2015 Houston Summer Boat Show Program

OFFICIAL PROGRAM

Houston Summer

June 3-7 2015

28th Annual

PUBLISHED BY TEXAS FISH & GAME MAGAZINE

Digital EditionPUBLISHED BY TEXAS FISH & GAME MAGAZINE

2015-BoatShowSummer.indd 1 6/1/15 4:36 PM



OFFICIAL PROGRAM

FEATURE ARTICLESIntroduction

ExhibitorDirectory

Boat ShowLocatorMap

Boat Show Shopping, 101

Ten BoatHandling Tips that Help Catch More Fish

Boating Safety:A Star toSteer By

TrailerTrials andTribulations

7

10

12

16

18

20

22

TABLE OF

ContentsContentsContentsContents2015 HOUSTONSummer BOAT SHOW

4 | 2 0 1 5 HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW J U N E 3 - 7

2015-BoatShowSummer.indd 4 5/13/15 11:26 AM


Sponsored by

The Boating Trades Association

of Metropolitan Houston

Program Published by

Texas Fish & GameMagazine

1745 Greens RD • Houston, TX 77032

(713) 227-3001 • (800) 750-4670

STAFF:

Ardia Neves VP Sales

Larry Dalton, Advertising Coordinator

Anna Campbell, Graphic Designer

Melinda Buss, Graphic Designer

Roy Neves Publisher

CONTRIBUTORS:

Chester Moore, Lenny Rudow,

Linda Water Nelson

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Houston Boat Shows, Andrea Muscatello, R. Peterkin, Jack Bissell, Canstock, Bigstock, Van Dutch Boats,

Boston Whaler, Humminbird, Mercury Marine, Yamaha Marine, Evinrude, Suzuki Marine, Blue Wave

Boats, Chester Moore, Natalia Merzlyakova

OFFICIALPROGRAMDownload the

MOBILE EDITION• Interactive Tools• Videos• Links to Exhibitor

websites& More!

Visit www.FishGame.com

2015 HOUSTONSummer

June 3-7, 2015


ShowShow2015 Houston Summer Boat Show

Boat!

Where

ShowShowIt’s Okay

Showto Be a

A S ANOTHER HOT Houston summer descends upon us, it’s time to look for ways to cool down in the summer sun. And the best place to do that is the

Houston Summer Boat Show.If you’re new to boating or even

thinking about it, then the Houston Boat Show is the perfect place to learn more.

Did you know there are 365 mil-

lion trillion gallons of water on the earth? Learn about how exploring the open water helps reduce stress from fast-paced everyday life and brings families together while they create lifetime memories.

Experienced boaters already know about the benefits of boating and they also know that the Boat Show is the place to go to get the great-est deals on new boats and boating gear and to learn about the latest in marine technology and maintenance.

The 2015 Houston Summer Boat

Show will feature hundreds of pow-erboats, personal watercraft, fishing gear, wake and ski accessories and fun activities for the whole family. Also shop the more than 100+ exhibits that offer the latest in electronics, dockage, clothing, jewelry and other must have accessories.

FISH-O-RAMA: A Boat Show Tradition COME EXPERIENCE A BOAT SHOW tradition at Fish-O-Rama for a rare chance to fish for rainbow trout

J U N E 3 - 7 HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW 2 0 1 5 | 7


(native to the rivers and lakes of North America) in the indoors. Fish-O-Rama is a great opportunity to introduce kids to the challenge of fishing for this hard-fighting and tasty fish. Kids of all ages can take their catch home with them or just take home the story of the big one that got away at the Houston Summer Boat Show.

Come by, grab one of the already baited fishing poles, and get ready to

hook your own prize rainbow trout. Personnel are on hand to help with

your catch. Anglers can keep or release their fish, and staff will even bag it for you to take home. Plan on hanging around the show a little longer? No problem; they can even keep your catch on ice until you are ready to reel it in for the day. Don’t miss your chance to hook ‘The Big Catch.’

Bass TubGET UP-CLOSE VIEWS OF A BIG BASS striking a lure, as professional angler Chuck Devereaux demonstrates a variety of techniques for casting and retrieval.

Visitors to this year’s show will mar-vel at the giant 5,000-gallon Bass Tub aquarium, which offers views from both sides and stands nine feet tall. A Bass

Get a fi sh-eye view of fi shing in the 5,000-gallon BassTub aquarium.

Fish-O-Rama promises loads of fun... but there is a catch!

2015-BoatShowSummer.indd 8 5/13/15 11:26 AM

Tub is a unique aquarium, over 40 feet long, which rolls down the highway as a gooseneck trailer and is transformed into a natural habitat for largemouth bass. To simulate the conditions nor-mally found in nature, the tank comes fully stocked with rocks, stumps and dozens of live fish. Using live fish dur-ing our demonstrations offers you the chance to see the fish and lure presen-tation in action. This is a great educa-tional experience for the newbie and the veteran.

Bubble RunnersROLL, FLIP, AND SPIN ON WATER without getting wet in one of our giant human hamster balls!

Come enjoy the 360 degrees of fun you can have with Bubble Runners. Used by all ages, all over the world, these giant inflatable balls are 5.5’ and you crawl inside for a splashing good time without getting even one drop of water on you. Once inside, the ball is

filled with air and you can run like a hamster in an inflatable pool. Bubble Runners are a safe way to have fun and make great memories to talk about for years to come.

