Trans-Atlantic Dreams

Dr. Wayne Lee, chief medical officer with Phoenix Physicians in Fort Lauderdale, hopes to one day sail his "Glory Days" across the Atlantic. His Hinckley Bermuda 40 is a classic yacht with a yawl rig (two masts) often referred to as the Rolls-Royce of sailboats built in America. It is 40 feet long, 11 feet wide, has a fully equipped salon, galley and stateroom and sleeps six.

Lee paid $98,000 for "Glory Days" 20 years ago. Today, he says, it's "priceless."
He's sailed to Bermuda and the Virgin Islands, Antigua and Key West. He's also done two major offshore voyages on his boat, one through the Panama Canal and the other to the Galapagos Islands.

Hurricane Wilma dealt "Glory Days" a blow last year, and the boat has been in the yard for repairs for six months. But Lee says soon it will be as good as new, and he'll be planning his next cruise -- maybe that trans-Atlantic crossing. By Land or By Sea

What resembles a Fiat, has an English-built Triumph engine, seats four and floats? The Amphicar, a 1960s, German-made vehicle that's half-car, half-boat.

Miami immigration lawyer Joel Stewart says Amphicars fascinated him since he first learned about them. In 1998, he became a collector, purchasing his first for $10,000. Stewart says he wanted to own one in each of the original colors and now has a flotilla of four in various stages of repair.

On weekends, Stewart likes to take a spin in Biscayne Bay or motor over to Pompano Beach. He's even taken one out in the ocean. "They're very stable and don't tip," he says. Launching is easy; you simply drive down the boat ramp into the water. The doors have watertight seals. Once the car's afloat, a special transmission allows you to engage the propellers. The Amphicar can reach speeds of 65 mph on land and 8 mph in the water.

Today, Stewart's car is worth $40,000 to $50,000; one reportedly went for $100,000 on eBay. It's a quirky passion, he admits. "I suppose it brings out the child in all of us." Cruise Ships
Royal Caribbean is slated this month to debut what will be the largest cruise ship in the world. Named "Freedom of the Seas," it can hold more than 4,000 guests, has 15 passenger decks and a surf park complete with a wave-making machine. The ship will sail from Miami on seven-night western Caribbean itineraries. ... Luxury liner Cunard is planning to send its QE2 and Queen Mary 2 ships on simultaneous around-the-world voyages in 2007. Both ships will depart from Fort Lauderdale on the same date and sail initially side by side before taking different routes. This will be the Queen Mary's first around-the-world cruise and the QE2's 25th. The price: $21,195 per person for an 80-day around-the-world cruise. Specific legs of the journey start at $4,199

Yacht Shopping
Clearwater-based MarineMax, the largest boating and yachting retailer in the U.S., opened a yachting center last fall in Pompano Beach. Dedicated entirely to the luxury market, it features the largest collection of Ferretti brand yachts. Certified yacht captains are on hand to deliver the yachts and to provide personalized boat handling training to the new owners. The Pompano showroom is located at 750 S. Federal Highway.