Powerboating Know how
Submitted by admin on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 11:33.
The Hartford Courant (CT)-- Harry Ruppenicker, a longtime marina owner in Westbrook, began this year's boating season with an ultimatum for his customers: Go green or get out. His edicts went beyond recycling paint cans and used oil. Ruppenicker required boaters in the 76-slip marina to use a copper-free, eco-friendly paint on the hull of their vessels. The effort, he said, would help protect aquatic life and fight pollution, and possibly lower the cost of cleaning contaminated sediment. It was a business gamble, said Ruppenicker, who has run Harry's Marine Repair for 43 years. One customer ended up leaving the marina. But the majority of boaters responded the way Ronald Klattenberg did -- he willingly bought a can of nontoxic Epaint, and coated the bottom of his 27-foot Albin trawler. "The few people that were reluctant, eventually converted," Klattenberg said. "I thought Harry should be commended for making such a bold move."
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Submitted by admin2 on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 15:05.
Boat U.S.--BoatU.S., the nation's largest organization of recreational boaters,
recently wrapped up an industry-wide hurricane planning conference. And
the news is in: thousands of recreational boaters are facing another
challenging year of predicted increased hurricane activity, with
potentially more frequent storms this summer and fall, and each with
greater intensity.
What does this mean for boaters in hurricane states?
Based
on 40 years of hurricane-related insurance claims files and speaking to
countless boaters and marina operators about their hurricane plans, "We
have learned that although it is difficult to prevent all damage from
occurring, there are far more opportunities for hurricane damage to be
lessened," says Bob Adriance, director of the BoatU.S. Damage Avoidance
Program. "We are talking about the difference between some gel coat
scratches or a dinged rub rail, and the total destruction or sinking of
a boat," he added.
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Submitted by admin2 on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 14:38.
Boatingworld.com--Face it:
As much as boaters love their boats, most have their eyes open for something better. Even those who
have their dream boat would love nothing more than to improve on perfection. But sometimes reality
rears its ugly head and gets in the way of your plans, like when your annual raise turns out to be
a munificent 3 percent. So, while maybe it's not in the cards to get a new boat this year or even
make significant improvements, there are ways you can make your boating experience better - even if
your entire boating budget resides in your kitchen's cookie jar. For as little as $1, you can make
little improvements that will make a big difference.
Step Aside, Mr. Copperfield
So, what can you get for a lousy buck? Magic. Over time, many boats accumulate a collection
of stains, scuff marks, rust streaks and mildew that has resisted all efforts to remove it. For
only a dollar apiece, get a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, wet it, and go to town removing all those
blemishes you thought were hopelessly embedded. There's practically nothing it won't remove. The
only cautionary note is to try it first in an inconspicuous place, because it can scratch highly
polished surfaces. It's the best dollar you'll ever spend. Read More...Full text available to registered users only. Sign up free!
Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/22/2008 - 12:56.
Roanoke Daily Herald-- Ethanol blend gasoline, or E-10 as it is called, is being sold almost everywhere these days, but in North Carolina you may be filling up with it without even knowing it, which might cause major problems for boat owners. Gasoline suppliers receive federal credits for selling it and local retailers, who are financially strapped even as the large oil companies report record high earnings, need it to feature competitive pricing at local stations. According to Jeff Stallings, of Stalling Brothers in Wendell and owner of the new Pit Stop gas station on the north side of Lake Gaston, ethanol is a good and well proven product. His company delivers it all over the area, but because of problems in the marine environment he does not sell it at The Pit Stop. The problem for boaters is that retailers in North Carolina are not required to post signs on the gas pumps that tell buyers whether or not they are purchasing E-10 gasoline. For most automobiles, ethanol poses no problems other than a slight reduction in engine performance and fuel mileage. Some boats, on the other hand, can have major problems using ethanol. Read MoreFull text available to registered users only. Sign up free!
Submitted by admin2 on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 18:50.
BoatingWorld.com--Towing a boat from one location to another opens up virtually unlimited boating
opportunities. While doing so can be a little intimidating to the novice, it’s not an overly
difficult skill to master. The following tips will help ensure your towing experience is a positive
and safe one.
TIP 1:
Have a checklist. Many towing problems can be avoided if you take a couple of minutes to
inspect a few key items before ever pulling out of your driveway. Compile a checklist of these
items, and go through it before you leave. Your checklist should include such things as making sure
all lights work properly, the hitchball is secure, all wheel nuts are tight, tire pressure is
adequate (including the spare), the coupler is secure (running a bolt through the coupler hole will
ensure it won’t pop open), the trailer jack is raised and locked in place, the trailer’s emergency
brake cable (or breakaway cable) is connected to the tow vehicle, the safety chains are hooked up
in a crisscross fashion, and the boat’s drive is tilted up and locked Full text available to registered users only. Sign up free!
Submitted by admin2 on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 18:12.