So get to the 2015 Houston Summer

Boat Show where there is plenty of siz-zling summer deals on hot summer fun in an oasis of air-conditioning!

l

PHOTOS: HOUSTON BOAT SHOW

Flip, spin, or just walk on water in the Bubble Runner attrac-tion.



1-2-31Smart Spa

Booth 129, 131, 228, 230.......PG/Grid: 14/G4-F3

303 ProductsBooth 436 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F7

AAnchor Marine Insurance

Booth 321 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7

Austin Canoe & KayakBooth 557, 559, 561, 656, 658, 660 ..................... ...........................................PG/Grid: 12/D4-C4

Awards, Etc.Booth 638 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F4

BBader Models

Booth 137 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/F4

Bath FitterBooth 430 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F7

CCapt. Kirk’s Marine, Inc.

Open Area 1102 ..................PG/Grid: 15/H4 to I5

Charter Lakes Marine InsuranceBooth 125, 224 ...................... PG/Grid: 14/G4-G3

ChickenBoyLures.comBooth 355 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

ChillingTheMost.comBooth 359 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

Cutco CutleryBooth 139 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/F4

DDLFender / Wipeout Eraser

Booth 642 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E4

Dockside MarineOpen Area 1621, 1720 .......................................... ....................... PG/Grid: 12/F2 to G3-F1 to G2

Dottie’sBooth 361 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/C7

EEndeavour Marina

Booth 448 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E7

Excell Boat Lifts LLCBooth 343, 345, 442, 444....... PG/Grid: 12/E7-E7

FFreedom Boat Club

Booth 446 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E7

Fujimi Luxury Massage ChairsBooth 242, 244 ....................... PG/Grid: 14/E3-E3

GGalveston Yacht Basin

Booth 127 .................................... PG/Grid: 14/G4

Gene’s Powersports CountryOpen Area 1303 ................ PG/Grid: 15/H1 to H2

Gene’s Powersports Country - EZ DockBooth 323, 325, 327 .............. PG/Grid: 12/G7-G7

Grind Terminal TackleBooth 357 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

Gulf Coast Marine, Inc.Open Area 1246, 1344 .......................................... .......................PG/Grid: 14/C2 to D2-C1 to E2

HHi Dow Professional

Booth 329 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7

II & L Cutlery

Booth 159 .................................... PG/Grid: 14/D3

Ideal Outdoor LivingBooth 121, 123, 220, 222...... PG/Grid: 14/G4-G3

JJNW Marketing Solutions, LLC

Booth 533 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F4

KKen’s Beef Jerky

Booth 537, 539 ........................PG/Grid: 12/F4-F4

KingCachalot.comBooth 353 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/D7

LLakeshore Sports

Open Area 1320 .................PG/Grid: 14/F1 to G2

LeafGuard Gulf CoastBooth 143 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/E4

LMC Marine Center, Inc.Open Area 1001, 1021, 1120 ................................ ............................PG/Grid: 15/H5 to 14/F4-G5

MMarineMax

Open Area 1601 ..................PG/Grid: 13/H2 to I3

Mattress FirmBooth 521, 523, 525, 527, 620, 622, 624, 626 ..... .......................................... PG/Grid: 12/G4-G4

Max HomeBooth 232, 234 ........................PG/Grid: 14/F3-F3

Millennium Marine, Inc.Booth 161, 260 .......................PG/Grid: 14/C4-C3

Mt. Houston Marine, Inc.Open Area 1221 .................PG/Grid: 14/F2 to G3

NNationwide Insurance

Booth 428 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7

The Nautic GroupOpen Area 1520, Booth 529, 531 ......................... .......................................PG/Grid: 12/F4 to G6

Northshore Marine Supply, Inc.Open Area 1245 ................ PG/Grid: 14/C3 to D3

Northtown GroupBooth TBD ..............................PG/Grid: TBD/TBD

Nutty Buddies TooBooth 147 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/E4

OOil Paintings & Frames

Booth 337, 339 ........................PG/Grid: 12/F7-F7

Exhibitor Directory

2015 HoustonSummer


Outdoor RepublicBooth 460 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/C7

PPrimo Hot Tubs & Swim Spas

Open Area 1741 .................PG/Grid: 12/E1 to E2

RRed Wing Boat Co., Inc.

Open Area 1421 .................PG/Grid: 12/F6 to G7

Reynolds Marine, Inc.Open Area 1243 .................PG/Grid: 14/D2 to E3

RG EnterprizesBooth 438 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F7

Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.Open Area 1443, 1542 .......................................... .......................................PG/Grid: 12/C4 to E7

Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.Booth 456, 458 .......................PG/Grid: 12/D7-D7

Ron Hoover Marine, Inc.Open Area 1043, 1065, 1142, 1162, 1165 ........... ........................................... PG/Grid: 14/A3-E6

Ron Hoover RV & Marine CentersOpen Area 1163 .................PG/Grid: 14/A4 to C5

The Rust Game Place & Meat MarketBooth 145 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/E4

SSchool of Seamanship

Booth 238 .....................................PG/Grid: 14/F3

Shark Tested Optics, LLCBooth 543, 545 ....................... PG/Grid: 12/E4-E4

SlimRitaBooth TBD ..............................PG/Grid: TBD/TBD

SMG Wake Of HoustonOpen Area 1643 .................PG/Grid: 12/C2 to E3

Star Glow Products, LLCBooth 236, 426, 547.............. PG/Grid: 12/F3-E4

TTexas Marine

Open Area 1365, 1465, 1564, 1665, 1765 ........... ........................................... PG/Grid: 12/A1-A7

Texas Outdoors Journal, Inc.Booth 420 .................................... PG/Grid: 12/G7

Texas Sport Boats, LLCOpen Area 1500, 1501 ..........................................

