TEACHING THE IMPORTANCE OF BOATING SAFETY Briefing your crew on boating safety before leaving the dock ensures a safe and enjoyable experience on the water. After decades of boating, professionally and recreationally, I’ve never gotten over a certain cautious feeling that flavors my deep anticipation of any excursion. I’m sure it’s more so that for…
DETAIL YOUR BOAT ENGINE Detailing your boat’s engine is part of the author’s maintenance regime. Find out why. By Kevin Falvey You probably love your boat, but remember it’s the engine that makes possible all those cool boating adventures (“docktail cruisers” and nonauxiliary sailboats excepted). A clean engine makes visual inspections more effective. And the…
Become “Boat Smart” 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…
Buy new or buy used? That’s a tough call for a boat buyer, especially a first-timer. There’s no right or wrong answer. It all depends on you: your tastes, your budget, your mechanical aptitude. What makes your smile wider? A mint condition new prize or a bargain cleverly bought and burnished? Some say the sweet…
Winter Layup Tips for Your Boat In many parts of the country, this is transition season, time to haul and winterize your boat. Fall haul-out nearly matches the urgency level of spring launch in your need to complete the task. Winter is coming, but don’t let that ticking clock make you miss some steps in…
Boat Buying Decision: One Engine or Two? If you’re like a lot of boaters, you can become afflicted with “two-foot fever,” a malaise that grabs hold of you and makes you think how much happier you’d be if your boat were two feet longer. Well, it happens even after you get the boat you thought…