Gateway Yachts to Buy Four Nordic Tugs in Innovative Order Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                   March 22, 2013

Gateway Yachts of Anacortes, WA and Nordic Tugs Inc. of Burlington, WA announce a multi-boat deal to place Nordic Tugs yachts into Gateway’s Fractional Ownership Program.

This four boat deal provides for the immediate purchase of a new Nordic Tug 34 along with options for two more Nordic Tug 34’s and one Nordic Tug 39. Total retail value of the deal exceeds $1.7 million at current list prices.

Gateway’s innovative Fractional Ownership Program dramatically lowers the cost of boat ownership, opening up the market to a much larger demographic. Gateway manages all aspects of yacht ownership providing top-quality all-inclusive service right down to the clean and shine. This successful approach is developing fierce customer loyalty and strong demand for Fractional Ownership and Charter services. “It’s the perfect solution for those aspiring to experience the joys of cruising in a Nordic Tug without the financial commitment of full ownership,” says George Armendariz, General Manager of Nordic Tugs.

“Combining that innovative service with Nordic Tugs’ top quality recreational trawlers is the perfect match,” claims Nate Martin, Founder of Gateway Yachts. Nordic Tugs are known for the attention to detail built into every fuel efficient tug styled yacht. They are the perfect year round cruiser for inland and offshore boating.

As a part of the purchase agreement, Gateway Yachts and Nordic Tugs will jointly market the program with Gateway focusing on the sale of fractional shares and Nordic Tugs’ dealers concentrating on the sale of whole boats. The program will be initially centered in the Pacific Northwest where Gateway Yachts will serve boaters seeking a professionally managed fractional share. Those wishing the ‘full ownership experience’ can rely on the staff of Nordic Northwest Yacht Sales. According to Martin, the program will gradually expand to other key boating areas across the country. Anacortes Trawler Fest (May 16^th to May 19^th) will be the launch event of this innovative marketing strategy.

The Gateway Program is patterned after Berkshire Hathaway’s Netjets corporate jet fractional ownership program. One eighth fractions of a Nordic Tug yacht includes 5 weeks of advance scheduled use per year plus unlimited open time availability. This ground-breaking program produces the lowest cost method of ownership as compared to charters or even most ‘fly-to-destination’ vacations.

The program’s concierge-level service creates a rewarding, hassle-free ownership experience. High operational availability is ensured by a fleet of new Nordic Tugs, with their traditional craftsmanship and durable build quality. “By featuring Nordic Tugs, which are made in America, the program turns a turbulent economy upside-down, proudly creating jobs right here in Washington State”, adds Martin.
Nordic Tugs are among the most fuel efficient in the industry. Along with the inherently ‘green’ characteristic of fractional ownership, this program is the most environmentally friendly power boating experience possible.

Fractional Ownership Program details can be found at www.GatewayYachts.com. Further information about Nordic Tugs is available at www.nordictugs.com.

PDF LINK: Joint Press Release

Aspen C100 – Monumental Game Changer

That’s right, I said “monumental game changer!” I’m choosing those words carefully, they are not an exaggeration or just another marketing line. I’m talking about an industry changing technology that just proved it is scalable and in fact only gets better with size.

When Larry Graf and his team built the C90, many were skeptical. It’s a terrific boat, but now the Aspen team has proven they are capable of applying the concept to larger boats and that it not only works, but is an unbelievable leap over everything else on the market. Dave Pugh, who did the engineer work on the C100, has to be proud. He not only had to get the shapes perfect, he had to layout the boat and distribute its weight so that the asymmetric hulls matched their displacement against the weight they carry. Fail to do that and the boat doesn’t float level. Well, here’s the picture of the boat floating for the first time:



While it looks nice, knowing what went into it, I say WOW, great job. Being a pilot for more than 30 years, I’ve seen my share of engineering projects, many simpler than this, that didn’t go right – so congratulations.

But how does it do when you put it into motion?

Spectacular! Tracks even better than the C90, like it’s on rails. Turns flat as a pancake, similar in motion to a BMW or a Corvette that stays level and flat in a turn – both directions.

The first thing you’ll notice about the C100 is its stature. It sits about 7 inches taller than the C90 and has more presence due to its size. It’s lines are beautiful:

Sound – Even without the insulation added yet, the boat is far quieter in the cabin, and very comfortable in the aft cockpit even at full throttle.

