Don't forget your First Aid Kit and Course!
Two years after I bought the twenty footer, I realized that my boat was missing something. I couldn't believe I could overlook this vital aspect of my boat's equipment, as well as both my safety as well as my guests

All it takes is a spark and BOOM!
Every year, near every major recreational boating center, a shattering event will make the local and sometimes regional news. It's not the type of event that the Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary find satisfying, rewarding or invited

Why your VHF radio is Sooooo Important!
And why knowing how to use it, is more important!
On 11 May 1993, two vessels that were in the same general area (the waters off Fan Island, Porcher Peninsula, British Columbia.) transmitted MAYDAY messages at about the same time. The message, as received, read: "MAYDAY MAYDAY ... going down." The other message read: "MAYDAY MAYDAY we're going down."

A New Definition for CHAOS
Lets see why a so-called calm day on the water quickly turns into a nightmare of chaotic activity, as individual boats and boaters go about the waterways, without as much as wisp of understanding of what the Rules of the Road are all about.

A tidy vessel is a safe vessel
When I was younger, I remember saying "Cleanliness is next to Godliness." I guess it was our cultures way of teaching us that neat and clean were a healthy way to live. Then I remember my third-grade teacher sending me to the desk in the back of the room for being a slob…. Oh well, so much for "being next to Godliness."

Not just another PFD story
Why and When, When and Where, and lastly Who, Why, When and Where.

Does your boat have a sound producing device…?
And can anyone hear it?
Without a properly operating sound device, like a whistle, a horn and/or a bell, your vessel, besides being out of compliance with federal regulations, is just not a well founded vessel. In fact, without a properly operating sound device, you're placing you and your passengers in what could be grave danger.

Suddenly in Command
While driving, I had my hand-held VHF radio on, and heard a woman asking for help. She kept the transmit button depressed while she kept repeating "Help me! My husband has had a heart attack and I don't know how to run the boat. Help me!" She never let up on the mike button so I couldn't respond to get her location. Unfortunately, her husband didn't make it.

Hypothermia and Cold Shock - The Risks of Off Season Boating
The warm weather boaters have left the water and are dreaming of the Spring launching season. The crowds are gone from the local waters during the colder months of the year leaving only the wind to ripple the surface. A few die-hard fishermen still work their favorite spots, enjoying the peace and quiet. Bundled up against the cold, waterfowl hunters also take advantage of the now nearly empty waterways. The crisp clear days of the cold weather seasons are the best of times for many boaters.
 

Your line and rode are so important
An often overlooked and unappreciated team member on your boat can be the very reason you may survive a mishap at sea. The term “at sea” is somewhat misleading, because it can be used to describe your vessel in a small lake or a Great Lake, a tributary, a river, a bay or the ocean.