Maine Boats, Homes, & Harbors Show Preview

It has been way too long since my last post!  Thanks to all of our customers and employees, Hamlin's is experiencing a record season.  A robust economy means some very happy boaters!

The boating industry is back, and Hamlin's has two brand new lines that we are featuring at the in-water boat show this weekend at Rockland Harbor.  Check out the show website for show hours, vendors, & directions:  http://www.maineboats.com/

First, we've added NorthCoast boats to our lineup.  These boats are a New England classic built in Bristol, Rhode Island.  These guys are fiberglass pros and have impressed sarcastic, ruddy-faced fishermen for the last decade.  Recent refinements of the boats including innovative seating have made NorthCoast the boat of choice for Maine coastal cruising.   We have three models on display in Rockland this weekend:

The NorthCoast 23' Hard Top...

This model has a fiberglass hardtop which allows both protection from the elements and the ability to mount the latest Garmin electronics.  This model is turn-key and ready to go with twin Garmin 740 touchscreen displays, HD radar, a thru-hull bronze transducer, a Down Vu transducer, a Meteor stereo system controlled by touchscreen, an anchor windlass, a portable head, and most importantly...a Yamaha F225 on an Armstrong bracket.  This is the most comfortable 23' boat I've ever been on that still can fish with the best.  The ultimate tuna chaser and shark magnet!

Show price as equipped:  $87,350

The NorthCoast 20' Center Console...

The 20' Center Console is tricked out with bow seating, cushions with black piping, pop up stainless hardware and more!  She rips with a Yamaha F150.  We went all black on this one to bring out the pirate in you!

Show price as equipped:  $48,456

The NorthCoast 19' Center Console...

Biggest, burliest 19' Center Console to hit the water.  Simple, practical, and seaworthy enough to explore the Maine Coast on a marginal day.  Efficient harbor hopping with a Yamaha F90 makes for long days out on the water.

Show price as equipped:  $29,661

The Cutwater 26...

The Cutwater 26 is the Great White Buffalo of boats.  Hamlin's searched far and wide for the impossible...which finally turned up near Seattle, Washington at a company called Fluid Motion.  Well we brought her all the way across the country and it was worth it!

Why is this boat so rare?  It is rare because you can put this boat on a trailer.  "So what?", you might say.  You can put this boat on a trailer, and...

1.)  It is powered by an efficient 220 HP Volvo diesel
2.) You can sleep six comfortably
3.) It feels like you are in a modern luxury motor coach
4.) She can knock the tops off 6 foot seas

Here's a recent video of the boat running in our neck of the woods off of Bucksport...

Show Price as equipped:  $164,165

Hope to see you at the Maine Boats, Homes, & Harbors Show this weekend!

And So It Begins...the 2014 Boating Season

My Daughter, Zoe, and I Pulling Boats Out of Storage

This season is starting off with a roar.  Just a few rays of sun were enough to call boaters from all corners of Maine to our yard.  It's always a race to see who will be first in the water!  The past two weeks have been an all out marathon of rigging new boats, commissioning customer boats, installing the marina docks, and playing traffic cop.  It was as if Grand Central Station had been teleported to quiet Hampden, Maine.

Here are some pics I've snapped around the marina...

Katie Bringing Donuts to the Shop

Polar kraft Nor'easter 163 Walk Through "Holiday Lights"

Sailboats in Line

Everybody is ready to get out on the water after the Polar Vortex winter we had.  Hoping to see you soon!

Get Your Fish On...Ice is Finally Out

My family spent Easter at my mom's house in Belfast.  "Over the river & through the woods...to Grandmother's house we go..." was playing in my mind as I weaved and bobbed over frost-heaved roads in Monroe and Swanville.

Then I saw it.  Swan Lake was wide open!

Beautiful ripples made endless patterns, where weeks before there was a village of ice shacks.  So let the fun begin!  Service your reels, dust off your rods, and sharpen your hooks.  Fire up the outboard, grease the bearings on the trailer, check your brake lights, and head out to the lake.

What if you don't have a boat?  Don't be confined to the shore...there are plenty of boats in stock to choose from; easy financing is available as well.  If you can't get a loan, it's elver season so get a net!

Here are a couple of great deals to get you on the water this weekend:

2014 Polar kraft Nor'easter 163 WT, Yamaha F70, & Ezloader (Loaded): ONLY $21,995

2014 Polar kraft Kodiak 190 Sport, Yamaha F150,  & Ezloader (Loaded): Only $39,995

2014 Frontier 179 WT, Yamaha F90, & Ezloader (Loaded): Only $28,572

And the Deal of the Century!!!!!

