Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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This Could Help Spark An Idea That Increases Fishing Line Recycling $30,000 in cash prizes are on the line for best solutions. Winter is annual maintenance time for many anglers, and respooling with new line and recycling the old is a common task. Ever thought about what happens once you dispose of the old line in a fishing line recycling tube? It's not pretty. Turning fishing line into new products is labor-intensive, requiring a series of workers to manually comb through, sort, clean, remove... Full story
This is where the birds and fish, burros and deer roam. According to vacation experts, the latest travel trend is the toe-dip trip: a shorter getaway to help rebuild confidence in traveling. "We may be dreaming of that big-bucket-list trip, but what travelers are actually planning so far this year are visits to familiar destinations nearby, weekend getaways or road trips and beach trips," says Melissa Dohmen, travel expert from Travelocity. Travelocity's most popular destinations for families... Full story
Applies to boats less than 26 feet operating on plane or above displacement speed. There are new engine cutoff device wear requirements for recreational boat operators as part of the January 1, 2021, passage of National Defense Authorization Act that included a U.S. Coast Guard Reauthorization. These devices, commonly referred to as engine cutoff switches (ECOS), are designed to prevent a boat-strike injury if an operator is accidentally ejected overboard while underway. Engine cutoff devices ca... Full story
Here's the 2020 top 10 list of practical boat handling and how-to boat maintenance videos. Learning how to trim a powerboat is a skill that many vessel operators seek to know, and BoatUS video viewership numbers back that up: "How to Trim Your Boat" was the No. 1 most-watched BoatUS video of 2020. In addition, two other top 10 videos of the year also focused on the topic of boat trim: How to Use Trim Tabs on a Boat and How to Get a Boat On Plane Using Trim. Here are the boating advocacy, service... Full story
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the national advocacy, services and safety group with more than 700,000 members, weighed in on a range of boating issues, debates and legislation affecting recreational boaters in 2020. As the boater's advocate, BoatUS brought the unique perspective and needs of the recreational boat owner to local governments, halls of state capitals and Washington, D.C. Here are some of the successes that BoatUS earned over the past year: The Sport Fish... Full story
With the incredibly difficult year behind us and 2021 full of hope, an ideal way to celebrate is to get out the pole and bait and go fishing! Masks? No problem. Social distancing? No problem. In fact, there is probably no safer way to enjoy the change of seasons than to get out outside and cast a line. There are some beautiful and productive spots in Arizona, including in the nearby Community Waters, now stocked with luscious trout. We wish you tight lines and a very Happy New Year. PORTS Page... Full story
National Boating Safety Survey shapes local, national safety policy. An all-encompassing report on recreational boating activity in the U.S. is giving the U.S. Coast Guard, policymakers and the boating community the ability to shape smart boating safety policy into the future. Issued last week by the Coast Guard, The National Recreational Boating Safety Survey (NRBSS) looks at boating participation demographics, trends, boat use, at-risk boating populations, boating safety and more. The survey d... Full story
Last year, 76,418 recreational boaters had a reason to summon non-emergency, routine assistance from TowBoatUS, the nation’s largest on-water towing service for recreational boaters. Accidentally running aground, dead batteries and dead engines were the chief culprits. Instead of giving your favorite boaters a pair of socks for Christmas this year, give them something much more useful − the gift of 24/7 on-water towing from TowBoatUS. Like an auto club for recreational boat owners, a BoatUS Unl...
What's Different About Fall Boating? Follow these five boating safety tips to ensure a great day on the water. Other than the colors of trees and cooler temperatures, what's different about boating in the fall? A lot, according to the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, especially when it comes your safety aboard. One big issue is there are fewer boats – often the quickest pathway to a rescue – on the water, so flagging down a good Samaritan just got harder. So what's your pla...
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), those pint-sized, individual rescue beacons used by boaters, sailors, and paddlers to summon emergency help have saved hundreds of lives since their authorization for use 17 years ago. That doesn't mean they are maintenance free, according to the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety. The boating safety nonprofit offers these simple tips to maintain and use a PLB. • PLBs need to be registered with NOAA. As a way to ensure accurate, up-to-date information, r...
For the nation's 12 million boat owners, Labor Day weekend was the last blast, with many enjoying the end-of-summer boating ritual with family and friends aboard, according to Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS). The national advocacy, services and safety group cautions, however, that boating traffic and complacency have increased safety concerns every year. BoatUS's nationwide on-water towing fleet, TowBoatUS, often forecasts an increase in number of boaters on the water...
Aims to increase fishing line and soft bait recycling by tapping the public for ideas. Have you ever wondered how old, discarded fishing line is recycled and reused? You may be surprised to learn that turning fishing line into new products is labor intensive, requiring a series of workers to comb through, sort, clean, remove hooks and weights, and separate out miles of encrusted debris in entangled fishing line. There also aren't any recycling programs for fishing related materials like soft...
