Posts Tagged ‘cruising’

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

In the United Kingdom, there is no mandatory requirement for people to have any type of qualification to take a leisure craft to sea for private use. If the owner insures the craft then there may be restrictions that arise in the ’small print’ and indeed, the premiums that are paid may be higher but in reality its the owner’s responsibility. Fortunately many boat owners wish to take care of their prized possession and the crew/passengers onboard and many will take marine training courses. However, it is not uncommon to hear and read of incidents where risks have been taken and where people have been foolhardy.

There is, for example, the recently reported story of a man who purchased a motor cruiser online and then decided to take it back by water from the Medway to the Solent. In principle, not a difficult trip but this particular person was relying on only a road map and became confused by the Isle Of Sheppey. Thinking that the North Kent Mainland was indeed France, they started to circumnavigate Sheppey thinking that they were rounding Southeast England and heading back towards the Solent. Plans were poor and they soon ran out of fuel. Upon rescue, it was soon apparent that they were completely under qualified to handle the said vessel and the journey. However, they could not be stopped and rumour has it that the journey was continued later and on account of no further news, we are to assume that it was uneventful.

When on a family holiday some many years ago, we were engaged by a couple whilst waiting in Studland to cross the Channel. Having made it clear that they had not crossed before we were happy to remain in contact for the following crossing. They surprisingly slotted into our course and remained astern for the whole trip. We had a very quick crossing and decided to continue beyond Alderney to Guernsey. Once moored up, they were quick to comment upon looking forward to sailing down to Guernsey later! Clearly they had followed our passage and made no attempt to make their own passage.

There are of course many examples of the opposite whereby some of our more well known yachting and boating celebrities have travelled far and wide with little or no formal training. However, these are in the minority and in reality, if you are lucky enough, experience can be just as useful as formal training. For the vast majority of us, such experiences are not possible.

There are many places which offer a wide variety of training . In the United Kingdom the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is the formal body which oversees Sailing and Boating schools and their courses.

With the New Year comes a new idea and in this regard the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) will be launching a new training course. This is an online entry level course called ‘Essential Navigation and Seamanship’. This would be a good course for anybody who is thinking of getting afloat or perhaps somebody who has had a go already and now feels the need to get some proper training.

Anglia Sea Ventures are authorised to distribute and support this course within the local East Anglia region. Roger Gross from Anglia Sea Ventures has said that the course will be very popular to sailors, motor boaters, divers and anglers alike. A fun and interactive way of learning a full range of essential skills to get people started on the water, with an easy and flexible approach enabling learning where and when it suits!

Subject areas include-

Charts,publications and terms. Navigation. Anchoring. Electronic navigation. Weather forecasts. Passage planning. Buoyage. Safety. Tides. Rules of the road. Pilotage.

Online assistance from an instructor will be available.

Perhaps the more experienced amongst the boating fraternity may also benefit from a refresher Sailing School Course. The January start date and online nature may prove to be ideal. With a wide breadth of knowledge and experience, Anglia Sea Ventures are proud to be supporting this new course and can only reiterate the importance of training.

Anglia Sea Ventures are like many of their kind and have been providing these type of training programs for many years.

There is a full range of courses available at this Sailing School. RYA Sail and Powerboat training courses, day sail, gift experiences, yacht charter and yacht racing. Check out the Sailing School website at www.angliaseaventures.com Tel: 01473 210473.

Adventure days comprising powerboat & sailing days, mini cruises and extended cruises. If you are looking for that slightly different gift then Anglia Sea Ventures have a selection of Sailing School Gifts to suit. For racers, plans are already in place to do the J.P Morgan Asset Management Round The Island Race in June 2011. You can not only crew in the race itself but also enjoy the inevitable social scene afterwards. Details on line the Anglia Sea Ventures website.

For the more experienced, Anglia Sea Ventures are starting a new course for those that want to use their Cruising Chutes or Gennakers more. Helping people unravel the mystique and skills associated with these sails and endeavouring to give skippers and crew more confidence in their handling. How many times have you dusted off these sails?

Thinking of taking a new boat, or perhaps something different and larger perhaps, or maybe you just fancy a change! Then may be a charter might be good. Anglia Sea Ventures have various bareboat, skippered and corporate charter packages for you to consider.

The East coast of England offers fantastic sailing grounds. Above average temperatures and below average rainfall combine with excellent sailing, fantastic scenery and great company. All this to ensure you will have a great holiday to remember.

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Maritime Electronic devices: Which Do I Need to have?

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

Marine navigation is one of the most crucial abilities, chiefly since there are thousands of kilometers of open water and many kilometers of navigable streams and channels to cope with. Add to this the vast amounts of dollars of freight along with the priceless importance of human life and you’ve got a critical task in directing on the water.

