St. Patrick's Day!!!

This week ONLY (March 14th - 20th) Knotline is offering Hunter Tervis Tumblers with FREE shipping for all orders over $50. (in-stock items only). Click HERE to order yours and use Promo Code: StPat0010

Here is the scoop on Tervis Tumblers...

Keeps Hot Drinks Hotter and Cold Drinks Colder Longer

Double-walled insulation does more than just reduce condensation and rings. It also helps keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold for a longer time. In fact, hot drinks can stay hot up to 3 hours even without a lid. Hot drinks with a lid can last as long as 6 hours!

Guaranteed for Life

Tervis Tumblers are virtually indestructible! We want your Tervis Tumblers to work well and look great forever. That’s why we put so much effort into ensuring they are nothing short of superior quality. But if, despite our uncompromising dedication, your Tervis Tumbler should become defective in any way, just return it to us and we will gladly replace it.

Reduces Condensation and Rings

Because of our double-walled insulation, condensation is greatly reduced - virtually eliminating the need for coasters.

Far superior to any plastic cup, Tervis Tumblers are drinking glasses that are ideal for any occasion and great for your boat! Remember, they make marvelous gifts too.

New England Summer

New England Summer - submitted by Pamela Mormino, Owner of 37.5 Hunter Legend

Rest, relaxation, fun and adventure were the goals of our recent 2 week trip from Mystic, CT to Boston and Provincetown MA and other places along the way. I’m happy to say our goals were met and then some while we did have to be flexible on our ports of call. My husband has been urging (brow-beating) me to agree to a trip to Maine. Since I’m not a fan of fog and rocks, I continue to resist but agreed to a trip up the east coast as far as Boston in our Hunter 37.5 sailboat, Just Ducky.

Our first stop is one of my all-time favorites, Block Island RI. We are just a day-sail away and go there every year but this time we started our season at Block. We’ve been there in just about every weather condition but this year the weather was in the high 60’s-low 70’s and sunny with moderate winds from the south and southwest. Also having the outgoing tide, the sail over was perfect, and for a change the wind was not on our nose. We didn’t even have to tack. Although it was Race Week, it was the “even-year” meaning a smaller crowd so getting a mooring was a piece of cake and we didn’t mind paying the $40.00 a night. Since we’ve gotten so used to the anchorage, we were more than pleasantly surprised. Did I mention it was mid June and mid week? Thunderstorms during the night made us glad to be on a mooring and we woke to glorious sunshine. In all of the years we have been coming to block, we’ve never had breakfast ala Aldo, but being our 43rd wedding anniversary, we decided to splurge. When we heard “Andiamo”, Aldo motored up to our boat with an array of breakfast goodies. Hot pastry was the choice of the day. Later on shore, Block was a perfect spot to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary with champagne at the National Hotel. We also were rewarded with a beautiful sunset.

We continued on to Cuttyhunk MA for the next leg of our trip. We had good winds for half of the trip and then were able to sail in gentle winds. After our ICW trip, being the slowest “powerboat” in the waterway, it was great to be able to sail. Getting there in time to place our order for lobster was a top priority. We shared the mooring field with about a dozen other boats; again $40.00 per night. A quick tour of the island brought us up to date on changes made in the past few years – none. Even the raw-bar boat still makes its rounds of the boats each evening. There is the Cuttyhunk Fishing Club which is a B&B that serves breakfast to everyone, but we didn’t try it. The island remains the quaint, unspoiled island we hoped it would be. And the lobster was steamed to perfection.

The winds were not as cooperative for our 22 mile trip up Buzzards Bay to Kingman Yacht Marina in Red Brook Harbor. So we motored all the way. The harbor itself is pretty tricky and shallow if you stray, so attention to the channel markers was really important (hug the green markers at low tide). The harbor was busy on this beautiful sunny Saturday in June and it was great to see so many boats being used. It appears that the cost of fuel was not stopping the locals from enjoying their day. As we fueled up ($35.00 for diesel), the boat next to us on the fuel dock, an Albin 28, had a fill- up price of over $300.00. Ain’t sailing great! In the evening we started up the engine for a while and suddenly heard this loud flapping noise. We quickly killed the engine and found a shredded alternator belt. The handy Yanmar spare parts kit that takes up the room of a small child was welcomed as we changed the belt. My husband reminds me all the time that “we” doesn’t really describe who is actually doing the work, but I have to at least think I’m contributing.

