Selecting and acquiring the ideal fishing boat is a real art for someone who has already gone through many experiences as far as boating is concerned. However, it can be a daunting task to those who have not yet experienced buying a fishing boat.
To make the activity easier for the first timers, here is a list of tips that they can use when choosing an ideal fishing ship.
1. It is important to consider the purpose of the fishing boats.
Buying a fishing vessel has only one purpose: to be used in fishing. However, before choosing the perfect fishing boat, it is important to consider also the other purposes.
First, the place where the fishing boats will be used should be taken into account. Will it be in the ocean or in other bodies of water like lakes?
Second, the time of the day it will be used. Will it be for day trips or for overnight fishing activities?
The bottom line is that, people should do more than just look around when choosing the ideal fishing boat. They should learn how to look for the important details in order to ensure that the boat they have acquired is definitely worth their money.
If the fishing ship will be used for ocean cruising and overnight stays, it would be better to buy a fishing vessel that has a hull. This is specifically designed for rough waters. This design is meant to ride with the waves, hence, providing more comfort to anglers while on board.
3. The warranties
It is extremely important to know if the fishing boat has a warranty. It should be analyzed and meticulously scrutinized because not all warranties are created equal.
Hence, it is best to buy a boat for fishing from dealers that will provide the necessary services in case their product is found to be defective. For example, Argo Boat company offers great prices on its Evinrude engines.
4. The certification
When buying a fishing boat, it is important to take note if it is certified by the "National Marine Manufacturers Association" or the NMMA. This agency guarantees that the certification they give to every boat manufacturer is a guarantee that the fishing boat had passed the agency's standard of excellence.
2. The budget
When buying a fishing vessel, it is important to know if the buyer can afford to acquire a boat. Fishing boats, or any boat for that matter, can be very expensive. Hence, the buyer should know how far his budget would go as far as fishing boat prices are concerned.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Boating Safety
When a friend asked if I'd like to go on a cruise, this is not what I had in mind: a 21-foot indoor/outdoor motorboat making a roundtrip voyage between Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. But that's what it was, and what an adventure it turned out to be.
As of 2005, the most recently reported year, 87% of boating drowning victims were not wearing a personal flotation device. Careless and reckless operation, operator inattention and operator inexperience were the leading factors in all reported accidents. Alcohol was either a direct or indirect contributing factor in approximately one-fourth of all boating accidents, while operator errors accounted for 70%. These are devastating statistics and should serve as a wake-up call to anyone on the water.
The cruise was organized by MarineMax, the U.S.'s largest retailer of leisure crafts. The company encourages new boat owners to participate in their Getaways, a caravan of boats that cruises from port to port. These events are designed to take the fear out of traveling and navigating alone. Motel reservations, dinners and social events are coordinated by the company.
Whether you're sailing on North Carolina's Lake Norman, cruising the Intracoastal waters in a Jon boat or operating a 50-foot fishing boat 100 miles offshore, the significance of maintaining safe operating conditions remains the same. Safety is an all-important issue and should never be minimized in the pursuit of fun and adventure, no matter where you operate.
Every boat, no matter how small or large, should have the proper safety equipment on board. A small skiff with an outboard should be equipped with life preservers, bailing can, fire extinguisher, flashlight, paddle and a cell phone or marine radio. The list for a large boat is long and often quite specific to the size, type of engine, and type of craft (sail or power). These are equipment issues which can be resolved in discussions with the local Coast Guard Auxiliary, your boating store and state licensing agencies.
Our getaway began on April 26, 2006 at the Savannah Bend Marina. After a 7:30 a.m. captain's meeting headed by Captain Vic Spier and our cruise director, Cynthia Johnson, we got into our respective crafts, revved up our engines, and headed out one by one, north into the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
There were 15 boats in all, ranging in size from 21 to 32 feet. Among them were bowriders, deckboats, cruisers and cuddy-cabins, as well as our modest 21-foot Searay 2055. Just when I was beginning to feel like perhaps we didn't quite measure up, my friend reassured me, "Small boat, big trip… major good time."
Captain Vic organized us according to size: smaller boats first, right behind the lead boat. Once into our journey, we discovered that cruising went more smoothly if the smaller boats followed a larger one, which could break waves, tides and the wakes of other vessels. A caboose boat brought up the rear to help in an emergency and to ensure that no one got left behind. Unfortunately, our caboose broke down on the second day and had to be towed ashore. After that, Captain Vic designated one of the larger crafts to assume its role.
Safety has as much to do with politeness and concern for others as it does with equipment and training. Out on the water, a speed-ing personal watercraft with a teenager at the helm may leap your wake, an intoxicated skipper at the wheel of a hard-charging power-boat may think it's fun to pass too close, or a thoughtless driver may speed through a no-wake zone, endangering people fishing from skiffs or paddling kayaks through what they hoped would be tranquil waters.