BoatUS Foundation personal locator beacon rental program saves money, increases safety aboard America's boat and yacht clubs and other groups organizing sailboat racing this summer, the rules have all changed. Captains know that having success with social distancing could mean having fewer (nonrelated) crew aboard this racing season. However, fewer crew could also mean fewer hands aboard – and potentially fewer eyeballs to spot someone in the water – in the event of a crew-overboard sit...
What Can A Boat's Name Tell You? BoatUS issues annual Top 10 Boat Names list. While a boat's name can be as varied as the owner at the helm, certain themes do stick out, according to Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS). The national advocacy, services, and safety group has issued its annual list of Top 10 Boat Names, which it compiles from those using the services of BoatUS Boat Graphics to design and purchase boat name graphics. "It's always a challenge to decide on a boat... Full story
Controversial order threatens reliability of hundreds of millions of GPS units. SPRINGFIELD, Va., June 25, 2020 – The nation's largest advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), says an April 22 decision by the Federal Communications Commission to give mobile satellite services operator Ligado Networks, a private-equity company, the green light to build and operate a land-based industrial 5G (fifth generation) wireless n... Full story
BoatUS Foundation: Don’t try to have your own fireworks show. Celebrating America’s birthday, thousands of boaters are expected to hit the water this Fourth of July holiday weekend, recreational boating’s traditional busiest time of the year. With COVID-19, it certainly won’t be the same. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has a few boating safety reminders just in time for the holiday. While boaters will need to follow social distancing guidelines, that’s not the only... Full story
If you have not done so already, here is a check list from BoatUS to guide you through preparation for the summer boating season. By Charles Fort - Contributing Editor, BoatUS Magazine Last winter was likely a flurry of activity as you put your boat to bed, spending hours checking off every conceivable chore to make sure it was ready come spring. Or maybe, like a lot of people, you did just enough to make sure the boat wouldn't be damaged by the cold but left a few things for spring. If so,... Full story
Tonto Has Implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions The Tonto National Forest has begun Stage 2 Fire Restrictions in conjunction with other federal and state land management agencies in Arizona. According to Tonto National Forest Supervisor Neil Bosworth, rising temperatures and an increase in drying trends of grass fuel loads resulting from above average winter moisture prompted the decision to implement these fire restrictions. "Arizona's wet winter has created a carpet of grasses which are now cu... Full story
Customers encouraged to use online, phone and mail services. To protect the health and safety of customers and employees while continuing to provide services and support, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has temporarily modified in-person customer service. At press time, front lobbies at AZGFD offices were still closed to in-person transactions except those made by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling (602) 942-3000 (select item 4 if you wish to be connected to one of...
Editor's Note: The following information was applicable as we went to press. For updates, call (602) 942-3000, or email customerservice@azgfd.gov The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is committed to staying connected with its customers and continuing to provide exceptional service. As updates related to the COVID-19 situation become available, AZGFD will share any new developments or changes to processes. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: Is the Ben Avery Shooting Facility open? All r... Full story
During these times of heightened worry and isolation, we at Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times wish you good health, safety, hope, and peaceful spirits. All of you who love the outdoors already know of the calm that can surround us when we are there, whether at a water side or in a forest, or in a beautiful desert-scape - whether we are watching the swaying trees, the soaring birds, or the budding cactus blossoms. It is in these places where our senses can be calmed and Mother... Full story
Welcome to 2020! It's hard to believe it has been 20 years since the century change. My, how time flies! As we begin another new year, outdoor folk can fill their 2020 calendars with many exciting events. One of the first is Arizona Yacht Club's Birthday Regatta & Leukemia Cup, and we thank Mike Ferring for the cover photo. Also ahead is the Arizona Game & Fish Department's annual awards banquet that recognizes many who have been excellent stewards of our state's incredible outdoor treasures.... Full story
Taxes Paid By Boaters Will Fund Boating Programs The explosive growth of paddlesports - including stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing - has local, state and federal governments working to ensure there's plenty of paddler access, including paddlecraft-only launches that make it easy to launch a kayak, increasing efforts to ensure paddler safety, and minimizing user conflicts with traditional boaters. The question is, who pays for it? Under a nearly seven-decade-old federal funding mech... Full story
TowBoatUS San Diego responds to an incredibly strange distress call caused by a one-in-a-million missed waypoint. "There are not many times I can say it after 30 years as a towboat captain, but this was a first," says Capt. Rob Butler, owner of the TowBoatUS San Diego. Butler was describing his company's recent response to a 26-foot power boat stuck inside a deep sandstone cave along a southern California cliff wall. Butler's company is one of more than 300 locations across the nation that... Full story
Kid's Corner Enrichment Debuts At Havasu's Sand-Water-RV Expo In addition, the ever-popular corn hole competition returns to the Expo. Visitors to the 2019 Sand-Water-RV Expo on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 16-17 at Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 3 & 4 will find a new attraction waiting for them and their children - "Kids Corner Enrichment" - a new, local 501c3 charity focusing on kids and two of Lake Havasu City's most abundant resources - "water and sun". Here's what they are determined to... Full story