........................................PG/Grid: 13/H4 to I6

Texas Sportfi shing Yacht SalesOpen Area 1301 ..................PG/Grid: 13/H7 to I7

Texas Tigé MarineOpen Area 1423 ................. PG/Grid: 12/F4 to F7

Texas Tigé MarineBooth 535 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/F4

Texas Yamaha MotorsportsOpen Area 1302 ..................PG/Grid: 15/H1 to I2

TKO LuresBooth 422, 424 ...................... PG/Grid: 12/G7-G7

Tuff SpasBooth 331, 333, 335 ................PG/Grid: 12/F7-F7

ZZShow

Booth 347 .....................................PG/Grid: 12/E7

l

Exhibitor Directory

Locator Map

HallA

PAGES 12-13

HallB

PAGES 14-15

The following 4 pages

provide a detailed

fl oor plan of the show.

Find each Exhibitor

listed on the map page

for the hall in which

their booth is located.

Also, look up individual

Exhibitors in the

EXHIBITOR LISTING

above on these two

pages.

OpenAreas

1301 to 1765

Booths321-660

OpenAreas

1001-1364

Booths121-260



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A

B

B

C

C

D

D

E

E

F

F

G

G

H

H

1

4

2

5

7

3

6

t AISLE 1600 u

t AISLE 1700 u

t AISLE 1500 u

t AISLE 1400 u

t AISLE 1300 u


1765

Texas Marine

1720

DocksideMarine

1643

SMG Wakeof Houston

1542

Rinker’s Boat World

1520

Nautic Group

Nautic Group

1520

1421

Red Wing Boat Co.

1423

Texas Tigé

Marine1443

Rinker’s Boat World

1742

BASSTUB

1741

PRIMOHOTTUBS

1665

Texas Marine

1564

Texas Marine

Texas Marine

1365

1465

Texas Marine

1621

DocksideMarine

460

638

539

438

339361

636

537

436

337359

456 & 458

634 626

434

357

535 527

335

654660

454

632 624

432

555561

355

533 525

333

652658

452

630 622

430

553559

353

531 523

331331-335

650656

450

628 620

428

551557

351

529529 & 531 521

329

648

448 444 426

327

549

349 345

646

446 442 424

325

547

347 343

644

422422-424

323

545 543

642

420

321

557-660 521-626543 & 545 537 & 539

337 & 339 323-327


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OPEN AREAS:Dockside Marine

Open Area 1621, 1720 ...................Grid: F1 to G3MarineMax

Open Area 1601 ..............................Grid: H2 to I3Primo Hot Tubs & Swim Spas

Open Area 1741 .............................Grid: E1 to E2Red Wing Boat Co., Inc.

Open Area 1421 .............................Grid: F6 to G7Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.

Open Area 1443, 1542 .......................................... ........................................................Grid: C4 to E7

SMG Wake Of HoustonOpen Area 1643 .............................Grid: C2 to E3

Texas MarineOpen Area 1365, 1465, 1564, 1665, 1765 ............ ........................................................Grid: A1 to C7

Texas Sport Boats, LLCOpen Area 1500, 1501 ....................Grid: H4 to I6

Texas Sportfi shing Yacht SalesOpen Area 1301 ..............................Grid: H7 to I7

Texas Tigé MarineOpen Area 1423 ............................. Grid: F4 to F7

The Nautic GroupOpen Area 1520 .............................Grid: F4 to G6

BOOTHS:303 Products

Booth 436 .................................................Grid: F7Anchor Marine Insurance

Booth 321 ................................................ Grid: G7Austin Canoe & Kayak

Booth 557, 559, 561, 656, 658, 660 ...Grid: D4-C4Awards, Etc.

Booth 638 .................................................Grid: F4Bath Fitter

Booth 430 .................................................Grid: F7ChickenBoyLures.com

Booth 355 ................................................ Grid: D7ChillingTheMost.com

Booth 359 ................................................ Grid: D7DLFender / Wipeout Eraser

Booth 642 .................................................Grid: E4Dottie’s

Booth 361 ................................................ Grid: C7Endeavour Marina

Booth 448 .................................................Grid: E7Excell Boat Lifts LLC

Booth 343, 345, 442, 444 ................... Grid: E7-E7Freedom Boat Club

Booth 446 .................................................Grid: E7Gene’s Powersports Country - EZ Dock

Booth 323, 325, 327 ................................ Grid: G7Grind Terminal Tackle

Booth 357 ................................................ Grid: D7Hi Dow Professional

Booth 329 ................................................ Grid: G7JNW Marketing Solutions, LLC

Booth 533 .................................................Grid: F4Ken’s Beef Jerky

Booth 537, 539 ....................................Grid: F4-F4KingCachalot.com

Booth 353 ................................................ Grid: D7Mattress Firm

Booth 521, 523, 525, 527, 620, 622, 624, 626 ..... ................................................................. Grid: G4

The Nautic GroupBooth 529, 531 ...................................Grid: F4-G4

Nationwide InsuranceBooth 428 ................................................ Grid: G7

Oil Paintings & FramesBooth 337, 339 .........................................Grid: F7

Outdoor RepublicBooth 460 ................................................ Grid: C7

RG EnterprizesBooth 438 .................................................Grid: F7

