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Boating enthusiasts drop anchor at weekend exhibition in Niles
It’s been rough sailing for the industry during the economic recession.
By Sean Barron
Photo
FUTURE CAPTAINS: Brothers James, 3, left, and Jonathan Smith, 21 months, sit in the captain’s chair of a pontoon boat at the Penn-Ohio Boat Show at the Eastwood Expo Center in Niles on Sunday. The boys attended the weekend show with their father, Scott Smith of Boardman.
NILES — A sizable amount of Scott Smith’s childhood was spent at Berlin Lake cultivating a love and appreciation for boating, so perhaps it’s no surprise that he spends much of winter doing the next best thing: attending boat shows.
Befittingly, Smith and his family found themselves surrounded by boats of all sizes and styles Sunday while at the annual three-day Penn-Ohio Boat Show at the Eastwood Expo Center.
“I used to spend every weekend at Berlin swimming, water skiing, fishing and boating” on his parents’ 20-foot Runabout boat, said the Boardman man, who came with his wife, Rosemarie, and sons Jonathan and James, 1 and 3, respectively.
This was the youngsters’ first boat show, but Scott and Rosemarie Smith have been to similar events in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Sandusky, the couple said.
The local show featured eight marina dealers from western Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio, including Frank Fenton, president and owner of Pymatuning Boat Sales in Jamestown, Pa.
“The boat business is tough [largely because of the economy], but it makes a dealer be better at what he does,” said Fenton, who’s been in business 38 years.
A large number of sales come from pontoons and aluminum fish-ing boats, Fenton said, adding that he’s developed a sound reputation and clientele over the years.
The business also provides ser-vices that include storing, cleaning, winterizing and transporting peo-ple’s boats to and from their docks.
Even though boating season may seem far away for some, now is the ideal time to consider a purchase because many dealers are offering incentives, Fenton continued, add-ing that it’s a buyers market.
Concurring with that assessment was Ron Renwick, a partner with West Bay Boat Sales Inc. in Jamestown, Pa.
“We deal a lot with fishermen this time of year,” said Renwick, standing next to a Fisherman II rowboat selling for $3,100.
“As soon as the ice breaks, they want their boat in the water.”
Despite the poor economy, “We’ve held our own; let’s put it that way,” he added.
Many people at the exhibit seemed to enjoy casually looking at, boarding and questioning the features of a variety of boats on display. Those included a red two-seat Smokercraft model and a large Parti Kraft pontoon.
The show offered for sale numerous fishing poles, colorful hooks, tackle, lures and life jackets.
Also on hand were representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, whose primary function was to educate the public on boating safety.
It’s critical that boaters wear life jackets just as motorists must have on seatbelts, noted David Bresko, a watercraft officer with the ODNR. A large percentage of accidents occur close to shore, with alcohol or other drugs contributing, he explained.
The legal alcohol limit in Ohio for boaters is the same as for drivers (a blood-alcohol content under 0.8 percent), though being on the water presents unique challenges, Bresko pointed out. For example, those behind the wheel of a boat don’t have visual indicators such as road signs, center lines and dividers to guide them — but they do have wind, direct sun and other distracting variables — so a small quantity of alcohol can more quickly skew their judgment, Bresko noted.
In addition, he continued, even a minute amount of alcohol can depress the senses and make it harder for someone steering a boat to clearly see important colors such as red and green. To that end, one beer for a boater can be the equivalent of three for a vehicle operator, Bresko noted.
Recently, the ODNR started a program titled “Get on Board with a Sober Boater,” designed in part to make people aware that boating and drinking don’t mix, he said.
The department also offers boating-safety and education courses, Bresko pointed out. To enroll, call the Division of Watercraft’s Akron field office at (330) 644-2265, or go to www.ohiodnr.com
Anyone age 28 or under who operates a boat with a 10-horsepower engine or greater is required to take the course, the officer said.