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 else why a boat trip is well worth the…
In case you think you only have a carbon footprint if you walk, drive, or are otherwise crossing on (or over) land, think again. Carbon footprints measure the effects on the climate in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, so a boat may impact the planet as much as a jet liner flying…
Buying a used boat is a busy time. You’ve been scouring the ads to be able to pounce on the model you want as soon as it becomes available. There’s a lot to consider and even more things to inspect, and that’s where the trouble can start. Buyers place a lot of emphasis on a…
Rescuing a Drowning Victim by Boat A guide of what boaters should do to help rescue a drowning victim. By Pete McDonald According to the United States Swim School Association, 3,533 people drown on average in the United States every year. In response, the USSSA created guidelines to help its students — and their parents —…
Weather Basics Course The United States Power Squadrons (USPS) and the BoatUS Foundation have joined forces to create a new online course Weather for Boaters that teaches boaters how to recognize early signs of changing weather and how to anticipate storms, squalls, fog, and wind shifts. The course is an easy-to-follow boater’s guide to forecasting, winds and storms…
Once an acceptable anchor is selected and ground tackle assembled, effective anchoring depends on good site selection and use of proper placement procedures. Anchor from the bow of the boat — attaching an anchor to the stern can swamp and upset a boat in bad weather. Placing and recovering a boat anchor is a sequential…
7 important things to know about the fine print on your boat’s insurance policy Does your insurance policy cover this? It all depends on the fine print. ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 5, 2017 – While it’s a subject not often discussed, knowing what’s in your boat’s insurance policy could mean the difference between having to pay…
Buy a license, save the planet. That would be nice, right? While not 100% accurate, there is some truth in the statement. In fact, thanks to the Sport Fish Restoration Program, anglers and boaters help protect our aquatic natural places and the wildlife that lives there through the purchase of fishing licenses, boat registrations, fishing…
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I fully embrace the old saying, “A bad day fishing is better than a good day at the office.” My addiction to fishing started with my father, who was an avid angler. He handed me an old tackle box, a small fishing rod tipped with a hook and…
Surfing behind a boat on an endless wave, without the need to hold on to a towrope, is one of the most liberating feelings you can get on the water. Because of that, count me among the recent converts to the wakesurfing craze that’s sweeping through the boating culture. But at the last Miami International…