We were well positioned to go through the Cape Cod Canal the next morning, catching the flood tide on our way to Plymouth. Although power boaters can’t appreciate the thrill, it’s always fun to go 9-10 knots. It also crossed our minds that we were happy to have the belt break at the mooring instead of as we were going through the canal. This time the “we” was accurate. Sails went up outside the canal and a great sail became challenging as we turned slightly toward Plymouth as the winds turned up a few notches to about 15-20 knots. We reefed the main and took down the headsail but still cruised along at about 6.5 knots as we faced another tricky harbor. After reading all of the “don’ts” in the cruising guide (there never seems to be any “do’s), we paid strict attention to the markers, eager to spend a few days drinking in American History and a good choice of libations too.

Plymouth is a great walk-around town, and walk we did! The sight-seeing trolley was not running and the other tour was off for a few days, so we really didn’t have a choice. A tour of the Mayflower was in order as was Pilgrim Hall, Jenney Grist Mill and of course, Plymouth Rock. We actually couldn’t see Plymouth Rock due to construction but took it on faith that it was really there. We skipped Plymouth Plantation since we’ve been there before but a great choice for first time visitors. We worked off some serious calories that assisted in managing the great seafood dinner at the Weathervane.

We were prepared to stay two nights at Brewers Plymouth Marina, but Mother Nature had other ideas. So with forecasts of rain, thunderstorms hail and winds up to 30 knots, we stayed for another day. We felt silly changing our plans as we woke to sunny skies although foggy, but our decision to stay was validated starting about 11 a.m. as the storms started rolling through. It turned out to be a relaxing day filled with good books, wine and homemade bread. The bread is another of those “we” things; Mat bakes and I eat!



The weather was better in the morning, with light winds that slowly brought us up the coast to Boston. There is a special feeling being out on the water alone without other boats, but there is also a special feeling coming into a busy harbor. Going from solitude to hustle-bustle is invigorating. We traveled up the harbor arriving at Constitution Marina early in the afternoon with enough time to check in and start exploring the immediate area anyway. Visiting the Constitution was fun as well as going up to Bunker Hill and feeling the history as well as seeing it. Lunch was at the Warren Street Tavern where both Washington and Paul Revere have been reported to have eaten. We followed the Freedom Trail through Historic Boston from the Constitution to Faneuil Hall, ending the sightseeing at Quincy Market for some shopping. We headed back to the boat to rest a bit and change for dinner at Fiore’s in Little Italy. What great food and ambiance! Spending a few days in the city was fun and exciting for us suburbanites.
Weather was not on our side as we left Boston, and Provincetown was not in the cards. Continued threats of thunderstorms, high winds and hail caused us to change our plans and head for Sandwich, MA right at the entrance to the Cape Cod Canal. Slip fees were $2.00 a night with fuel available and some reprovisioning opportunities just 1/3 mile away. A great spot for a bit of fishing or just watching the boats go through the canal.

We woke up to a morning haze, but after it cleared, had a beautiful sunny day with gentle breezes out of the southwest. (Where are those storms anyway??) We decided to return to Cuttyhunk for the day to decide where to head off to next in light of the continued dire weather predictions. Let me add here that we are a bit cautious since we learned from past experience being out on the water for 2 weeks with almost 2 weeks of rain does not make for a grand vacation; memorable maybe, but not great. Since Provincetown was out, we decided to take a mooring in Jamestown, RI with easy access to Newport, one of our favorite haunts.




We always enjoy a mix of moorings, anchoring and marinas when we travel. They all have something different to offer from watching the sun rise and set, enjoying the solitude to making new friends in the marinas. So a mooring at Conanicut Marina in Jamestown was in order ($51.50 per night), right along the Newport Bridge. We always enjoy walking around in Jamestown and take the main street across to Dutch Harbor. It looks like our aim is to wear out those walking shoes! As we took the ferry to Newport, we stopped off at the America’s Cup museum and Fort Adams. Our timing was off to be able to get off at Rose Island as the nesting birds could not be disturbed. Lunch in Newport is always an adventure and this time we chose The Red Parrot. Great choice! As we walked along America’s Cup Boulevard, my cell phone rang. It was my son from San Antonio announcing the birth of our newest grandson. Great news to end a perfect day! We were able to meet friends there that we met on our trip south on the ICW and ended the day watching the sailing races – Tuesday night is Race Night in Jamestown – with the finish line not far from our boat.


