Nine tips for bracket-season boating. The weather may have cooled, but the passion to continue boating burns bright for many. Once fall sets in for good, the skies get bluer, the air gets crisper, and the crowds get thinner. Use these tips to maintain personal safety and convenience during the cold months. Wooly Bully The…
It Pays to Prepare There are a few things to be prepared for before you start trailering your boat even just to the lake outside town. Is your vehicle the right one for the job? Does it have enoughppower to tow? Is the ball size on your hitch correct (most are 2″)? And do you…
In his Seamanship column for Boating’s July 1960 issue, Elbert Robberson wrote: “In daylight, objects around you are easy to identify. They are big or little, short or long, round or square, and they appear very plainly to be bridges, docks, land, beacons, buoys, or boats of various kinds heading one way or another. But at…
Let’s be honest. Most of us pay far more attention to our tow vehicles than we do to its tires. In fact, according to Goodyear, consumer studies show that approximately 75 percent of us wash our trucks and SUVs once a month, while less than 20 percent of us check our tire pressure that often. We just…
CHOOSE THE RIGHT BOAT BATTERY Key features to look for when selecting a marine battery. The batteries for a performance boat undergo more punishment than those used aboard many other craft. The high speeds and often-rough water combine to foreshorten battery life. Here’s what to look for in a performance-boat battery — or really any…
From experienced BoatUS staff Always overdress, you can always take clothing off and weather conditions on the water are usually different than on land. -Dennis Rosen (50 year boater, 40 year sailor of small boats) Go slow, particularly when docking, and you’ll look like a pro. Slow is pro! -Ted Sensenbrenner (30 years near shore fisherman and off –…
Learning the basics of boat operation and safety is best done before your first trip to the marina or launch ramp. In fact, a number of states require powerboat operators to take a boating education course and carry a license or certificate proving successful course completion any time they’re underway. RESOURCES FOR YOU! The US…
More than just a bag of hot air. Two types of inflatables are deployed manually or automatically. All varieties are U.S. Coast Guard Type III devices and must be worn (not stowed) by anyone age 16 and older to be legal life-saving devices. They function similarly; an inflatable bladder within a Velcro- or zipper-enclosed compact…
Marine Fire Extinguishers Do you have a proper marine fire extinguisher aboard your boat? You may only have seconds to put out a fire. And fire on board is serious stuff; there’s nowhere to go but overboard, and that’s a whole other problem. Here’s what to look for in marine fire extinguishers. Fire Types and…