Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. Sun and Sea 05 A James Gang Story by Mike C Feedback is welcome - but please keep it constructive. Address: mikec (at) nspace.net = = = = = "What does the Colonel mean by making it a 'rewarding experience'?" Amanda asked for the third time as I drove them back for our meeting at the marina "I think it means he will make it an experience that's rewarding." "But rewarding for whom? He may enjoy flunking me, or giving me a 'B'. I've never gotten anything lower than a 'B+', and that was for Music, cos Miss Perfect Pitch here was making me look like a dweeb!" "No babe, you got a 'B' because you were 'argumentative and uncooperative.' " "All I did was tell Sr Fatima that God would have wanted everything in the key of C because then we wouldn't need to worry about flats and sharps! Makes perfect sense to me! Think how much easier it will be to play the piano if they eliminated all the black keys!" "Then all I can say is that you should thank Sr Fatima, if not God, for not giving you the 'C' you so wanted and deserved!" "So... you're saying I should argue in favor of the 'A' key instead?" "No, I'm saying that you ARE a dweeb!" "You are a heartless monster - just like the Colonel! He'll probably make me take up Cooking, or Horticulture. In one move, he would strip away all the joys I have discovered in higher learning!" "Don't worry babe, then we'll show you all the joys of LOWER learning!" "Y'know, if you hadn't invented that silly bi-flex thing, I'd not have my entire future destroyed!" "It was you who insisted I had to publish!" Sherri said, then, in a shrill voice, " 'How can people respect you if all you have on your CV under Publications is 'Cosmopolitan'?' And you outed yourself with the Chip Manda deal!" "It couldn't be helped! After I wrote those articles for Aerospace Journal as Chip Manda, Major (ret.), how would they feel if I told them that I suddenly wanted to change my name to Amanda Cipola?" "Tell them you had a sex change! Better yet, tell them you changed from a Major to a Minor!" Whooped Sherri. "You can laugh..." Amanda put her hand on my thigh, "James, baby, this could be the last good week of my life, so can you please be nice to me?" She glanced back at Sherri, "And maybe drown the witch when we get to sea?" "I tell you what," Very witch-like cackling came from the back, "We'll get you some Cooking and Gardening Books and when we get on the boat, you can cook and I fuck." "Will you two behave? We've got a meeting to go to!" "Oh tough guy, huh?..." Amanda exclaimed, "So this is how it's gonna be now?" "I knew there is a dark side to him!" "Ah yes," Amanda covered her nose and mouth with her hand and grunted, "You are strong, young Jedi!" She added the heavy breathing, "But your mighty Lightsaber will never breach my young friend's defenses! Come over to the dark side, and we shall both enjoy her soft flesh as we torture her for our entertainment!" Sherri was howling away in the back, "Oh take me, take me! My body yearns for you, Dark Something-or-other!" "It's Darth, Darth Vader!" "Poor dear, have you always had the speech impediment?" "Ah, you'll be thinging a different thong, my pretty, ath thoon as I thtrip you and thtart kithing your thmooth thkin." They rolled around and started whooping and cackling quite hideously. "And, and don't forget the 'thruthting'! I want to feel you thruthting in the thenter of my, er... thoul!" "What the hell is a thole? It's your HOLE, dimwit! Can't even get fucked properly!" "Will you two settle down? We're there!" I led them back to the boat, behind me they were still arguing. "I meant my Soul! Like in Body and...! 'Thrusting in the center of my soul'!" "What happens if he thought you meant the center of your shoe-sole? He may have a foot fetish!" "Then he'll just get circumcised, the hard way!" "Ah, James, ladies," Marshall greeted us, "This is my good buddy Colin Bentel." We shook hands with a jovial man in his fifties. "I've been showing him the cabin and amenities, and, I know you're not supposed to, but Colin's really curious about Regan's top-secret boat that everyone is buzzing about. Colin's the owner at Turtle Cay Marina and... "Why don't I tell this part?" Colin cut in, "Our resort is one of the older and more successful ones in the outer Bahamian Islands. Recently, some International operators have started stealing our customers by offering them 'Sailing Vacations' - they are put on board small sail- or motor-boats which allow them to go from island to island. And, honestly, it's not a bad idea at all - our waters are so