Our time was growing short as we approached the 4th of July weekend so we decided to head home after a couple of days in Jamestown. So what happened; we awoke to thick fog; even had trouble seeing the Newport Bridge. Our proposed early start was delayed until the fog lifted enough to be able to see and sail safely. Coming out of Narragansett Bay around to Point Judith was rough sailing as always as we made our way back to Long Island Sound and our homeport of Mystic. Traveling in one of my greatest pleasures; coming home is another.

**If you have a story you would like to share. Please email them HERE (remember to send pictures!)

Cooking on Board Part II

Cooking on Board Part II - by Mary Maskal, The Yachting Gourmet

Whether you are outfitting a brand new galley or just updating an existing, there are a few considerations you will want to keep in mind. As we discussed in the previous article, outfitting your galley can be a fun challenge if you approach it the right way. This article will take you through a few of the things you want to think about and then we will begin to outfit an actual galley on a Hunter 29.5.

Cooking on board can be different than cooking in your home kitchen. The first step in analyzing your galley and what you need is to think about how you will be cooking on board. Here are some questions to get you started. Consider each and make some notes on your answers.

1. Will you be doing most of your food preparation on casual boating trips such as a weekend or a few days or are you doing extended cruising?

2. What types of things do you enjoy eating most and do you think you will be, or have you been preparing on board?

3. What equipment does your galley have for cooking? Do you have an oven, microwave, cook top, stern rail grill, and good refrigeration?

4. How many people will you typically have on board? What is the maximum number you expect to have on an occasional basis?

5. If you have been using your galley, take an inventory of the items you have on board currently and whether or not you use them on a regular basis.

6. What would you most like to change about your galley and they way you use it?

Once you have answered these questions, you will have a good start on outfitting your galley to best suit your needs. And, you are ready to begin a process of revamping or outfitting your galley to best suit your particular needs, likes and desires. Our galley outfitting service can help you make selections on new items to add and to determine what you have on board that will continue to serve you. Just call us with your answers and we will take it from there.

Now, let’s take a look at an existing galley that I have just recently redone on a Hunter 29.5. This particular vessel is owned and operated by an ASA sailing school, SmarterSail, operating out of Florida and Annapolis, MD. The galley has a two-burner cook top, a refrigerator, and a microwave oven. There is also a stern rail grill on board.

My first visit to the galley finds it chock full of items. Every space is full of stuff. So, my task is to determine what the best complement of items is for this particular Hunter. This boat is used both for ASA classes and is available for charter, making the use of the galley diverse. When it is under sail for a class, there is a need for quick snacks, lunches, etc. When it is chartered, it is used more for meal preparation Both while underway and at anchor.

As is so often the case, I found that most of the items on board are not really galley friendly, consisting of kitchen cast-offs, non-boater-friendly materials, and disposable items. And there is very little organization, with items stowed haphazardly. So, we begin our process of transforming this galley into one that will serve the people on board.

In our next article, see how I go about the process of reviewing the items on board and setting up the galley in a logical and efficient way that will serve all who spend time on board.

