Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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It may be sunny outside with blue skies above, but waters are deceptively cold and unforgiving in the fall. For paddlers with just a few inches of freeboard to spare, getting wet this time of year can have serious consequences, so the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has these seven tips for fall paddlecraft safety. Know How To Re-Board All paddlecraft are different, so before you hit a lonely, remote stretch of river or lake or bay, learn (in a safe place) how to get back... Full story
Like the name implies, the goal of the boater-funded BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is to educate boaters about safe and clean boating. The Foundation is looking to fund Grassroots Grant projects that utilize new, innovative approaches that encourage safe and clean boating among the boating public. Organizations with the best ideas will be awarded grants of up to $10,000 to implement their project. However, applications need to be submitted by Jan. 15, 2015, and public... Full story
Dear Editor: A press release issued Sept. 30, 2014, “Life Jacket Type Code Labels Goes Away” discusses the US Coast Guard’s recent move to eliminate on Oct. 22 the familiar Type I-V code labeling requirements for recreational boat life jackets. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) supports this move. We would like to provide some clarification and additional information to our original release: • Type coding is being removed as a USCG requirement as of October 22nd. However, man... Full story
Unlike an automobile, recreational boats have special safety needs when it comes to refueling. Stern drive or inboard powered boats have closed engine compartments where volatile gasoline vapors don't easily dissipate, and older gasoline-powered boats are the riskiest to refuel as their brittle fuel hoses can crack, leaving gas in the bilge after a fill-up. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has these ten tips to ensure a non-eventful refueling: Disembark: As soon as you're... Full story
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is essentially undetectable by human senses. It is produced when an engine that uses a carbon-based fuel like gasoline is running. Carbon monoxide is a component of exhaust gases - if you can smell exhaust, then CO is present. Carbon monoxide is also produced when propane, charcoal, or oil burns to power onboard appliances such as a stove, grill, hot water heater or generator. The most common source is the gasoline-powered eng... Full story
America's leading online boater-to-boater™ rental and charter marketplace, Cruzin, now makes it easier than ever to find local places to boat and fish. The company has enhanced its www.cruzin.com website with the Places to Boat and Fish map, created by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) for its Take Me Fishing™ campaign. Places to Boat and Fish is an interactive state-by-state map that guides users to marinas, boat ramps, bait shops, fishing license vendors, parks and oth... Full story
If a car's vanity license plate can tell you a lot about the person behind the wheel, what can a boat name tell you about the person behind the helm? Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) recently released the national boating organization's 24th Annual Top Ten Boat Names List and may have the answer. The BoatUS List Of Top Ten Boat Names: 1. Serenity 2. Second Wind 3. Island Girl 4. Freedom 5. Pura-Vida 6. Andiamo 7. Island Time 8. Irish Wake 9. Happy Hours 10. Seas the Day...
I'm your life jacket, but you don't know me. I'm here to help you, maybe even safe your life – but only if you're willing to take the help. Maybe National Safe Boating Week (May 17 – 23) will help remind everyone that I'm here for you? You Hide Me You think you may know me, but you really don't. Because the law says you have to keep me aboard your boat, you think you're safe. But, you put me in places so hard to find, under piles of junk or buried in lockers so deep that no one will ever kno... Full story
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 28, 2014 –Employees from across all sectors of the U.S. recreational boating industry are gathering on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on May 5-7, 2014 during the annual American Boating Congress (ABC) to advocate on behalf of the industry’s 338,000 workers and 88 million boaters. With the unofficial start to boating season about a month away on Memorial Day weekend, ABC gives members of the U.S. recreational boating industry a timely platform to meet with leg... Full story
Cruzin, now makes it easier than ever to find local places to boat and fish. The company has enhanced its www.cruzin.com website with the Places to Boat and Fish map, created by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) for its Take Me Fishing™ campaign. Places to Boat and Fish is an interactive state-by-state map that guides users to marinas, boat ramps, bait shops, fishing license vendors, parks and other points of interest. "This is a valuable tool, particularly for Cruzin r...
