Car and Auto Detailing to Boat Detailer or Yacht Cleaning to Automobile Detail Service?

As the Founder of The Detail Guys, a mobile auto detailing franchising company often folks will shoot me an email to ask me a question after reading one of my articles online or in an Industry Trade Journal.

Recently I was asked if it made sense for someone with lots of boating experience who wished to become a Boat Detailer if he should start his business cleaning boats or start with cars first and move into boat detailing later?

Impressive question indeed and yes well this is definitely thinking ahead as one prepares their business plan. Going from Detailing Cars to Boats is an easy transition and it makes sense; although, boat detailing is much different. There are nautical personality types and there are those who are not.

If you are a nautical type then it might makes sense to do both. Why turn away work, but if you have enough business in boats, well, you would not have time for cars anyway. Someone who can talk the marine language indeed is much more likely to have many customers. Having started out in aviation, I just do not see how a non-aviation person could build their business at an airport without that knowledge.

Same is true with the nautical personality displacement. Of course in wintertime you could still refurbish and hibernation services and in the summer you would extremely busy, but chances are you might also like to be out on the water, catch 22. In aviation, I loved to fly not clean the aircraft, but I loved aircraft so it was fun to be cleaning them when I was not flying. You learn a lot by doing these things of course.

The skills needed to clean boats are different, more advanced and more difficult in the marine industry than the automotive industry. Many auto-detailers have a tough time with gel coats and glass, and do not know a thing about corrosion, teak or metal type cleaners and often spin their wheels.

You have a much better opportunity going from Boats to Cars to stay busy than someone who details autos and goes from cars to yachts. And most owners of nice pleasure craft can tell the difference and they get few referrals. Well you know I am just thinking out loud really. The point of the matter is that you can learn a lot from contacting Industry folks with experience in such endeavors. I hope this article propels thought in 2007.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/

Yachting in the Caribbean

Caribbean yachting is different from other forms of Caribbean water sports because a yacht is far roomier and it offers you the chance to enjoy your vacation away from hotels and on a boat. People with sailing experience are especially going to enjoy the freedom of chartering their own yacht and sailing in the Caribbean. However, note that if you want to just sit back and not worry about the technicalities of sailing then you had better get some crew. If you have never tried a sailing vacation before then perhaps it is time to give Caribbean yachting a chance.

Probably the biggest advantage of Caribbean yachting is that you get to choose which islands you wish to visit. Though most charter companies will suggest an itinerary, you are not legally bound to follow it and if you feel like going left when the plan says right, there is nothing to stop you from doing so. During your sailing experience you also get to choose what kind of food you are going to eat. Beware that no crew means that you will be doing your own cooking so do not overlook that detail. A crewed Caribbean yachting option means you just sit back and relax.

For most people however the easiest option is to pay for the charter and leave the details to the captain. With experience you will learn how to plot your own courses and what places to visit. While you are in the Caribbean yachting, make sure you make a note of what all you can see and enjoy along the route so that you do not just end up taking a long boat ride and nothing more. If you are the type that gets bored easily then carry some books for the time when time begins to get heavy.

Note that if you wish to charter a yacht without a crew then you must carry documentation proving that you have sailing experience so that the charter companies can safely trust you with their boats. This is especially true if you are carrying passengers because the charter company is responsible for their safety.

Caribbean yachting is a good way to spend time with friends or family far away from the hotels and resorts full of strangers. The cruises are not too long and so you will not end up getting bored with each other or getting cramped in a small space with so many people.

Caribbean yachting is also one of the few ways in which you can actually experience the Caribbean for what it is instead of coming back like most tourist, with a few pictures and videos but no real conception of what you actually visited.

James Penn runs a highly informative Caribbean website which details exactly how to find Caribbean villa rentals and also the ten best activities in the Caribbean for families and couples alike.

Shipping Your Yacht Over Land

One would think moving a Yacht would be as simple as sailing off to a destination. Yacht shipping over land, however, is a growing industry as trucking is often the quickest way to get to a destination.

Yacht transports are the common name for a distinct branch of the trucking industry that is concerned with the transport of large boats across land. While it is usually desirable to sail the boat to its new destination, occasions arise when this is impractical, and the boat must be removed from the water and transported by truck and trailer. Many trucking companies specialize in this form of transport and utilize some special equipment to get the job done correctly.

