BOAT/U.S. Magazine articles from November 2002

BOAT/U.S. Magazine archives from November 2002

Behind the buoy.
November 1, 2002... As this column is being written in late September, the potential for war with Iraq looms heavy on the horizon, the stock market continues to seek new depths and cross winds continue to buffet the U.S. Senate which is three weeks into a...

GPS interference warning. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... Most GPS receivers are normally so reliable and accurate that skippers take for granted their signals are dead on. However, the U.S. Coast Guard has recently issued A Local Notice to Mariners about potential disruption of GPS signals from some...

Documentation fees audited. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... The cost of documenting a vessel with the U.S. Coast Guard should be going down after an audit of the federal program found the fees charged boat owners have exceeded the cost of providing the service by at least $1.5 million. ...

Sea Scouts race for Cups. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... Two young sailors from Southern California took Lake Michigan by storm last August when they won the BoatU.S. Sea Scout Cup and the William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup. During three days of racing in Vanguard 15s, hosted by...

So long, snakeheads. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... Maryland environmentalists as well as anglers are breathing a sigh of relief as they say "rest in peace" to the northern snakehead. In September, we reported that the non-native Asian species of carnivorous, aggressive northern snakehead had...

Inflatable life jackets recalled. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... In late August, Sospenders recalled some 7,200 automatic inflatable life jackets due to a safety defect involving the Hammar model auto-inflator device. Both the U.S. Coast Guard, which is responsible for recalls of marine safety products,...

Reef rebuilders. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists are giving new meaning to the term "rock band" as they work to reconstruct a coral reef badly damaged in a ship grounding years ago. Technicians are using preformed concrete...

Waivers for charter boats extended. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... As this issue of BoatU.S. Magazine goes to press, the Port Security bill currently reaching final passage in Congress contains welcome relief for some boaters who wish to put their boats into charter service. A popular federal program...

Homeland security grants awarded. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... The nation's first federal grants to involve citizen volunteers in homeland security were awarded recently, providing a total of $10.3 million to 43 nonprofit and public organizations. The Corporation for National and Community Service, a...

Trailer brake SNAFU. (Boat U.S. Reports).
November 1, 2002... Boaters with surge brakes on their boat trailers have cause to be concerned about the legality of their braking system. Surge brakes are fully contained on the trailer and not controlled from the towing vehicle. They're in common use on small...

Askcap'ndrew.
November 1, 2002... Dear Cap'n Drew: My wife and I are inviting all of our friends out on our 22-footer for an autumn cruise. What type of food should we serve? -Confused in Dutchess Dear Confused: If all of your friends fit on a 22-footer, your...

Member forum.
November 1, 2002... LettersToEditor@BoatUS.com A Judgment Call Reading your articles "Homeland Security Runs Aground" and "More Kids' Life Jacket Laws" gave me pause to think that maybe it's not so bad that the Coast Guard is getting shifted and their...

Deviantreadings.
November 1, 2002... Most boaters could benefit from a refresher course in the Beaufort Scale of Wind Force. This helpful scale was the brainchild of Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, who, in 1805, devised this ingenious way of determining how much sail your average...

Fireboats: few & far between.
November 1, 2002... New York City's firefighters rank at the top of the heroes list for their part in the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Who will ever forget the photo of three firefighters amid the rubble using a makeshift standard to raise the country's hopes in the...

Building character.
November 1, 2002... "Character is simply habit long continued," pronounced one ancient philosopher While the term usually refers to personalities, it could also be said that certain "long-continued" styles of boats have character as well. Whether or not the...

Camped out for a cause.
November 1, 2002... If the alligator skull the size of a five-gallon bucket on the porch doesn't tip you off that this is no ordinary conference facility, the two mounted bobcats, a dozen deer heads and at least 26 trophy largemouth bass on the walls should leave...

Boatloads of books.
November 1, 2002... Boaters who have run out of electronic gizmos to stuff in Christmas stockings have a boatload of nautical books to fill the gap this year. Far too many to mention here, there are dozens of choices for gifts or just fun winter reading, ranging...

Cruisers Yachts. (Our Boat U.S.).
November 1, 2002... www.cruisersyachts.com With winds gusting past 20 knots, the fleet of seven Cruisers Yachts huddled safely in the lee of the break wall at Tilghman-on-Chesapeake on Maryland's Eastern Shore. While the September wind was strumming the...