Boaters can get frustrated when a repair or upgrade takes a long time, but delays are often a simple result of supply and demand. "Spring and summer can be the most challenging times to get work done on a boat because everyone else wants their work at the same time," said BoatUS Director of Consumer Affairs Charles Fort. But, with a little foresight boaters can get the services they need - sometimes at a better price - now. And, some things on a "to do now" list don't require outside help. Here... Full story
Photo Caption: BoatUS recently spoke to a government panel on navigation programs, urging agencies to keep recreational boaters in mind when debating any future cost savings. BoatUS Comments On Future Of Federal Aids To Navigation In a hearing before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held early February to review the future of the federal government's navigation programs and aids to navigation, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) submitted comments... Full story
There's a lot to be said for owning small runabouts, center consoles or bow riders. While they are affordable, easy to store, and can keep everyone in the family happy, they have their limits, though, if you want to venture into coastal waters and big lakes. But these journeys can still be done, with the right ten pieces of equipment. Here's what Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) recommends should be aboard every boat 20 feet or smaller: Paddles If your engine quits, paddles... Full story
The blending of ethanol into the nation's gasoline supply was the topic of a hearing held today by the EPA to discuss the 2014 Standards for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program. Last month, EPA released the 2014 proposed standards that reduced the amount of corn ethanol mandated under the RFS for the first time since the law was implemented. This was a small but tide-changing victory for boat owners whose vessels cannot operate with ethanol above a 10 percent blend level without serious... Full story
All over the country - well, at least in the Desert Southwest - fall is in full swing and recreational boaters and anglers are trying to squeeze in their last good day on the water. But when they do, boaters need to follow a safety playbook appropriate for this time of year. That's because boaters often let their guard down when safety becomes an even greater challenge. What makes fall boating safety so different? The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water explains: Beware Of... Full story
ALEXANDRIA, VA, November 4, 2013 -- Last year, Steffen Schmidt wanted to move his 37-foot sailboat from Seattle to Rhode Island. Schmidt was not unfamiliar with hiring boat transportation services, and had done it once before with no issues. But this time was different: the boat was delivered in Wickford, Rhode Island with its mast gashed and mangled; the prop and cutlass bearing damaged. Then problems occurred in getting compensated for the damages. How can a boat owner looking to transport... Full story
Why does former pro angler and host of the Outdoor Channel's "Zona's Awesome Fishing Show," Mark Zona, love his BoatUS Angler on-the-water and road-towing membership? • He's locked keys in his truck at the launch ramp. • He's had two flat tires on his boat trailer. • And "Mr. Out-of-Gas" came a-calling while out fishing on the lake. Each time, his BoatUS Angler membership saved the day. So, to show his appreciation, the self-proclaimed knucklehead TV show host wants to take one lucky BoatU... Full story
Before You Go • Get a well-fitting life jacket and have the dog wear it a few times around the home before they get on a boat. Any pet life jacket should have a handle to easily lift the animal out of the water. Check BoatUS.com/doglifejacket. • Have a special ID tag with the name of the boat, marina, slip number and cellphone number on it just in case. If the dog gets lost, it's a lot easier for the person who finds them to get them back to you quickly. • If you'll be going to Canada or Mexic... Full story
Impolite, self-centered behavior could well describe a kindergarten sandbox at recess, but it also fits the description of the mayhem that some boat launch ramps experience on a busy summer weekend. If America's famed etiquette expert, Miss Manners, were to visit a launch ramp, what lack of courtesy would she find? Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has the answer with these top five launch ramp etiquette rules that can make the task go a lot easier and faster for all. Be... Full story
Everyone loves a good story about boating mishaps — as long as it's not their own. For 30 years the BoatUS Marine Insurance damage-avoidance publication Seaworthy has combed through the BoatUS claims files to shed light on how boats are damaged and how boaters are injured, and to suggest research-based solutions to keep its readers from becoming a statistic. Free to BoatUS insureds and available to others by annual subscription, Seaworthy celebrates its 30th anniversary with five boating m... Full story
ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 20, 2013 - After 9000 votes, the public has spoken. The competitive BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water's 2013 Grants Program has announced that four non-profit groups will receive $10,000 each to help educate boaters this year. The winning grants were selected by the public and the funds will go to a variety of projects, from creating an interactive on-the-water STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum to helping make boat shows greener. In 25 years, the Foundation has awarded over $1.1... Full story
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Two leading boating education organizations with a history of making boating education easy and affordable, have teamed up to offer a fully interactive online seminar for those First Mates who may find themselves needing to take command of the family boat. “Partner in Command,” from the US Power Squadrons (USPS), in partnership with the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety, aims to acquaint the First Mate with basic skills he or she may need in an emergency. The seminar is no... Full story
If you got a personal watercraft (PWC) for the holidays, the U.S. Coast Guard urges you to take a boating-safety education class before you hit the water this summer. PWCs are an affordable way for people to get out and enjoy the numerous waterways that are available to boaters. "Operators need to keep in mind though, that personal watercraft are like any other watercraft. Whether it be a fishing boat, ski boat, or PWC, the key to safe and prudent use lies with the operator," says Ed Huntsman,... Full story
This National Safe Boating Week, May 18-24, do something different. Take a friend out boating, sailing and fishing and show him/her a good time — and how easy it is to keep everyone aboard safe. Giving your guests a short pre-departure talk about important safety gear and tips for safe operation could go a long way in making sure the day stays fun. The following list of six tips from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety takes fewer than six minutes to share with guests: 1. Most newcomers to... Full story
Boating and swimming go hand-in-hand, but unlike a public pool or beach, boaters can't count on a lifeguard to watch over them. As this summer's sweltering heat wave drives more boaters to dive into the deep blue, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety has these seven swimming tips: 1. Always ensure the engine is off. The best way to do this is to remove the key from the ignition, leaving it in plain view so everyone knows it won't start. 2. At marinas, stray electric current from poorly... Full story
