by: Capt. Jim Kalvin
My how time flies. We’re already out of “Hurricane Season” and into “Tourist Season”. You can tell because this is the time of year when the license plates start to change color and the car carriers are lined-up behind the landscape trailers on Gordon Drive and Gulf Shore Blvd North every day! Welcome back to all of our seasonal residents!
I remember 30 years ago, things were a little different. As the Service Manager at Turner Marine, I marked the arrival of “season” by how many boats were being ordered out of the 600’ storage barn. These boats ranged from 60’ cruisers and fishing boats to sailboats and trawlers.The yacht “rush” always hit the same time the crab boats were coming in for bottom paint and running gear service. So, we had one row of boats in the yard blocked-down for commercial service and two rows of yachts blocked down for seasonal make-ready. Total organized chaos at its finest!
And, some might remember the replica 1/10th scale U.S. Navy Destroyer that a Park Shore resident built for fun. His name was Mr. McKnight, and he was a member at the Naples Yacht Club – but that’s all I can remember about him at this point, besides the fact that he was very good to the yard employees and he loved his “toy”! It was, literally, a Navy Destroyer. Just a wee bit smaller than the active Navy ships. It was 36’ long, had a diesel engine, could hold three adults under the hydraulically-controlled “bridge deck” – fully enclosed, and the turrets were fitted with remote-controlled Estes gun-powder rockets to simulate the missile launchers. The paint scheme even feigned rust coming down from the anchor chain plates. Instead of “Green Army Men”, he had little white and blue “Navy Men” in various positions and locations about the deck and gun positions. The sounds that came from the vessel were authentic Navy bells, horns, and other audible effects. He certainly got the looks from passer-by watermen and I used to enjoy watching him play with his toy out in the Gulf while I was at the beach with the kids.
The yard crew enjoyed working on this ship as much as I did – they appreciated something a little “different” to break up the monotony of the seasonal Boatyard Rush. The only other things that broke up the monotony generally included calls to wildlife managers, law enforcement, or paramedics! Mr. McKnight was a man who had fun with his hard-earned assets and he enjoyed sharing his enthusiasm with the rest of us on the water. On calm days, he would take the vessel out into the Gulf, and “play” off of the beach on Park Shore with his friends.
The boat owners of Early Naples were generally here because they wanted to get away from the noise. They knew their boats and motors inside and out, and they could do the mechanical and maintenance work themselves – as the mind-set of the day was that you had to be self-sufficient. There were no cell phones, GPS Plotters, Sea-Tow, and Boat U.S. They toted the parts to fix most common engine ailments and they knew how to install them. This group included some of Naples’ most prominent and fiscally secure residents. They enjoyed their rugged individualism and were comfortable in knowing that they would return safely to port – one way or the other – by their own hand. Fond memories of a generation that was willing to teach anyone who was willing to listen! Luckily, there were a bunch of us who did.
Double-check your vessel before setting out this year. Bulbs fail, lines crack, batteries age, and impellors deteriorate. We do have Sea Tow and Boat U.S. now, so if you’re not a member of either club, make it a point to sign up. It may prove to be the best investment you make on the water!
Captain Jim Kalvin is a Florida Native, a U.S.C.G. licensed 100 Ton Master, and a local Marine Contractor. He can be reached at 239-280-6054, or via email at james.kalvin61@gmail.com .