Equipment Outfitters

No matter how large your boat, finding enough storage will be a constant challenge and you’ll soon find you have more items than space to store them in. This gives rise to one of the first rules of boating: “A place for everything and everything in its place.” After using an item stow it in its proper place. A corollary rule states “less is more” aboard a boat. Stick to essentials and you’ll reduce fuel-guzzling weight. Read the rest of this entry »

A program of preventive maintenance for your engine can help ensure trouble-free boating. Inboard engines and sterndrives have similar maintenance programs. Regular pre-start checklists, like those used by airline pilots, serve as useful reminders. In addition, you should plan to give your engine a thorough once-over examination every few weeks to check items that aren’t part of the pre-start list. Read the rest of this entry »

Since fire on a boat is second in seriousness only to sinking, you want to keep fire-fighting equipment as readily available as the vessel’s lifesaving devices. Frequent checks to be sure your extinguishers are properly charged are not wasted effort. Nor are drills in which everyone is made aware of what to do. Speed is of the essence when dealing with a fire aboard; calm and quick action is the best approach. 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 »

Headgear

It’s ironic that in eras gone by, when comparatively little was known about the harmful effects of the sun, hats were everyday wear. Today, however, it’s still unusual to see people wearing sunhats unless they’re on the beach.

The best hats for the harsh African sun have a full crown and a wide brim to keep the sun off your face and neck. An adjustable under- chin cord will keep your hat on in the wind and a fabric sweatband will absorb perspiration. Read the rest of this entry »

Dry Foods

The smaller collapsible cupboards that consist of shelf space only are as good for storing canned and dry foods as they are for storing clothes. The same goes for card‑board boxes, and these can be used in the usual way, opening side up.

Wet Foods

If you do not have a fridge or freezer, keep perishables such as milk, meat etc. in a cooler box. If you keep buying ice, you should be able to keep the temperature acceptably low. Pickling or marinating meat was an effective method of preservation before the advent of the freezer: vacuum pack the whole mixture in strong plastic bags (you can buy your own machine that does this) and keep it cool — it will not only last longer but will taste better as well. Vacuum sealable containers are particularly efficient if you exclude as much air as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

The luxury motorhome must surely represent the ultimate touring vehicle. As a combination of large vehicle and caravan it offers the benefits of both, and allows the traveller the sort of freedoms one would usually find only on a yacht! Passengers, for example, are able to sleep comfortably stretched out while the kilometres speed by.

Modern motorhomes are made for comfort, lightness and aerodynamic efficiency — they’re certainly more evolved than their older relatives. The interior layouts are more sophisticated and well thought out and the specification levels are higher. Although a common complaint is that the smaller versions are underpowered, fuel consumption is an important aspect of touring; while bigger engines have more power and are more exciting to drive, they are very much thirstier. Read the rest of this entry »

The torch inside the sleeping compartment also serves for a last-minute check, when everyone is bedded down, to ensure that no insects have found their way inside the inner tent lining. Midges can sometimes be troublesome to city-dwellers with tender skins, especially on campsites near rivers and lakes, but once inside the zipped-up sleeping compartment they are usually safe from them thanks to the fine mesh from which ventilation panels are made. It is only a matter of remembering to dispose of any that have already intruded. Read the rest of this entry »

Unless you are the sort of person who thrives on assault courses and marathon runs, carrying a loaded rucksack all day long or cycling uphill with heavy panniers is quite strenuous exercise. It therefore makes sense to get yourself reasonably fit before you set out on holiday and to experiment with carrying different loads over a period of several hours. Aching muscles are to be expected in the first few days of a walking or cycling tour however little you carry: you will not yet be fully in trim. But at the end of the holiday you want to be in the happy situation of not even noticing the weight on your back — not worn out and returning home in need of another fortnight’s rest. Read the rest of this entry »

Keeping hands warm and dry in cold wet weather is the curse of all motorcylists, and everything from plastic bags to rubber washing-up gloves has been used.

In warm weather motorcycle ride gear gloves are still important, and a thin pair of unlined motorcycle ride gearleather ones is the normal type worn. Read the rest of this entry »

One-piece, two-piece, lined, unlined, nylon, waxed-cotton, or any combination is the choice facing every buyer of a motorcycle ride gear oversuit. Most serious riders have two suits; a lined one for the cold weather and an unlined one for summer ride gear wear.

A one-piece, unlined, nylon ride gear suit will fold very small and can be strapped to the seat behind the rider, using rubber aero-elastics, when not being worn. This kind of motorcycle ride gears are ideal for wearing in warm weather. Read the rest of this entry »

Proper care of motorcycle visors and goggles is essential if perfect vision is to be maintained.

The following three precautions will extend the motorcycle life of your visor and ensure that scratches are kept to a minimum:

Never wipe your motorcycle visor with a glove or overmitt ; any dirt particles will scratch the soft visor. Read the rest of this entry »

The rucksack in which you are going to carry all your equipment should be chosen with care. There are a great many different sizes and designs on the market, so have a good look at catalogues describing them. It is also a good idea to go along to a specialist camping shop and actually try a few to see if they fit comfortably on your back.

You will want to choose a sack which is large enough to hold all your equipment inside it, with the exception perhaps of your tent which on some models is meant to be strapped on underneath the sack. Read the rest of this entry »

The chances that while on a camping holiday you will receive an invitation to dine with the French President or attend the Hunt Ball are fortunately rather small. So all the “dressing up” clothes can be left at home and your outfit can be confined to the strictly practical. For winter holidays and mountaineering, high quality clothing is essential but for summer conditions what you wear is to a large extent a matter of personal taste. 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 »

In the old days, me and my brother really struggled to put the tent up properly. Especially in the windy night, we can’t sleep, because the wind rapes our roof. Today we have the instant air flow up tent. We just sit and watch.

Pitching the tent for the first time is something that should ideally be done at home before the start of your holiday. Read the rest of this entry »

A long journey by car is not half the ordeal it used to be in the past, but it still pays to get your car serviced and have all the crucial functions thoroughly checked; don’t skimp on repairs. Roadside breakdowns are no fun, and anything you can do to avoid them is well worth the trouble. If you suspect a major fault, book the se^-vice well ahead of your departure date — and factor in more time for taking back the vehicle to have any ’settling down’ problems sorted out as well. Read the rest of this entry »

A question of Tent Size

Apart from the windows, the outer covering of frame tents is almost always made of canvas, with the roof of a slightly heavier grade than the walls. This traditional material is better than totally air- and watertight fabrics such as nylon and rubberised cloth because it `breathes’ and causes fewer condensation problems inside the tent. It does however have the peculiar property that while it is totally waterproof under normal circumstances, if you rub against it when the outside is wet from rain or dew, the wetness will begin to soak through. Read the rest of this entry »

Dome Tents

The most popular tent shape is the dome. It is the result of extensive research, and dome tent designers make the best of many modern materials such as carbon fibre and Ventex to produce ranges in all sizes. These materials make use of advanced technology to provide shelters of unparalleled resilience — in many cases they have a strengthto-weight ratio that can only be described as phenomenal. The dome shape is intentionally aerodynamic, and the stiffeners provide a good degree of flex; such tents can survive strong winds, even if these are accompanied by snow, hail and sleet. Many come with a built-in wind-deflector as part of the fly sheet, which, if correctly positioned, provides additional shelter and helps keep gusts away from the main opening. Read the rest of this entry »