The sailor’s guide to seasonal inspection. Ensure you cover each system in this easy-to-follow checklist. Prevention is the best medicine to keep you on the water rather than in the yard this sailing season. Spring is here. Time to step back, put on your inspector hat, and approach the boat as an independent hired inspector […]

A video tutorial showing how to customize the look and feel of Aqua Map to best suit your needs. Whether you prefer to increase the font size of text on the app or display only certain POIs from Active Captain or Waterway Guide, this video walks you through all the options available in Aqua Map […]

Boating Safety Checklists Are Not For Nerds. The pros use them to prevent boating mishaps and you should too. “Kick the tires and light the fires!” That was something we would sometimes say in my Coast Guard days when heading out to the helicopter for a rescue mission. It was mild bravado, a way to […]

With a storm coming, a crew member faces a dilemma: How to say no to the boat’s owner. Years ago, I was invited to help deliver a schooner to Key West, Florida, only to be faced with an uncomfortable situation before we ever left the dock. It was late fall when my brother and I […]

The sea is no place for absolutes about everything, which is why the safety community’s mantra about PFDs should be modified. The U.S. Coast Guard says it, the National Boating Safety Advisory Committee (NBSAC) says it, and the National Park Service says it: “Always wear a life jacket.” “It’s a phrase that’s all too common among boating safety […]

The rules of the road can help you avoid an unplanned get-together with another vessel. “I will never forget the first time I hit another boat. I was 19 years old and sailing a Beetle Cat through the inner mooring field of Newport Harbor, trying to impress a girl who had come to visit. I […]

What you need to know about Aqua Map’s Local Notice To Mariners (LNM) functionality. Aqua Map seamlessly integrates the USCG’s latest Local Notice to Mariners information directly into the app. The Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) is a regularly issued publication that provides important updates and information for mariners navigating U.S. waters.  It is a […]

“Bert Vermeer tells his story of an overheating Beta Marine 20 diesel sailboat engine with clogged sail drive intake ports and how he used this boat hack. He makes interesting use of his dinghy pump to handle this sailboat emergency. We also look at the Aqualarm Cooling Water Flow Detector and water level sensor switches […]

Which Navigation App Should I Use? Not only is this a question that I am often asked, it’s also a question that I’ve asked myself. With the discontinuation of raster chart data now complete and the increased reliance on smartphones and tablets for accurate and up-top-date navigation information, third-party apps have become a critical component […]

Who needs to purchase the Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp? Any person who operates a vessel required to display a registration decal on Connecticut’s inland waters must have a CT AIS Stamp. This applies to both Connecticut residents and out-of-state boaters. The AIS Stamp program was enacted by the Connecticut legislature in 2019 to provide funding […]