Technotalk.
November 1, 2002... If you have a navigation receiver and a DSC capable VHF there are four wires that need to be connected--in fact they could save your life. If you also have a 406 EPIRB you will want to connect two more wires. Making these four or six...

Out & about in The Bahamas II: the Exumas, Eleuthera, New Providence. (Destination).
November 1, 2002... While the Abacos, featured in the September issue, are most often a cruising destination in themselves, Eleuthera and especially the Exumas serve many skippers as intermediate stops between Florida and the Caribbean islands. Even so, most boats...

How hear this...: up close and conversational with FRS radios. (Foundation Findings).
November 1, 2002... The modern marine band VHF radio is as much a part of boating today as the life jacket. Unlike life jackets, however, radios are not mandated equipment although as safety gear, many boaters consider them just as essential. The VHF,...

Boatbuilder aims to corner market. (Boat Smart).
November 1, 2002... Boatbuilder aims to corner market. (Boat smart) Styrene, a chemical used in the manufacture of products as diverse as boats, styrofoam, food packaging, tires, carpeting, hot tubs and cultured marble countertops, is at the center of a high...

Tracker Tahoe Q5L. (S.O.S.).
November 1, 2002... In May we purchased a new Tracker Tahoe Q5L. There were problems from the first day we put the boat in the water. My husband called Tracker Marine at the end of July and we took the boat to the dealer for repairs. During that time, we had a lot...

MerCruiser Bravo III. (S.O.S.).
November 1, 2002... My boat has a MerCruiser Bravo III outdrive. I've had very few problems with corrosion because every year, in addition to changing the anodes as recommended, I do something a little different. First, I lightly sand the drive to remove any paint...

Gas gauge. (S.O.S.).
November 1, 2002... I have been a boat owner for about two years now and have some questions about the gas gauge on my boat. Whenever the gas level in the tank is "less than full," the gauge needle bounces between quarter tank increments. I have a friend with the...

Luhrs 320 Convertible. (2nd Time Around).
November 1, 2002... www.luhrs.com For boaters who enjoy both fishing and cruising, the Luhrs 320 Convertible offers style, solid construction, and a sensibly laid out design. Add to that an extensive list of features intended to satisfy cruisers and fishermen...

Hunter Legend 35/35.5.
November 1, 2002... www.huntermarine.com From the beginning, Hunter has concentrated on keeping their boats affordable while, at the same time, providing maximum accommodations for a given length. The Legend 35/35.5 remains true to the company's focus,...

A ceremonial sinking. (Tangled Line).
November 1, 2002... It's a rare day that a professional towing captain is called upon to help sink a boat, not recover one, but that's what the TowBoatU.S. crew from Reynolds Towing on Fire Island, NY, recently did. They helped sink a boat that belonged to the...

The Exumas in full living color. (Tangled Line).
November 1, 2002... If you just don't have time for a trip to the islands right now or you want to relive a previous visit, there's always the video--a DVD mini-movie about the unique Exuma Gays Land and Sea Park. Created by BoatU.S. member Allan Salvatori, the...

Sailing a big desk. (Tangled Line).
November 1, 2002... How many times have you sat in your office, daydreaming about being on your boat instead of at work? At least once a day? However, if you do what BoatU.S. member Bob Dion did, your daydreaming days may be over! As creative director of a...

San Francisco benefit. (Tangled Line).
November 1, 2002... Master shipwright John Bums came to California's Sausalito waterfront in 1988 and has since overseen the completion and rebuilding of many of San Francisco Bay's historic vessels, including the Brigadoon, Jacqueline and Balclutha. In June, John...

10 years after. (Tangled Line).
November 1, 2002... On the 10th anniversary of one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history, scientists have officially upgraded 1992's Hurricane Andrew to a Category 5 storm. Scientists for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration used new research...

World longest PWC ride. (Tangled Line).
November 1, 2002... Waterbike history was made this summer by a Spanish aristocrat who fulfilled his dream of crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a personal watercraft. Departing from Rome on February 23, Alvaro de Marichalar y Saenz de Tejada crossed 8,000 miles of...

End-of-year donations benefit boating. (At Your Service).
November 1, 2002... In the past five years, the nonprofit BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has given away over 10,000 life jackets for its Kids' and Teens Ufejacket Loaner programs. The Foundation also awards nearly $55,000 annually in...