Navigation: Set and Drift, Part 2

In this weeks column, Vin Pica continues his explanation of one of the more challenging aspects of nautical navigation...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Navigating is easier when you understand Set and Drift. Photo © Nautical Sites Media

When we started the 2-part series on Set and Drift, we noted that there is a precise way to calculate the correct amount of “leaning in” to do in that column. Here is it and, despite the “math” part of it setting some hearts racing, it is easy…!

After the Storm

You may have heard about a little storm that ripped up the east coast over the weekend. We thought we'd share a few photos we found of the damage that Irene did to some boats and docks as she made her way north as a hurricane and later as a (still very menacing) tropical storm. Feel free to add your own photos to our facebook page and share your story from the storm...

Charlotte - a wooden boat story

Movie documents a man building a wooden boat on Martha's Vineyard...

We thought you might enjoy something to take your mind off the hurricane, especially if you're on the east coast this weekend. This movie hit our inbox a few moments ago and definitely fits the bill.

Summary: After decades of designing and constructing boats for others, Nat Benjamin (of Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway - a boat yard on Martha’s Vineyard) embarks on building a 50 foot schooner for use by his family and friends — her name is Charlotte.

Sailing Report: World on Water TV - Week 34

The latest World on Water, the boating TV show that covers sailing races and events from around the world, is now available on First Boat...

Click the video or one of the links below to begin viewing the latest World on Water now.

This week's show, released Friday, August 26, 2011, features the following highlights...

1. Solitaire du Figaro - Leg 3 Finish and Leg 4 Star

2. St Francis Yacht Club Heavy weather Laser Slalom Event

3. Rolex Fastnet Race

4. Meridian Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week

5. Audi Hamilton Island Race Week

6. This week's Fresh to Frightening features the hilarious accident in the 2011 Historical 18 Footers Australian Championships Race 2 on Beautiful Sydney Harbour. Classic 18, Tyrell's Wines, hardens up to cross the finishing line at speed but its spinnaker pole catches a halyard on the Finishing Boat's Signal Mast and brings it down with a sickening splash. Can there be a more embarrassing crash? We think not. Even if you've seen it before, its worth another look - it's that good!

Remember, you can now view a large-screen version of World on Water on FirstBoat at FirstBoat.com/TV, or watch World on Water on the Daily Boater. Either way, the latest edition of the show is released each Friday. Stay tuned!

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Boat Shows and Hurricanes

Avoid the hurricane and go to a boat show this weekend...

Stay dry at a boat show outside the hurricane zone. Photo © Nautical Sites Media

Each week we let you know about all the nautical events happening so that if you can't get out on the water, you can still be around boats. And with Hurricane Irene barreling up the eastern seaboard, all too many of us will not be able to enjoy our own boats. However, if you're willing to take a little trip, you might find a boat show to attend to take your mind off the storm. This weekend's events are every from Ontario to Indiana, Australia to Kentucky...

Nautical Navigation: Set and Drift

In this weeks column, Vin Pica begins to tackle one of the more challenging aspects of nautical navigation...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Navigating is easier when you understand Set and Drift. Photo © Nautical Sites Media

Imagine that you are walking along the sidewalk, trying to get to the coffee shop on the corner. But the person next to you is leaning against your shoulder, keeping pace with you and pushing you away from it… There is only one way you are going to make it to the coffee shop (short of belting the guy!). You have to lean into him to such a degree that you overcome the force of his push and the speed at which he is applying it.

This is the essence of Set and Drift when navigating as well.

Storm Brewin'

East coast boaters strongly urged to prepare now for Hurricane Irene as earthquake rocks the shoreline

National Hurricane Center's track for Irene as of 2 pm EDT Tuesday 8/23/2011

A storm is brewing in the Atlantic. As Hurricane Irene approached the Bahamas today, apparently en route to North Carolina and up the east coast of the United States, she continued to gain strength. Believe it or not, a hurricane has not made landfall in the United States since Hurricane Ike three years ago, and that was in the Gulf of Mexico. It's been even longer since we saw one hit the eastern seaboard. Where is Irene going to land? What can boaters in the northeast do to get ready in case the storm stays on its current course and brings 100+ mph winds to your marina?

