Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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The Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) announces that Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has renewed its title sponsorship of the 2015 Collegiate Bass Fishing Series Championship. Now in its 10th Anniversary year, the event will be held May 20-22 on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala.. The Championship is the final of four tournaments in the rapidly expanding Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing Series slated for this year. BoatUS has been the title sponsor of the Championship since its inception.... Full story
New bipartisan legislation recently introduced would help ensure recreational boaters don't put unsafe fuel in their boats, according to Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS). Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), with 30 co-sponsors, introduced the Renewable Fuel Standard Reform Act of 2015. BoatUS is urging all boaters to contact their US Representative to support the bill. Recognize The Failure "The new bill would recognize the failure of the current Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and... Full story
CORONA DEL MAR, Calif. - Do women sailors, when desiring to learn more skills, prefer courses taught by women instructors? Celebrating 26 years as the number one sailing education event for women on the West Coast, the Annual Women's Sailing Convention on Saturday, Feb. 7, proves that women-only educational opportunities are highly popular. With water and land-based workshops, the convention is full of hands-on courses for the beginner to the experienced, and returns to the Bahia Corinthian... Full story
In 2013, over 955,000 boats changed hands on the pre-owned boat market. That meant for a nearly a million boat buyers, hiring an accredited marine surveyor to inspect their potential dreamboat was often the first step after finding it. Boat Owners Association of The United States has seven tips on how to get the most from a marine survey: 1. The only good survey is a current one: Relying on an old survey is a bad idea. The marine environment isn't nice to boats and sometimes a "little"... Full story
The red towboats of BoatUS' on the water TowBoatUS towing fleet will be getting busier in Alabama in 2015 as a new presenting sponsor of the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series. The partnership teams up the country's largest boat-owners group and towing fleet for on water and roadside assistance with a 13-lake, team-style statewide fishing tournament that's now drawing anglers from six states - and growing. Discounts on BoatUS membership will be offered to competitors, and if history repeats... Full story
True or False? Take The Boat Winterizing Quiz You're putting the boat away for winter. So what half-truth, wife's tale, urban myth, or tall story have you heard about winterizing a recreational boat? Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) helps to set the record straight. 1. Ethanol (E10) fuel and engines: If a boat has a built-in gas tank, it's recommended to leave the tank as full as possible over the winter with a smidgen of room for fuel expansion. TRUE: Leaving the tank... Full story
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, manufacturers will continue to use Type I-V coding un... 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