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Boating Articles by Tom

Starting with the little two-person inflatable raft I had as my very first boat, I have always loved the freedom and the feeling of being out on the water. With my father's help, I added a hard plywood floor to that little inflatable, and that was the beginning of a long chain of boats I have owned, loved, maintained, modified, fixed, enjoyed, and scared myself to death on over the past few decades.
A lot of boating time is spent fixing boats, maintaining boats, and upgrading boats with new boating equipment to suit our specific tastes and needs. Lots of salespeople at stores that sell marine boating supplies and boating accessories have learned to recognize me over the years. I have spent my share of time and money working on just about anything you could name on a boat, and made plenty of mistakes. I'm here to share the lessons learned.

Dock Lines

March 31, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

Dock lines should be replaced as needed when they show signs of wear.

  Here's a guideline for the diameter sizes appropriate for different boat sizes: Length of Boat Recommended Diameter of Dock Line Up to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Equipment Tagged With: docking, dock lines

Conquistador Cup Regatta 2010: Charlotte Harbor Sailing Races

March 10, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

PHRF Racing with Spinnaker, Cruising, and Multihull Classes Conquistador Cup Regatta Fleet The 2010 Conquistador Cup Regatta was good practice for light air sailing techniques, much to the disappointment of our Multi-23 crew, as we hoped … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Races & Regattas Tagged With: Charlotte Harbor, regatta, racing

The 2 Basic Rules of Boating Fun

March 5, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

When you choose your boat for its maximum pleasure ratio, you spend more time out in your boat, and less time working on it. If you're reading this, chances are you spend lots of your time and money on boats. Why do you do that? Some of you just … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Fun Tagged With: boating fun

Feeding the Crew on a Ham and Cheese Sandwich

March 4, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

We could play it safe and share a ham and cheese sandwich.Or we could throw caution to the wind and use the sandwich for bait. If we got lucky, we would be dining on fresh grilled fish. If not, we'd go hungry. I'd rather feast on fresh-caught … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Fun, Fishing Tagged With: ham, cheese, food

A Teak and Sandy Sole

March 3, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

Converting my teak and holly sole into a teak and sandy sole, making only the holly strips a non-skid surface I decided I wanted to varnish the teak and holly cabin sole in my Com-Pac Sun Cat. It's a plywood piece with teak and holly veneer, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Repairs & Upgrades Tagged With: Sun Cat, Com-Pac Sun Cat, teak sole

Dry Storage Solutions – Tips from Tropical Boating

March 3, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

Dry Bags, Dry Boxes, and Dry Pouches A dry bag, a dry pouch, and a combination bailer/dry storage container make good dry storage solutions on a small boat. Shop for Dry Bags In addition to the cooler I use as a dry box on my Boston Whaler, I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Equipment Tagged With: dry storage, small boats, drybags

What’s in YOUR Drybox?

March 3, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

A Small Boat's Drybox and Its Contents The Quick and Easy Drybox Solution for a Small Boat The bowlocker on my Boston Whaler stays pretty full. In the picture you can see the lifejacket and anchor and rode. I also keep a gallon jug of water and my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Equipment Tagged With: tools, small boats, drybox, dry storage

Should Your Buy Your Own Boat, or Charter?

March 3, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

For the avid boater, nothing can replace the experience of cruising his own boat, but it will involve a sacrifice of time and money between trips that the charterer need not make.

There is nothing better than the feeling of setting out on a voyage in your own cruising boat, with all preparations made to your liking and a new adventure ahead. One feeling that comes close is the feeling of taking such a trip and then just … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying & Selling Boats Tagged With: buy, charter

Boating and Thunderstorms Don’t Mix

February 28, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

When you're out in a boat, a nice day can turn ugly and wretched awfully fast Boating Can Be Miserable When You Get Caught in a Thunderstorm One fine summer morning when I was a teen, I took off in our 15 Whaler with my girlfriend and my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Powerboating, Boating Safety Tagged With: safety, Boston Whaler, thunderstorms

Docking Outboard-Powered Small Sailboats

February 27, 2010 By Tom Leave a Comment

An outboard engine may look a little funny hanging off the back of a sailboat, but it can offer extra maneuverability that is impossible with inboard engines. Inboard engines are prone to "prop walk" at slow speeds, because the shaft is usually … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Handling, Sailing Tagged With: small boats, outboard, docking, sailboats

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Recent

  • BOTE Aero Rover Inflatable SUP MicroSkiffs!
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  • Com-Pac Picnic Cat Fun!
  • Selling the Stray Goat
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About Tom

Starting with the little two-person inflatable raft I had as my very first boat, I have always loved the freedom and the feeling of being out on the water. With my father's help, I added a hard plywood floor to that little inflatable, and that was the beginning of a long chain of boats I have owned, loved, maintained, modified, fixed, enjoyed, and scared myself to death on over the past few decades. [Read More …]

Popular Posts

  • The Perfect Solo Mast-Raising System for Small Sailboats 132.9k views
  • Small Outboard Engine Tilt and Trim: Theory and Practice 57.8k views
  • How to Dock an Outboard or Sterndrive Powerboat in 3 Easy Pictures 57.3k views
  • Tying Boats to Docks Using Springlines 55.8k views
  • Deep V, Shallow V, or Variable Deadrise Hull Performance 52.3k views
  • The Com-Pac Sun Cat: A Review 46k views
  • Building a Live Bait Well For A Small Boat 40.3k views
  • Choosing the Right Propeller For Your Boat 36.5k views
  • Rebuilding Whaleboat Tenders Part 5: Boat Parts Shopping Day 36.3k views
  • More Boston Whaler Modifications 35.4k views

Topics

  • Boat Building (5)
  • Boat Handling (10)
  • Boat Repairs & Upgrades (50)
  • Boating Equipment (27)
    • Dinghies (4)
  • Boating Fun (30)
  • Boating Safety (7)
  • Buying & Selling Boats (5)
  • Classic Boating Tales (25)
  • Fishing (16)
  • General (37)
    • Drone Stuff (3)
    • Trail Camera Pictures (18)
    • Tropical Fruiting (1)
  • Kayaking (22)
  • Powerboating (18)
  • Sailing (71)
    • Races & Regattas (14)
    • Sailboat Cruising (15)
    • Sailboat Reviews (7)

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