Sailing Report: World on Water TV - Week 33

The latest World on Water, the video news show that covers sailing races and events from around the world, is now available on First Boat...

Click the video or one of the links below to begin viewing the latest World on Water now.

This week's show, released late on Friday, August 19, 2011, features the following highlights...

1. Rolex Fastnet Race - including the Rambler 100 Capsize

2. Americas Cup World Series Cascais, Portugal

3. Extreme Sailing Series: Cowes Week

4. Clipper Round the World Race Madeira-Rio start

5. Wrap-up of Cowes Week

7. Solitaire du Figaro

8. This week's Fresh to Frightening features a major right-of-way incident in the Cowes Week regatta on the Solent involving the yacht "Atlanta of Chester" and an OIL TANKER. Important to remember that commercial shipping always has right-of-way!

Remember, you can now view a large-screen version of World on Water on FirstBoat at FirstBoat.com/TV, or watch World on Water on the Daily Boater. Either way, the latest edition of the show is released each Friday. Stay tuned!

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This Weekend's Regattas and More

This weekend's boating events include regattas, an air and water show, vintage boats and more...

Each week we let you know about all the nautical events happening so that if you can't get out on the water, you can still be around boats. This weekend's round-up includes boat shows, regattas, festivals and more in places like Chicago, New York, North Carolina, Montreal, Maine, and, um, Idaho. Yes, Idaho. Let's take a look...

Green Boating with Fire Hoses

New company promotes use of retired fire hoses as dock edge bumpers...

Fire hoses still useful after the fires are all put out. Photo © istockphoto/Chuck Moser

We just came across a company based in Denver, Colorado, that makes it easier to be an environmentally conscientious boater. We've seen what looked like old fire hoses around docks before and wondered what exactly it was. If it was fire hose we saw, how would you go about getting it? This new company is promoting the use of old fire hoses as dock edging in order to protect your boat and the dock you tie up to, and they make it easy to find and buy the hose. Let's take a closer look...

Time and Tide Wait for No Man or Woman

In this weeks column, Vin Pica reads between the lines of your favorite tide table ...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

A 50 ft cabin cruiser runs aground in Boston Harbor in August, 2010. U.S.C.G. photo.

Whether you get your local tide tables from the internet or the local newspaper, it’s probably wise to review a few essentials. First, don’t mistake precision with accuracy. What??? Just because we can predict the tides to the second as far into the future as you could imagine (after all, we certainly know the rotations of the Earth, Sun and Moon to exquisite precision), it doesn’t mean that the times are accurate! Why aren’t they? “We can put a man on the moon…”

Video: World on Water, Week 32 - Cowes Week and More

The latest World on Water, the video news show that covers sailing races and events from around the world, is now available on First Boat...

Click the video or one of the links below to begin viewing the latest World on Water now.

This week's show, released Friday, August 12, 2011, features the following highlights...

1. Cowes Week - the Week in Review

2. La Solitaire du Figaro - First Leg Finish

3. Extreme Sailing Series: Cowes Week

4. Sydney International Boat Show

5. Sotavento Fuerteventura Grand Slam

7. America’s Cup Cascais

8. La Solitaire du Figaro race start

9. This week's Fresh to Frightening features the carnage in the action-packed, full pressure, Extreme Sailing Series in Cowes, England. Race 4 on Day 2 witnessed a huge collision between Artemis Racing and Groupe Edmond de Rothschild and the following day, with continued breezy conditions, the Extreme 40, Aberdeen Asset Management, cart-wheeled spectacularly in gusty 20-25 knot conditions. Breathtaking racing that pushed the fleet to their limits.

Remember, you can now view a large-screen version of World on Water on FirstBoat at FirstBoat.com/TV, or watch World on Water on the Daily Boater. Either way, the latest edition of the show is released each Friday. Stay tuned!

