A Movable Feast

There are a handful of things that make an evening out exciting. There’s food. There are friends. And then there is the spice of adventure, of trying something new and unexpected.

That is the theory behind the progressive dinner, a dinner party that calls for the partygoers to move to the next course as opposed to having the next course brought to them. Think of a suburban neighborhood where three or four or more couples move from one house to another, experiencing not just new dishes at each, but a different ambiance, a singular spark.

As Ernest Hemingway said of Paris, it is a moveable feast. And such a feast works equally well on the water with a progressive dinner brought dockside and enjoyed on the boats of friends and neighbors.
Progressive dinner parties can be tailor-made for the adventurous, with each household striving to present a dish that’s slightly out of the ordinary. And the experience is equally exciting whether on land or on the water. If you’re hosting on a boat, you want to prepare courses that are easy to make, easy to cook and, if possible, can be prepared ahead of time. Combining these three criteria with an even more important one—the food must be delicious—makes for some fun planning and inventive cooking.

So long as you have access to a cooler and a grill, these ideas for appetizer, entrée and dessert will impress your friends and influence your taste buds!

MarineMax Fishing Team Sponsors Mako Mania

June 17, 2014 – Brick, NJ – MarineMax Brick announced today that the MarineMax Fishing Team will be a sponsor for the Greater Point Pleasant Charter Boat Association 29th Annual Mako Mania Tournament. The MarineMax Fishing Team will also be competing in the tournament on a 2014 Sailfish 320 Center Console with special graphics on the sides.

The competition is a 2-day tournament and boats entered may only fish one day, either Saturday, June 21 or Sunday June 22. Crews can elect to fish both days with the tournament’s 2-day option. Boats fishing both days must pay double the entry fees and will be given 2 boat numbers, one for each day.

The Captain’s Meeting will be held at Manasquan River Club on June 20th at 6:30. The weigh-ins will be from 4 PM – 7PM both fishing days and will be at the Crystal Point Yacht Club. The Awards Party will be held on Sunday evening after the weigh-in.

“The Mako Mania tournament has long been considered one of the premier shark fishing tournaments in New Jersey,” explained Matt Cini, MarineMax Brick General Manager. “I am excited that MarineMax Brick is sponsoring and competing in this great event. I would encourage MarineMax customers to come meet the team and take a look at the cool graphics on the awesome Sailfish 320 CC.”

The tournament has been produced by the Greater Point Pleasant Charter Boat Association. Founded in 1981 to promote charter and recreational sport fishing, provide a leadership role to build and protect artificial reefs, cultivate youth and underprivileged participation and sponsor and support college student pursuing a career in a marine related profession. A percentage of the proceeds from the Mako Mania Tournament will be donated for artificial reef building.

MarineMax Fishing Team Sponsors Southport Inshore

June 16, 2014 – Wrightsville Beach, NC – MarineMax Wrightsville Beach announced today that the MarineMax Fishing Team will be a sponsor for the 2014 Southport Inshore Challenge, one of the Fisherman’s Post Inshore Tournament Trail. The MarineMax Fishing Team will also be competing in the tournament as one of the MarineMax Saltwater Series of tournaments.

”We’re thrilled to be coming back to Southport Marina for a third year, and Hank, Adam, and the rest of the Southport Marina staff are excited to once again give our participants the red carpet treatment—they support Fisherman’s Post and love the people that fish our events,” stated Max Gaspeny of the Fisherman’s Post in the tournament’s welcome message.
The competition is a single-day tournament targeting flounder and red drum. Awards will be presented to anglers who weigh the heaviest single red drum and heaviest two-flounder aggregate. There will be payouts for 8 places in each category, as well as heaviest fish by a junior, lady and senior angler.

There are four Tournaments within a Tournament (TWT) that anglers can elect to participate, single big flounder, single big re drum, two-flounder aggregate and one flounder, one drum aggregate. Boats can enter any TWT or all four to maximize their odds.

