The iPhone was an odd journey for me. It started out as “why would I ever want one”, then became “I need a new phone so I might as well”. After about a month of using it, the iPhone is now one of those “how in the blue hell did I ever live without one?” type of items. 

While browsing through the App Store, I came across a couple of boating related applications so I gave them a try. After testing them for about a month, I can safely say: no boater with an iPhone should be without either.

The first is TideApp, a free application from Atlantis Technology. This app is pretty much what it seems: an electronic tide chart. It has all the reporting stations in the US and allows you to display past, present and future tide conditions for any of them. It also has a nice feature that lets you save stations to a favorites list for quick viewing. 

It does run a little bit slow on my generation 1 iPhone but you people with the 3G phones should have no trouble what so ever.

It’s a 100% free application so there’s no reason for you not to have it on your iPhone.

App Store Link: TideApp

The next app is one that I have thoroughly enjoyed using. Knot Time by Dustin Thomas is a knot tying guide for the iPhone. Now, if you’re anything like me you’ve stared at those blasted knot tying books with their little arrows and drawings for hours only to throw the book down in frustration and resolved to stick with your knots that you learned in kindergarden. 

Knot Time takes a different approach: it has videos of someone actually tying the knot and explaining the procedure as he goes! What a novel idea! I have actually learned more knots from this application than all the books, and posters and guides I’ve used in the past. 

I even learned how to tie the “Monkey’s Fist” knot. I can put one of those together without a problem now thanks to this. 

Its a big app, weighing in at 110mb but that size is really a drop in the pond of even the smallest of the iPhones. It’s priced it at a VERY reasonable $0.99 and, after using it for a while I would say that’s an absolute steal of a price.

App Store Link: Knot Time

Reynolds Park Yacht Center

I have found throughout my travels that there are basically two kinds of marinas: “a great place to plan a weekend trip to” and “the perfect place to store your boat”. Reynolds falls squarely in the latter category.

As far as marinas go, Reynolds is relatively new to the Jacksonville area although part of me has a bit of trouble calling it “new”. Reynolds itself has been around since 1946 where it was a Naval Training facility during World War II. According to their literature, there were as many as 600 ships here during its hay day. It later became an industrial park in 1965. In 2002, they turned part of it into the Reynolds Yacht Center. It’s that unique history of the facility that really makes it shine.

Way in the back? Those are CARS parked next to the boats!

Because it used to house destroyers and the like, you won’t have ANY worries about whether or not your boat will fit there. They’ve also added floating docks so that people can house their sailboats and runabouts there as well. They boast support for twelve and a half foot drafts and pretty much unlimited length for your boats. Amenities and perks are plenty there as well with electric, phone, fax, internet and satellite TV. There are also laundry, showers and kitchens for use. If you notice in the pictures of the docks, you’ll see something that you just won’t see anywhere else in Jax: you can drive your car on the dock. Who needs a dock cart when you can just park your car right next to your boat! If that’s not a major selling point I don’t know what is.

Floating docks are available for the smaller boats.

If you’ve owned a boat for more than a month, you know that it WILL break down and need work at some point or another. That’s another point for Reynolds as they have a full shipyard associated with it with dry dock up to 1,000 tons along with both 20 ton and 60 ton travel lifts. The shipyard offers painting, fiberglass repair, woodworking, mechanical and electrical repairs.

Spring Park is a great place to bring your lunch.

Reynolds is located on the St. Johns River just south of Green Cove Springs, Florida. It’s because of that location that I have to put Reynolds in the “great place to live but I wouldn’t want to visit” category of marinas. Don’t get me wrong, Green Cove is growing and once they get their “Mainstreet Project” done it will be a happening spot. For now, however, it’s a bit on the sleepy side. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing nearby though. Right across the street from the Yacht Center is a nice Par 3 Golf course AND a private airfield. Spring Park in downtown Green Cove is an awesome place to be in the summer time with one of the only spring fed swimming pools that I’m aware of.

View of Reynolds from Spring Park

There have been more than a few marinas that have closed in the Jax area over the past couple of years and more slated to close in the not too distant future. With so few left and the environmental regulations making it difficult to open new ones, it’s great to see a wonderful place like Reynolds take off. If you’re looking for a great marina to base your boat, you’d be crazy not to consider Reynolds.

For more information about Reynolds Park Yacht Center, call them at 1-866-FOR-RPYC or visit them online at http://www.rpyc.info/

Google Earth shot of Reynolds.

Once again Fast Freddy, who is rapidly earning the nickname of “dirty old bastard”, elected himself as the reporter of something to do with women in bikinis. In this case it was the Fireman’s Poker Run. Get this: a bunch of guys with fast cigarette boats drive down the St. John’s River as fast as they can. They’ve each got a bikini model riding with them as they collect playing cards at 5 different check points. What they win for it I have no idea. As far as I’m concerned the fact that they get a bikini model that rides with them is reward enough.

Tell you what, if I don’t get to go on the next bikini related photo shoot you can start updating your own damn website…

Some of you may remember that photo shoot on Sorry Dog’s boat from a couple of days ago. Well there just so happened to be someone there with a video camera. Enjoy!

A little late on the post but there was a bikini competition at the 2007 Jacksonville In-Water Boat Show. Our very own Fast Freddy was there.

The poor bastard

Once again because I’m too lazy to type a decent story (and Freddy’s hands are still shaking too much from this project), I’m just going to post the gallery. There would normally be a “polished wood”, “sharpen my sword” and a “surrender the booty” joke in the write up so just keep that in mind as you look through the pictures.