Category: Blog
by B.P. Porter (Contributing Editor) Whether you’re headed to your first charter or your tenth, the British Virgin Islands are a delightful place for a stress-free sailing vacation. The sailing distances are short, there’s plenty to see and do, and there’s something for everyone in your group. While we’re talking mostly to people coming to […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Every boat big enough for running lights has an electrical system. And every boat owner with an electrical system should understand the basics of electricity. You don’t need to know how to build an alternator out of refrigerator magnets, a water pump, and a pine cone like some nautical MacGyver, […]
By B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) As the days get shorter and cooler, a week or two some place warm sounds better and better. By January, northerly sailors will be climbing the walls to go catch some wind. If you’re thinking about a charter vacation, you’ve got some planning to do. And we’ve got a few […]
By B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Well, I’ve put it off all summer, but as August draws to a close and Labor Day rolls near, it’s time to talk about the “W” word. Which is, of course, “Winterizing,” which no one likes to talk about when it’s still warm and sunny. But with a little advanced […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) There are two basic types of powerboat engines – inboards and outboards. There are advantages to both types of installations, and situations where one is far better than the other. While this is a complex topic to get into technical detail on, we can explore them at a basic level […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) With temperatures climbing in early August, it still feels like there’s more than a month of summer left, right? And nobody wants to talk about winterizing yet. But the reality is that a lot of people are already hitting back-to-school sales, and Labor Day will be on us before we […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Buying a Boat? It’s time to follow up our articles on buying a boat, dealing with a bad survey, and why you should almost always get a survey when buying a boat. This article applies to buyers and sellers, because there isn’t always a great understanding about what a survey […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Over the years, we’ve spent more than a few days and nights rafted to other boats. Sometimes it’s voluntary – when we meet up with friends we want to spend time with, for example. Other times it’s not; some marinas have limited space and rafting may be mandatory on slips […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Just being out on a boat in the summer is fantastic. It’s good to get out of the house, away from the office, and where you can get your head out of the daily grind and get some fresh air and sun. When we bought our first boat, it seemed […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Emergency Calling and Signaling -> “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is the this is the sailing vessel Beagle calling for help, we are sinking and need help…” Knock on wood, but so far I’ve never had to call in a Mayday for a major emergency and I hope none of you […]
