BOAT/U.S. Magazine articles from March 2005

BOAT/U.S. Magazine archives from March 2005

Behind the buoy.
March 1, 2005... With the President's State of the Union address just delivered as this issue goes to press, we can now turn our attention to the new Congress and share with you some of our thoughts on what the boating community can expect from their elected...

Interest deductions still good for boats.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... Boat owners who financed the purchase of a boat this year or are paying off those pesky boat loans still get at least one break from Uncle Sam--the interest paid on a qualified mortgage is still deductible on your 2004 federal income tax...

Change in yacht donation rules.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... Some charitable boating organizations are concerned about recent changes in how deductions for yacht donations are calculated. The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 altered the rules for the donation of used boats and vehicles, starting this...

Ocean policy wave building.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... The 109th Congress convened in January with a number of ocean-related bills on its agenda and more legislation likely to follow in the wake of a landmark report from the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy as well as President Bush's response to...

Power Squadrons honors BoatU.S. Founder.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... The United States Power Squadrons presented its Raymond Finley Sea Scout Service Award to BoatU.S. Founder and Chairman Richard Schwartz, Jan. 8 at its 2005 Annual National Meeting in Orlando. The award honors individuals who have provided...

States enact teak surfing bans.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... Last year three states acted to make the dangerous practice known as "teak surfing" or platform dragging," illegal. Teak surfers hold on to the swim platform of a moving boat, and body surf the wake, exposing themselves to dangerous levels of...

NOAA launches new fishery vessel.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration took delivery Jan. 5 of its first newly constructed fisheries survey vessel in more than 25 years. Named for the late Alaskan fishing industry leader Oscar Dyson, the vessel is the first of...

Boating fatalities drop 6%.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... Boating safety improved in 2003 as the most recent Coast Guard accident statistics report 703 boating fatalities in 2003, a 6% drop from 2002, a year in which fatalities marked an unwelcome increase. Overall, fatalities have been on a downward...

Virginia tries again for children's life jacket law.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... After a bill that would require children in the Old Dominion to wear life jackets failed in the 2004 legislative session, supporters are rolling up their sleeves to get it done this year. A bill has been reintroduced by Sen. L. Louise Lucas...

Aweigh with words.
March 1, 2005... All Books On Deck--a novel crossword puzzle ACROSS 1. Froth in the wake of a boat 5. Relaxes on deck 9. Moved slowly 14. "What's the big______?" 15. Kind of line for catching crabs 16. Person who cuts 17....

Maine college revamps boating curriculum.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... The Washington County Community College (WCCC) in Eastport, ME, shutdown admissions to its boating trades program last year due to poor student interest. Now they're back with a new sense of enthusiasm after receiving a clear message from the...

Manatee deaths down.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... Recorded manatee deaths in Florida for 2004 took a big drop from the previous year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. FWC reported a total of 276 deaths for last year, well down from the 2003 total of 370 but...

Research ship hit by rogue wave.(BoatU.S.reports)
March 1, 2005... For readers who questioned our story, "Rogue Waves Revealed" in the November issue, now comes the chilling tale of the 591-foot research vessel Explorer. On Jan. 27 it was disabled after a reported 50-foot rogue wave broke the bridge windows...

Passing in the ditch.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I really look forward to and enjoy reading your magazine, but regarding Tom Neale's story on the ICW in your January issue there is a section about the proper technique for overtaking which I believe is wrong. While I have never boated on...

Deconstructing marinas.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... The January '05 issue of BoatU.S. Magazine carried the horrifying prospect of boats being driven out of marinas when hurricanes approach. The problem is not the boats in the marina but the poor construction of the marinas. Marinas are...

More valuable than labels.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Your article on warning labels was very interesting. I conduct vessel safety checks as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and very few of the people know where to find their HIN's or even what they are. The same holds true for capacity...

Get a grip.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... In the article "Stuck on You," in the January 2005 issue, I read with a mixture of amusement and disgust of the proliferation of warning labels. In my opinion, all these warnings are merely the result of an over-litigious society with too much...

Low overhead.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Please correct the January story about the Erie Canal (page 20). You reported height restrictions inaccurately. Air clearance is 15.5 feet only on the Champlain and Cayuga/Seneca canals, and from Three Rivers west to Tonawanda. On the...

Small craft careers.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I enjoyed the article on boat design in the most recent issue. While I have little doubt that Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology has trained a large number of yacht designers, I must clarify a statement made by Dave Gerr, executive...

Anguilla remembered.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... This is just a compliment. I am glad I am retired so that I can more fully read BoatU.S. Magazine. It arrived today, and I could not put it down for almost two hours. Fascinating articles, boating information, humor, insight, tips... just a...

When a dock isn't a dock.(memberforum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Looking over the January BoatU.S. Magazine I notice a number of instances where you are using incorrect terminology. It seems you and many others are confusing the terms "dock," "pier," and "float." For example, on page 16 you refer to...

