Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Getting corroded boat canvas zippers to work smoothly by using two common kitchen items has never been so popular, according to Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS). The national boating advocacy, services and safety group announced today the number one most widely viewed online "BoatTECH" how-to-fix-it tip this spring is author Don's Casey's simple saran wrap and vinegar repair. "Zippers with metal slides have a bad habit of becoming frozen with corrosion even though the teeth... Full story
Hazardous shoaling reduces depth to less than 5 feet in several sections. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the famed 1100-plus mile coastal waterway stretching from Norfolk, Virginia to Miami, Florida, is getting "thin." Shoaling has created hazardous conditions in some areas with depths reported less than 5 feet – which reflects a remarkable 7 feet of water depth lost in the waterway's authorized minimum depth of 12 feet. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA), a waterways i... Full story
How do you get the right boat loan for your new or previously owned dream boat? Here are ten tips from Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS). 1. Check your credit: Before applying for a loan, ensure your credit report is accurate, and get your current credit score. The closer to 700 and higher, the better the rate you'll get. A free copy of your credit report is available annually from each of the three national credit bureaus at www.annualcreditreport.com. To get your credit sco... Full story
If you get in an accident while trailering your boat, do you know which insurance policy will pay for repairs to the trailer? If it's a simple accident with damage to the trailer only, it's likely to be the trailer insurance coverage that pays. But what happens when you back the trailer into a neighbor's stone wall or a tree comes crashing down on your trailer in your backyard? Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) understands how the combination of homeowners, auto, boat and... Full story
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is asking its more than half-million members - and any recreational boat owner concerned with having a safe fuel supply - to petition the Trump administration and Congress to reform the ethanol mandate, also known as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In a communication to members, BoatUS urged boaters to go to Fix the Ethanol Mandate http://www.capwiz.com/boatus/issues/alert/?alertid=74718646&type=CA to easily send a communication to their l... Full story
Boats burn every year and when they do, things get bad. Quickly. For boaters, acknowledging the possibility of a fire is an exercise in fear because there's nothing more scary than to have open flames aboard and no place to go. I'd like to share two new videos from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water that I encourage you to share with friends: Four Fire Extinguisher Myths https://youtu.be/_i3gFgZnXyk At the BoatUS Foundation, this subject is always a "hot topic," especially... Full story
Many boat owners think they don't have to worry about freeze damage if they live in temperate states or if they keep their boat in heated indoor storage areas in Northern climates. However, every year the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) Marine Insurance Program gets freeze-damage insurance claims for boats in Southern states hit by a hard freeze, and claims for boats stored indoors in Northern states where storms took out the electrical power – which usually means no h... Full story
As the boating season begins in the southern climates, some boaters may be looking to find a trailer to store or haul the boat. If you're looking to buy a used boat trailer now or planning on buying a boat that comes with a used trailer, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has four buying tips: Bring a measuring tape: With older trailers, the capacity plate or sticker may be long gone or too hard to read after being outside in the weather for years. But if you'd like to know a... Full story
A lot goes on inside a boat engine, and akin to drawing blood, and an engine oil sample analysis (OSA) can tell you a lot about the health of your boat's motor. While a single sample may not give you the whole story, an OSA creates a "baseline" that helps you look at your engine's health over time. That's why some mechanics and surveyors recommend taking one sample every year. But what does a typical oil sample analysis include and what does it tell a boat owner or buyer? BoatUS, the nation's... Full story
BoatUS, the nation's advocate for boat owners, applauds passage of a bipartisan bill signed on December 16 that will provide critical funds for water-resource infrastructure projects at emerging harbors, channels, locks and dams. The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WINN), which encompasses the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) legislation of 2016, authorizes the needed investment in the maritime and waterways transportation system and provides flood protection for... Full story
Water that is mistakenly left in a boat's engine block to freeze over the winter is sure to become an expensive repair bill come springtime. As the ice expands, it can crack the block and ruin the motor, damage fiberglass, split hoses, or destroy a boat's refrigeration system. To prevent a mishap while putting the boat away this season, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), a boating advocacy, services and safety group offers the free 15-page "Boater's Guide to Winterizing."... Full story
Behind most successful used-boat transactions, there's a Purchase Agreement and Bill of Sale that clearly spell out how the boat was bought or sold. The BoatUS Consumer Protection Department now offers both of these documents at no cost online. "A Purchase Agreement is necessary if you intend to buy a boat, but require that certain things must be done before you will accept the boat, such as a satisfactory marine survey, specific repairs, and the ability to finance or insure the boat," said... Full story
