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Now, six months after a judge decided who got to pick up the pieces, the pieces seem to have fallen into place with a lot less stress and consternation than I anticipated. From what I hear from OMC dealers, parts availability on Johnson and Evinrude outboards is pretty much back to normal and, in some cases, better than it’s been in several years. And that’s a real plus to summer boaters who thought they might have problems getting their motors repaired. Even more impressive has been Bombardier’s willingness to confront the lingering problems of the early OMC Ficht-equipped engines. Upgrade kits continue to be shipped to dealerships for engines that are now out of warranty. It’s a good start to mending a lot of broken fences.
On the boat-company front, Genmar (Wellcraft, Glastron, Larson, etc.) seems to be enjoying the challenge of turning the former 0MG boat brands around. Four Winns, the biggest player in the Genmar’s latest acquisition, is back producing product and selling boats according to dealers, so it’s business as usual. The one name Genmar didn’t keep, however, was Chris Craft. According to Genmar chairman of the board, Irwin Jacobs, Chris Craft just didn’t fit into their long-range plans. The decoded answer was that Genmar found a willing buyer for Chris Craft only a couple of days after the court-ordered sale was complete. And if we know Irwin, he definitely sold America’s oldest name in boat-building for a lot more than he paid for it. Isn’t that the American way?
Taking a long-range view, however, I’m kind of apprehensive about the future of U.S.-made outboard brands like Mercury, Evinrude and Johnson. Although Mercury’s Optimax fuel-injection system seems to be doing a fine job, and OMC’s Ficht technology is now squared away, I can’t help but think that the Japanese four-stroke outboards of Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha will eventually win out over the Stateside-built two strokes. Sure, the four strokes are heavier, but not by that much, and they definitely have the advantage when it comes to exhaust emissions, It’s already fact that Honda and Yamaha are in the final stages of testing their new 200- and 225- horsepower four strokes. I hate to see the old two strokes go, but in this world, nothing is forever.
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Okay, I’ll apologize in advance, but it’s soapbox time again, and you all know how much I love some of these “environmental groups and coalitions.” This time the trouble is brewing in Florida for a change. According to reports, 19 of these tree-hugging do-gooders, including “Save the Manatees” with the support of cofounder Jimmy Buffett, filed suit against the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, accusing them of not properly enforcing existing manatee-protection laws already on the books. This suit was settled back in December 2000, and our governmental agencies pretty much fokied their tents, giving into most of the tree-hugger demands.
The outcome was kind of glossed over in the beginning, but now more of the details are starting to
surface,
and it
looks
like the manatees
scored
a decisive knockout over recreational boaters. Part of the agreement was to establish new marine sanctuaries and refuges, which sounds okay until you find out that Governor Jeb Bush (George’s little brother) approved a plan to create a Florida offshore
ecological
reserve that will be the largest no-fishing zone in the entire United States. Why not dismantle Disney World and Epcot Center and make it an alligator preserve while we’re at it? Then, this past February, due to this agreement, Florida has ceased issuing permits for new boat ramps and slips. And the no-wake-zone policy is spreading all over the state, including many Florida intercoastal waterways where boats had been cruising at normal speeds.
It’s also being reported that Florida boaters may soon have to pay new, higher fees to cover the cost of more accurate manatee counts and the enforcement of existing laws. There even seems to be some support for a ten-dollar increase in state boat- registration fees to help fund these added regulations.
I’ll grant you, manatees are cute and lovable, especially if you’re attracted to something that looks a little like a cross between a hippo and a walrus with short hair. And I understand that manatees aren’t very speedy and maybe not too bright because they
seem
to like to inhabit the opening of marina inlets and harbors where boats are constantly going in and out. And sometimes, through no fault of the manatee or the
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