Deviant readings.
March 1, 2005... Hello, my name is Stephen and I'm a boataholic. (The crowd reacts in unison: Hi, Stephen.) This is my second meeting. My first was triggered by the impulsive purchase of a repo-yard four-person, 130-hp, 60-mph, jet-powered personal watercraft....

Seniors savor time afloat: they say youth is wasted on the young. This seems to be especially true for those past age 70 and even 80 who are still boating with as much gusto as 20-year-olds.
March 1, 2005... They have a big advantage over the young: experience, confidence, more time and a deeper appreciation of how special the boating life is. While many dread the day when they must "swallow the anchor" and give up boating, for growing numbers of...

Fish fence sparks warnings.
March 1, 2005... A temporary underwater electronic fish fence intended to keep aquatic aliens from infesting Lake Michigan has sparked--literally--safety concerns for recreational and commercial vessels that have to sail through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship...

Sailing summer camp.
March 1, 2005... I never went to summer camp. That means I missed out on all the creepy ghost tales shared in front of roaring bonfire, as well as clandestine meetings with the girls from the camp across the lake. Okay--while the girls' camp was a wishful...

Coast Guard funding takes off.
March 1, 2005... It seems as if it was just yesterday that the U.S. Coast Guard was at the end of its rope. Underfunded and undermanned, it was the "sick man" of the military services. Lack of fuel to run its patrol boats, lack of spare parts for its aircraft...

Family ties cast off.
March 1, 2005... Whew! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For a moment there, it appeared as if there would be a fishing crisis of national proportions in the nation's capital. In the shadow of official Washington, in plain view on the Potomac River, a rite...

Vancouver: British Columbia.(DESTINATION)
March 1, 2005... Think of a smaller, more civilized San Francisco; a stunningly handsome seaside city where, the day after Christmas, you can choose between sailing or skiing; a place that's home to as many nationalities as the UN, each represented by...

Big brother's little box?
March 1, 2005... Will the homeland be more secure if thousands, or perhaps millions, of recreational boaters are required to buy expensive transponders that act as tracking devices for their boats? It may sound far-fetched, but the devices are already in use on...

Caution: guests on board; Accidents sometimes occur on boats, and the claim files indicate it's the inexperienced guest who is most likely to be injured.(DAMAGE AVOIDANCE)
March 1, 2005... When his sailing guests began drifting into a soporific stupor, the boat's owner decided to liven things up by tacking. The brief flurry of activity would, he hoped, rekindle the lagging conversation, stretch a few muscles, and also take...

Tsunami: triggers expanded warning system.
March 1, 2005... In the aftermath of the Dec. 26th Indian Ocean tsunami more than a few boaters have wondered: could it happen here and what would I do if it did? Some residents of Hawaii and Alaska, as well as the Pacific Northwest, have experienced a...

Number 40: Spill? What spill? Products that keep fuel where it belongs--in your tank.(foundationfindings)
March 1, 2005... You're at the fuel dock, pumping fuel as fast as you can, when your grandson tugs on your arm, begging for an ice cream sandwich. Momentarily distracted by your search for change, and before you can say "Eskimo Pie," fuel is tumbling out of...

Techno talk.
March 1, 2005... Chart plotters are among today's most popular electronic navigation aids. The course plotters built into many GPS receivers are the most basic. While presenting no cartography data they plot the vessel's course over the ground to the accuracy...

2005 boating safety grants awarded.
March 1, 2005... Hardworking and dedicated. Creative and innovative. Who are we talking about? BoatU.S. Foundation Boating Safety Grant recipients of course! And this spring the Foundation will award $40,000 to 22 nonprofit groups working on projects that make...

Ask Cap'n Drew.
March 1, 2005... Dear Cap'n Drew: Last year, there were an unusually high number of boat thefts in my area. I even knew a few people who had boats stolen from them. We have always locked our boat and have recently begun coming back to the marina at random times...

States siding with boat dealers.(CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU)
March 1, 2005... 'It looks like the boating industry's need to grow has finally overcome its resistance to change.' These words, spoken by a Wisconsin boat dealer and quoted on the editorial page of a recent marine industry trade publication, are the...

Fuel tank recall.(Consumer Alert)
March 1, 2005... Failures of four fuel tanks on recent model Bayliner and Meridian motoryachts prompted parent company U.S. Marine to initiate a defect recall campaign (recalls 040132T and 040133T). Involved are gasoline and diesel powered 2000-04 Bayliner...

Glacier Bay.(our boatU.S.)
March 1, 2005... Brisk winds, whitecaps and six-foot seas. Throw in a picnic lunch and you've got ideal conditions for "go anywhere, go anytime" Glacier Bay catamaran owners. These people love their boats because they can go out when most others huddle at the...

