Equipment Outfitters

Boat Drilling Touch and Go Docking

Just as pilots practice “touch and go” landings to hone their skills, the powerboat skipper should perfect his docking technique practicing with the same method. This is best done at a deserted pier so that you won’t get in anyone’s way (or be embarrassed by your own early efforts). After a few passes at the pier, you’ll soon be confident that you can handle your boat properly in most docking circumstances. Read the rest of this entry »

Boat Drilling Circling

It may have been surprising to learn that your boat turns more efficiently in one direction than the other. You will also find that higher speeds produce different turning results. In general, the faster you go, the larger the turning circle. Unlike your car, which has good adhesion, your boat will slip sideways as it turns. At a dead stop, with the rudder hard over, a short burst of throttle will kick the stern to the side.

Preparation: The same as for Drill 1. Since this drill involves higher speeds, check to be sure that the area is clear of swimmers and other boats. Read the rest of this entry »

Plotting

Having marked the courses between buoys, the “legs” of your intended trip, you will want to measure them. And, having measured them and added them up for total mileage, you will want to figure out how long it will take to make the trip. Since distance divided by speed equals time, you will first have to learn how to tell boat speed. If you know your speed and distance on a leg, you can compute time in hours. Read the rest of this entry »

When you anchor in a narrow channel or in a crowded anchorage where the wind or current is likely to change, use two anchors as shown. The combination will reduce the swinging diameter of your boat and keep you from being pushed ashore when the wind or current changes direction. Be sure that the swinging diameter of your boat does not interfere with other anchored boats or with passage through the channel. Read the rest of this entry »

In many cases, if a member of your crew falls overboard it is not a life-threatening situation since the boat is maneuverable and it is relatively easy to get the person back on board. But the energy-sapping effects of cold water, the difficulty of swimming with soggy clothing or the possibility of injury could turn the situation serious. The swimmer should be retrieved as quickly as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

Although collisions between small powerboats tend to result in minor damage, be prepared to handle the results of more serious crashes. Besides the aspect of personal injury, the major concern is serious damage to the hull, either above or below the waterline, since a hole near there can sink a boat. This kind of damage should he repaired as quickly as possible and excess water removed from the bilge.

What to do after Boat Collision

1. Check for injuries among the crew.
2. Locate any leaks.
3. Stop the leak.
4. Heel the boat to raise the damaged part out of the water. Read the rest of this entry »

What to Sleep on

In a caravan, you’ll simply sleep in a bed. But for those who prefer the adventure of sleeping closer to Mother Earth — without sacrificing too much by way of comfort — there are a number of options.

Inflatable air mattresses come in single- or double-bed sizes. They hold a fair amount of air, so you will need some sort of pump to fill them. As they tend to be sturdy once inflated, they can usually be left that way. The top and bottom are kept in place with connecting strips inside, also determining the shape. Long-lasting under normal use, they are not designed to be used as a trampoline. Read the rest of this entry »

Aboard a small powerboat, the most likely problems you’ll encounter will involve the engine. While it seems foolish, your first checkpoint should be the fuel tank to make sure that you actually have fuel. Don’t rely on the gas gauge. It may be wrong. Tap the tank or rock the boat to see if you hear fuel sloshing in the tank. If you do have sufficient fuel, try some of the other steps suggested below. Read the rest of this entry »

A fundamental custom of the sea has been for seamen to help each other out of scrapes. Today’s skippers still offer assistance to those having problems. This may be as simple as a tow back to the fuel dock or launching ramp, or helping free a boat that’s run aground. But both skippers should understand the procedures involved in giving and accepting a tow in order to make the operation go smoothly. Read the rest of this entry »

The drive belts on an inboard or sterndrive engine provide power to the alternator and to the engine’s water pump. Both are necessary for the engine to operate. A drive belt may break if it wears, dries and cracks or is not replaced regularly. Constant use in the engine compartment dries out the rubber and causes tiny cracks. You can, however, “jury-rig” a temporary drive belt to get home, if you motor slowly. Read the rest of this entry »

Electricity and water, particularly salt water, can prove to be a breeding ground for irritating problems that range from a seemingly dead engine to cabin lights that flicker on and off. Preventive maintenance is the best way to keep your electrical system operating with all the lights burning. Read the rest of this entry »

You are required to turn on your navigation lights at sunset for three reasons. First, they announce your presence to others. Second, the lights on your boat tell a lot about its size and the kind of work it’s engaged in. Third, navigation lights tell you in which direction a boat is traveling. You are most apt to encounter the running lights shown below. For a complete listing, see Chapman Piloting. Read the rest of this entry »