For hundreds of years men and women determined their path around the ocean and large lakes with the aid of stars and other sites they could find. With the invention of mechanical tools, marine navigation became a little easier. Electronic and satellite technology have added an additional dimension to the procedure of finding the path. The issue of present day water traveling involves marine electronics. What do we require?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) you will find a number of resources – nautical maps, positioning services, ocean conditions and climate observations – to aid professional and rookie mariners in obtaining their way around the sea and to assist commercial pilots and captains on navigable waterways. How does someone make the correct choices with regards to marine direction-finding? Perhaps it is best to start with the basics, such as knowing precisely where we are on the sea, on a lake or on a river. When that’s known we can use other electronic tools to collect further important info.

Gps Systems: It usually is a good idea to hold off on figuring out the cost of sea routing equipment or calculating the ROI (return on investment). Why? You might be right to give consideration to price of this vital gear but before running the numbers, invest some time researching all you can related to GPS marine navigation, VHF radio equipment, radar and depth finders. Make sure you match the equipment with your exact needs. Only after that should you look at the budget.

Cartography equipment tends to make electronic maps a lot more life-like, with the top- line devices presenting a display view that is very close to what is viewed throughout the bridge window. This equipment operates in conjunction with many other course-plotting products. Private yacht owners, industrial pilots and captains might also take advantage of marine electronic equipment. This kind of sea navigation device is useful if you are on the water for business or entertainment. Numerous units possess one-touch control for precise steering and course targets.

Radio/Radar group of electronic maritime navigation includes: satellite, as we have touched on with Gps unit; radar, which determines distance and bearing based upon known objects and placements; and radio, which employs radiowaves to find thr placement by direction of hyperbolic systems. A large number of ships rely on a combination of several maritime navigation approaches, with radar, Global positioning system and radio as principal components. It is important to be in contact with the harbour or port on shore, and also with others who are also making the way across the water. Maritime VHF radio is the prevalent method of communication for large ships and many sea-going craft. In fact, this approach is recommended by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Many boats have depth locators and fish locators that use sonar. This technology transmits a sound wave in the water, the signal bounces off an object (like a fish, underwater structure etc. and the apparatus measures the time that passes between when the radio wave is sent and when it bounces back. Distance and time can be shown on the screen in numbers and/or video. The benefits for commercial fishing is pretty obvious, although sonar depth/fish finders provide safety benefits for sea navigation on rivers, lakes and in shallow-water conditions.

Once you’ve determined the essentials – GPS, VHF radio, sonar, radar – you may want to add that little bit of extra help – one-touch autopilot equipment for accurately setting the course and steering. Invest some time and focus on trustworthiness and safety when selecting sea navigation equipment.

If you want to find out more about boat equipment then visit efishbox.com on how to choose the best marine navigation that can suits your needs. This text is written and administered under serial No. EFISBX:AR02.

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Kayaker’s Must Possess Gadget – Kayak VHF Radio

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Kayaking has become one journey that may be turning out to be well-liked to water aficionados. Offshore fishing activities can actually be excitement and yet, would you observe safety methods while in the sea? Within your exploits in water, you need to become geared up having a kayak VHF radio. In case you actually really want to get in to this kind of interest of discovering the sea, it really is time for you to invest in a kayak VHF radio. It is precious equipment in case of catastrophe.

A kayaker includes several equipments but this kind of hand-held VHF radio must never be forgotten. This kind of equipment is really a should for almost any sea exploiter. VHF – very high frequency – is usually a feature in which you are able to contact other radio device communicators although sailing. In case you experience a problem, you are able to constantly ask for support.

Once life existence is at risk, this particular quite portable gadget can conserve you or somebody else’s life. By means of the gadget, it is possible to demand help or you are able to notice a call originating from a fellow kayaker exactly who happens to be in problems. Changes on weather situation might be obtained by way of the radio which serves as a stern reminder to promptly find retreat in situation of bad climate prediction. Mobile phones are good contacting gadgets however they aren’t viable substitutes on the subject of marine security.

The kayak VHF radio device features a lot of frequencies. There is one Channel – Channel 16 that is available to crisis referrals. This channel called via your basic lightweight system often means so very much – saving a lifetime. Relief comes promptly. However morbidity out, your own radio is not just for catastrophe. You can keep track of other boatmen, or only enjoy a brief talk with them. Many channels are permitted being employed for distinct reasons, with Channel 16 only utilized for urgent situation.