New 2012 Sportsman 2072 Center Console, Yamaha F90, & Trailer: $17,995

All New Bangor Boat Show This Weekend at the Cross Insurance Center

At 2 P.M. today, the all new Bangor Boat Show opens at the Cross Insurance Center!  If you are a boater, or just interested in boating, you cannot miss this show.

Over a dozen local businesses will be displaying every shape and size of boat.  The best deals of the year on pontoon boats, ski boats, sail boats, and fishing boats are here for the picking.

Tickets are only $7; kids under 12 are free!

Rob Labelle: Hamlin's Own Billy Mays

Billy Mays

Recently, the world lost a great telemarketer in our beloved Billy Mays.  You may remember him as the highly-energetic spokesperson who promoted great household products like OxiClean, ShamWow, and Kaboom.

Unfortunately for Billy and all of us, not all of his energy could be attributed to a healthy diet and an exercise regimen.  Sadly, Billy died of complications related to a chemical substance that doesn't clean your bathroom, laundry, or floors.

I believe that Billy lives on (the good part anyway!) in our newest sales team member, Rob Labelle.

Rob Labelle

Rob has recently taken over the Hamlin's Youtube Channel as a boat video tour personality.  Check out Rob as he walks you through some of the newest and sexiest pontoon boat packages on the market today:

Send us your comments and feedback.  Is Rob Labelle really the next Billy Mays?

Northcoast Boats...Coming to a Mooring Near You

First Stock Northcoast 20' Center Console

I am headed to Bristol, Rhode Island to C&C Fiberglass Components tomorrow to pick up our first Northcoast model, a 20' Center Console black beauty.

At Hamlin's Marina, we sell everything from pontoon boats, to guide boats, to wake surfing boats.  But the Northcoast line tugs at my heart strings.  Why?  Because these are the types of wave-stomping water rockets that can deliver you to the remote beauty of the Maine coast.  Whether you want to fish, camp, stargaze, or harbor hop...there is no substitute for a big bodied deep-v out here.

Look for Northcoast at the upcoming Portland, Augusta, and Bangor Shows.  Over the next month, we'll be fetching a 19' Center Console, a 21' Hardtop, and a 23' Hardtop.  One lucky soul will be taking delivery of a 20' Center Console with a custom davit for hauling traps; she's rolling off the line in Bristol next week.

Northcoast is built by C&C Fiberglass Components who also builds components for some of the finest yacht companies on the east coast.  They even build the bodies for Ford Cobra kit cars.  Needless to say, these guys are about one thing...building stuff with fiberglass.

Now that Hamlin's is building boats, I've grown to have a great appreciation for things made out of fiberglass.  It's weird stuff really...layers of cloth and resin infused together.  What comes out of a 55 gallon drum gives birth to fine forms including the hull of a Northcoast.  I've come to find that a lot of boat companies don't really do the whole fiberglass thing all that well.  It bothers me now when I look at boats with obvious imperfections and sloppy finish work.  Attention to detail and the highest finish quality is the #1 reason we chose to bring on Northcoast.  The care and consideration dedicated to each Northcoast is evident in the photos of several of our boats in production:

What I see throughout the build process is that Northcoast goes the extra mile with full cockpit liners, clean non-skid patterns, and over-sized hardware.  Amazingly, Northcoast is 100% composite which is common on the most pricey boats out there, yet Northcoast boats are much more affordable.

I can't wait to get Northcoast to our home turf, and we'll have one in Waterville this week!.  Hamlin's is proud to be a Northcoast's exclusive Maine dealer.

Deal of the Week...Rinker 186 Fish & Ski with Yamaha F115

Rarely, does a boat do everything well.  If you've got really comfortable seating, then you probably have a pretty lousy fishing boat.  Likewise, a great fishing rig generally is about as comfortable as sitting on a steel bench in yoga pants during a blizzard.

Enter the Rinker 186 Fish 'n Ski

I've heard the story too many times...  "My wife loves to rig up spinner baits all day and stalk lunkers...but I'm just a sun lover!  I like to sit back with my cosmo and read Jane Austen novels.  I just hate it when my wife messes up my sun lounge with stinky, slimy fish guts!"

