BOAT/U.S. Magazine articles from July 2003

BOAT/U.S. Magazine archives from July 2003

Behinda the buoy.
July 1, 2003... As this issue of BoatU.S. Magazine goes to press, the oceans and marine resources are very much in the news. In "Troubled Waters Make Headlines" (page 16), associate editor Ryck Lydecker reports that after two years of study, a blue ribbon...

Fatalities at record low. (BoatU.S. Report).
July 1, 2003... It's official: 2001 was the safest boating year on record. Fatalities from boating accidents reached a record low of 681 in 2001, down once again from the year before of 701 deaths. This marks the first time boating fatalities have dropped...

BoatU.S. EPIRB saves three. (BoatU.S. Report).
July 1, 2003... An EPIRB from the Boat U.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water helped save three who were forced to abandon their sinking 30-foot sloop near Cape San Blas, FL Just before midnight on May 6, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew from...

Charterboat waivers are back. (BoatU.S. Report).
July 1, 2003... Boat owners waiting for the return of the Jones Act waiver program can stop waiting and start applying. Thanks to an amendment in last year's Port Security Act, U.S. citizens who own foreign-built vessels may use them to carry passengers for...

FCC fees go up. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... For those boaters required to have a ship station license for a VHF radio, it will now cost $50 more--$200 instead of $150 (including the $50 processing fee). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently published its annual fee...

New wave of weather buoys. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... Launching what it calls the latest in technological advances, the National Data Buoy Center has developed a new and improved ocean-going buoy that is expected to help the National Weather Service give more timely marine forecasts and severe...

Status quo for trucks, SUVs. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... For the second time in as many years, the U.S. Senate has voted down legislation that would toughen fuel economy standards on sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and light trucks. If the proposal had passed, it would have amended the vehicle...

Boat buying on eBay? (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... With all the Internet scams going around lately, it's important boat buyers be careful out there. The California Attorney General recently issued a ruling that online auction giant eBay does not need to be licensed as a yacht broker in...

Tower aids whale rescue. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... Capt. Kevin Freestone of TowBoatU.S. Big Pine Key, FL was recently involved in a heroic effort by authorities and dozens of local volunteers to save the lives of 28 pilot whales that had grounded themselves in a foot-and-a-half of water. ...

Raid on boating fund defeated. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... In an attempt to make up budget deficits plaguing state economies nationwide, many states have been dipping into funds dedicated for specific services, especially boating. Luckily, California boaters were saved from this fate when the...

Florida keys yield prehistoric cache. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... Never in a million years would you expect to find a forest in the ocean. But maybe you would in 8,400 years. That's how old samples of red mangrove and yellow pine are said to be that were recently found in 45 feet of water in the Florida Keys...

Manatee rules signal course change. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... Separate but related actions taken in May by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could signal significant changes in the contentious manatee issue in southwest Florida. On May 13, the service lifted its Area of Inadequate Protection...

National Marina Day Aug. 9. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... With about a month to go, marinas coast-to-coast are busy planning special events for Marina Day 2003 to be held on August 9. Organized by the Marina Operators Association of America and sponsored by Boat U.S. Cooperating Marinas and others,...

Aloha radios, EPIRBs. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... Hawaiian boaters have become the first in the nation to be required to carry an EPIRB or a VHF marine radio when venturing more than a mile offshore. The new law becomes effective Jan. 1, 2004. and includes all recreational boats required...

California Sea Scout crew named BoatU.S. national flagship. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... Redwood City on San Francisco Bay is home to a lot of maritime heritage and this year it added a new honor as the port city's Sea Scout Ship 33, Gryphon, was awarded the BoatU.S. Sea Scout National Flagship Award for 2003. A delegation...

Oregon completes first BIG projects. (BoatU.S. Reports).
July 1, 2003... When Jeny Cole, mayor of Rainer, OR, on the Columbia River, cut the ribbon at the city marina May 15, Oregon became the first state in the nation to complete a large-scale transient docking facility using boater's gas tax monies through the...