Once on the Intracoastal, we cruised by pristine marshes and right past Bonaventure Cemetery. This is the cemetery made famous by John Berendt's book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which the people of Savannah refer to simply as "The Book."
As we neared the Savannah River, the group voted to tour the city by water, so we headed down the main channel of the largest container shipping port east of California. We used marine VHF radios to communicate with each other and a GPS to mark our route. Most radio messages were strictly trip-related, like "No-wake zone ahead" or "Watch out for large log on starboard side." I once made the mistake of asking where we were, and received the rather sardonic reply: "In the world, the United States, Savannah, Georgia, Intracoastal Waterway, Savannah River." After that, I let my friend handle the radio.
By necessity, boaters are usually more aware of weather conditions than are landlubbers. Even so, many do not fully appreciate the quixotic nature of summer weather. Often, a clear, calm summer morning metamorphoses into a hot afternoon with thunderstorms, wild winds and dangerous boating conditions. The wise skipper checks the weather forecast at his or her departure point and destination before leaving port, listens to the weather station while cruising, and—most important—keeps an eye open for changes in condi-tions that occur too rapidly for radio reporting. Many experienced sailors have been blindsided by tumbling cold fronts or storms that came on with little warning.
On our way back, we came upon the largest container ship I have ever seen, fully loaded and throwing a gigantic wake. No roller coaster ride has ever been so thrilling. Did I say thrilling? More like spine-tingling, hold-onto-your-life scary. Later, we endured a lot of good-natured ribbing about our cork-on-the-waves ride.
Responsible boat owners care deeply about the safety of their crew, their boats, other boaters and random bystanders. Skippers are both legally and morally responsible for the wellbeing of all affected by the operation of their boats. Parents can educate their teenage children about operational procedures and safety issues before giving them permission to use the family jet ski. Boat owners and in-terested parties can take a Coast Guard safety course. Owners of boats with more complex operating systems should request the free Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel safety check, where experienced auxiliary members will conduct an on-site inspection of their boat and advise what measures should be taken to conform to regulations. Above all, please remember that when using your boat, a great deal more than your own personal safety is at risk.
Back on the Intracoastal, going north toward Hilton Head, the trip was all that I had imagined it would be. The topography was flat and primal: no houses, no docks, no civilization, just wavy estuary grasses with abundant wildlife and a fantastic display of egrets, osprey and pelicans.
We enjoyed our ride past historic Daufuskie Island, where they sell delicious crab cakes on the public dock. Then it was on to Calibogue Sound and Hilton Head. We docked beneath the Harbour Town Light House and were free to shop, golf or lounge by our hotel pool. My friend and I borrowed a car and dined at The Oyster House, a delightful seafood restaurant overlooking serene marshes, with a view of the setting sun.
On day two of our journey, we cast off at 8 a.m. and headed north toward Beaufort, SC. We had a fabulous view of the charming Beaufort waterfront homes and, later, the verdant landscape along the shore. Everyone, except us, refueled in Beaufort—big mistake. As we neared Charleston, we realized that we were low on gas. After radioing the others, we veered off and stopped at a down-in-the-heels fueling dock that charged us $1.00 over the going rate. We weren't choosy. We gladly paid. Plus, the men there were salty marine characters we didn't want to cross.
Our group patiently waited for us at a cut in the Intracoastal just before the city of Charleston came into view. We all docked happily together at the Charleston City Marina, which is a well-maintained facility that warns boat owners: "This is not a bank, don't allow your pets to make a deposit here."
We were met at the marina by some friends, who had invited us to stay with them for the next two nights. The Getaway gang was now free to sightsee in Charleston, visit Fort Sumter or explore the surrounding rivers by boat.
The next day we toured Charleston with our hosts. Later, we joined the Getaway group for dinner on the roof of the Harbour Club. There we enjoyed a wonderful buffet of to-die-for she-crab soup and other seafood delicacies, topped off with flaming Bananas Foster.
On day four we started our trip home. After a top-speed, rather choppy ride, we were back at Hilton Head's Harbour Town Marina to get our Evinrude. Vans transported us to our hotel, where we freshened up for a Lowcountry boil on the Harbour Town dock. This regional culinary delight consists of shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn-on-the-cob, boiled together and spread out in the middle of the table. After eating more than our share, we danced to a live band and became better acquainted with our boating comrades.
Day five saw us cruising back to Savannah, where we pulled out the boats, cleaned them up, and reluctantly said our goodbyes.
As we headed home, my friend asked if I'd like to go on another Getaway cruise. Without hesitation I replied, "You bet—right after you get a larger boat."