For More information please contact Mary Maskal, The Yachting Gourmet, 727 360-COOK (2665) www.yachtinggourmetstore.com
371 Corey Ave.
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

~~~Do you have a story you would like to share with Knotline? Please email them HERE and send pictures!!! Thanks!

Cooking on Board – Do You Have a Love/Hate Relationship with Your Galley?

Guest Writer: Mary Maskal from The Yachting Gourmet


How do you feel about cooking on board? Even those that love to cook often don’t enjoy it in the confines of a small galley. The good news is you can make it fun, easy and delicious with a little help from The Yachting Gourmet.

The biggest issue with the galley is space. Very few boaters have a galley the size of their home kitchen and avoid preparing meals on board except those that are extremely simple. However, you CAN prepare gourmet meals in the galley and we are going to explore how.

My business, The Yachting Gourmet, started with a cookbook by the same title. It is a collection of 400 recipes for easy on board preparation. It came to be after many years of boating and working with the challenges of preparing meals on board. After much trial and error, the two-part recipe format found in The Yachting Gourmet was developed and the cookbook published in 2007. By being a little organized, planning ahead, and doing some of the preparation at home, you can turn out great meals for your friends and family. Publishing the cookbook was step one in making cooking on board easy, fun and delicious for boaters.

Step two came one day at a local marine supply store. Having gone there to purchase a piece of equipment needed to do a cooking demo at a yacht club, I found myself standing in the galley section of the store. My reaction was, “this is awful!” There were scant usable tools and most were not stainless steel or other boating friendly materials. After checking a few more marine suppliers, I realized their focus was on other things than the galley, opening up an opportunity to supply a much needed service to the boating community. So, that began a process of seeking out and assembling useful, boater friendly galley tools, equipment and table top items. Combined with the cookbook, we provide a single source for virtually anything you need to make cooking (and eating!) on board a pleasure.

So, let’s spend a little time outfitting the galley. There are certain basics pieces you will need to make your galley functional - essentially a core set of equipment from which you can customize the galley to your specific likes and needs. Newer materials such as Silicone, Melamine, Polycarbonate, etc. have opened up a wide variety of tools and equipment for your galley. And, there are so many multi-functional tools available that reduce storage space considerably. We specialize in collapsible items, tools that serve multiple purposes, silicone bake ware, nesting cookware, etc. Our Galley Outfitting Service is customized to your specific needs, helping you make your galley a pleasure to use, whether you are starting from scratch or simply enhancing your existing equipment. By starting with the core pieces, then expanding to meet your specific needs and desires, we can make yours a great galley.

The tendency is to outfit your galley with castoffs from your home kitchen. Instead, look at outfitting your galley with the RIGHT tools to make it efficient and a pleasure to use. With our Galley Outfitting Service, we will look at what you have at home (or already on board) and build from there by adding just the right pieces for your galley. For example, mixing bowls are a challenge on board. They take up a lot of space and are hard to stow. So instead of using those home kitchen castoffs, the collapsible silicone and nylon bowls we carry store in 1/3 the space, clean up easily and are multi-functional. You can explore these and other great tools on our website, www.yachtinggourmetstore.com.

In our next installment, we will begin the process of outfitting the galley on a Hunter 295. SmarterSail, an ASA sailing school based in St. Petersburg, FL, runs a fleet of Hunters based in Florida and Annapolis, MD. Join us while we go through the Galley Outfitting process on one of their 295s. In our next article, we will take a look at the “before” of the galley and review the process of considering the needs and wants of this particular owner.

For More Information Contact: Mary Maskal at The Yachting Gourmet
371 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
727 360-COOK (2665)
www.yachtinggourmetstore.com

Widescreen chartplotter technology now available on new Hunters

Raymarine’s newest electronics technology has been fully integrated into the 2010 line of Hunter sailboats. The new displays come in both “C” and “E” series models, both of which feature larger viewing areas, enhanced definition, increased networking capability and better performance. The “E” series also offers touchscreen technology to quicken and simplify operation. Enhanced definition increases visibility of fine details, while a larger viewing area allows the user to display a wider variety of “split screen” data such as relative wind, sailing performance or engine telemetry. Specific information on the “C” series features can be found here, while an outline of the more robust “E” series can be found here. Either can be ordered as factory options installed by Hunter’s highly experienced and specially trained technicians.

Hunter strives to deliver the best value in sailing by integrating functional design features with the latest in equipment and components to enhance your sailing experience and comfort aboard. Check out the full line of new products at www.huntermarine.com

Gift Idea for Hunter Owners!

Looking for something for your fellow Hunter Owners this Holiday Season? Well Hunter Tervis Tumber - In-stock 17 oz mugs are on SALE! This sale ends Sunday (so you can have them shipped in time).

Remember these tumblers are great for both hot and cold beverages. They also have a lifetime guarantee.

Order your TODAY! Click here

News Update from Hunter Marine

Annapolis Sailboat Show Recap!

One week after the sailboat show closing, Hunter Marine Corporation has a total of twenty plus retail ordered boats from its participating dealers in the show. “While these results are no where near the totals of years gone by, they are encouraging results that customers are returning to the marketplace and purchasing new boats. We are very pleased with the reception of our products and the results from the show”, stated John Peterson, Vice President Sales and Marketing.

With the show itself announcing a strong attendance, Hunter’s two new boats in the show, the Hunter 50cc and the Hunter 39, where continually full of prospective buyers which have generated record levels of customer test sails and detailed appointments over the coming weeks. This commitment to new products is further exemplified by the resurgence in retail activity in the international sector with the four recent European and Australian boat shows also exhibiting good, solid sales results of an additional twenty plus retail boat orders.