Tropical Boating Sitemap

Powerboating

• Choking the New Engine During Break-In
  It was a shock, but we learned that reading the Owner's Manual actually can be helpful
• Outboard Engine Flushing Bucket
• Choosing the Right Propeller For Your Boat
  Changing propellers can dramatically affect the performance and handling of your boat (7/27/07)
• Deadrise Hull Performance
  Deep V, Shallow V, or Variable Deadrise
• How to Dock an Outboard or Sterndrive Powerboat in 3 Easy Pictures
• Small Outboard Engine Tilt and Trim: Theory and Practice
• Outboard Engine Tilt and Trim for Medium Size Outboards
• Power Tilt and Trim for Large Outboard and Sterndrive Boats
• The Joys of A New Tilt and Trim
• Outboard Engine Hydraulic Jack Plates
• Running the Finger Channels and Flats in a Thunderstorm

Sailing

• Kids Sailing Camp
  Teaching Kids To Sail — A Learning Experience
• Hunter 376 Delivery Sail
  A brief cruise from Charlotte Harbor through the Florida Keys and up to Miami
• Hibiscus Cup Small Sailboat Regatta 2010
• Sailing the Sun Cat with Puppies 2010
• Conquistador Cup Regatta 2010: Charlotte Harbor Sailing Races
• Multi 23 Sport Racing Trimaran Review
• Useppa Catboat Rendezvous 2010
• Charlotte Harbor Sailing Regatta 2010: Triumphs and Crashes
• Adding A Jib to the Hobie Adventure Island Kayak
• Outboard vs Diesel for Horizon Cats
• The Perfect Solo Mast-Raising System for Small Sailboats
• A Tour of the Replica of the Caravelle Niña
• A Short History of My Life With My F-27 Trimaran #162, Surrender
• Docking Outboard-Powered Small Sailboats
• A Sailing Cruise From Tampa Bay to the Panhandle, and Back Again
• Sailboat Reviews
  • Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Reviews
    • His Adventure Island Review
    • Her Adventure Island Review
  • Catalina 309 Review
  • Catalina Expo 12.5 Review
  • Com-Pac Sun Cat Review
    From ramp to rigging, this trailerable sailboat is a delight
  • Com-Pac Legacy Review
    Trying out Com-Pac's newest daysailer at the small-sailboat races
• Adventures With a Cruising Spinnaker on an Island Packet
• Blown Down in a 44' CSY
• Remote-Controlled Sailing
• Spring Sailboat Racing With the Punta Gorda Sailing Club
  How we fared in the multi-hull division in our Corsair F-27 trimaran

Upgrading and Repairing Boats

• Protecting Our Boston Whaler Rub Rail
• Adventure Island Mast Furler Drum Epoxy Repair
• Replacing a Sun Cat's Broken Gaff Boom Cap
• Compound/Wax vs PoliGlow to Shine & Protect Dark Colored Hull Topsides
• A Teak and Sandy Sole
  Converting my teak and holly sole into a teak and sandy sole, making only the holly strips a non-skid surface.
• Modifying my Sun Cat's Rigging
  Making the Sun Cat even easier and more fun to sail
• A Little Morning Project
  Replacing a steering bracket should be simple.
• More Boston Whaler Modifications
  Protecting it, and making it more practical and useful
• Modifying the Boston Whaler: Super Sport to Sport Conversion
• Kinetic Energy: Almost More Boating Fun Than The Law Allows
• Emergency engine water pump repair

Boating Equipment
Find out about boating accessories and boating supplies

• Golf Cart Rear Seat Trailer Hitch Installation
• A Sun Shade for my Sun Cat
• Selecting A Handheld GPS Chartplotter
  We chose the Garmin 400C
• Shop for Chartplotters
• Repacking or Replacing Trailer Wheel Bearings
• Making A Clear-Bottom Bucket
  Useful to visually check your anchor, and also to check out the underwater scene (8/30/07)
• Choosing The Right Anchor
  You may need more than one anchor to be properly prepared
• Making Your Own Fenderboards
  Better fenderboards than what you can buy, and for less money
• Buying a new outboard engine
  Internet or Local Dealership?
• Marine Canvas and Isinglass Care
  Take care of your marine canvas and isinglass, so that it takes care of your boat
• Marine Electronics
  • Marine Electronics for a Sailboat
    Electronic Gear on My 44' CSY
• What Should Be In Your Small Boat Marine Toolkit
• Buying, Towing and Using Dinghies
  • Dinghy Towing Equipment and Techniques
  • Soft Inflatable Dinghies
  • Hard Hull Dinghies
• Dry Storage Solutions
  Keeping Your Stuff Dry and Safe on a Small Boat
• What's in YOUR dry box?
• Shop for Dry Bags
• Shop for Waterproof Pelican Cases
• What Use Is A Dead Trolling Motor?

Boat Handling Techniques

• Anchoring With Two Anchors
  Bahamian-Style Mooring
• Setting An Anchor
  Follow these 4 easy steps to set your anchor securely
• Securing Your Boat For a Hurricane
  Prepare your boat properly so that it will still be a boat after the hurricane passes
• Securing your boat to the dock in a moderate tide
  Spring lines are the key

All About Kayaking

• An Adventure Island Kayak Sail in Shell Creek During the Fringes of Ike
• Paddling in the Florida Keys in a Clear-Bottom Kayak
• Buying Your Kayak Paddle
  Choosing the right kayak paddle is as important as choosing the right kayak
• Kayaking with Dolphins
• My Kayak Buying Habit
• Sailing My Klepper Foldable Kayak
• Shop for Kayaks
• Shop for Kayak Paddles

Boating Fun

• The Hot Chocolate Cruise: A Cold Sail in South Florida
• The Time I Got Thrown Overboard
  (Or, The Importance of safety mechanisms and kill switches)
• A Dramatic Dawn Dinghy Rescue
• Should You Buy Your Own Boat, or Charter One?
• Watching a Fishing Boat Sink While Sailing My Kayak
• The 2 Basic Rules of Boating Fun
  The 10-Foot Rule and the Inverse Proportion Rule
• Small Boat Cruising Without A Plan
  Boating in the Florida keys with no plan and no charts.
• Wakejumping at Stiltsville
  Best not to let your boat insurance agent see you having this kind of fun!
• The Experimental Hydro Rocket? You decide...
• Tilt and Trim Fun With My Boston Whaler
• The Boat Flinging Incident

Boating Safety

• Boating Safety Equipment
  What You Need That the Coast Guard Doesn't Require
• Never Let Go
  Your boat will be blown away before you know it

Fishing

• Oil Rig Fishing
  Catching red snapper and kingfish around an oil rig off the Mississippi coast
• I Know You're Out There
  Searching for the Elusive Redfish
• Selecting and Installing a Fishfinder
• Losing A Spear To A Shark
• The Big Dolphin Roundup
  Our family's secret method of finding large quantities of large dolphin in the Gulf Stream
• One Ham and Cheese Sandwich On Board
  Should We Use It to Fish for Dinner, or Feed the Crew?
• Building a Live Bait Well
  A small boat isn't conducive to built-in live bait wells. Here is my solution.
• An interesting catch — competing with the sharks for wahoo and tuna

Classic Boating Stories

• Small Boat Sailing by Jack London
• Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum

Buying and Selling Boats

• How to Decide on an Asking Price for Your Boat
• How to Get the Best Selling Price for Your Boat
• Getting Your Boat Ready to Sell

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