Category: Fishing

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) On the western end of the Elizabeth Islands near Cape Cod, about twelve miles south of New Bedford, MA, Cuttyhunk is a beautiful island known for good fishing, natural beauty, fantastic dockside seafood, and a tranquil setting to just kick back and relax. As you will see, Cuttyhunk isn’t a […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Most places that you anchor, it’s best to anchor so you swing like everyone else. Mostly boats only use a single anchor, set from the bow. This way, everyone swings through all the wind directions together as it shifts and nothing goes bump in the night. But there are times […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) It’s more common at the boat show to see prices in monthly payments instead the full purchase price of the boat. From a sales perspective, this makes loads of sense. What better way to get past the sticker shock on a $100,000+ boat than to break it up into a […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) It’s the middle of the winter, so what better time to talk about…hurricanes? Hurricanes show up in June and plague the east coast until November, and can affect your boat anywhere from Florida to Maine. These tremendous storms originate in the tropics and pick up power from warm water as […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) The other day in a Facebook group, someone asked “Do people really cook while the boat is moving? That seems dangerous.” It was a contentious topic, because admins closed comments after a while. The answer, of course, is yes – on a multi-day passage you definitely cook offshore. It’s not […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) A ship’s log is a permanent record of where you’ve been, what happened on the way, and what you’ve done with your boat. For commercial shipping, it’s a requirement, and logs can be requested if there are any incidents or problems. So details and procedures can be quite formal. Many […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Chartering a boat can be a dream vacation. A week or two of fun in the sun on a luxurious yacht, moving from one idyllic spot to another. What’s not to love? If you’re a veteran charter customer, then it won’t be new to you that not everything is what […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Last month we featured the first part of our series on building a custom boat. We spoke to Jim Betts from Betts Boats in Anacortes, Washington and poked around the shop looking at the works in progress. We spoke about the design process and decision making about sizing and budgets. […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) It’s that time of year again. Fall, the dreaded end of boating season. This month, we’re going to take a quick look at what you can do to make sure your batteries make it through the season in the best condition, so you’re ready for spring. The exact steps will […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Sailing offshore under a sea of stars is an experience beyond compare. On a clear, moonless night, you’ll never see more stars from anywhere on earth. With nothing but the wind in the sails and the sounds of the boat for accompaniment, it’s a peaceful yet exhilarating experience. Add the […]