calm that even basic sailors can manage. "We have a number of older Carvers we do rent out, but they're getting long in the tooth, and the revenues can't even pay for their upkeep anymore. So I'm here to look for a replacement model and maybe expand our fleet..." "Why don't we talk on board?" Amanda invited them, "In fact we'll take you on a short cruise so you get a feel for the boat." She led them to the round table at the rear of the boat, while I started the engine and helped Sherri with the lines. "You'll notice that James started the engines immediately - it's not just good practice, but is required for the SecuriSat system." Amanda continued, as I sailed slowly out of the marina and into the intercoastal waterway. "SecuriSat was developed to be the fundamental security and safety network for the entire Sabre line. It gives the boat lo-jack functionality and more, so it has to acquire a GPS signal before the boat is allowed to proceed. "Then every 25 seconds or so, a signal containing the boat's ID, its location and course is beamed up to a satellite. The system is tied to the engine itself, so that any attempt to mask the GPS or ID signal will disable the engines." Colin nodded thoughtfully, "And it can be used to broadcast an emergency signal as well?" "Yes, manual or passive switched, plus fire and water alarms are all available." Amanda stated, "More important is that having the electronics built into the structure of the boat allows us to incorporate other features not currently possible in other boats in the class." I invited them to the helm and flicked the 'auto-pilot' switch. "As you can see, the multi-purpose GPS screen is now overlayed by a bow view. Our ePilot system integrates satellite, sonar and radar with a forward camera to plot the safest passage to our destination." "As it so happens, its inventor is right here with us." Amanda said, then added, "I understand she developed this system after being chased by amorous crocodiles! Sherri..?" "Why thank you, Amanda, thank you for that send up! Remind me not to share any secrets with you!" Sherri laughed and continued, "We were sailing up a narrow waterway after dark, and I had croc watch with a light in my hand and my feet dangling over the bow, and it started me thinking: why not a camera slaved to a remote-controlled search-light? And when we started discussions on the Sabre-class boats, it was an obvious fit to the other safety features we wanted. "The ePilot system still uses GPS and radar for overall course determination, while the sonar provides the immediate reactions. The visual system fills in the intermediate hazard avoidance by sensing movement, the general traffic, and comparing the terrain to downloaded images of the area. The sum is what you are seeing - not only can ePilot adjust course to avoid hazards and traffic, it will adjust the boat's speed to match other crafts in the area. In an emergency, it can execute a full stop in under 5 boat lengths, and even perform a 180-degree to get the boat out of harm's way." "Good... good," Colin was nodding. "Another useful feature is the 'ePilot Nanny'. In this mode, the camera, which has a coverage of 60-degrees, can be set to monitor a specific area, and send a warning if a moving object, like a child or a pet, struggles excessively or disappears off its view. That way, parents can relax, knowing their children cannot wander off without their knowing about it." "Very impressive... And most useful..." Colin nodded, "What about the performance?" "The Sabre-25 can accommodate power-plants from the basic 5-liter gas engine all the way to dual diesels like what we have in this boat. We are not announcing her actual performance until we unveil the boat later this season, but it would not be exaggeration to say that we will beat any boat in its class in speed and endurance." "Even the new Intercoastal Monster cuddy? I saw a demonstration where it went over 90!" "Sherri, what do you think?" "Hmmm, Magnum 6... DX..." She drifted off in thought. "Colin, the video you saw of the record run was done by Sherri here. We don't advertise it, but Chuck Regan sits on the IC board of directors, and we did a lot of the developmental work on the record-breaking Monster." "With the 6-liter," Sherri told us, "The Sabre can hit 80 for sure, but the lower IO placement will be wrong." She turned to Amanda, "Can you fit dual 4.7's in there? Direct drive will give us 90 or better." "Whoa, guys." Colin laughed, "I don't mean to start you on a whole new boat design here! But you mean to tell me that basically, you designed the Monster