Cannons Marina

Florida Boat Dealer, Suggests Proactive Approach To Boat Thefts

Be proactive, you can help stop boat thefts.

With boat thefts on the rise all along the west coast of Florida and as a Florida boat dealer, Cannons Marina took a proactive approach recently to try and halt, or at least slow the problem.

Representatives from the Longboat Key Police Department and U.S. Coast Guard Station Cortez came to the Marina October 29 to discuss the situation and steps owners can take to protect their boats to the greatest extent possible.

All agreed that the best deterrent is to install throttle and steering locks, which may frustrate thieves enough to make them leave the scene.

Among other suggestions were placing locking power hoist circuit breakers in a secure location and making sure the power is turned off when not in use, installing motion sensor lights around your docking area, removing keys and locking all onboard compartments, and installing anti-theft alarm devices on or inside your boat.

Boat owners should also check with their home security companies on options for installing additional equipment to cover the hoist and dock area.

Also remember to inform your neighbors about the situation, and ask for their vigilance while offering your own. Always report suspicious activity to local authorities but do not get involved if you feel a boat theft is underway – call your local police immediately.

To learn more about things you can do today to protect your boat, click on my boat for a suggested plan of action.

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Boating to an Award-Winner – America’s #1 Beach Fort DeSoto Park.

A short and scenic boating just north of the tip of Anna Maria Island will take you to America’s Top Beach for 2009, Fort DeSoto Park.

According to TripAdvisor.com the world’s leading online travel web site, and Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, better known as “Dr. Beach,” Fort DeSoto is a “spectacular combination of soft white sand, calm, clear water and a laid-back atmosphere.”

This is the second consecutive year the park has won this prestigious national honor. What more could you ask for in a weekend boating destination?

So make your plans, check the weather, be sure you have everything you need for a full day on the water and the beach, gas up your boat or drive over to Longboat Key’s Cannons Marina, Sarasota boat rental destination, and take one of their sturdy Grady White boats to the best and most accessible beaches in America.

Fort DeSoto Park encompasses over 1,100 acres, including five interconnected islands, over seven miles of waterfront, including nearly three miles of sugar-fine sandy beaches, an 800-foot boat launching facility and 11 floating docks. It’s custom-made for boaters and boating families.

They also have facilities for camping and picnics, including grills, water and electricity, restrooms, play areas and a well-stocked camp store. There are two sizable swim centers, the North one with a food concession area, as well as two fishing piers, a bait shop and a souvenir store. If you’re looking for exercise during your stay, a 6.8-mile recreation trail and two nature trails will provide fun and a great workout.

For more information on Fort DeSoto Park, contact the park office at 727-893-9185, or for an automated message, call 727-582-2267.

Now get out on the water and have some fun.

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Help. I have a hook in my hand!

I was out on my boat fishing last week, having the time of my life, when all of a sudden I got an Eagle Claw 2/0 fishing hook stuck in my right ring finger. Damn it hurt!

It was in past the barb, so firmly stuck, and I wasn’t sure how to get it out. So I stowed my gear and motored over to an “old salt” friend of mine who, I hoped, would surely have the answer.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, here’s what “we” did. “We” really means “him,” as I couldn’t look.

He looped a long piece of heavy fishing line around the hook’s bend. Then he pushed down on the end of the hook, the end where you normally tie your line, so it touched my skin. And then, and here’s the part I couldn’t watch, he jerked the line and the hook straight out. It actually hurt more than it did getting stuck, but it was out.

Now he mentioned that if I every get one stuck in my head beyond the barb, there may not be enough room between your scalp and skull to do what I just described. Go and have it removed by a professional.

Here’s another method…if you have room, push the barb end all the way through your skin so it actually comes out, use wire cutters to cut the shank just behind the barb and then back it out. Don’t use this method if you have to push the barb through veins or tendons.

No matter how you do it, it’s going to hurt.

Oh, be sure to wash the wound thoroughly, apply an anti-bacterial ointment and, if you haven’t had one in awhile, go get a tetanus shot immediately. If your tackle box is at all like mine, there’s probably some nasty rust and who knows what else on that hook dangling from your body.

Here’s a useful link from a nurse explaining how to deal with fish hooks in your hand. Good luck.

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Obscure State Rule Eliminates Fish Cleaning Stations – Come On Now

Take a crowbar to your fish cleaning station and rip it off your dock! They’ll soon be illegal unless you have a permit.

You heard right!

Homeowners, public fishing piers, marinas, fish houses and fish camps will all be criminals if the State of Florida follows through with pending rules requiring permits for fish cleaning stations, or fillet tables as they’re also known.

