Keeping your dog safe and happy on a boat means preparing in advance with a dog life jacket, dog-friendly water toys and more. The first time I took my dog on a boat, I learned with our first steps onto the dock that dogs experience things differently than people. We walked onto the floating dock,…
Test more than 90 boats, as our test team did in creating this year’s Boat Buyers Guide, and certain patterns emerge. For one thing, the outboard continues its rise in prominence. It began when new emissions regulations drove up the cost of sterndrive and inboard engines. For the longest time, a sterndrive was the best…
BOAT-TRAILER BREAKDOWNS Proper boat-trailer maintenance will help you avoid a breakdown. By Rich Johnson At the top of the launch ramp, the trailer suddenly lurched and fell slightly to one side. In the side-view mirror, I could see one of the wheels cocked at an ugly angle. The axle had broken just inboard of the…
Part of the beauty of boating is that it’s an enjoyable activity for just about all ages. I played on my grandfather’s boat in his backyard as a toddler and soon graduated to day-long bay fishing expeditions in search of “Big Charlie” on my dad’s boat. My husband and his brothers spent their summers canoeing,…
The boat-buying process is not overly complicated, even for a first-time buyer, but it’s still wise to know the steps involved. Every boat deal is different, but there is a general process buyers should be familiar with before purchasing a sport-fishing boat. As I mentioned in a previous article, brokers are quite helpful throughout the…
10 Ways Boat Trips Are Good For the Soul Boat trips are just plain good for the soul. The sense of peace and tranquility that can be restored to you while gently rocking on the waves is undeniable. Although, if you need more reasons to take a boat trip, or are trying to convince someone…
The start of the year is a great time to inspect your safety gear. For many boaters, January is a period of downtime, and that makes it a great month to inspect and update safety equipment — particularly if you have pulled it off the boat for winter storage. Here is my suggested 10-point checklist,…
As in any human endeavor, the first few seconds of an activity often prove fraught with distraction, and fellow boaters leaving a fuel dock are not exempt from this fact. Running the inlet, navigating the channel, backing into the slip: So much of what constitutes seamanship involves forging ahead with confidence. (Poetic license allows me…
There are many different kinds of motorboats, each with their own specific traits and designs. Learn all about powerboats right here. There are many different types of motorboats, from small runabouts to superyachts, with a vast array of hull shapes, construction materials, and propulsion systems. Sometimes referred to as powerboats, motor yachts, or superyachts (typically…
Inboard Boat Engines Are Not Car Engines I’ve talked a lot in this blog about the differences between boats and cars — how they’re built and serviced differently, and how their wiring and other replacement parts are not the same. There are also critical differences between marine inboards and car engines, so before you let someone tell you that a crate…