Cuddy?" "Yeah, and Sherri was really behind the helm when it set the record of 90 miles-per-hour. The commercially-available model has a lower-performance propeller and a rev-limiter, which means 70 or 75 tops." "And the '25 can do that with dual 4.2-MPIs. Even these diesels can come close." "And I thought Marsh was BS-ing me when he said he has the Regan wunderkinder staying with him!" "Another thing, have you noticed how smoothly it runs? It's been on plane since we left the harbor. The 25 goes on plane quicker, and easier than anything on the water - which translates to smoothness and economy. We're getting better than 20-miles a gallon, even creeping along on the inland seaway." Soon we had to turn back - a gaggle of student sailed Lasers had become hopelessly mired with each other. And we had a six o'clock dinner reservation, as Marshall kept reminding us. We went back via the restaurant and got the VIP berth next to Marsh's Fountain Lightning, already with its small crowd of onlookers which were kept back by ropes and his staff. His psychedelic neon-yellow and red boat is a 'must-see' on the guide books and gets tourists into his marina. "Make sure you keep them away from Regan's new top-secret boat!" He boomed loud enough to get everybody's attention. "This is the boat every manufacturer is trying to steal!" He added in case he was not obvious enough before. We made our way up the winding staircase around the center core which houses the kitchen and four huge heat-pumps. The Grill Restaurant boasted almost 1,500 sq-feet of armored glass on each of its four sides with breathtaking views of the water and the city. The signature Galleria bar takes up over half of the view across the ocean side. With a clear glass floor extending over the water, it allows drinkers to ogle sun-bathers on the boats parked below. Needless to say, even at $10 a drink, before tips, this was a popular hangout for many in Daytona. Curiously, it also proved popular during hurricanes, as ice-swilling guests can watch Mother Nature rend the sea and air around them in relative comfort and safety. The hostess led us to a table in the corner and took our drink orders. Colin excused himself to make a phone call. "He's checking with his manager," Marsh confided in us, "That is very good, that means he wants to commit. Now, we should discuss a finder's fee, and my commission." "Marshall," Amanda said, "You're one of our largest dealers, and Regan will not skimp on your recompense." She smiled, "You will find our numbers quite generous. In fact, we are prepared to offer you a $15,000 bonus as soon as Colin signs a contract with us." "Don't you think it's a little low, seeing as he could be buying a fleet of boats from you!" "Oh, there will be additional compensation if and when he makes additional purchases. But you know fleet operators never put all their eggs in one make or brand, so we will have to see how this conversation pans out." Colin returned and began, "I just spoke to our people and, if you don't mind, I'll just get to the point so we can enjoy our meal. We are very interested in your boat; what I've seen is very impressive, but from what Marsh has told me, it's about 35% more expensive than your competitors..." "...but none will have the safety features and the quality that the Regan boat brings with it." Amanda said with a smile, "You know you can get gas cruisers, like your Carvers, for even less, but the same philosophy that justifies the extra cost for diesels is what justifies our boat. All the features that are built in are features that you will need as extra cost options, even were it available on other models. And remember you are getting a boat with the space of a 28 at a 25-footer's price!" "That's what I meant to ask - you don't have the engine hump in the back, why? Is there going to be a draft problem? Some of our channels are only 5 feet deep." "No, the draft is the standard 30-inches for this class of boat, and you don't have an IO unit sticking out, ready to be ripped off by a piece of log." "Then how..." "That's James' contribution," She turned to me,"You want to tell it?" "Under the waterline, the boat flares out to dual pods at the stern, which gives us the buoyancy for a low draft, plus it gives us space for the engines low in the waterline, where it works best for stability. The concept is simple enough: the boat basically becomes a trimaran when it planes. The real secret is how to make it all work together without any weakness or stressed regions. It is no secret that Regan's has the most advanced computer in the industry, still it took