Yes, we have talked about sea sickness before, but I have still been on the look out for other remedies.  Though it may seems we have hashed out this topic before. Those of you who have experienced the ‘sickness’ are probably very grateful for the information.

Many people have their own remedy for how to have a less nauseated voyage as does Admiral Nelson. Whenever he encountered a seasick sailor, (Admiral Nelson,) the British hero at Trafalgar, suggested his own fool-proof remedy: “You’ll feel better if you sit under a tree.” Nelson, who made a few trips to the rail himself, was obviously a funny guy but not everybody shares his sense of humor about seasickness. Read More »

Most inexperienced boaters find that many of the skills they’ve learned driving an automobile don’t always apply behind the wheel of their boat. Accustomed to the feel of the rear end of their Chevy following closely in the tracks of the front end when cornering, the boat, they soon learn, pivots from a point about a third of the way back. Pulling away from a pier becomes a frustrating experience when the stern repeatedly bangs into the dock as the captain turns the wheel seaward. In due time, however, the newer boater gets used to the idea that he or she must allow a wider berth on turns, and the dents and nicks in the rub rail get less numerous. Boat handling skills in general improve with time, as the boater becomes more confident and gathers more experience. Read More »

The other day I was thinking about boat etiquette.This subject has been covered many times . I am not sure if I am qualified to write on this subject . The only qualification  I have is that I have been on the water all of my life.  Golden Rule states that you should do unto others as you would them to do unto you. It’s a great rule to live by when you’re fishing and boating as well. Here are some suggestions that will make your time on the water, and that of others, more meaningful and fun.

Boating

When boating, never run too fast for conditions. If the water is rough, or if many boats are present, slow down. Remember that your passenger’s safety and comfort are your responsibility!    Read More »

Are you the type of person who ask how and why?  Do ever wonder about origins or how things came to be.  I know I do, and the topic today really had me thinking.  Was there a time with out yachts, what exactly is a yacht, or how is yachting different from other forms of sailing or boating.

The Original Yacht

Derived from the Dutch term “jagen”, meaning to hunt or chase, the word Yacht usually refers to a small, fast craft which is excellent for small voyages and short crossings. Originally this meant a fully rigged vessel that was smaller than a pinnace but large enough to be fully decked over. Defined as such back in 1742, what classified as a Yacht had changed from the years preceding this and would change in the centuries following it. Today, as the capabilities of Yachts increase, everything from a luxury motorized cruise liner to a private family boat is labeled as one, with all the material prestige that comes with it. Read More »

Some of my best days on the water have been witnessing a child getting up on skis for the first time. The expression of excitement on their face is priceless. I taught waterskiing at a camp a few summers ago and was fortunate to see a lot of happy faces. One the flip side, I also saw a lot of unhappy faces. To a child, the thought of being pulled behind a boat on skis for the first time can be frightening. The most important piece of advice I can give is to not force a child into skiing before they are ready. They have to be confident they want to learn. If they are not ready, and you make them ski before they are, it can leave them with a scary feeling. This in turn can shy them away from the sport indefinitely.

Start On Dry Land

If you have a young one who thinks they are ready to indulge in the sport of waterskiing, the first thing I suggest is to practice on dry land. Read More »

Darkness creeps across the water as the glow of the sun fades below the western horizon. It is night. For some, it’s a time of high anxiety when running a boat. Humans are visual. When the lights go out, we get nervous. Rightfully so, for who knows what might go bump in the night? Yet, nighttime navigators need not bite their nails. With the right equipment and decent weather, a night cruise can be safe, enjoyable, adventurous and even romantic. Fortunately, there are more tools than ever to enhance or supplant our vision when navigating at night. Read More »

The only thing more fun than boating, is boating with friends and family.  We all run our own ships a little differently and you will want to familiarize your guests or family with your boat and the rules of the boat.

Whenever you invite friends and family to come boating for the day, a weekend or an extended cruise, you should explain to them in advance what is expected of them, especially if they are not experienced boaters. If they are expected to perform duties onboard make sure they know this (and how to do it) before you give the order to swab the deck or handle lines. Make sure each guest has a good pair of non-skid deck shoes. Read More »

So you are going to take some kids fishing! Maybe they are yours, or those of a relative or friend. Either as an angler or interested adult, you want these kids to have fun.

Here are some common sense steps to follow:

Remember to make it a kid’s adventure. Consider whether you should concentrate only on fishing or whether it should be a more general outdoor aquatic experience– you might decide this based on the children’s age. Depending upon their age, allow time and give permission for wading in the water, skipping stones, catching frogs, floating sticks and leaves, playing ball, playing hide and seek, collecting wild flowers, or finding insects. Make it a fun adventure so they will want to go “fishing” again. Read More »

Flag etiquette has been transmitted to us by generations of mariners. Although not often appropriately respected these days, especially not by charterers, we might add, observing flag etiquette can provide some pride of perpetuating a very old tradition as well as some fun. We will not get into deep details and purist fanaticism. However, we will try to show charterers the minimum that is expected for basic respect of rules. Therefore, we will only talk here about 4 main flags, potentially used by charterers and charter boat owners: the Ensign or the National flag; the club burgee; the Private Signal; and the Courtesy Flags. Read More »

It’s only late March. Hurricane season doesn’t start for another 2 months. So what made me randomly want to write about the upcoming hurricane season? Well, I’ve had people ask me if hurricanes will form earlier than normal because of the above normal temperatures across 2/3rds of the U.S. The short answer would be….. most likely not. There have been studies that show that there is no correlation between above average land temperatures and development of tropical cyclones. There are many, many reasons why. I will go over a couple of them, briefly. Please note that I will NOT be discussing “global warming” by any means. This is a completely different topic, and more of a theory. I will go over facts about tropical cyclone development. Read More »