For over 25 years the BoatUS Consumer Protection department has helped Boat Owners Association of The United States members resolve disputes with repair facilities. The vast majority of shops do the job right, but sometimes they – or boat owners – make mistakes. To see what went wrong and to possibly learn from others, BoatUS has surveyed its BoatUS Dispute Resolution files to identify eight trouble spots that boaters needing work done should know: 1. Finding a shop: Word of mouth is still kin... Full story
Have a boater on your holiday gift list? Look no further. The organization that makes boating better, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), has three holiday gift ideas. The gift of on-water towing: Give the gift of an on-water Unlimited TowBoatUS Towing Membership Plan for saltwater boaters for just $149 a year that includes BoatUS membership. For freshwater boaters the price is just $72. Both provide 24/7 dispatch and your boater will never have to pay out of pocket for a tow... Full story
The boat may be put away for the season, but the occasional warm fall day still brings plenty of paddlers out on the water. Knowing when to wear the thermal protection offered by a dry- or wetsuit is key. However, a long-assumed guideline meant to help paddlers make the right decision, sometimes known as the "120-degree rule," may instead put paddlers in danger. The 120-degree rule is a formula that adds together the air and water temperatures to determine when thermal protection is required.... Full story
Is your boat less than 26 feet? Does it have outboard motor power and rest on a trailer? If you said yes, beware – you're a big target for theft. A newly released study that looked at five years of BoatUS Marine Insurance claims files shows that 75 percent of all boats stolen matched this description. With the long winter lay-up period nearing, BoatUS has five tips to make your boat harder to steal. 1. Just one lock? Try another, and another. You simply can't have enough. The whole goal is to m... Full story
Marinas, boat clubs or fuel docks with a working pumpout provide a vital service to recreational boaters. Installing a pump, however, and the annual costs to maintain one, can be high. That's where a program funded by the taxes and fees paid by boaters can help. This fall, the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Clean Vessel Act program aims to give out about $12 million for the construction, renovation, operation and maintenance of public boat pumpouts. However, the deadline to apply for the 2017... Full story
The membership organization that sets safety standards for recreational boat design and manufacturing, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), has revised its "Boat Capacity" (H-5) standard for upper decks on recreational boats. Upper decks are often referred to as the "fly bridge" or "upper helm." The new standard, which is partly in response to fatal capsizing accidents involving overloaded fly bridges, will now include upper-deck weight capacity regardless of boat length. Upper decks are... Full story
Havasupai Falls Arizona is a major destination for hikers who want to visit the blue-green waterfalls. Hidden in the Grand Canyon, and difficult to get reservations for, this paradise is for those who can plan ahead and enjoy hikes of eight miles or more. AZBW/WOT Aug. 2016 AZBW/WOT Aug. 2016 By Jim & Carol Allen 32 pages, published 8/8/2016 Havasupai Falls Arizona is a major destination for hikers who want to visit the blue-green waterfalls. Hidden in the Grand Canyon, and difficult to get... Full story
The reality-game-meets-exercise app currently taking the nation by storm, "Pokémon Go," now has 21 million users every day – reportedly the most successful mobile game ever in the US. The game features characters called Pokémon that players capture in the real world using a combination of GPS and augmented reality. That also means that Pokémon-mania has also come to the water and with it, BoatUS, the national boating advocacy, services and safety group, has three tips for playing Pokémon Go wh... Full story
On July 11, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) President Margaret Podlich (L) and Government Affairs Manager David Kennedy (R), delivered over 24,000 comments from recreational boaters to EPA Headquarters in Washington DC to urge the agency to stop adding more ethanol to the nation's gasoline supply. BoatUS had asked the boating public to add their voice to a proposal to increase the amount of ethanol that must be blended into the nation's gasoline supply for 2017. If... Full story
If you need to borrow a kid's life jacket for the day or weekend, chances are there is one near you at one of the over 1,500 life jacket loaner sites across the country at BoatUS.org/loanermap. The Web site list is "the nation's largest single source of life jacket loaner sites" according to BoatUS. It includes nearly 600 free BoatUS Foundation kids' Life Jacket Loaner sites at marinas, boat clubs and firehouses, along with over 900 local community loaner sites to give parents and boaters more... Full story
A boat name can reveal much about the personality of a boat owner. Are they into fishing? Reel Therapy on the boat's transom certainly shows it. Do they have kids in school? What College Fund? says it best. Like to sing? In Harmony is a popular choice. Work in the finance industry? Liquid Assets is suitable. Regardless of lifestyles, families or careers, choosing a name can be difficult. To help boaters with this task, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers a list of over... Full story
Federal ethanol fuel mandates and changing fuel supply demand boater vigilance. As the summer boating season is underway, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) and National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) urge boaters to be mindful when selecting fuel for their boats, especially as the federal government's Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is increasing the risk of consumer misfueling. Even one mistake at the pump can be the source of expensive, warranty voiding repairs and... Full story
During May's National Safe Boating Week, many boaters made extra effort to improve their on-water safety. But, after the annual event was over, will they continue to stay vigilant? "Making boating safety easy to embrace means more boaters will continue to make the effort," says BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water President Chris Edmonston. With that goal in mind, the BoatUS Foundation has three simple tips for boaters that will improve their boating safety game all summer long:... Full story
