Category: Reviews

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) 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) There are a lot of romanticized idea about living on a boat, but what is boat life really like? There’s no single answer, because there’s no one way to live on a boat. The experiences of a blue water cruiser who moves from country to country and living at anchor […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)  If you don’t own a boat, or are just thinking about joining a boat, a Boat Club may be an attractive option to get you on the water right now without the larger commitment of buying a boat. The general model of boat membership clubs is that you pay a […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)  If you haven’t read our series on “Things to Look for When Buying a Boat” you might want to give it a look. A survey and sea trial is a crucial part of the boat buying process, and you shouldn’t skip it without a good reason. But what do you […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)  If you’ve read our articles on boat buying, then you’ve heard me jumping up and down about surveys and why you should almost always get one. I’m a huge fan of a professional survey by an accredited surveyor. But they are expensive and time-consuming, and there is a temptation to […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)  Fractional ownership is the idea that you buy a stake in a boat to share with someone else, then you share ownership expenses and usage of the boat. It’s not a new concept – friends and family have been sharing ownerships as partners for years. What is newer is the […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor) Buying a boat is fun and exciting. You’ve done your search, you’ve found your true love, made an offer, done a survey, and you’re just about to sign on the dotted line and transfer the payment. In a moment, she’ll be yours. But are you ready? There’s a fair amount […]

by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)  We did our first offshore international passage as part of the Salty Dawg Rally from Hampton, VA to the British Virgin islands. We planned to do a different rally, but we learned about this one and decided it suited us better. But what is a “rally,” and why might you […]