Nearly all of the extremely large frequency models have JIS7 rating, which indicates how the radio equipment may put up with submersion in water – just one meter for 30 minutes. This function is really a waterproof function from the device. Nevertheless, you are able to add additional water proofing by positioning it inside of a water-proof plastic material bag. That is what quite a few boatmen undertake.

So in case you seriously need to engage in kayaking, obtain a kayak VHF radio. Bring it alongside each occasion you head out for your fishing journey. Conserve lives!

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Boat Trailer Winch Post: Basic Guide On Boat Anchor Winch

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Almost all electric winches are being utilized for lifting or tugging big loads. It can be mounted to a firm foundation that is strong enough to carry the winch and the load. They’re popular accessory to a truck and different off-road vehicles. It is used mostly for pulling other motor vehicles trapped in dirt or sand. There is also electric winch made for marine application just like the boat trailer winch.

Like the majority of winches it’s used primarily to pull and load the sail boat on to the trailer. Some people do it by hand by using a manually operated winch, but if you want, it is also possible to take advantage of an electric winch that utilizes the trucks electric battery to power it. Depending on the length of the boat they are available in various sizes. The rule of thumb in choosing the perfect winch is to get one with two times the weight of the load you wanted to pull. This will ensure a consistent pulling and also prolongs the service of the winch.

Since you are going to utilize them next to the water or salt water, many marine trailer winches are designed of aluminum or stainless steel parts to resist corrosion and rust. Most producers utilize a steel body with powdered coated paint to reduce price but other small parts are still made of aluminum or stainless steel. Modern made boat winches are now integrated with built-in lights and remote control so you can still work at night safely and easily. Other feature includes a manual drive system so you can still use it in case it pauses while in the middle of the loading operation or if there is a problem with the electric circuit.

Setting it up is pretty easy; if you can keep your vehicle and fishing boat I’m certain you can also handle the installation. If you order a brand new unit it usually includes the mounting bolts and brackets. Some models even include a template with markings of the holes you need to drill. Once you installed it you still have to connect it to the cars battery pack.

The package also includes the wiring harness with terminal and screws; all you need to do is implement the wiring diagram also furnished. There are also many other kinds of winch use for marine applications like winch for retrieving the anchor and rope with attached load. These winches are smaller than the trailer winch but the principle and application is also the same, to retrieve a load.

When finding the perfect winch you need to get one with a reliable brand name, don’t forget that you are retrieving a large load and one small mistake can spell disaster. Additionally you are loading your favorite boat; you don’t want to dent or damage it just because a cheap winch cable snaps. Decide the appropriate capacity for your boat and don’t use it if you are not sure it can handle it, in other words do not overload it. Other manufacturers provides basic safety options like free spooling clutch, automatic brake and special gear system that minimize the risk of slippage. They may be a bit expensive but they are worth buying in the long run.

For more info about the various types of Dayton electric winches for sale in the market today such as electric winch 12 volt, visit electricboatwinch.net and find the top deals.

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Pura Vida, Costa Rica – Reason To Visit This Great Country!

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Costa Rica truly is one of the top destinations to visit because of its amazing biodiversity and incredible sceneries ranging from beaches like Coyote and San Miguel to tropical forests.

Puerto Viejo is the perfect blend of beaches and amazing surfing options. Manzanillo located 12kms away from Puerto Viejo is the ideal spot to go snorkeling. Finca La Isla Botanical Garden or the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca are a mixture of a tropical and magnificent animal and plant species.

Finca La Isla Botanical Garden or the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca are a mixture of a tropical and magnificent animal and plant species while San Jose has an impressive amount of museums and colonial buildings.

Here you can explore the eastern styled gardens, water ponds, fountains and streams of the Japanese Friendship Garden or go for a visit to the edge of the Poas Volcano’s crater located in the Poas Volcano National Park.

Adrenaline seekers can raft through 16 miles of Class III-IV rapids in the Pacuare River in San Jose, passing through waterfalls and tranquil pools. Rafting through Ro Toro, close to La Fortuna, provides wildlife, birds and monkey views.

You can also see and feel the beauty of the Arenal Volcano as you hike along the tropical rain forest in front of it or you can visit the therapeutic Hot Springs.

You also get the opportunity to unravel the underground world at the Venado Caves through rock passages filled with bats and stalagmites. Also The Palo Verde National Park is very interesting and located between the Bebedero and Tempisque rivers and is the largest marshlands in Costa Rica. Las but not least you can also hike through Monteverde and the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve as you see their beautiful flora and fauna. The Tamarindo, Manuel Antonio and Quepos are a great for fishing too.

Marina K. Villatoro, the Travel Experta, has been living in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for over 10 years. She has traveled here extensively. Now loves organizing vacations to this amazing part of the world, having first hand experience of all the places with her family. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!

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