Daily Boater Boating News

Marine Product Review: Boat Wax-Off

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:07:00 +0000

This week's marine product review on the Daily Boater really shines...

Photo: Mark Sutton of MarineProductReviews.com

One of the most dreaded boat chores is waxing. Every spring the debate is whether or not to pay the boatyard big bucks to do it or just take a day to do it yourself. Anyone who has waxed more than a dinghy can see why the boat yard charges so much to wax. It takes time, it’s hard work and there is a bit of an art to getting that sweet shine.

In the latest installment of the Daily Boater Marine Product Review, Mark Sutton of MarineProductReviews.com put three premium boat waxes to the test.

(Are you interested in having your product or service featured in a future Marine Product Review on multiple boating websites? Contact Nautical Sites Media publisher Andrew Canepari to discuss the opportunity.)

Now, on to the review...

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Captain John: When in Doubt... Anchor Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:14:00 +0000

Captain John recalls a little trip he once took up the coast...

Guest blog by Captain John
Captain John Jamieson, a regular contributor to the Daily Boater, is author of Seamanship Secrets and publisher of the popular boating education website SkipperTips.com

Hurricane Hugo on September 21, 1989. (Image courtesy of NOAA)

A weary crew aboard the 135' Coast Guard ship tied up to the pier in St. Pete, Florida, late one September afternoon. It'd been a hell of a long trip, working aids to navigation from Tampa Bay around the Straits of Florida to Miami. After securing our little buoy tender, we shuffled down the gangway and made our way home…

And then the phones started ringing. I could tell by the sound of the ring-tone it was going to be bad.

Recall! Recall! Pack your stuff again – you’re underway in 2 hours! They need your help to the North…

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Pica: Breaking All The Rules

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Vin Pica discusses THE RULES - and when to break them to prevent a collision at sea...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Image source: "Popular Mechanics" Magazine December 1911

You may remember saying to your parents, “but the other kids were doing it!”

It didn’t work then - and it won’t work in front of an Admiralty or Maritime Board either… But this time you will be looking for an excuse for following the rules - when you actually should have broken them...

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Top 5 Gear Buying Tips for the Galley

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:15:00 +0000

This week's Boat Galley article helps you make smart decisions when outfitting your galley...

Guest blog by Carolyn Shearlock
Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Galley, appears weekly on the Daily Boater with tips for getting the most out of your boat's kitchen.

Photo: Carolyn Shearlock, theboatgalley.com

Galley gear can be expensive... and there’s not much space to have a lot of stuff... so how do you choose what to buy?
Today’s Topic: Buying Galley Equipment...

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Mother's Day Maritime Events

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:28:00 +0000

Forget brunch. This Mother's Day weekend you'll find boat shows, power boat races and nautical festivals around the world...

Mom, meet Miss Geico. Photo from a recent boat show in CT, © Andrew Canepari / Nautical Sites Media

What to do for Mother's Day... hmmm...

How about taking her to a boat show? There aren't many of them this weekend, but there are a couple of maritime festivals - one in Seattle and one on Long Island. No? How about a tug or power boat race? No? Well, you can always go to one of these events by yourself on Saturday.

Here is this week's boating event round-up...
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Marine Product Review: Foul Weather Pants

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:32:00 +0000

This week's Daily Boater marine product review keeps it simple, sailor...

In the latest installment of the Daily Boater Marine Product Review, Mark Sutton of MarineProductReviews.com reminds us that sometimes it's the simplest items that are the best to have on board. This week, Mark takes a look at foulie pants that he tested while sailing recently off of Cape Cod.

(Are you interested in having your product or service featured in a future Marine Product Review and having that review appear on multiple boating websites? Contact Nautical Sites Media publisher Andrew Canepari at dailyboater@nauticalsites.com today to discuss the opportunity.)

Now, on to the review...

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Preventing Collisions At Sea - The Basics

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Vin Pica discusses THE RULES, and the basics of preventing collisions on the water...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Photo © Andrew Canepari / Nautical Sites Media

Every boater has (hopefully) heard of the rule of "red, right, return" meaning to keep the red buoys on your right when returning from sea.

What many don’t realize is that this old chestnut is one of many that represent the embedded knowledge of centuries of seafaring known formally as the "International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea" and the largely parallel United States Inland Rules. Sometimes referred to by the old salts as the "COLREGS" or simply The Rules, it has been estimated that less than 10% of today’s boaters are familiar with them…

And the IMO (International Maritime Organization, global governing body) estimates that 80% of all collisions at sea are due to "pilot error"...

So, this column continues a series of articles on The Rules that have one simple goal: Safety of Life at Sea ...

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Boat Galley: Stainless in the Galley

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:54:00 +0000

This week's Boat Galley article takes a deeper look at stainless steel on your boat...

