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Posh boats ride a rising tide (St. Petersburg Times)

**By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoor/Fitness Editor**

Thursday, November 29, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG -- You know marine manufacturers must be feeling good about the
economy when the hottest thing at a local boat show is a 27-foot yacht tender
that costs more than most people's home.

"We are definitely going after that upscale market," said Ken Rawley,
spokesman for the Hacker Boat Company, manufacturer of high-end, mahogany
speedboats in Silver Bay, N.Y. "We are targeting people who have an
appreciation for classic or retro styling."

The Hacker-Craft, a longtime favorite of European princes and movie stars,
looks like it would be more at home on a northern lake than the fickle waters
of the Gulf of Mexico. But Rawley said the special Tommy Bahama edition
Hacker-Craft, with a price tag of $329,000, could be a big seller in a market
such as St. Petersburg, which is hosting its annual power and sailboat show
this weekend.

"This is a beautiful city with a great waterfront," he said. "We think it
holds great promise for us and that is why we are here."

Rawley isn't the only one optimistic about Florida's marine industry. Danny
Grant, spokesman for Show Management, which produces ...

St. Petersburg Times