Category: News
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 […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Recreational boaters often wonder about licensing, training, and what you need to buy or operate a boat. And the terminology over it can be confusing, and the rules and regulations differ by country. For private U.S. boaters in domestic waters operating their own vessels with family and friends on board, […]
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) Most beginning boaters have heard the “Red, Right, Returning” rule, which tells you how to pass certain markers to avoid the dangers they’re keeping you off of. It’s a handy rule, and easy to remember, and will serve you well sailing in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and any other […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Over the last couple of months, we’ve talked about air pressure systems and weather fronts. Now, it’s time to pull some of that together to learn more about reading synoptic weather charts. These charts are the data that meteorologists use to come up with forecasts, and we can use them […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) It’s that time of year again, when everyone in the temperate zones is scrambling to get their boats in the water. By April, the most hard core folks are already out there boating in their foulies, but for the rest of us aiming for Memorial Day, it’s commissioning season. And […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Years ago, when I was shopping for my first set of foul weather gear after we got our first boat, I asked my wife if she’d like to go try some on too. “Absolutely not,” she said. “If we need foulies, I don’t want to be out there sailing.” We […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the U.S. and also has some of the nicest cruising and sailing waters on the east coast. It’s big – 200 miles from end to end, and thirty miles wide at its widest. Over 150 rivers and streams feed the Chesapeake watershed, […]
