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Boat Towing Tips
October 29, 2007 - 4:09pm — Katie OLeary- Boat Handling
Tow ratings can be a confusing subject, as there are several kinds of ratings and many things to consider when estimating the weight of your tow. Start by referring to your vehicle’s operating manual for maximum ratings. Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is the maximum weight a specific vehicle can tow. When estimating the weight of your tow, be sure to include fuel, water and any additional gear you have stowed aboard. The Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is most important because it combines the total weight of your tow vehicle, including passengers, fuel, luggage, gear, etc. and the weight of your tow. For your safety and trouble-free towing, do not exceed the ratings listed by your tow vehicle.
Double the Fun : Chartering a Powercat in the Virgin Islands from Moorings Power is the Ideal Vacation
October 4, 2007 - 5:07pm — George Sass Jr.- 2007
- Cruising Adventures
- New Boats
I’ve chartered boats in the Virgin Islands almost every year for the past 12 years and enjoyed a variety of experiences on each trip. I’ve cruised with small groups, large groups, with kids, without kids, you name it, I’ve signed up for it.
Family Values : The Grand Banks 47 Heritage Classic represents the next generation from this venerable builder.
August 8, 2007 - 5:07pm — George Sass Jr.- 2007
- Cruising Adventures
- New Boats
“They’re calling for ten footers outside of Man O’War cut,” I reported back to my friend Mark Mitchell, “but we gotta get going!”
“George, are you sure?” he cautioned on the other end of the line from Ft. Lauderdale, “that’s heavy stuff.”
Volvo IPS 850
August 8, 2007 - 4:52pm — Dick Aarons- Boat Handling
- Diesel
- Propeller
The Volvo Penta IPS system is now offered by more than 60 builders worldwide and is installed on approximatley 450 different models. There will continue to be naysayers who gripe that having a forward facing prop will expose the propellers in case of a grounding or water debris. However, this magazine has conducted several tests (See “The Future of Power,” April, 2007) and has concluded that the benefits far outweigh this one issue. In fact, we’ll be following up with a story of a boat with IPS hitting a log in New York Harbor. Yes, the boat had to limp home on one engine, but chances are that log would have damaged a conventional boat as well. However, the best part is that the next day Volvo service changed the entire unit within two hours! No struts to remove, or shafts to align.
Making a Better Bilge Float Switch : The Water Witch 101 is put to the test.
August 8, 2007 - 4:48pm — Dick Aarons- Maintenance
Traditional bilge pump float switches are inexpensive and are usually reliable when working in clean bilges under moderate operating conditions. However they can be troublesome in messy bilges where the float can hang up or pump large amounts of spilled oil overboard. Their lightweight mechanical construction also can cause trouble for boats operating in rough, jarring seas.
Drilled, Not Sitrred : The BoatBlender combines a drill and blender to make party favorites.
August 8, 2007 - 4:42pm — Brad Roberts- Maintenance
My kids love jokes, so here’s one for you. What do you get when you use a little ingenuity to cross a traditional Osterizer-like blender base, a plastic sport bottle, and a cordless drill? A BoatBlender of course!
Anchors Aweigh : Technology makes it easier to get that anchor back in the boat : Windlass manufactures
August 8, 2007 - 4:02pm — John Brownlee- Boat Handling
- Products
I’m often accused of carrying an anchor one size too large for my boat, usually by whoever gets stuck with dropping or raising it. I’m guilty as charged, and make no apologies for it, because when I drop the hook, I like it to stay where it’s dropped, and there’s nothing more frustrating than having to reset a dragging anchor again and again.
Following the Trail of Father Jerome : Cat Island's Hermitage is a Unique Monument to Mystical Faith
June 15, 2007 - 5:10pm — Peter Swanson- Desitinations
- MAY 2007
On a dewy morning you might daydream of Ireland.
So You Want to Be a Coast Guard Captain? The Real Boaters Six Pack
June 15, 2007 - 4:54pm — Anonymous- Boat Handling
- MAY 2007
When you think of getting a six-pack not everyone in boating knows it can mean something other than reaching for a cold one. I don’t profess to have known the difference for more than a couple of years. I do know that earning a U.S. Coast Guard Six-Pack or Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) captain’s license made me a better captain.
What Lies Beneath : Understanding the basics of hull design is the key to finding the right boat
June 15, 2007 - 4:43pm — Ken Fickett- Boat Building
- MAY 2007
I had been in the Bahamas for about six weeks doing pretty much nothing other than some fishing and cruising the island of Abaco, by boat and motorcycle. I was on my second Five Star Barbancourt, a rich Haitian rum, using the free WiFi at Curlytails Bar in Marsh Harbour when I saw the “Hello from Boat Digest” in the subject line of an e-mail. Uh-oh, he found me. I always feel guilty when I get an e-mail from George, our Editor at Boat Digest. George started the e-mail with a few pleasantries and then moved on to the more serious “hey Mr. Technical Editor, do you think you could find it in your busy day, between naps maybe, to do a piece on hull design?”
