Boating is the world's foremost magazine for boating enthusiasts. Written by experts for those who love the sport, the editorial covers the waterfront -- from runabouts to sportfish convertibles to luxury showpieces, and everything in between.
BEFORE I JUMPED OVERBOARD into the Atlantic, I knew full well I wouldn’t be able to swim and catch the boat. But I was proving a point. The wind was piping 15 knots, and by the time I bobbed to the surface the 23-foot boat had already drifted a full 10 yards away. There was a swell running, but not much chop yet, since the wind hadn’t been up long. Wearing a life jacket, I rolled onto my back and began a scissors kick toward the boat. A former lifeguard and competitive swimmer, I have an edge in the water that many lack But after approximately a minute — just about the time some might have expected me to have closed the 10 yards and bumped my head on the…
The award-winning Brazilian photojournalist is a vocal advocate for protecting whales and sharks worldwide. While he’s frequently recognized for his remarkable underwater images, he earned special acclaim while working in the Arctic two years ago. There, he befriended and photographed a female narwhal — one of the rarest whales in the world, often called the unicorn of the sea. MORE ONLINE! To read the full interview online, go to boatingmag.com/danielbotelho. What inspired you to do this? I did a coast-to-coast backpacking trip in the United States at age 16, and I went home with 70 rolls of film. After that trip, photography never left my life. What’s most challenging about underwater photography? You are in an environment that is not natural to humans, sometimes burdened with big, heavy diving gear…
Lumishore SMX21 THE BRIGHT: Available in blue, white or green, the Lumishore SMX21 puts out light equal to that of higher-priced models. It draws 1.2 amps at 12 volts to produce 1,300 lumens and can be used either above or below the waterline. The lens is a tough borosilicate, and it resists the growth of fouling organisms. Surface mounted, it requires a single small cable hole to install. THE DIM: This is the most expensive of the three LED lights compared, offered at $299 retail and selling for $289 at West Marine. PRICE: $299 retail; $289 at westmarine.com Attwood LED Underwater Lights THE BRIGHT: The only noncircular model of our three lights, Attwood’s lights draw less than 1 amp while producing a high-output light. I installed these on my old…
Ask any boater: There’s no place like a lighthouse — especially on one of those dark and stormy nights. Now you can have one of your very own. That’s right: Waterfront property (that’s a guarantee), excellent views, bragging rights out the wazoo! How’s this possible? Following Sept. 11, when the U.S. government realized that the true danger to Americans lay not in boating accidents but in terrorism, it slashed the Coast Guard’s budget for upkeep of structures. Ever since, the Coasties have literally given away six to eight lighthouses every year. “It’s a smoking deal for waterfront property,” says Nick Korstad, proud owner of Borden Flats Lighthouse in Massachusetts. The easiest way to start is at disposal.gsa.gov/LighthouseProgram. The government offers two kinds: There’s the type you buy at auction and…
1 What does AIS stand for? A. Automatic Information System B. Automatic Identification System C. Automated Information System D. Automated Identification System 2 What is the primary technology used in the AIS system? A. Radar B. Sonar C. VHF radio D. All of the above 3 On a vessel equipped with an AIS-equipped chart plotter or radar, what information about a boat that appears on the screen can an operator learn by clicking on the icon? A. The vessel’s name B. The vessel’s course C. The vessel’s registration number D. All of the above 4 You’re looking at an AIS-equipped chart plotter at a boat show and it shows CPA for an identified boat. What does the abbreviation mean? A. Closest point of approach B. Closest path of approach C.…
When Roger O’Neill sold his large manufacturing company in 1998, he started to spend a lot of time on boats, but not in the way you’d imagine. Instead of living the cruising life, he put his nautical passions into restoring classic 28 Bertrams and Blackfins. His rebuilds grew so popular with fans that one asked if O’Neill could also apply that kind of craftsmanship to a pontoon boat. Out of that, the O’Neill Craft was born. “I call it a poncruiser,” said O’Neill. “It’s a cross between a classic cruiser and a pontoon boat.” O’Neill’s custom poncruisers cost in the six-figure range, once prohibitive in aluminum pontoon boats but now becoming more common. He builds a Hardtop version and a Sportsman, which has an open cockpit with a retractable canvas…
