REPORTS FROM THE RIP: Boat show and Stop Off And Drop Off

The new Bertram 35 w/ Carey Chen art on side

The end of October tends to bring an end to the sport fishing season for us. With the boat back in its home slip at Pasadena Yacht club, We have begun fixing everything we broke last season and generally doing a good fall cleaning for the boat.
The end of October also means the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show or FLIBS. The boat show is the largest of its kind and an amazing thing to see. I spent two days at the show. I enjoy going to the FLIBS to see any new product that have come onto the market and lets face it, its cool just to see that many boats all in one place. There are thousands of boats crammed into a relativly small area. Walking through the show, it is incredible how many fellow boat crews you run into. I don't think I walked 50 yards without seeing a crew from a boat that I knew.
One of my goals at the show was to find any display or vender that would be interested in displaying one of the posters that Capt Barb Evans and I had printed for the Stop off and drop off campaign i started. The posters basically are a reminder to any and all boat crews that will be leaving the states over the next few months headed for the Caribbean that they should consider stopping by Home depot or Lowes and pick up a few rebuilding supplies that they can drop off as the head south through the Bahamas. Stop Off and Drop Off is the meant to help the islanders of the central Bahamas rebuild in the coming months since the Hurricane. We are not asking for donations. We are just asking that each boat that heads through the central Bahamas grabs a few boxes of nails or a sheet or two of ply wood. If 10 boats carried one sheet of plywood to San Salvador or Rum or Long Island, That would put a roof on one house. Of course it would be nice to carry more if you can. From what I have heard, there have already been 15 boats that have Stopped off and dropped off. We all have to stop at one of those islands as we head south, and a few marinas such as Riding Rock are offering free dockage if you drop some stuff off. Capt Barb and I walked the show handing out the posters and got a tremendous response. Thanks to all the vendors that are supporting the effort and a special thanks to Carey Chen for donating the art work for the poster and helping to push the effort.
My brother Tom Thompson is working with the newly reformed Bertram company. They had a booth at the FLIBS and had drawings of the first boat they are producing. They are getting a great response on the first new Bertram with will be a 35 foot Moppie styled boat. They have plans to go up in size from there. Seems like they are trying to return to their American roots.
With Fishing season over, out sights are now set on Hunting season. Dan and I are blessed to have a boss that gives us the privlege of going to and using the amenities of his hunting camp. It is far removed from the boating world and I thoroughly enjoy going up there and helping get Yon Creek Plantation ready for hunting season. Driving a tractor may not appeal to some, But its awesome to me to be able to hang out in the woods and do that kind of work. I have yet to draw back an arrow yet this season of a deer as they have been a bit skittish so far with how hot it has been but Its still just nice to go sit in a tree.