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dds are good there’ll be a Third Annual Oriental In-Water Boat Show. The Second Annual went off so well this past weekend, that Sam Myers, who was the main organizer, says it’s likely that Oriental’s Rotary Club will vote at its next meeting to run the Boat Show again.

Boats big and small. While bigger boats docked in the slips, smaller boats such as this Sunfish from Triton Yachts, spread out on the landscape.

Organizers say that 1500 people attended the boat show at Pecan Grove Marina between Friday and Sunday. That’s a slight hike over last year’s turnout. This year’s attendees however, had more to look at and take in. In addition to a near-constant string of seminars, there were 74 vendors (last year there were 42). Among a number of vendors there were reports of people buying as well as just looking…)

There were many seminars and at one, Ross Pease showed the basics of marlinspike and the tying of knots.

The 2010 Boat Show itself turned a profit of $11,000. Two-thirds of the proceeds will go to the Oriental Rotary Club and the other third to the Pamlico County Committee of 100 for both organizations charitable works in the county.

The point of it all. Bob Applegate led an impromptu seminar on how to relax on boats on one of the vessels that Cape Lookout had brought to the show..

Some scenes from the 2010 Oriental In-Water Boat Show at Pecan Grove Marina.

A scene that happened again and again. The boat look-over, in this case, the SV Podjo which Triton Yachts was showing.

Podjo down below – the classic interior of a Pacific Seacraft 37.

The Pamlico Community College Foundation’s Bev Fuhrling shows the land-rowing style on a square-backed canoe the Foundation was raffling off to raise funds. Jennifer Smart of Florence was the winner. The foundation raised over $700 with the raffle.

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A few visitors to the boat show went up Sunday in their plane and got this seagull’s eye view of the scene. (Karen Mccraw photo.)

Bill Wheeler of Oriental’s new shop, Nautical Wheelers shows one item that’s been selling well — doormats made of the bits that get cut-out in the manufacture of flip-flops.

Steve Leech of St. Barts’ Yachts showing off a new Beneteau. Steve complained that last year’s coverage showed him sitting around, so this year the photo clearly shows one leg in motion.

There was perfect weather for relaxing in the cockpit – Deaton Yachts Rich Gahan and Mike Trogdon show how it’s done. Mike said “look down below, port side aft. There is a surprise”.

Mike was right, down below on the Hunter 460 was a comfy interior – and aft to port was a built in washer dryer.

Something old. The flag that flew on the original Steamer Oriental, now on t-shirts that were for sale.

Something new.. Matt Bannister and Douglass Wales were showing off the “Nu-Teak” line. It’s a synthetic version of teak decking, that has the appearance of real teak. No drilling holes – it is glued to the deck. Matt says leads from the show may provide tens of thousands in orders…

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Henry Frazer near the controls of one of the boats that Oriental Yacht Sales had at the show, an Albin 28.

Explaining the benefits of the traditional looking Albin, Frazer added a feature more boaters seek lately – no exterior wood.

On the other hand, one boat’s exterior was completely wood. Cape Lookout Yachts showed off a newly refinished 1968 Cheoy Lee Offshore 31.

Rika, the mascot of the St. Barts’ Yacht Sales crew.

Warren and Judi Lloyd, originally from the Show Me state, were showing one of the boats in their Nomad Houseboat line. The had motored down from their home in New Bern. They take orders here and have the boats made in Missouri.

Walking the docks Saturday were Toni Leavitt and Gwinn Hedrick.

Want to have your boat checked for safety? Tom Wiggins of the Coast Guard Auxiliary was signing folks up for the Auxiliary’s safety inspections.(They’re also offering a safety course this Saturday.)

Time to reassess the saying about mad dogs and Englishmen? From Mathews Point – Broker Simon Whitehead, in the shade of a bimini.

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Land-based anchoring. Al Herlands of the Oriental Rotary tends to the business of securing one of the tents in place. The tents caused some excitement early Sunday morning. A burst of high winds blew most of the tents down. A Sheriff’s Deputy spotted the problem who called organizer Sam Myers at 1:30am. Sam had a group of Rotary volunteers up in the middle of the night, and it all was fixed so come sunrise the problem was gone…

Visiting from River Dunes, Miss Grace offers a graceful bow.

Somewhat short of a quorum. Candy Bohmert and Dave Cox at the Committee of 100 table. (The Committee of 100 and the Oriental Rotary organized the boat show.)

Surveyor Bert Quay and Broker Sonny Conover deny they are shaking on a secret deal to insure good yacht surveys.

Some took in the boat show from the waters of Pecan Grove Marina.

Paul Welles of Triton Yacht Sales adjusts the lines on one of the Sunfish he brought to the show.

A TownDock salute to organizer Sam Myers who basically was a one man sales team, lining up 74 vendors for a boat show in Oriental, NC. While Sam points out there are things to learn to make it better in 2011, this show appeared to go off very well.

Thank you to Lee and John Cox who made the new section of Pecan Grove Marina available for the show. There is nowhere else in town with that many contiguous docks that could be made availabe for a boat show.

Thanks are also in order for someone who wasn’t at the show – Rob Lucey. The Oriental Boat Show was Rob’s idea – he kicked it off in 2009. Rob and his wife Jo now live in Houston, but on behalf of those that have enjoyed the show – Thanks Rob. Well done.

Posted Wednesday April 21, 2010 by Melinda Penkava