BOAT/U.S. Magazine articles from January 2004

BOAT/U.S. Magazine archives from January 2004

Behind the buoy.
January 1, 2004... It's hard to believe, but nearly a year has passed since BoatU.S. entered into a strategic alliance with West Marine, turning over the ownership and operation of our retail stores and catalog sales to the nation's foremost purveyor of marine...

Boating fatalities on the rise.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... After a record-setting year in 2001 when boating fatalities reached a three-decade historic low of 681, the number of people killed in boating accidents increased to 750 in 2002. Although released by the U.S. Coast Guard, these numbers are...

More towing services for Pacific Coast.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... The West Coast's largest towing assistance provider, Vessel Assist Association of America (VAAA) was acquired by BoatU.S. in September to better serve members needing on-the-water assistance. The move allies the nation's largest on-the-water...

Boating Trust Fund gets new deal.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... After two years of debate and enough negotiating to make even the most hardened politician's head spin, the recreational boating and fishing communities have finally agreed among themselves on a "new deal" for the $500 million-plus Aquatic...

Best boat votes in.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... J.D. Power and Associates is making headlines again with the results of its latest survey of over 10,000 buyers of new 2002 and 2003 boats and marine engines. But, full reports of owners' opinions, presumably containing juicy details about how...

Public policy issues top National Advisory Council agenda.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... A number of vexing issues including the changing role of the U.S. Coast Guard, the participation of recreational boaters in homeland security planning and a lively debate on the viability of various marine sanitation devices captured the...

Sea change on oceans' health.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... David Rockefeller, Jr., (center) a member of the private Pew Oceans Commission as well as a seasoned bluewater sailor and ocean racer is pictured with BoatU.S. Magazine editor and Boating Writers International President Michael Sciulla (right)...

Zebra mussels invade Kansas.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... In "The Wizard of Oz," Dorothy just wanted to get home to Kansas and escape all the alien creatures she saw en route to Oz. Well, unfortunately one type of alien has now landed in Kansas--the ever-spreading and damaging zebra mussel. ...

BoatU.S. Foundation wins national award.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... The widely used life jacket loaner program for kids has won the 2003 Public Service Award for the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Presented at the annual conference of the National Association of State Boating Law...

Global sea census underway.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... After three years of plumbing ocean depths to take the first worldwide census of the sea, scientists report they've surveyed more than 210,000 marine life forms. The survey's database now holds over 15,300 fish species alone and three new fish...

Fish attack almost fatal.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... Like a scene right out of a horror movie, a young mother of four was enjoying the great outdoors one fall day when a sea creature reportedly jumped from the water and attacked her. This was no yarn though; it was another true story of Asian...

Sea Scout seminar a sell out.(BoatU.S.Reports)
January 1, 2004... The 10th annual Sea Scout Safety at Sea Weekend in San Francisco Oct. 24-26 drew record numbers of youthful participants and adult volunteers as well as more support than ever from the U.S. Coast Guard. Some 340 West Coast Sea Scouts from...

Coast Guard in flux.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... BoatU.S. Magazine continues to broaden its service to the boating public with timely articles of national interest like Dick Thompson's "Coast Guard in Deep Water" in the November issue. Unfortunately, by casting the issue narrowly as one of...

Waterway economy.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I note in the article "Creating a Coastal Constituency" in the November 2003 issue the statement "Recreational vessel traffic and boater spending is not counted... Neither is the commercial fishing, tour boat operation, ferry traffic, charter...

ICW upkeep.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... The article "Creating a Coastal Constituency" in the November issue noted yet another part of our nation's infrastructure going to hell because there is no money for upkeep. The ICW joins our highways, national parks, schools, healthcare...

Waterway extended.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I just finished reading Ryck Lydecker's article on the ICW. He's right on about the existing problems of dredging. However, he would have those who don't know believe that the Intracoastal runs from Virginia to Key West, FL, when, in fact, it...

Southern hospitality.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... The article by Dick Thompson on military bases and boating was most interesting, enjoyable and informing. He wrote about the Marines on the East and West coasts. Let me tell you about a "world famous Navy lake" site in Georgia. Naval Air...

False security.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I look forward to receiving your excellent magazine, and read it from cover to cover every month. Chuck Husick's excellent article "Reflections on Radar" was very well written and informative. However, my recollection is that "connecting the...

Radar rules.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... In the article "Reflections on Radar" in the November issue Mr. Husick states, "When deciding when to use your radar remember that familiarity breeds competence." This is misleading because radar must be used at all times. The NAV Rules...

Biggest not always best.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... In reference to Chuck Husick's excellent lay article "Reflections on Radar," I would suggest he may wish to expand on the subject in a future article outlining very specific radar sizing for the boat in question. It has become all too apparent...