Member forum.
July 1, 2003... LettersToEditor@BoatUS.com Those in the Know I'd like to pass a few additional items to your readers about PLBs and EPIRBS. I am a U.S. Air Force major working in the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Langley AFB, Virginia. This...

Deviantreadings.
July 1, 2003... July is a great time to be a boater. If you are not enjoying your boat in July, it may be time to take up golf or knitting or NASCAR racing. If all else fails you may find yourself combing beaches and baseball fields with a deluxe mail order...

Troubled waters make headlines.
July 1, 2003... After plumbing the depths of ocean policy for over two years, a panel of leaders in marine science, industry, education and government is calling for sweeping changes in U.S. marine resource management. Having taken the nation's temperature...

Technotalk.
July 1, 2003... Anyone who has participated in a man overboard (MOB) drill knows how difficult it can be to keep the "victim" in sight in daylight and calm seas. Waves more than a couple of feet high can make the task much more difficult. In darkness or in...

Big fish for small fry.
July 1, 2003... "This bilifish tournament is different -- one-of-a-kind different..." It's not unusual for bluewater fishing tournament competitors to land a lot of money by landing big fish. But in the billfish big leagues it can take $5,000 or...

It's better in bonaire.
July 1, 2003... Have you ever dreamt you were flying and sensed an exhilarating feeling of freedom and weightlessness? For millions of scuba divers, floating Through the world that lies underwater is as close to flying and weightlessness as we'll ever get. And...

Cuban conundrum.
July 1, 2003... According to those who have been adventurous enough to go there, the forbidden island of Cuba has it all: Lush vistas, sparkling tropical waters, cheap rum and beautiful women. Only 90 miles from Key West, FL, Cuba beckons but remains largely...

Woman towing the line.
July 1, 2003... They work as mother-daughter teams, husbands and wives and include a handful of singles, but boaters needing assistance on the water probably don't care who comes to their aid when they're in a jam. Just don't be surprised this summer when the...

The royal treatment.
July 1, 2003... Mirrored upward, the early morning sunlight danced lazily across the cabin's overhead, reflecting the ship's motion--the same slow, gentle roll that had lolled me to sleep the night before. I turned over and saw that my wife, Lynne, was already...

Kohler loses lawsuits. (Boat Smart).
July 1, 2003... Hundreds of owners of boats equipped with older Kohler generators have been at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning due to an exhaust component that can deteriorate in the marine environment, according to court records. Now, after eight deaths,...

S.O.S. a tale of two internet scams.
July 1, 2003... I have a boat for sale on the Internet and have been contacted by three people who want to buy it and ship it overseas. I was asking $4,300 and one person wants to pay more. I feel like something is wrong here. P.F., VA And from...

Marine industry report card mixed.
July 1, 2003... Is the forecast for the marine industry partly cloudy or partly sunny? It depends on who you ask. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association's Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program, bright days are ahead as boatbuilders...

Let there be lighthouses. (Tangled Line).
July 1, 2003... Lighthouse enthusiasts and stamp collectors alike probably already know about the U.S. Postal Service's newest edition to the lighthouse stamp series made available to the public last month, but for those who haven't gone postal, here's the...

A feast for the eyes. (Tangled Line).
July 1, 2003... Those maritime artists are at it again. Some of the top American artists, past and present, who specialize in maritime subjects will be on display late this summer and fall. Works from such famous artists as N.C. Wyeth, Fitz Hugh Lane and...

New female flag officer. (Tangled Line).
July 1, 2003... A one-star admiral has become the first woman to head up the U.S. Coast Guard's Fifth District. In April, RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara took over the top position in the mid-atlantic district, which stretches from New Jersey to North Carolina, at...

Shooting the moon. (Tangled Line).
July 1, 2003... One of the largest point-to-point sailboat races to be found on the U.S. coast, the Harvest Moon Regatta, is set for its 17th year this Oct 9-12. Sponsored by Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook, TX, a BoatU.S. Cooperating Group, the regatta...