Guest blog by Carolyn Shearlock
Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Galley, appears weekly on the Daily Boater with tips for getting the most out of your boat's kitchen.

Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You’ll find lots of articles in boating magazines, books and websites talking about different grades of stainless in boat parts.

Did you ever think about those various grades and how they apply in the galley?

Today’s Topic: Stainless in the Galley...

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Update From The AC

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Sat, 05 May 2012 21:41:00 +0000

If you're getting excited for the 34th America's Cup, or want to reflect on the Cup's history, today's edition of America's Cup Uncovered is for you...

Here's a synopsis of this week's show courtesy of www.americascup.com...

This week on America's Cup Uncovered we look back at the four AC World Series events in Cascais, Plymouth, San Diego and Naples where we saw the vision of the best sailors on the fastest boats come to reality. We study the impressive depth of talent among the skippers and crews on each team, and what it takes to live life on the edge. As we are pushing the limits on the AC45s, we check in with ORACLE Racing's build team as they are deep in AC72 design. It's full steam ahead in San Francisco as Mayor Edwin Lee of and ORACLE Racing's Sir Russell Coutts sign the city agreement and construction starts on Pier 27-29, home of the 34th America's Cup.

Enjoy updates on the America's Cup as we get them here on the DailyBoater!

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World on Water for Cinco de Mayo

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Check out the latest edition of World on Water, Episode 71, for May 4, 2012...

We know we're a day early, but you can watch this again tomorrow. If it's Friday on the Daily Boater, it is time to take a look at the week's sailing action! Here's what's happening on today's edition of World on Water...

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Boat Shows: A Very Woody Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:47:00 +0000

There are a bunch of boat shows this weekend, and many of them are destined to be classic...

Big boat shows are fantastic for seeing the latest and greatest in boating conveniences, stuffed into fiberglass hulls and plastic cockpits, sitting rail to rail inside an enormous convention center. Seriously, we do love those shows, and we enjoy in-water shows even more. But every once in a while it's nice to go to a boat show where you can see how boats used to look - when hulls and decks were made of wood, and if someone told you that their boat had "all the bells and whistles", they weren't talking about an iPad mounted on their dash next to a GPS and an autopilot.

This weekend, there are a few boat shows going on that can take you back to the good old days, and a few that keep you grounded in the present. Here is this week's boat show round-up...
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Weekly Marine Product Review: Kingfisher

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Daily Boater's marine product review is back with a look at Sperry’s new shock-reducing technology...

The hot sun and constant running around you do on a boat are obvious sources of fatigue on board. But have you ever considered how much of a toll the vibrations from the engine as well as from the constant collisions between your hull and the waves can have on your legs – and your entire body?

Sperry has thought about it. A lot. And in our second installment of the Daily Boater Marine Product Review, Mark Sutton of MarineProductReviews.com checks out new technology from Sperry that promises to reduce the effects of the ‘shocks’ of boating.

(By the way, if you are interested in having your boat products or services reviewed on multiple boating and fishing sites, contact Nautical Sites Media publisher Andrew Canepari at dailyboater@nauticalsites.com today and submit your product for consideration.)

Now, on to the review...

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Captain John: Bury the Anchor

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:25:00 +0000

Captain John follows up his easy anchoring calculations with his single secret to burying an anchor fast...

Guest blog by Captain John
Captain John Jamieson, a regular contributor to the Daily Boater, is author of Seamanship Secrets and publisher of the popular boating education website SkipperTips.com

Photo Courtesy of The U.S. Coast Guard.

Editor's note: In his last column, Captain John discussed the math of safe anchoring for a peaceful night at anchor "on the hook". This week, he puts his equations to the test. Enjoy...

The other day, a reader sent in a query as to why I recommend 7:1 scope on anchor rode as opposed to 3:1. After all, less rode means less hassle with having all that line messed up by gooey mud, slimy bottom crud, and other unknowns beneath the sea.

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Rules of the Road - Set to Poetry

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Vin Pica waxes poetic about the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Photo Courtesy of The U.S. Coast Guard

Over 125 years ago, Captain Eldridge set to poetry the most essential aspect of the Rules of the Road (COLREGs.) From this, the renowned Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book, the marine industry's most respected tide and current reference guide since 1874, was born. I have had one at the helm of my vessels since, well, I can’t remember that far back.

But the poem is worth dusting off and passing on to the current generation of mariners and boat skippers… In short, it is the essence of avoiding collisions at sea. This column is all about that....

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Boat Galley: Toaster-less Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +0000

This week's Boat Galley article shares 4 ways to make toast without a toaster on your boat...

Guest blog by Carolyn Shearlock
Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Galley, appears weekly on the Daily Boater with tips for getting the most out of your boat's kitchen.

