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Boating Information Article

A Little Care Will Keep Your Boat in Top Notch Condition

By Paul MacIver

The story of boats is as old as the human civilization. There�s reference of a boat �Noah's ark� in the Bible. Noah's ark was the boat built by the Biblical character Noah to save his family and animals from the Flood. Gondolas were the traditionally used boats in Venice.

Today, a boat is considered as one of the major tools of watercraft. A boat is a small vessel for traveling on water. It comprises of one or more buoyancy structures called hulls, and some system of propulsion such as a screw, oars, paddles, a setting pole, a sail, paddlewheels or a water jet.

The front of a boat is called the bow or prow and the rear of the boat is called the stern. The right side is starboard and the left side is port. The boat toilet is called the �heads�.

A boat with a housing compartment is called a houseboat or barge. A pontoon boat is a flat-bottomed boat that serves as a dock or as a floating structure to support a bridge. The pontoon boat is also known as a party boat. It is constructed of round tubes (called sponsons) that are attached to the outside, bottom edge of a large flat deck. It has a safety railing that surrounds the deck from all sides. The helm station is placed either in the middle of the deck or off to one side. Pontoon boats may be furnished with lawn furniture, and some deluxe pontoon boats may have upholstered seating, a dinette table, a roof, a cooler, and maybe even a head (toilet).

A recreational boat is used for water sporting activities or other recreational purposes.

A sailboat uses the wind normally to propel the boat instead of an engine.

Boat Maintenance:

People fond of water sports or water adventures keep their own boats. Taking good care of one�s boat is very important. Good care and maintenance enhances the life of a boat and saves a lot of money also.

The following are some boat care tips:

� The boat engine should be flushed each time after it�s used in salt water.

� The underneath of the boat should be washed to prevent salt buildup.

� The entire boat should be washed using soap and water, after every single use.

� A non-skid cleaner should be used to scrub the deck.

� The boat should be completely dried after washing.

� The boat should be covered properly with a boat cover.

� The boat should be waxed every few months to protect the finish from stains and UV damage.

� Boat parts and accessories should be checked regularly, and defective parts should be replaced.

A boat cover is a very important accessory. When your boat is not in use, a cover will keep it protected from harsh weather and wearing. People use various boat covers and boat tops to protect their boats. Custom boat covers, bimini tops and canvas boat covers are some quite commonly used covers.

About the author

Paul MacIver writes articles on a variety of topics. To read more about boats, boat covers and other boating accessories, visit the Boat Covers and Accessories website. You may freely reprint this article as long as this resource box is included and all links are intact.

Learn More About sea doo boats

Most of day sailors (or even weekend sailors) will never really need navigational skills in order to be able to sail where they want. They will probably see the place right over the bow. People who sail further in the oceans, seas, and even on the Great Lakes of North America will - in turn - not get far without even the most elementary knowledge of how to find themselves on the charts, and where to sail next. As a matter of fact, they will sail far, very far - but from the course leading them to their port of destination.
Buy used sailboats at our store.

RIB or sometimes known as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) is a craft with a rigid hull and inflatable tube around the top. Inflatables can be moved and carried easily to their place of use, ribs may require a trailer. Most inflatables can be put together, inflated and ready to use in a short time. They have excellent performance, handling and versatility and are known to be very safe. They are made in a range of sizes from about 3 metres(10 feet) for a tender type, up to around 9 metres (30 feet) for an large offshore boat. They have also been used for other purposes apart from leisure such as search and rescue work with the coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Well known manufacturers of these boats include:
Buy a cat sailboat at our store.

Lifeguards in some areas use PWCs equipped with rescue platforms to rescue water users who get into difficulties and carry them back to shore. Rescuers have also used personal watercraft to pick up flood survivors.
Buy a cheap jet skis at our store.

Boating, Sailing And Marine Stories

Turkey To Asia - Summer 2008, Sailing Crew Wanted.

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 10:21:38 +0200
I am looking for crew to help sail my boat to Asia this year. I usually sail single handed but am getting bored with my own company. The boat is a steel Van Dam Nordia Ketch. You do not need to be particularly experienced but some prior offshore sailing would be useful. Join the boat in Turkey in the spring. There are 3 separate cabins and 2 heads. We have dive gear and a compressor on board and will be diving along the way. All you need is a contribution towards your own food and drink. Genuine, happy and interesting people only please.

Full details ....

What if you come upon a boatload of refugees while cruising?

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 15:53:52 +0200
So, you're sailing along happily on your 40' yacht (just you and your wife), some 200 miles from the nearest landfall and you see a boat ahead. As you get closer you notice that the vessel is lying very low in the water and the people aboard are waving their arms frantically. As you approach you see that the vessel is very close to sinking and there are about 20 men aboard - obviously a boatload of refugees. It appears that the boat is going down fast.

Full discussion ....

Sailing Crew Wanted From Gibraltar To St Lucia With Arc 2007.

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:23:05 +0200
Boat details: Island Packet 420 - 44 foot cruising sloop, fully equipped for long range sailing with two onboard chart plotters, genset, solar panels, wind generator, watermaker, SSB, AIS, radar, and all safety equipment required and recommended by the ARC committee. Sailing crew needed.

Details ....

Boom Brakes & Preventers, Preventing Injuries.

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:32:21 +0200
Not wishing to pre-empt the findings of the investigation into the latest tragedy in the ARC rally. But taking a good hard look at preventing injuries from being hit specifically by booms:-



During racing, the controlled gybe manoeuver may be performed many times without the use of a boom preventer - this is understandable. However, when in a cruising mode and when setting a course for a distant destination, is there a good reason for not using a boom preventer, so that if an unplanned gybe occurs - possible injury is averted ????

Full discussion ....

water ski boat