BOAT/U.S. Magazine articles from May 2006

BOAT/U.S. Magazine archives from May 2006

Behind the buoy.
May 1, 2006... "All politics is local," observed the late Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, articulating one of the maxims of representative democracy. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As...

Loran termination proposed by Coast Guard.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... With no warning to users, the U.S. Coast Guard has proposed terminating the Loran system by requesting a zero budget for Loran in its FY 07 budget request to Congress. The decision was made apparently with no stakeholders' input and after the...

Marine industry honors BoatU.S. founder.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) presented its Charles F. Chapman Award to BoatU.S. founder and Chairman Richard Schwartz during ceremonies at the Miami International Boat Show. The prestigious award is given annually to...

Real-time NOAA data site launched.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... One-stop "shopping" is now making it easier for boaters and fishermen to get real-time weather and water condition reports over the Internet from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A new version of NowCOAST.noaa.gov...

900 slips closed for a casino.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... The deck seems stacked against southern Lake Michigan boaters for the 2007 season as the city of Hammond, IN plans to evict every boat from its 982-slip marina for one year to accommodate the expansion of a floating gambling casino that uses...

Nicholson earns Editorial Excellence award.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... BoatU.S. presented its prestigious Monk Farnham Award for Editorial Excellence to former Offshore magazine editor, Darrell Nicholson, Feb. 17, during the annual meeting of Boating Writers International. Nicholson was cited for his "From the...

Erie canal tolls waived.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... The Er-eye-ee may have been risin' in the old folk song, but the cost of cruising America's answer to the canals of Europe just went down. The New York State Canal System, which includes the historic Erie Canal, announced in March that tolls...

Boating or oranges: which is bigger in Florida?(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... The old saying that the word boat stands for "Break Out Another Thousand," is wrong. It's more like six thousand. According to a new study released by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), the average boat in Florida...

One county invests in boating access.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... Palm Beach County Florida has allocated $29 million dollars to purchase the development rights to two marina properties. Buying development rights, rather than entire properties, is an option that allows cities and counties to keep increasingly...

May 20-26 is Safe Boating week.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... As summer boating gets into full swing later this month, the National Safe Boating Campaign slogan "Wear It" is an apt reminder that life jackets are part of a boater's regular "uniform." Much like a helmet to a biker or knee pads to a skate...

Aweigh with words.
May 1, 2006... "That's an Order!"--Words from the Captain. ACROSS 1. 090, on a mariner's compass 5. Shut hard, as a cabin door 9. March honoree, for short 14. Pre-hand money, in poker 15. "_____ the momin' to ya!" 16. _____...

Sea Scouts win safety award.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... The National Safe Boating Council named the Sea Scout Safety at Sea Weekend this year's winner of its Boating Safety Youth Program Award. The award recognizes this innovative and fun way to train youth in a wide variety of boating safety...

40 years after.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... "The times they are a changin'," sang Bob Dylan in the mid-1960s. The world of recreational boating has changed dramatically over 40 years since BoatU.S. was founded in 1966. What follows are some of the more interesting changes: Who we...

2006 Clean Water Grants awarded.(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... Some 18 local groups with innovative ideas about good stewardship of our waterways have been selected to receive grants from the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water for 2006. These projects, totaling $50,000 in funding, are a...

Could states tie knot in Great Loop?(BoatU.S.reports)
May 1, 2006... In hope of checking the spread of invading fish, plant and animal species, a panel of experts is weighing options that could complicate life for Chicago area boaters and even put a tangle in the 6,000-plus-mile Great Loop cruising circuit...

Your nose knows.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Thank you BoatU.S. I have been a member of BoatU.S. for many years. As we all know, boating has many great days and just as many bad. Thanks to your magazine a disaster was avoided at the fuel dock. When I fuel up I have my motors and...

Play nice or else.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I read with interest and a smile your article "New Jersey Law Sets Short Deadline" in your March '06 issue. For the past 10 years, I have sailed a pocket cruiser on New Jersey's Barnegat Bay, and at the end of each sail, I am consistently...

Speaking up for boating.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I want to compliment Ryck Lydecker on the great job that he did addressing the threats to boating access in his article "Boat Access Drying Up" in the March BoatU.S. Magazine. I really appreciate your help in this challenging initiative and...

Truth in titling.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I enjoy reading BoatU.S. Magazine but if there was ever a "horror" issue, it was March 2006. Perhaps you should have run this issue closer to Halloween: blood- (and money-) sucking tax collectors, drawbridge operators, federal agencies,...

Too good to be true.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... After reading your article about PTL (Praise The Lord) Yacht Sales, I am disgusted that unscrupulous retailers use God to build undeserved trust and ultimately to take advantage of people. Hiring an independent surveyor and conducting...