Rinker’s Boat World, Inc.Booth 456, 458 ........................................ Grid: D7

Shark Tested Optics, LLCBooth 543, 545 .........................................Grid: E4

Star Glow Products, LLCBooth 426, 547 ..................................Grid: G7-E4

Texas Outdoors Journal, Inc.Booth 420 ................................................ Grid: G7

Texas Tigé MarineBooth 535 .................................................Grid: F4

TKO LuresBooth 422, 424 ........................................ Grid: G7

Tuff SpasBooth 331, 333, 335 .................................Grid: F7

ZShowBooth 347 .................................................Grid: E7

$

YOU ARE HERE1700

1601

MarineMax

1500

Texas Sport Boats

1401

Concessions

Texas Sport Boats1501

Texas Sportfi shingYacht Sales 1301

2015 HoustonSummer Boat Show EXHIBITORS ONTHESE PAGES

LocatorMap

Use the InteractiveLOCATOR MAP in our

Digital Version

See www.FishGame.comfor Details


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Hall BA

A

B

B

C

C

D

D

E

E

F

F

G

G

H

H

1

4

2

5

7

3

6

t AISLE 2000 u

t AISLE 1300 u

t AISLE 1200 u

t AISLE 1100 u

t AISLE 1000 u


260 238

161

161&

260 139

258 236

159 137

256 234

157 135

254 232232 & 234

155 133

252 230

153 131

250 228

151 129129-230

248 226

149 127

246 224

147 125

125&

224

244 222

145 123

242242 & 244 220

143 121121-222

1362

Blue DolphinBeach Club

1361 Miss GeicoRace Boat

1344

Gulf Coast Marine

1320

Lakeshore Sports

1221

Mt. Houston Marine

1246Gulf Coast

Marine

1245Northshore

Marine

1243

Reynolds Marine

1165

Ron Hoover Marine

1162

Ron Hoover Marine

1142

Ron Hoover Marine

1120

LMCMarine Center

Ron Hoover Marine

1065

Ron Hoover Marine

1043

LMCMarine Center

1021

1364

BubbleRunners

KidsArea


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YOU ARE HERE

1302

TexasYamaha

1303

Gene’sPowerSports

1203

Discover Boating

1102

Capt. Kirk’sMarine

LMCMarine Center

1001

Show Entrance 1200

OPEN AREAS:Capt. Kirk’s Marine, Inc.

Open Area 1102 ..............................Grid: H4 to I5Gene’s Powersports Country

Open Area 1303 ............................ Grid: H1 to H2Gulf Coast Marine, Inc.

Open Area 1246, 1344 ...................Grid: C1 to E2Lakeshore Sports

Open Area 1320 .............................Grid: F1 to G2LMC Marine Center, Inc.

Open Area 1001, 1021, 1120 ................................ ......................................................... Grid: F4 to I6

Mt. Houston Marine, Inc.Open Area 1221 .............................Grid: F2 to G3

Northshore Marine Supply, Inc.Open Area 1245 ............................ Grid: C3 to D3

Reynolds Marine, Inc.Open Area 1243 .............................Grid: D2 to E3

Ron Hoover Marine, Inc.Open Area 1043, 1065, 1142, 1162, 1165 ............ ........................................................Grid: A3 to E6

Ron Hoover RV & Marine CentersOpen Area 1163 .............................Grid: A4 to C5

Texas Yamaha MotorsportsOpen Area 1302 ..............................Grid: H1 to I2

BOOTHS:1Smart Spa

Booth 129, 131, 228, 230 ...................Grid: G4-F3Bader Models

Booth 137 .................................................Grid: F4Charter Lakes Marine Insurance

Booth 125, 224 .................................. Grid: G4-G3Cutco Cutlery

Booth 139 .................................................Grid: F4Fujimi Luxury Massage Chairs

Booth 242, 244 ................................... Grid: E3-E3Galveston Yacht Basin

Booth 127 ................................................ Grid: G4Ideal Outdoor Living

Booth 121, 123, 220, 222 .................. Grid: G4-G3LeafGuard Gulf Coast

Booth 143 .................................................Grid: E4Max Home

Booth 232, 234 ....................................Grid: F3-F3Millennium Marine, Inc.

Booth 161, 260 ...................................Grid: C4-C3Nutty Buddies Too

Booth 147 .................................................Grid: E4School of Seamanship

Booth 238 .................................................Grid: F3Star Glow Products, LLC

Booth .......................................................Grid: F3The Rust Game Place & Meat Market

Booth 145 .................................................Grid: E4

EXHIBITORS ONTHESE PAGES

Use the InteractiveLOCATOR MAP in our

Digital Version

LocatorMap

DOWNLOAD THE APPfrom the iTunes or Google

Play App Store

See www.FishGame.comfor Details

2015 HoustonSummer Boat Show


Boat Show Shopping, 101

BOAT SHOWS CAN BE overwhelming—gleam-ing white fiberglass hulls of all sizes sur-round you in every direction, dozens of aluminum boats sit to your left and

to your right with everything from sizzling-hot paint jobs to camo fin-ish to shiny bare aluminum, and—wait a sec—those Jet Skis sure do look like a lot of fun!

So, how are you to make sense of it all? How can you intelligently shop the show? And perhaps most impor-tant, once you’ve picked out the right type of boat, how can you make sure you get the best deal available?