Leave that trash alone. (Tangled Line).
July 1, 2003... Cleaning up floating debris is usually a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say, but NOAA is urging West Coast boaters to leave certain trash alone. A group of experts, along with help from volunteers, has begun releasing numbered "drift...

Cleaner, greener summer boating. (BoatU.S. Foundation).
July 1, 2003... For most boaters, July is absolutely the best time of the year for being on the water. The weather has finally warmed up, the fish are running and, oh yeah, it's the time of year when the boss doesn't seem to notice if you slip out of work...

Askcap'ndrew.
July 1, 2003... Dear Cap'n Drew: What are your thoughts on the tradition of tossing money into a friend's new boat to wish them good luck? How much should you throw? I was recently reprimanded by members of my boat club when I forgot to shower money into...

Member rewards expand. (At your Service).
July 1, 2003... Your BoatU.S. Member Rewards have a new look -- and a greater value -- it's now 25% greater than the previous program. And not only is the value greater than before, but the BoatU.S. and West Marine logo placed side by side means that you can...

It slices, it dices, it juliennes. (Hottips and News you can use).
July 1, 2003... There's a trend in consumer electronics technology that could have some wide ranging benefits for boaters. One manufacturer, Navman, has figured out how to get a lot more (nautical) mileage out of the ubiquitous Pocket PC. Rather than...

Cottage cheese and diesel fuel. (Hottips and News you can use).
July 1, 2003... Bill O'Connell of Algae-X knows that boaters are aware of diesel fuel algae -- bacteria and micorganisms that often grow in fuel tanks. I found out about the stuff three summers ago in the BVI when my chartered catamaran was motoring through a...

Ratchet low down. (Hottips and News you can use).
July 1, 2003... Hand ratchet tool technology must be about as exciting as watching the grass grow. In the last 40 years, the only significant step forward was the invention of the "quick release" ratchet -- made famous by Sears & Roebuck's Craftsman line --...

Boat bits.
July 1, 2003... 81.0 mph: The official pontoon speed record made by Jim Dorris on Feb. 4, 2003 aboard a Play Craft X-treme 2800 pontoon boat with twin Mercury 300-hp outboard engines (below). Source: Pontoon & Deck Boat magazine

Boat bits.
July 1, 2003... Sources of boat fires as reported in the July 2003 issue of Seaworthy, the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance damage avoidance magazine: 55%: AC and DC wiring/appliance 24%: Engine/Transmission overheat 8%: Fuel Leak 7%: Miscellaneous...

City casts net for boaters.
July 1, 2003... Communities with attractive waterfronts have long been tourist attractions But in Hampton, VA, visiting boaters and fishing enthusiasts are actively being courted in the catch-and-release game of snagging tourism dollars. Partially...

Clean water grants awarded.
July 1, 2003... In the five years since the BoatUS. Foundation Clean Water Grant program was launched, the staff had never seen anything like what happened in January 2003. 'As the February 1 deadline approached, we were absolutely flooded with grant...

Formula 27. (2nd Time Around).
July 1, 2003... www.formulaboats.com This 27-foot model from one of the most respected powerboat builders in the country offers excellent styling, high-quality construction, very responsive performance and first-rate accommodations. So, is there a down...

Com-Pac 23. (2nd Time Around).
July 1, 2003... www.com-pacyachts.com In 1972, the Hutchins Company of Clearwater, FL, introduced the Com-Pac 16, a trailerable mini-cruiser. The model was tremendously successful and led to a larger version, the Com-Pac 23, which was introduced in late...

Catalina. (Our Boat U.S.).
July 1, 2003... This story starts at the end of a warm spring evening. I had just spent about three hours with 46 of the proudest Long Island, NY, area Catalina owners I'd ever met, and they were kindly requesting that this lifelong power boater give up my...