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President's Message Tip of the hat! If I look happy in the photo it is for this reason: our customers. Don Radon
Featured Boats #1 - Paul Fortier's 26' x 9' Radon:
Paul Fortier and his wife, Shelly, recently picked up their new 26' x 9' Radon. Paul has the distinction of being the only customer in our recent memory that had not yet seen his boat before his delivery day (with the exception of some of our Hawaii customers). However, we had a lot of e-mail and phone communication with him during the boat's construction. Paul is an amazingly good customer who seemed to show a lot of trust in our company to build a boat sight-unseen. It really helped that Paul had a very clear idea of what he wanted and we made every attempt to accommodate him in order to build his dream boat.
Paul's new 26' has an extended and enclosed cabin, twin Yanmar 4 cyl diesel engines with a Mercruiser Bravo 2 outdrives. He also has a davit for pulling crab traps, down riggers for salmon fishing and a second station steering helm.
Above photo shows wide side walkways, aft deck light, EPIRB, step seats, full length glass custom sliding door, aft second station w/ hydraulic steering and Morse electronic controls
#2 - Bob Costarella's 26' x 8'6" Radon "Classic"
Those of you who read our newsletter regularly will recognize Bob Costarella from our Newsletter #21. We featured a salmon fishing trip on Chris Monk's 29' and Bob and his son Joe were on that trip. Bob owns a wholesale seafood business in San Francisco and wanted his own boat for fishing, crabbing and diving in the Bay area. His son Joe, loves to fish with his dad. Bob's new 26' Radon "Classic" has a Volvo 5.7 ltr. gas engine with a duo prop outdrive.
Photos from our customers and friends
Tony Hotchkiss goes on a surfing safari to Mexico! We are presently building Tony a 22'. He recently took some time off to go surfing in Mexico and sent us these photos. Don and Bill Parsons at a recent "board" meeting
Sean Devine with a huge white sea bass!
David Donahue, halibut hunter!
Once again, David proves that he can fish for and catch big halibut on his 22' Radon. In photo above, he holds a 49 pound bad boy
In the photo below, he holds the halibut up while his friend, Jeff Gray, watches Kyle Merker with a hand-caught white sea bass!
Lance recounts, "After diving all day, and spending nearly 6 hours in 56 degree water, I had only one sighting of a pair of 10-15 lb fish. It's about that time that my son, who is 11 years old (and 70 lbs dripping wet), decides to show everyone on the boat how "real men" do it. He spots a fish from the boat that's in the kelp, grabs his mask and fins (forgetting his weight belt), jumps in and grabs the fish by the tail. He immediately gets a hand in the gills, and 60 seconds later, he's on the boat with the fish -- completely unassisted! We're all in shock and laughing hysterically."
New cement! We recently had cement poured over one of the last remaining dirt areas in the yard. Those of you who visited the yard in the 80's probably remember that the whole yard was dirt in those days! Needless to say, the cement is way better!
Editor's note: I originally read this article in the Santa Barbara News Press and thought our Radon Teamreaders might enjoy it. I wrote to Dr. Acosta and received permission to reprint it. LR ******************************************************************************************* PET DOC Dr. Tracy Acosta How to enjoy boating with your dog Thankfully, the warm days of spring have arrived. With the beautiful weather recently, so beckons the call to go out on the water. As witnessed recently at the Smokin' the Sound boat races off of Biloxi,'Miss., many of you also had your canine friends along for the boat ride. I saw everything from a tiny Chihuahua to the ever-popular Labrador retriever. To make sure everyone has a fun as well as safe experience out on the water, be sure to follow a few common sense guidelines. While on the boat, make sure your dog is under constant supervision, especially while the boat is moving. If your puppy or dog is a newcomer to the boat and water, you want to take things slowly initially to allow your pet to adjust to the movement of the boat and the noise of the engine. The goal is for your dog to thoroughly enjoy the boating experience. If your pet is too nervous - or scared while on board, you may want to consider leaving the dog behind next time around. Unfortunately, not every dog will enjoy being on a boat. No matter what size your dog is, consider using a Personal (Pet) Flotation Device for him. There are quite a few companies that make them in varying sizes and specifications. It is important to properly size your dog, so bring him along when you purchase this important safety item. Now, I know what some of you Labrador owners are thinking, "a PFD, for my dog?" My response is yes. No matter how good a swimmer your dog may be, a PFD can come in extremely handy when a dog does not realize his true swimming limitations or accidentally falls overboard. Keep in mind that most if not all PFDs for pets are designed with a convenient handle on top that aids in lifting your dog out of the water. Another important safety consideration on the boat with your dog is his footing. Remember, your dog is not wearing boat shoes, so a fiberglass boat can be challenging, especially when wet. Also, a boat's surface can get quite hot on a dog's footpads, so check the deck's temperature often. Always have a shaded area for your dog to retreat to when needed. This is especially important for those daylong trips when the sun and temperature can become overwhelming for any dog (or person). Remember to bring plenty of fresh water and a bowl as well. There is never anything good about your dog drinking too much salty water while playing in the surf. For those of you who venture out to the islands, be alert for your dog's health out there as well. Again, your dog does not wear shoes (normally), and the beaches and shallow waters can contain sharp objects, from normal marine debris to the man-made variety. Monitor your pet at all times while in the surf and on the beaches. otherwise, your dog may bring back to you an unhappy hermit crab. Of course, be the responsible and courteous dog owner and always pick up your dog's feces . While enjoying the water and the waves with your dog, make sure he ' does not exhaust himself with swimming and chasing the surf. Remember, your dog truly does not realize that he has limitations and any dog can stay too long in the water, so be ready to set a time limit. Also, try to limit swimming during those times when the jellyfish are in large numbers. They will sting your dog. Another obvious danger of being on a boat is the hazard of fishing gear. Be sure to keep all hooks and bait far away from the mouth of your curious dog. Otherwise, you'll have one terrible trip home as the treble hook sways from your dog's lower lip. Unfortunately, I see this occur way too often. You can try to cut the hook out or at least lighten the weight. Just remember the barb on the hook usually will only come out in one direction. Since this article pertained mainly to boating in the Gulf of Mexico, you may want to get some more helpful information on all forms of boating with your dog. Go to BoatUS.com/pets for more tips. This article was originally published in the Sun Herald Newspaper, which serves the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast. Dr. Tracy Acosta is a veterinarian at Biloxi Animal Hospital
Engine care, part four - Lubricate your engine early and often!
Photo archive Johnson's Lee on Santa Rosa Island - 1977 -these structures were eventually removed
And finally, a photo of Don and our son Josh fishing off a Radon Sport 21 in the 1980's. We are amazed at how fast time flies - Josh is 29 and getting married on June 23rd! Radon Team is finished for now! See you next time! |