The best part about what we do here at Burlington Boatyard is having the chance to meet new people in and around the Lake Community, assisting them as best we can, however we can.

Over the last few weeks we have been trying to help out Emily, a local sailor who loves spending time with her boyfriend on their Cape Dory 25. They are searching for a new Dinghy, and despite there being no current listings for one on our site, we want to reach out to all of you who may be able to help them in their search. Here is her letter:

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Well, the boating season is a’comin’ and we wanted to take a minute to highlight some of the new listings for sale on BBY. In this post, we have selections from both ends of the spectrum, fast & fun to comfort & luxury.

First up is a 2008 Rinker 260 Express Cruiser out of Addison, Vermont. This cabin cruiser is a sizeable 28ft, that packs a powerful punch with its 350 Mercruiser.

With only 15 hours logged, this boat is aching to get out there for a weekend trip or an afternoon cruise around the lake. The Garmin color map, flat screen TV and Ipod stereo will keep you on course and in tune with your favorite shows or songs. It has been stored inside and is in “like new” condition. To read more about its features and how to contact the owner click here.

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Two weeks ago, as Burlington Boatyard closed out its weekend at the Vermont Boat & Marine Show, one boat had taken command over all the others. The Windsor Craft 36 HT, a luxury yacht at its finest.

Being offered through ‘BOATS by George’ in Lake George, NY, the boat is crafted in three layers of hand-selected African mahogany, cold molded together by skilled craftsmen using the most advanced West System epoxy.

This ultimate entertainment boat allows you to entertain in style with a grill, icemaker, wine fridge, and enough comfortable seating for all your guests. You can serve appetizers on the mahogany table with a compass rose inlay and watch the sunset on the port-side settee. After you are finished, retire to the air-conditioned cabin to relax in comfort and watch a classic film on your full-sized flat-screen TV.

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During the past few days, the temperature has risen and so has the temptation to get back out on the lake. Unfortunately, the cold weather has returned and reality has settled back in. If you find yourself still yearning in anticipation for the boating season, then the Vermont Boat Show might just be what you need.

This weekend, February 13-15, come to the Robert E. Miller Expo at the Champlain Valley grounds in Essex Junction and see the widest selection of the latest boats and gear for 2009. Being one of the biggest boat shows on the east coast, Burlington Boatyard will be there talking about all the exciting plans for the 2009 boating season and will have information on all of our great online services.

If you can’t make the show, then stay connected through the live BBY Blog, as Guy Mitrano (CEO) brings you all the latest news from the expo. Hope to see you there!

- The Burlington Boatyard Crew

Greetings from Lake Okeechobee, Florida!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my fishing and boating friends and clients for helping make the spring, summer and fall seasons on Lake Champlain an overwhelming success. In spite of a wet summer, high gas prices and a stumbling economy, I hosted nearly 50 fishing charters from April through October. We thoroughly enjoyed sharing time on the water with our clients and friends this year.

Our website, www.LakeChamplainAngler.com, averaged over 75 hits a day during the peak season. It’s nice to know that many of you are visiting the site to keep up with the various published articles, videos and Burlington Boatyard blog entries relating to our beloved lake. Thanks so much to all the webmasters, forum publishers and web entities out there who have placed links from their sites to ours.

Our fledgling marine towing, rescue and salvage operation, “Lake Champlain Marine Resource and Services”, was also very successful in its first year. Together, Captain Randy LaValley and I came to the assistance of over 30 stranded boaters bringing them safely to port, protecting their passengers and their investments. The highlight of our season was providing transportation to a large Valcour Island wedding party in cooperation with a few associate Lake Champlain Captains.

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As the cooler temperatures of late fall arrive and the Atlantic salmon spawning run winds down on Lake Champlain’s tributaries, some salmon anglers have thoughts of retiring their gear for winter. Most large trolling vessels are shrink-wrapped and in storage, in anticipation of the approaching chill. Many outdoorsmen are ignoring the water, entirely focused on the woods. What some fishermen are unaware of is that some of the best salmon fishing occurs on the broad lake from late October, until the mid-winter ice forms. With a modest boat and motor, the proper tackle, and an enthusiastic mindset for brisk fishing, a hard-core Lake Champlain salmon angler can take full advantage of the year round open season. It’s an opportunity to experience bountiful fishing well into winter. With the exception of an occasional bald eagle or two, the salmon angler will encounter little competition on the water.

 On the broad lake during late fall and early winter Atlantic salmon are often foraging aggressively on baitfish in the upper portion of the water column. A young adult class, from 15 to 18 inches, is most prevalent, but larger stock occasionally joins the mix. Pound for pound, these Atlantic salmon are every bit as energetic as their Pacific rivals. When hooked, they frequently make powerful, lightening-fast runs and exciting acrobatic leaps of amazing height, invigorating a cold angler’s heart. The occasional bonus brown trout, steelhead or lake trout may be caught, complementing the big water experience.

