The Ships Logg

Over the past several years, ethanol has gotten a real bad rap with recreational boaters.   Stories of engine damage and getting stranded out on the water have been told time and time again.   One group says that boaters should stay away from it while another group says it is perfectly fine to use.   Who is telling the truth?   Well, it depends.   Let’s take a look at how we got here and what is really going on. In 2005, the Renewable Fuel Standard Act was passed that required a certain amount of renewable fuel to be used along with the fossil fuels that we had already been using.   This was done to reduce the amount of pollution that fossil fuels create.   Ethanol was chosen because it can be made from a renewable resource that is readily available in the US.   Gasoline powered cars and trucks had no problem with the switch at all, but we cannot say the same thing for the boats.   To understand this, let’s take a look at some of th...

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We all use our boats in different ways.   Some of us boat with just a close friend or significant other; for some, it is a family activity and for others, it is a way to spend time alone and get away from it all.     If you have owned a boat for a significant amount of time, there is one thing that you probably have used it for and that is taking your non-boater friends and family out for a cruise.   It’s during these times that we are sometimes reminded that what has come to be natural to us may not be a common thing for our passengers.   When I invite guests that are not familiar with boating on my boat, I usually take a few minutes to cover some of the basics with them so they understand the do’s and don’ts of being a part of my crew.   Here are some of the things that I choose to cover in my “captain’s speech” before leaving the dock or when I first invite them out.   Depending on your preferences and the type of boat you have, these may not...

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____________ Visit our archive and check out more interesting articles from The Ship's Log by clicking here .  If you found this article useful, use the space below to subscribe and you will be notified by email every time a new article is published in The Ships Log. Don't forget to check your email afterwards for a subscription verification email from Feedburner. Your email address will only be used for notifying you when updates are made to The Ships Log. Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

If you are like me, you love your boat.   Sure, there are other boats that may be bigger, nicer or have more amenities, but even with whatever quirky idiosyncrasy it may have, there is something about your boat where you would not trade it for anything.   That is the case with Takayuki Nozawa and while I have never met him, this story is why he is one of my heroes.   Many of us remember that Japan was hit with a devastating tsunami in early 2011.   Much of the northeastern coast of the country was devastated and many people lost their lives.   Takayuki Nozawa is a Japanese businessman and lover of boating.   After the waters swept through the Fukushima Prefecture, he spent time on the phone verifying that his friends and family were safe.   Then, his attention turned to his beloved Golden Bay, the 57 foot Bertram that he kept at Iwaki Sun Marina. Takayuki Nozawa at the helm of Golden Bay Unfortunately, the bad news came that the marin...

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