Boating World Magazine--Increased dead-zones with little sea life. Diminished or extinct fish runs. Harmful toxins seeping
into food supplies through the fish that humans consume. Endangered ecosystems depending upon the
sea for sustenance. Elimination of once-thriving fishing industries. By all estimates, our marine
environment is in a state of steady decline. Even though recreational boaters cause only a tiny
portion of overall marine environmental degradation, you can nonetheless become a major part of the
solution by demonstrating through example how to protect our waters while still enjoying them. Here
is a list of 10 environmentally friendly ways that boaters can enhance the performance of their
vessels, decrease maintenance costs, improve safety ... and, by the way, also be more "green": Read More...Full text available to registered users only. Sign up free!
Submitted by admin on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 14:57.
Sportfishing Magazine-- Ever notice the power and telephone wires where people fish from
bridges? They're loaded with so much line, so many bobbers, weights and
plugs, that whoever cleans them off could start a new tackle shop.
Common sense suggests that the cable stringers should have placed the
wires out of anglers' reach, right? If you follow that logic, boat
owners should employ the same common sense when mounting onboard
electronics. A robust suite of modern marine electronics requires installation of
an impressive array of overhead antennas, radomes, receivers, lights
and even cameras. Every one of these devices seems deviously designed
to tangle with a rod tip, unless you plan your installation to
facilitate fishing. On occasion, I hire out to guide anglers on their own boats. When I
step aboard a boat I haven't skippered before, I carefully consider
certain items. Of course, I want to know about the safety equipment,
electrical system, electronics and fishing systems. But the very first
thing I look at when walking down the dock is the layout of any
overhead obstructions. This tells me whether a non-fishing marine
electrician or one who understands and serves the needs of fisherfolk
designed the T-top or hardtop layout.
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Submitted by admin on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 17:51.
Sportfishing Magazine, June 9 2008--
With
boaters facing record high fuel prices this summer Boat Owners
Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) has a few tips that could
help stretch their fuel dollars:
1. Leave the
extra 'junk' home: Don't load the boat up with weight you don't need.
Do a little spring cleaning - unused equipment that has been collecting
mildew in the bottom of lockers for years should be taken home.
2. Water weight: At 8.33 pounds per gallon, why keep the water in the tank topped off if you're only going out for the afternoon?
3. Tune her up: An engine tune-up is an excellent investment and should easily pay for itself over the summer.
4.
Tune your prop: If your boat goes 30 mph with a like-new prop and only
27 mph with a prop that's dinged and out of pitch, that's a 10% loss in
fuel economy, or, you're wasting one out of every ten gallons you put
in your tank.
5. Paint the boat's bottom: When
boating in salt or brackish waters a fouled bottom is like a dull
knife. It takes a lot more fuel to push your boat through the water.
6.
Keep the boat in trim: Using trim tabs or distributing weight evenly
will help move your boat through the water with less effort - and less
fuel. Full text available to registered users only. Sign up free!
Submitted by admin on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 12:53.
Motorboating Magazine, May 2008-- "There is a point at which a boat's hull configuration and its
propulsion system come into harmony to achieve the most fuel-efficient
cruising speed. Every combination of hull and power is different, so
finding your magic number takes a little experimentation and one
critical tool - a fuel flow computer. However, once you find that
"sweet spot", you'll know your vessel is delivering the most miles from
the fewest gallons. Many of the latest propulsion systems -
diesel, outboard and stern-drive engines - come with a fuel flow
computer as part of the instrumentation package. If your boat doesn't
have one, you can buy and install a fuel flow system (see sidebar
below). All of these systems are capable of tracking gallons per hour
and some can be wired to a GPS through a NMEA 2000 interface to display
miles per gallon, the most important number for determining your exact
operating costs. Read MoreFull text available to registered users only. Sign up free!
Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/19/2008 - 18:55.
Trade Only Today, May 17 2008-- Boating fatalities fell in 2007, dropping to the lowest level since 2004 and the third lowest since the U.S. Coast Guard began collecting recreational boating statistics, according to the latest figures released by the Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division. The count dropped from 710 in 2006 to 688 in 2007. "We hope that this is a result of more boaters adopting responsible boating behaviors, such as making sure that everyone on board is wearing properly-fitting Coast Guard-approved life jackets at all times," said Rear Adm. James Watson, director of prevention policy. While fatalities decreased, however, other measures — including injuries, number of accidents and property damage — rose significantly. Injuries rose from 3,474 in 2006 to 3,686 in 2007. Reported recreational boating accidents, which reached 4,967 in 2006, climbed to 5,223. Property damage, which was a record $43,670,424 in 2006, climbed to $53,288,858 last year. Top causes for all accidents remain fairly consistent with previous years. Operator inattention, careless/reckless operation, passenger/skier behavior, excessive speed, and alcohol use rank as the top five contributing factors. Full text available to registered users only. Sign up free!
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