The surprisingly strong January employment report last week was a welcome sign of improvement in the overall U.S. economic picture. The timing couldn’t be better, with the Miami International Boat Show and the Yacht & Brokerage Show starting next Thursday, Feb. 16. (Read More…)

A nice “made in America” story surfaced last week in North Carolina. (Read More…)

Captain of your ship. Captain of your company. Are there lessons to be learned from the captain of the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia, who has been dubbed “Capt. Coward” and the “Chicken of the Sea” for leaving his ship before all of the passengers and crew? (Read More…)

Several weeks ago, I was standing in C&C Marine’s plant in Bristol, R.I., with Charles Tasso, looking at a new but uncompleted NorthCoast 21 Express that was supposed to make it to the Providence (R.I.) Boat Show. (Read More…)

Creative destruction is reshaping businesses large and small. In some cases, the phenomenon is shaking up entire industries. (Read More…)

“So what do you know about business?” (Read More…)

“I called to the other men that the sky was clearing, and then a moment later I realized that what I had seen was not a rift in the clouds but the white crest of an enormous wave. During 26 years experience of the ocean in all its moods I had not encountered a wave so gigantic.

“It was a mighty upheaval of the ocean, a thing quite apart from the big white-capped seas that had been our tireless enemies for many days. I shouted, ‘For God’s sakes, hold on! It’s got us!’ ” — Sir Ernest Shackleton, “South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage” (Read More…)

Like crew aboard a ship about to get under way, you could feel the thrum and vibration as the diesels were started and then idled for a period. After the tugs eased her into the channel, the ship slowly picked up speed and gathered momentum. (Read More…)

The nautical metaphors were flying fast and furious Sunday night during Steve Kroft’s interview with President Obama on “60 Minutes.” (Read More…)

A bit of good news from Cairo, Ga., where the Seminole Marine Group last week hired back its 100th employee. (Read More…)