Blog
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 […]
ANATOMY OF A MARINE SURVEY
on October 2, 2019
The Anatomy of a Survey Not all surveys are the same, but they generally begin by describing the boat overall. This part of the survey lists the year, make, model, hull identification number (HIN), and the basic specs of the boat, such as length, beam, and weight. It should also explain the scope of the survey, which describes the limitations. For example, it may say that hard-to-access areas were not inspected, that electronics were only […]
THE ART OF ANCHORING
on September 25, 2019
THE FINE ART OF ANCHORING Some lessons learned from a head-to-head anchor test. Based on an article in US Boat. For as long as humans have been floating around on the water in vessels, they’ve also needed a way to hold those vessels in place when not underway. One suspects that, from the very beginning, they have also argued about the best way to do that. And for as long as humans have been doing […]
BUOYS
on September 18, 2019
The two main types of Aids to Navigation are buoys and beacons. Buoys are Aids that float on top of the water, but are moored to the bottom of the body of water. Some have a light affixed to the top; some do not. It’s important to understand them and their purpose. A buoy with a cylindrical shape and a conical top is referred to is a “nun.” A […]
NEVER FORGET
on September 11, 2019
On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaida hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist […]
USING A GENERATOR SAFELY
on August 28, 2019
Generator Safety Tips Use proper care. Proper ventilation is critical to reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator’s engine exhaust. Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a common, serious danger that can cause death if generators are used improperly; this is particularly true when the fuel is not burned completely. Placement is key. Never use generators indoors or outside near windows, vents, or air intakes that could allow CO to come indoors. Keep other items […]
OVER NIGHT BOATING
on August 21, 2019
Begin any overnight adventure with a game plan and lots of prep. Beyond going through your preflight checklist to make sure everything on board is working, here are our own tips from many happy nights sleeping aboard boats both large and teeny: Pre-start. If you’re anxious about your first night on the boat, plan at least one overnight at the dock as practice. Pretend you can’t go ashore. Practice makes (hopefully) perfect. Sure, you know […]
WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
on August 14, 2019
REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY, TRAINING IS NEEDED According to 2013 statistics, the U.S. Coast Guard reports that collision with another vessel, flooding, collision with a fixed objects, grounding, and skier mishap are the top five types of boating accidents. The Top 10 contributing factors to accidents are operator inattention, improper lookout, inexperience of the operator, speeding, machinery failure, alcohol use, violation of […]