The first major problem in the transport of a yacht by truck is getting the yacht out of the water and onto the trailer. The normal size limits for yachts that are to be trucked are 100,000 pounds of weight, 18 feet of height and 20 feet of width. These limits are set more by the limitations of allowed weight on bridges and highways as well as overpass heights than the capacity of the trucks and trailers themselves. Most dry dock facilities will have the cranes and the expertise to remove the yacht from the water and place it on the trailer. Yacht transport trailers tend to be very low to the ground to allow maximum height of the boat.

The next step is preparation of the boat for transport. The yacht trucking company will normally have a checklist of pre-transport items to guide the owners in the preparation of their vessel. These preparations include the removal or stowing of all loose items. All fuel and water must be removed from the vessel as well as drain plugs left open. All battery cables should be disconnected. Any device that extends above or outside the hull should be removed. This would include antennas and radar devices.

Shrink wrap is a debatable subject among yacht truckers. If the shrink wrapping is done professionally and correctly, it will protect the boat during transport. A poor job could cause damage if wind tears the shrink wrap and allows it to flap and scratch the surface of the vessel. If it is necessary to transport the yacht bow first, shrink wrapping of any glass or Plexiglas windshield is recommended to prevent damage.

A boat is a valuable investment that usually is the subject of much love and devotion from its owner. Yacht trucking companies that have the equipment and the experience in moving them are certainly worth investigating if you need to move your boat.

Carl Stinson is with TruckingCompaniesforyou.com - providing articles on trucking.

Buying A Used Yacht

Are you considering purchasing a used yacht? If so, you are probably looking for a deal, and a good one at that. When looking for a yacht that is used, there are several places that you should look. People sell things everyday that are used and still in great condition. It is just a matter of finding that thing that you are looking for.

One great place to look for a used yacht would be the classified section of your local newspaper. This is a really good place if you live somewhere close to the ocean. That would mean that yachts as well as boats go up for sale daily. You could easily find a good used yacht that someone just needs to get rid of because they need the money badly. You may also find one that just needs a little fixing up, and small repairs.

Checking with a yacht club and its members would also be a great place to find a used yacht. You just never know when they may have members that are looking to sell their yacht for whatever reason. Perhaps they want to sell to buy a bigger and better one. Maybe their spouse is making them give up their yacht. Just because someone is selling a yacht does not mean there is anything wrong with it. You can find a good deal if you keep your options open.

Whether you are going to buy a used yacht, or a new yacht, it really does not matter. You will love yachting and experiencing the ocean like you never have before. If you have never driven a yacht, some lessons may be in order. Contact your local boating organization to find out where you can take classes and learn how to sail your yacht. You will be glad that you did.

Find out more about Buying used Yacht

Virgin Island Yacht Charters

The U.S. Virgin Islands are among one of the many greatest places in the world to visit. There are so many exciting things to do at the Virgin Islands, and one of them is that of sailing around the area. There are Virgin Island yacht charters that are available for sailing. Virgin Island yacht charters are available on all three of the islands in the area, and you can use a yacht for a part of a day or for a full day.

There are many different Virgin Island yacht charters available for you to use on the islands. You should talk with a Virgin Island yacht charter expert for assistance in finding which of the yachts is best for you to use. The Virgin Island yacht charters can hold from two to two hundred people depending on size. Also, you can discuss what foods and drinks you want on your Virgin Island yacht charter and what types of activities you want to plan on your charter. Accessories for other activities that can be done on Virgin Island yacht charters are available as well. This includes scuba diving equipment. Also, you can ask for sailing lessons to help you with parts of sailing that you may not be familiar with or would like to improve on.

One of the most popular uses of Virgin Island yacht charters is for fishing. Virgin Island yacht charters are easily available to rent for fishing purposes. When you go fishing in the Virgin Islands you?ll be able to find many different types of exotic sea life, including kingfish, tuna and wahoo. This is one of the most popular reasons as to why people use Virgin Island yacht charters for fishing. Also, if you would rather experience the wildlife up close you can rent scuba diving equipment from the charter group. When scuba diving in the waters you can experience up close the beauty of the waters and the many creates that call the Virgin Islands home.

Day sail charters are popular among Virgin Island yacht charters. With this you can sail off through the seas and experience and see the beautiful scenery of the Virgin Islands. You can also make plans with the charter group to sail to nearby islands on your Virgin Island yacht charter, including the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. You can rent Virgin Island yacht charters for half or full day passes, so you can spend an entire day sailing around the islands if you would like to.

Virgin Island yacht charters are popular because of the many things that you can do with them. You can use Virgin Island yacht charters to go fishing, to go scuba diving and see the wildlife, see the sights of the area or just to relax and have a fun time on the seas. Be sure to talk with a Virgin Island yacht charter expert for help on preparing your exciting experience with one of their many Virgin Island yacht charters.