a whole season to get the design right." "In a way," Sherri added, "the industry has been trying to find James' solution for a hundred years, ending with the development of the catamaran - as you may know, cats can have a variety of hull shapes: the "D", the "E", the "H", the "K", the "J" all the way through the alphabet. What they are doing is taking a V-hull and either shrinking it, or mirror-imaging it to get the features James developed for the Sabre." "So, your boat has the stability and seaworthiness of a cat?" "Yes, and without having to split everything to a left and right hull." "And no more pounding problems. As you've probably seen, catamaran, with their narrow hulls, can, when coming off a wave, penetrate deeply enough to crash against the sea bottom. The Sabre will sail like a V-hull whenever its weight cannot be supported by the trimaran configuration." "There are a number of other innovations that further improve the sailability of the boat - like the stability system that was developed by Sherri. But we cannot go into any more details until our grand unveiling." "Which brings me to the million dollar question." Colin said, "If I wanted one, when can you deliver it?" "Probably March of next year." "NEXT YEAR?!!" "Yes, unfortunately, because of the unprecedented success of the Sabre line, we are sold out of every model in our production schedule this year." "Marsh, how many units are you getting?" "I believe all three of Mr Marshall's orders have been pre-sold." Amanda said, "Let's get down to brass tacks here, Colin, how many 25's are you really looking for? I may be able to do something if I can go back and say you're going to become a major Regan customer." "You can get me the Monster Cuddy too?" "Yes, but again, it's sold out until middle of next year - and of course they are even more expensive..." "You've put me in a tough bind here... Ahh... Marsh, can I have a few moments alone with them...? Thanks." "No problem, I see a few young ladies who wishes to be better acquainted with me... or my boat." He laughed as he excused himself. "Look, I'm between a rock and a hard place. As one of only two four-star resorts in the outer islands, we had a solid business going, but three years ago, they slapped a No-take zone around me - you know, fish all you want, but for release only. They nabbed a couple of my old-time clients too - gave them a warning, saying they'll confiscated all their fishing gear the next time. And now my customers just get on one of these floating hotels-rooms and they can go anywhere the fish are! "They still come by for the occasional meal, but they just tell me, and my other guests what a great time they are having!" He shook his head slowly, "The old Carvers have shown us that we can make a go of sail-yourself holidays! But we cannot get into a pissing match with the Internationals and their 55-foot cats. And your 25 looked like a perfect answer..." "I understand," Amanda nodded sympathetically, "We envisioned this need when we started the project. Actually James was the one, he cajoled us into scrapping the old 24 and developing the 25." Amanda smiled at me, "He can be quite relentless - if he is suitably motivated." She turned back to the man, "But you haven't told us what your plans are yet, for the 25." "We wanted three for this season, but we know we can only afford two..." He shrugged, "Then maybe, if things start turning around, another 30-footer next year. I know this doesn't make me much of a player in Regan's eyes, but this is all I have to offer..." "Yeah, I can see why you're not overjoyed. Why don't you leave it with me, enjoy your dinner... And then we'll have a talk afterwards." Amanda smiled, "I can perhaps offer you a solution, but I need to make some phone calls first." "Sure, OK, I'll go see if Marsh needs help with his young ladies." He quickly walked off. "Think Jules will go for it?" "Not a whole lot of risk... and practically in our own backyard." "Let me make the call..." Amanda dialed the phone. "...Bren, we need a look-see on 'Turtle Cay Resort'. Owner is Colin Bentel. Says he is four-star but in the No-take zone and losing money. If he is not over-extended, it may be our chance... Dinner will be for a bit yet, couple of hours is fine... Yeah... "Oh, they're OK, just that Sherri is a constant pain, as usual... Here..." She handed the phone to Sherri. "Hi sweetie," Sherri purred, "Did you miss me? Yeah, me too... Yes... I'll try to be nice to Mandie, but lord knows how hard it is!" And behind their hands, they stuck their tongues out at each other. "Oh here's James." "Hi