By Nic Di Gravio

Boat control is by far one of the most important ‘know- hows’ for a day of success on the water. You have to compensate for every scenario Mother Nature throws at you and be ready to change in a moments notice!

Wind alone can cause havoc in a days fishing, but if you have a good sense of boat control it can work to your benefit. When approaching a potential spot check the wind direction and work your way in against the wind. This way you have much better control of the boat and using your bow mount you can keep yourself totally still to thoroughly work good cover or move ever so slowly along the fishing path.

Boat control traveling with the wind is equally as important for keeping the boat in a certain position and holding it while the wind moves you along the path. I use this technique often when fishing fast baits like crank baits, spinner baits etc. along a stretch of docks. Then I move up that same stretch against the wind for more control so that plastics can be finessed in that same stretch of docks or weed lines for that matter. Using the ‘fast’ bait approach fan casting your offering while the wind propels you is a great way to work a body of water quickly.

When slow trolling for Smallmouth I like to keep the bow into the wind. I find I can very much stay in constant view of my buoys and where I am in relation to them. If there isn’t wind to contend with I can zig zag back and forth all around the markers, but with a breeze in the mix it’s a different ball game. I move into the wind dragging bait. At the waterways end I reel in and move, circling back way around the markers using the wind and the bow mount to propel me quickly to my starting point.

Vertical jigging with the bow into the wind is made easy with markers in your site. You have something in the water to judge your position and that combined with good boat control is important to vertical jigging success. If using a GPS instead, you can run way off course on a brisk day just by taking your eyes off the screen. The GPS in my opinion should be used to mark fish caught so that you can have a general area to fish. The buoys then help make that area specific which; I think makes controlling the boat much easier!

To me, buoys are an excellent aid for boat control in open water Smallmouth fishing. They are as visible as your rod, always in your line of sight, so you never have to take your eyes off either to see one or the other the whole time while your foot is working the bow mount. Even while retying a different color bait or just grabbing another rod you can still keep the buoy in constant site. If you run off course reeling in a fish then it is as simple as retying and getting back to the visible path with out missing a beat, rather than checking the GPS unit at your feet. Mind you, straying way off course calls for the GPS in order to find your marker quickly.

I use to run an electric steer bow mount on my Bass boat, but found the cable steer system more practical for my Bass outings. On the other hand, my Walleye boat is equipped with an electric steer Auto Pilot bow mount and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now there are certain Walleye fishing situations where the cable steer system would sure come in handy, but you can’t have both on the bow! Both types of bow mounts have their advantages, which makes for a tough decision when only one is in the budget!

Now Bass fishing is a whole different ‘ball game’ for the most part. It requires fast maneuvering of the boat at the best of times which warrants the cable steer system foot control. You have to be able to change direction in a split second. This is where the cable steer shines. Every tool has its time and place.

They say practice makes perfect. Practicing boat control on the lake just happens to be something I love to do and that’s good thing because I can’t practice in the garage!

Visit Nic DiGravio at http://www.probassfishing.ca

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By Darren Hore

Lake Ontario, the smallest of the Great Lakes is the 14th largest lake in the world. It connects the Great Lakes with the 1000 Islands and the St. Lawrence River and is joined to Lake Erie by the Niagara River and Welland Canal.

Providing some of the finest cruising destinations throughout southern Ontario and upstate New York it truly is a boaters paradise. Having its shores scattered with several marinas, many of which offer transient docking facilities, Lake Ontario is a destination with a wide array of things to do and see.

For the experienced sailor seeking an interesting location to settle into after spending the day on the lake, the Niagara Region may have exactly what you’re looking for? In late spring, the Niagara New Vintage Festival showcases more than 30 wineries and welcomes visitors to Ontario’s fine wine country. Taking place from June 10th – 18th 2006, the region will celebrate the rebirth of the vineyards by presenting the first taste of Ontario’s newest wines.

