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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-01-28, Page 13All we need is sunshine Bout fever strikes again by Mary Alderson The sun glints on take Huron's ripples. You steady yourself as the boat rocks ever so slightly in tl,e morning breeze, and pour o cold drink. You climb the steps to the deck, adjusting your bathing suit. It's going to be another hot day. You hunt around for your sun glasses and tanning oil. Enough to give you boat fever, eh? Boat fever took hold in Toronto recently at the an- nual international boat show. The disease is rapidly spreading throughout southwestern Ontario. The boat builders caught it first. then it spread quickly to boat retailers. Now they're passing it onto the general public. The symptoms? You'll notice such things as fingers worn rough from leafing through brochures of beautiful 1981 models --boats, that is. Other symptons in- CUMB ABOARD — Karl Vermaeten steps onto one of his Nordica sail boats in the making. Vermaeten, at Exe- fibrecraft says the boot show was profitable for him. SAFE "0" CONCRETE STEPS PORCHES - patio slabs - sidewalk slabs - curbs - flower bed edging - interlocking paving stones - flagstone can: G & G CONCRETE PRODUCTS 236-4723 Quality Products • Proto Tools • Hypro Pumps • Makita & Bosch Hand Power Tools • Bolts & Blades • 1 SR Cattle headgate Used Equipment • Stationery Shop Compressor • Makita Cuttoff Saw • High Pressure Washer • Acetylene Soldering torch Cecil R. Squire Sales & Service 47 John St. Exeter Phone 235-0465 Shop the Annuity market with Mutual Life Through Mutual Life's Product Placement Service, I can provide you with the best rate for singe -premium "payout" annuities from over 30 life insurance and trust companies. Call if you're looking for a quote. I'll shop the market for you. GEO. A. GODBOLT CLU 235-2740 Devon Building, Exeter Mutual Life of Canada H&R BLOCK THE INCOME TAX PEOPLE New Office Opening 429 Main Street, Exeter Next to Victoria & Grey Trust Mon., Feb. 2, 1981 Drop in for coffee Discuss our reasonable'rates with Manager Vera Brand and assistant Beckie Robb. Hours Mon. -Sat. 9-5 p.m. Phone 235-1901 Appointments available elude a glassing over of the eyes when the sick person looks out over Lake Huron's present frozen waste land. A person with a slight case of boat fever will complain bitterly about cold and snowy weather. Others will simply go to the garage and fondle the tarpaulin over their boat. The cure? Summer! Thank heavens for a slight January thaw that will give the boat fevered person some reassurance that summer will come again. Knowing that there will be a summer in 1981, makes winter just a little more en- durable for a person suffer- ing boat fever. If that isn't enough, placate them with the knowledge that the boat builders and sellers are gearing up for another season. Here in Exeter, business is in full swing for our own boat builder, Karl Ver- maeten. He builds Nordica sailing boats at Exe- fibrecraft. A complete staff of nine people are employed in the business. Vermaeten says that the Toronto boat show was very good this year. He attended, showing the Nordica 16, an attractive 16 foot sail boat, and the Nordica 20, a larger 20 foot version. Vermaeten also had a new model at this year's show. the Nordica 20 Oldertimer Fisherman. This is a sail boat with a flat deck to make fishing easy. Complete with a diesel engine, it sells fOr $10.950. Vermaeten was pleased with the popularity of the new fishing model at the boat show. Because it is un- ique, many people were in- terested. Both of his other models created interest as well. Vermaeten said that several of his boats will be shipped to British Columbia this spr- ing. as a result of the boat show. The Nordica 16 is sell- ing for $4,320 without an engine, while the more elaborate Nordica 20 sells for $10.895. The BMW deisel engine is optional in both models. But if you're ready for something a little bigger than the Nordicas, visit Hughes Columbia at Huron Park. Production is in high gear at that plant. SalesmanJohn Greenstreet describes the boat show as very good. He admits that sales might have been better had interest rates not been so high. "Some customers were holding back," Greenstreet says. However, he says that they handled sales amoun- ting to $1.2 million as a result of the boat shqw. They have also sold a few boats since the show, because the customers had seen them there. Greenstreet said that in- terest was high in the brand new Hughes Columbia 11.8. He describes it as an 39 foot centre cockpit aft -cabin sloop. At $110,000, it is their most expensive boat. The design came from Columbia Yachts when Hughes bought out the American company last spring. Greenstreet says that he tells customers that the boats are not just for recrea- tion. they are excellent in- vestments. Unlike cars, boats do not depreciate in value. As an example, Greenstreet mentions the Hughes 38. Three years ago it sold for $40,000. This year the same model is selling for $65.000. You could now sell your three year old boat for at least $50,000, he says. Greenstreet says that many people want to build their own boats now, and are buying "kits" from Hughes Columbia. The kit includes the bare glass fibre shell which has been assembled, joined and sealed at the fac- tory. The finishing, and the interior is up to the customer, with all the necessities supplied in the kit. "We offer our customers 100 percent co-operation to build the boats to the finish," Greenstreet says. The company will visit the boat builder with service and technical help if he should need it. Greenstreet says the Hughes 31 and the Hughes 38 are the most popular boats in kit form. The Hughes Columbia yachts come complete with everything needed for a floating home. Interiors are finished in teak wood with luxurious upholstery. Microwave ovens are a pop- ular option in the cozy kitchens. Good use is made of every inch of space. But if you don't want to de- pend on the wind in your floating cottage, Peter Warner has the answer. Warner, who sells boats in Grand Bend, displayed Carvers beautiful cabin cruisers . at the boat show. He also sells the popular Trojans. Warner said that the boat show was very good. "We did about $250,000 of known business. and there was a lot of interest and a lot of prospects" he says. He says the star of tto show was the new Carver foot aft cabin. It lists for $74.000. The aft cabin tee,ans that there is extra sleeping room at the rear of the boat. mak- ing it perfect for families. But for those who like the sliding glass doors looking out over the stern. he has the Carver 33 foot sedan It sells for about 890,000 Warner speculates that many people are buying the large boats, rather than cot- tages, and spending their summer vacations on them. Because of land prices many people can't afford lakefront summer homes, and a 16 toot motor boat. So they're going for the bigger boats, complete with cooking and sleeping facilities. Like the Hughes boats, the interiors of the Carvers are finished luxuriously. Every detail is taken care of, and the wood working is com- pletely in expensive teak. As Warner says, "We're Just waiting for the sunshine." Times -Advocate, January 28, 1981 t• HUGHES COLUMBIA -- Production is in full swing at Hughes Columbia in Here o prospective customer looks over one of the brand new models. Huron Pork. Staff photo HIGH AND DRY, BUT NOT FOR LONG — Peter Warner of Grand Bend looks forward to launching these Carvers. The 30 foot model on the left sells for $74,000 while the 33 foot cruiser on the right lists at $90,000. Staff photo INSIDE THE CABIN — Hughes production co-ordinator Gerry Sleaford lifts up a cutting board to reveal a stove. Every inch of space is used inside the boat. Microwave ovens are popular. Stoll photo Renew Your Times -Advocate Subscription before January 31 and Beat the Price Increase Rapidly rising costs ot nearly all the materials necessary to produce a quality newspaper have torted us to raise the subscription price of your local newspaper. Since our last increase we have been able to absorb the many price increases from our suppliers, but now we must charge you less than the price ot a cup ot cottee in a restaurant to send you the hometown news each week. However, we're hot going to spring the increase on our readers suddenly. 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