Category Archives: Boat Insurance

New "Boating Simulator" Lets You Boat Anytime

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NEWS From BoatUS

Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatU.S. Press Room at http://www.BoatUS.com/pressroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com
BoatUS Foundation’s Virtual Boating Experience is the Next Step in Boater Education

ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 2, 2011 – A new downloadable BoatUS Boating Simulator, provided by the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water aims to use animation, simulation and video to keep boaters on the virtual “water” anytime – and teach them how to navigate through congested and sometimes treacherous waters.

The Boating Simulator’s interactive boating experience – complete with throttle, shifter and chartplotter – makes learning fun. “Research shows that most people use visual cues when learning and when you combine it with active participation, comprehension and retention increase,” said BoatUS Assistant Director of Boating Safety Ted Sensenbrenner. “Simply put, you learn while you’re having a great time driving the boat.”

The Simulator, which utilizes your keyboard, mouse and arrow keys to operate, is free to download at www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/games. During the game’s voyage, players must use all of the tools at their disposal to navigate around aids to navigation as well as shallow water and other vessel traffic. Along the way you could be penalized for violating speed zones, approaching too close to another vessel or navigating out of bounds.

This is the third interactive video game offered by the BoatUS Foundation that puts new or seasoned boaters alike behind the helm of a virtual boat. The first two games, DockIt! and NavigateIt!, teach docking and navigation skills respectively. All BoatUS Foundation games are provided at no cost at www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/games and BoatUS membership is not required to play.

For the Boating Simulator, a standard home PC with Windows XP or newer and a DirectX 9.0 compatible video card is required. Simply follow the on-screen instructions and prompts to download to your computer.

About the BoatUS Foundation:

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Funded primarily by the half million members of BoatUS, it provides innovative educational outreach directly to boaters and anglers with the aim of reducing accidents and fatalities, increasing stewardship of America’s waterways and keeping boating safe for all. To make a tax-deductible donation to this 501(c)(3) nonprofit, go to www.BoatUS.com/foundation.

Spread the word.

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Tell your friends neighbors and relatives that they can now go to my website (www.skysmith.com) and about half way down is a Progressive area that will allow them to get a free Progressive quote on their car, boat, motorcycle, RV, jet ski, etc etc….

The quote link should work in most states. If it doesn’t work or you have any problems, let me know.

Expanding our vehicle insurance and saving the insured money at the same time!

Why Boats Sink in the Springtime – reprint from Boat US

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com

Why Boats Sink in the Springtime

The Common Causes

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 24, 2009 — Launching a boat in the spring for a new boating season is normally a happy occasion, but some owners get a rude surprise instead — a sinking. “While not widespread, sinkings during re-launch at the dock are easily avoidable,” said Bob Adriance, editor of Seaworthy , the magazine from BoatU.S.that helps boaters avoid damage and improve safety aboard their boats. Here are Bob’s tips to avoid a springtime sinking:

• Hose clamps: Winterizing an engine in the fall often requires the removal of coolant hoses. Come springtime, boaters are in a rush and the hoses aren’t reattached and clamped properly. Adding to this, cramped engine boxes mean that the hoses and the clamps holding them sometimes can’t be visually inspected easily. In the spring you’ll need to ensure all of the hose clamps are securely tightened in place.

• Hoses: During the winter as the water inside them freezes, some hoses can lift off their attached seacock (valve). However, with spring’s warmer temperatures the water now returns to a liquid, and if the seacock was left open last fall, water can pour into the bilge. Double clamping with marine-rated stainless hose clamps, inspecting hose attachment locations, or keeping seacocks closed can all save you from a spring sinking.

• Spring rains: Combine heavy rains with leaking ports, deck hatches, fittings, chain plates and even scuppers clogged by leaves from last fall and you have a recipe for a sinking. Just 100 gallons of water weighs over 800 pounds so a boat with a low freeboard only needs to sink a few inches before cockpit scuppers (drains intended to remove water) submerge and water starts to enter the boat. Larger boats with cracked or improperly caulked fittings that are located just above the waterline can also inadvertently let water in when they become submerged. Ensure that rain rolls off the boat and not into it.

• Sea strainer: For inboard/outboard and inboard powered boats, always inspect the strainer for cracks or other damage. If it wasn’t properly winterized, the intake sea strainer could have frozen over the winter, cracking or bending the inspection bowl. And if the seacock was left open the boat will sink as soon as ice in the strainer thaws or the boat is put in the water. Boats have also sunk when the seacock was closed over winter and then opened in the springtime, but the owner failed to notice water trickling into the bilge from a freeze damaged bowl.

• Stuffing Box: On powerboats or sailboats with inboard power, if the stuffing box’s packing material that seals the prop shaft is not tight, a steady drip could eventually swamp a boat if it’s ignored. Remember, the stuffing box should only leak when the prop shaft is turning. Stuffing boxes need to be inspected routinely, regardless of the season.

To learn about more causes of sinkings, or to get your own copy of the quarterly Seaworthy go to BoatUS.com/seaworthy/sinking .

About BoatU.S.
BoatU.S. – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 600,000 members with government representation, programs and money saving services. For membership information visit www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.