If you’re not a boater but still wish to hit the water, your opportunity is awaiting you in the Port of Rochester. Starting on Memorial Day weekend and running through until September, catamaran sailing adventures will depart daily. Offering a safe, comfortable and enjoyable way to experience the Great Lakes, these excursions allow you to soak up the sun and relax on the open water.

An overnight stay in Toronto, more particularly Ontario Place, may be something the sailing and boating family can take pleasure in. This family friendly amusement and water park houses its own marina and is located steps from your boat, as is the Molson Amphitheater. Here you can take in a live musical performance from a wide variety of musical talent. Featured artists appearing in 2006 include; The Dave Matthews Band, George Straight, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris, Great Big Sea, Ashlee Simpson, Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls, Blue Rodeo and many more.

Also taking place in Toronto, for the second consecutive year, will be the Wakestock Action Sports and Music Festival. This world-class wakeboarding contest will take place August 10th – 13th on Centre Island (Toronto Islands). As a part of the WWA World Series of Wakeboarding, this event is sure to be a must see spectacle for water-sport enthusiasts.

For those who ideally want to avoid the big crowds and simply take in the pleasure of having the lake as their only companion, many smaller communities present picturesque marinas to dock your boat and just as many hidden destinations are still waiting to be discovered. Lake Ontario boasts hundreds of miles of shoreline beautified with sandy beaches and fishing holes challenging you to lure in salmon, walleye, large and small mouth bass and more.

If you need further assistance in locating a nearby marina or planning a Lake Ontario sailing adventure, GreatLakesDestinations.com offers a detailed guide to marinas on the Great Lakes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Hore
http://EzineArticles.com/?More-Than-Just-a-Waterway,-Lake-Ontario-Offers-Boaters-A-Spectacular-Choice-of-Summertime-Events&id=215023

By Paul C James

Port Hope, Ontario, Canada is a popular visitor destination for lots of good reasons, mainly to do with having the highest number of listed ‘heritage’ buildings in Ontario and, quite possibly, Canada. The main street is a shoppers’ delight for antiques and other desirable products. The harbour includes a fine marina and yacht club and the surrounding country includes the Ganaraska Forest with its visitor trails. The town also has a Jazz Festival and the usual rural fairs.

Port Hope’s has, however, one more unusual attraction in the annual ‘Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny‘ boat race. In this case, I use the word ‘boat’ in its loosest sense. The race began after the town suffered devastating floods during the spring of 1981. Ontario rivers and creeks almost always swell each spring when the snow and ice melt and April showers set out to bring forth May flowers but 1981 it was over-the-top, over the top of the Ganaraska River’s (‘the Ganny’) banks and over-the-top of cars parked on streets. It says something about human nature that this disaster sparked the creation of a race to paddle canoes, kayaks and home-made boats down the river to commemorate the flood. The race has continued ever since, growing in popularity every year.

The race starts about two miles north and goes with the flow downstream to end near the Barrett Street Bridge in the centre of town. A place on the bridge is a highly desirable vantage point, though one with a significant drawback. Along the way, spectators throw water-filled balloons at the contestants and the participants return the favour with giant water squirt guns. For a weekend in early April, and in Canada, this is chilling stuff – even to see, let alone experience. The ‘drawback’ to watching from the bridge is the boats pass under the bridge and their crews feel the need to empty those squirt guns before they dock…

The canoes and kayaks race for fast times and prizes, they take this part fairly seriously. The crowds, it’s fair to say, really come out to see the crazy craft and be part of the good natured water fight between crowd and crews. Boats that sink, leaving the crew floundering, are popular too. I’m not sure what that says about human nature! The whole event lasts about three hours so dress warmly, if you go. As with any cold weather event, there are plenty of concession stands selling burgers, hot dogs and hot chocolate to keep out the chills so you aren’t going to go hungry. You need to arrive early though if you want to find a spot to set up a seat.

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Visit my website at the URL above and see what makes Ontario a place you’ll always remember.