Something stinks in Tallahassee.

To avoid conflicts with the new law, Manatee County has removed cleaning tables from public boat ramps. Our (your) tax dollars paid for their removal.

Are you serious?

The state has nothing better to do than create laws that make these old timey dock side conveniences illegal? Fillet tables have been around since, well, probably shortly after the Calusa Indians wanted a better way to clean their catch. And now they’re illegal?

Hey Governor Crist, you’re an avid fisherman. Does Carole really want you cleaning sheep head in the kitchen?

Look, fish carcasses feed birds and enrich the ecosystem. They’re not a problem. Never have been.

Call, write and email your representatives. Tell them to repeal this ridiculous law and stop wasting time and money. Heck, they could be balancing the budget, when they’re not out fishing.

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Dog Gone? Dogs on Board Boating Safety Tips.

Cannons Marina promotes safe boating for you AND your fur-faced best friend. Paws Aboard’s Doggy Life Jackets and Designer Doggy Life Jackets help keep pets safe on the water.

Constructed to provide Fido with buoyancy, along with a cozy, secure fit, the jackets feature an advanced breathable mesh underbelly for proper draining and drying, which gives your little buddy both comfort and a sporty appearance on the bow of your new Grady White Boat. Safety features include reflective strips for maximum visibility, a bright neon-yellow color and a handle on top for sure and easy grabbing.

Other features include adjustable nylon straps, quick-release buckles, and a heavy-duty Velcro® fastening system around the belly and neck to keep your dog secure. Selecting an appropriate size of jacket depends on the weight of your dog. Come in to Cannons Marina and Angela Pluff will be happy to assist you in your selection. MSRP $23.99 to $49.99, depending on size.

While we’re talking about keeping your pet safe on the water, remember that dogs are more sensitive to the heat than we humans and they too can suffer from cramps, heat exhaustion, dehydration and sun stroke, often much more quickly than we do. Be sure to provide your dog with a protected, shady place to rest and make sure he slurps up plenty of water. And don’t forget to make sure to teach him where on the boat to get rid of all that water later on (find a spot that’s easy to clean), especially if you’re on an overnight cruise.

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Great Grady Days are Here – Incentives Worth up to $17,000!

Cannons Marina’s Grady White Boat Sale.

Grady White Boat Sale, Cannons Marina, Longboat Key, Florida. Buy a new Grady-White boat and Yamaha outboard motor and receive incentives up to $17,000!

Come visit Cannons Marina and view the 2009 & 2010 model year Grady’s. Now is the time to take advantage of this INCREDIBLE offer! Why wait? Offer good September 15 – November 2, 2009.

Ask Cannons Marina for more details, 941 – 383-1311

Happy Boating!

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

The Traveling Cooler.

Even with two sizable neighbors sitting on my suitcase, closing it was out of the question. Something had to stay behind. Shoes? Sure, I could go from four to two pair. Clothes? OK, lose the extra slacks, the shirts I probably won’t wear and the extra sweater. How about the hammock? Back in the box. Shorts? Shorts in Alaska? Back in the dresser. Cannons Marina cooler? Untouchable! It stays in the Samsonite.

We’re seasoned travelers. Can pack for a three-week trip in five minutes flat. We’ve learned what works, and what doesn’t. And we always, always take our red, insulated, soft-sided Cannons Cooler. Indispensible if a cold beer is what you want after a long, hot day of hiking and the car is parked in the sun. It’s our refrigerator away from home. More than once its iced-down the catch of the day. It’s also good looking.

London. Gainesville. Capetown. Idaho. Toronto. Bahamas. Vancouver. The beach. Alaska. Montana. Jimmy Buffett concerts. If we had stickers for all the places it’s traveled, it would be covered.

It’s quality. But then it came from Cannons Marina. It’s like the boats they sell, only more compressible.

Guest Writer and Photo: Michael Riter, Longboat Key

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Dog day doldrums? They don’t have to be. Savvy anglers know to change their strategies, tailoring their efforts to maximize comfort and opportunities.