The Rinker 186 is a couple's boat that does the unthinkable...it combines good old-fashioned relaxation and entertainment with a serious fishing platform.  It's truly a transformer, and I don't mean this kind:

No, the Rinker 186 Fish 'n Ski will not change from a big rig truck into a robot.  It will, however, change from a sport boat to a serious fishing boat by moving some seats and cushions around.  Check out these photos:

    

                                   

So, as you can see the Rinker 186 has all the modern features of comfortable bow rider including a fiberglass floor, snap in carpets, flip up bolster captain's chair, a quality stereo system, and super comfy seating.

And...it still manages to seamlessly integrate a Minnkota trolling motor, an in-dash fish finder, recirculating livewell, and pedestal seating.  The fishing seats are the bomb, too.   They have plenty of back support...no need for a silly bicycle seat.  If you want to ride a bike, stay off the water!

Here is a great video of the boat doing what it's supposed to be doing out on the water:

Yes, the Rinker 186 goes fast too!  It's fast, powerful, and efficient with the king of outboard motors...the Yamaha F115.  See these performance specs for yourself:

So the boat is normally $29,125, but we have a Chili Red and a Navy 2013 model in stock at Hamlin's right now for only $20,495.  And yes, the price includes an Ezloader roller trailer, Coast Guard Safety Pack, and on water orientation at Hamlin's in the Spring.  Special low boat show financing rates are already in effect.  If you are in the market for a Fish 'n Ski, do not let this deal pass you by!

Deal of the Week...Polarkraft Sportman 2072 Center Console

This Polarkraft is a brand new 2012 20' Center Console.  It features a Modified V hull utilizing heavy gauge aluminum welded at the seams.  There is no wood in this boat, and the floors are aluminum for easy clean up and durability.

The Modified V design allows operation in rough conditions but also provides a very skinny draft for getting into tight, shallow areas.

The 2072 CC has a 25" extra long transom to prevent water from breaching the transom in a following sea.  We are featuring her with a Yamaha F90 and trailer, but the rating allows for up to a 150 HP Yamaha!

Use her for hunting, fishing, hauling, transport...even wakeboarding!  This boat is the stuff of legends with gator hunters. 

MSRP on this bad boy is $28,765!  Our price is a super low $18,478!  Most boat for the money...hands down.  

Last week's super deal is already gone, so give us a call to make this boat yours for Spring!

Deal of the Week: Carryover 2013 Polarkraft 189 Frontier

(Update...this listing has been sold)

Polarkraft 189 Frontier, Yamaha F115, & Ezloader trailer at Hamlin's

For the month of February, Hamlin's Marine is featuring exceptional deals on carry over boats.  This 2013 Polarkraft 189 Frontier is chock full of options including Sea Star Hydraulic steering ($1800 value), stereo system, full canvas set including enclosure and mooring cover, and even an upgraded steering wheel so the fish find you stylish.  Best of all it's powered by a super sweet Yamaha F115 fourstroke outboard that will run so quiet it will make you cry.  The trophy is displayed proudly on a double-dipped galvanized EZloader roller trailer with torsion axle springs and oil bath bearings.

Check out this interior video pan highlighting the massive rod storage locker:

All Polarkraft boats are backed by a Lifetime Hull Warranty, and right now Yamaha is throwing in a couple extra years of coverage on the power plant.

Unfortunately, only one person will be able to secure this deal of a lifetime on this rig.  You'll find comparable setups approaching $40K.

Be the first to come in and beat the rush.   Take this baby home ready to go for spring for only $26,989 + tax!

More Square Footage than a McMansion

Signature Rod Locker only on the Frontier

Hamlin's February Warehouse Boat Sale

Our two stores are chock full of great pre-owned boats recently traded.  This is a great time to get a deal on a first boat to take advantage of all our great lakes, rivers, and bays in Maine.

Throughout the month of February, we are having a Warehouse Sale at both our Hampden and Waterville locations.  Whether you want a walk around style, center console, aluminum fishing boat, pontoon boat, or runabout...we have clean, inspected models with a warranty.

Here's a sampling of some of the great pricing available:

Have a look at our entire inventory at: http://hamlinsmarina.com/boat-search-results?searchword=custom+search&ordering=&searchphrase=all&areas[0]=jak2_filter

Summer is right around the corner!  Make sure you've got a boat ready to hit the water.  Our showrooms are currently open on Monday-Friday 8:00- 4:30 and on Saturday from 8:00 until Noon.

If you prefer new, all of our new 2014 models are sitting in our heated showrooms!  All boat show promotions and incentives are in effect.

We've had one miserable winter!  Let's give up and look forward to spring.