310 which is in the same general class. This year, I had my chance. I do not consider the increased v-berth room a good trade-off for my family’s needs. The boat appears better suited for a couple without kids. The aft berth is open to the main cabin in the same was as the C30. The settee area appears to be much smaller than the C320. Although I can’t put my “finger on it”, I don’t like the C310 near as much as I do the C320. My primary question for the dealer representative regarded the in-mast mainsail furling system used on every Catalina at this year’s show. In the past, I was told that the full-battened main was the way to go because of the improved performance. This gentleman told me that he would gladly trade the small amount of improved performance for the ease of sail handling afforded by the in-mast furling system. But, he readily admitted that another salesman in his company thinks otherwise. The in-mast furling systems are an additional-cost factory option; this rep was not able to give me a ballpark price for the option. I will give serious consideration to mainsail configuration before buying a larger Catalina. Never having been aboard a Catalina 36, I was expecting good things from this model. Seeing the accommodation plan on paper is not the same as seeing it in person. I liked almost everything about the C36: the settee arrangement including the two seats and game table to starboard; the chart table and swivel seat; the galley and head. What I didn’t like was the low overhead clearance in the aft berth. Its clearance is not much more than that of my Catalina 250 (water-ballast model). If I ever find myself in a financial position to consider the Catalina 36, I will also review the C34 . Next boat . . . the Catalina 380. I LIKE this boat! The accommodation plan is perfect. The head is near the companionway which is much more convenient to those in the cockpit. The aft berth is fabulous: sufficient overhead clearance and plenty of room to each side of the berth and a REAL inner-spring mattress. I haven’t sailed on a yacht of this size, so I cannot comment knowledgeably about the deck hardware. But, the winches, blocks and rope clutches seem adequately sized and, as is the case with all Catalina models, are name brand (e.g., Lewmar, Harken). And, finally, the Catalina 42 (the two stateroom w/Pullman forward berth model) . . . if only I could afford this boat. For someone my size (6’3” & 300 lbs.), this is truly a comfortable boat . . . not only for me, but for my family and numerous friends as well. The galley has phenomenal storage space (for a Catalina). The forward head and shower is huge with abundant ventilation from the large overhead hatch. The teak and holly sole in the settee area is large enough to serve as a dance floor. It is stiff, even when someone of my size is walking over it. I love the gimbaled brass lamps w/shades used on both the C380 and C42. I thought they may be oil lamps until I saw the electric bulbs. They do a great job of hiding the electrical wiring. The complaints I have about Catalinas have nothing to do with sailing the boat; it is their use of cheap 5” plactic dome lights and ugly interior wood. Catalina should find a replacement for these cheap dome lamps. I even saw them in the more expensive C36. And, I hate large-grained ash. They use ash in a number of places. Why not stay exclusively with teak? I wish they would go back to all teak. But, hey, these are a very minor complaints. Oh, and let us see the two stateroom interior w/centerline forward berth. This model looks great on paper. Maybe Sea Lake Yacht Sales will have one next year. Something new this year for Sea Lake Yacht Sales is their line of Heritage motor vessels. I met Vince Morvilla Sr. (the dealership owner’s father) on a new Heritage 36. Both he and his son are very fine folks and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I look forward to working with them on my next Catalina. By the way, I think this beautiful Heritage 36 will be making its home on the waters of Lake Travis very soon. A friendly couple from Austin was aboard when I looked around the motor yacht. I saw them later at the Blue Water Ships store and they mentioned they had, indeed, bought the boat. They have previously owned sailing vessels and promised to keep their wake small for those of us with sails. I congratulate them on the purchase of this beautiful new motor yacht. I didn’t board all of the new Beneteaus on display. I honed in on the new Beneteau 331. I was told that it replaced the 321. I’m sure it is due to my personal preferences, but I am not impressed with this Beneteau. The exterior styling is ok albeit more Euro than Catalina (no surprise here). The beautiful cherry interior appears only skin deep. I wouldn’t want to scratch an interior panel. I don’t think you’d ever be able to hide it because the topcoat is almost plastic in appearance. I don’t think you can easily hide a scratch in this finish as you can on oiled teak. Also, the teak and holly sole flexes considerably (again, remember my size). Although this is not the boat for me, I do like the Beneteau 361 that I saw on display at last year’s show. Dufour New at this year’s show was the Dufour 36 on display and offered by Blue Water Cruising Yacht Sales [(281) 474-5100]. Unfortunately, a few serious buyers were talking to the salesman and I was unable to step aboard this yacht. The exterior fit and finish was very good. I would like to have spent some time looking around this yacht. Blue Water Cruising was showing a number of used yachts including two Irwins. I boarded a 1990 Irwin 38 listed at $115,000. I was told by friends of the owner that it was one of the last boats produced by Irwin Yachts. It had a “big” boat feel. High freeboard allowed for a very roomy cabin and aft berth. It is a “salty” looking boat not often found on inland lakes. Hunter Ship & Sail [(281) 334-0573] had a number of Hunter yachts on display including the 290, 320, 340, 380, 420, and 450. The later two are center cockpit models. I am embarrassed to say that this is the first time I have stepped aboard a large Hunter yacht. I see what they mean when they say that the interior accommodations are what sell the Hunter line. They are very roomy, especially the large center cockpit versions. I am concerned about the B&R backstayless rig and downwind sailing performance. The prices were certainly right. They tend to be less than Catalina and Beneteau prices for comparably-sized models. Where were the salesman? I saw only one guy to help customers. Other Boats On-Display Like last year, I was unable to see everything I wanted in one day. The rain slowed my pace a bit because I was forced to remove and then replace hatchboards on each boat I visited. The upside was that there were substantially fewer visitors because of the rain. If you are interested in large motor vessels, then you will want to visit this show next year. Ship & Sail has numerous Carver trawlers lined up along the dock for your inspection. And, if you don’t want to experience the “rapid depreciation” associated with a new vessel, an abundant supply of brokerage boats (both sail and power) are available as well. Noticeably absent this year (to me, anyway) was Lynn Sailboats of Houston. Last year, they had both Compac and Seaward yachts on their respective trailers. There were no small, trailerable sailboats on display this year except the Schock offered by Higgins & Smyth. The Schock was tied up along the dock next to a used but beautiful, blue-hulled Hinkley 40 yawl offered by the same dealer. Definitely Worth the Drive If you are considering the purchase of a new or used sailing vessel in the 30’+ range, then you need to attend this show. The Clear Lake area is also home to a number of marine service companies that can offer you help with your new (or used) yacht. And, don’t forget to visit the Blue Water Ships store on FM 2094. These folks have a very large inventory that will never be seen in Austin. I was surprised to find most items for much less than West Marine or BoatUS. The salesmen are generally very knowledgeable. Heck, even the West Marine in League City (just a little farther down FM 2094) has a big selection of sail-related merchandise. If you want to actually “see” the stuff in the catalog, visit this store. And, finally, if you want to grab a quick hamburger before heading
home to Austin, stop by Tookie’s just over the causeway bridge in Seabrook. Look for the green building on the right at the
corner of Hwy. 146 and Third Street. [MTM 10/09/00] |
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