Boating Geek

KAYAKS, CANOES, AND PADDLEBOARDS  what boat should you use? I cannot answer that. People often ask me exactly that question. Why not ask me who you should marry? Things to consider when looking for a vessel include your physical size, your fishing style, where you intend to use the vessel, whether you'd prefer to paddle or pedal, how well it paddles, whether you enjoy fishing alone, its cost, its weight, how you intend to cany it, its storage capacity, how comfortable it is, the aesthetics of its use and more. Everyone has different needs. My fishing style when paddle fishing includes a lot of wading. I want a sit-on-top (SOT) kayak because I can easily get off of and on to the kayak. One of my kayaks is an Ocean Kayak Drifter (no longer made) purchased in 2003. Designs have improved a lot since then. I still like that old boat for two reasons, though. First, my boats are carried atop my car. That one weighs fifty-five pounds, and I can lift it. Second, the boat is fairly vid...

Every now and then I watch extreme sports on TV. You know, the skateboarders who fly off those half pipes, the motorcyclists who jump their bikes and do all sorts of crazy things while the bike is in the air—X Games stuff. It's fun to watch and it looks like even more fun to do.  That is, it looks like fun if you have the skills to do it without killing yourself. Every time I watch it, I can't help but wonder how any of those people tried those stunts for the first time.  It's easy to get the same feeling upon seeing pictures of divers at the extreme end of the sport of scuba diving. Prepared to dive to great depths in frigid water, they have tanks containing different gas mixtures hanging all over them. The slightest mistake or distraction, such as breathing from the wrong tank at the wrong depth, could have fatal consequences. Are they crazy? How did they get to that level of competence? The answer is that they progressed slowly. For most of us, the simple act of br...

As THE SAYING GOES, there are old divers and there are bold divers, but there are no old, bold divers. I have no idea where the saying came from. It could have originated from a wise old diver who wanted to make a point about the foolishness of youth, but I think it was more likely first proclaimed by a young person as a way of thumping the chest and announcing to the world, "Look at me, I'm young and bold." I think this because the corollary, "Look at me, I'm old and cowardly," just doesn't sound right. Whatever the case, now that I'm what must be considered an old diver, the saying doesn't seem quite as pithy to me as it once did. Of course, being old does not necessarily mean being smart, but it does give me a perspective on the evolution of the sport of scuba diving that younger divers might not have. People  ask What it feels like to scuba dive? Is it worth getting scuba certified? Why do you like diving? What do scuba divers do? ...

Factors Affecting Boat Control  We'll next address your controls, and then the key dynamics of the boat in response to your controls. After that, we'll take the boat for a spin around the harbor and docks. First, the controls. Know Your Controls Your boat has a wheel for steering and a throttle for power and direction. Engine Control  If you have a single-engine there usually will be one control. Today, most boats employ a single lever to control both transmission and throttle. By moving the lever forward, forward gear is engaged and power is applied. Initially, power is at idle speed steadily increasing as the lever is moved farther forward. Conversely, moving the lever sternward from the neutral position engages reverse gear at idle speed increasing as the lever is moved rearward. Neutral is usually indicated by a tactile "detent" between forward and reverse gears. With the latest electronic controls, shifting is effortless and may lead to not appreciat...

CHOOSE YOUR CRUISING AREA  The style, size of the boat, and type of ride you prefer are linked to the cruising area you choose. Most boaters select a waterway within reasonable driving distance of their homes, so first, consider your local waters. Do you live near a lake, a river, or an ocean? If that lake down the road is too limiting for the kind of boating you have in mind, are you willing to drive an hour or more to reach a more expansive waterway or the ocean? Boaters from other states store their boats at our marina in Mystic, Connecticut for easy access to Long Island Sound, Cape Cod, Maine, and the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) toward Florida. While you are thinking about the kind of cruising you want to do and where you'd like to do it, stop by the area and check out how people are launching and storing their boats when they are not using them. Most boats used on a small lake need to be trailerable, so they can be towed, launched, and hauled for each use. Large lakes, ...

ADD A SPORT TO YOUR CRUISE  If you want to do more than cruise, add racing or fishing to your cruising plans. Each has a challenging learning curve that will get you and yours out on the water to test your collective skills. GO RACING  When we think of racing, we think speed, so it may seem odd that the plurality of boat racing occurs in the sail-boat category. Because sailing is expertise, competition takes the form of matching tactics with other boats of the same type. Sail-boats utilized specifically for racing—think America's Cup—are mere hulls with few things comforts and a specialized sail plan. Powerboat racing is offered by the American Power Boat Association (APBA). It requires specific kinds of boats and is regulated, much like NASCAR racing is for autos. For more information, log on to www.alpha-racing.com. Any sailboat is eligible for yacht races, also called regattas. Yacht racing involves not only sailing the boat but also choosing a class consisting of ...