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 »

Simply having emergency equipment on board your boat is not enough. Both you and your entire crew must know exactly where each item is located and how to use it. Even an item as seemingly simple as a life jacket can be difficult to don in a crisis, and there is never time to read the instructions in an emergency. Regular practice sessions can save lives. 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 »

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 »

Going aground can result from operating in shallow water or from leaving your boat on a beach when the tide is going out. The situation is often nothing more than a minor annoyance and an embarrassment since it is usually easy to push the boat off or float it free when the tide rises. Nevertheless, after a grounding you should inspect both the hull and the engine carefully for even minor damage.

What to do when you Aground

1. Shut off the engine immediately.
2. Tilt the drive unit upwards. Check the propeller for damage.
3. Attempt to refloat.
4. Obtain help to refloat. Read the rest of this entry »

Clothing

In a caravan there’s usually plenty of storage place — the problem is deciding what to leave behind. But don’t leave behind your plastic laundry basket, especially if you are going to do a lot of hiking or have a small family and need to launder clothing every day. The basket can always be used to keep things from falling about while you’re travelling.

Plastic hangers are a good choice, as they can be left permanently in the caravan and won’t attract mildew. They are light and can be bought in packs of 10 or 20. Read the rest of this entry »

Caravanning and Camping Barbecue Units

Portable barbecue are becoming more popular among travellers as the designs become more sophisticated and the products lighter and more efficient. Kettle barbecue are a good example as they are lightweight and long lasting. They come in a wide range of manageable sizes and can be used to make a wide variety of foods. With the lid on, the air flow can be finely tuned and they are mercifully easy to clean. More important, they contain heat well and are considered a perfectly safe place to make a fire when there are non-permanent places available. Their ideal fuel is compressed charcoal brikettes, which are light and conveniently packaged. Read the rest of this entry »

The living area of the motorhome tends to be built around the front end of the vehicle — the engine needs to be accessible from various angles for servicing, and one of these may be from inside the cab. Access to the cab is made easier by the fact that there is already a side entrance, and in these cases access to the driver’s seat will be via the living area. Some cabs do not depart much from their industrial origins and access here is gained via an ordinary door on each side. Depending on the country of origin, many imported motorhomes have the steering wheel and door on the ‘wrong’ side for South African roads. While this is not illegal, it does mean that the driver will have to make allowances for restricted vision. If you don’t like the idea, rather buy a locally made vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »

Once you have arrived at your destination, check out the surrounding area for anything that might constitute a danger to your child. This can be anything from a communal braai area where hot coals are still burning to a large nest of biting ants. A nearby pool full of happy children is irresistible to any toddler, who may simply wander off to see what’s going on. Other children who may not have smaller siblings can cause unintentional trauma, and accidents happen quickly. Small boys racing around on bicycles may not notice a child in their path until it’s too late. If you see a dangerous situation developing, shout loudly to attract their attention! Read the rest of this entry »

Camping is one of childhood’s greatest adventures, and the times you spend with your children having fun in a tent or caravan will remain in their memories forever and unite your family in later years.

The sheer novelty of it all and the fact that the whole world comes so much closer may have something to do with this. Whatever the reason, don’t hesitate when it comes to packing them into the car and going away.

Children take to camping like the proverbial duck to water, and apart from when fatigue overtakes them, the simplest pleasures still have the ability to carry them further, and in a more wholesome fashion, than the most expensive toys. 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 »

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 »

Thick, strong sticking plaster with powerful adhesive qualities should accompany you everywhere, but make sure you have some form of gauze to stop it sticking to the wound itself. Always carry a pair of sharp scissors or knife to cut it with, as it is almost impossible to tear. The stickiest plaster does not usually allow much air to penetrate, so you may also wish to carry a different variety that does. 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 »

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 »

I doubt many people would argue that triathlons are not grueling tests of an athlete’s physical conditioning and mental toughness. For the unfamiliar, triathlons are events where competitors face off in a combination of swimming, biking, and a running race. Triathlons vary considerably from venue to venue. The original triathlon and the triathlon most deserving of the word extreme is the Ironman, an event that draws the world’s top triathletes from 75 countries to Hawaii each year in October.

What makes the ironman the most extreme triathlon is not its distance—many world class triathlons have similar distances—it is the weather. Temperatures, with highs averaging 88°F (31°C) and humidity Levels between 40-85 per cent, are sometimes accompanied by 60 mph (97 kph) winds. Athletes can expect to endure conditions that make this one event more torturous than most. Read the rest of this entry »

A complete knowledge of lifesaving and first- aid skills are also much needed assets in each team member. With the extreme altitude of these climbs, abrupt weather changes can strand an injured climber on the mountain for days before rescue is possible. Without sufficient first aid, a climber can die before outside assistance is made available. Because temperatures can quickly drop off the scale, advanced life-saving protective gear is also required, and must be available during the entire ascent and descent.

Most climbing is not, however, done in remote areas on massive peaks. It takes place within hours of major urban areas and towns around the globe. The fact that many climbing areas are accessible does not make them any less extreme. A simple categorization system has been created in every country to classify the difficulty of a climb. In France the system uses a series of numbers and letters; in England ascents are graded on difficulty and danger; in the U.S. climbers use what is termed the “Yosemite scale” to help explain the various levels of difficulty climbers can attempt. The Yosemite grading system uses the following structure for each climb: Read the rest of this entry »

All forms of sport need an element of revitalization or they risk becoming commonplace. Skiing has been a part of life for anyone living near snow-covered or mountainous regions of the globe. With the advent of cheap international air travel, skiing as a sport for the masses progressed until it reached saturation point—interest and participation waned.

And then the surfer-skateboarder axis saw snow glinting on distant hills… Read the rest of this entry »

For years skiing has symbolized the carefree pursuit of sport in paradise‑like winter settings around the world. Since the first skier rode downhill somewhere in Scandinavia, skiing has drawn free-spirited athletes to the mountains. But enjoyment of the sport became for much only a lifestyle statement and the thrill of challenging terrain and conditions seemed to dwindle. Now a new generation of extreme athletes is redefining the meaning of downhill skiing.

Ski Resorts have tamed skiing. Snowcats, towed terrain-grooming equipment, gentle pistes, vista spots, posh resort restaurants— not long ago skiing was a very different pursuit of sport and challenge, and the relaxation came from winning a personal test of ability. Read the rest of this entry »

Water nourishes, and brings death. We are not naturally built to survive in it, but we are drawn to its many possibilities for extreme sports.

Water ninety percent of our body made of it. Two-thirds of the planet covered by it. It is the most inhospitable the earth’s elements for survival, yet without it, life would c indeed all life began in the water, as modern theories of evolution suggest, perhaps this explains why we attracted to it, and why being in or near it fosters a sense of synergy welcomes us through some ethereal sense of belonging, and we respond seeking to find any way we can to have fun in and on it. For as tong a has been human life, there have been opportunities for sport in the water. Read the rest of this entry »