Boat Show Bikini Contest

A sure sign of Spring's imminent arrival has just happened in my home town. In fact, this is a better predictor of the better weather coming than the groundhog and all the weather forecasters....it's the Annual Boat Show! It's happening right now as I write this, exhibitors are showing off this year's new pleasure boat models, new inboards and outboards, new boat designs, from small powerboats, canoes and sailboats to larger sailboats and even small yachts!

I think every town with water and a boating lifestyle has a boat show. It's a rite of Spring, when the boat sellers get together and display their newest styles, often offering sales and discounts to get folks into their booth to make the sale. It's often a great opportunity to see a lot of different boats in one place and make some comparisons on both price and features. It's also a great chance to meet the various marine dealers in your area and see who you like and what kinds of boats and motors they offer.

Here in Canada our boat shows usually offer more than just boats too, with opportunities to take the Boater Certification Exam, and learn about boats and boating, as well as other boating related equipment. It's a great time to meet some of your old boating buddies as well, as virtually everyone who is into boats turns out to browse the boat show and see what is new for the upcoming year.

Even folks who don't have a boat, don't plan to buy a boat, but love boats, come to see the boat show! f course one of the reasons for that might be because of some of the other features on display at boat shows these days, like...well....bikini swimsuit contests!! Here is a clip from this year's New York City Boat Show!



Gotta love summer and boats and.....girls in bikini's on boats......

Careers In Boating

So ya like boats do ya Billy? Wanna go to sea do ya? Maybe on a big ship or maybe stay closer to home and become a harbour pilot....looks like a great job, a boat ride or two a day, cruising around the mouth of the harbour, enjoying the boat, the sea air and the delight of being on the water instead of stuck in some stuffy office.....uh-huh....take a look at this....


Maybe a harbour pilot job doesn't hold the same allure as that of a sailor, a girl in every port, sailing the world, seeing new sights, experiencing everything the ocean has to offer....well sure, I bet some of the crew that were on this boat off the coast of Iceland would think differently....

Wooden Boat Plans

I'm a fan of wooden boats....there, I said it. I own fibreglass and aluminum boats, and only one 50 year old wooden boat, but of them all, the wooden boat holds a special place in my heart. Mostly because my Dad built it, but also because of the way it floats, the way it glides through the water, smoothly, and they way the weight of it handles the waves.  Of course, the craftmanship of a wooden boat is hard to miss as well, curves and angles, pieces of wood lovingly shaped into something so beautiful, and yet so functional.

Ask anyone who has built a boat, and they will tell you with pride that it is among their most prized accomplishments, and typically something they treasure forever, and when the time comes, passing it down to a family member or someone else they know will look after it with the same loving care that they have given it. Wooden boats have character, a character that just doesn't exist with mass produced fibreglass and aluminum boats, no matter how nice and how maintenance free those types of boats are.

Among the things in my "bucket list" You know, the things I want to do before I die, there is an entry, build a boat. Not just any boat, but a boat that I will enjoy, my family will enjoy, and I can be proud of as it sits beside the wharf in front of the cottage, or as it takes us for a run up the lake.

So with that in mind, I've been thinking long and hard about what kind of boat to build, whether it's a simple rowboat to replace the old boat my Dad built, or something more elaborate, something that will take an outboard motor and run me and mine up and down the lake in classic style, with nothing to do but ride the waves. Naturally I was excited to discover a book with 254 wooden boat plans,  everything from canoes to cabin cruisers, duck boats, fishing boats, sailboats, dingys, inboards and outboards, and everything in between including a submarine....yes I said "submarine...."  Written by Daniel Holden, who makes his livign building boats, and has for the last 20 years, this book is the kind of resource that is useful to the new boatbuilder and the experienced boat builder alike. 



Well I don't think I will build a submarine anytime soon, but I might build a rowboat, or perhaps a cabin cruiser, which really interests me. The stitch and glue method of boat building has been around a long time, and the results are fantastic looking boats, that are safe, durable, and fun to use. Fun to build too!

This downloadable e-book comes with lots of perks and bonuses too, including 3D Boat Design Software,

Thousands Of Pages Of Boat Building Secrets With 14 Rare EBooks, In-Depth Review of 107 Boat Designs and an additional bonus, the BoatBuilder's Handbook (600+ pages long) Those are all in additon to the 254 boat plans.

If you're like me, thinking about building your own wooden boat(s) for the cottage or elsewhere, this is the kind of book that you cannot afford not to own. And you can own it, infact, you can start reading it tonight, all you need to do is Click Here! to find out how!

Oh yes....there is a full money back guarantee! No risk. I like no risk....well I like some risk...but no risk is good too....I suppose it depends on the risk....but this is no risk!

Used Boat Motors : Tips for Buying Used Boat Motors

Used Boat Motors : Tips for Buying Used Boat Motors by Markus Sanarko So, you have decided to buy used boat motors because these are, arguably, cheaper compared to purchasing brand-new items. However, to get the best out of your money, you have to be very wise about your choices since the cost of repairs do add up in the long run.

 Closely Inspect
First, exterior damage like cracks and corrosion are signs of internal damage so watch out for them. These can become costly repairs that often contribute to a sinking boat, financially speaking.