The Captain’s Meeting and Party will be held at the Southport Marina Friday, June 20, at 6 PM. Fishing begins Saturday, June 21 at 6 AM and weigh-in at the Southport Marina begins at 1 PM and boats must be in line by 4 PM to weigh fish. The Awards Party starts at 4 PM with the awards presented at 5:30 PM.

“We are really excited about being a sponsor and participating in the Fisherman’s Post Southport Inshore Challenge” explained Thom Cross, MarineMax Wrightsville Beach General Manager. “Being able to support the local fishing community by sponsoring this and other local tournaments is exceptionally important to MarineMax Wrightsville Beach. And being able to fish these great events is icing on the cake.”

MarineMax Fishing Team Will Vie for the Title – King of the Inlet

June 16, 2014 – Daytona, FL – MarineMax Daytona announced today that the MarineMax Fishing Team will be a sponsor for the King of the Inlet, third and final tournament. The MarineMax Fishing Team will also be competing in to become King of the Inlet on their Boston Whaler 320 Outrage with special graphics on the sides.

This competition is the culmination of a 3-tournament series of 1-day offshore tournaments. Species targeted are wahoo, dolphin and king mackerel with each boat allowed to weigh 1-fish per species. Cash prizes are awarded to the three heaviest fish in each category. There are also three separate categories in the “tournament within a tournament” that boats may enter.

The Captain’s Party is any interested angler’s last chance to register for the event. The party begins Friday night, June 20th at 6 PM at the Inlet Harbor Restaurant and Marina. Captain’s meeting commences at 8 PM where rules will be explained and questions answered.

Fishing begins at 6 AM, Saturday, June 21 and ends at 6 PM. All fish being weighed must be caught between these hours. All boats must leave and return through Ponce Inlet. The weigh station opens at 4 PM. All boats must check in at the committee boat by 6 PM to be eligible to weigh fish.

“Luck was not with our team the first two tournaments, but there still is opportunity to get in the money and even possibly win King of the Inlet,” explained Kimberly Machnik, MarineMax Daytona General Manager. “The best part of the King of the Inlet tournament is being around all the great men and women who are passionate about fishing offshore of Ponce Inlet.”

The Awards Banquet will be at Inlet Harbor Restaurant and Marina at 4 PM on Sunday, June 22. The restaurant is located at 133 Inlet Harbor Road, Ponce Inlet, Florida.

MarineMax Fishing Team Honors All Armed Service Members

June 11, 2014 – Lindenhurst, NJ – MarineMax Lindenhurst announced today that on June 8th their fishing team made the trek to Hudson Canyon, 100 miles offshore, to honor all the armed service members who defend America’s freedom both here and abroad.

Joe Svedi, a MarineMax customer, asked MarineMax Fishing Team’s Captain Kevin Graffagnino if MarineMax could do something special for a friend, Sergeant Adam Keeton, a U.S. Marine who has served 2 tours in Iraq and 1 in Afganistan. Kevin approached MarineMax Regional President, Matthew Barbara and MarineMax store General Manager, Joseph Clup with the request. Together they agreed to provide a special offshore experience on the MarineMax Fishing Team’s boat, a Sailfish 320 CC, to thank Adam for his service and in-turn honor all men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

“I had some previous experience fishing offshore in California, but nothing like this. It was the best day of fishing I could have ever dreamed of,” said Sergeant Keeton. “It was amazing, we landed 3 of the 4 bluefin tuna which we released and 7 of the 9 yellowfin one weighing almost 100 pounds. What a great time with some really great people.”

Along on the ride was another MarineMax customer Jim McAleavey. The pick-up crew worked well together and with Captain Graffagnino’s experience and knowledge, he was able to put the crew on the fish on a cool and sunny day over the Hudson Canyon. The Hudson Canyon is the largest known submarine canyon off the East Coast of the United States and one of the largest in the world, it is a natural haven for bait fish which naturally attract pelagic predators.

“It was such a rewarding day of fishing and I am so grateful for this opportunity to meet and get to know Adam,” Captain Graffagnino explained. “The men and women of the armed services sacrifice so much to protect us. It was a true blessing to have the opportunity to give little back.”

