Category: Reviews
by B.J. Porter (contributing editor) Planning boat trips is a lot of fun, but there’s only so many chances to get time off and go – you really want to get it right! While organizing a boating vacation has the same basic considerations as a land vacation, the details are different for a week or […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) On a family vacation in Maine as a kid, we went down to the beach at our campground to check it out. It was a nice sand beach, but it was clear the tide was out. We were curious just how far it was out, so we stuck a good […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Looking at a chart can be a confusing thing for the first time, but it’s not necessarily as confusing as the bewildering array of marks, floats, buoys, cans, nuns, beacons, lights and other official aids to navigation you might encounter in your travels. But there is a system, and understanding […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) In the world of electronic charting, you may come across two types of charts – Vector and Raster. You may use both types with iNavX, and most chartplotters and navigation software can use either type. So…what’s the difference? Is one better than the other? Should you use one preferentially? Neither […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Who doesn’t love jumping off the boat for a quick cool off one hot sunny summer day? Swimming off the boat is such a good time, and an easy way to enhance your boating. Unfortunately, every year people get hurt swimming off boats. There are a lot of ways to […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) “Out of sight, out of mind,” right? Never a good idea when it’s about your boat. We’re headed into the heart of winter and your boat is nicely tucked away all snug in her winter bed, and you’ve not got a care in the world for her until it’s spring […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) If you’re a sailor, you’ve almost certainly heard of Newport, Rhode Island. For years it was the epicenter of American sailing. It started as a commercial seaport, but eventually hosted the America’s Cup for decades. In the Gilded Age, Newport was the summer playground of the rich and famous, and […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) True confession – I always enjoyed clearing into countries. Not necessarily the bureaucratic parts, paperwork is paperwork. But I enjoyed pulling in somewhere new, getting a welcome to a new country, and making sure we were all legal and clear to visit where we wanted it. It’s that last step […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Rigging comes in two forms – standing rigging, or that which is permanently fixed to the boat, and running rigging, which is the lines and other devices that can be easily removed and adjusted. Next month, we’ll talk about running rigging, because that has a whole mess of names too. […]
by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Boat shows are a blast, and you can see some of the newest tools and tech for boating, and all the latest new boats. Shows in the winter get you through the cold-weather doldrums, and shows closer to the season have in-water boat viewings and more events. Shows vary from […]