EFFECTIVE BOAT SHOW SHOPPING takes some preparation. Although the whole point of going to a show is to see a huge selection all at once, you should at least have a solid idea of what type of boat you’re looking for, before starting the shopping process. You don’t go to an automotive dealership without hav-ing narrowed down the field between an SUV, a pick-up, and a sport coupe, right? Think of boat show shopping the same way.

Before you begin marching down the aisles, you should know whether you’ll be best served by a fiberglass bay boat, an aluminum jon boat, or a cuddy cabin boat. If you’ve done some research prior to coming to the show, you hopefully have a good idea of what size boat is appropriate for your uses, which hull material is going to be best for you, and what the basic design should be.

Now that you’re at the show, it’s time to get busy: start off by walking around and seeing which models catch your eye. Don’t let pricing drive you away from or attract you

to specific boats just yet (you’ll see why in a moment). For this initial boat show shopping phase, just gather data. When you see

any boat that could be a contender, grab a brochure and keep going.

This could take a while. Sit down,

grab a snack, and let your head clear a bit. You should

to specific boats just yet (you’ll see why in a moment). For this initial boat show shopping grab a snack, and


whole point of going to a show is to see

at least have a solid idea of what type of

away from or attract you


have seen several dozen models of inter-est by now, and giving your brain some time to digest all of that info is a good move. When you feel ready to get start-ed again, break out all of those catalogs, a pen, and some yellow sticky notes. At this point, you’ll probably discard a few makes and models which, after a bit of thought, don’t seem so good anymore. But in each catalog which still holds a boat of interest, use a yellow sticky note to mark the model’s page. Then use the direcctory and floor plan (pages 10-15) and plot your course to visit each one.

Now that the field’s been whittled down a bit, start collecting hard num-bers. But remember, just like buying a car or a computer, prices can be

deceiving. That’s why you don’t want to let the price turn you off (or conversely, get you too

excited) at the beginning of the process. After recording the

“sticker” price, ask a sales rep to help you make a list of every option

you need, and how much it adds to cost. Same goes for power plant

options, which can make a huge differ-ence in a boat’s bottom line. Smaller powerplants are less expensive, for

sure, but remember that boats with max power (or close to it) usually have much better resale value, and

are easier to sell a few years down the line. Also ask the rep about the hidden costs. Shipping, dealer prep and rigging, and tax and licensing fees, for example, are all things that often aren’t included in the sticker price you see on the boat. But there’s a good chance you’re going to end up paying for them.

After working your way through the show again and gathering hard num-bers on all your boats of interest, it’s time to break out a calculator. When you add up all those extra costs, the appeal of this model versus that one is likely to change around quite a bit. Take another coffee break, clear your head again, and sit down to make a new list of your top 10 contenders, ranked by price. Then, make a com-pletely separate list ranking those 10 by sheer emotion—how the boat looks, its “wow” factor, and other things that just

plain make you want it. Finally, make a third list ranking the same 10 boats by construction quality. Lay the three lists side by side, and a few models are going stand out, ranking at or near the top of all three lists. Eliminate as many of the other contenders as you can, and you’re ready to get serious about the remain-ing top three to five candidates.

Strict adherence to a disciplined boat show plan of attack will pay off the first time you break a plane in your new boat.

Brass TacksNOW THAT YOU’VE LIMITED THE field to a handful of choices, it’s time to start bargaining for real. Circle back to each boat one at a time, and make sure you speak with the same sales rep who helped you earlier. These guys are usually pretty sharp, and will remember the conversation. They’ve seen you tak-ing notes, they’ve seen you gather bro-chures, and yes, they did notice when you walked over to their competitor’s display and did the same things. When you walk back into their territory, they know you’re a serious buyer who’s doing his homework—and they’ll treat you accordingly.

Sit down with each rep, and let them know up-front you won’t sign anything until you’ve also spoken with reps about the other top few boats on your list. Here’s where all that walking and shopping pays off. At this point, you should know what each specific model offers in terms of standard features, power, and price, as compared to the competition. Call out any failings to the salesman, and see if he has an effective way to counter them. In some cases they may offer an optional feature or two free of cost, and in others, they may be willing to chip away at the overall cost to make up for it. Live up to your word, and DON’T sign anything—no matter how excited you may get about the specific model, until you’ve had the same conversation for every boat on

your final list.When you feel like you have a win-

ner and the best possible deal is on the table, remember to make it contingent on a sea trial. You need to be sure the boat lives up to your expectations when it comes to handling waves, perfor-mance, stability, and the like. Dealers won’t always like this, but they will understand it and usually accept this contingency as long as you’re willing to lay down a (refundable) deposit on the boat. Yes, this is one more hoop to jump through – and we’ve already made quite a bit of work for you, at the boat show. But the first time you advance the throttle, break a plane, and feel the wind in your hair on your brand new boat, it’ll all have been worthwhile.

Negotiating TacticsESSENTIALLY, BUYING A BOAT IS just like buying a car (though the down payment and interest rates are usually higher). But there are a few boat-specific tactics you can use to get the best deal.

Even if the powerplant or optional equipment isn’t ideal, consider bargain-ing for a boat the dealership already has in stock. Much like automotive dealer-ships, boats dealers pay on a “floor plan” (a short-term loan which carries the value of the boats on their showroom “floor”), so the longer a dealership has a specific boat in stock, the more they’ll want to sell it.

Look for last year’s models. As new models come out old ones lose value, even if the boat’s never been in the water. Dealerships will often reduce them quite a bit, to make room for the new models. When you find a prime candidate at the boat show, ask the salesman if they have any left-over of the same type from last year, back at their showroom.

