Cruising & Sailing Information

Stocking up Your Boat


There, you have just got a boat. A nice new hobby for the weekend and it is time to stock it out. It is time to get all that equipment and gear that you have read about in all the magazines and that you have dreamt about for so long. Time to fill that boat up with all the latest goodies and set sail into the unknown. Sail out and over the horizon, ready for all that may be placed in your way!

Luxury Cruises On The Mediterranean


A classic Mediterranean cruise visits major port cities located on the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the countries of Spain, France, Italy, Monaco, Greece and Turkey and the islands of Malta, Crete and Sicily. Some cruises also include stops in Egypt. The Mediterranean cruise season is April to November when the weather is generally sunny and mild. Many cruise lines sail the Mediterranean and while there is most likely a cruise that appeals to any style and budget, we?ll focus on luxury cruises here.

What To Expect - My 1st Cruise Experience


Some years ago my wife and I decided to take a cruise. We headed for Southampton to join our cruise ship, weighed down with luggage. (Why do women take twice as much as men?) Not knowing what to expect, we arrived at the terminal whereupon our cases were taken from us and firmly assured that they would be sent to our cabin. We checked in with one of the many assistants, boarded the ship and that would be it.

Western Caribbean Cruise


We were on the Radiance of the Seas for the western Caribbean cruise on November 28/04. This was our second cruise with Royal Caribbean with our first last year on the larger Adventure of the Seas. After one cruise with RCI, I expected roughly the same standards with the Radiance and in general, I wasn't disappointed.

There Are Many Reasons Why You Should Choose Inflatable Boats Over Traditional Boats


If you spend any time in or around the water then you probably own or have considered owning an inflatable boat. There are many uses for inflatable boats and many people own them for a variety of very different reasons.

What Is Best For You; An Inflatable Kayak Or A Hard-Shell Kayak?


If you are buying a kayak for the very first time it is very exciting but there are a lot of things that you need to consider and to think about. You will need to consider what type of kayak you need for the type of activity you will be doing with it.

Small Boats Should Have Certain Equipment On Board For Proper Safety Precautions


Relaxing in your canoe on a beautiful calm lake, fishing for the perfect fish is a very enjoyable and peaceful pastime that is enjoyed by many. Or maybe taking your kayak down a white water river braving class four rapids is more your style? Inflatable boats or Zodiacs are a lot of fun cruising in the ocean, slamming through the surf as well!

Boat Washing 101 - Spring is Here, Lets Go Boating


As a boat owner you know that washing the boat can be time consuming. You also know that the longer you put it off the harder it is to clean. The ideal time to wash a boat is after it has been used. In an ideal world we would have someone waiting for us after each use who would spend an hour cleaning it up and putting another coat of wax on it. If you have a pressure washer on the dock it behooves you to spray off the waterline before and after each use. It would also make sense to put a quick coat of wax on the hull. There are many products, which can quicken the boat cleaning process if you choose to do it yourself. There are many tools you can also use to assist you. One excellent tool is a roto-scrubber, which provides agitation and saves your muscles and back. Let?s face it even a relaxing day on the water can make one fatigued. Under ideal conditions you would use a pressure washer with warm De-ionized or reverse osmosis water and a roto-scrubber and spend a ten minutes to fifteen minutes per side. This should be enough to get you through 40 to sixty feet.

Boat and Yacht Detailing - Teak Reconditioning and Care, Detailing the Deck


If you find your boat with gray and weathered teak, you may use any of the variety of products that are recommended from Nauticaleze. You may also wish to clean it with Snappy-Teak-Nu.

Exploring the Exotic - Antarctica Cruise


Antarctica is one of the great unexplored areas of the world. It wasn?t until the last fifty years that there has been any appreciable exploration or study of the vast frozen continent. Now the tourist with sufficient money can actually view and set foot on this unique part of the earth.

Yacht and Ship Registration in the Isle of Man


The maritime history of the Isle of Man dates from the eighteenth century and the Island is recognised internationally as an efficient and well- run centre for both registration and management. It was ranked third in the world by Port State Authority in September 2004.

Simple Things for the ?Sailing Life?


Owning a boat has an oxymoronic quality to it. ?The simple life? can be pretty complex--I think of it as having a plane, a car, and a house compressed into a very small space. This specialized environment calls for specialized equipment and tactics...sometimes. In spite of what marine retailers would like us to think, there are a number of 'normal' (and inexpensive) items that we can put to very efficient use aboard our boats. For example:

At the Boat Ramp


The weekend is finally here. You're all loaded up (well, the car is loaded, you're not) and it's time to head for the lake. You get to the ramp and take your place in line. When your turn comes, you back and fill until the trailer is absolutely straight on the ramp. You back up to the water's edge, untie the cover and start transferring fishing and ski gear plus several coolers to the boat. You back into the water and launch the boat, then pull out to park while your wife and kids hold the boat. You come strolling back, jump in the boat and take off. You're happy - on the water in only 45 minutes.

Boat Cleaning Business - Bilge Clean-up Tips


These areas, like any other car engine and compartment that you may come across, can either be very clean, or be extremely greasy, dirty and grimy. Remember to mention the difficulty in locating fuel, oil or water leaks on a dirty leaky bilge. You will need to take extreme caution when doing in the bilge area as there are extra switches and wiring, like you might find underneath in a car engine. It's critical to avoid damaging any of these as they are extremely expensive, roughly two to three times the cost of a comparable car part. You'll also have to be cautious of getting any of the waste water spilled out into the fresh water if you're doing it in open water. If this happens you?ll be violating The Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 and your City, County and State?s NPDES permit.

Boat Detailing - Final Process in the Reconditioning ? Applying the Protective Sealant on Gel Coat


It is often recommended that you do not use any natural or pure Carnauba automotive waxes as they will tend to yellow the gel coat over time and not properly seal the boat from environmental marine contaminants, however we do not always agree with this. It is not recommended that you use any paste waxes except we do strongly recommend using 3M Ultra Performance, which is a paste wax. Do not use any acrylics, nor any Teflon products (Teflon yellows over time) as most of these products are gimmicks and they can be difficult to remove or properly apply.

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