Hoffmaster's Chaparral and Cobalt boats Woodbridge, VA

	Joe's Newsletter

JOE'S
NEWSLETTER
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LIFESTYLE/
DAYTRIPS
—Coles Point
—Tubing on the
—Potomac
—Minutes from the
—Marina
—Washington, DC
—Cherry Blossoms
—in March
—Tall Timbers, MD
—Tim's Crabhouse
—and Skiing
—Northern Virginia
—Boaters Group

PRESS RELEASES
—Chaparral
—Cobalt

FAMILY PHOTO GALLERY

Welcome Back
Looks like spring is just around the corner and already the marina is running at full speed. Although it's still too cold to get to a lot of things, we've already been through one boat show—which is a monumental task—did well and now we're preparing for the last show of the winter show season. The National Capital Boat Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Virginia March 7–9th. If it's anything like the DC show, there will still be some great values. There are even more incentives for buying at the show this year so if you are in the market, this should be your year to make a move!

Around the marina
We’re trying to finish up projects such as building finger piers on the remainder of the crossover slips, getting a second coat of paint on everything, sprucing up the bath house, and making the lift area more attractive to the eye. We're moving the handicapped parking to the other side of the store where there is better access. This includes the famed Mrs. H parking sign. That should open up a couple spaces closer to the action.

We have a full calendar of events cranking up and are looking forward to our second annual Newcomers Cruise to Cobb Island July 25-27th so save the date now! The Dock Crawl is already set for September 27th. We've also purchased a plasma screen for watching football games this fall in the store.

Chaparral Sunesta Wide Tech
This year brings the introduction of the Chaparral Sunesta Wide Tech. This is a new style of bowrider with some deck boat features mixed with the ultra-modern bow profile of an inboard tow boat. The boats ride fantastic and I think they represent some of Chaparral’s best offerings yet!

Get out and boat
Don't forget there are several ways to get with other boaters if you want to explore this year:

The Occoquan Yacht Club is an “open” yacht club. OYC and other clubs allow membership from all over—Prince William, Occoquan Harbor, Fairfax Yacht Club to name a few—creating a mix of people and a broad exposure to different ways to boat.
Your local pier bunch. Each pier it seems has a group or groups of regulars that want to raft up together and go on trips. By simply being on the pier and talking with these neighbors you can gain a vast amount of knowledge and also hook up with people that will show you exciting ways to boat.
Ask us! A lot of us have spent time on the river and would be happy to help you plan a trip or excursion that maximizes your time on the water.

Top 100
In November, Hoffmaster’s Marina was awarded by Boating Industry Magazine as one of the Top 100 boat dealerships in North America for the second year in a row. I am extremely grateful to be a part of the team that made this possible. It’s quite an experience to be fraternizing with all these great dealership owners and then all of a sudden realize you are one of their peers. We also recertified with the National Marine Manufacturers Association. The first year of certification you work on things like signage and having processes for major flows of the business. After that you work on maintaining these things but most importantly you work on the processes. Every time a customer has an experience that challenges the process for a given department we perform a process reveiw and modify. So these processes are living breathing things, not just a piece of paper. Going through this process costs a significant amount of money but it’s well worth it in terms of making everyone focus on the customer.

I'd like to close with words from my good friend Will Lieblein, General Manager of Port of Egypt Marine on Long Island who quotes Captain Jack Sparrow:

“It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails that's what a ship needs but what a ship is...
what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom." —Captain Jack Sparrow

I recently had a conversation with someone who is new to our sport. She was trying to understand why boaters become so rabid about boating. What is it that makes us so dedicated to our pursuit? That quote from Captain Jack is what came to mind first. My first taste of real freedom as a child came from the sea. The moment I pushed back from the dock and it was up to me to decide which way to point the bow, I knew I was in love. There are all sorts of things that you can do on a boat, fishing, skiing, cruising, or simply messing around. These are all fun to do, but there is also something lying underneath it all that calls to us. I had never consciously thought about where that Siren Song is rooted until I first heard Captain Jack articulate the thought so simply. It is freedom that we, the boating species, crave. Everything in our modern lives seems to conspire to plan our lives for us—our jobs, our children's after school schedule, weddings, graduations, confirmations, bar mitzvahs, barbecues and many other family commitments. Of course many of these events we wouldn't want to miss for the world but it just seems that there are too many of them. What we crave is freedom and spontaneity. A boat helps fulfill that craving—we get to choose which course to steer, what adventure to play out, and how we will do it. The sea may be the last place where that is not legislated out of our hands and I hope that never changes. So here's to hoping that you get plenty of opportunity to access our common freedom this coming season. I'll see you on the water!
YO HO!
Commodore Will Lieblein

HOFFMASTER'S MARINA, INC.
Welcome to the Family—Growing Since 1954
1214 Swan Point Road • Woodbridge, VA 22192 • Phone 703/494-7161 • Fax 703/494-8786

HOURS OF OPERATION
Sunday, 12 p.m.- 4 p.m.; Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m.- 4 p.m.