Recreation

In a boat--which pitches, yaws and rolls--your battery requires a more robust restraint system than the one found in your car. While a battery box will contain any spill that might occur as the...

A trailer allows you to take your boat anywhere you want to go. Taking your boat out of the water each time you use it also keeps it in better shape. Trailered boats have less corrosion of their...

A template for boat cover snap replacement is like a map. You can make a template for snap replacement by rolling a large piece of paper over your boat and tracing the snap locations. It will be...

A boat cover serves several purposes: It keeps leaves and dirt outside your boat, where they're supposed to be. It keeps animals out of your boat when your boat is laid up for the off-season. A...

The bunks or rollers that your boat rests on when on its trailer provide the support that keep your boat upright and steady while traveling. Adjust them with a wrench to fit under the strongest...

Have you been feeling bored and aimless lately? Maybe you need a new challenge in your life. Sailing will open a new world for you, and what you can accomplish will surprise you.

Tying a boat down on a concrete slab is a project that can be accomplished with a bit of thought and the right tools and equipment. The most secure method of securing the boat to the slab would be...

If you use jack stands to lift your boat from its trailer to do bottom work, such as painting or fiberglass repairs, you can use automotive jack stands--with one important difference. Automotive...

A drift sock, also called a sea anchor, helps to keep a boat from drifting too fast on windy days. With a drift sock, a fisherman can fish in open water without constantly fighting the wind or...

Boat trailers come in several sizes to accommodate a variety of lengths and weights of boats. For each increase in size and weight, there is a range of boats that fit a trailer. The better your...

In these days of high speeds and noisy motors, rowing your own boat down the river or across a lake can be an extremely satisfying experience. Old or much-used wooden oars, however, may need a...

It is important to prepare your boat properly to idle, whether you are in the water, or your boat is on a trailer in the driveway. You can idle the engine on the water to warm it up before heading...

The kokanee is a land-locked sockeye salmon that thrives in deep, cold mountain lakes and their tributaries. They are sporting to catch and delicious to eat. Although they have been caught by...

There are two basic ways that wooden boats can be built. In the traditional method, the builder first needs to know what type and size boat he or she will be building and must then acquire plans...

A boat's radio, commonly called a "marine VHF radio," is the waterborne equivalent of a telephone, transmitting everything from conversations between boaters to emergency communications between...

You should always empty the gas from your boat's tank when you're getting ready to store it for the season. It's dangerous to leave flammable liquid sitting, and the gas can lose its...

While your motor's tilt control can vary your boat's trim, a jack plate can change its center of gravity, giving you even more control over the way you operate. Your motor's tilt function can...

Boat owners take great care of the massive and expensive engines that power their motor boats. They require meticulous scheduled maintenance, especially in cold weather climates where boat owners...

If you live in a cold climate where you need to store your boat away for the winter, shrink wrap is a great option for protecting the interior from the elements. When applied correctly, shrink...

Mounting a kayak in open water without the assistance of a grounded or solid object can be one of the most difficult tasks in the sport. With practice, however, open water entry can be as easy as...

Calculating your boat's displacement related to ballast weight may surprise you in two respects. The first is that your boat's displacement is effected by the ballast weight on a pound-for-pound...

Working aloft on your boat, you'll be using a bos'n's chair. The bos'n's chair may lead to a false sense of security, since you're seated on a relatively stable seat. If the boat rocks, you simply...

Manatees, also called "Sea Cows," travel up and down the eastern coast of the United States. During the winter months, they migrate south and live mainly along the Florida coastline. Global...

You use caulk on your boat for the same reason you use caulk in your home. In your home, you caulk around the windows, sealing all the cracks through which heat can escape. You caulk between the...

Using a personal pontoon boat is like using any other boat in that it requires practice, use and more practice to "get it right." Fortunately, there are many parallels between driving a boat and...

