October 2017 column
Kayaking is a great way to learn basic boating
This small watercraft continues to grow in popularity with people of all ages. They are easy to handle and most affordable. As with many things in the outdoor world there have been many innovations in the kayak industry. We now have a more personal boating option and gear to go with them, more than ever before.
The first kayaks were built by the Inuit tribe in the Alaskan Territory. They used animal bones for the framework and then covered the frame with animal skin. The design came stateside and were built with wooden frames covered with canvas and then waterproofed. The one we had was eight feet long and weighed about 30 pounds. I used it for fishing, as it was easy to portage to another lake where the bass were known to bite quicker.
Today they are a great boat to teach younger kids how to handle a boat. They come as a single or two person craft. They handle easily when using a double paddle or a conventional canoe paddle. Later models now have pedals you can pump, which is great because you have both hands free for fishing.
Kayaks are easy to stow on a larger boat whether they are fixed construction or a blow-up version you can stow below deck. Don’t forget to wear your PFDs. Kayaks are easy to tip over. Adults love to quietly go to that fishing hole that’s to shallow for your big boat. It’s also a great boat to teach kids boating basics. They also might catch the fishing bug and even go fishing with you!
Go online and you will find quite a choice of kayaks and one that will suit your needs. Enjoy and catch that big fish whether it’s in fresh or salt water. If you just want to paddle for fun you can contact Lake Lanier Olympic Park and they will inform you how to get into the sport and rent a kayak. Phone 770-287-7888 or go to:
www.hobbie.com.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have been the latest news items. I remember some of my experiences when I lived in Florida, from 1950 to 1972. I experienced a lot of hurricanes. My family always evacuated from Clearwater Beach to the mainland until all was clear and we could go home. One year an island north of us was cut in two and made a channel between and now there are two islands and it was appropriately named “Hurricane Pass.”
When I was in the U.S.C.G. my first assignment was to a ship called the “Unimack.” It was an older 311-foot weather cutter. Once we left Savannah after an inspection and headed to ocean station Bravo in the north Atlantic. We had a hurricane tag on to our transom off of Cape Hatteras and we couldn’t shake it. It was a rough trip to say the least. I never saw so many people seasick. I didn’t get sick so that meant I had extended watches on the bridge.
Anyway we made it even though the mess deck got buckled. I know all the seasick seamen were glad to go ashore after that trip. Let’s hope we can weather these upcoming storms and damage is at a minimum.
Practice safe boating, be courteous and I’ll see you on the water.
September 2017 column
Boating season is in its final weeks for the year
The last of the boating season is upon us and it’s time to get your maintenance log out and get ready to winterize your boat. Make a list of things you will need and then check West Marine or other boating retail store for their fall sale. Take a quick inventory of your boat for items that might need replacing, like PFDs, fire extinguisher, line, bumpers, anchor and rode, and flashlight.
Don’t forget about oil and filter, water separator and filter, “Stabil” or equivalent for the fuel tank. If you are thinking of buying a new boat next year you might want to do a complete clean up and wax job and try to sell your boat this fall and then take advantage of the January Atlanta Boat Show deals. The boating industry has recovered and there will be a lot of new type boats offered.
If your boat is trailered don’t forget maintenance so you don’t have an on the road break down. Since it is getting close to the end of the boating season you might want to plan a trip to the coast, or go west and cruise the Tom Bigbee waterway. It will take you north to the Tennessee River or south to the Gulf Coast and its great cruising. Go to your cruising guide for places you might want to visit. If you stay on Lake Lanier don’t forget to take a cruise when the leaves make their colorful change.
Make sure to inspect your propeller for nicks and bent blades. This is the time to buy a new one or get the old one re-conditioned. Also if you don’t carry a spare prop you might want to get one in case you run aground and bend the blades. It will save you money in the lower unit repair costs if you run a properly balanced prop.
Lost diamond in Lanier
Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver Julio Jones lost an expensive diamond earring when he went for a jet ski ride recently on Lake Lanier, according to several news reports. The earring is reportedly valued at $150,000. Jones said he lost the earring when he hit a boat wake and took a spill. He hired a full dive team to search for it, but they had no success in the 65 foot deep water. Maybe a fish swallowed it. If it is ever found that will be another great story.
Practice safe boating, be courteous and I’ll see you on the water.
