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!
It seems obvious how a sailboat sails downwind: It is pushed along by the wind in its sails. Less obvious is how it can sail upwind or how some sailboats can sail faster than the wind.
Sir Isaac Newton formulated three basic laws that pertain to the motions and accelerations of all objects.
Let us have a look at the third law:
"For any force exerted on an object, an equal but opposite force must be exerted by that object onto whatever exerted the force."
A direct consequence of this law is the conservation of momentum (Momentum equals mass times velocity).
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Imagine having your boat, and not just an ordinary boat. Imagine building with your own hand and being the proud owner of a Grand Banks Dory.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines dory as:
Dory n. pl. Dories
A small, narrow, flatbottom fishing boat with high sides and a sharp prow.
The common Dory size ranges from 10 feet to 14 feet in length and can hold from 3 to 5 persons. A Grand Banks Dory is usually 16 feet in length. The traditional Grand Banks Dory is also notable as a seaworthy vessel. The fishermen
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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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One of the greatest pleasures that a man can have is owning his own boat. It goes back to the days of adventure on the high seas when a man was absolute monarch of his realm as a captain of his ship.
Today there are very few places that the average man can be master and commander of his own destiny. But owning a boat is not without risk or expense. At one time cannons and carronades protected the owner and captain from loss today it is boat insurance that protects a man from loss.
It might seem like a
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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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