Skills
Backing into a Berth
I know boaters who will calmly charge into the dead of night amidst soul-shaking weather to deliver a boat or catch fish. But, when they back into a berth, they become nervous wrecks. OK, sometimes that concern is justified, especially when squeezing between a pair of lawyer-owned goldplaters whose skippers are staring at you through […] Read More
The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways
Fuel Dock Etiquette
So this guy skids up to our fuel dock, wide-open exhaust bypasses rumbling away — the attendant had to ask him to shut down before handing him the nozzle — and casually wraps a line around a cleat and begins fueling. There was a bit too much slack, and the boat eased off the dock. […] Read More
Introduction to Wakesurfing
If you think you’re seeing more folks shredding boat wakes than ever before, you’re not mistaken. Sales of watercraft used for board sports rose 14.6 percent last year, outpacing the 8.5 percent increase in overall boat sales, according to research firm Statistical Surveys Inc. One of the newest and fastest growing sports is wakesurfing, in […] Read More
Getting Tubular
Tubing is the most popular tow sport enjoyed on the water today, with the nation’s leading manufacturer of marine “inflatables” offering more than 100 models designed to be pulled behind a boat. Mike Pleiss of Kwik Tek, which makes the Airhead and Sportsstuff brands, claims the popularity is due to how easy and enjoyable tubes […] Read More
Preventing Anchor Drag
Recently, two 40-foot cruisers left a delightful anchorage in Michigan’s Suttons Bay because they couldn’t set their anchors. They came to a full stop, dropped their hooks, deployed what should have been sufficient scope, backed off — and kept going. The most common anchoring error is just that. Essentially, the anchors and rodes formed massive […] Read More
Growing the Power Base
According to Mercury Communications Director, Steve Fleming, “The new 350 will be available in the U.S in March and in Europe in April.” When pressed about how big a market exits for such growing power, Fleming said, “Certainly the proliferation of bigger boats can benefit from it. With larger engines you can mount fewer on […] Read More
Fishing for Fall Stripers
One of the Heartland’s “gamest” fish gets especially active in the fall and is among the most widespread: Striped bass and its cousins can be found in water fresh and salt and come in sizes to suit every skill level. From pan-sized whites bass, to middleweight “wipers,” to lunker “‘liners,” the striped bass family is […] Read More
The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways
Boating in Fog and Low Visbility
We were an hour out of port when the fog settled in. I immediately implemented Stu’s First Rule of Gray-World Boating: Don’t go faster than half the forward visibility needed to bring the vessel to a dead stop. Theoretically, if another vessel is head-on, you should both be able to stop bow-to-bow and thus not […] Read More