Let the dealer know that you can get financing through your own bank (assuming you can), or, if you have cash in hand.

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J U N E 3 - 7 HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW 2 0 1 5 | 17PHOTOS: HOUSTON BOAT SHOW

BY LENNY RUDOW

After working your way through the show again and gathering hard num-bers on all your boats of interest, it’s bers on all your boats of interest, it’s show again and gathering hard num-bers on all your boats of interest, it’s

down a bit, start collecting hard num-bers. But remember, just like buying a car or a computer, prices can be








After working your way through the








After working your way through the

the process. After recording the “sticker” price, ask a sales rep to

help you make a list of every option you need, and how much it adds

to cost. Same goes for power plant options, which can make a huge differ-ence in a boat’s bottom line. Smaller powerplants are less expensive, for



After working your way through the show again and gathering hard num-



Ten Boat Handling Tips That Help Catch Fish

SOME ANGLERS LOOK at their boat as a mere platform they use to get to where the fish are. Others look at it as a true fish-catching tool, right up there in importance with rods,

reels, line, and hooks. The ones that see it as a tool are—hands down—better anglers. Why? Because they understand that certain aspects of boat handling will help you and your crew catch more fish. Accept this concept, use it to your advantage, and these 10 tips will boost your success rate significantly.

1. CONTROL YOUR DRIFT. FISHING from a drifting boat doesn’t mean shutting down the engine, and going wherever the currents and winds desire. There are several means at your dispos-al which allow you to direct the boat’s path of travel, so you pass directly over that wreck or drift the perfect casting distance from a feature. Cocking the motor all the way to port or starboard gives you a bit of directional control. On some boats you can get your boat to drift beam-to by tilting the motor up and getting the drive out of the water,

or maintain a stern-to drift by keeping it tilted down. Drift can be speeded up by raising a Bimini top, or slowed by deploying a drift sock. You can also gain some directional control by deploy-ing the sock off of a port or starboard spring cleat, instead of a center bow cleat.

2. WHEN TROLLING PAY ATTENTION to speed through the water, NOT speed over ground. If you’re trolling at three knots into a one knot current, your lures are actually swimming at a four knot rate of speed. This may make give them an erratic motion or, as in the case of some lipped plugs, swim sideways. Conversely, if you’re trolling

at three knots with a one knot current, your lures may have too slow a motion. If you don’t have a paddle-wheel speedometer that reads speed through water, trolling cross-current can eliminate the variable.

3. WHEN POSITIONING over structure, zoom in your GPS. A GPS/

chartplotter is invaluable for knowing where you are with pinpoint accuracy, but most people don’t take full advan-tage of it because they use a scale that doesn’t allow you to see small changes in position. Don’t start with the chart-plotter zoomed out, and then zoom it in some. Instead, start by zooming it in as far as it allows. Then, zoom out only as much as absolutely necessary.

4. ALWAYS HAVE “TRACK” ON, AND always hit MOB the moment you have a strike. This will give you a history of where you got your bites. Not only will you ID the hotspot, you’ll also be able to see trends, such as a school of fish moving deeper, or shallower, as the tide changes.

5. WHEN FISH ARE LETHARGIC, TRY back-trolling. This is, simply put, troll-ing in reverse. It allows you to creep along half as fast as idling in forward, and when the fish are moving very slow-ly, it can be the ticket to a full fishbox. This tactic should not be applied, of course, in rough seas. In that case, slow the troll by tying a five-gallon bucket to a rope, and tow it from a stern cleat.

6. WHEN SEARCHING WITH THE FISH-finder, never go in a straight line. Your finder is looking straight down (side-



finders excluded) and if you go up a shelf or across a point in a straight line, you’re getting a very limited snapshot of what lies below. There could be a mass of fish 50 yards in any direction, which you never see. Zig-zag your way up this same shelf, however, and you may well spot those fish and discover there’s a lot more than you thought at the spot.

7. WHEN PLANNING A SHORELINE attack with the wind blowing up or down the shore, always start from downwind if you have a bow-mounted trolling motor, and upwind if you don’t. With a trolling motor on the bow, it’s easiest to work a shoreline from downwind because the wind will keep the boat parallel to the shoreline as you apply power. Without a motor on the bow, however, the breeze will catch the bow and turn it downwind. You’ll end up constantly fighting to swing the bow back upwind to make progress. Instead, in this case start upwind and use short bursts of power

to keep the boat aligned as the wind carries you along.

8. WHEN ANCHORING, PLAN FOR scope. Many anglers drop the anchor the moment they see the structure they’re looking for on the meter. But it takes some scope—extra line—for that anchor to hold. In 20 feet of water, a 5:1 scope means your boat may be as much as 60 or 80 feet off-target when the line comes taut. Plan ahead for it, by motoring upcurrent (or upwind) the appropriate amount, before dropping the anchor over the side.

9. WHEN A FLY-FISHERMAN IS aboard, position the boat as necessary so the wind doesn’t push the fly and line down the boat (and in your direc-tion). Otherwise, you may end up with a fly embedded in your scalp. We’re not even approaching this factor from

a safety standpoint. Rather, consider how much fishing time you’ll lose if you have to try and dig a hook out of your skin.

10. DROP OUT OF GEAR AND/OR HIT the throttle, when you spot fish lower or higher in the water column as you troll. Sure, we try to set our trolling lines to cover different depths in the water column. But quite regularly we guess wrong when thinking about the depth they’re running at. When you see a number of fish at the lower end of your spread, don’t hesitate to shift into neutral for a few seconds to allow your lures to drop deeper. And if you spot them at the upper end of the spread, goosing the throttle for a moment will force your lures to rise.