Let transients stay--and spend.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I am a full time liveaboard (14 years) and I roam the eastern U.S. and Canada generally with the seasons. State cruising permits are a bad idea--just more bureaucracy, more paperwork, and probably a "user fee"; that is, a vehicle for another...

A tender subject.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Your excellent report about drawbridge problems in the March issue of BoatU.S. Magazine reminds me of an incident where a bridge tender refused to open the bridge, resulting in damage to a boat I was ferrying up the Mississippi River. As...

Carping about fish.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I enjoyed Ryck Lydecker's article on bow fishing. I noticed in the following (March) issue some criticism of Ryck's article. Baloney! Anyone who is an avid angler knows that carp (the main target of bow fishermen) are a rough fish and not...

No back up power necessary.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I read the "Guide to Using NOAA Chart Downloads" in the March issue with interest. Your last section in the article was titled "Do We Still Need Paper Charts?" In my opinion, the tone should be an adamant yes! Several years ago while in 20...

Ask Cap'n Drew.
May 1, 2006... Dear Cap'n Drew: I have a question about what must be a universal problem in boat clubs and marinas--parking. For some unknown reason, otherwise courteous people seem to park so rudely when they get to the boat club. Members have been...

Towing: no--brainers.
May 1, 2006... As the boating season gets underway in many parts of the country, we thought we would pass along some of the more insightful and colorful anecdotes towers have shared with us over the years. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For example, a number...

Consumer alert.
May 1, 2006... 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...

Time to get ready for Alberto, Beryl and Chris.
May 1, 2006... After two severe hurricane seasons and over a billion dollars in wrecked boats, reality has finally sunk in. Marinas and boat owners in hurricane-prone areas are laying plans to get their boats moved out sooner in advance of a storm, dock...

Fishing for the next generation.
May 1, 2006... Take a Kid Fishing! Oh sure, that's easy for the fishing tackle industry to say. But have you tried it lately? Hey, let's run the boat over to the launch ramp on the river this weekend for the spring salmon run, okay? Yeah,...

Techno talk.
May 1, 2006... If your boat engine is "fresh water" cooled you need to know some things about antifreeze, even if you live as far south as Key West where the lowest temperature ever recorded was 41[degrees]F. The first and most critical fact is that if your...

Sailing's Spectator sport.
May 1, 2006... The police call it a ride-along. Military units call it embedding. Both strive to provide outsiders with a behind-the-scenes perspective of another world. The Volvo Ocean Race calls it Virtual Spectator, because you might as well be bolted to...

San Diego.(DESTINATION)
May 1, 2006... We'd been heading down the coast from Newport Beach to San Diego, but the afternoon westerly winds and the short, steep seas they built were making progress increasingly uncomfortable aboard our 24-foot I/O. Ahead of us loomed the long, steep...

Boat birding takes flight.
May 1, 2006... Birders are a funny flock. They come in a variety of species--from the casual "birdwatcher" who may or may not recognize who's making the flutter at the feeder, to the "life-lister" who travels the world--on land and at sea--in search of one...

Fifty years on the flats.
May 1, 2006... The blue-green waters of Florida Bay slap rhythmically at the bow of our flats skiff as we race along at 25 knots. Our guide, Captain Bob Baker, is taking us north out of Bud N' Mary's Sportfishing Marina in Islamorada, into the fishing grounds...

Itching for a bargain: marine flea markets.
May 1, 2006... For many boaters, shopping for boat "stuff" during the off season is nearly as much fun as a great Saturday afternoon on the water. Just ask my wife, who knows that a quick "visit" to the chandlery never takes me less than an hour. So...

Consumers score boat brands.(CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU)
May 1, 2006... Don't expect any surprises when you read about J.D. Power's latest boat and marine engine ratings. Since the marketing information firm first published ratings of recreational boats and marine engines in 2001, the top berths have consistently...

SOS.(CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU)
May 1, 2006... As part of its ongoing effort to live up to its middle name--protection--the BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau alerts boat owners to dangers, scams and defects. Our SOS this month describes scams involving marine insurance and private...

Member mailbag.(MEMBERSHIP)
May 1, 2006... Dear BoatU.S.: All of my dealings with BoatU.S. have left me with nothing but respect for how you go about your business. Not to bore you with a story, but five years ago the marina where my boat is kept had a fire. I heard about it on...

Damage Avoidance.(MEMBERSHIP)
May 1, 2006... The BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Division's Damage Avoidance program helps boaters understand how boats get bashed, burned, banged, dinged and destroyed. And while you may never expect to file an insurance claim on your boat, knowing why and how...

