Some days, make that every day, it pays to pick up the phone.

Here’s what I mean:

A big part of my job and how I do it is making phone calls. Unless I’m following an ongoing story, tracking an upcoming event or working on a specific magazine assignment, I wake up every day to a scary-blank screen. I’m not sure where I’m going. So I pick up the phone and start dialing.

One of this Wednesday’s phone calls led me to Terry Sobo of Nor-Tech Performance Boats, where I learned that the company’s second 80-footer, different from the first one in that its cockpit is completely open, was going to hit the water in four to five weeks. I wrote up the story and posted the link on offshoreonly.com, where it definitely attracted attention.

Among those who read my piece was Doug Valentine, whom I got to know ten years ago through Donzi Marine. Seems the buyer of the new Nor-Tech Super 80 Roadster is a client and friend of Valentine’s, and that prompted Valentine to send me an email inviting me to be on the boat for its first sea trial.

That’s an offer I’d be an idiot refuse and—trust me—I’ll bring you all the detail when it happens.

Valentine also mentioned that another client of his has a 50-foot Mystic Powerboats catamaran with twin 1,900-hp turbine engines in the works. Production should be complete in July—I confirmed this through a phone call this morning to John Cosker of Mystic. The boat, which is owned by Cameron MacDonald, will hit the water for the first time in Monaco. Top speed is estimated to be more than 200 mph.

Valentine invited me to that sea trial as well.

That’s another offer I’d be an idiot to refuse—but not one I’m sure I can afford. If it happens—trust me—I will absolutely bring you all the details. (And if the cat gets anywhere 200 mph—trust me—I won’t be on board. Too much for me, thanks.)

Regardless, it paid to pick up the phone this week. It was always does. And now it’s time for a weekend.