The long-anticipated St. Louis Boat & Sportshow closed Sunday, and I hope one of the HeartLand Boating team greeted you at Booth 1441. Here's how the booth looked:

Erin Quade at Booth 1441

If you attended, did you get a chance to see the Dock Dogs? How about the Antique and Classic Boat Society display? Click here to share your favorite part of the show.

Looking backwards, Elliot Free sent this cool shot from the Atlanta Boat Show:

Photo by Elliot Free

We don't want any scuff marks on that beautiful finish!

Looking ahead, still a few shows to come. Houseboat magazine reminds us that its 12th National Houseboat Expo is opening on March 5 in Louisville.

It's a must stop for lovers of the houseboat lifestyle.

Our contributor Dave Moritz brought our attention to the boat show he organizes, the "That Was Then, This Is Now" Muscatine Boat Show, running May 14-16.

Even though Boat Show season is winding down now, there are still some going on during the summer. Be sure to check our Boat Show Calendar online to stay up to date.

====================================

Correction

In last issue's News For Boaters, we provided the wrong name for the captain of the Gypsy Rose, a Carver transformed into a "pirate" ship. Please get in touch with Capt. Tim Woodson for more information about his plans, or call (341) 477-5658

HLB e-Updates regrets any confusion.

March is all about your life on water

Spring is here at last, and to mark the milestone comes the first print issue of 2010. Our March editions traditionally are about houseboats. Once more, Gary Kramer gives readers the lowdown after a tough year.

But this issue dives into other opportunities to become a liveaboard, too. Newcomer to HLB Jane Ammeson writes about the "Houseboats and Floating Cabins" of Indiana's Patoka Lake. Capt. Fred Davis tells of an ill-fated concrete boat--yes, he said concrete--whose owner had big plans about using as his family's home. Kramer, again, profiles Harborside Marina on the Illinois River. Its owner Ron Setina is building a year-round floating community of Harbor Homes and Harbor Lodges. Setina calls them "floating cottages;" they sit on a fiberglass catamaran hull.

On the lighter side, Pam McDanolds talks about her lifejacket-resistant dog, and Capt. Richard Eberhardt pictures show the Madisonville. La., Wooden Boat Festival. Here's his take on the Quick 'n Dirty Race, between boats assembled on the spot, from identical kits of plywood and screws:

Photo by Capt. Richard Eberhardt

A new feature, Cruise of the Month, debuts with an account by Tom Gladders about a locking-through that he cannot forget. No matter how hard he tries.

So look for the first issue of 2010! Coming soon to a mailbox near you.

HeartLand Boating's fully equipped Web site includes a Message Board for reader queries, but traffic to it slows down in the winter when most boaters store their craft.

Readers, who are the experts in this column, used e-mail links and subject headers to send suggestions for questioners. Questioner No 2 asked for advice about which boat longer than 21 feet would work best for river cruising while offering some comfort. Two boaters responded.

First boater:

I have cruised the Arkansas, Tennessee, Cumberland and the Ohio with several different boats from 18 feet plus. These were all at least week-long cruises and required that I trailer the boat. The most comfortable is my current Sea Ray 260 Sundancer. This boat has everything you need for cruising. The last trip we made was down the Tennessee with four adults. The boat has a generator, head and galley. All meals were prepared onboard and when it got hot we fired up the gen and A/C. Top speed is about 40 with the load and we cruised at 23-25. The boat, trailer and gear is around 10,000 pounds and the boat has a 8-foot beam.

Second boater:

We have a C-Dory 25. It is a great boat for two at both inland and coastal cruising. We live in Gulf Breeze, Fla., and are planning a trip up the Tenn-Tom to Nashville in August of this year. You can ask questions at this site. It has a lot of information and a lot of people will to help you decide what you need.

Third boater:

We have had lots of experience going down inland rivers in the U.S. We needed a trailerable boat to get to navigable rivers. After buying Catamaran Cruisers' 30 houseboat (Lil Hobo), we were able to do most of the rivers. It could sleep four adults. However, its high profile and length made it a challenge to tow. So last year we purchased a Nomad 25 houseboat and just love it! You can sleep four adults but it would be a bit tight.
    Everything is a trade-off. If you want seaworthiness, quarters will be a bit tight. If you want more space and comfort, you lose seaworthiness. We think the Nomad is a compromise of both.

Two dealers also offered alternatives.

Karen Schuler of Trawlers Midwest Inc said, "the Ranger Tug 25 sounds like the ideal boat for this person. It sleeps four and has a beam of 8 1/2 feet, so is legally trailerable in every state of the U.S."

Warren Lloyd of Nomad Houseboats said, "For river cruising and portability, its hard to beat the Nomad. The Nomad 25 is equally suited for camping as well as boating. It's a true live-aboard on land or water."