MarineMax Fishing Team Takes on the Star Island Shark Tournament

June 6, 2014 – Lindenhurst, NY – MarineMax Lindenhurst announced today that the MarineMax Fishing Team will be taking on the pros at the Star Island Yacht Club & Marina 28th Annual Shark Tournament. With over $300,000 in cash and prizes awarded in 2013, this year’s tournament is predicted to draw some of the best competitors in the Tri-State region, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The event kicks off with the Captain’s Meeting and Beer Bust Thursday night, June 12 at 7:30 PM. Fishing begins at Friday morning June 13 and continues through June 14. Both days boats participating in the tournament cannot leave the inlet before 6 AM and all boats must return by 6 PM on Friday and 5 PM on Saturday. The awards and buffet begin at 7:30 PM and includes live entertainment.

“The MarineMax Fishing Team is excited about competing in this prestigious event,” extolled Kevin Graffagnino, team member and Sales Consultant at MarineMax Lindenhurst. “Fishing off the eastern tip of Long Island is an experience like no other and Star Island Yacht Club, nestled in Lake Montauk, provides a premier venue for the competitors and spectators alike.”

The shark species targeted are mako sharks 125 pounds minimum weight, blue shark 200 pounds minimum weight and other species 150 pounds minimum weight. Other species include hammerhead, thresher and tiger shark.

In addition to the competition, all anglers are requested to contribute to the study of the shark by tagging and releasing sharks that do not meet the strict weight requirements. Last year over 250 sharks were tagged and released into the ocean.

MarineMax and NSB Billfish Invitational Award Two Scholarships

June 5, 2014 – Daytona, FL – MarineMax Daytona announced today that the MarineMax and the New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational have teamed up to award two $1,000 scholarships to deserving New Smyrna Beach High School seniors.

Each year the New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational raises money to provide scholarships to the New Smyrna Beach High School students showing an interest in fishing and conservation. This year, as a sponsor of the billfish tournament, MarineMax Daytona’s Store Manager Kimberly Machnik presented the scholarships at the Senior Night ceremonies to Julia Jones and Kathryn Losnes.

“It is always a thrill to present these scholarships to bright young students who have a penchant for fishing and concern about the sustainability of our precious aquatic resources,” extolled Jon Zeller, the New Smyrna Billfish Invitational tournament director, who accompanied Machnik at the presentation. “During the last 15 years our tournaments have raised over $145,000 for the New Smyrna Beach High School scholarship awards program and I am pretty proud of that.”

“New Smyrna Beach is my home town and I enjoy contributing to the benefit of New Smyrna and the surrounding communities,” explained Machnik. “It was an honor to present the scholarships to these exceptional students at New Smyrna Beach High School and I look forward to future opportunities to be a part of our unique community.”

The 15th Annual New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational will be held September 25 – 28, 2014. The presenting sponsors for the event are MarineMax and the Bonnier Group, publishers of the Saltwater Sportsman, Sport Fishing and Marlin magazines.

MarineMax Fishing Team Sponsors Charity Shark Tournament

June 3, 2014 – Brick, NJ – MarineMax Brick announced today that the MarineMax Fishing Team will be a sponsor for the First Annual Warriors for Warriors Charity Shark Tournament. The competition is a 24-hour tournament that will kick off at 7 PM on Friday, June 13, immediately following the Captain’s Meeting and continue to 7 PM on Saturday, June 14.

The tournament has been organized by Point Pleasant Beach/Brick, NJ local along with US Navy SEALs Rich Graham and Shannon Rusch who both have combat deployments worldwide. The tournament is a fund raiser for Operation Restored Warrior (operarionrestoredwarrior.org). Currently there is an average of 22 American combat veterans committing suicide each day. Operation Restored Warrior offers at-risk veterans a program to help recover and restore with the overall objective to prevent suicide.

The Captain’s Meeting and After Party will be held at River Rock Restaurant and Marina Bar. The weigh-in will be at the Crystal Point Yacht Club.

