a viable boating related business?
 

Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. In fact, the
place is filled with em. However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

a viable boating related business?
 

On Jan 16, 10:40*pm, Frogwatch wrote:
Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. *In fact, the
place is filled with em. *However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. *However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). *Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

You're probably right about the local regulations etc.

The old saying does apply I believe. "If it was a good idea to do,
then somebody else would already be doing it. "

a viable boating related business?
 

On Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:40:08 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. In fact, the
place is filled with em. However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

Those big sportfishing boats are usually run by professional captains.
If you are seriously interested I'd get to know a few of them and see
what they think. The regulations can almost always be circumvented by
taking on a local (Bahamian) partner as the front man.

a viable boating related business?
 

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...

Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. In fact, the
place is filled with em. However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

=====

The lack of imported goods for sale may have something to do with import
taxes. When I lived in Costa Rica, import duties on goods for resale was
100%.
If there are enough desperate customers and a guy wants to put up with a lot
of BS from locals and Gov (attitudes change when a foreigner changes their
status from spending money to earning money in a lot of places I'm been),
might be a good opportunity there.

a viable boating related business?
 

On Jan 17, 8:41*am, "MMC" wrote:
"Frogwatch" *wrote in message

...

Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. *In fact, the
place is filled with em. *However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. *However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). *Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

=====

The lack of imported goods for sale may have something to do with import
taxes. When I lived in Costa Rica, import duties on goods for resale was
100%.
If there are enough desperate customers and a guy wants to put up with a lot
of BS from locals and Gov (attitudes change when a foreigner changes their
status from spending money to earning money in a lot of places I'm been),
might be a good opportunity there.

Being mostly familiar with fishing in NW FL where carrying a six back
of Bud qualifies your oysterboat as a "yacht", I was stunned at the
opulence of these "fishing" boats. Large screen TVs, lounges nicer
than my living room at home, full refrigeration systems, underwater
lighting systems making the boats look like something from "Close
Encounters", etc. They also had crews that would polish every inch
once the boat was docked. What was oddly lacking is what I call "Rail
Candy" making it an entirely male environment. I get the impression
that any females are set ashore in the resort while the guys fish.
No matter how well prepared they are, ALL BOATS BREAK DOWN AT
INNOPPORTUNE TIMES. Freeport being a major port has most boat parts
available but it is 33 miles to town. Somebody needs to run a parts
delivery service there and I am surprised the locals do not. This is
a somewhat unique situation with the only marina around (and being the
one EVERYBODY goes to from FL), being so isolated.

a viable boating related business?
 

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...

On Jan 17, 8:41 am, "MMC" wrote:
"Frogwatch" wrote in message

...

Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. In fact, the
place is filled with em. However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

=====

The lack of imported goods for sale may have something to do with import
taxes. When I lived in Costa Rica, import duties on goods for resale was
100%.
If there are enough desperate customers and a guy wants to put up with a
lot
of BS from locals and Gov (attitudes change when a foreigner changes their
status from spending money to earning money in a lot of places I'm been),
might be a good opportunity there.

Being mostly familiar with fishing in NW FL where carrying a six back
of Bud qualifies your oysterboat as a "yacht", I was stunned at the
opulence of these "fishing" boats. Large screen TVs, lounges nicer
than my living room at home, full refrigeration systems, underwater
lighting systems making the boats look like something from "Close
Encounters", etc. They also had crews that would polish every inch
once the boat was docked. What was oddly lacking is what I call "Rail
Candy" making it an entirely male environment. I get the impression
that any females are set ashore in the resort while the guys fish.
No matter how well prepared they are, ALL BOATS BREAK DOWN AT
INNOPPORTUNE TIMES. Freeport being a major port has most boat parts
available but it is 33 miles to town. Somebody needs to run a parts
delivery service there and I am surprised the locals do not. This is
a somewhat unique situation with the only marina around (and being the
one EVERYBODY goes to from FL), being so isolated.
=====
What you're describing is a whole different tax bracket than the people I
drink beer with!

a viable boating related business?
 

MMC wrote:


"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...

Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. In fact, the
place is filled with em. However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

=====

The lack of imported goods for sale may have something to do with
import taxes. When I lived in Costa Rica, import duties on goods for
resale was 100%.
If there are enough desperate customers and a guy wants to put up with
a lot of BS from locals and Gov (attitudes change when a foreigner
changes their status from spending money to earning money in a lot of
places I'm been), might be a good opportunity there.
The Bahamas is/was 45%.

a viable boating related business?
 

On Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:20:29 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Somebody needs to run a parts
delivery service there and I am surprised the locals do not.


Down in the central Exumas at Staniel Cay there is an operation called
Watermakers Air that flys in and out twice a day from Lauderdale after
making a customs stop at Andros Island. Upon request they will fly
in everything from electronics to new props. I'd guess that there
are probably similar services at some of the other islands. There are
small airstrips on almost all of the islands and everyone knows a
pilot somewhere.

It's only money mon !

http://www.watermakersair.com/

There's also a forwarding service for cuisers called St Brendans Isle.
They are famous for being able to find the unobtainable and figuring
out the best way of getting it to you, really a first rate operation.

http://www.sbimailservice.com/

Most of the guys with the big sportfishing boats are very well
connected and extremely wealthy. In addition to professional
captains, crews and a lot of spare parts already onboard, they will
typically have a mechanic on retainer back in the states. In exchange
for some amount of dinero the mechanic will hop a chartered plane with
whatever parts and tools are needed.

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=15e30aa6243a1dc9&sid=0AaOGTlo0Zt2 L6w

a viable boating related business?
 

"L G" wrote in message
...

MMC wrote:


"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...

Something I noticed at West End in the Bahamas is that it is a
beautiful resort and there are serious mega-sportsfishermen there
whose fishing rigs cost more than my boat is worth. In fact, the
place is filled with em. However, the "resort" does not provide them
anything in the way of supplies, no ice, beer only by single bottles
or cans, no dry ice, no bait, no gear, no sandwiches to go, no
availability of emergency boat parts and no place for fishermen to
simply sit and BS unless they sit in the fancy restaurant.
There are adjacent canals with almost no other buildings but property
for sale.
So, why not a small place catering to fishermen selling beer by the
case (Kalik of course), ice, leaders, fishing "stuff", bait,
sandwiches, hats, etc. However, the best would be a service to have
parts delivered from Freeport (belts, filters, gaskets, etc). Seems
like a "no-brainer" to me so there are probably local regs forbidding
it. If not, somebody needs to do it.

=====

The lack of imported goods for sale may have something to do with import
taxes. When I lived in Costa Rica, import duties on goods for resale was
100%.
If there are enough desperate customers and a guy wants to put up with a
lot of BS from locals and Gov (attitudes change when a foreigner changes
their status from spending money to earning money in a lot of places I'm
been), might be a good opportunity there.
The Bahamas is/was 45%.
======

Not as bad as CR but still stinking high when you consider the imported
goods are not competing with any local manufacturing.