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This Weekend: Tall Ships and Classic Boats

This weekend's boating events include the final weekend of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, Tall Ships in Chicago, and classic boats in Lake Tahoe...

Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

Each week we let you know about all the nautical events happening in the hope that if you can't get out on the water, you can still be around boats. This weekend's round-up includes events around the world featuring racing, tall ships, classic boats and more. Let's check them out...

This Website's Got You Covered - Literally

All about boat covers - why you need one, where to get one, and more...

Covering a boat at home or on the road is a good idea. Photo © Tim McCaig/istockphoto

After spending thousands and thousands of dollars on your boat, are you going to leave it sitting in your yard or driveway uncovered - exposed to the elements? Of course you’re not. You are going to keep your boat covered when you're not using it, but that leads you to the next question… What is the best way to keep your boat covered? A boat garage? Shrink-wrap? Fitted covers?

GPS – Adding Insult to Injury!

In this weeks column, Vin Pica discusses how the current solar activity could affect boaters...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Why solar flares matter to boaters. Photo NASA/SDO

On Saturday, 8/6/11, Reuters reported that three large explosions from the Sun over the past few days have prompted U.S. government scientists to caution users of satellite, telecommunications and electric equipment to prepare for possible disruptions over the next few days. "The magnetic storm that is soon to develop probably will be in the moderate to strong level," said Joseph Kunches, a space weather scientist at the Space Weather Prediction Center, a division of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He said solar storms this week could affect communications and global positioning system (GPS) satellites. And, as if that isn’t enough, now the government is selling telecommunications “spectrum” (frequencies) so close to where GPS operates that it very well may impair it. This column is about all that....

Video: World on Water - Week 31

The latest World on Water, the video news show that covers sailing races and events from around the world, is now available on First Boat...

Click the video or one of the links below to begin viewing the latest World on Water now.

This week's show, released Friday, August 6, 2011, features the following highlights...

1. Tour de France a la Voile

2. Audi Gold Cost Race Start

3. Chicago Mackinac Race

4. Audi Med Cup Soto 40

5. 18-Footer Grand Prix Germany

7. 2011-2012 Clipper Round The World Race Start

8. La Solitaire du Figaro race start

9. This week's Fresh to Frightening features the crazy races held by the French in their famous Mondial du Vent. Take one Maxi Trimaran and a dozen or so mad Frenchmen on windsurfers and you've got a race at 25-35 knots. "Fear" is not in their vocabulary.

You can now view a large-screen version of World on Water on FirstBoat at FirstBoat.com/TV, or watch World on Water on the Daily Boater. Either way, the latest edition of the show is released each Friday. Stay tuned!

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This Weekend: Cowes Week Kicks Off and More

Plenty to see and do for boaters this weekend - Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week kicks off, as do several other nautical events around the world...

Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

Each week we let you know about all the nautical events happening so that if you can't get out on the water, you can still be around boats. This weekend's round-up includes events around the world. Some are worth a trip, and some may be near you. Let's check them out...

Saving Money and the Environment... 2 Strokes at a Time

In this weeks column, Vin Pica discusses two- and four- stroke boat engines, weight, fuel efficiency, pollution and more...

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

A pair of Yamaha 300hp V6 four strokes at the Providence Boat Show this year. Photo © Nautical Sites Media

So, after a couple of seasons with my new 4-stroke 3.5hp engine, (had to drop down to 3.5hp or face putting 80 pounds on the transom where formerly 40 pounds of 5hp had ridden), the engine just wasn’t as friendly to an all-out-door environment as the old 2-stroke was. Happily, my mechanic was able to address – and explain – what the changes from 2-stroke to 4-stroke means. This column is about that...

Rescue of the Weekend

Coast Guard, octogenarian, come to rescue of crowded, sinking boat in Lake Michigan...

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Each Monday throughout the summer, we take a look at all the boating incidents from the past few days and share some of the ones that are unique and interesting, or that can provide a reminder about boating safety.

This past weekend, Coast Guard teams across the country, but one incident stood out among the rest...