honey, I'm not gonna say anything, cos I'm sure you can feel the agony I'm going through..." On the other end she was still laughing, then, "Oh I'm sure you'll find a way to forgive them. Make sure you take good care of them! They're precious to me!" "As you are to me Bren. I want you to take it easy, I am serious, take the weekend off, and ... better yet, come out to the coast. Did I tell you I got a real cool mallet from Sherri? I've been practicing - it's got twice the impact as the hairbrush! Think about it babe, and come spend the weekend with us." "You make is sound so tempting... Can I let you know tomorrow? Please, I have to go and do this for Mandie, and talk it over with Jules and Nicole... OK?" "Ah, yeah... Ahh, Marsh is waving at me. Hold on... Says Sara's on TV... OK, gotta go, remember - don't make me come out and get you, you hear me? - it will not be pleasant!" "Yessir, master... Love you. And kiss the girls for me." "And all our love, Bren. Kiss." The big-screen TV was showing a glowing Sara in what was, she had informed me, a Vera Wang outfit. All smiles and chiffon, she was a walking dream. There were over two hundred fans clamoring for her as she went into the Hyatt Miami with her TV father and other cast members. In the huge lobby, they had on display the glittering blue-spangled Top Gun powerboat which is her trademark vehicle in the show. The schedule called for her to do a photo-op in it on the weekend. "She was here! She was staying RIGHT HERE!" Marsh told everybody. One thing I can say about the Grill House is that they almost always have fresh gamefish, and the marlin steak I had was exceptional, and so was the bonito stir fried Amanda ordered. "Thank you Marshall, it was a great meal." "Yes, thank you." "Thank you!" "Marsh, I'll get a ride back to my hotel with the kids - I have an early flight tomorrow. Thank you very much for everything." "Tell us more about Turtle Cay." I prompted Colin as I poured him a drink. We were steering slowly back to our berth while Amanda talked to Brenda in the cabin. "Turtle Cay is one of the outer Bahamian islands, we face the Atlantic Ocean, with nothing but sea between us and Africa. When the Spanish first saw our little group of islands, they called them La Perlas, or the Pearls, because of how our white sands gleamed in the sun. "The resort started as a homestead for a Unionist survivor from the Civil War and his slaves. My wife and I took it over six years ago, now it's got 39 guest rooms, a 44-slip marina and a top-notch dining room - and I don't want to lose it. "We were doing well too - we got good reviews a few times from Frommers and Condé Nast, and that brought in a steady stream of customers. A good season, we could count on 60% occupancy, and that allowed us to expand to keep up with the larger outfits. "Then the Euro-operators appeared - they've been running these sailing-vacations in the Mediterranean and the Greek Islands for a long time, so they have a lot of experience building and renting out huge cats with up to four-bedrooms, which is just perfect for our calm, shallow waters. You even get a Captain and a crew thrown in so you never have to worry about the little things like navigating and cooking. All you do is swim, fish and lay in the sun. "And with the 'No-take' zoning, no way our land-based operation can compete - so we got a couple of old cuddy cabins and tested the idea out. Difference is that our guests can also choose to do a half-and-half - half land-based and half boat-based. That turned out not to be such a bad idea - cos many of the landlubbers really have no stomach for more than a night or two on a tossing boat. "But the Carvers are too fragile, and their engines needed overhauls practically after every trip. And, in truth, we waited too long. Now we are in a scramble trying to stem the loss of our long-time customers, and having a fleet of versatile boats like this one seems to be our only choice." "I hope you can stay a bit tomorrow, Colin," Amanda said, "Brenda, our General Manager will be flying in, and if you are here at ten, you can have a talk with her." "I will make the time, tell her 'Thank you' for me." Colin said. "Can we offer you a ride?" "No, my hotel is just down the street. Thank you all again." He walked off into the dusk. = = = = = (C) Copyright 2001-2008. MikeC. All Rights Reserved. All Reproduction for fee or profit forbidden. Copies of this and other stories can be downloaded from: <http://www.asstr.org/files/Authors/MikeC/JAMES/Sun&Sea/> Feedback is welcome - but please keep it constructive. Address: mikec (at) nspace.net