Second, if it is an outboard motor, inspect the prop shaft for bent portions. You can do this by looking at the propeller hubís end when it is spinning ñ no wobble means that the used boat motors might be in good condition.

Third, and very important to protect yourself against stolen boat complaints, inspect the nameplate for its complete model and serial numbers. If it appears suspicious, then it probably is not a safe buy.

 Closely Listen
Ask the owners to operate the secondhand boat motors at both idle and full speed modes. This is very important as problems involving the carburetor and the ignition are very costly.
Also, you have to check that the boat motor can easily handle shifting from neutral to reverse and neutral to forward. You will only realize the importance of these functions when docking the boat.
If you can have a trusted boat mechanic to offer advice, then better for your hunt for the right used boat motors. After all, he is more qualified to inspect them than you are!

 Close the Sale
If you have decided that you are going to purchase the secondhand boat motors, then you must take the preliminary steps to close the sale. Whether online or offline, you must protect yourself against unscrupulous sellers who might have fraudulent documents on said motors.

Thus, always ask for the legal documents on the sale such as receipt of purchase outlining the date of transaction, the purchase amount including advance payments, technical specifications of the boat motors especially their model and serial numbers, and the signatures of both the concerned parties.

Soon, you'll have your used boat motors powering your ride!

About The Author
Visit Used Boat Motors For You.Com for more free information you need to know about  used boat motors, to make informed decision before you buy it.

Article Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=2156252 - By Markus Sanarko

How To Clean Mildew From Canvas Boat Tops

One of the toughest things to do with a boat is keep it from getting mildewy, particularly the canvas tops, when the boat is closed up, and the weather is damp. Many of today's boat tops are not exactly made of canvas either, not the traditional canvas we used to have, instead they are more of a water repellant fabric , actually a woven acrylic fabric, shiny on one side. But the inside of the boat cover is where the mildew grows, it also grows on the seats and other fabric on boat interiors.  There is nothing worse than getting in the boat in the spring and finding the insides full of mildew, it's so difficult to clean up.

However....nothing is impossible, here is a link to an article from J H Kersy,   How To Clean Mildew Off Canvas Boat Tops and here is a link to a video about How To Clean Boat Upholstery Both of these are worth a look.

I also find it worth the little bit of money they cost to hang a couple of these Star brite MDG Mildew Odor Control Bags inside the boat when it is closed up for winter, and for that matter year round, they really help keep mold and mildew at bay. 

Mad Mariner

I've come across a website that I think will be of interested to you, considering you are reading my blog about boats, and therefore must have a little more than a passing interest in boating. Mad Mariner is a website for anyone interested in boating, whether that be power boats or sail boats. It's written by experienced marine writers, who have years on the water and behind the typewriter or pc writing about boats and also features new marine writers, offering them an opportunity to get their feet wet so to speak.

Many of their writers have been published in magazines like  Power and Motoryacht, PassageMaker, Yachting, Cruising World, Motor Boating, Good Old Boat, Cruising World (1-year)

Good Old Boat, and more, including mainstream journalistic endeavors for major newspapers.  Mad Mariner has blogs, vessels, seamanship, you name it, if it has to do with boats, chances are they have written about it.

But don't take my word for it, see for yourself, (I should have said, "sea" for yourself, but resisted).....anyway, check it out here, Mad Mariner

I came across one of their articles that addresses a commonly asked question these days when four-stroke engines are being kind of 'pushed' on us small boaters. It's called
Pros and Cons of Two Stroke Versus Four Stroke Engines

Sunray Inboard Outboard Speedboat

When it comes to boats, I am happiest in a small aluminum boat, a something around the size of a 12-16 foot aluminum, equipped with an outboard in the 15 - 25 horsepower range. But...there is something sweet about flying over the water in a comfortable speedboat, equipped with windshield, soft seats and a nice interior.

That's what I was doing this weekend as my friend just bought himself a 17 foot Sunray equipped with an inboard engine, lots of perks and a hull design that flattens out the waves and gives you all the speed thrills you could ask for in a pretty heavy boat. He and his wife joined me and my wife at the cottage this weekend.

The inboard engine is something sorta new to me, having had more experience with outboards. However, the inboard is kind of the Cadilac of boats and this Sunray is no exception. Wide and comfortable, fast and agile, that's how I would describe it. The boat cruises nice around 30 miles per hour and we topped it out at around 36 miles per hour. I think it would be able to do better than that in ideal conditions. It was pretty windy the first day we took it out, and the lake rather rough, not to mention we were just figuring out the intricacies of the trim etc. I'm sure by this time next year we'll really know what the Sunray boat is capable of.

As I mentioned, most of my boating experience has been with outboard motors, but I have been around some inboards. They are usually a little easier on fuel, smooth to run and fast. Not to mention powerful. Not only that, inboard/outboard engines these days draw no more water than an outboard, meaning anywhere an outboard can go, so can an inboard. That, and inboards are in my opinion, a little easier to work on, as the science is very much like that of an automobile engine, and the way they are laid out in a boat makes them fairly easy to work on.

This boating season is just about over, but we'll be giving the Sunray a good workout next summer, and I will let you know what I really think of it after that.