Nov 3, 2020
Furuno USA is mourning the passing of Commercial Sales Representative Jeff Shield. Jeff passed away on October 20th, following complications from a recent medical procedure.
Jeff was a Delaware native son, always drawn to some kind of service. He joined the USCG at a very young age and worked his way up to Senior Chief ET. In his 21 years of service, Jeff provided mentorship to many young sailors and contributed to the education of many chiefs who followed him. Even during his active USCG service, Jeff found ways to be of service to his community, studying for and passing his EMT exam in his twenties and serving as a volunteer paramedic on a Long Island ambulance crew during one of his deployments. At Furuno, Jeff established a substantial body of technical work as a Marine Service Engineer, performing service and repair on everything from merchant vessels to cruise ships, as well as the many different boats and ships of his "alma mater" Coast Guard fleet. For the past five years, Jeff brought his considerable knowledge and expertise to the Furuno USA sales department as a Commercial Sales Representative for the East Coast and Great Lakes regions. During those five years, Jeff contributed mightily to the fleet navigation retrofit of the Canadian Coast Guard and the fleet renewal of Doppler Speed Logs for his beloved USCG.
Jeff was well-traveled, having cruised extensively in his years, and recently completed multiple cross-country driving adventures, all in service to and in the company of good friends. Jeff always loved a good party and could often be found enjoying a meal with friends and family. Jeff's passing leaves a hole in his family's hearts, and those of his many friends and co-workers here at Furuno. More than just a business associate, Jeff sparked real friendships with so many of those he touched.
FURUNO USA MOURNS THE PASSING OF JEFF SHIELD - COMMERCIAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE
The Importance of a Sea Trial
I am frequently asked if I think it's important that a marine surveyor attend a Sea Trial when one of our clients is buying a used boat. In very simple terms, not including your marine surveyor on a Sea Trial is a failure to complete the full marine survey. Many buyers believe they are obtaining a marine survey in order to make sure they can get insurance on the vessel they are buying.
Once the buyers receive their marine survey reports however, most realize that the surveyor sees deeper into the condition of the vessel. Often, the surveyor finds a number of items that that the prospective buyer has overlooked.
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Changing Scene
Open now! Nova Scotia & New Brunswick Boat Shows Unite for New Maritime Boating & Outdoor Digital Marketplace
Many businesses have had to be creative and find new ways to offer their services because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Halifax International Boat Show, Moncton Boat Show, and NB Sportsmen & Fly Fishing Show normally take place each winter, but the 2021 editions of these events have been postponed to 2022.
In an effort to keep boating and outdoor enthusiasts connected with the show’s dealers and exhibitors, the event organizers have moved to an online platform: The Maritime Boating & Outdoor Digital Marketplace.
VERATRON DEBUTS SMALLEST N2K GNSS ANTENNA
At a mere 2.4" in diameter, the Veratron GO is the smallest NMEA 2000® certified GNSS antenna on the market. Truly plug-and-play, the high-performance integrated GPS, GLONASS and Galileo receiver is available in two navigation models and a Bluetooth version for monitoring onboard networked systems.
Starting off the series is Veratron GO GPS, the satellite-only version. Alternately, Veratron GO Data offers a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) gateway that enables users to monitor engine, battery, navigation and other vessel performance data on Veratron's new NavDash mobile app.
Vesper Appoints U.S. National Channel Manager to Drive Sales of the Award-Winning Cortex Product Line
Vesper Marine, manufacturer of innovative marine safety and communication products, has announced that due to rapid growth in the vital North American market, Damien Frye, based out of Seattle, Washington, has been hired as U.S. National Channel Manager.
"We are thrilled to welcome Damien to the Vesper Marine team as U.S. National Channel Manager,” said Jason Young, Vesper Marine, Global Sales Director. “With an extensive resume in sales and service for marine electronics and safety products, Damien is well-versed in our product line, having previously managed our sales efforts in Alaska.
