BOAT/U.S. Magazine articles from January 2007

BOAT/U.S. Magazine archives from January 2007

Behind the buoy.
January 1, 2007... More than 153 million Americans now live in coastal counties. While it would be a stretch to suggest that this majority of Americans who live on or near the water may have had something to do with the outcome of the November Congressional...

Hoax caller sentenced to 30 months.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... A federal judge in Miami has thrown the book at a local man who made one of the most egregious hoax distress calls in recent memory. U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lenard sentenced Robert Moran of Boynton Beach, FL, to 30 months in prison and...

Boat loan interest deductions still allowed.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... Despite a presidential commission report last year calling for a federal tax overhaul and elimination of all mortgage interest deductions, the deductions remain in place for 2006 tax returns, including interest paid on qualifying boat loans....

USVI mandatory life jacket law to be amended.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... As reported in the last issue of BoatU.S. Magazine, the U.S. Virgin Islands passed a law requiring everyone on board a vessel to wear a life jacket. The law, which took effect last September, makes no distinction among recreational, charter or...

BoatU.S. National Advisory Council plans for new Congress.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... With the ink barely dry on the ballots and a sea change caused by the November congressional elections, the BoatU.S. National Advisory Council convened in the Washington, DC, area to review the Association's public policy agenda and set a...

More U.S. tsunami warning buoys deployed.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... Ever since the massive destruction caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, concerns have focused on improving the warning system. To that end, four new early-warning ocean buoys have been installed and are now on guard along the...

Customs to ease Florida re-entry for boaters.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... In an effort to make it more convenient for U.S. boaters arriving in Florida from a foreign port to report their arrival, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is offering a pre-departure registration program. Until now, everyone arriving was...

BoatU.S. launches Boating Access Award.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... As waterfront land values skyrocket and condominiums sprout on nearly every acre of waterfront property, recreational boaters are losing more access to the water with every passing day. To spotlight the problem and to recognize those who are...

Boaters urged to report manatee strikes.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... Florida boaters need no longer fear penalties for accidentally hitting a manatee and if they report the incident, it could help the animals in the long run. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and...

Lake Michigan could be leaking.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... Who pulled the plug on Lake Michigan? And what can we do about it? These are the basic questions that confront U.S. and Canadian hydrologists and international policy makers as Lake Michigan and the two other upper Great Lakes, Huron and...

Salmon buffet could close.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... Two congressmen from Washington are hoping to take a bite out of salmon poaching on the Columbia River, and by drastic, even lethal means. The poachers take an estimated 3% of the endangered salmon that range along the Pacific coast when...

Grant applications due Feb. 1.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is looking to fund creative and innovative projects that teach boaters cleaner habits on the water through its 2007 Clean Water Grant Program. Up to $4,000 per group is available to...

Hurricane prep conference set for March 1-2.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... BoatU.S., in conjunction with the Marine Industries Association of Florida (MIAF) and the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), will be hosting a "Marina Hurricane Preparation Symposium" in Orlando, FL, March 1-2. This...

Loran lives on.(BoatU.S.reports)
January 1, 2007... After a hard-fought battle in Congress throughout 2006 to halt a shutdown of the Coast Guard's Loran navigation system, Loran supporters have again prevailed. In the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) FY07 appropriations bill recently signed into...

The song remains the same.(memberforum)
January 1, 2007... How disappointing to see that carbon monoxide remains a problem. I was Chief of the Boating Standards and Defect Notification Section at U.S.Coast Guard Headquarters in the early 70s. I originated the very first defect notification program...

Our customers come first.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the largest trade association representing the U.S. recreational boating industry, has enjoyed an active partnership with BoatU.S. to make boating as safe as possible for the public. We...

Bullets by the inlet.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I read with interest your article about the Coast Guard firing live ammunition on areas on the Great Lakes. We were on the ocean north of Lake Worth Inlet in Palm Beach County, FL, on November 2nd. We couldn't believe our ears when we...

Small boat, big adventure.(memberforum)
January 1, 2007... Ryck Lydecker's article "The Last Child in the Boat?" was particularly touching for me. I was fortunate to have grown up in a boating environment. The best memories of my childhood involve water and boats. Fishing with Dad and Pop-Pop,...

A family on the hard.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... Regarding your article "The Last Child in the Boat?"; after over 50 years of boating and almost 25 as a BoatU.S. member, I sold my boat in late August with no intention of purchasing another. Each of my five grandsons have had the opportunity...

Borrowing the best ideas.(memberforum)
January 1, 2007... Many small airports around the country hold a special free flights day during which young to mid-teens kids are invited to enjoy their first-ever flight. Local pilots fly and donate their planes for the day. These events are a huge hit and who...