Performance – The 220hp Volvo D3 is silk smooth and brings the power on like right now. The motor has a very sporty but subtle rumble, love the sound. Look down at the GPS and you’re doing 20 mph without even breathing hard – hey, that’s near top speed of the C90 (which is already amazing for a full displacement hull). As we pushed the power all the way up, the engine rested on it’s computer controlled max rpm and thus we may have slightly too little pitch in the propellor. Still, it was running at about 25 mph, and Larry is taking the prop in to see if we can’t get even more top end out of it.

During the maiden voyage we had five of us big guys on it, nearly 1,200 lbs in all. It absolutely slayed the waves and wakes we encountered without so much as a noticable wiggle – yes, better than the C90. Notable fuel consumption looked like this:

8.5 mph – 1.5 gph, which equals nearly 6 miles to the gallon! 17 mph – 5.0 gph, almost identical to the C90 with that much weight – amazing, remember this boat is right at 35 feet in length! 20 to 21 mph – 6.0 gph. This felt very comfortable and ultra smooth. Is top speed in a C90 and is where you’ll find Nate passing almost everyone else on the water by… in a full displacement hull getting 3.5 miles to the gallon!! Crazy. Like I said, this is a GAME CHANGER.

With less weight and a little propellor tweak I think those numbers only get better. What’s cool about the hull is that it’s comfortable at any speed and actually smoother the faster you go – most boats have speed zones in which they are not at all capable, not so with the Aspen.

The wake it leaves is freaky. The C90 leaves a wake like a little ski boat, but the C100 leaves an even smaller and cleaner wake! Two very little rooster tails, one behind each hull, then the water falls perfectly flat. This is the result of the extra clean way the hull knifes through the water. Larry designed in what I call a “serrated leading edge” to knock down the spray and to replace that stainless steal spray bar on the C90… works like a champ, the water leaves the leading edge and goes straight out to the side, even going through waves at top speed did not see spray from the helm position – we had to lean over the side from the aft cockpit to see it.

Advantages to other boats on the market? Unbelievable efficiency, stability, handling, and with two double hulls, six water tight compartments, and seven automatic bilge pumps this boat is just flat out inherently safer. Honestly, I have tons of time on the water and I simply don’t see any disadvantage – I truly believe this is the boat of the future and the closest thing to perfection in a coastal cruiser made to date.

Yes, I’m excited. I am personally inviting everyone to come up to either Everett or Anacortes and take it for a spin – I don’t care if you already own an Aspen, a Gateway share, or whatever, let’s go out and have some fun, you will be amazed. Oh, and I don’t really care what the weather is doing, my personal limit is 40 kts, anything above that and my fear is that you’ll have fear – me and the boat will be fine otherwise! Call and let’s take it out.

Do not try this at home, but, the other day I did a C90 demo ride (just me and one other) in 4 to 5 foot wind blown chop and swells with the winds gusting to 40 – whitecaps inside the marina. Thruster away from the dock into the wind, held it’s position no problem. Rotated the boat in the alley 90 degrees, put it in idle and was doing 3.5 mph idling into a 30 knot wind without even hearing the wind and rain. No other boats on the water – and frankly I would not have taken another boat out that day, gale warnings posted. However, as I tell people, if you boat enough, eventually you will run into conditions that scare you – when that day comes, it will be a traumatic and very memorable day for everyone on board – those who boat and fly a lot know what I mean. When that day comes and you’re riding in an Aspen, forget the trauma. You will probably remember it, but you won’t be remembering the trauma, you’ll be remembering how well that boat rode and how it kept you and your loved ones protected.

Larry Graf Reinvents the Boat...

I encourage everyone to read the following article.  Pictures are of Gateway I, both inside and out.

Article: Larry Graf Reinvents the Boat

Gateway News - February 2013

- Seattle and Vancouver Shows Huge Success. Though overall traffic at both shows was down incrementally, sales and sales leads were up strongly for both Aspen and Gateway. The combined energy and marketing technique were quite evident in the Seattle display which had a much larger presence this year than last thanks to the combination of Aspen, Gateway, and input from investors and all who contributed. The power of sharing and working together was evident, it is a cornerstone of Gateway’s philosophy.

The Vancouver show was a test for Gateway to see if Canadians are willing to make the trip across the border and that was received quite positively. Again thank you to Aspen for the effort and for being open to the power of cooperation. We have many contacts to follow-up with and will be in touch shortly…

Gateway’s summer schedule is beginning to fill up, so if your goal is boating this season then acting soon is advisable. Demo rides are occuring now in the C90, and will begin shortly in Gateway’s new C100.

- GATEWAY & ASPEN WIN BEST BOAT DISPLAY, SEATTLE BOAT SHOW.

