Blog
CHRISTMAS BELLS
on December 11, 2019
Traditions of Christmas Bells Bells, especially Church Bells, have traditionally been associated with Christmas for a long time. In the Anglican and Catholic churches, the church day starts at sunset, so any service after that is the first service of the day. So a service on Christmas Eve after sunset is traditionally the first service of Christmas day! In churches that have a Bell or Bells, They are often rung to signal the start of […]
GETTING COMFORTABLE ON YOUR BOAT
on December 4, 2019
Towels For After-Swim Drying Light colors reflect sunlight while dark colors absorb it. That absorbed light turns into thermal energy, making dark towels dry more quickly. Ideally, this gives you a dry towel rather than a damp one for your second dip of the day. Clear Vision Salt spray can quickly coat the lenses of eyewear. Dim vision is the result, often accompanied by eyestrain. An easy solution is a small trigger bottle filled with […]
CARVING YOUR BIRD
on November 27, 2019
Carving the Perfect Turkey Every year, countless families cringe as the annual carve the turkey debate rages on. So in the interest of harmony and Thanksgiving, here’s what the pro’s say. Six steps to serving the perfect Thanksgiving bird by Gerry Brown Carving, and serving, the perfect turkey Many beautiful Rockwellian Thanksgiving feasts have been spoiled when the golden brown turkey is hacked to pieces by an improperly trained carver. Whether you are looking to […]
STUFFING THAT BIRD
on November 20, 2019
LETS’ TALK TURKEY…. STUFFING THAT IS Many experts recommend baking the stuffing outside the bird, where it can easily be cooked to 165°F and is less likely to harbor bacteria. However, many people who grew up eating stuffing from inside the bird find it lacking moisture and flavor when it’s baked in a casserole dish, without the benefit of the turkey’s juices. Luckily, whichever method you prefer, there are ways to get around the problems. […]
WE SPEAK FOR THE BOAT
on November 13, 2019
An independent marine surveyor speaks for the boat. A marine survey is also a useful tool for buyers when negotiating price based on what repairs or upgrades the boat needs. And finally, insurance and lending companies that need to know the true condition and fair market value of a vessel often require it. Insurance company underwriters carefully read through a marine survey to make a determination as to whether the vessel is a good risk, […]
THE STATE OF MARITIME CYBER SECURITY
on November 6, 2019
In short, its not good, In June 2017 Maersk, the maritime transportation conglomerate (130 countries and 88,000 employees) was attacked by a malicious piece of computer code that infected computers rapidly and fatally. It was a destructive worm that destroyed all the data in the infected computer, for good. Immediately, employees around the world were ordered to shut down computers, some 800 ships were idled. It took three weeks and $300 million to get back to […]
HALLOWEEN
on October 30, 2019
THE STORY OF HALLOWEEN Halloween is one of the oldest holidays with origins going back thousands of years. The holiday we know as Halloween has had many influences from many cultures over the centuries. From the Roman’s Pomona Day, to the Celtic festival of Samhain, to the Christian holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days. Hundreds of years ago in what is now Great Britain and Northern France, lived the Celts. The Celts worshipped […]
DO YOU SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF BOATING
on October 23, 2019
BOATER’S ACRONYMS Boating is seemingly filled with undecipherable abbreviations. While most of these can be welcoming, landlubber friends can get lost in the often confusing and opaque jargon. The boaters coded talk can be exclusionary, or it might just jeopardize a passenger’s safety. For example, if the captain instructs everyone to “put on a PFD” so the boat can leave the dock, he’s concerned about safety. PFD stands for personal flotation device and it’s simpler […]
AVOID A COLLISION
on October 16, 2019
Even if you’re an experienced skipper, it’s not hard to occasionally misjudge the speed of another boat, especially when it’s still a safe distance away. Rather than make a series of last-second maneuvers, which don’t always work, you can use a hand-bearing compass or binoculars with a hand-bearing compass to asses the risk of collision. If your boat’s speed and heading are constant and the compass bearings are moving forward, the other boat should pass […]
THE ETIQUETTE OF ANCHORING
on October 9, 2019
Few boat topics are as likely to generate strong opinions — and colorful language — as anchoring. Volumes have been written on how to anchor and which anchor works best. But to hear some of the comments at the dock, there’s precious little written about the etiquette of anchoring. Come In Slowly Anchoring is kind of like moving into a new neighborhood. You want to make a good first impression so your new neighbors will […]