A ski pole for a boat isn't the same as a ski pole for snow. The ski pole for water skiing or wakeboarding, also called a ski pylon, consists of a pole, which stands straight upright on the boat's...

A duck blind can be made for a boat for a lot less than one can be purchased. A simple, lightweight frame is all you need to support the camouflaged material that forms the blind itself. The...

One of the great appeals of kayaks is their versatility. From oceans to rivers and lakes, kayaks allow for adventure on almost any body of water. Lakes are an especially appealing locale as they...

Making a secure connection between your boat and the rope towing a skier can mean the difference between recreation and frustration. You need a knot that's strong, easy to tie and one that won't...

If you make a repair to your boat's engine or gear box, there's a good chance you'll get grease on the exterior of your boat. If your boat has that nice, glossy gelcoat finish on its exterior, the...

Kayaking requires a smooth balance of paddle control and body control. Since the kayak responds to the body in the boat, a correct and comfortable fit is important to good boat control. In both...

Borateem, a borax-based cleaning and laundry compound, is safe for nearly all cleaning tasks. For cleaning boats and boat covers, the key is the water temperature: It must be less than 100 degrees F.

If you have the fish finder, the GPS and your marine VHF radio sitting in your garage, ready to install on your boat, you can wire them yourself. The marine electronics industry and National...

There are two ways to lay a vinyl floor in a boat. The first is to glue the vinyl to plywood sheets that have been cut to fit the deck space. The second is to lay the vinyl directly on the deck,...

Owning a boat is a major investment, and you'll want to protect it. You don't want to worry about all the things that might go wrong. Your boat might catch on fire. It might crash into a dock. It...

Working on your boat's wiring can be a daunting task, but if you get it done right the first time, you'll prevent a real headache down the road. Consider these guidelines outlined as a...

When any aluminum structure, like a boat lift, has extended contact with hard water--water that contains iron, calcium and magnesium ions--calcium deposits will form on its surface as the aluminum...

Pitch is "the theoretical distance a propeller would advance longitudinally in one revolution." Webster's notes that this relates to the angle of a sloped surface, representing the angle of the...

New boaters often incorrectly believe that piloting a boat is like driving a car. There are a few differences that anyone thinking about boating needs to understand before getting behind the...

Whether you've nosed up on the bank to let traffic thin or a squall blow over only to realize that a falling tide will leave the bow--the front--of your boat high and dry, or if down-flow has...

A day on the water is a great way to spend time with family and friends. More than 1,000 American households claimed that boating is one of their top three stress-relieving pastimes, according to...

The greatest part of kayaking is being out on the water. But most paddlers have to deal with loading the boat onto a vehicle and traveling to the water first. With many sea kayaks and touring...

Install an umbrella on your boat and enjoy much cooler fishing on the hottest days while protecting your skin from excessive exposure to the sun. The umbrella can be easily set up and removed for...

Bait buckets hold live bait like minnows and other small fish. The most important part of a bait bucket is keeping the bait alive, which means keeping the water fresh inside the bait bucket. It's...

The pursuit of the Canadian walleye has become one of the most popular recreational activities in both the United States and Canada alike. Many anglers crave the flavorful meat fillets the walleye...

The bilge and bilge pump are vital components of any boat. Proper bilging of a boat can prevent serious damage or even the sinking of the boat.

Building your own kayak outrigger will help provide stability while out on the open water so you can enjoy activities such as open water fishing. Finding a store-bought system does not necessarily...

You attach a rope to a boat using a fitting called a cleat, which is permanently attached to the boat. Shaped like the letter "T," the cleat is designed so that the rope may be quickly wrapped...

The Soo Locks are the largest locking system in the world. The system includes two sets of locks located on the St. Lawrence Seaway. The locking procedures for taking a boat through the Soo Locks...

The anchor rope for your boat is part of a larger system called the "anchor rode." The anchor rode includes the rope, chain--if you attach the rope to a length of chain, and the chain to the...