Providence Boat Show big success

 

The Sea Hunt Gamefisher 27 with a new side door for boarding passengers or fish. 

 

The Shanti Bar, “Peaceful nutrition for life's queasy moments.”

Providence Boat Show big success

The 2015 Providence Boat Show went off without a hitch.  Allison Phaneuf of the Rhode Island Marine Trade Association (show sponsors) said, “Attendance was up 6% Friday and the crowd today (Saturday) has been good.” 

Over 100 manufactures had vessels on display including power boats, sail boats, dinghies, personal watercraft, kayaks and canoes.  The show featured an enhanced fishing area with excellent workshops, and a new Washington Trust Pavilion presentation area with local chefs, book authors and world class sailors.  I thought the Boat Show was great.  Here’s what I liked.

Sea sickness can be nasty.  And, over the counter tablets can make you drowsy.  Well, how about a Shanti Bar?  It doesn’t make you drowsy and they claim to be “Peaceful nutrition for life’s queasy moments.” 

I bumped into Shanti Bar inventor Neheet Trivedi, a MIT Sloan Business School graduate that was walking the show testing the interest level in his new motion sickness product. “We first developed the Shanti Bar to reduce nausea during pregnancy and then found that motion sickness at sea was a huge market for us too.” said Trivedi. The bar (which tastes like blueberries) was developed out of research that demonstrates the successful role protein, ginger, and vitamins play in reducing nausea.

Trivedi said, “We set out to design a food product based on research that's easy-to-eat, portable, safe, tasty and healthy, and includes the necessary ingredients to prevent nausea. We also tried to keep the calorie level low, fewer than 200.” 

Shanti Bar is sold on vessels owned by Boston Harbor Cruises and can be purchased online at www.theshantibar.com.

Debbie Wood (of Wood Boat and Motor, Warwick) shared some of the attributes of the new Evinrude E-TEC G2 and I was impressed.  This engine is a monster delivering the power you need with high efficiency and high design.  Wood said, “This engine is extremely efficient with no scheduled dealer maintenance for five years or 500 hours and it is backed by a five-year engine and corrosion warranty.”  Evinrude says the engine is the first outboard ever designed to perfectly match your boat, inside and out.  “Over 400 color combinations are available including color panels for the engine side, top and front panel areas”, said Wood.   The engine is available in 200, 225, 250 and 300 horsepower.

Zim Sailing, Warren, RI provides one-design sailboats, parts, accessories and services.  They had a Hartley Wanderer, a family- friendly 14-foot sailing dingy of display that looked like it would be fun for sailors of any skill level.  The boat features interior seating, a dry storage locker and a roller-furling jib. The Wanderer is comfortable yet stable and is made in the UK.  However, Zim Sailing has designed and built their own vessels too; including high performance sail boats said Allie Gray, Zim Sailing’s performance sailing associate.  “We built the Zim 15 as a performance dingy for those looking for more excitement.  The entire boat weighs about 200 pounds completely rigged.  It is a racing dingy for two.”  The suggested price on the Zim 15 is $11,500 and the Hartley Wanderer is offered at $10,450.

Capt. Jack Sprengle of Warwick who produced the boat show fishing seminars said, “We have had as many as 50 people attend some sessions with people standing in the isle. Captains marketing their charter businesses and our guest speakers are doing very well.”  I managed to catch the end of Capt. BJ Silvia’s (Flippin Out Charters) presentation on tautog, “A prize tautog (over ten pounds) can come any time… so you have to be ready any day… at high tide, low tide, at the start of the day, or at the end of the day.” said Capt. Silvia.

“Inland Marine of Chepachet, RI has been in business for 40 years.” said Ross Lemieux.  Ross and his three brothers own and run the business that their father started.  They had the Sea Hunt Gamefisher 27 on display at the show and it was spectacular.  Its side entry door, recessed trim tabs and hydraulic steering are standard features hard to beat.  And they come ready to fish with multiple insulated fish boxes and a live well with cockpit and bow bolsters.  Lemieux said, “This vessel is ready to fish but it is great for family cursing too with an enclosed head.” The show special price was $104,000.

Where’s the bite

Cod fishing has been good when the boats have been able to get out.  The Frances Fleet reports, “Friday started on the slow side but a quick relocation paid some impressive dividends as the Captain put anglers into a very respectable pick of bigger green cod fish. Hi hook took home 5 nice fish. Sizes were generally 8 lbs or better, however there was a half dozen fish over 15 lbs and the biggest tipping the scales at 25 lbs! A nice catch of red hake and a lot of big ocean perch also filled up the bags and coolers. While fresh shucked clams seemed to have the edge overall this week, jigs were responsible for some good catches as well.”