The Ships Logg

It is springtime and boaters are excited!   If you are a member of any boating groups on Facebook as I am, you know that everyone is talking about getting their boats ready to be put back in the water.   Discussions of spring engine maintenance, prelaunch inspections and countdowns to launch dates are on everyone’s minds.   As you are getting your boat ready and making sure that it is smooth operating condition, don’t forget to ensure that you have the necessary safety items on board.   Here are 12 safety items that you should make sure you have on your boat. 1.          Life Preservers – Yeah, I know that this is pretty obvious but it is amazing how many people do not get this right.   Not only do you need to have life jackets aboard but they must be appropriate for the passengers aboard and there must be one for each person aboard.   If you decide to take your neighbor and his 8 year old son out on the lake for the day and all you have is four adult life vests, you are not

You will find lots of different types of boaters out on the water.   Some are in it just for the fun.   For others, it is a great way to spend time with their families on hot summer weekends.   There are even those who are in it for the social aspects or even to make business contacts.   Then you have the hard core boating community.   These are the boaters who would rather be on their boat before any other place.   It doesn’t matter if it’s hot, cold, raining or sunny.   Their boat is always the best place to be.   They use terms like “Land Sucks”, “Life’s Better on a Boat”, and “It’s Only Boat Dollars.”   This is the group that truly loves boating.   For these people, boating is firmly entrenched in their hearts and there is no way, you or anyone else is going to change that.   Boating was and still is their first love and they can all tell you how they fell in love with their favorite past time. My love of boating started when I was a kid.   I guess you could say that I fel

We often talk about all of the things you should keep on your boat for various purposes. Most of them such as life jackets, fire extinguishers and first aid kits etc. are related to safety, but there are some things that seemingly are not even related to boating that you also may want to keep aboard.   Here is a list of 12 things that fall into that category and why you should have them. 1.          Chapstick – Yes, I suppose you should have lip balm aboard to care for your lips since you will be spending time out in the sun, but there is another reason.   It makes a great lubricant for the zippers on your boat canvas.   Keep some on board and periodically run it across your zippers and they will be much easier to zip on and zip off.   Chapstick helps keep your canvas zippers in good condition. 2.        Denatured Alcohol – Here is another item that has dual purposes.   Many boats have alcohol stoves for cooking but denatured alcohol does a great job of cleaning y

Anchoring your boat is pretty easy if done the right way but can also be difficult if you are not using the right technique or the right anchor.   In this article, we will discuss how to choose the right anchor for your boat and proper anchoring technique. First of all, know that it is advised to have an anchor and rode on your boat even if spending time on the hook isn’t one of your chosen ways to pass the time out on the water.   I have talked to many boaters who claim that they do not need an anchor because all of their time spent on their boat is either at a dock or underway.   My question to them is always the same:   What if you are underway and you have engine problems or, in the case of a sailboat, you rip a sail?   Are you comfortable drifting around at the whim of the wind and current?   If your boat does not have an anchor, get one. Ground Tackle An anchoring system (or ground tackle) for your boat is comprised of three components: 1.        The anchor – The