Scouting a path to the water.(memberforum)
January 1, 2007... Your article, "Last Child in the Boat?," was right on target! All of us who are concerned about children and their development need to heed the warning and share with parents and grandparents the importance of exposing our future leaders...

Turn off their TV.(memberforum)(Travel narrative)
January 1, 2007... My father was skipper of a Sea Scout Ship for over a decade. Consequently I spent much of my formative years on the water. Even before becoming an "official" member of the ship, I was something of a mascot, going to rendezvous and taking part...

Big on the bay.
January 1, 2007... When Capt. Christopher Newport arrived in what is now Virginia in 1607 with a company of English settlers aboard three small sailing ships, you might say he became one of the New World's first transient boaters. Looking today at the...

Bass fishing it's academic.
January 1, 2007... Don't look now, sports fans, but BoatU.S. is helping to grow a whole new college sport, or at least putting a fledgling intercollegiate competition on the map. Come to think of it, maybe you should look. That's because, in this case, the...

Boater-voters protect funds.
January 1, 2007... Three years ago Michigan boaters got mad as they saw $7.8 million of their hard-won waterway trust fund monies hijacked to shore up the state's budget, but there was little they could do to stop it. Late last year they got even. On...

Cruising the airwaves: with hundreds of TV channels available on cable or satellite covering everything from soup (the food network) to nuts (the comedy channel), where do millions of boaters go to get their fill of boating TV? The short answer is it depends on where you live, how persistent you are in researching cable or satellite guides, and a little bit of luck. But you can find shows worth watching.
January 1, 2007... Boating TV shows are largely cut from the same cloth as the dozens of boating magazines being published--each show appeals to a defined boating niche or region of the country. With so many different kinds of boaters doing everything from...

Mooring field math.
January 1, 2007... Anyone who has ever cruised into a popular public mooring field late in the afternoon only to have the harbormaster turn them away knows that the demand for moorings frequently exceeds the supply. With shrinking amounts of precious waterfront...

Foiling off-season theft.
January 1, 2007... So you think your boat is all buttoned up for the winter, tucked safely away in your backyard or driveway? Think again. In Naples, FL, thieves robbed four boats in just five days, stealing electronics, fishing equipment and other...

Discovering the forgotten coast.(Waterfront Living)
January 1, 2007... Shortly after the United States entered World War II, the Army Ground Forces Command went looking for a place to train amphibious assault forces in preparation for D-Day. Their requirements included a deep water port near shallow bays and miles...

Angling 'round the big bend.(Waterfront Living)
January 1, 2007... Never pass up the chance to fish with a local, especially when far away from home or chasing unfamiliar fish. Local knowledge, local techniques and even local lures, each represent a chance to increase the odds of a good day on the water. So...

Communities to watch.(Waterfront Living)
January 1, 2007... RIVER DUNES--LIFE ON THE WATER River Dunes, a new master-planned waterfront community near Oriental, NC, offers a coastal lifestyle on 14 miles of shoreline, bordering the Pamlico Sound and the Intracoastal Waterway. The 28-acre inland...

Techno talk.
January 1, 2007... Would you spend $200 to save your life? That's the cost of a VHF/DSC marine radio, the most effective emergency communication device you can put on your boat. I believe you owe a duty to yourself and to everyone on your boat to install a DSC...

The color of spark plugs: once you've verified that the ignition system is operating correctly, a systematic approach to spark plug diagnosis can provide an accurate indication of what is going on inside the combustion chamber of your gasoline engine.(From the Files of DIY Boat Owner Magazine)
January 1, 2007... For decades, before marine engines had computers that provide self-diagnostics and real-time readouts, mechanics would read the spark plug to determine if the engine was operating correctly. Plugs would be inspected first to help determine if...

Shower-rinse-repeat: this spin on the basic shower set-up alters the water intake and sump drainage to allow long showers while conserving water.(From the Files of DIY Boat Owner Magazine)
January 1, 2007... A hot shower is one of the great luxuries on any boat. The biggest barrier to enjoying a long, hot shower after a cold, wet day is simply the need to conserve water. Water conservation conveys a greater cruising range by cutting down on the...

2nd time around.
January 1, 2007... Mainship Pilot 30 www.mainship.com Timeless styling, along with a size and accommodations that customers moving up from smaller models or down from larger ones can both appreciate, have kept Mainship's Pilot 30 a popular model for nearly...

Fuel leak sparks engine recall: Indmar Mercruiser Volvo Penta PleasureCraft Marine/Crusader Kodiak Marine Power Flagship Marine Panther Airboat.(CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU)
January 1, 2007... A safety defect that has its origins in Detroit has found its way to the waterfront, prompting the recall of at least 15,000 8.1L GM automotive engines marinized by eight different manufacturers. The defect involves a fuel leak and could result...

