A Word from the Editor: Welcome to the ninth edition of the Lake St. Clair Network Newsletter. What a month it has been! Thanks to all of you, we've had a record month in terms of site visitors, pages viewed and hits! Let's not stop growing! We have many updates to give you. The 43rd Annual Detroit Boat Show at the Cobo Center was extremely successful for us, and we truly appreciate all the kind words of support we received. It was also an excellent opportunity for us to meet a lot of great people.

A warm hello to:
COTA Children's Organ Transplant Association
Regap Retired Greyhounds as Pets
Boy Scouts of America Detroit Area Counsel
The Clinton River Watershed Council

The Lake St. Clair Network staff is extremely excited to launch the new look of our home page. We’ve optimized the layout to enhance ease of navigation, all the while improving load times. We've added the classifieds to the home page for greater exposure, and condensed categories for easier access to information. A "Lake Level Now" button was added to the home page for convenience. Our FREE business directory is now completely automated. To add your business, just fill out the on-line form and select submit. Enjoy the
site and remember to spread the word.

Visit our parent company home page at Advanced Media Solutions.

Help wanted! We are always looking for content. Content provided can result in free advertising for your company or organization. Please E-mail me with suggestions or proposals.  If you are interested in becoming a Bulletin Board moderator, contact webmaster@lakestclair.net for more details.

                                                                     Wishing you calm waters
                                                                     and sunny skies....
                                                                             Captain Rob     
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Winner for January - Chris Johnson
Win a Lake St. Clair Network Cap!  Complete a Lake St. Clair Network survey and win a free cap. One winner will be selected each month and announced in our next news letter. Winner will be notified by e-mail. Click here to complete a survey!

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Enjoy these free services:
        
Attention Business Owners: Take advantage of our free services!!  Use the Bulletin Board as a forum to discuss upcoming sales or specials you may be running.  Post an event on our calendar letting our visitors know when something special is going on with your business.  Dealers are welcome to create unlimited classified ads with sound and pictures, so we encourage you to take advantage of this great free advertising opportunity.

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1995 -  Sunseeker 40 - Commanche
Power - TWIN I/O
Price - $149,900.00
Tel (800) 730-2628 - Dean


Options: This boat is loaded!
Call for details

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Clinton RiverWatch Programs

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DETROIT -- Sure, the two-toned Ford Thunderbird roadster and the 260-horsepower Nissan Z sports car you spied at the Detroit auto show last month were nice.    But neither of those beauties will get you across the Atlantic, let alone a lake. Daniel Mears / The Detroit News    Information: Michigan Boating Industries Association at (800) 224-3008 or www.mbia.org.    For that you'll need to return to Cobo Center and buy something at the Detroit Boat Show, which runs from Saturday through Feb. 18.    Gone from the cavernous hall are the water-challenged autos and trucks and taking their place are 1,000 new models of ski boats, cabin cruisers, bow riders, pontoon boats and personal watercraft.    Despite the slowing economy, boat dealers say they're expecting a robust year.    "That doesn't necessarily affect us," said Pete Beauregard Jr., owner of Colony Marine in St. Clair Shores. "We're in good shape going into the show."    More troubling for the industry would be high interest rates and low lake levels, but neither are a concern right now.    Interest rates are dropping and boaters proved last year that low lake levels would not stop them from traversing the state's waterways, dealers said.    "There was plenty of boatable water," said Van Snider, president of the Michigan Boating Industries Association. "People were having a great time."    Michigan, with its 11,000 lakes, has become synonymous with boating. It has more boat registrations than any other state, passing the 1 million mark in December.    Organizers expect 120,000 people to visit Cobo Center in the next nine days as 300 exhibitors kick off the boat-buying season.    Dealers say that one-third to one-half of their yearly business is generated at the show. Customers buy boats during the show or in the months afterward.    Unlike the auto show, the products on display can be immediately purchased with on-site financing.    "The show is very important to sales," said Dan Simmerer, brokerage manager for Miller Marine Yacht Sales in St. Clair Shores. "There's terrific traffic, and we got a lot of exposure."    The boats range from 8-foot inflatable dinghies to the 54-foot Sea Ray 540 Sundancer with a price tag of $950,000.    Dealers say they've seen a drop in purchases of less expensive models, but it has been offset by a rise in sales of bigger boats.    They hope to top last year's show sales. Some 2,420 boats were sold for $58.2 million, compared with 2,800 boats for $60 million in 1999.    Dealers blame the media for the drop in sales, saying stories about low lake levels discouraged potential customers last year.    "Be positive and upbeat, will ya?" Simmerer asked a reporter. "We expect a great year."     You can reach Francis X. Donnelly at (313) 223-4186 or fdonnelly@detnews.com.

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COOKING
   
Cooking Instructions:
First, drain the oysters and reserve 3/4 cup of the liquid. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the shallots, and saute until tender. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually add the reserved oyster liquid and the half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Add the oysters and cook 5 minutes or until done. Stir in salt, pepper, and vermouth. Garnish and serve immediately. 
   
Serves 8-10

Source: Coastal Living, Nov./Dec. 2000

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Defogging: During fall layup you should have coated the cylinder walls, rings and other internal parts with sticky, rust-preventive oil. To expel this fogging oil, first remove all the spark plugs and then crank the engine through several revolutions. Wipe each spark plug's electrode and insulator dry, then replace.
   

Deck Hardware: See: cleats and chocks, stanchions.

   
Decks: Fiberglass decks will need a good scrubbing after all mechanical work on the boat is done. Teak decks should be thoroughly wet down, then scrubbed with a mild, one-part teak cleaner (use two-part cleaners that contain acids or caustics only if necessary - they tend to raise the grain).

   
Depthhfinders: Reinstall the unit and run it for at least an hour. Recalibrate if necessary by checking actual depth in shallow water with a lead line.
   

Dinghies: Inflatables should be pumped up and tested for air leaks. Apply patches where needed, then give dinghy a good washing - inside and out. When dry, apply one of the preservatives that are sold for this purpose. Rigid dinghies should be scrubbed clean, then repainted and revarnished as needed.
   

Docklines: Examine the full length of each line for signs of chafing or wear - especially the loop at the end. If not done previously, mark lines to indicate length and/or use (bow line, stern line ,etc.).
   

Doors: Lubricate hinges, locks and latches and tighten all hardware. Varnished doors should get a fresh coat of varnish before the season begins; painted doors should get a fresh coat of paint. Doors made of clear plastic should be washed with boat soap, then dried with paper towels and protected with a coat of marine wax.
   

Drawers: Open and close each one to make certain it slides freely. Remove drawer and vacuum off slides, then dust out the inside of the drawer. Wood drawers should be coated with shellac to prevent swelling.
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Q. Which Great Lake is the deepest?

Q. Which Great Lake is the largest?

Q: Where is the lake level at now? Above average, below average, or average?
A: Long term means

Q: In meters, where is the lake above sea level?  continuously?
A: 174.6 meters above sea level

Answers will appear in next month's Newsletter.