Skills
Swimming Around Boats
For most of us, swimming and boating go hand in hand. Swimsuits, towels, noodles and inflatable rafts are standard equipment aboard our craft, with the more adventurous packing snorkeling and scuba gear to enjoy time under the waves as well as up on top. Swimming from the family boat is so popular in some Heartland […] Read More
The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways
Exiting a Sinking Boat
I belong to a club, one composed of those who’ve had to abandon ship. Membership is simple: Just believe, as I did 30 years ago, that basic boat maintenance and responsible navigation are for wimps. Sure, there are unforeseen situations — semi-submerged debris or inexplicable equipment failure — that can cause a vessel to go […] Read More
Functional Finesse: Using Your Marine Electronics
According to manufacturers, the majority of boaters with electronic chart plotters use only a fraction of their unit’s capabilities. They can turn it on, they can move the cursor to a waypoint and they can press “Go To.” But every piece of marine electronics can do lots more, if you just let it. Steering Director/Cross-Track […] Read More
Choosing the Right Fuel
I hardly need to tell you about the importance of proper boat maintenance, and I certainly don’t need to tell you about the enormous amount of time, energy, and money that go into it. But I will tell you about an often-overlooked element of proper boat maintenance that could help you save on all three […] Read More
Marine Electronics: Needs Versus Wants
Does your boating consist of taking your family out on the lake or bay for a day or two at a time? If so, do you really need to mount a cutting-edge multifunction display in your dashboard? No, probably not. Depending on the size of your boat, and where and how you use it, you […] Read More
Being Boarded by the ‘Water Cops’
It had been a peaceful run from Ft. Pierce down to Stuart and into the St. Lucie Canal. As I was casually homing in on the quick-flashing red halfway across Florida’s Lake Okeechobee, we were lit up by a gazillion candlepower spot from outer space. By the time I bounced down from the overhead, the […] Read More
Tested: GoPro Hero4
These days, GoPro cameras are everywhere, as are their images on the Internet. The waterproof marvel was originally developed about 10 years ago by a couple of surfing enthusiasts. We aren’t surfers. Our idea of outdoor fun is a leisurely sail aboard our boat, but we acquired one of these nearly indestructible little devices last […] Read More
The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways
How to Tow Like a Pro
As sales of tow boats and participation in tow sports continue to grow, it’s important that the operators of watercraft employed to pull everything from skiers to tubers are educated on how to keep things safe and fun. Because, even though the skier/rider and the spotter have responsibilities, it’s ultimately the driver who is captain […] Read More