Anchors Aweigh

As you'll hear me say in this conversation, chartering a catamaran through the virgin islands or on the med has been a dream trip for me for as long as I can remember. So it was really fun speaking with Renee Sawyer, owner of Out of the Blue Yacht Charters. Renee has been a General Manager of select service and full-service hotels as well as boutique hotels for 25 years. Renee's passions are many pertaining to the Caribbean however, sailing, underwater photography, interacting with all types of wild life and marine life are at the top of the list. After living her dream of sailing the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, she has set a goal of helping others to realize their dreams of a fully arranged yacht charter vacation. We spoke about her early days fishing, her time as a crew on a yacht charter, and how a broker can help make sure your charter vacation goes smoothly. Enjoy!

I really enjoy meeting and speaking with people who have made boating a big part of their lifestyle, especially people like Steve Payne, who went from knowing next to nothing about boats to living and traveling through Europe on one. Steve has been able to use his skills as a photographer, creator, and community builder to live the boating lifestyle and share it with the world. His youtube channel, Jaywalking the World, recently surpassed 100 episodes. He has sent out thousands of Friendly Flags in an effort to foster a communal spirit among like minded boaters. His photography skills will be showcased on marina websites around the world. And he is just a blast to chat with. Enjoy!

It is always exciting speaking to and learning from others who are advancing the subscription and membership boating model, especially seeing all of the different market segments who are finding value in this way of boating. One such leader has found traction in the premium luxury subscription segment and I had a great time speaking with First Mariners Club founder, Kevin Dorry. Kevin is an entrepreneur and adventurer with a successful track record as the founder of a web development firm and co-founder of RewardJet, a program boasting over 300,000 members. Beyond the corporate world, he is an Ironman triathlete, marathoner, licensed pilot, 200GRT boat captain, and master scuba diver. We discussed his first job in boating on the Circle Line cruise boats, how First Mariners Club began and their amazing fleet, and about the many benefits of the subscription boating model. We are both strong advocates for the membership boating lifestyle, but provide it in a very different way. If you spend a lot of time in South Florida, and are looking for an amazing way to enjoy luxury experiences on the water, check out the First Mariners Club! Enjoy the conversation!

I had the great pleasure of speaking with Adam Gamble, writer, publisher, and avid fisherman. Adam conceived, wrote or cowrote, and supervised the production of three hundred titles in the Good Night Books series for pre-schoolers, which currently has more than nine million copies sold worldwide, including many to my family. Adam recently wrote and published The Power of Positive Fishing alongside Michael J. Tougias,New York Times bestselling author and coauthor of thirty books for adults and six books for young adults. He is best known for his nonfiction narratives of survival and rescue stories including The Finest Hours which was made into a movie starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck The Power of Positive Fishing is an emotional journey interspersed with humor on how two individuals finally began tapping their full potentials, while hooking some great fish along the way. Adam and I discussed how he got started in fishing, what makes a great fishing companion, learning from mistakes and much more. Enjoy!

Diversity is not something that is often associated with boating and the boating industry. Many people have a stereotypical boater in mind, and I'm guessing as you read this you do too. One of the biggest obstacles to expanding the reach of boating is that so often, the way someone gets into boating in the first place is being exposed by family or close friends. If no one in your orbit is boating, you are much less likely to try it and pass it on to others. However, there are many people doing great work in bringing recreational boating, and the boating industry as a career, to new audiences. Willard Franklin, along with his wife, son and daughter, are working hard to help make boating and fishing more diverse, inclusive, and safe. As members of the Four W's Fishing Team, they work to build communities that support water health, fish, safety, and the joy of boating and fishing. The Four W's Fishing Team promotes the outdoors to elementary, middle school, high school, & college students preparing them for careers in the outdoors. You may also find them educating new and potential boaters at churches, car and boat shows, fairs, and even as a friendly face at the boat ramp! Willard and I discussed how fishing has been passed down from generation to generation in his family, how the Four Ws came about, some great boat safety tips, and much more (including of course who the best angler in the family is). Enjoy!