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You are here: Home / Archives for Tom

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.

The Boat Flinging Incident

August 16, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

Flinging Gene Out of the Boat Was Not Part of my Plan!Parents, you might want to reconsider letting your teenagers out in boats, because here is what goes on... My friends and I fished and boated — and had spray wars — in my old fifteen-foot … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Fun Tagged With: overboard

Hard Hull Dinghies

July 23, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

I used my 11' Boston Whaler as a dinghy for many sailing trips to the Bahamas. It was a great dinghy for fishing and lobstering, but a hard-hull dinghy this large does have drawbacks. I used to have an 11' Boston Whaler which was used as a dinghy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dinghies Tagged With: dinghies, hard hull

Dinghy Towing Equipment and Techniques

July 14, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

Selecting and Using the Dinghy Tow Line A stainless steel snap hook like this one makes it easy to attach your dinghy tow line. Floating plastic 3 strand rope makes a great dinghy tow line. A 3 strand nylon line works quite well too, but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dinghies Tagged With: dinghies, towing

A Boat, or an Experimental Hydro Rocket? You decide…

July 4, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

My HydraSports (aka Experimental Hydro Rocket II) after Hurricane Andrew Shop: Remote Control (RC) Flying Rocket Ever wanted to fly a remote control rocket? Now you can pilot your very own rc rocket. These rc toys will have you soaring to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Fun Tagged With: hydro rocket

New Power Tilt and Trim for a Boston Whaler

July 3, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

The hydraulic tilt and trim on my Boston Whaler's Merc 70 Q: How many sailors does it take to screw in a lightbulb?A: It's cheaper to sit in the dark. When we first bought our 1989 Boston Whaler 15, there was a slow leak in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boat Repairs & Upgrades, Boating Equipment, Powerboating Tagged With: Boston Whaler, tilt & trim

The Catalina Expo 12.5: A Review

June 15, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

The Catalina Expo 12.5 Reviewed May 2007 I took the Catalina Expo 12.5 out for small boat sailing day with the Punta Gorda Sailing Club and learned a bit more about how the boat likes to sail in light air. On the way out, I passed one of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sailboat Reviews Tagged With: review, Catalina Expo

What Should Be In Your Small Boat Marine Toolkit

June 8, 2007 By Tom 2 Comments

Marine Tool Kit With First Aid Supplies for Small Boats Selecting Your Marine Toolbox First, if you want a waterproof marine tool box, get one that is also airtight. I've used a "waterproof" marine tool kit on small boats, and most are merely water … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Equipment, Boating Safety Tagged With: safety, emergency, first aid, tools, small boats

Kayaking into a Dolphin Feeding Frenzy

May 19, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

The area in Charlotte Harbor where I paddled into a dolphin feeding frenzy. This pic was taken while I was out in my blue racing kayak. I didn't dare get out my camera while I was in the midst of the dolphins that day. A mother dolphin and her baby. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Fun, Kayaking Tagged With: dolphins, kayaking

Never Let Go – The First Rule of Boating Safety

May 19, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

We were spearfishing off the Berry Islands.

Never Let Go of the Boat Not Even for a Split Second A group of us had gone out spearfishing off the Berry Islands in my friend's inflatable dinghy. I had left my swim fins in our boat. No problem, I would stay in the boat and pick up fish … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Safety Tagged With: safety

Securing Your Boat Safely For a Hurricane

May 17, 2007 By Tom Leave a Comment

This picture shows why you remove all canvas from the boat before the hurricane. The canvas on this boat's t-top was heavy-weight and well-stitched; the canvas suffered no damage. The T-top frame, however, is another story; because the canvas didn't … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boating Safety, Boat Handling Tagged With: emergency, hurricane, securing your boat

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Popular

  • The Perfect Solo Mast-Raising System for Small Sailboats
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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 …]

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  • General (37)
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      • Baitcast Rod & Reel Combos
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    • Autopilots
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    • Fixed-Mount VHF Radios
    • Handheld GPS Units
    • Handheld VHF Radios
  • Pelican Waterproof Marine Boxes
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    • Throwable (Type IV) PFDs
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