Want to get away?

With all the negative news in the media, woudn't you like to have a day or two where you didn't have to hear about the market or political campaigns? Well, picture this - a beautiful sunset, temperatures in the low to mid 70's, the gentle sound of waves crashing and the crisp smell of the salty autumn air. Where is this you ask? Anywhere Tampa Bay. You can find it in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater, Sarasota, Bradenton - you name it.

We are so blessed with the area we live in because there are so many places to go to get away on a boat. Sure, you can take long trips to places you haven't been but the joy of boating is just getting away. Many times that can just mean an overnight stay at the marina where you keep your boat or anchoring up for the weekend at a favorite local island. Shoot, even the Intercoastal Waterway has plenty of spots outside the channel that you can anchor at and feel secluded. It's just like when you were a kid and you pitched a tent in your backyard. You weren't that far from home, but at least you were away!

These short vacations or "staycations" as they are sometimes called can be rather inexpensive no matter the company.
-If it's just you and the better half, it can be a romantic way to spend some "alone time". Pack a lite dinner, some wine and your favorite music. A Gulf sunset and a quiet night away can do wonders for a relationship.
-If you've been spending to much time at work and you are starting to forget what your spouse and kids look like, a weekend away with the family on the boat can make you a hero. Pull out a couple of those dusty board games you have, make some sandwiches and you've got a start to your weekend. Find an island that you're familiar with and the kids will be able to run off some energy. Bring a small grill and you'll not only be able to cook up some hamburgers & hot dogs, but you'll be able to make smores later on!
-If the day to day grind is starting to get to you and you are ready to blow off some steam, invite some of your friends to join you for a docktail party or raft-up. Grab your favorite livation, some good Jimmy Buffet tunes and start changing your latitude and attitude.

So if any of these fits your current state of mind, let your boat be the escape you intended it to be. And if you don't currently have a boat or are in the market for another one, Four Winns should be on your list. The Four Winns Vista cruisers are the perfect boats for these "staycations". From 25 feet to 50 feet, Four Winns has models to fit everyones needs. Enjoy all the comforts of home in the serenity of your tropical cove. If you'd like to look at the beautiful Four Winns line-up, just click on the link below:

http://www.thundermarine.com/brochure_search.asp?bsCID=1027&bsYear=2008&bsProdCat=807978&indid=1&

And if for some reason you still have to have contact with civilization, most cell phones and wireless cards work in the surrounding waterways - just don't let anyone else know because you might spoil their fun & relaxation!

Island Party Raft-Up Postponed

Unfortunately, due to the weather from Hurricane Gustav, we will be postponing our Island Party. We are certainly disappointed because we had a great bunch of boaters signed up. We plan to reschedule and will let you know as soon as we have a new date.

Thunder Island Party Raft-Up

Even though the official last day of summer isn't until September 21st, Labor Day weekend is always considered the beginning of the end of summer. And though we are blessed with great boating weather year round, we were thinking: what better way to welcome in the fall than enjoying the holiday weekend with our boating friends?

With that in mind, we are planning on having a Raft-Up Island Party Sunday August 31st. Nothing formal - just a fun day in the sun on the water. All Thunder customers are welcome so whether you own a runabout, yacht, performance boat or fishing boat, we hope you can join us.

We wanted it to be as close to St. Pete, Clearwater & Tampa as possible so we picked an island that is centrally located in Pinellas on the ICW just north of the Bellair Causeway bridge. The plan is to meet around 11 AM. We'll bring some sandwiches and everyone can bring a side dish and beverage of their choice. With the next day being Labor Day, why wouldn't you join us? For more details go to http://www.thundermarine.com/. We ask that you just fill out the quick registration so we know how many sandwiches to bring. We hope to see you there!