Through a massive combined effort, the Gateway/Aspen booth this year held a 100% full scale wood mockup with a picture display “How To Build a Boat 101,” an innovative Aspen C90, the Prototype Aspen C100 “Gateway II,” and nearly 300 square feet of custom wood decking made just for the show. Gateway played a large role in the C100, C110 investor relations, C110 mockup, and in setting up the display.

We believe this independently judged award substantiated the most innovative booth at the largest show on the west coast. Innovative way to build a boat, innovative boat, and innovative way to own a boat!

Thank you to all who contributed, a lot of long hours went into this year’s display.

Pacific Nor'West Boating Magazine - Gateway Article

Special thanks to Author Chuck Gould:

January 2013 Issue of Pacific Nor'West Boating Magazine

 

Gateway Yachts: 100% of the Fun, None of the Work, a Fraction of the Price

Gateway News/ Operating Notes

•       The Aspen/Gateway Christmas Party was a huge success and a lot of fun!  Great to see so many Gateway people there, thank you all for attending.  Happy Holidays!

•       Gateway II is progressing nicely and will be delivered in time for the Seattle Boat Show which begins January 25^th.  Larry Graf, of Aspen, says the tooling is the best he’s ever built – You can literally see yourself in the transom mold, it’s like a mirror.  Larry has made many design improvements, it’s going to be a great boat.  Recent Gateway changes to this build include an upgraded pneumatic table base that will be easier to get up and down, the addition of AIS (Automated Information System), and the addition of an integrated Garmin radio/hailer.  This boat also comes with a complete Burnewiin Fishing system.

It is possible for current C90 owners to upgrade their share to this boat, either their whole share or as part of a Blendshare – please inquire if you’re interested.  It may also be possible to use the C100 either in Open Time or by trading your Hard Schedule time on it.  Of course the C100 is considerably more expensive than the C90, so there will be a simple upgrade charge of $125/day for C90 owners to exchange days or to use it for Open Time.

•       Gateway fleet to go all AIS:  Gateway II will come equipped with a Garmin 600 AIS receiver/transponder that integrates with the Garmin 200 VHF radio and chartplotter.  Gateway I will be upgraded with AIS this spring.  The AIS transponder lets others track your position and you can also see AIS equipped boats while navigating on the chartplotter (you can also have family members/friends track your trip progress too, please visit our new AIS tracking page).   This integration also allows you to track and hail other AIS equipped boats while enroute (imagine keeping track of your friends on an owner’s cruise).  This equipment represents a big jump in safety, especially for operations in low visibility environments.  To my knowledge, Gateway will be the first fractional/charter company to install AIS fleetwide.

An additional benefit is that operationally it will allow us to more precisely time our fleet’s arrival to home port and that means that we won’t have as much employee dead time waiting around the marina for a boat to clean and service.  We’ll still need your help, though, keeping us up to date with your intentions.

A nice feature about having AIS in the Gateway program is that it de-identifies the owners… anyone looking up info on the boat will see that it’s registered to Gateway Yachts, but we will be the only ones who actually know who is onboard, thus offering a layer of security.

 

In order to get AIS on your Android phone, I recommend the following app: Marine Traffic 

•       The Gateway Yachts website has been completely revised.  There are a lot of new pages including information about the flexshare and blendshare programs as well as the new destinations we are attempting to get up and running.  There is also a new Gateway Forum page where you can post trip reports, share photos of your experiences, request trades, or just keep one another up to date if you choose.  Please make good use of it, communicating with other owners will make your boating experience more fun and fulfilling.

•       Online Trip Requests:  One terrific addition to the new site is our new online trip request form.  You access this by clicking on the “Online Scheduling (Customers Only)” link at the top of the website.  Once there you must login – I will be emailing all our owners login information.  Once you receive your password, you can change it by going to “Edit My Profile” in the upper right hand corner.

To make a reservation request, begin by clicking on the “Add Booking” link in the left margin.  Look at the top of the page and make sure you’re scheduling for the correct boat, then click on the calendar the days you would like to schedule. You can select the number of persons, whether or not you would like the dinghy, kayaks, bicycles, catering, or any other special requests you may have. From there simply fill out the form and hit “Send” at the end.

When you first submit your request it will send both you and Gateway a confirmation email.  We can then look at the request and make sure it fits within the schedule – once approved you will receive another email confirmation, and also if any information is changed you will again be notified.  Just keep in mind this is an automated system, so if you see errors or have input to make it better, please let us know.  Of course this is just one way to schedule, you are welcome to call, email, or text, whatever you’re comfortable with.