July 2017 column
PT Boats
P.T. boats (short for Patrol Torpedo) have always fascinated me, not just their speed, which is exceptional at well over 40 knots, but their history in the missions they had in World War II. They were probably one of the best designed and built wooden boats ever to be constructed. Companies like Higgins and Huckins built them. There were many stories, hazardous sorties at sea searching for the enemy, making a strike and exiting at full speed. Many of us remember Jack Kennedy and P.T. 109, John Wayne in “They Were Expendable,” and Ernest Borgnine in “McHales Navy.” Now you can ride on a P.T. boat at the World War II Museum on Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans for $350. For details, visit www.pt305.org. Their replica has the 3 Packard V12 engines, with machine guns. It’s billed as the “world’s only fully restored combat-veteran P.T. boat in operation today. PT 305 is also known as the USS Sudden Jerk by her crew. When I had Harbour Yachts Sales in Florida I had a customer with a P.T. boat. One day the older gentleman arrived at my office in a chauffeured driven Cadillac. He told me a story about him and his two childhood buddies that liked to fish. They all went off and made their fortunes and retired. They bought an old P.T. boat and made a fishing boat out of it. They took out the three Packard V12 and installed 8-71 Detroit diesels, fishing electronics and a diesel gen/set. Since his buddies had passed on, he wanted to sell it. So I went up to Tarpon Springs where it was docked and checked it out. When I stepped onboard I couldn’t help but stop a moment and imagine the history of the vessel. They were extremely well constructed. I found the log book on the bridge. The entries made from selling the catch wasn’t enough to support the boat, but at least the three of them had some fun. I sold the boat to a commercial fisherman who thought it was a great boat and he made good money with it. If you do go to New Orleans and take a ride on P.T. 305 send Lakeside a photo. We’d like to hear your story. I also ran across another boat similar to a P.T. boat, built more like a Coast Guard cutter 83’. It belonged to the Southern Yacht Brokers Association and one month we had our meeting at the Clearwater Yacht Club. One of the Ft. Lauderdale brokers said they were coming by boat, but they didn’t say how large or what make. When they arrived it was an 80’ wooden boat called the “Stinger.” Turns out it was the lead boat in the “Bay of Pigs” fiasco. It was called Stinger because it was attack ready. It had numerous machine guns on both port and starboard sides which were nicknamed stingers. This was quite a vessel with history, I never did hear who bought it, or where it ended up.
After you’ve had a great day cruising you anchor in a favorite cove and sit in your boat’s cockpit to relax. Just about the time you are about to enjoy snacks and a cocktail, here come the mosquitoes to the party. Well, Thermacell R45 repeller is designed to repel all manner of mosquitoes. It creates a 15’x15’ zone of bug free protection. It’s good for a flybridge, cockpit or sundeck. Simply turn it on and the zone check monitor shows blue when the device has been activated. It also has a belt clip to help protect you when walking around the decks. Cost is only $35 and you won’t smell like mosquito repellent. Details: www.thermacell.com.
This summer Toyota will be conducting a feasibility study of hybrid boats leading up to and coinciding with the Tokyo Bay 2020 Olympics. They are utilizing two types of power generators. A 265 H.P. gas inboard and a 48 H.P. electric motor and the Ponam 28V boat. This could be the sign of big things to come across the entire industry. Stay tuned.
I have often wondered if any bill fish have ever charged a boat’s hull and penetrated it. In Costa Rica where bill fishing is popular they have, indeed, had this happen with cold molded wooden hulls. In fact they carry emergency plugs just in case. Attacks from angry bill fish are par for the course for top game boats in prolific waters. Can you imagine telling your insurance company that hole in your hull was made by a fish?
Most boats built today are all fiberglass or a derivative like carbon fiber. They don’t offer many problems. But older boats that have fiberglass over wood need checking to be sure no separation has occurred. If it has it needs to be corrected immediately before dry rot starts. Check transom and any hardware like tow rings, engine bolts, etc. Anything that was installed through the transom should have been coated with a sealer. If you find problems, repair correctly and make sure you use sealer. Check your deck to hull joints along with hatches. Repair any problems you have so you won’t have any major problems on the water. Replacing a wood covered fiberglass transom is a big job and is expensive. Checking these items will make sure you have safe cruising and longer boat life.
Most boating writers give a list of some of the boats they checked out. It’s impossible to cover all boats even if you are trying to pick the most popular one. Invariably, in the next month’s magazines’ Letters to the Editor section there will be three or four readers who will ask: “Why didn’t you pick a Hinckley like I own?” Another might say he’d like to see a Boston Whaler, because he owned two of them. The truth is there is hardly a bad boat among all boats if they are being used properly. Myself, I like Bertrams, I’ve fished them and sold them, maybe that’s why. But it doesn’t mean that a Chris-Craft, Hatteras, or Viking isn’t a good boat. Remember, buy the boat that’s in your price range that will do the job for you and you will be happy.
Boats that stay in the water should be hauled once a year if in fresh water. The hull needs to be cleaned, which will give you better economy. All thru-hull fittings should be inspected, and any faulty ones should be replaced. If your boat is in saltwater you have to haul every three months or so to stay ahead of barnacles. Also, some new bottom paint could give you more time between hauls. Don’t forget to check your props for damage and zincs for wear and replace when needed. Log everything you have done in your maintenance log and mark the date you need to haul the boat again. Practice safe boating. Be courteous and I’ll see you on the water.