Overblown battleship.(MemberForum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Stephen Reverand is more deviant than usual in the November 2003 issue. Calling HM Cruiser Belfast a "battleship" is like calling a Morgan Out Island 41 a racing dinghy. A battleship, throughout the entire 20th century, is a vessel able to...

Deviant readings.
January 1, 2004... It is said that the happiest days in a boater's life are the day he buys his boat and the day he sells it. If this old maxim were completely true, however, people would constantly be making each other happy by buying and selling each other's...

Fuel cells set sail.
January 1, 2004... When it comes to solving the world's energy crisis while clearing the air we breathe in the process, hydrogen is hot. There's been talk for years about using hydrogen as the juice in fuel cells to supply an endless, emission-free source of...

Drive launched to recoup state gas taxes.
January 1, 2004... On the BoatUS.com messageboard, a boater recently complained that he pays over 40 cents per-gallon in state and federal gas taxes for highways every time he fills up his boat's gas tank. "That's right--a road tax. My boat has never even been...

Goodbye gelcoat?(Hottips and News You Can Use)
January 1, 2004... Could gelcoat be going by they wayside like wooden boats did in the 1960s? The company that has built over 17,000 boats using a closed-mold construction method producing environmentally cleaner, stronger and more consistent fiberglass parts,...

What makes boatbuilders tick?(Hottips and News You Can Use)
January 1, 2004... By looking at the new products that make boatbuilders tick, we can often see what's in store for boaters like us. With that in mind, a panel of judges from Boating Writers International, in conjunction with the National Marine Manufacturers...

Eez-In ladder[TM].(Hottips and News You Can Use)
January 1, 2004... Like Triton bass boat's built-in boarding ladder reported in this column in November, the value of integrated re-boarding ladders is becoming ever more apparent in boating circles. An accidental fall overboard can be deadly. [ILLUSTRATION...

The SolidSwitch[TM].(Hottips and News You Can Use)
January 1, 2004... Face it--we all have them. Corroded light, pump, or trim tab switches. No matter what you do to protect them, everyone has replaced a rusty switch at some point. But that may be changing with the waterproof SolidSwitch[TM] from Material...

Micro HPS[TM] marine refrigeration.(Hottips and News You Can Use)
January 1, 2004... The trend in smaller, more multifunctional components continues with Glacier Bay's tiny Micro HPS[TM] (Hybrid Plate System) which provides cooling for refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning all with one unit. Only 12 X 13 X 9 inches and...

O'Brasive sanding disc.(Hottips and News You Can Use)
January 1, 2004... Sanding has to be one of my least favorite tasks. The "corn-row" effect, which happens when the center of a round sanding pad presses harder against the surface than the outer edge, has always been a problem. But the donut-shaped, patent...

One for the record books.(Fishing Museum)
January 1, 2004... Move over mouse, there's a trophy attraction in south Florida that's netting schools of visitors from all over the world! Fishing's answer to the Magic Kingdom has its own manmade lake, complete with a 4-1/2-acre wetland and inside it's got...

Ask Cap'n Drew.
January 1, 2004... Dear Cap'n Drew: While killing some time in the bilge of my boat, I read your article on customers who park in everybody's way at the marina. I'd like to mention how we solved our problem. It seemed that a certain person seemed to park in our...

Erie expedition.(Our Favorite Places)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... There's something about watching roiling water beneath your keel that's a little unsettling. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Swallowed in the gullet of two immense locks on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, rising 50 feet in just two short steps to Van...

Breaking the ice, record that is.(TangledLine)
January 1, 2004... While many of us store our boats and go straight into hibernation for the winter, some boaters can't wait for the ice and snow. Boat U.S. member Daniel Kampo of Winneconne, WI, is one such cold weather warrior who owns a custom-made ice and...

A gift from the sea.(TangledLine)
January 1, 2004... An unnamed species of sea sponge found near the Bahamas in what many researchers refer to (ironically) as the "dead zone" produces a chemical found to have anti-cancer properties. In fact, studies on this chemical compound found it to be about...

The Surprise still sails.(TangledLine)
January 1, 2004... Could there be a sequel in the works to the fall's salty action movie hit, "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"? Even as moviegoers continue to dissect how well director Peter Weir breathed life into author Patrick O'Brian's...

Colgates win award.(TangledLine)
January 1, 2004... Doris and Steve Colgate, founders of the Offshore Sailing School, based in Ft. Myers, FL, were awarded the Timmy Larr Trophy by U.S. Sailing Association for their longstanding contributions to sailing education and training. Offshore has...