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by lenny rudow


YOU HAVE NO GPS, NO compass, no chart, and it’s a dark, cloudy night – can you find your way home?

In this day and age, navigation has become so darn easy that most

of us have forgotten how to do it with-out electronics. The rest of us never learned. Gizmos like Chartplotters and GPS-equipped cell phones lead us along to our destinations with ease—giving us a false-confidence that will surely be shattered sooner or later.

You think those electronic devices are infallible? That they’ll never let us down? Not likely. In fact, according to the DOD several nations (includ-ing China, Russia, and North Korea, among them) currently have the tech-nology to jam GPS signals at will. And in 2009, GPS outages were reported (along with air-traffic controller equip-ment disruption, pager interference, ATM malfunctions, and cell phone blackouts), in New Jersey. The cause was eventually discovered to be a truck driver using a home-brewed jammer to avoid paying tolls on the New Jersey

Turnpike. Even nature has the ability to bring our satellite-based navigational know-how to a halt; several times in the past sunspots have interfered with GPS signals, knocking out the system in one part of the globe or another for hours at a time. And with the peak in sunspot activity predicted for 2013, there’s a good chance your GPS screen could let you down. Or… maybe you’ll just drop your cell phone overboard, right before your chartplotter goes on the fritz.

So, what are you going to do if and when one of these things happens? How will you get home? Even if you


BOATING SAFETY

A Starto Steer By

BYLENNY RUDOW

Modern Technology Makes Navigation Easy.But Are You Prepared to Find Your Way

When it Fails?


J U N E 3 - 7 HOUSTON SUMMER BOAT SHOW 2 0 1 5 | 21 IMAGE: TEXAS FISH & GAME

know how to navigate by starlight, what will you do if heavy cloud cover keeps you in the dark?

Situational AwarenessThe very best navigational tool

you have onboard is your eyes. Unfortunately, most of us have become so accustomed to setting waypoints and staring at LCD screens that we often fail to bother to really look around—and more importantly, know what we’re looking at.

Along most Texas coastlines, be it on the Gulf or along a lake, there are artificial lights within view when the sun goes down. Radio and cell towers, oil rigs, bridges, and buildings all give us something to focus on, and navigate by. The question is, do you know what is where? When the sun goes down, will you realize that the dull yellow light off to starboard is the one you want to head for, not the bright one that’s actu-ally two miles farther away? In other words, your situational awareness can make the difference between finding the boat ramp, and running into a deserted marsh. Every time you leave a dock or launch your boat, you should take a close look around and take note of those light-providing features you might need in order to return home.

How can you know where you’re going, if you don’t know where you are in the first place? You can’t. Unfortunately, taking a fix, which allows you to pin down your exact loca-tion on a chart, is another important task that many modern boaters don’t know how to do. Using a compass, you can take bearing to a visible and significant landmark such as a tower, point of land, or river mouth. On the chart, use the compass rose to make a line that runs down the same bearing, through the landmark. Choose at least two other landmarks, make the bearing lines for these on the same chart, and the three lines will intersect at your position.

Road ConstructionNot so fast, you newly-minted naviga-

tors. We mentioned up-front that you

might not even have a compass. What then? Basic navigation and survival skills demand that you know how to make one.

Making a compass is a lot simpler than most people realize, and although it may not be as accurate as the real deal, it will at least put you on the right path. All you need to do is magnetize a small, straight piece of ferrous metal. A needle is ideal but in a pinch you can straighten out a fish hook. To magne-tize it, stroke the dull end 100 times in the same direction against a magnet, which you can find on most boats in the stereo or VHF speakers. (Forget that the old wife’s tale about stroking it against wool or silk to build up a static charge; this won’t actually help the needle point to the north). Then rest it on or push it through the center of a round piece of cork or foam, which you can find on the grip of any fishing rod. A small foam plate will also do the trick. Float the contraption in a bowl or bucket of water, and the pointy end of the needle will rotate to north.

A compass is, of course, of lim-ited value if you don’t have a chart. Especially if you need to navigate around an unlighted point of land, or shallow flats that you know stand in the way. And since we’re preparing for the worst, now we’re going to assume we don’t have that chart. Maybe it got blown overboard, you’re on a friend’s boat and he never bothered with paper charts thanks that false-confidence we were talking about earlier, or perhaps you just plain forgot it. The bottom line is, you’re going to have to make one. But instead of just drawing a bunch of lines from memory, you need to first draw equally-spaced horizontal and ver-tical lines; essentially, give it meridians. Then reconstruct the shoreline or chan-nel as best you can, using the lines to measure distance. If you think there’s a straight stretch of shoreline for three miles, for example, use each line to measure out quarter of a mile and then draw the shoreline through 12 lines.

Now, you’re ready for dead reckon-ing. First, identify your approximate position on the chart. Let’s say you

need to travel along that shoreline for two of the three miles, and then turn 90-degrees to starboard to enter the creek you departed from. Use your compass to find the direction you need to travel in, then take note of your speed and the exact time. With some quick basic math, you’ll know how far you’ve traveled during any period of time and can judge when to make that turn to starboard. Let’s say that since it’s dark out and you’re feeling your way along, you keep speed down to eight miles an hour. That means it’ll take you 15 minutes to get to the point at which you need to make your turn; mark your position every five minutes to keep track of your location in case you need to stop or alter speed, and when you reach that third mark, use your make-shift compass to get the direction of your turn correct. If there’s a strong current or wind, don’t forget to take that into account.

