BOAT/U.S. Magazine articles from September 2006

BOAT/U.S. Magazine archives from September 2006

Behind the buoy.
September 1, 2006... It goes without saying that a prudent mariner should always keep a sharp lookout. The same holds true for magazine editors and public policy practitioners who should constantly be on the lookout for issues that may affect their readers and...

Wego Kite Tube recalled.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... After more than three dozen injuries and two deaths, the Consumer Product Safety Commission in mid-July announced a voluntary recall of approximately 19,000 Wego Kite Tubes manufactured by Sportsstuff. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The "water...

BoatU.S. Magazine honored for Advocacy.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... The "Behind the Buoy" editorials that appear in each issue of BoatU.S. Magazine, usually addressing one of the many issues facing boaters today, won an Apex Award in the Editorials and Advocacy category of this annual contest. The column is...

Bush creates largest marine protected area.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... With a stroke of the pen June 15, President George W. Bush designated 140,000 sq. miles of the northwest Hawaiian Islands a national monument. The action immediately placed a 1,200-mile archipelago of islands and atolls, coral reefs, seamounts...

Water access forum set.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... As demand for waterfront real estate keeps pushing up land values, many recreational boaters find themselves on the losing end of the supply-and-demand curve. Marina slips, launching ramps and boat service yards are giving way to upscale...

Catalyst technology takes to water.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... Automotive engine technology that's been cleaning the air for years is now going to sea as one manufacturer has successfully adapted catalyst exhaust systems to marine inboard power plants. Indmar Marine Engines exhibited its clean...

NOAA electronic charts face budget ax.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... As FY 2007 funding for NOAA was being debated in Congress at midsummer, the budget to convert paper charts to digital format was zeroed out by the House of Representatives. This development sent shock waves through the maritime community as...

NOAA unveils new online chart viewer.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... The complete catalog of more than 1,000 NOAA raster charts can now be viewed online using a standard Internet browser--no special software required. The online chart viewer, released to the public on July 4th, lets boaters display any chart,...

Airlines adopt cylinder policies.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... Now that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has revised the federal rules regarding C[O.sub.2] cylinders used in inflatable life jackets, it is still up to each individual airline whether to allow boaters to bring charged...

More customs inspectors in Florida.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... With increased security measures inconveniencing many U.S. boaters who cross from Florida over to the Bahamas and back on weekends and holidays, U.S. Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) has responded to citizen complaints about check-ins by greatly...

California considers mandatory education.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... The California Department of Boating and Waterways held two public forums this summer on whether or not the nation's third largest boating state should follow the trend and enact some form of mandatory boater education. The two forums were...

Michigan boaters to vote on boating fund.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... Boaters in Michigan have an unprecedented opportunity Nov. 7 to keep the fuel taxes and registration fees they pay working for boating. On the Election Day ballot will be an initiative to prohibit the state from diverting recreational and...

Final report on Crew Overboard online.(BoatU.S.reports)
September 1, 2006... Going overboard is every recreational boater's worst nightmare. However, if someone does go over the side, a crew who knows the latest rescue methods and has the right retrieval gear will be able to make a quick rescue, according to a final...

Fender bender.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... "Docking Without Injury" by Bob Adriance, May 2006, missed one very important rule. Practice! In flying, touch and go landings are a primary step in learning to fly. You may do six to eight and nothing else in an hour of flying time. The...

Can't blame the dock hand.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... The article about the dangers of gasoline refueling in the July 2006 issue offered several good suggestions, but the incidents described present facts that don't ring true. Gasoline deposited in the bilge can lead to a disaster, but blaming it...

Gas disposal: a bad solution.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... BoatU.S. Magazine, July 2006 edition, page 22-24, had an article on E10 gas replacing the gas as we know it today. The article indicated blending gas with ethanol greatly reduced time of storage to around 60 to 90 days. This information...

Say no to gill grabbing.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Thanks for the helpful article on Ethanol in the July 2006 issue. Informative and helpful. I must take exception though to the photo on page 34 of a pro angler holding up two bass by the gills. I assume the tournament was catch and release, but...

Dangers of artificial wind.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... After reading your article 'Toying Around" (July 2006), I was very disturbed by the seemingly positive review of the so called "kite tube." This product, while no doubt fun, can also be extremely dangerous to use. There have been at least two...

Quick fixes won't do.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Michael Sciulla's comments downplaying the importance of long term fixes for our oceans and coastal areas and favoring here-and-now itch scratching is another sad commentary on our society's commitment to dealing with major problems....

