sailing

Imagine: pulling up on your boat to an island festival. The days are filled with celebration, dance, and food. Every…

Boat owners are typically quite in tune with their boat and what is ‘normal’.  While underway, you can look, listen, and feel how things are running.  Back in port, any new information gathered will be important as you give time and attention to the everyday and routine aspects of maintenance. 

Simply put, the best low-maintenance speed boat is one that will be used.  Further, it must be said that part of that use includes the care and maintenance required of the boat one has. 

What is every fisherman and woman’s goal on the water?   All the sunrises, sunsets, bait balls, riffles on the water, fish jumping, fins flashing, tail waving, heart-pumping excitement: all are extras.

you take care of your vessel, then she will take care of you and your crew, too. Before undertaking a long voyage, you should complete an inspection of your vessel, especially the motor. Sailors will also need to conduct an inspection of their rigging equipment. These two vessel components are key to reaching your destination safely, and any potential issues should be discovered before casting off the lines. 

Louisiana boaters counted their lucky stars this year as we found ourselves spared by an unpredictable hurricane season. NOYC made it all the way to November without canceling a Wednesday Night Race due to a tropical depression or hurricane.

Even if this is your first overnight voyage, it’s probably not your first time using your vessel--you should already have some idea of your boat’s fuel consumption. Calculate how far you expect to travel roundtrip and how much fuel you will need to complete the trip. This information will help you predict how many times and thus where along your route you need to refuel. However, best practice is to identify the location of all fuel docks along your route should the need arise. 

There is something profound about traveling the river routes and coastal pathways of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). These local channels linked together provide a path for the seafarer to navigate their way through the country and perhaps even out to Mexico or the Caribbean. You can never plan too many days in advance because you need to constantly monitor the tides, currents, and weather while heeding Aids to Navigation (AToNs).

Cruisers all over the world have pondered piracy at some point during their adventures, and for good reason--modern pirates are no joke. Gone are the days of large crews wielding swords and searching for gold. Today, sleek motor-powered skiffs enable pirates to move fast and attack ships by surprise. The smaller crews are typically organized and well-armed, and their artillery can include machine guns, grenades, and more.