Back on the road and a couple hours later we pulled into the Bahia Mar parking lot where the Ft. Lauderdale Trawlerfest is located. I had registered and paid online so we should be able to check in, get banded, and go right in. Wrong! For the second year in a row our reservation was goofed up. Once resolved we were on our way. (Next time no pre-register. Just show up, pay and go in.)
Our first stop was at the Kadey Krogen exhibit where they were displaying a new 52, 48, and a used 48. Of course we liked the newer vessels. The 52 was still in the commissioning stage so it was missing some electronics and the bimini top. Pam particularly liked the galley for it's size and accessibility either from inside or through a dedicated door to the outside. My take on it was that it was a stretched out version of the 48 but with a Portuguese Bridge. True Krogenites would probably notice a zillion things that are different. All in all it was a great boat with fit & finish done the way you would expect from a serious cruising boat.
Some of the other boats we looked at were a 1998 57' Nordhavn. Honestly the first Nordhavn I've liked. The others were all smaller and had more elevation changes than a mountain range.
We also looked at a used 62 Nordhavn, a boat I've been intrigued with for some time. I just like the shippy look of the exterior. The interior wasn't a bad layout until you get to the maze of guest staterooms. I'm sure there are other layouts more desirable. Both Nordhavns are built like tanks and would surely provide a safe feeling for the crew while cruising.
62' Nordhavn
We looked too at the Hampton's. A used 55 and a used 68. For the life of me I can't figure out how these people sell boats. The 55 was filthy with scratched counter tops and dirty carpets and a less than clean galley area. The 68 wasn't as bad but still not in a condition that I would be proud to have in a show. As for the layouts Hampton does a nice job allowing room to get from one area to another without the need to get skinny.
There was a 56' Altima in the show that we looked at last year. This one has replaced the pilothouse helm with a huge U shaped dining area and left the piloting to be done from the flybridge. With only a canvas and isinglass enclosure it just doesn't seem right to me. Apparently I'm not alone since this boat has been around a couple of years.
Krogen Express had a new 2009 52 footer in the show. How do you get new out of a 2009 model? However you can explain it we like this boat for our style of boating. A simple interior layout with accessible storage room. An almost stand up engine room. Good speed if needed and not too much boat to take care of. Time to double up on Powerball tickets!
We looked at a couple of 53' Selene's which always show well provided they've been cared for. These had been and continue to be on our list of boats to consider when the lottery picks our numbers.
There were a few Grand Banks, Mainships, and a couple of American Tugs which surprised us with a nice layout and good fit & finish.
One of our favorite boats was a 1999 60' Grand Alaskan which had been recently redecorated on the interior. We have always liked the layout of this model and this one was no exception. Perhaps a little more boat than we're looking for but a sacrifice we could make.
By 4:30 we had been through all of the boats we wanted to see and headed to the hotel to get rested for dinner. Looking at boats is exhausting and almost kept us from going out to dinner. My need for food won out in the end and we put on our spiffy shoes and headed out the door.
We retraced our path to the beach area to a spot we fell in love with a few years ago. The Casablanca Cafe. (http://www.csablancacafeonline.com/) Of course there was a line waiting to get in but fear not, they have a great bar where you can prepare your pallet for the upcoming meal. It only seemed like minutes that we waited because of the good service and great drinks. Our table was on the patio and of course the food was fantastic. Now that we had our second wind we trekked back to the bar for an after dinner drink. Chocolate espresso martini's. Yumm! As a bonus the piano bar was now in full swing and guess who closed the place down?
Sometime the next morning we woke up. A little sluggish but overall in pretty good shape if you know what I mean. Following our daily preparation routines we loaded the car and headed out. Of course no visit to Ft. Lauderdale would be complete without stops at Boat Owners Warehouse, Sailorman, and now the new West Marine touted as the biggest in the U.S.
The great thing about the location of all three places is that they surround a little spot called Lester's Diner.
(http://www.lestersdiner.com/) Snoring all night creates an appetite and Lester's is the place to satisfy your cravings.
Now completely stuffed and broke we pointed the car towards Ft. Myers and headed back to Tourist.
Great descriptions of the boats. Thanks! But a chocolate martini? :)
ReplyDeleteRegarding your post about the new Krogen 52 - it is NOT a stretched 48. Krogen does not stretch their hull forms, they practice "architectural integrity" (if you visit their site and click on the 52, they go into quite a bit of detail about their rigorous standards).
ReplyDelete