Fishing in your pocket.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Why is it every time I read about a new government sponsored proposal, I am reminded of the oxymoron, "We're from the federal government, we're here to help"? I'm not sure I even understand the reasoning behind a federal registration system. It...

A glass half empty.(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Mr. Raffensperger is on the right track determining cause for Florida waters' decline and indeed the world's oceans. The atmospheric onslaught on our waters, acidifying carbon dioxide, nutrifying nitrogen compounds of acids and ammonia, add to...

Half full ...(memberforum)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I would like to know who made John Raffensperger an expert on water management and quality in Florida. He labeled the state "toxic waters." Well, here is a newsflash from the July 2006 National Geographic article "Coasts in Crisis." The south...

Ask Cap'n Drew.
September 1, 2006... Dear Cap'n Drew: I wanted to share with you a new trick that I learned on how help relieve the pain of sunburns. A friend told me that when her kids get sunburns, she gives them cool baths with a cup or two of oatmeal added. She also told...

Life's great on the lake.(Waterfront Living)
September 1, 2006... When Lee Iacocca closed down the Chrysler manufacturing plant on Lake Michigan's western shore in 1988, he made a lot of Kenosha, WI, residents mad. Nearly two decades later, it turns out he may have done the city--and the region's...

Sharing the sea's bounty.
September 1, 2006... Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. But what's to be done when thousands are hungry and boatloads of fish are needed? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SeaShare, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting hunger in America, has...

Rescue radio rolls out.
September 1, 2006... Not a moment too soon for the 2006 hurricane season, the U. S. Coast Guard's state-of-the-art communications upgrade, Rescue 21, has arrived on the Gulf Coast. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The much anticipated and much delayed overhaul of...

Tips to stretch your gas dollar.(From the Files of DIY Boat Owner Magazine)
September 1, 2006... With fuel prices soaring, it pays to do a little dieting to get the most miles for your money. Chances are, if your boat or engine is older than three years, it's already consuming more fuel than when it was new. An awareness of the...

All that shines is not always stainless: for stainless steel fasteners, knowing which alloy to use above and below the waterline can save maintenance headaches.(From the Files of DIY Boat Owner Magazine)
September 1, 2006... We think of steel as strong, very strong, and we think of stainless steel as even more robust with a sparkling finish to complement its resistance to corrosion and rust. But all that's shiny is not always the stainless steel you think it is....

Cruising Cognac country: when you're the only real boater in the family, vacations can be difficult. Unlike my family who isn't that thrilled about going afloat, I need a boating vacation fix at least once a year.
September 1, 2006... So I try to please everyone. Cruise ships are out of the question as seasickness is our family curse. Bareboat chartering sounds nice until you realize that your untrained familial crew will need a lot of handholding and you're responsible for...

Getting on plane.
September 1, 2006... One of the great attractions of owning a boat is that it enables you to visit places and view this earth from a special perspective. The same holds true for owning an airplane. A recent journey crisscrossing the country brought to mind the many...

Histories ring hollow.(CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU)
September 1, 2006... When the BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau recently came across an online boat buying service whose aim is "to make the used watercraft transaction process as safe and hassle free as possible," we got interested. When the service also...

Can you "see" me now?(hottips and news you can use)
September 1, 2006... Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) for commercial vessels are similar to what radio transponders are for aircraft--using VHF radio frequencies, AIS send and receive data, such as vessel direction, speed, and identification in hopes of...

Stuck on you.(hottips and news you can use)
September 1, 2006... A New Port Richey, FL, company says it has found a solution to the damage to reefs caused by the removal of firmly entrenched anchors. Hunter boat anchors offers three types of anchors: plow, spade, and grapnel, but what sets them apart is that...

Grill turns 30.(hottips and news you can use)
September 1, 2006... Quick. Think back. What were you grilling with in 1976? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Magma's ubiquitous Marine Kettle just turned 30 and has gone through a complete redesign and name change, now called the Marine Kettle 2 or MK2 for short....

53%.(BOAT BITS)
September 1, 2006... 53%: The percentage of the population that lives in the 673 U.S. coastal communities, or 153 million Americans. This is an increase of 33 million people since 1980. Source: NOAA Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980-2008

8,000.(BOAT BITS)
September 1, 2006... 8,000: The average number of times per day free Raster charts are downloaded from the NOAA Web site nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download.htm. The charts are used in conjunction with a laptop and navigation software. Source: NOAA

Canals: the ultimate hurricane holes.(DAMAGE AVOIDANCE)
September 1, 2006... "Location, location, location" applies as much to storm preparation as it does to real estate. Seaworthy has often publicized what the best options are when a boat has to be left in the water. Deciding where the boat will be safest is more...