Now your situational awareness comes into play again. If you paid attention to the location of the tallest structures on the horizon when you left, looking at the lights you now see on the horizon will help you judge your course.

Homeward BoundUsed on their own, no one of these

techniques is likely to get you home. Far off lights can be confusing on the water at night, distances are very hard to judge, and it’s easy to forget what’s what after a long day on the water. A home-made compass isn’t going to be nearly as easy to use as the real thing, and both fixes and directions of travel are probably going to be a bit off. A home-made chart, naturally, is bound to be inaccurate. But when you put all of these together, you’ll have a fair shot at reaching your destination. And when the chartplotter won’t work or your cell phone fell into the drink, that’s what’s going to matter the most—in fact, it may be the only thing that matters at all.

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Trailer Trials and Tribulations

TRAILER-BOATING IS incredibly popular, since it lets you fish, explore, and enjoy countless bodies of water through the course of every season. There’s just one problem. In order to be a trailer-boater, you

have to own, maintain, and register a trailer. And just as a car and a boat have differing requirements for all of the above, so do boat trailers.

No, wait a sec—it’s a whole lot worse for boat trailers because they’re designed for use on roads, yet we dunk them into the water. Many of us, into saltwater. If you’ve ever owned a boat trailer, you know how regularly the lights tend to fail, how quickly saltwa-ter-dunked brakes fail, and how quickly the tires wear out.

In fact, getting through a single season without some sort of relatively major trailer repair seems like an epic feat. Now, with the new “Two Steps, One Sticker” program, you may have another thing or two to think about.

First, let’s dispel any serious angst—the new inspection and registration program won’t really have a significant effect on new boat trailers, and for most of us, getting our existing trailers through won’t exactly be a hardship. On trailers over 4,500-lbs GVW will require inspection, and cost $14.50.

“Other than the slight cost and the time it takes to get the trailer inspected, the impact shouldn’t be dra-matic,” explained Ken Lovell, Executive Director of the Boating Trades Association of Metropolitan Houston.

“Existing boat trailer owners may encounter additional cost and incon-venience in getting the trailers they already own inspected. It is possible that some trailers may require some costly work (such as adding a brake sys-tem), and some older trailers may have

indecipherable VIN numbers due to exposure to the elements over time.

The process to secure a new VIN number is somewhat lengthy and com-plicated. So concerns lean more toward existing trailers than new trailers, which will be purchased with the new require-ments already in place, but the overall concern among boat business is that this added inconvenience could discour-age people away from boating.”

If you’re an experienced trailer boater, naturally, you already know that the rewards of trailer boating vastly outweigh the costs and inconveniences. A speed-bump like this isn’t going to stop a boater from splashing his hull in Lake Conroe this weekend, and Corpus Christi the next. Meanwhile, you can make sure a trailer inspection goes smoothly by keeping your rig in tip-top shape. Here are five important mainte-nance tips that will make sure you pass.

1. GIVE YOUR TRAILER A SELF-inspection, to make sure everything’s up to snuff. Things that will be checked for include brakes, tires (for visible wear and at least 1/16th of an inch of tread depth) and wheel assembly, safety guards or flaps, tail, brake, turn signal, and license plate lights, side markers or reflectors, and a serial or VIN number.

For most of these items, it’s easy enough to tell if your trailer makes the grade. When it comes to the tires, if you’re not sure whether or not you have sufficient tread depth, the old saying “Lincoln’s head measures the tread” applies. Just hold a penny with Lincoln’s head upside-down and insert it into the tread, and if any part of his head is obscured, the tread is more than 1/16th of an inch deep and you’re good to go.

2. WASH DOWN YOUR BRAKE SYS-tem, immediately after a saltwater dunk-ing. The key word here is “immedi-ately.” Even a 20 or 30 mile tow home is going to take a toll, because that salt-water begins eating away at the metals, regardless whether you have drum or disc brakes. If the marina you launch at has a freshwater hose, use it before you hit the road. And if you launch where there isn’t any freshwater available, carry a pump sprayer (the ones designed for spraying weed killer work great) full of freshwater, and use it to give the brakes an initial rinse-down before the trip home. Back home, give the entire trailer a more thorough wash-down.

3. UNPLUG YOUR TRAILER LIGHTS and give them a moment to cool, before launching. One of the reasons trailer lights go kaput with such regular-ity is because they get dunked in cool water while they’re still hot. While this is much less of an issue with new LEDs, if you have bulbs back there, a few min-utes of cool-down time is invaluable.

4. PROTECT THE VIN. THESE DAYS many manufacturers use a mere sticker to put the VIN on a boat trailer, which is both short-sighted and insufficient.

The VIN wearing away is one of your biggest potential issues, so make sure to protect it. This includes making sure the trailer isn’t stored in such a way that a VIN sticker is in direct sunlight, and if the sticker looks like it may be in danger of fading away, one thing that’s worked for me is clear-coating it with a spray-on acrylic.

5. GO TRAILER BOATING MORE. YES, count your blessings, boaters—the more you use your trailer-boat the happier the trailer will be. Sitting in a driveway for weeks on end is bad for much of your equipment, and often when we encounter maintenance problems, it’s the result of extended non-use. So get out there and hit the road to the water, ASAP!

lby lenny rudow




Documents

2015 Houston Summer Boat Show Program