Dive Budz offers full service SCUBA boat hull cleaning.

First time cleanings are $1.50 – $2.00 per foot (boat length) depending on the condition of the boat bottom. Vessels that have considerable growth and require two (2) or more hours to service will be charged an hourly rate. For a free estimate on first time and/or scheduled service please contact Dive Budz. Included with a regular cleaning service are: Complete cleaning of algae, coral, barnacles, and other growth from vessel bottom, running gear, and all underwater hardware.

• Through cleaning of all thruhulls
• Complete hull inspection and written report
• Report on condition of all running gear and paint
• Report on zincs and replacement when needed*
• Retrieval of items lost overboard while docked**
• Emergency notification of critical or hazardous boat condition found at time of service

* cost of zinc includes zinc and installation **No charge if diver is due to service your vessel. Service call charges will apply for special arrangements.

Dive Budz offers the following propeller services

• Pull and replace props underwater
• Paint props with anti-fouling paint
• Send and pick up props for reconditioning, pitch change, welding, and/or balancing

Dive Budz also offers the following dive services

• Underwater video and photography of boat bottom, dock, seawall, etc.
• Search and recovery of items lost in water
• Remove and/or install shaft, trimtabs and other running gear
• Remove and/or install transducer, knotmeter, and other underwater hardware.
• Drill and install thruhulls and many other services

If you are interested in any services not listed on our site please contact Dive Budz. If they do not provide the service, they may know someone REPUTABLE who does. The services above are NOT included in regular cleanings and prices vary. For a free estimate please contact Dive Budz.

Ed Roberts – Diver

Phone: 727-488-3483

http://www.divebudz.com/

Network, network, network - modern advertising’s new chant. Now marine business can advertise, promote, and submit press releases about their boating product or serivce on SourceBoat.com. In return, registered users can fairly rate and review the listings. SourceBoat.com was conceived in an effort to help the strained marine industry by providing a free advertising and P.R. outlet. SourceBoat networks suppliers with consumers through the user reviews and ratings of the free database listings. There’s also a free forum where advertisers can continue to build relationships.

Twitter, social networking and Google pay-per-click advertising drives traffic to site, while google ad-words support it and keep the reviews unbiased. SourceBoat is a win-win for advertisers and consumers – Engines, cleaning products, charter company – anything marine. Add your product or service to the free database today.

Well I finally caved in and bought a gas grill for WindSong.  I have been kicking it around for a while; times are a little tight and my thinking has been that blowing cash on anything as extravagant as a GRILL (for the boat? Oh come on….) was just being plain dumb.

But, I just re-filled our propane tank for the house gas grill for the  2nd time in 6 weeks and it is already kicked.  One of the things that I do year-round besides trying to use the boat (& drink beer) is barbecue.  Why not combine that with the other two?

West Marine has a closeout sale on their 152SS propane grill;  a little one (15″ diameter) that is manufactured for them by Magma. My local store had one as open-stock for $99.99.  I wanted one in a box so they referred me to the Belmar, NJ location where (supposedly) they had three left.

Upon arriving at the Belmar store (actually a very nice West Marine – if there is such a thing – they cater to the commercial fishing fleet)  I learned that they’ve never even heard on the 152SS, much less the special closeout sale.  The day was starting to look like a cluster… but beings I was there already I wandered around the store, and lo & behold (over by the books/charts section) I spied a box wayyyyy up in the back, on a top shelf, covered in dust, the was emblazoned “West Marine PRO Grill.”  The picture on the box showed a stainless steel gas grill.

