I’ve never heard of Bill Dance before seeing this video. But, now, I can’t stop telling everyone about him. Hilarious stuff.
As many of you know, I’m in advertising. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I felt compelled to rebrand the marina where I keep my boat. Below are a series of ads that ran in the Beacon Hill and Back Bay newspapers. A new website that mirrors the ads is currently in the...
This past weekend my brother decided it was time to test out his 3 year old son’s sea legs. So, over Labor Day Weekend we loaded up the boat, crossed our fingers, and headed out into the harbor. The little guy (Kayden) was fantastic out there. Every time we hit a bump he’d smile, laugh,...
Hurricane Irene turned out to be a non-event for most of us here in Boston. But, that didn’t mean I wasn’t worried. On the Friday before the storm was about to hit I left work early with the full intention of pulling out the boat. When I arrived at Admiral’s Hill Marina I immediately realized...
Armed with a new confidence following our ‘Fishing/Cooking’ class I wrangled my crew together and we headed out into the harbor to troll for some fish. We trolled from Castle Island to Squantum, from Squantum to the lighthouse, from the lighthouse to Deer Island, and from Deer Island to the airport pier. Unfortunately, as has...
This past June I received one of the coolest birthday gifts ever. Inside a simple envelope was a invitation to a fishing/cooking class. As someone who has been struggling to catch fish and enjoys cooking I couldn’t have been more excited. The class, hosted by the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE), was part of...
Friday, May 27th marked the 2nd launching of the Sunset Bandit in 2011. Soon after the boat was in, it was pointed in the familiar direction of the Barking Crab. The ride, like always, is breathtaking through the harbor. The Crab on the other hand was dreadful. I had never been there during a live...
I came across these ads the other day and it immediately had me longing to be on the boat. (Which…is out of the water as we speak).
This winter was especially brutal here in Massachusetts. Near record amounts of snow fell upon us and unfortunately the bimini top on the Bandit was unable to withstand the weight. When I unwrapped the Bandit this past weekend I was greated by a horrifically twisted and unreapairable bimini pole. With less than 3 weeks before...
This has got to be one of the craziest ‘functional art’ pieces I’ve ever seen. It’s the work of artist Julien Berthier. Click on his name to get a closer look at this fully operational vessel that looks like a sinking sailboat. Love Love from julien berthier on Vimeo.
After my disasterous first fishing outing this past weekend I realized it was time to seek professional help. I had seen Captain Segull’s fishing charts mentioned on enough websites to know that they had to be good. I’ve been in the market for a nautical map of the boston harbor ever since I purchased the...
This afternoon I made a run up to West Marine in Woburn and picked up some small supplies for the boat. On my drive back, I screwed up and missed my exit. Rather than turn around, I decided to take advantage of the miscue and proceeded down to The Sportsman’s Den in Quincy. It’s a...
Never one to shy away from a challenge. (that’s a lie by the way). I decided that my first solo journey had to be one that would put me to the test. So, not only did I attempt to navigate the Charles River Locks for the very first time…without having ever been thru though….I decided...
Gotta tip my hat to Ricardo’s older brother Rafael for sharing this with me.
The time has come for me to create the decal for my boat. I’ve narrowed it down to three choices……and here they are. Now comes the tough part. Picking one.
Today marked the first real use of The Sunset Bandit. I took her out around 4 and didn’t return to around midnight. After multiple dockings the jitters are already becoming a thing of the past. Now, I’m just enjoying the whole experience. It’s hard to explain how high my expectations were for owning a boat...
Today, the boat is wet. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting I launched the boat this morning with the help of my roommate James. There were certainly some rookie mistakes made (trying to start the engine while it was titled to one side turned out to be my first). To say I was...
Unlike the trailer, (which I will explain later) I successfully registered my boat on the first visit to the Massachusetts Environmental Police. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to peeling off those NH stickers and affixing my new ID. MS 2762 AX.
I made another trek up to New Hampshire yesterday in the continuing ‘bill of sale’ saga. Hopefully, this 3rd version of the bill of sale will appease the good state of Massachusetts and they will allow me to register the trailer and take the boat back home. Aside from the relatively scenic ride up to...
I just finished reading an Idiots Guide to Boating and Sailing. I’m guessing that I should be concerned by the fact that this was indeed all new and usefull information for me. I wonder, just how scared are riders on my boat going to be when I start thumbing through it as we motor along.
I decided to experiment with the logo here. There is a whole lot of my late 70’s early 80’s upbringing coming through in this design. Perfect for a 1982 vessel. This look doesn’t look good on the back of the boat, but it looks damn good on a t-shirt. Rest assured, I’ll be sporting this...
After deciding upon a name, my next task was to come up with some branding for it. Here are a few off the castoffs.
Walking along the Mary O’Malley Waterfront Park with Porter and Cassidy. Chelsea Yacht Club tucked beneath the Tobin
If you were in the market for a new boat back in 1982…perhaps this would have caught your eye.
This lovely eyesore is a stone’s throw from my rooftop. Wouldn’t a Water Taxi look nice pulling into that area?
Hands down my favorite V20 that I’ve seen. While most V20 have a very utilitarian look, this one closes the gap on utility and refinement.
Just one look at this interior and I knew the owner had babied his beloved V20.
green·horn (grnhôrn) n. 1. A newcomer, especially one who is unfamiliar with the ways of a place or group.
Sonny