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r 26 saturday april j3 2002 economist sun stouffville tribune downsized executive launches a career in sails by amy west staff writer from bay street to the british virgin islands bill everitt has used his busi ness savvy to launch a successful and unique yacht charter company the former executive started xtc charters a company offer ing professionally skippered adventure vacations in the caribbean and great lake waters aboard a variety of modern iuxut ry yachts that can accommodate different group sizes and types of vacation c like to tell clients to think of me as a butler and guide they can heresponsible for as little or as much of the trip as they desire but what makes mr everitts company unique is the level of passenger participation and the fact adventure cruises are offered all yearthey sail south in the winter and north in the summer i like to teu clients to think of me as a butler arid guide they s can be responsible for as little or as much of the trip as they desire so ever dreamed of sailing your own yacht aboard ah xic charter boat you can hoist the sails steer the ship even run your own galley if you want to or you can sit back relax and enjoy the scenery while the crew does all the work its a good way to sail because clients can be in control but not be anxious because there is a qualified skipper on board at all times mr everittexplairied jcff hlotorobalary newmarket native bill everitt says the key to success with his yacht charter business is constantly developing new vacation destinations a newmarket native mr everitt began sailing as a hobby 20 years ago and after corporate downsizing in 2000 left him job less decided to turn his passion for boating into a moneymaking venture taking chances is nothing hew to mr everitt in 1973 he travelled 1200 miles from quebec to cape breton island in a horsedrawn covered wagon i did it for the challenge and my love of the outdoors said mr everitt who became a farrier after his travels i had trouble finding anyone to shoe my horse so i took cours es at an agricultural college out east and became a farrier and shod horses full time until 1982 in 1981 mr everitt moved back to ontario and began teach ing hoof care and iron work at seneca college in king in 1990 he started a corporate stint in the hightech industry initially as a management con sultant and then as a senior exec utive with a large company even then he began having visions of starting his own charter business in the caribbean i started sailing by chartering boats for summer vacations over time i acquired my advanced coastal cruising and my navigation standard certifi- cates with the canadian yachting and american sailing associa tions and im now in the process of finishing my us coast guard captains license my original plan was a 15- year one mr everitt said but after losing my corporate job i decided to move it ahead five years he bought his first boat a hughes 31foot yacht in 1993 today he has formed an alliance with various other char ter companies in the us and british virgin islands these alliances allow me to offer additional vacations with out purchasing more boats he said in addition to offering caribbean getaways xtc charters has expanded its busi- ness to cover the great lakes vacationers can sail the waters of lake superior lake huron or georgian bay for the more adventurous diehard sailor the voyager cruise offers nonstop sailing on a num- see business fage 27 cottage sales on upswing in region by jeff mitchell staff writer a redhot real estate market rock- bottom mortgage rates and plans for retirement are kindling interest in york regions cottage country according to local realtors i do see an increase in interest in these types of properties said jackie mceachem an agent with prudential renascent realty in sutton it seems to be at all levels of price range nationwide there has been a trend toward higher prices arid quicker clo sures on recreational properties accord ing to a report issued by remax the company sampled 40 markets across canada and concluded cottage sales are keeping pace with home resales and new home purchases with interest rates at their lowest since the 1960s home buyers are mov ing quickly to take advantage of financ ing deals the real estate market has been particularly vibrant in the gta where records are falling each month recreational properties are seen as blue chip investments by purchasers said pamela alexander ceo of remax ontarioatlantic canada leading theway arnong recreational property buyers are baby boomers look ing to invest in properties outside the city ms mceachem said most of them i wouldthink would be in the baby boomer age theyre all going to be retiring within the next seven to 12 years she said i think one of- the fnain things is theyre planners she said that group of people plans meirmrure city residents are looking for lake properties for second horhes and sum- mer residences ms mceachem said theyre also buying witn a view to living full time in the country after retiring georgirias attraction is it provides a rural setting close to the city she said lake simcoes south shore provides see wide page 27 1 i j i r i ft i is 1 1 vf if i i 1 l tf l 4 ma mi 1 j infcaatffti izwi v v v