After a brief and futile attempt to get a store-person to help me I got on my tip-toes and pulled the (very heavy) box down.  No price tag.  I took it the checkout counter.  The conversation went something like this:

“Hi, I was wondering if you could scan this for a price-check…”
“Well Sure! Gee this is old, I don’t think I’ve ever seen on of these.  It’s $76.”
“I’ll take it.”
No luck though finding a mounting bracket to fit it.  What I did find was a stack of canvas grill covers that said “West Marine PRO Grill Cover & Tote”.  Price tag said “Was $49.95, NOW $13.95″.  I took it to the checkout counter.  The conversation resumes:
“I think I’ll get this too…”
“Fine. Geez, that’s a closeout too. $1.22.”
“One dollar and twenty-two cents?”
“Yup. Sure you want it?”
“Here’s my card. Look me up at my Gettysburg Address.”
The West Marine store in Somers Point was very helpful in finding a mounting bracket for me.  Call me crazy, but it really only cost $5.66.

We will refrain from commenting about the Toms River West Marine store.  It is obvious that they only hire people who don’t play well with others. 

SoNJSailor is a new contributor to PyratSail. Read more about him on our Contributors Page.

Extravagance: Immoderate expense or display.
When our International Trailer Sailor Ross emailed me a link with the subject  “my other boat”, I thought “probably gonna be a funny, effed up boat-contraption pic.” One mouse click and seconds later – FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.  289 feet of splendor - immoderate?

Jim Clark, the founder two small companies, Silicon Graphics and Netscape, likes making big, monstrous, sailboats. His bank statements must be printed on special wide paper to fit all the numbers, because this boat, Athena, is the second one he has built. All that can be said is that it’s unbelievable. It’s amazing. How could somebody possibly afford to build, let alone maintain such a massive vessel? Even though Athena exudes wealth, it does it in style – Mr. Clark did a great job of capturing the essence of olde-time sailing ships. Again, amazing. She’s a beaut Clark!

Link to the full write-up with tons of pics on Yachtforums.com

*Hic* Nice shot – I love ya man.

Jeese, this is all boaters need – another reason to drink. The shots shown in the picture look a little girly, where’s the amber colored rum? Regardless, whoever created this, I like the cut of their jib.

Grab your shield, atgeir and favorite horned helmet – we’re going cruising! This unique vessel was advertised in the July/August isse of WoodenBoat Magazine. It must have taken thousands of man(or women)-hours and a tanker load of varnish to complete this project. The entire boat is finished bright - inside and out, even the sinks. You can see more of it here: www.langskip.com The site was a little clunky so I pillaged a few pics and linked to them here.

More pics here: Construction, Gallery

Bowlin™ Built to Sail. These sunglasses are made exclusively for sailors. Bowlin has also added frames by CAT® (famous for bulldozers, diesels, etc.) and ANIMAL®, a U.K. based company specializing in outdoor sports. Bowlin’s mission is to provide sailors with tough frames, the finest optics and a classic style that belongs in a realm of  fair lines and nautical sophistication.

All frames are semi-custom fitted with premium NuPolar® polarized lenses using Essilor lens coatings: hydrophobic (water shedding) Anti-Reflective backside and Hard Coat Scratch Protection. Hard cases are included as well, and the Classic Bowlin frame comes in a beautiful wood presentation case with authentic tarred hemp maline retainer cord. You get the real smell of sailing the tall ships of our past. Check ‘em out: www.bowlinsun.com

For all you wetties that can’t master the art of the towel – now there’s an alternative! You can finally go outside and get the paper. “Totally amazing!”

So far this is the nicest looking “bosun’s chair” I’ve seen. Full review on the SAIL Magazine website.  

I don’t know where I was, what I was surfing for or what I was drinking – but I’m glad I found this. Green waterfront living of the future. Waterworld meets BioDome. Unfortunately, I’m sure my low-income residence would end up below the waterline, somewhere in the bilge.

The cities are supposed to support the soon-to-be overwhelming amount of global refugees. The website states: “It is a true amphibian half aquatic and half terrestrial city, able to accommodate 50,000 inhabitants and inviting the biodiversity to develop its fauna and flora around a central lagoon of soft water collecting and purifying the rain waters. “

Check it out, lots of purty images: http://www.vincent.callebaut.org/page1-img-lilypad.html