General Boating Articles

A high percentage of boat owners have pets (some reports say 60%) and the majority, take them on the boat with them as part of the family —more dogs than cats.

Special considerations are required to feed, water, exercise and protect your pets while boating.

I remember when we had our collie aboard years ago. Dancer loved the water and occasionally she would...

Kids love to Swim. As responsible boaters and parents, we check to make sure it’s a safe area and supervise them so they can play and enjoy the water and their water toys.

Sometimes, they fall off the boat like our grandson Tyler. He wanted to put his feet in the water, so we let him sit on the platform and kick up a storm with a big grin on his face. But, he kicked too hard and fell in. We were right there, and as he bobbed back to the surface, Doug reached out and picked him up.

Tyler was a little frightened by the whole episode at first, and then he started the tale of his adventure. The more he told his story; the deeper he went down; the imaginary fish he was face-to-face with grew bigger and bigger; the time he was under got longer and longer; the more we laughed and the more he loved being in the spotlight.

We all have our stories and most are hilarious and funny. Sometimes though, the ending is horrific.

Following is a real life story written by Kevin Ritz. We share it with you with Kevin's permission linked to our article on Electric Shock.

We were a live-aboard family with three active children at a freshwater marina on a tributary of the Willamette River near Portland, Oregon. Other kids were already swimming in the cove because it was that kind of day— hot and lazy. This was a common practice by adults as well as children during the warm summer of 1999.

Our sons Ian, age 10, and Lucas, age 8, asked to swim with their friends. Permission was granted, subject to close adult supervision by parents including their mother, a graduate nurse. The boys were both wearing Type II PFD life jackets, so it was great fun and presumably safe to play in the water. Our children were schooled in aquatic safety. Being young professional people, my wife, Sheryl, and I had taken every precaution we could for peace of mind in a water environment.

Boating and swimming go hand-in-hand.

A refreshing swim on a hot humid day is a great way to cool off, whether out on the water and diving off the bow, or simply climbing down the ladder off the platform.

Teak surfing is popular in some places, where kids hang on to the platform of a slow-moving boat and ride the wake. Others like to go tubing behind the boat—that is being towed in a tube on a short line behind the boat. Some just jump into the harbour and swim around close to the boat.

Great fun! Not only at the time, but also for years to come as the stories are told and retold with excitement and a little exaggeration.

But, for too many, it’s a deadly story.....

A "must have" item on every boat is a First Aid Kit. Now is a good time to source one out or accumulate all the necessary items like bandages, cotton wool, tape, disinfectant, scissors, tweezers etc. and put one together yourself.

Some First Aid Kits come in hard covers while others are in a zip lock bag. Having a sealed container ensures the contents will stay dry and be ready when needed.

Get your kit ready now and check it off your list well ahead of launch day.

Now is also a good time to take a St. John Ambulance course so you will have the knowledge to use the contents in your First Aid Kit.

As you all know, cell phones have a short life and have to be replaced to keep up with technology. Doug’s phone started acting erratically one day, so we went to the local store and purchased a new flip phone with camera and all the extras. There was a hefty price tag attached, but the salesperson said we could get it free if he signed up for three years. He did.

Doug was so pleased with his new phone and later that day, we went down to the boat to test the signal. Because he hadn’t picked out a new “holster” (the phone didn’t fit the old one), he simply put it in his jacket pocket not realizing what would happen next.

A HIN (Hull Identification Number) is like a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on cars. It contains an optional Country code, the Manufacturer’s Identification Code (MIC), the manufacturer’s serial number and a date code. It consists of 12 characters. If the country code is included, the HIN is 15 characters long.

The HIN is located on the top right hand corner of the transom. It is against the law to alter a HIN. If you come across a HIN that is damaged or scarred or the letters and numbers are not all consistently clean and with the exact same format, then you should be suspicious that someone has altered or attempted to alter the HIN. I recommend....

“Can we go swimming in the harbour off the platform Gramma?” asked one of our grandchildren. “It is so hot and we just want to cool off”.

Like most harbours, there is a sign posted in Meaford “No Swimming allowed in the harbour”. But, like most harbours, no one pays any attention and kids and adults alike swim off the dock and their boats—especially in the heat of the summer.

Boaters reason that “There are no boats entering or leaving the harbour.” or “Our fairway has no traffic.” or “The water is clear.”, so it must be safe and into the water they go.

 Early Spring? - Splicing vs Shovelling?

Throw down your snow shovel and pick up a Fid. You'll be absolutely amazed how fast your winter blues will disappear, then before you know it, your boat will be launched and ready for boating.

Instead of battling the snow, get a head start on summer. Sit by your fireplace or woodstove creating new dock lines, fender lines and anchor lines for your boat. It's a great way to shorten winter, speed up summer and save money!

With a new set of lines, your boat will not only look better, it will also be safer and you'll be prepared for all docking scenerios and anchoring situations.

Every boat needs a good set of docking/mooring lines, and a second set of dock lines is a good idea. Why?......

At New Years celebrations around the globe, we welcomed the New Year POSITIVELY.

We wish a Happy New Year to all our boating families and friends.

All economic signs are indicating a growth in all things positive, so let's go out and enjoy boating this year.