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This weekend, BBY’s Guy Mitrano and Nick Cifuentes completed Episode 2 of the new Burlington Boatyard Lakeside Podcast series.
 
This episode covers the recent news regarding BBY working together as the first official sponsor of the UVM Wakeboard Club, and club president Nicole Ullian phoned in for an interview with the guys.
 
Also, a section that each podcast will feature, is the latest news going on in and around the Vermont and Lake Champlain community. This week, Guy informed everyone of the Turtle Beach Clean Up, recent Lamprey Treatment happenings, and the release of the Lake Champlain Fish Management Plan that discusses future plans to manage fish populations in Champlain.
 
Finally, listeners will be filled in on some of the Salmon fishing reports and ‘end of season’ trips out on Willsboro and Converse Bay by local anglers from the Lake Champlain Fishing Forum, started by Scott Johnson of Swanton.
 
We hope you all enjoy this info packed production and please feel free to contact BBY with questions, comments, suggestions or if you or your business wish to be a part of this valuable communication tool within the community!
 
- The Burlington Boatyard Crew 

Check Out Our Podcast: Episode 2

Dave Genz, also referred to as “The Godfather of Modern Ice Fishing”, will be conducting a series of seminars in the Vermont and Lake George areas this January. With numerous accomplishments under his belt, such as being the inventor of the Fish Trap, a portable ice fishing shelter which was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, Genz has been a major factor in bringing the sport of hard-water angling into the 21st century.

Dave will cover subjects such as mobility, clothing, electronics and the specific applications associated with ice fishing. Also, coming with years of hands-on research and know-how, Genz will outline his unique strategies that will teach fellow hard-water anglers how to consistently find and catch fish at all times.

In addition to professional knowledge and interesting discussion, attendees of these seminars will also enjoy the opportunity to walk away with many exclusive promotional items provided by sponsors and Dave Genz himself. These items range from door prizes, tackle and gift certificates to three Shawn “The Fish Whisperer” Hayes fishing charters. And the largest prize up for grabs, an all expense paid fishing trip with Dave Genz valued at over $1500.

This series of seminars will be very informative and educational, as the methods Genz speaks to have been applied and proven across the United States year after year. Aside from being a team USA silver medalist of the 1992 World Ice Fishing Championships, Dave’s articles are annually featured in such magazines as ‘In Fisherman’, and he has also written several books on hard-water fishing. When it comes to ice fishing, many in the industry refer to Dave as one of the most respected and recognizable authorities on ice-fishing worldwide.

The Dave Genz Seminars will be held in the month of January 2009 at the following locations and times:

Friday, January 9^th

Rutland, VT – Holiday Inn

Time: 6-8 pm

Phone:802-775-1911

Monday, January 12^th

Lake George, NY – Holiday Inn

Time 6-8 pm

Phone:518-668-5781

Thursday, January 15^th

Bulington, VT – Holiday Inn

Time 6-8 pm

Phone:802-863-6363

For more on Dave Genz and his accomplishments, please visit his site @ http://www.davegenz.com

Burlington Boatyard, in keeping with our theme of incorporating many media channels into our business model, has just completed our very first podcast and it is currently up and running.

This initial release is a sit-down with Guy Mitrano and Nick Cifuentes, CEO and CTO of Burlington Boatyard, and serves two purposes, the first being as an introduction to what podcasts are, and how they will be used in our business approach. Secondly, the two discuss the history, goals and mission of BBY, what we’ve been up to for the past few months, the guests and topics we will cover, and overall, just a chance to connect more personally with our users.

This production will be in many podcast directories shortly…but for starters, try this link – as we are now uploading it to the many hundreds of podcast directories, and will soon be available on iTunes as well!

Podcast

- The Burlington Boatyard Crew

Recently, Burlington Boatyard has come in contact with a group of energetic and dedicated students at the University of Vermont, who are organizing a wakeboarding club which will allow for the promotion of the sport, as well as Lake Champlain being a great resource right “down the hill”.  

We have asked club President, Nicole Ullian, to reach out to all members of the Lake community – marinas, local businesses, individual boaters, and so on – to inform us all of their progress, needs and goals as they go through the process of recognition.

I invite you to read more on who they are, what they plan to do as a club, and more over, how they plan to be a positive group within the community to promote and contribute to the area.

-Guy

Hello World! We are a group of students attending the University of Vermont working to establish the UVM Wakeboarding Club. We’re in the process of recognition at the university and are seeking your help and support, which will enable us to launch in the spring of 2009.

 The club currently has over 100 interested members, some of which are expert riders and others who have never ridden before! Our goal is to get those students who are interested in wakeboarding out on the water and riding as much as possible. This will enable us all to  learn, progress, and most importantly, both UVM students of today and those of the future will be able to enjoy beautiful Lake Champlain and all it has to offer. 

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