Captain Nick Angelo, Photo by Rusty Chinnis

[by: Guest Writer, Rusty Chinnis]

One of the prime times to fish during the “dog days” is at night or in the early morning hours before the sun crests the horizon. The myriad dock and bridge lights that illuminate the waterways from St Petersburg to Venice are prime targets. These areas hold schools of snook as well as trout, redfish and a host of other species.
Captain Nick Angelo of Land of Lakes fishes the areas from Saint Pete to Clearwater Beach. In these areas he targets a variety of fish including; snook, trout, redfish, tarpon, mangrove snapper, ladyfish, small grouper and bluefish. Although there aren’t as many snook as in areas to the south, the ones he does find are much bigger. There are usually plenty of redfish that average from rats (under slot) to over slot size. For less experienced saltwater fly fisherman, Angelo finds that trout fishing can provide hot action, sometimes nonstop, all night long. Angelo looks for lights near a pass on docks, bridge fenders, boats, or even the shadow lines created by street lights on the area bridges. He uses a 9 or 10 weight rod with a 9 foot section of 40 pound fluorocarbon. He prefers a strong incoming tide just after dark, around the full and new moons.
The same strategy will work in the waters around Anna Maria Island as well as south through Sarasota. In all areas, docks with a water depth in excess of six feet are best. Tidal flow is another indication of action. Lights on the up tide side of a structure are best, allowing you more latitude when making a presentation, preventing hang ups and allowing flies, lures and bait to swing to the fish naturally. With a little attention to detail, it’s possible to target some docks on the incoming tide, and others on the outgoing tide.
The presence of hard bottom near a bridge or dock is another indicator of good fish habitat. The presence of bait is directly related to structures like ledges, oyster bars and seawalls. These areas attract the bait that lures the fish. The type of light on the dock can also influence the action. Lights that sit low to the water seem to have a more distinctive shadow line, an area where feeding fish concentrate. In any case, the fish seem to hang on the dark edges of the shadow lines.
Captain Rick Grassett of Sarasota has pioneered night snook fishing from Sarasota to Venice. He regularly catches good numbers of snook when conditions are prime. While there are large numbers of snook under the best lights, they range much smaller than their more northern cousins. Recently Grassett has had excellent pre-dawn action on tarpon around lighted bridges in Sarasota. These fish range from twenty pounds to over one hundred. He has found the tarpon to be selective and hard to catch unless he is matching the hatch.
When the rising sun lightens the horizon, anglers can move to the flats to target redfish, snook and trout. Concentrate your fishing around flats with good grass cover. In addition look for flats that feature channel edges, pot holes, sand bars and oyster bars. Strong tide will also increase your odds.
In the hottest months, from August through September, most of the early morning tides are from one to one and a half feet, so anglers will seldom see pushes or tails. Instead, concentrate on scattering bait, working birds and schools of mullet. One of the most productive strategies is to fish “seams,” demarcation lines that separate grass, sand, and other structure.
While pre-dawn or early morning is generally the best time during sweltering weather, there is one exception. The late afternoon outgoing tides that correspond to the full and new moons provide some fast action with a variety of species. Areas to concentrate on include the slues and channels that drain the inshore flats, and the passes where the funneling effect concentrates game fish and their prey. Passes that have flanking seawalls and rock groins can be particularly productive. These areas attract and concentrate the baitfish on which the predators feed. Work lures and flies close to the structure.
Fishing the “doldrums” can be productive no matter where you fish as long as you follow a few rules. First and foremost you must find conditions that are acceptable to the species you seek. A snook and redfish are much more tolerant of high water temperatures than trout. In general, water temperatures must not be excessive, and you can count on early mornings and deeper water to moderate conditions. The exception to the rule will be those areas and times where the presence of food overrides the fishes’ desire to locate comfortable conditions. Fishing the “Summer Doldrums,” can be challenging, but master the rules and you’ll have a lot of productive fishing to yourself.

To connect with Captain Nick Angelo: 813-230-8473

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Boating to Caladesi Island Florida – Breathtaking beauty in your own backyard.

If you been thinking it’s about time to add some excitement to your weekend boating routine, then head-out to Caladesi Island State Park for a day or overnight adventure.

Caladesi, just off the coast of Tarpon Springs, Florida is one of the few remaining natural islands along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

In fact, the island’s white sand shores have been rated by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach, as one of the top ten beaches in the USA in 2007 and 2008; in 2008 Caladesi captured the #1 title.

Beach lovers will enjoy swimming, sunbathing, beach combing, and picnicking. Fishermen can cast a line from their boats or get up close and personal in the surf. Nature lovers can watch wildlife while hiking the three-mile nature trail which winds through the island’s interior or paddle a three-mile kayak trail through the mangrove-lined coves of the bay. Picnic tables and pavilions are located near the beach and can be reserved for a fee. Call ahead to secure your reservation and don’t forget to bring your water, food and sunscreen.