Anne Morris writes articles about travel. Discover more information about travel at virginislands-online.com and todaycaribbean.com.

Galley Slaving on a Yacht

You wouldn’t believe how much people eat when they’re on a boat. I’ve been slaving down here in this galley like… well, a galley slave. Must be all that salt air.

Not that the air down here in is particularly fresh. Something to do with the loo. They all seem to think life’s too short to pump a toilet.

The toilet isn’t the only thing that’s primitive on this 36 foot bath toy we’ve hired for the weekend. Before we left port yesterday, a bloke with a grey beard showed us the ropes.

His language was so archaic it was like watching a foreign film. Why call it a cleat when “thing you wind the rope around” would do? He kept trying to scare us with stories about people getting beached and having to be rescued. Silly old barnacle.

I didn’t much like the way he smiled when we waved him goodbye and motored away from the wharf without pulling the rope off the thingee he called a bollard. We weren’t trying to demolish the wharf.

Nautical door heights haven’t changed since the Battle of Trafalgar – which accounts for the huge lumps on my head. Not that I’m complaining. Nothing worse than a belligerent sailor.

I don’t mind being stuck down here really. I much prefer roosting in the woody womb of the vessel to being up there white knuckling the wheel and screaming.

But I only did that once yesterday. Sailing’s like war, I’ve decided – long periods of boredom interspersed with brief moments of life threatening terror.

I was steering through a stretch of perfectly empty water, when suddenly hundreds of little yachts started whirling around us like angry bees.

The famous camaraderie of the seas went right out the porthole. You’d think the Anglo Saxons had invented only one word.

I can still see the faces of the yachtsmen I nearly sliced in half - pale and open-mouthed like portraits of the damned in a medieval painting.

A miss is as good as a mile, I said. But they told me go downstairs and cook dinner. All they think about is their stomachs.

Soon after, my husband visited me in the galley saying he needed the radio. Well, the boat does have a nice cd player. No, he said, we’d run aground.

The man with the grey beard’s smile seemed to have widened an extra few centimentres when he turned up in a yellow rescue launch. He told us to sit on the far side of the boat while he tied a rope around the mast and hauled us out of the mud.

The yacht leaned on such a sharp angle as he roared off into the distance we were heaved into the air like acrobats from Cirque du Soleil.

Things quietened down after that. We anchored overnight in a bay. Now they’re hungry again. And they expect meals from a pathetic excuse for a fridge.

If they’re not careful I’ll throw in the tea towel and run away to sea.

Helen’s email: notnuts@bigpond.com

Yacht Charters Provide a Luxurious Escape

 

Ernest Hemingway, the Nobel laureate author of “Old Man And The Sea,” loved to go on fishing expeditions off the Cuban coast in a sailboat that was well stocked with rum.

James Bond, the legendary British spy, loved to spend intimate moments with his newfound female companion on a yacht near a remote island in the Caribbean.

Away from the maddening crowd, in complete isolation, is what the fictional celebrity, and the celebrated fiction-writer, sought after every hectic assignment – Bond chasing enemies and Hemmingway chasing real-life action.

In real life, the rich and famous all over the world often spend their dream vacations in a boat they own, in faraway seas beyond the prying eyes of the paparazzi and the scandal-mongering newshounds.

Honeymooners, famous or not, also love being alone.

And then, there are the CEOs of mega corporations that hold business-cum-fun excursions on the high seas in luxury motor yachts to strike deals and seal takeovers. Or, just to enjoy their earned holidays.

Dream holidays on a well-equipped, well-stocked yacht are not just for the rich and mighty; they are within your reach, too. Just charter a yacht and sail off to your dream destination.

You can pick your own route, set your own pace, chose your own cuisines, chalk out your own itinerary, make stopovers whenever you feel like, and be the master of the yacht until you return to the shore.

A crew yacht charter vacation is like staying in a villa where you are pampered by a staff, but is unlike a hotel where you are stuck in the same location for the entire week. Your yacht moves on to a new location at your whim and fancy.

A charter yacht comes with a captain and cook. The price, which ranges from $8,000 to $250,000 per week, is linked to the size and type of the yacht and the services they provide. The price is inclusive of the charter meals and wines.

Yacht Charters Info provides detailed information about yacht charters, including Caribbean and Mediterranean yacht charters, as well as luxury, crewed, motor, private, and corporate yacht charters. Yacht Charters Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.