The do's and don'ts of cold water boating.(IDEAS FOR SAFE, SMART, AND CLEAN BOATING)
January 1, 2007... Don't let the shorter days and cooler temperatures of winter keep you from getting out on the water. The crisp air and peaceful atmosphere of nearly deserted waterways can make wintertime boating some of the year's best. However, the colder...

Extreme makeover, Marine edition.(tangledline)
January 1, 2007... Lucky Minnesotan Jon Noreen will start the spring boating season with a spiffy new look, for his boat that is, thanks to the sponsors of the 35th Annual Minneapolis Boat Show. Noreen's 1970 Sea Ray was the "Cinderella" selected for the first...

A real stick-in-the-mud.(tangledline)
January 1, 2007... We all lie about running aground but boat long enough and you're bound to bump the bottom at least once. On a slightly larger scale, the USS Intrepid, a World War II-era aircraft carrier, got unceremoniously stuck in the mud off the west side...

Towing robots go deep.(tangledline)
January 1, 2007... In what is believed to be the deepest recovery of a recreational boat, Capt. Robert Butler of Vessel Assist San Diego recently salvaged a 30-foot powerboat on Lake Powell, AZ, from a depth of nearly 400 feet. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The...

Girls just wanna have fun.(tangledline)
January 1, 2007... There is room for only a few hundred women sailing enthusiasts at the 18th annual Women's Sailing Convention Feb. 3 in southern California, so plan on signing up now. Each year, this enjoyable learning event sells out, according to director...

Really low tech, but it works.(tangledline)
January 1, 2007... The days of Morse Code are clearly over but, hey, in a pinch, use whatever you can. In the UK, the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency reported the safe rescue of a fisherman off the coast of England after one of their stations noticed a flashing...

A bird's eye view.(and news you can use)
January 1, 2007... "Situational awareness" is often used in the context of flying--and the more of it you have, the better. A recently re-launched Web site, Marinas.com, aims to help boaters increase their situational awareness of unfamiliar waters by...

Boat bits.(and news you can use)
January 1, 2007... BOAT BITS $747,577 Average cost to maintain one mile of interstate highway in 2006. Source: Associated General Contractors of America $27,573 Average cost to maintain one mile of ...

Nifty rope tightener.(and news you can use)
January 1, 2007... A little piece of aluminum can make securing items aboard a lot easier by allowing you to adjust a line's load without having to retie the knot. The new "Figure 9" line holder eliminates the trucker's hitch or bungee cord by wrapping the line...

Inboard improvements.(and news you can use)
January 1, 2007... An item that recently won an Innovation Award from the National Marine Manufacturers Association at last fall's International Boatbuilder's Exposition in Miami, FL, is bringing the benefits of the modern inboard/outboard propulsion system to...

New volvo outdrives.(and news you can use)
January 1, 2007... Volvo Penta has replaced their SX and DP-S drives with new versions which, according to the company, promise more corrosion protection and simpler maintenance with less weight and better hydrodynamics. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new SX...

Member mailbag.(MEMBERSHIP)
January 1, 2007... Dear BoatU.S: I have been a BoatU.S. policyholder for many years. About two years ago, enclosed with my renewal application, was a note inviting me to sign up for roadside trailer assistance. The cost was $10, so I did. That was the...

BoatU.S. is for pets.(MEMBERSHIP)
January 1, 2007... Do you take your pets aboard? If you'd like to learn more about boating with your family pet there's a great online "BoatU.S. Boating Pets" section at BoatUS.com/pets. The Web site features a message board where you can ask for advice...

Sign up for e-mail alerts.(MEMBERSHIP)
January 1, 2007... Issues that could impact your recreational boating are often at the local level. So how do we tip you off and let you know of an upcoming community meeting or pending legislation? Legislative e-mail "alerts" are just one good reason to...

BoatU.S. exchange.
January 1, 2007... SALE OR TRADE--POWER 10' PORTA BOAT. Still under warranty, new never used, folds to 4" flat. Includes porta dolly, oars & oar locks & 2hp Johnson. $850. Palm City, FL(772)283-1265 14' CARIBE 2004. Less than 20 hrs, Garmin depthfinder,...

Behind the boat.
January 1, 2007... A Fond Farewell: I first walked through the front doors of BoatU.S. back in 1982. I was the first management trainee for the Association and was assigned to work in Marine Center No. 1 here at headquarters in Alexandria, VA. After a few...

Where our flags fly.
January 1, 2007... Send us a photo of your boat, preferably flying the BoatU.S. flag, and we'll publish it here, or online at BoatUS.com. Please include the name, make, size and home port, as well as your member number. SEA NOTE--24' Grady White Eric &...