•       Upcoming Hard Schedule Bid:  The bid is right around the corner, it will begin next week to cover the time period March through August 2013.  This is referred to as the “on period.”  Each 1/8 owner will be able to schedule two of their weeks during this time (either together or separate), but don’t forget that you will also have an additional third “Rolling Schedule” week that you can use later.  Bid position this time around is unchanged, but with the next bid on Gateway I it will begin to rotate down two positions with each bid.

Keep in mind that the Hard Schedule bid is meant to prioritize use by the owners, charter comes second and you will have an opportunity to turn over time for potential charter after all the owners have scheduled their personal use time during the first round.

There are two Aspen Owner’s cruises during this time, as well as one Gateway cruise, they are:

o   May 31 - June 2, 2013 – Aspen Cruise – Destination to be determined, possibly Poulsbo, WA

o   June 27 – 30, 2013 – Gateway Cruise – Islands/Victoria cruise

o   August 17 - 24, 2013 – Aspen Cruise – Barkley Sound, west side of Vancouver Island

I have blocked this time so that people have a chance to experience boating in a group environment.  These trips will be bid in seniority order, so if you don’t have an interest in going please don’t bid these times so that everyone gets a chance.

A new twist this time around is the addition of the C100.  There will be a lot of available Open Time until we add some more owners, so in the meantime it is possible for a limited number of people to exchange time on it, or to schedule Open Time on it as well – please let me know if that is your interest and I’ll try to make it work, owners on that boat, of course, have priority with the Hard Schedule bid.
 

Upcoming Events 

•       Seattle Boat Show - CenturyLink Field, January 25 to February 3.  This is going to be a very fun show – each day there will be Cirque du Soleil trapeze artists flying overhead the main part of the show, right over the boats!  Also new is a large wine tasting event opening day, as well as a Brew Fest the second Friday – details and tickets courtesy of Gateway will be forthcoming.

I will be giving a seminar at the show titled “Options for Boat Ownership: Charter and Fractional Ownership” Sunday, February the 3^rd, 9:00 AM to Noon.  It would be nice to have a good crowd there, please attend if you can and I’ll get you past the $39 admission price.

 Of course the Aspen/Gateway display is going to be awesome!  We’ll have 104’ of prime wall space on the main floor with three boats – a C90, a C100 (Gateway II), and the mockup of the two stateroom/two bath C110. Don’t miss it, it is rare to be able to see and have input into a new boat design.  

•       Vancouver Boat Show – Vancouver, B.C..  We’ll have Gateway II there, too, it runs from February 7^th -11^th.  

•       Anacortes Spring Show – April 5 -7.  C90 & C100 on the water, possibly the C110 mockup shore side as well.

•       Trawler Fest – Anacortes, May 14 – 19.  Largest show in Anacortes, includes many boating classes and other activities.

 January 2013 Operating Notes 

•       Lessons come to a “Head!”  Of course the boat head is not like the toilet in your house – the typical house drainpipe is three to four times the diameter of the boat’s.   

The boat’s head uses an electric macerator to grind any solid matter as it exits the toilet, then it is fed all the way back to the holding tank.  If too much solid waste is put into the small drainpipe at one time, with too little water to carry it, then the line will plug.  This is an expensive and messy fix as the toilet has to be completely removed.
 

Gateway’s mechanic, Carl, offers some advice to prevent clogging: Use a lot more water than you think during a flush – hold the button down for 10 full seconds anytime solid matter goes down the bowl, one-thousand one, one-thousand two, etc.  This will ensure that the solids make it all the way to the tank and won’t compile one flush on top of the other.  Oh, and break up heavy ‘loads’ into multiple flushes. 

•       Cabin Door – if open during cruise, salt spray will build up on the inside of the glass and the interior of the boat making cleaning difficult.  Sometimes that may be necessary for ventilation, but if possible it will keep the boat nicer if the door is closed while underway, especially at higher speeds.

•       Maintenance Expenses – Over the course of the past 9 months we have spent $4,677 just on Gateway I maintenance, and we still have annual haul-out and bottom paint to go this year.  Gateway’s been very liberal in covering expenses, and worked hard to keep additional expenses off our owners.  Now that we’ve all been in the program awhile and have gained experience with the boat we need to tighten up a little in charging owners for maintenance that’s required as a direct result of their use or misuse. 

• Be sure to check the weather and tides before departure!   Gateway Yachts » Fishing and Weather Reports