Photo: Carolyn Shearlock, theboatgalley.com

Breakfast without toast? No way! But most boats don’t really have the electrical power for a toaster . . . let alone using that much precious storage space on a single-purpose item.

Good news: you don’t have to give up toast, even if you did give up the toaster!

Today’s Topic: Toast Without A Toaster...

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World on Water 70

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:03:00 +0000

Check out the latest edition of World on Water, Episode 70, for April 27, 2012...

If it's Friday, it is time to take a look at the week's sailing action! Here's what's happening on today's edition of World on Water...

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Boat Shows in the Northeast and Far East

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 03:59:00 +0000

This weekend's boat shows are in Singapore, Connecticut, Maryland and more...

Photo courtesy Singapore Yacht Show

Sometimes boat shows seem to be bunched together geographically, and a quick look at this weekend's calendar is a good example. There are more boat shows in CT and Rhode Island this weekend then there are in the rest of the world combined. But the bigger shows are in places like Singapore (pictured) and Annapolis.

Let's dive in a little deeper. Here is this week's boat show round-up...
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Weekly Marine Product Review: OneTouch

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Introducing the Daily Boater's first weekly marine product review...

If you are looking to treat yourself this spring to a new onboard tool that will make every sail a bit smoother, then you are in luck.

In our first Marine Product Review - which we hope to make a regular weekly feature to include products for all types of boaters - Mark Sutton of MarineProductReviews.com takes a look at the Dax OneTouch winch handle.

(By the way, if you're interested in having your boat products or services reviewed here, contact Nautical Sites Media publisher Andrew Canepari at dailyboater@nauticalsites.com today and submit your product for consideration.)

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More Radar – What’s Blinding You?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:40:00 +0000

Vin Pica returns with the third of three articles on radar for the private boater and prevention of collisions at Sea...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

We’ve written in the past about radar and its advances (see Radar For The Private Boater and High Def’ Comes to Radar – Will Anything be the Same?) and I remain a devotee of the technology.

But you need to understand what you are seeing, what you may not be seeing, and why.

This column is about that...

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Boat Galley: Boxed Milk On Board

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:56:00 +0000

This week's Boat Galley article discusses how to dramatically reduce fuel for your stove...

Guest blog by Carolyn Shearlock
Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Galley, appears weekly on the Daily Boater with tips for getting the most out of your boat's kitchen.

Photo: Carolyn Shearlock, theboatgalley.com

How do you have enough milk for a week if you’ve only got a tiny refrigerator? or if you just have a cooler? In the US, campers will typically turn to powdered milk or evaporated milk . . . but there’s a much better product available!

This week’s topic: Boxed Milk for Boaters...

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World on Water 69

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Check out the latest edition of World on Water, Episode 69, for April 20, 2012...

It's Friday, so it is time to take a look back at the week's sailing action! Here's what's happening on today's edition of World on Water...

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Boating Events in Cali, TX, FLA, NOLA

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:05:00 +0000

This weekend's nautical events include boat shows, tall ships and much more...

The spring boating event calendar seems to be growing each week, and this weekend's calendar is no exception - we've got boat shows in California, Texas, Florida and British Columbia; tall ships in New Orleans, and much much more. So, let's get right to it. Here is this week's boat show round-up...
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Anchor Safely (With A Little Math)

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Captain John shares his easy calculations for "peace-of-mind" anchoring...

Guest blog by Captain John
Captain John Jamieson, a regular contributor to the Daily Boater, is author of Seamanship Secrets and publisher of the popular boating education website SkipperTips.com

If you are anything like me, few things beat a peaceful night at anchor "on the hook". And to stay at peace you will need to put out enough anchor rode (anchor rope and chain or all-chain ) to keep your small sailboat in place. Follow these easy steps before you lower your anchor to keep your sailboat safe all night long!

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Fish. Pic. Contest.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:12:00 +0000

Take your camera on your next fishing trip and you could win big in the BoatUS Angler “Catch of the Month” photo contest...

Angler Sean Riley of New Port Richey, Florida, won this tarpon mount in last year’s BoatUS Angler photo contest.

New “Catch of the Month” photo contest includes prizes from our partner Boat Name Gear...

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High Def Comes to Radar - Will Anything Be The Same?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Canepari) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:59:00 +0000

Vin Pica joins us today with the second article in a three part series on radar for the private boater...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

A couple of weeks ago, you found an article here on radar (see Radar For The Private Boater) where I extolled the virtues and increasing cost-effectiveness of radar. While a lot of enhancements have been made over the years (my first radar set was, I think, installed by Marconi!), they have largely fallen into two categories – tracking bogies to avoid collisions at sea and tuning out the effects of weather. But, like with our TVs, High Definition (“high-def” or HD) has come to radar and nothing will be the same. A new “arms race” between radar manufacturers has begun and safety of life at sea will be beneficiary.

This column is about that.

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