As of 2005, the most recently reported year, 87% of boating drowning victims were not wearing a personal flotation device. Careless and reckless operation, operator inattention and operator inexperience were the leading factors in all reported accidents. Alcohol was either a direct or indirect contributing factor in approximately one-fourth of all boating accidents, while operator errors accounted for 70%. These are devastating statistics and should serve as a wake-up call to anyone on the water.
The cruise was organized by MarineMax, the U.S.'s largest retailer of leisure crafts. The company encourages new boat owners to participate in their Getaways, a caravan of boats that cruises from port to port. These events are designed to take the fear out of traveling and navigating alone. Motel reservations, dinners and social events are coordinated by the company.
Whether you're sailing on North Carolina's Lake Norman, cruising the Intracoastal waters in a Jon boat or operating a 50-foot fishing boat 100 miles offshore, the significance of maintaining safe operating conditions remains the same. Safety is an all-important issue and should never be minimized in the pursuit of fun and adventure, no matter where you operate.
Every boat, no matter how small or large, should have the proper safety equipment on board. A small skiff with an outboard should be equipped with life preservers, bailing can, fire extinguisher, flashlight, paddle and a cell phone or marine radio. The list for a large boat is long and often quite specific to the size, type of engine, and type of craft (sail or power). These are equipment issues which can be resolved in discussions with the local Coast Guard Auxiliary, your boating store and state licensing agencies.
Our getaway began on April 26, 2006 at the Savannah Bend Marina. After a 7:30 a.m. captain's meeting headed by Captain Vic Spier and our cruise director, Cynthia Johnson, we got into our respective crafts, revved up our engines, and headed out one by one, north into the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
There were 15 boats in all, ranging in size from 21 to 32 feet. Among them were bowriders, deckboats, cruisers and cuddy-cabins, as well as our modest 21-foot Searay 2055. Just when I was beginning to feel like perhaps we didn't quite measure up, my friend reassured me, "Small boat, big trip… major good time."
Captain Vic organized us according to size: smaller boats first, right behind the lead boat. Once into our journey, we discovered that cruising went more smoothly if the smaller boats followed a larger one, which could break waves, tides and the wakes of other vessels. A caboose boat brought up the rear to help in an emergency and to ensure that no one got left behind. Unfortunately, our caboose broke down on the second day and had to be towed ashore. After that, Captain Vic designated one of the larger crafts to assume its role.
Safety has as much to do with politeness and concern for others as it does with equipment and training. Out on the water, a speed-ing personal watercraft with a teenager at the helm may leap your wake, an intoxicated skipper at the wheel of a hard-charging power-boat may think it's fun to pass too close, or a thoughtless driver may speed through a no-wake zone, endangering people fishing from skiffs or paddling kayaks through what they hoped would be tranquil waters.
Once on the Intracoastal, we cruised by pristine marshes and right past Bonaventure Cemetery. This is the cemetery made famous by John Berendt's book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which the people of Savannah refer to simply as "The Book."
As we neared the Savannah River, the group voted to tour the city by water, so we headed down the main channel of the largest container shipping port east of California. We used marine VHF radios to communicate with each other and a GPS to mark our route. Most radio messages were strictly trip-related, like "No-wake zone ahead" or "Watch out for large log on starboard side." I once made the mistake of asking where we were, and received the rather sardonic reply: "In the world, the United States, Savannah, Georgia, Intracoastal Waterway, Savannah River." After that, I let my friend handle the radio.
By necessity, boaters are usually more aware of weather conditions than are landlubbers. Even so, many do not fully appreciate the quixotic nature of summer weather. Often, a clear, calm summer morning metamorphoses into a hot afternoon with thunderstorms, wild winds and dangerous boating conditions. The wise skipper checks the weather forecast at his or her departure point and destination before leaving port, listens to the weather station while cruising, and—most important—keeps an eye open for changes in condi-tions that occur too rapidly for radio reporting. Many experienced sailors have been blindsided by tumbling cold fronts or storms that came on with little warning.
On our way back, we came upon the largest container ship I have ever seen, fully loaded and throwing a gigantic wake. No roller coaster ride has ever been so thrilling. Did I say thrilling? More like spine-tingling, hold-onto-your-life scary. Later, we endured a lot of good-natured ribbing about our cork-on-the-waves ride.
Responsible boat owners care deeply about the safety of their crew, their boats, other boaters and random bystanders. Skippers are both legally and morally responsible for the wellbeing of all affected by the operation of their boats. Parents can educate their teenage children about operational procedures and safety issues before giving them permission to use the family jet ski. Boat owners and in-terested parties can take a Coast Guard safety course. Owners of boats with more complex operating systems should request the free Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel safety check, where experienced auxiliary members will conduct an on-site inspection of their boat and advise what measures should be taken to conform to regulations. Above all, please remember that when using your boat, a great deal more than your own personal safety is at risk.
