Blog
Beaching A Boat
on June 29, 2024
Many new boat owners want to beach their boat, and go swimming. I strongly advise to resist this urge. While driving the boat into shore with the outboard or stern drive trimmed up is the simplest approach, leaving your boat bow to shore presents some possibly serious drawbacks. It’s easy to get stuck. A falling tide, wind, or waves pushing onshore — or even a large wake from a passing boat — can easily leave […]
Warranty
on June 22, 2024
Many think that a warranty covers everything. But most warranties have limitations. Is my extended-service contract an extension of my manufacturer warranty? Sorry, Service contracts are insurance policies, often underwritten by third parties not associated with manufacturers. These contracts are moneymakers for dealers; some retailers can mark up contracts more than 100 percent over the actual cost paid to the service-contract company. A true warranty offers broad coverage and has the weight of state and […]
Fuel Leaks
on June 16, 2024
Fuel Leaks can be avoided Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you probably know that during last several years, ethanol has been added to gasoline. But did you know that ethanol can degrade older fuel lines much faster then anticipated. Even newer hoses don’t have quite the same lifespan. Degraded fuel lines get brittle and will eventually leak — and a leaking fuel line is a disaster waiting to happen. If your hoses are […]
Choppy Water
on June 8, 2024
Boating through choppy water, like most things in boating, requires a strong dose of common sense. Choppy Water Basics: 1. Batten down. No matter how skillfully you maneuver your boat, if loose equipment and just plain stuff litters the boat you may be in for an expensive experience, not to mention danger. Debris flying around a boat can damage the vessel and injure the people aboard. Simply stowing things into compartments is a good first […]
Cleaning and Maintaining
on June 2, 2024
The trick is to get cleaning and maintaining finished so you can maximize your time on the water. Everyone wants a clean vessel, but it takes some work. Waterline Wars Nothing’s worse than leaving the boat ramp with a dingy waterline stain, but there’s no reason to let that nasty stain linger. After hauling the boat, soak a sponge in vinegar and wipe down the water stains. Some will disappear immediately; usually what remains will […]
Marking Anchor Rode
on May 26, 2024
Came across this article with sound advice on marking your boat’s anchor rode. On today’s boats, electronic depth sounders have largely replaced leadsmen calling out the depth in fathoms, as related in Mark Twain’s “Life on the Mississippi.” But for anchoring, a traditional technology is still the best trick. That technology? Simply marking your boat’s anchor rode at regular intervals. Scope It Out Successful anchoring heavily depends on scope: the ratio of anchor rode to […]
Bells
on May 19, 2024
As early as the 15th Century, bells were used to sound the time onboard a ship. (Time, in those days, was kept with an hourglass). The bell was rung every half hour of the 4 hour watch. A 24 hour day was divided into six 4 hour watches, except the dog watch (16:00 – 20:00 hours) which could be divided into two 2 hour watches to allow for the taking of the evening meal. When the […]
Memorial Day Boating
on May 11, 2024
Memorial Day boating activities in Florida, offer numerous exciting options: Silent Disco Party and Fire Spinning Panama City Beach Captiva Cruises Sanibel Island Cruise Line (Sanibel, FL) Riverside Tours Inc (Palmetto, FL) Morning Star Sailing Charters (Key Largo, FL) There is no shortage of activities this Memorial Day. Plan accordingly. It’s now time we welcome the summer of 2024 with joy. Discover Memorial Day 2024 Services near you and all the amazing events to make it […]
Florida Boating Issues
on May 5, 2024
Its May, and though the weather is warm, Florida Boating Issues can start to gleam their ugly head. When boating along the Florida coast in May, there are several common issues to be aware of. Let’s dive into them: Red Tide Red tide is a natural phenomenon caused by an overabundance of a microscopic algae species called Karenia brevis. It can lead to toxic blooms that affect marine life and water quality.In the past, Florida […]
Using a Marine Surveyor
on April 27, 2024
Using a marine surveyor offers several advantages for shipowners, insurers, and the maritime industry as a whole. Benefits: Remember, marine surveyors play a vital role in maintaining the integrity, safety, and efficiency of maritime operations