Category Archives: boating

Join the Summer Sailstice 2009

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Summer Sailstice 2009 is ready to leave the dock:
• 9th annual celebration
• 2009 Prize list
• Summer Sailstice store
• Wind powers sailing
• Sailors for the Sea

THE 9th ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF SAILING

On June 20/21, sailors worldwide will be gathering and connecting to celebrate life under sail. You’re invited to sign up at www.summersailstice.com and participate by finding a sailing event near you, starting your own sailing event or by simply going sailing. By signing up, you declare your participation and also become eligible to win one of over 400 prizes contributed by over 60 sailing companies. Over the past eight years sailors have signed up from 50 states and over 20 countries so join in, it’s simple – sign up, go sailing, celebrate and win. Sign up here!

SIGN UP, SAIL AND WIN A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CHARTER

Sailing the BVIs is as good as it gets and winning a Free One-Week Charter with The Moorings only makes it better. There are over 400 prizes available to Summer Sailstice sailors just for signing up and getting on the water on June 20 or 21. You can also win a Free ‘Fast Track to Cruising Course’ with Offshore Sailing, a Hobie Mirage Outback kayak, binoculars from Hunter Marine, a handheld radio, gear from West Marine and much more. Sign up now to celebrate and a chance to win!

SUMMER SAILSTICE SAILING GEAR IS READY TO SHIP!

Ralph Lauren eat your heart out. The 2009 hat, t-shirt and burgee are all looking good and ready to ship. Order quickly to get yours in time for Summer Sailstice or just relax and order to have for the full summer of sailing ahead. We run out every year and we’d hate for you to miss the fantastic Sailstice t-shirt designed by Carolyn Carvey. Visit the Summer Sailstice Store.

USE WINDPOWER – GO SAILING

There are thousands of opportunities to sail regardless of whether you have a boat or not. If your boat is rigged and ready, then take advantage of the wind and sail. If not, there are numerous points of access from commercial sailing schools to community sailing programs to Sea Scouts and junior programs. There’s no reason for anyone to be left ashore on Summer Sailstice. If you don’t have a boat, go to our Crew Connection page and find a sailing program near you.

SUPPORT OCEAN PRESERVATION WITH ‘SAILORS FOR THE SEA’

Summer Sailstice mission is dedicated to celebrating sailing while we also work together to support healthy oceans. For 2009 we’ve teamed up with Sailors for the Sea and their ‘Around the Americas’ voyage which seeks to highlight global warming and further ocean sciences with a circumnavigation of the American continents. We’re asking sailors to support this voyage and Sailors for the Sea by pledging a few dollars per mile sailed on Summer Sailstice. It’s a way to double the pleasure and reward of every mile sailed. Check the Pledge box when you Sign Up for Summer Sailstice.

The Sailstice is the newsletter of Summer Sailstice, a global sailing holiday, celebrating life under sail. Find us online at www.summersailstice.com.

Estimated 70 Million Americans Expected to Hit the Water This Summer

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Reprinted:

Industry Helping Non-Boaters Find Affordable Options, ‘Get Feet Wet’ in Boating

CHICAGO — As Memorial Day approaches – one of the most popular boating weekends of the year – the recreational boating industry trade group, National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), reports there were an estimated 70 million Americans who went boating in 2008.

What’s more, Discover Boating, the boating industry’s national awareness campaign, today reported the results from a summer boating habits survey conducted in May of 25,000 members of the nation’s largest boat owners group, BoatU.S. The survey reveals that when compared to the 2008 boating season, 52 percent of respondents do not expect to change the way they use their boat this summer and an additional 39 percent predict they will actually go boating more if gas prices continue to remain lower than 2008.

With gas prices currently hovering around $2.50 per gallon, much lower than last year’s nearly $4 per gallon, the industry expects this summer to be one of the busiest with boaters taking to the water in record numbers to de-stress and look for ways to vacation closer to home.

The survey also found that more than two-thirds, nearly 70 percent, of respondents said spending time on the water plays a significant role in bringing their families together. For landlubbers without a boat of their own, DiscoverBoating.com, the Discover Boating campaign’s online boating resource, is providing affordable tips on how to try out the boating lifestyle and begin creating lasting memories with friends and family.

“We anticipate Americans cutting down on out-of-town vacations this summer but still looking for ways to afford the activities and hobbies they love – for those who love the water we want to make sure they know how to access the boating lifestyle at all price points,” says Ellen Hopkins, spokeswoman for Discover Boating. “As the 70 million Americans who went boating last year can attest, being on the water can be a great way to soak in the summer weather, spend time with your family and friends and enjoy a vacation close to home.”

This summer, whether you’re looking to get your feet wet or head down the path to boat ownership, Discover Boating has on-the-water options to float your boat:

Rent or Charter. Boat rentals come in a variety of forms, from hourly and daily rentals to weeks-long charters. Renting is a helpful way to compare boat types and explore local waterways from a new vantage point. Multi-day chartering may help save on trip expenses such as food, lodging and activities, which can often be negotiated into the overall cost of a chartering package.

Share Time and Costs. Fractional boat ownership, similar to lodging timeshares, are cost-effective ways to use well-appointed boats and distribute costs related to fueling, pump-out, maintenance, and insurance among you and a group of friends or other local timeshare boaters. Members pre-schedule use of the boat online and often get the added benefit of lessons, flotillas and additional crew, if needed.

Join a Club. Local boating clubs and organizations allow inexperienced boaters the chance to test the waters through lessons, regattas and events. Clubs provide members with access to a variety of boat types, interaction with fellow boaters and events for all skill levels for an annual or monthly fee.

Test the Waters. Visit a local boat dealer as they can help narrow down choices, suggest options to best fit a budget and take interested boaters out for a test drive to experience how the boat performs. Similar to shopping for a car, test driving several boat types will help even the most experienced boater make a selection that works best for their budget and lifestyle.

For more boating tips, resources and information, visit DiscoverBoating.com.

About Discover Boating
Discover Boating is a national awareness campaign developed by the North American recreational boating industry and managed by the industry’s trade group, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA.org). Discover Boating programs focus on improving the boating experience and building interest in recreational boating by providing a resource for Americans to explore the benefits, affordability and accessibility of the boating lifestyle. To find out more, visit DiscoverBoating.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Ellen Hopkins (312-946-6249; ehopkins@nmma.org)

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.