Back on the Intracoastal, going north toward Hilton Head, the trip was all that I had imagined it would be. The topography was flat and primal: no houses, no docks, no civilization, just wavy estuary grasses with abundant wildlife and a fantastic display of egrets, osprey and pelicans.
We enjoyed our ride past historic Daufuskie Island, where they sell delicious crab cakes on the public dock. Then it was on to Calibogue Sound and Hilton Head. We docked beneath the Harbour Town Light House and were free to shop, golf or lounge by our hotel pool. My friend and I borrowed a car and dined at The Oyster House, a delightful seafood restaurant overlooking serene marshes, with a view of the setting sun.
On day two of our journey, we cast off at 8 a.m. and headed north toward Beaufort, SC. We had a fabulous view of the charming Beaufort waterfront homes and, later, the verdant landscape along the shore. Everyone, except us, refueled in Beaufort—big mistake. As we neared Charleston, we realized that we were low on gas. After radioing the others, we veered off and stopped at a down-in-the-heels fueling dock that charged us $1.00 over the going rate. We weren't choosy. We gladly paid. Plus, the men there were salty marine characters we didn't want to cross.
Our group patiently waited for us at a cut in the Intracoastal just before the city of Charleston came into view. We all docked happily together at the Charleston City Marina, which is a well-maintained facility that warns boat owners: "This is not a bank, don't allow your pets to make a deposit here."
We were met at the marina by some friends, who had invited us to stay with them for the next two nights. The Getaway gang was now free to sightsee in Charleston, visit Fort Sumter or explore the surrounding rivers by boat.
The next day we toured Charleston with our hosts. Later, we joined the Getaway group for dinner on the roof of the Harbour Club. There we enjoyed a wonderful buffet of to-die-for she-crab soup and other seafood delicacies, topped off with flaming Bananas Foster.
On day four we started our trip home. After a top-speed, rather choppy ride, we were back at Hilton Head's Harbour Town Marina to get our Evinrude. Vans transported us to our hotel, where we freshened up for a Lowcountry boil on the Harbour Town dock. This regional culinary delight consists of shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn-on-the-cob, boiled together and spread out in the middle of the table. After eating more than our share, we danced to a live band and became better acquainted with our boating comrades.
Day five saw us cruising back to Savannah, where we pulled out the boats, cleaned them up, and reluctantly said our goodbyes.
As we headed home, my friend asked if I'd like to go on another Getaway cruise. Without hesitation I replied, "You bet—right after you get a larger boat."
Monday, May 19, 2008
Signaling
I describe things more simply on this page than they are stated in the regs. For example, some levels of jurisdiction would say that a certain whistle signal means "I intend to overtake you on your port side," and another might say (regarding overtaking), "I am altering course to port." I call all these "overtaking to port." Using this simplified scheme (for my own personal sanity), I don't need to list the few Canadian modifications regarding the Great Lakes Basin.
A short "blast" means a duration of about one second, and a long (or "prolonged") blast lasts four to six seconds.
A short "blast" means a duration of about one second, and a long (or "prolonged") blast lasts four to six seconds.
The rules also go into more detail than presented here about what kind of vessel may or must sound which signal under what circumstances. This list that I've concocted is more a "recognition" aid.
The Collision Regulations make barely any reference to the term "right of way," and I rarely use it when discussing collision avoidance. One vessel is "privileged" (or "stand-on"), and the other is "burdened" (or "give-way"), but both vessels have obligations, and I again refer to the privileged boat maintaining course and speed. I have another article called Privilege and Burden, which deals with this more fully.
A small personal peeve: if it is quite clear that two vessels are in no risk of collision and are going to pass free and clear, then a collision situation does not exist, and none of the procedures for collision avoidance are necessary - although I am a firm believer in "maintaining course and speed," without unnecessary changes (if possible), when other vessels in the area might need to know your intentions.
The regulations are quite clear that every vessel must keep a proper lookout, using all means available (sight and hearing at a minimum) at all times. You must operate your boat prudently at all times, and the most frequent violation I see is excessive speed in congested waters (or poor visibility) - being the privileged vessel will do you no good if you are in a collision, in terms of damage, injury or legal liability. The so-called "general avoidance principle" can be inferred from the regulations, and states that boaters must always do whatever is required to avoid collision - being the privileged vessel is no excuse if you could have done something.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Boating with Dad
Boating with Dad and Grandma K - Nov 26, 2006
Additional Comments:
Most of the dream centered around my dad, my grandma K and myself. The first part of the dream took |
I saw something on tv a few days ago about yachts. The lagoon and ocean imagery is identical to what
I saw on my recent vacation to Florida. The lagoon was where I went canoeing and a guy had to push
our canoe into the water from off of the dock. It is weird that my Grandma K was in this dream alive
because she died over eight years ago. Kiki's old kitchen that I was getting food out of is from her
old house that she lived in years ago.
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