ProBoat Radio

Listen in to find out what IBEX exhibitors had to say about trends in marine education and training.

In 2010, IBEX moves to Louisville, KY, so we talked about that new venue with special guest Jim Wood from the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Join us for another discussion about the art and state of marine surveying.

Eric Sponberg may be the only person in the world who has reason to use the words "naval architecture, intrigue, and murder" in a single sentence. Join us to find out how he achieved that claim to fame. He'll spin the tale, and we invite you to tune in with your questions, too.

Environmental compliance enforcement at boat yards and marinas has ramped up. In NC, tough new regulations specifically targeting boat yards and marinas comes into effect on Sept 1 for coastal marinas as well as those on lakes and rivers. Marina operators in other states are also feeling the heat, and the enforcement in other countries is even more advanced than the in US. Join us and guest David Flagler (Clean Marine Solutions LLC) to find out more about meeting this new regulations - and turning "clean" into "green" and "green" into revenue.

Professional Boat Builder contributing editor Steve D'Antonio (www.stevedmarineconsulting.com) and ABYC master technician and marine fire-protection expert John McDevitt (Jmcdevittcaptain@aol.com) team up to give you up to date information about Marine Fire Protection including on board fire-suppression and detection systems. Listen in to have your questions answered about about fire loss data, prevention, detection, egress, and suppression. This show will be packed with new information.

What's going on in the surveying segment of the Marine Industry? Tune in to hear our panel members' perspectives.

This show offered a brief reminder about IBEX, but mostly centered around a conversation with our special guest, Shake-A-Leg Miami's founder Harry Horgan. We talked about our partnership in his "Ship Shape" project and key events, including the first ever IBEX Regatta - featuring O'Pen Bic racers. Interested in being a Ship Shape volunteer? Go to http://shipshape.eventbrite.com now!

On Aug. 22, Gougeon Brothers Inc. will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Join us as we talk with some of the key players about this remarkable employee-owned company and its diverse customer base.

Built by a skilled team of craftsmen trained in a variety of composite construction techniques, the vessels produced by Gold Coast Yachts in the US Virgin Islands reflect the company's years of experience in commercial vessel construction, operation, deliveries, and living aboard. Behind the scenes, a computer-aided design and engineering team and a systems design team work to meet the structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and USCG demands of each project. Beyond all that though, Gold Coast Yachts has a reputation for promoting quality in the workplace and in the community, too. The Gold Coast philosophy is "Relationships are more important than issues." For this show, Roger Hatfield and Rich Difede will joined us to talk about how following that principle has played out for this successful company.

Listen to our discussion about boatbuilding in the Pacific Northwest. Our guests will be Chris Duppenthaler (Northwest Trawlers), Mike Swietzer (Skagit Valley College), and Ann Avary (Northwest Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology).

IBEX Show producers and staff will be on hand to answer all your questions about this year's IBEX trade show, conference, and related events.

Chesapeake Marine Railway is the new name for a legendary boatyard. Known since the 1920s as Deagle's, this yard has a colorful history, but more than that, it is still thriving in a time when many yards are failing. Current owners Jon and Rick Farinholt joined us to talk about what they are doing right in their attempt to return this yard back to its glory days. They also discussed the major renovation of the 114-ft sailing vessel Ring-Andersen and told us their plans for additional projects in wood, composites, and steel. For more info about Chesapeake Marine Railway, visit their website at http://www.chesapeakemarinerailway.com.

NMMA's John McKnight joined us to answer your questions about ethanol. Here's some background: Today’s boats and marine engines are designed to operate on E-10. The EPA has received a waiver from Growth Energy to increase the ethanol content in gasoline to 15%. The EPA has until December to decide whether or not to allow 15% ethanol in the US gasoline supply. Engine manufacturers will be working with the Department of Energy this summer to begin testing E-15 on select engines. The move towards increasing the ethanol content in gasoline is being driven by the mandate that requires 36 billion gallons of bio fuel in the US fuel supply by 2022. For more information, go to http://capwiz.com/nmma/home/

For Show Number One, GRP Guru Andre Cocquyt shared some fast-breaking news in the composites world about closed molding. Listen now to find out why planning to switch from building boats to building wind-power blades might NOT be your best bet, but there other other good examples out there of what builders are doing to thrive and survive. We also encourage you to check out Andre's blog at http://compositesguru.wordpress.com and his website at http://www.grpguru.com before you listen to this show.