Regards,
Paul C James

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By Den Harper

Marine radar (Radio Detection and Ranging) is used to detect objects and their position relative to your location. It works by sending out a radio signal. When the signal hits an object it is reflected back to the radar unit which can then calculate the bearing of the object.

A marine radar device is an essential navigation aid for boaters. It is useful for detecting boats, birds landmasses, and weather systems even when visibility conditions are less than favorable.

Marine Radar: Top Features to Look For

The two most important features of any marine radar device are the transmitter power and the beam angle. Power can range from 2 to 4 Kilowatts. The higher the power, the better your transmitter can see through fog and rain and the further the signal can reach. Power is a factor in how well your radar does in bad weather. Blinding rain can cause low power marine radar to be less than effective.

Beam angle is determined by the size of your marine radar’s antenna. A long antenna will produce a narrow beam that gives good discrimination between objects close together. A short antenna has a wider beam angle allowing the radar to scan a wider area at one time. Antennas are often customizable or configurable and can be purchased separately.

Guard Zone Alarm

Most marine radars allow you to set a guard zone around your boat. You specify the safety distance and set an alarm. If your vessel detects a buoy, landmass or other obstacle within the proximity of your guard zone, the alarm sounds.

Split Screen Displays

Split screen displays allow you to monitor objects close to your boat and objects further away at the same time. This feature is useful, among other things, for navigating buoys as you leave the shoreline while heading out towards a more distant spot.

Best Use of Marine Radar

One of the best features of marine radar is its ability to determine where you are with respect to where you were a few minutes ago. This “echo trail” feature can be used to determine how well you are navigating an obstacle as well as how well you maintaining the bearing you have set for your vessel. The echo trail is displayed on the radar’s display screen so you can quickly assess visually what is going on.

Integrated Marine Radar and GPS/Chartplotters

Marine radars are fairly expensive; many units run in the thousands of dollars. It is a good idea to talk with other boaters and see what they are using and what features they like before committing that much money. To get more bang for the buck, look for marine radars that are already incorporated into other marine electronics such as GPS units and Chartplotters. Integrating your marine components reduces the complexity of your visual displays and reduces overall cost of items. Even though sometimes you have to compromise with the features of each component offered in the integrated package, integrated marine radars offer good value for hobbyist boaters.

Tracking other vessels with Marine Radar Systems

Whether you are at sea on a relaxing sailing holiday, engaged in a commercial fishing trip hundreds of miles off shore, or carrying freight from one location to another, keeping track of any other objects such as other boats and larger ships in the area is essential if you want to maximize your safety on the water. By using one of the latest generation of marine radar systems, you will be able to take advantage of a number of technologies that make tracking other vessels easier than ever, and even mark their positions and routes on the screen.

The sea can be a cruel mistress, and a change in conditions can come on pretty much instantly. One minute you can be scudding along over practically smooth water, the next, a fog can come down obscuring the world around you, and you can be battling against thirty foot waves and high winds.

This ever changing nature of the ocean means that as conditions change you can face different challenges that can impinge upon your safety. The key to ensuring that you remain as safe as possible is to remove as many of the factors that can change from the overall picture.

Other vessels are often the biggest threat any seaman can face. Smaller boats in particular are often not picked up by the radar systems of large container ships and cruise liners, and this can make things quite dangerous. It is incumbent upon all sailors to keep a check on the sea conditions around them in order to stay safe from other vessels.

Thankfully, even the fastest ships do not usually move at more than about 25 knots, which means that if you have a radar that covers 50 nautical miles, you will have roughly 30 minutes from the moment when you first make contact with another vessel until the time when you would meet, which should give you plenty of time to react and plan your navigation accordingly.

If you package together a high-speed antenna with a large format radar screen, you will be able to get a very detailed picture of what events are going on around you. A modern radar array like the Furuno 1932MK2 will allow you to enjoy a 10″ screen that provides plenty of scope to see what is happening. The whole Furuno range are well known for the high quality of their equipment, and the regularly updated range boasts the latest technology, and is always at the cutting edge of marine radar systems.

