Jim Cress, president of Nordic Tugs, and his wife Stephanie announce their intentions in giant letters on the flying-bridge fascia of their Nordic Tug 52���Big Fun, the boat���s christened name. To prove that they aren���t joking, they set sail from San Diego in December 2005, bound for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, about 5,500 miles and 39 days away. Harbor hopping along the west coast of Mexico tries the skipper���s confidence like few other passages.

The other evening I ran into an industry friend who was looking for a different boat. For someone in-the-know his knowledge of buying and selling was surprisingly lacking. It convinced me that everyone buying a used boat should consult a broker.

It was time to come in out of the sun, so to speak,��� said Jim Fuller, owner of the Nordhavn 43 Summer Skis.���We put in our time in the rain and cold and foul-weather gear.���

Marge and Jim Fuller aboard their Nordhavn 43 Summer Skis. A similar 43 (above) cruises along at 8.5 knots.