Tanks for nothing: while the increased use of ethanol in gasoline is beginning to raise eyebrows in the boating community, for those unfortunate enough to own a gas-powered boat with fiberglass tanks this boating season has become a nightmare characterized by cruel ironies, spotty information and agonizing choices.
September 1, 2006... Congressman John Shadegg (R-AZ), a Bertram owner and BoatU.S. member, is one of these boat owners. He's facing huge monetary losses, and perhaps worst of all, little chance of resolving the problem in time to save his boating season. Shadegg's...

Techno talk.
September 1, 2006... An Emergency Position Indicating Rescue Beacon (EPIRB), or the smaller but equally effective Personal Locater Beacon (PLB) can save your life, but only if it has the energy to operate its transmitter when you activate it. This is especially...

Hatteras 38/39 Convertible: www.haterrasyachts.com.(2nd timearound)
September 1, 2006... Over the last 40-plus years, Hatteras Yachts of Highpoint, NC, has worked to establish a worldwide reputation for building some of the finest recreational boats offered. The success of their effort is borne out in a recent survey of BoatU.S....

Freedom 30/32: www.freedomyachts.com.(2nd timearound)
September 1, 2006... For those of you who feel that sailing is just too complicated and that you'll never be able to master all its intricacies, here is an alternative to conventional stayed rigs that offers old salts and new sailing enthusiasts alike ease of...

Annual report 2005: member support saves lives and the environment.
September 1, 2006... As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water relies on the generous support of BoatU.S. members--as well as on grants and donations--to keep boating safe and clean for future generations. The...

Croissants and a beacon for Trans-Atlantic kite sailor.(tangledline)
September 1, 2006... In July, Capt. Tim Russell and Elaine Russell of TowBoatU.S. Nantucket, MA, got an unexpected call for help. Fifty-five miles out in the cold, foggy Atlantic, solo adventurer Anne Quemere of France was in a 5.5-m craft attempting to set the...

BoatU.S. staffer sails to 7th at worlds.(tangledline)
September 1, 2006... In early July, BoatU.S. Vice President Margaret Podlich, with teammate Kim Couranz and skipper Carol Cronin, placed 7th in the Yngling Womens World Sailing Championship. The Yngling is a 20-foot keelboat with main, jib, and spinnaker sails,...

4,500 miles later and a little worse for wear ...(tangledline)
September 1, 2006... It wasn't a pretty sight, but the 33-foot sloop Chaton de Foi (Kitten of Faith) miraculously showed up in Kona, HI, over six months after it was abandoned off the west coast of Costa Rica. Hawaiian fishermen spotted the bedraggled and tattered...

Running on French fries.(tangledline)
September 1, 2006... Ah, the smell of soybean oil fumes... The research fleet of the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory is going green, now running its engines on biodiesel as a demonstration of the alternative fuel's potential. Last year the lab, a...

Leadership award goes to Seattle instructor.(tangledline)
September 1, 2006... Nancy Erley, a two-time circumnavigator and Seattle-based sailing instructor was awarded the 2006 Leadership in Women's Sailing Award June 4 at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA. The award is sponsored by BoatU.S. and NWSA and honors...

The "un-life jacket": brands you know (and some you don't) sport new features.(goodfoundations)
September 1, 2006... Boaters are fortunate to be able to take advantage of life jackets, or PFDs, that are more wearable and comfortable, while at the same time delivering an even greater amount of safety. Several current models of life jackets, both foam and...

Tip of the month.(MEMBERSHIP)
September 1, 2006... From TowBoatU.S. Capt. Larry Tieman of TowBoatU.S.Tampa Bay: "When you run aground, if you can't free yourself immediately--and I mean immediately--you'll be much better off financially if you stop, shut down, and call a tow boat for help....

New boat groups message board debuts at BoatUS.com.(MEMBERSHIP)
September 1, 2006... We jumped the gun earlier this year with the launch our new online boat group message board section, so thanks for your patience--we are happy to announce we are now ready to go! The new, free message board at BoatUS.com/boatgroups can help...

Come see us--you could win a prize.(MEMBERSHIP)
September 1, 2006... We'd enjoy seeing you at the following boat shows this fall. And when you visit our booth, we'll give you a free BoatU.S. lanyard and you can also enter to win a Raymarine Ray54 VHF radio, donated by Raymarine (no purchase necessary). ...

Behind the boat.
September 1, 2006... If you are like me, every morning you wade through a long list of e-mail and prioritize your responses. It never ceases to amaze me how many deposed general's wives from Nigeria need help to move millions of dollars out of their country. And...

Where our flags fly.
September 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] ...