Insurance for your RV, motorcycle.(MEMBERSHIP)
May 1, 2006... For members who love their other recreational vehicles as much as their boat, BoatU.S. has teamed up with the American Modern Insurance Group to offer RV, motorcycle and collector car insurance at a special members-only price. For more...

Fuel discounts at Cooperating Marinas.(MEMBERSHIP)
May 1, 2006... Fuel costs aren't expected to get any better this summer but one way to fight back is to take advantage of the BoatU.S. Cooperating Marina fuel discount. Offered at over a third of the 825 BoatU.S. Cooperating Marinas around the country,...

Shiver me timbers.(tangledline)
May 1, 2006... Blackbeard's ship is in trouble, and the Army Corps of Engineers is sailing to the rescue. The shipwreck believed to be the notorious pirate's flagship Queen Anne's Revenge, which sank off the North Carolina coast near Beaufort, has emerged...

Katrina wreckage gets new life.(tangledline)
May 1, 2006... When ancient trees toppled during Hurricane Katrina, residents of Gulf Coast towns didn't leave them to rot on the ground. They donated these special timbers to the rebuilding efforts of a 165-year-old ship. Mystic Seaport is in the...

Lost bark update.(tangledline)
May 1, 2006... An alert BoatU.S. member Merrill Tate spotted the photo of the mysterious "Desert Bark" in the March edition of Tangled Line and recognized it as the boat he watched being built for over 10 years. The boat's designer, builder and presumably...

BoatU.S. flag flies in Antarctica.(tangledline)
May 1, 2006... BoatU.S. member Ronald Klimes brought a little bit of BoatU.S. with him during an 11-day cruise to Antarctica. A friend snapped this photo of Klimes on Booth Island on the edge of the Antarctic Circle with the 296-foot, 110-passenger cruise...

Women's Sailing Conference returns June 3.(tangledline)
May 1, 2006... Whether one is new to sailing, looking to hone some skills or attend an invigorating event, the fourth annual Women's Sailing Conference has something for everyone as the event returns to scenic Marblehead, MA, on Saturday June 3. The...

Setting sail, bigtime.(tangledline)
May 1, 2006... When the 2006 U.S. Sailing Team was named earlier this year, BoatU.S. was thrilled to find out one of its own was among the nation's top competitors. Margaret Podlich, vice president of government affairs and formerly with the BoatU.S....

Getting kids into life jackets (and keeping them there).(goodfoundations)
May 1, 2006... Children are amazing negotiators, as every parent knows. Many consistently succeed in getting to stay up just one more hour, getting one last cookie, or playing one more video game. That skill could prove dangerous when boating as children...

One-stop shop for environmental information.(ondeck)
May 1, 2006... How can boaters help stop the spread of aquatic nuisance species? Is there a way to fill-up without accidentally spilling fuel? What is a No Discharge Area? Many boaters find themselves scratching their heads over questions like these....

Innovations abound in Miami.(hottips and news you can use)
May 1, 2006... At the granddaddy of all boat shows, the Miami International Boat Show held in February, some remarkable new products were honored with the National Marine Manufacturers Association Innovation Awards. This year, two categories had double...

49%.(BOAT BITS)
May 1, 2006... 49% The approximate percentage of all powerboats in the United States that are registered in the eight Great Lakes States. Source: Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources

2,556.(BOAT BITS)
May 1, 2006... 2,556 Average number of hours of fog each year at Washington's Cape Disappointment, reported to be nation's foggiest spot at sea level. Source: American Profile

The fine points of docking--without injury.(DAMAGE AVOIDANCE)
May 1, 2006... A skipper on Chesapeake Bay became something of a legend at his marina simply by putting on a great show whenever he docked his trawler. The excitement typically began building as his boat approached the end of the gas pier; he would begin by...

Grand Banks 42: www.grandbanks.com.(2nd timearound)
May 1, 2006... In a world where boats that have worked just fine for years are cast aside to satisfy market demand for more modern styling, the Grand Banks 42 has changed little in her four decades of production. Trawler yachts are known for their timelessly...

Jeanneau sun odyssey 36.2: www.jeanneauamerica.com.(2nd timearound)
May 1, 2006... Like other boats in her class, such as the Catalina 36, Beneteau 36s7 and Hunter 356, the Jeanneau 36.2 offers lots of creature comforts and is well suited for coastal cruising or, with proper planning, the occasional offshore passage. The...

Behind the boat.
May 1, 2006... One of the most difficult choices that BoatU.S. has to make is what political battles to fight. We are aided in these choices with input from members, our National Advisory Council, and an internal Public Policy Committee. The good news is...

Where our flags fly.
May 1, 2006... 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. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...