Understanding Water Depth
While water can be dangerous, so can the stuff that lies below it. Thus it is important to know, for sure, how close it is to fragile stuff on the bottoms of out boat such as the propeller and rudder if fitted.
Entries by Grant Headifen
Alternating Current and Direct Current
In your house, your wall outlets deliver alternating current (AC) electricity. In contrast, on a boat (and in your car), most of the electricity consumed by the devices on board is direct current (DC) and comes from the onboard battery.
Prop Walk Disadvantage
There is one situation where you are just going to have to suck it up and admit defeat. Propwalk wins this game today and you have to come back and fight another day.
Prop Walk Advantage
Propwalk can be annoying or you can just get the better of it. Your choice!
Long Line Ashore – Mediterranean Mooring
The long-line-ashore is a useful mooring method. It is mostly used in the Mediterranean as a customary way of mooring a lot of boats along a shoreline.
Precise Docking
You can’t leave docking to luck or always hoping it will be a nice day. You have to become an expert.
Force Alignment and Moment Balance
There is a really cool universal law out there that states: “For every force, there must be an equal and opposite force.” When you are docking, if your boat pulls on a line attached to the dock, the line pulls back on your boat.
Lights and Shapes on Vessels
Nighttime can be a beautiful time to go boating. However, night vision is not the same as day vision and so rules have been established to ensure safety.
Leaving the dock – Introduction
OK, now that you’re an expert at maneuvering the boat under power outside of the marina, it is time to bring the varnish and gel coat in close quarters with its sworn enemies – the docks, pilings, and other boats.
Philosophy of Boating Competence
Operating a powerboat on our waterways is different than operating a vehicle on a road. Besides the obvious reasons, there are strict and well-defined rules for vehicles.
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