So, next time you are looking for a new adventure, head out to this undiscovered island right in your own backyard. It is the perfect day or weekend destination for romantics and adventurers alike. You can venture off in your own craft, rent a boat from Cannons Marina or check into the Caladesi Ferry service for a ride.

Your island staycation [ boatcation ] awaits you.

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!

Looking To Buy A New Boat? Guidelines To Help You With Your Purchase.

So You Want To Buy A New Boat?

As someone who has been in the marina business for over 50 years, here’s some “inside” advice we’d like to share with you, the first time boat buyer.

Boats will boost your opportunities for fun and add an entirely new aspect to your recreational activities. They’ll also rev up your social life. Just buy a boat and you’ll have at lest 20 new best friends!

But remember, buying a boat takes time, research and a clear understanding of how you want to use it. For now, forget all the great deals out there, and they are there, and step away from the emotional side of becoming a boat owner. Abide by the guiding principles that follow and you’re well on your way to finding exactly what you need and becoming a happy boater.

Suggested Guidelines for Buying a Boat
•   Do you have navigation experience? If not, head out right now and get some at your local Coast Guard Auxillary (see link below).
•   How much time will you use your boat? Remember, boats are made to run and they need their owner’s time to exercise and maintain them.
•   How many people will you have in the boat at any given time? (The Coast Guard limits the number of people allowed onboard, and that includes kids, too).
•   Where will you keep your new boat? Do you have a dock with a hoist, a local marina with available dockage, or will you trailer your boat to and from the water and home?
•   Will your primary activity be fishing? Inshore or offshore? Waterskiing? Or cruising with your friends?
•   Do you like taking sunset cruises with family and friends?
•   Will you travel far in your boat or possibly live aboard?
•   Where will you do your boating? Will it be on a river, a lake or on the ocean? I live on the Gulf of Mexico but the boating here is very different then in Newport Beach, California.
•   How will you pay for your boat, its maintenance and insurance costs? Will you need financing?
•   Who will use the boat? Just you? Your kids? Your uncle from Idaho that no one really likes? Will the family dog be coming along? Remember, kids need Coast Guard boating safety classes too. Please visit http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/courses.htm
•   Set your budget and stick to it.

Personally, I like a boat that has many uses. I fish, but I also like to take friends on quiet sunset cruises, so comfortable seating is important. So are the water conditions in your area. All boats are not designed equally; there are different hull designs for different environments and knowing the difference will make your boating experience more enjoyable.

If you’re considering trailering your boat, make a realistic assessment about how easy (or difficult) it will be to tow, launch and haul it out. Can your car handle the weight or will you have to buy a new truck to tow your boat?

I belong to a Grady White Boat club and together we enjoy exploring new locations that take us away from home for a day or sometimes even a few weeks. But I must admit, when I’m away from home I still prefer solid land on which to sleep, so a boat’s beds are not too important to me. Are they to you?

Providing realistic answers to the above list will help you identify your wants, needs, expectations and what it is you’re really looking for in a boat. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to owning the right boat for you.

The Next Step
Once you know the type and size boat you’ll be buying, check resources on the Internet, boating magazine reviews, boat shows and JD Powers for honest reviews. Check with friends and neighboring boat owners. Stop by your local boat dealers and check out their new and used boats. Talk may be cheap, but by talking with other boaters you’ll learn a lot about what to do and what not to do.

While we’re on the subject of dealers, one of your biggest considerations will be the service they provide and the type of relationship you’re likely to have. If you don’t feel comfortable or you don’t feel a dealer is working in your best interest, walk away. There are plenty of others out there. Dealer relationships and service are two of the most important factors aside from the quality and type of boat you’re interested in.

Dealerships can make or break a great boating experience. People who love their dealer have a great experience owning a boat and those who don’t, well, they usually don’t.

Find a dealership that prides themselves on building customer service relationships with their buyers and with their community.

Typically, a dealer with a proven record of satisfactory customer service will be your best bet and may eventually become your friend.

Regarding cost; be honest with yourself. What can you truly afford? Your deliberations should include all the additional and sometimes hidden costs such as life jackets, docking equipment, electronics, insurance, a trailer and your annual maintenance costs, to name but a few.

Owning a boat is really fun. The water is magical, relaxing and will provide you, your family and friends with special times and fabulous memories.

So get out your pencil, follow my guidelines and do yourself a big favor before you buy!

Happy Boating.

This post originated at Cannons Marina, Florida Grady White, Scout Boat and Yamaha Motor Dealer we offer new and used boats for sale, boat rentals, and more!