Battery for a tank.(hottips and news you can use)
March 1, 2005... Batteries are critical to boaters for starting engines and running systems. But when an expensive new battery comes on the market, is it really worth it? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After talking to Bob Pope of Odyssey Batteries, I'm...

Weatherman comes aboard.(hottips and news you can use)
March 1, 2005... Weather has a big impact on boating. That's why many of us check the "local on the 8s" before we go out. But wouldn't it be great to see approaching weather in real time, just like the TV weatherman? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Formerly...

Boat bits.(hottips and news you can use)
March 1, 2005... .56% Percentage of "safety sensitive" employees in the airline industry who tested positive for drugs in 2003. Source: USCG

Boat bits.(hottips and news you can use)
March 1, 2005... 2.07% Percentage of "safety sensitive" employees in the marine industry who tested positive for drugs in 2003. Source: USCG

Planes, trains & automobiles.(tangledline)
March 1, 2005... The seasoned towers of TowBoatU.S. have been through floods, hurricanes and seen just about every kind of boating mishap. But it's not every day the call comes in to retrieve an airplane, much less a DC3. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In...

HMS Surprise finds a home port.(tangledline)
March 1, 2005... Fans of the epic film, "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World," based on the popular Patrick O'Brian novels can now visit the ship that "played" the HMS Surprise in the film at the San Diego Maritime Museum. The museum purchased the...

National Safe Boating Week May 21-27.(tangledline)
March 1, 2005... Groups across the U.S. are gearing up for National Safe Boating Week which this year will be May 21-27. With the latest Coast Guard accident statistics showing that there were no life jackets on 86% of drowning victims, the annual campaign's...

Best Flotilla Award.(tangledline)
March 1, 2005... At the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's national conference in Cosa Mesa, CA, in September BoatU.S. presented the annual Best Flotilla in the Nation Award to Flotilla 22 of Sandy Hook, NJ. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Rub a ducky.(tangledline)
March 1, 2005... A crew of more than 1,000 workers was dispatched to help clean up the mess after last November's Delaware River oil spill spread a slick over 40 miles of the river and posing a major threat to waterfowl. But it turns out that the crude comes...

New drive system pulls ahead.
March 1, 2005... In the world of recreational motor-boats, first there were inboards. Then came outboards, and finally inboard/outboards. And as Monty Python once said, "And now for something completely different... " The marine industry is abuzz with...

Sea Ray 290 Sundancer.(2ndtimearound)
March 1, 2005... The price of used Sea Ray 290s may be 15% or more than other manufacturers' models offering similar size and accommodations but price alone may not be a fair comparison. Most Sea Ray 290 owners are likely to tell you that solid construction,...

Marshall 18 Sanderling.
March 1, 2005... As unusual as it may sound, there are very good, competitive sailors who have no interest in fiddling with a bunch of sheets, guys, halyards, outhauls, downhauls, cunninghams, barber-haulers, etc. in order to coax the best performance out of...

Member mailbag.(MEMBERSHIP)
March 1, 2005... Dear BoatU.S. My wife, Alice Lou and I thank you for the professionalism and empathy in helping us with the loss of our yacht, Grand Lady, in Hurricane Frances. You were with us each step of the way. From the very first day, you...

Hurricane haul-out made easier.(MEMBERSHIP)
March 1, 2005... When a hurricane approaches next season, all BoatU.S. insureds can rest a little easier knowing that there is help available to pay for getting their boat out of harms way. All BoatU.S. Yacht and Boat Saver insurance policies will now...

My.BoatUS.com: 25,000 and counting.(MEMBERSHIP)
March 1, 2005... It's been less than a year and 25,000 of you have already found out how to set up your own free, personalized boating Web page at My.BoatUS.com. For the rest of you who may have thought that you don't have the time or talent, think again. ...

President's circle.(MEMBERSHIP)
March 1, 2005... You enjoy your BoatU.S. membership; the benefits have proven themselves invaluable. So why don't you share your enthusiasm and help us make boating safer, more affordable and enjoyable for your friends? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Perhaps...

West advantage plus rewards.(MEMBERSHIP)
March 1, 2005... Spring is around the corner. That means many of us are on the prowl for the best deal for gear, boating products and gizmos, but we don't have to look far. With West Advantage Plus Rewards, BoatU.S. members can shop 'til they drop knowing...

Wet & wired: the marine network revolution.(Advertorial)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... With so many different types of instrumentation available to boaters these days, an overcrowded dash console is a common sight. But a jumble of independent units and displays is a thing of the past. Multifunction Displays (MFDs) are part of a...

Behind the boat.
March 1, 2005... This time of year, many of us look south for our boating fix. For those lucky enough to live where they can boat year-round or those planning to charter in balmy climates, I am envious. But for those stuck getting their "fix" from the pages of...

Where our flags fly.
March 1, 2005... 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] ...