“When Dave approached me about being a sponsor for the Warriors for Warriors Charity Shark Tournament and explained the mission of Operation Restored Warrior, it became a priority to become a part of this charity event,” explained Matt Cini, MarineMax Brick General Manager. “The men and women who have served our country in battle deserve support and respect from all American’s. I am exceptionally proud that MarineMax Brick is playing a part of this great event.”

There are several ancillary fundraising events that those who are not entered into the tournament can partake. A Wine, Craft Beer and Spirits Tasting will be held June 4th, 2014 at 7 PM until 9 PM. A Bike Night Fund Raiser will be held at the on June 12th, 2014 at 6 PM until 9 PM. The Warriors for Warriors Charity Comedy Show is scheduled for June 13th, 2014 between 8:30 PM and 10 PM. An all-day fund raiser will be from 11 AM until closing on June 14th, 2014 and the Fund Raiser Dinner and Tournament After Party will begin at 7 PM and carry on through the night. All of the ancillary events will be held at the River Rock Restaurant and Marina Bar

MarineMax Fishing Team Takes on the Star Island Shark Tournament

June 3, 2014 – Lindenhurst, NY – MarineMax Lindenhurst announced today that the MarineMax Fishing Team will be taking on the pros at the Star Island Yacht Club & Marina 28th Annual Shark Tournament. With over $300,000 in cash and prizes awarded in 2013, this year’s tournament is predicted to draw some of the best competitors in the Tri-State region of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The event kicks off with the Captain’s Meeting and Beer Bust Thursday night, June 12 at 7:30 PM. Fishing begins at Friday morning, June 13 and continues through Saturday, June 14. Both days boats participating in the tournament cannot leave the inlet before 6 AM and all boats must return by 6 PM on Friday and 5 PM on Saturday. The awards and buffet begin at 7:30 PM and includes live entertainment.

“The MarineMax Fishing Team is excited about competing in this prestigious event,” extolled Captain Kevin Graffagnino, team member and Sales Consultant at MarineMax Lindenhurst. “Fishing off the eastern tip of Long Island is an experience like no other and Star Island Yacht Club, in the middle of Lake Montauk, provides a premier venue for the competitors and spectators alike.”

The shark species targeted are mako sharks, 125 pounds minimum weight, blue shark, 200 pounds minimum weight and other species, 150 pounds minimum weight. Other species include hammerhead, thresher and tiger shark. There will be prizes for the heaviest shark for the tournament, heaviest shark for day 1, heaviest shark for day 2, heaviest mako, heaviest blue shark and heaviest of the other species.

In addition to the competition, all anglers are requested to contribute to the study of the shark by tagging and releasing sharks that do not meet the strict weight requirements. Last year over 250 sharks were tagged and released into the ocean.

MarineMax to Host Free Seminar on Targeting Tuna, Dolphin and Wahoo

June 3, 2014 – Panama City Beach, FL – MarineMax announced today that their Panama City Beach store will be hosting a fishing seminar on how to catch tuna, dolphin and wahoo on June 14, 2014 from 9 AM to 11:30 AM. Each year the offshore fishing begins to pick up beginning in June and lasts through September and many consider this the best time to fish the Panama City area. This seminar is designed to provide tips and techniques that build angler confidence and disseminate methodologies to successfully catch tuna, dolphin, and wahoo.

The seminar instructor is our resident expert Tom Putnam, owner of Half-Hitch Tackle stores, who has been the fishing seminar instructor for 12 years now. He will share extensive expertise on catching these elusive game fish. Tom will detail the proper approaches using various rods, reels, tackle and bait. He will also coach on bait presentation and landing techniques for these unpredictable fighters. Printed materials will be handed out for future reference and professional vocalist Bob Fowler will provide entertainment during the halftime break.

“If you are a novice or simply trying to improve your game, this seminar will be informative and entertaining,” said Bob Fowler, sales consultant and broker, MarineMax Panama City Beach. “Even if you are a seasoned offshore fishermen you may glean new skills and learn some successful tips if you attend.”

The event is free to the public and attendees will receive special discount coupon cards good at any Half-Hitch Tackle Store. To reserve a seat, RSVP by Friday, June 13, 2014 to cassie.anderson@marinemax.com.