General Boating Articles

Working in galley sinks takes some practice. Most are small single bowls--some round, some square, some deep and others shallow. Mastering this comes with time and practice and a few tips as well.

A relatively new feature to consider before you just buy another VHF radio is to consider getting one with a remote microphone (all the features of the radio are located on the microphone including a readout). These models of radio have a hard wired microphone that can be located convenient to your helm with the main unit mounted somewhere out of the way.

"On your mark. Get Set. Go!" Is your boat going to be ready as soon as the season starts? Summer is not far away and there are a number of things you can do in the next couple of months to prepare your boat for the season. One is checking your flares and, if they need replacing, there are some things you should know.

Scott sent an email with an interesting challenge. We have boated for years with our dog but never encountered Scott's challenge because we didn't have an aft cabin cruiser then. We just used muscle each time the dog wanted on or off the boat. His question follows:

How do I get my dog from the Platform to the Aft Deck on my Aft Cabin Cruiser?

Quite often, boat buyers get caught up in buying their new boat without taking into consideration all the costs involved--both the one time costs and the on-going costs.

How much should you budget for your new or used boat so that you don't end up like the boaters in this horror story.

Biggest Mistake

Too many boaters make the biggest mistake at the Boat Show. They purchase the boat and are sorely disappointed later. All this could be avoided with a little homework ahead of time.

The biggest mistake people make is buying a boat, before they decide what activities they want the boat for. A few examples:

The kids needed a head, but the bowrider didn’t have one.

The cottage taxi boat didn’t have a big enough motor and was too bulky for skiing at the cottage.

The guy who fell in love with and bought a narrow beam mid cabin cruiser, but it wasn’t roomy enough for his family of "large" people. It looked suitable to him at the Boat Show, but when his family was aboard, it was tippy and wouldn’t perform under the load. Worst of all, it turned out to be an "excuse me" boat. Every time they moved, they had to say "excuse me" because of the small space. We know families this has happened to and they had to cut their holiday short and buy a larger boat to suit them.

The bed was too short leaving the feet hanging over the end.

There wasn't enough room for the knees when sitting on the head.

Don’t make this common mistake.

Don’t end up buying the wrong boat. It could cost plenty to trade.

Don’t waste valuable time buying a boat that doesn’t "FIT" your needs. How?

The  boating season is just around the corner and marine businesses are all displaying at Boat Shows to show you their new products.

Between now and summer is the time to take advantage of the winter Boat Shows to research and shop for your new boat and your nautical accessories. Some of you have already had an opportunity to attend a Show and there are many more planned across Canada, United States and Europe.

Manufacturers, Distributors, Suppliers, Dealers and Marinas are there to show you their products. It is a fantastic opportunity to view hundreds of NEW boats and accessories on display with knowledgeable salespeople to answer all your questions. Doing your research and shopping at a Boat Show can save you valuable time and energy--so take advantage.

First Mate 101

There is time before Christmas to order First Mate 101 either in printed format or digital download (that you can print yourself) and wrap for a Christmas Present for your First Mate.

Web Research

December is a good time, between Christmas shopping trips and office parties, to go on the web and research the various brands of electronics you’ve just gotta have for your boat next season.

The manufacturers of electronics, have tons of information on their websites for all their products like VHF with DSC, GPS, GPS combined with chart plotters, depth sounders, fish finders, compasses, radars, etc.

The more you can read about these electronics and know about them before visiting the winter Boat Shows, the better off you will be. You will be able to ask intelligent questions and make more knowledgeable comparisons of features, benefits and price.

As with the motors, I recommend that you hire the marina to winterize your water system, head, air conditioning etc., because it will be guaranteed against freeze up damage. If you do it, and it freezes, you not only pay, but risk the ridicule of the marina’s service staff and your neighbors. I personally know people who have “done that, been there”.

Empty and Remove

There are lots of detail jobs that each boater should do after the marina has finished. If you start with large plastic bins, empty all the drawers and cupboards of towels, clothing, bedding, life jackets/PFDs, charts and anything that will hold moisture and/or feed and house critters. Set mouse traps as insurance.