Boats and Boating: Information on boats and boating - "Getting Afloat This Summer Despite the Credit Crunch!" |
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If like me you are worried about how you are going to enjoy this summer season afloat then why not consider these options?
Keep the big boat on the hard, in the boatyard or beside the house this summer and downsize instead. What do I mean by downsize? Well why not use the dinghy or a dinghy instead? If your present tender is too small for messing about in, then consider buying something slightly larger that you and the family can use this coming summer.
I am going to keep the thirsty jet cruiser firmly in the driveway and use instead the trusty old Mirror dinghy to enjoy the water over the coming months! I have a plan to get the Mirror dinghy ready for the sea and in tip top condition.
If you want to get afloat as cheaply as possible - then buy a sailing dinghy or a reasonably sized dinghy for rowing or fishing. There are always loads to choose from in local or national adverts or auctions. Once you decide roughly what type you are looking for, then next think about how you are going to transport the dinghy to the water. You can either tow or use roof bars on the car.
Some dinghies for sale will come with a trailer in the sale price. However, others will require roof bars. These can be bought for around £40 as universal fitting bars that suit most cars.
Once you have the dinghy and a means to get to the water, then the usual safety equipment needs to be taken as well. Lifejackets, anchor and warp, mobile phone, handheld flares etc. Always check the weather forecast before setting off and tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back. These will no doubt be short informal trips out from the shore so no need to inform the Coastguard!
As long as you think of all the stuff you need to make the trip as comfortable and safe as possible you will soon get into the hang of frequent journeys in your dinghy that will be enjoyable and memorable for years to come!
Isn’t it exciting to steal away for the afternoon in a motorboat for a cruise down the river? Or perhaps you prefer an old-fashioned rowboat ride. Maybe a paddleboat is your idea of fun. On the other hand, you might live for the weekends when you can take an all-day sailing trip across the lake and back.
Whatever your taste in water transportation, managing a boat can be exhilarating and challenging. But if you’re the one in charge of steering, renting, or navigating the vessel, it is important to follow a few basic safety rules and be sure that your passengers do likewise.
For thousands of years men have sailed the seas. From the earliest trips by the discoverers and settlers of the Americas, Australia and the Pacific Islands, through Odysseus' voyage to Troy and beyond to the time of Swashbucklers in the Caribbean mankind has made exciting voyages to the far corners of the world.
In those early days hard cold steel and brass protected the men and their ships. Today we have boat insurance, GPS systems, sonar and underwater charts.
While boat insurance is not as glamorous as a fancy cutlass nor as exciting as a cannon it does offer the
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Boat insurance is necessary for all boat owners who live on or really value their boats. If it is something that you feel you must replace then you need to insure it. If you live on your boat it is absolutely necessary that it be insured. Who would want to lose their home?
Also most boats are financed in the beginning. The lending company will insist on insurance in those cases just as they would with a house or a car. This is not unreasonable; they have as much to lose in the financial sense as you do if anything
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On the sloops where I got my basic keelboat lessons, my neck developed a crick from constantly craning back to see what the Windex on top of the mast was doing. When I straightened out my neck, my eyes would fasten on the digital readouts of the knot meter and depth finder. It seemed as though sailing involved so much time monitoring different instruments and gauges that there was no time to appreciate the ride.
What did sailors do before the invention of onboard electronics and gadgets? One thing, I learned, was that they sailed with both ears. When the
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The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing instructions are followed closely. Rips and holes larger than one inch in the air chambers, or those within two inches of a seam, should be repaired with internal and external patches by a professional repair technician at a certified repair facility. A quick patch repair by the user may solve the problem for a short period of time, but it is recommended to have it redone by a professional.
It is also recommended that major inflatable boat repair, and the addition of large accessories such as oar locks, seating or towing
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