If your cell phone doesn't get you, the gators will.(TangledLine)
January 1, 2004... Now comes a true and terrible tale from deep within Florida's Everglades where one BoatU.S. member ventured late at night, armed only with a hunting rifle and a cell phone in his airboat. Let's just say that had it not been for a very patient...

Sea lion sit-in.
January 1, 2004... Has the Marine Mammal Protection Act run amuck? Carl Anderson, the head of Monterey, California's harbor and public marina, thinks so. Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans last August,...

Deaf boater's plea is heard.
January 1, 2004... The U.S. Coast Guard has jettisoned its longstanding policy that deaf boaters who operate without a hearing person aboard are in violation of regulations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The policy change followed a challenge by Steve Turner--a...

Techno talk.
January 1, 2004... Does a newly installed piece of electronics on your boat indicate that the device uses "Digital Signal Processing" (DSP) circuitry? Unless you are a circuit design engineer or a ham radio operator, it is unlikely that the DSP label will...

Lake Mead.(Destination)
January 1, 2004... My first view of Lake Mead, from a hillside at its western end, came late in the afternoon. The setting sun had already turned the eastern peaks a deep pink--a pink that was growing redder by the minute. Below me the water looked as flat and...

Talk radio goes boating.
January 1, 2004... They come into our boat, home, office and are even with us while we drive. Like a lighthouse on the radio dial, they are the voices of boating's talk radio personalities using the airwaves to bring the boating lifestyle to local audiences and...

Industry insider turns consumer.
January 1, 2004... When some of the most senior and influential business leaders in an industry hold a "Stop The Bleeding" conference, it's a clear sign that there is serious trouble afoot. So, when a hand-picked group of boat and engine builders, accessory...

Consumer protection bureau: marina contracts make waves.(BoatSmart)
January 1, 2004... If the word "indemnity" conjures up nothing more than the 1944 film noir classic, "Double Indemnity," in which Barbara Stanwyck double-crosses Fred MacMurray in a scheme to kill her husband, then you might want to read some nonfiction, namely...

Consumer alert.
January 1, 2004... Federal laws require marine manufacturers to issue defect recall notices when boats or related equipment contain "defects which create a substantial risk of personal injury" or when they do not comply with boat manufacturing regulations. The...

Number 37: how much is that belt pack in the window? Testers take seven belt pack inflatables for a walk in the park.(FoundationFindings)
January 1, 2004... Belt pack inflatable life jackets are the hippest new thing in boating safety, giving boaters a cutting-edge option for staying out of harm's way while on the water. Compact and clever, these life jackets will charm the topsiders off the boater...

Damage avoidance: winter visitation rites.(SeaWorthy)
January 1, 2004... Ishmael, the melancholy hero of Melville's Moby Dick, confessed that whenever it was a "damp, drizzly November in my soul," the only sure cure was to visit the boat ("I quietly take to the ship..."). But what about January? If November got him...

Sea Ray 440 Aft Cabin motoryacht.(2ndTimeAround)
January 1, 2004... After 10 or more years in service, the design and construction shortcomings almost certainly become apparent in any boat, however, few volume-production boatbuilders can match Sea Ray Boats when it comes to standing up to the test of time and...

Beneteau First 38s5.(2ndTimeAround)
January 1, 2004... Two out of three boats sold in the U.S. are bought used. Many of these have an enduring appeal, having withstood the test of time. In each issue, we'll feature a review of one powerboat and one sailboat by noted naval architect and surveyor...

Rinker.(Our BoatU.S.)
January 1, 2004... This on-going series answers the question: Why do we love our boat? Kevin Turnblad thought for a moment before listing features he liked about his open-bow Rinker 232 Captiva: the layout of the seating and the padded sun deck, the extended...

BoatU.S. exchange.
January 1, 2004... SALE OR TRADE--POWER 17' MAXUM 1988. 85hp Force O/B, new cushions, seats (BoatUS!) still in boxes. Hull good cond, but sagging floor. Engine runs well, boat needs work. Diehard battery, nice trlr. First $2,000/best offer. NJ(973)875-1264...

Membership: call VESSEL ASSIST in the West.(AtYourService)
January 1, 2004... With the recent purchase of VESSEL ASSIST, BoatU.S. now offers West Coast members access to that region's largest on-the-water towing service. The acquisition boosts the number of western service ports from 14 in California and Washington, to...

Behind the boat.
January 1, 2004... It's mid-November and the fleet is winterized. As usual the kayak is always last--it's the easiest to do and drag under the deck. The trawler is mostly handled by the yard. Truth is, I can do it, but they do it better. The Etchells, my...

Where our flags fly.
January 1, 2004... Send us a photo of your boat, preferably flying the BoatU.S. flag, and we'll publish it here. Please include the name, make, size and home port, as well as your member number. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...