Category: iNavX: How To
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Years ago, when I was first learning to race sailboats, one of the top sailors in our fleet took a deep swing in towards shore during a race. I stayed out in the middle of the bay, because I liked the wind where I was and thought it would hold […]
Stepping onto a boat for the first time can feel like walking into a foreign country where everyone speaks a different language. You might hear phrases like “grab that line on the starboard side” or “watch the boom!” and have no idea what they mean. Don’t worry—you’re not alone. Every seasoned sailor was once a […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Welcome to a new multi-part series on Getting Started in Boating! Over the next few months, as the northern hemisphere slowly freezes solid and experienced boaters climb the walls waiting for spring, we’re going to walk down that path that can get you out on the water some day as […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Or “why every boat owner should understand a little about electricity.” Unless your only boat has no lights and no battery, electricity will be a part of your boating experience. Like every part of the boat, the more you understand, the better your experience will be. Knowing a little about […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Over the past years, we’ve about a lot of boat electronics, like what’s an MMSI and what do you need DSC for. We’ve touched upon the Automatic Information System (AIS) briefly, but never discussed it extensively. Now it’s time for that deep dive. Because AIS an important tool for any […]
Everything Boaters Need to Know about VHF Radios, Licensing & MMSI Numbers
October 10th, 2024 by team
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) If you ask a long time sailor, they may tell you about the olden days when you had to get a VHF license for your boat before you could talk on your radio. I’m old enough to remember that, but the rules have changed and recreational boaters in U.S. waters. […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) The other day I was reading about navigation and charts, and I came across a detailed bit of information about chart labeling that I was completely unfamiliar with. I’ve used charts for years of course, and started with paper. I thought I knew them well. But here was this silly […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) To sail successfully, you need to observe with great care. You need to identify what the wind and the water are telling you and then find a way to execute, to reach whatever goal you’ve set, be that simply making it home or winning a race. Diane Greene Sailors live […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) We started our kids on the water young, and they spent most summer weekends on the boat. They weren’t always into it every weekend, but we did our best to make it memorable and exciting. In the end, it was worth it because they still recall all those summer weekends […]
Part I, of iNavX’s Multi-Part Weather Series by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Barometer, n.: An ingenious instrument which indicates what kind of weather we are having. Ambrose Bierce If you just look at a barometer once, it’s pretty much as satirist Ambrose Bierce described. The needle on the front of that old school brass barometer […]