Sound is used to signal intent or action between vessels. While the Inland Rules and the International Rules are generally similar, sound signals under Inland Rules for head-on, crossing and overtaking situations are signals of intent, whereas under International Rules they signal an action taking place. The most common Inland signals are illustrated below. Read the rest of this entry »

Most modern powerboats are designed to handle bad weather in reasonable comfort, whether it’s wind from an offshore blow or a summer squall on a lake. It is up to the skipper to know how to steer a course that will be dry and safe, as well as comfortable in adverse circumstances. This requires being thoroughly familiar with your boat and developing the following techniques on rough or stormy waters. Read the rest of this entry »

Large Resorts

These are not necessarily the first choice for everyone. They’re highly developed, usually on prime land and are close to major tourist attractions, so they quite rightly pride themselves on being able to satisfy the most demanding holidaymaker. Accommodation may range from the simplest of camping sites, situated under shady indigenous trees, to luxurious fully serviced bungalows commanding views of the surrounding countryside. They may have several well laid-out ablution blocks so that no one has to walk too far or stand in a queue to shower or wash dishes. They may also offer a full gym, large pool, TV room, games room, trampolines and waterslides, and have a well- equipped shop and various pieces of recreational equipment for hire (or for free, with the cost built into the price of the site). Some even go so far as to hire minor celebrities who wander around from site to site in the evenings, joking with the guests and telling amusing stories! Read the rest of this entry »

Like most things in life, what you get out of an activity is indirect proportion to what you put into it from the start. Vacation time is a precious commodity and it’s worth going that extra mile so that everyone gets the most out of the time spent away from home.

In Search of a Destination

The first decision is obviously where to go. The most important factor here is geography — and how it has been exploited for your advantage. Coastal destinations are fine if you live inland, but people who live close to the sea may hanker after something different. In South Africa we have a wonderful variety of recreational places, and although many offer similar-sounding activities, the experiences can be very different for each one. Read the rest of this entry »

Walking, scrambling on all fours, and crawling on your belly into the moist darkness of a cave is not everyone’s idea of a good time, but it is certainly extreme. The labyrinth-like tunnels that can lead to huge sheer drop offs or expansive chasms are not for the faint of heart. Those prone to nightmares from watching too many reruns of Dracula also may not appreciate the propensity of caves to attract legions of bats.

Appropriately, those who do cave (serious cavers do not refer to their sport as spelunking or potholing) always travel to the inner depths of the earth in groups of two or more. Not surprisingly, cavers are subject to many dangers that one would expect could occur in a cave, such as death by starvation, falling, asphyxiation, drowning, and hypothermia from exposure. Read the rest of this entry »

Mountainboarding is a newcomer to the world of extreme sports, although I can track its lineage to a few other more “established” extreme sports like snowboarding and mountain biking.

Essentially, the mountain board creators developed a hybrid skateboard/snowboard that allows aspects of each sport to be used on terrain where neither can be practiced. Which isn’t to say that skateboarders have not tried using fat tires on their skateboards so that they can ride on loose sand and gravel—they have. Read the rest of this entry »

The hydrofoil, a wing that creates lift in water, is not new, and hydrofoils are commonly used on powerboats today. They are even used on sailboats to minimize resistance and set speed records, which is itself an extreme endeavor. However, it wasn’t until 1989 that a hydrofoil attached to a chair became commercially available for athletes seeking a new tow-behind water challenge.

The air chair, as it has become known, was designed by a couple of friends on the Colorado River, one of whom was the co- creator of the kneeboard (a waterski that the rider kneels on) and a hot dog waterski pioneer, Mike Murphy. Murphy’s friend Bob Wooley became fascinated with the concept of riding a performance hydrofoil, and after several months of experimentation attached the foil to a “sit ski,” a seated version of a waterski. Read the rest of this entry »

Swimming into the deepest reaches of the ocean is a feat that many divers have experienced to a degree. Some may go below 200 feet (60m), others deeper. All would be lost without the air they bring with them. There is a special breed of diver who can go deeper than most, without air tanks. These freedivers have pushed the limits of unassisted breathing dives to below 400 feet.

Tofreedive to depths of even 50 feet (15m) is an unsettling prospect for all but the strongest swimmers. To dive much deeper requires holding a breath for minutes. In fact, the world’s best freedivers hold their breath for periods that rival many marine mammals. Read the rest of this entry »