One of the great things about modern marine radar systems like the Furuno is that they plot the relative position of other ships over time. Rather than being just abstract dots on the screen which convey little information, other vessels appear as a track through the area. Their movements are shown in clear detail, allowing you to easily gauge which other vessels pose a threat to you and take appropriate action.

When you are at sea and out of sight of land, your safety should always be your priority, so rather than leaving your own safety up to the actions of other people, you can keep yourself safest by having a marine radar system that works, and make your course corrections based on the up to date information that it provides.

By learning to read the information provided by your marine radar system, you will be able to make informed decisions about how to navigate, in order to best avoid trouble at sea. Knowing what is approaching you and what is happening beyond your visual range will allow you to be certain that you are safe, and also able to react in a timely manner to anything that happens, whether it is a weather system, a super tanker, or even a wave..

It is important to know what other vessels are doing, but it is also important to keep tabs on what you are doing. By tracking your own progress across the ocean, and taking the time to do the same for other boats by using a marine radar plotter like the Furuno 1932MK2, which has a 10 inch screen, you will be able to protect your boat, crew and passengers in the most effective way possible.

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Operating manual for your radar unit

Step 1

Set the range rings of the radar. Usually, this is accomplished with a switch or dial on the unit; most units can be adjusted to cover a range from 1/4 mile to over 48 miles. The most useful settings are 4 to 6 miles for a small boat on open water and 1 to 2 miles (or less) on lakes or rivers. Shorter ranges give a more immediate picture of the situation surrounding a boat in close quarters.

Step 2

Use the Variable Ring Marker, or VRM, to determine the distance to a particular target, such as the mouth of a river, a sea buoy marking a channel entrance or another vessel. The VRM is like a standard range ring, but can be adjusted by a control (usually a knob) on the radar display so that it can be “moved” to a target. The VRM distance display will show the exact distance to the target.

Step 3

Use the Electronic Bearing Line (EBL) to determine the exact relative bearing to a target. The EBL, like the VRM, is adjusted by a knob on the display, allowing the EBL to be moved to a target and to display the exact bearing relative to the direction of your boat’s travel.

Step 4

Use the EBL and VRM together to determine if a target is moving toward you in a “crossing situation” that will require your action. Put the VRM and EBL on the target; they will intersect at the target’s location. If the range decreases but the relative bearing does not, the target is a vessel and a crossing situation is developing. If the range decreases and the relative bearing changes, a crossing situation is unlikely, but the prudent mariner will take care to maintain watch for the unexpected.

Step 5

Always trust your eyes before you trust the radar. Maritime law, the Rules of the Road for Inland Navigation and the Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea, take no notice of radar except as a navigational aid, and then insist that decisions based on radar observations be confirmed visually. The ultimate responsibility for safe navigation rests with the master, not the radar, and numerous court cases cited in the Rules affirm this fact.

Read more: How to Read Marine RADAR | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5084999_read-marine-radar.html#ixzz0w1bObU4R

The Coast Guard’s weather broadcast on your boat’s radio may warn you of impending “heavy weather,” but tracking an approaching storm’s progress on your boat’s radar allows you to take substantial action early enough to avoid the property damage and loss of life that a storm on the water can bring. Even after you make port, if you remain aboard your vessel (assuming your boat has a weather-tight cabin), you can still track the storm with your radar unit; should the storm blow itself out, either abandon your activities or enjoy the calm seas that follow.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Stopwatch
• Calculator

Step 1

Change your radar’s range to 48 nautical miles when you become aware of the storm visually or by radio broadcast. At 48 miles, your radar won’t pick up anything below 1,200 feet in height, so you’ll see the largest part of the storm. Once you’ve ascertained the general size of the storm, reduce the range of your radar until the edge of the storm is visible.

Step 2

Turn the “VRM” knob on your radar to set your radar’s Variable Ring Marker on the edge of the storm. This will display a single ring that can be moved with the knob. Its range will be displayed in one corner of the screen. Note the range to the storm’s edge.

