Where the Magic Happens
It’s pitch black. My hands, the saloon, the cockpit — everything reeks of diesel. The wind is howling outside, and we are being thrown around as Aretha, our 53-foot sailboat, slides off one wave into the next, whitewater crashing over the lifelines, filling the cockpit.
Couach 1500: A Lesson In Fluid Dynamics
Fluid may be the best single-word description of the Couach 1500.
Exhaust Separators
When we mix exhaust gases with an engine’s discharge water, we cool the water enough to use rubber and plastics in the exhaust system.
SEAMANSHIP QUIZ
Test your knowledge with these Coast Guard license exam prep questions from the National Captain’s Institute captains.com
Make A List, And Check It Twice (At Least)
In 2009, Harvard Medical School professor Atul Gawande published The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right.
George Buehler Designed Boats For ‘All The People’
In the online postings, the dust jackets on the books are torn and faded, not from lack of care but from love of use
Depth Perception: It’s More Than What’s Under The Keel
In days of yore, navigators expended great energy and effort attempting to establish their position. When they finally did, it was often with great doubt.
Troubleshooting Gauges
At the engine instrument panel, there are usually alarms for low oil pressure and high coolant temperature, often with monitoring gauges. Although there are new technologies, most gauge transmitters (typically called senders) work on an electrical principle of varying resistance.
The Importance Of Rule 5 And Situational Awareness
As boaters, we can stay out of harm’s way by gaining a better understanding of commercial ships.
Well-deserved Kudos
Dawn Riley, the first woman to compete in both the America’s Cup and the Whitbread Round the World Race, is this year’s recipient of Mystic Seaport’s America and the Sea Award.
And The Winner Is …
US Sailing named J/70 world champion Peter Duncan and Laser gold medalist Erika Reineke Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the year.
Mercury Unveils New Outboards
Mercury Marine added three V-6 outboards to its FourStroke series at this year’s Miami International Boat Show.
Home Of The Blitz
The oldest lighthouse in New York and the fourth-oldest active beacon in the United States, Montauk Point Lighthouse was authorized by the second U.S. Congress, under President Washington, in 1792.
Nothing Finer
I’m not a covetous person by nature — maybe because I feel I have been lucky, or blessed, in all the ways that matter.
There’s More Than One Way To Catch Crabs
Some of my fondest childhood memories are the days my father and I spent crabbing on Chesapeake Bay each summer.
DSC Is An Amazing Tool. Do You Know How To Use It?
At a meeting with 250 boaters last year, I asked for a show of hands: “How many of you have registered your DSC radio and have an MMSI number?
The World’s Greatest Job: How Rescue Swimmers Are Made
You don’t have to be able to deadlift 400 pounds, but you do need to be able to keep your cool under pressure if you want to become a Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer, writes Mario Vittone in this week’s Lifelines: Safety And Rescue At Sea blog.
Neither Rain Nor ...
Would it not be well if she could contract with the Postmaster General to carry the mail from this city to Albany?
Neck and Neck
They were known to the British as the “Big Class.” The America’s Cup boats of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were unruly — sometimes downright perilous — racing machines.
The Exumas Addict
I’m an Exumas addict. When fall days become a little too cold to get wet here on New York’s eastern Long Island, my mind starts conjuring Bahamian turquoise, and I’m ready to head south.
Split Personality
The exponential growth of dual consoles in the fishboat market is undeniable. They promise a blend of fishing and family fun, a claim that Pursuit Boats let me put to the test off Miami aboard its DC 365 — the largest dual console in the builder’s range.
Boating Books Review: Dishes With Fishes
Though the majority of seafood consumed in the United States comes from outside the country, there’s a movement toward sustainable, locally raised food from the brine.
Jay Fleming
On any given day, you’re likely to find Chesapeake Bay photographer Jay Fleming mucking through a mosquito-ridden marsh, kayaking around a fleet of workboats or diving head-first into a net full of fish.
A Legendary Fireboat Is A Village Dilemma
In the database of National Historic Landmarks there are all kinds of boats from throughout U.S. history, including enough fireboats that even a cursory search requires the fingers on both hands to count them. Some of the designated fireboats date back as far as the early 1900s.
Speed Sensors
Airmar’s next-generation “Smart” speed sensors combine speed, depth and fast-response water temperature in a compact through-hull fitting with no moving parts.
Razor-Blade Knife
Outdoor Edge added the 3-inch RazorLite EDC to its line of razor-blade knives. A holder coated with black oxide supports the razor blade, making it as strong as a standard knife, the company states.
Solid-State Doppler Radar
Raymarine’s Quantum 2 solid-state radar uses the latest Doppler target identification, plus CHIRP pulse compression, to identify moving and static targets at long and short ranges.
Folding Kayak
The 21-pound Butterfly K-PAK skin-on-frame kayak folds and stows in a backpack.
Simrad NSO evo3
Simrad’s NSO evo3 is designed for simple installation aboard large cruising and sportfishing boats.
Glomex Marine Antenna
The weBBoat 4G Plus coastal Internet antenna receives Wi-Fi and 3G/4G cellular signals up to 20 miles from shore, then amplifies and redistributes them as a hotspot on board.
Seapilot Software Update
Seapilot’s updated app adds tidal prediction, closest point of approach (CPA) and electronic range and bearing line (ERBL).
Side-Power Thrusters
Side-Power’s SE50 and SE25 thrusters provide big performance in small tunnels.