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This article orignally appeared in the print editions of the both the Stamford Advocate and the Greenwich Time

Web site anchors new boat buyers in resources

by Richard Lee - Staff Writer, The Stamford Advocate 11/16/00

When Andrew Canepari went shopping for a boat last year, he quickly realized that he needed help in making the right choice.

In today's world of instant access to information, he went to the Internet, but soon found that instead of finding quick answers, he had to navigate his way through a convulsing sea of Web sites - each with some flotsam and jetsam of information.

Instead of a pleasure craft, Canepari at times thought he needed a lifeboat. So, he did something about it.

A former director of marketing for PCFlowers.com, Canepari has extensive experience in developing Internet Web sites. He put his knowledge to good use in creating a Web site to help aspiring boaters like himself, find information on buying their first boat and learn about training requirements.

The result was FirstBoat.com.

Canepari said he developed the Web site after learning first-hand how bewildered a novice boat-buyer can become when trying to find information on the Internet. "I was looking all over the Internet, and the information wasn't all in one place, so I saw the opportunity. I simply started to put them on my site to help other new boaters," said Canepari. "There's a lot of stuff out there, but not a lot for people just getting into it."

First, however, he had to purchase the domain name for his Web site. What better choice than the name of his boat, a used 26-foot Chris Craft Express Cruiser that he bought last year? "Typically, people name a boat after their personality. I looked on the Internet and found that FirstBoat.com was available," said Canepari. "So, I bought the name."

In the past few months, Canepari has beefed up his Web site, adding information from boat manufacturers and sources such as David Pink, president of Gateway Multimedia in Vancouver, BC, Canada, a company that produces recorded material on boating safety. Canepari is working on plans to sell advertising on his Web site and is considering having boat manufacturers pay a fee to have him link prospective boat shoppers to their dealers. Interest in the Web site has been steadily growing among boaters around the world. "I get a couple hundred thousand hits per month. There are hundreds of sites linked to me," said Canepari, who offers boating products and magazines. Canepari also has started inviting boaters to send him stories about their experiences in buying a boat and boating. He recently received an e-mail from a devotee in Australia.

His interaction with Pink has provided the Web site with crucial information about boating safety and navigation - something that is hard to find on most sites.

Most first-time boat buyers, buoyed by the excitement of purchasing their first craft, forget about the more serious considerations of learning the rules of navigation and safety, said Pink, a former instructor in the Canadian Naval Reserve. "I've done a lot of boating over the years. A lot of people buy their first boat naively. They find the water is a risky environment. Andrew and I shared our views on that," Pink said, commenting that since Canepari's niche is first-time boat owners, the match was ideal. "He has an entire page on navigation safety. I give him good marks for taking a responsible approach to boating, rather than just selling things. I wish there were more people like him."

Canepari, unfortunately for him, has become a customer of his own Web site.

After encountering engine trouble with his boat, he was forced to sell it, and now he is in the market for a replacement. The experience helped him realize the popularity of the Web site. The buyer was a reader from Ireland. "We negotiated via e-mail. He wired me the money, and I mailed him the certificate of sale," said Canepari. "I don't know how he shipped it across the ocean."

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