Step 3

Start your stopwatch for a three-minute count and note the range of the variable ring marker. If the storm enters the area in less than three minutes, stop your stopwatch and decrease the range of the VRM until the line is again touching the edge of the storm. Note the new range of the variable ring marker.

Step 4

Subtract the new range from the original range to the storm; this is how far the storm traveled in the time recorded by your stopwatch. For example, 12.5 miles (original range) – 10.2 miles (new range) = 2.3 miles. If it took the storm 2.5 minutes to go 2.3 miles, then divide the distance traveled by the time and multiply the result by 60. For example, 2.3 (the distance traveled) / 2.5 (the time it took for the storm to travel the distance) = 0.92. Multiply the result by 60 to determine the relative speed (the storm’s speed relative to your boat) of the storm. In this example, 0.92 x 60 = 55.2 miles per hour.

Step 5

Note the storm’s apparent direction of movement, relative to your course, on your radar by turning the knob marked “EBL,” or electronic bearing line, until the EBL parallels the course of the storm. Note the bearing indicated (also in the corner of the screen, similar to the VRM). This is the relative bearing of the storm.

Step 6

Subtract the relative bearing of the storm (the EBL bearing) from your course with your calculator. If your course is 245 degrees, and the electronic bearing line shows the course of the storm as paralleling the EBL set at 290 degrees, then 245 – 290 = -45. Add this to your course to determine the true course of the storm. In this example, 245 + (-45) = 200 degrees.

Read more: How to Use Marine Radar for Storm Tracking | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5872005_use-marine-radar-storm-tracking.html#ixzz0w1bV0k3G

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By Chris Campbell
How do you get to the grocery store when your a thousand miles from shore, and a thousand and two miles from the nearest grocery store?

The short answer is you don’t.

The longer answer will be presented here, and it begins with a trip down below to see what you’ve got stashed in the galley of your boat.

Provisioning for a extended boating trip is no small task. If you forget something, there’s no quick run to the convenience store to pick up a couple of things.

Out in the middle of the ocean, if you can’t catch it, or find it somewhere in the galley, your not going to eat it.

Here’s a few quick ideas to get you started thinking about boat provisioning.

To start a list of what kind of provisions you think you’ll need, draw up a menu with a weeks worth of meals your boating crew would enjoy. Then figure out what would be required to make each meal. This list should be a good base to build from when you actually start buying items for the boat trip.

Be sure to have some very simple to prepare meals. When weather is rough, and the boat galley is an unworkable environment, some pre-packaged meals that require no heating will be a saving grace.

Keep an eye out for foods that will stay fresh for long periods of time, or are packaged in such a way as to say fresh longer. Cheese that is packaged in wax, will stay good for a very long time.

Some salami, sausage and pepperoni that is keep in the non-refrigerated section of the grocery store will stay good for months at a time. Anywhere you can find a place to store snacks, be sure to take advantage of it. Boating always seems to make people hungry, but doesn’t always seem to provide the opportunity to stop what your doing and make something fancy. Healthy snacks will be better to fuel the fires that keep the crew and the boat going.

Be careful of what foods you store together. They’re not always compatible. Apples and carrots stored together, will often cause bitterness in the carrots. If onions are stored with potatoes, the onions will steal moisture from the potatoes.

Most fruit should be bought in the not-yet-ripe state, and then stored in a way to slow down the ripening process. Green apples stored in the dark should last a couple of weeks. Give some thought to were you store items in the boat. Storage lockers closer to the hull and below the waterline will be cooler, and better for produce. Especially if you are going to be boating in warm tropical areas.

While there is a lot to consider, some thorough and logical planning will make things smoother come launch day. And while you may forget a few items, or lose a few perishables in transit, don’t fret. It’s only a thousand and two miles to the nearest grocery store.

For more on boats visit http://boatequipmentrepair.info  and read other boating articles at
http://foolishmumbles.com/2006/09/27/boat-provisioning-the-floating-grocery-store