Sunday, September 25, 2016

Baseball Player Dies in Boating Accident

Tragic news this morning about Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. Nothing much to add here. Full coverage via ESPN...

Saturday, September 17, 2016

2016 Norwalk Boat Show

Dive Into Boating & Waterfront Fun at the Progressive Insurance Norwalk Boat Show September 22-25, 2016 

Celebrating 40 Years of the Best in Boating with Free Boat Rides and Interactive On-Water Activities at the Area’s Largest One-Stop Shop for Luxury Yachts, Center Consoles, Watersports Boats and Affordable Family Cruisers 



Norwalk Boat Show

WHAT: The Progressive Insurance Norwalk Boat Show docks at Norwalk Cove Marina September 22-25, 2016 offering visitors and local residents an all-access pass to discover why life is better with a boat.

Boating novices and lifelong enthusiasts can see and shop some of the best deals of the season with exclusive show specials and competitive bargains on hundreds of the latest luxury motor and sailing yachts, sportfishers, family cruisers, performance boats and sailboats, plus the largest selection of marine accessories during four days of family fun on the water.

The Northeast’s largest in-water boat show will offer new boaters and those looking to hone their skills the chance to boat confident and participate in interactive on-the-water workshops, participate in educational DIY seminars on maintaining, repairing and upgrading a boat at Fred’s Shed and try stand up paddle boarding in Try It Cove. There will also be family-friendly activities for all ages including free boat rides and the chance to take in the last bit of summer on Long Island Sound.

WHEN: Thursday, September 22 – Sunday, September 25, 2016, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm daily

WHERE: Norwalk Cove Marina, 48 Calf Pasture Beach Road, East Norwalk, CT

TICKETS: Tickets are $15 for adults; children 15 and under get in FREE when accompanied by a paid adult. Save $2 per ticket when you purchase online by September 21 at boatshownorwalk.com

INFO: For more information, visit BoatShowNorwalk.com.

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Friday, September 16, 2016

Global Fishing Watch Launched

Photo credit: Philippe Gabriel / Bangkok, Thailand


Oceana, SkyTruth and Google today launched the public Beta of Global Fishing Watch, a new online technology platform that allows anyone in the world free access to monitor and track the activities of the world’s largest commercial fishing vessels in near real-time. By providing the first free global view of commercial fishing*, Global Fishing Watch delivers a powerful and unprecedented tool that can help to rebuild fish stocks and protect our oceans, which are threatened by global overfishing, illegal fishing and habitat destruction. The announcement was made in conjunction with the Our Ocean Conference in Washington, D.C., an international gathering of ocean leaders hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry.

The product of a partnership between Oceana, SkyTruth and Google, Global Fishing Watch is an intuitive and free interactive online tool that shows the apparent fishing activity of 35,000 (and counting) commercial fishing vessels operating throughout the world. The platform is regularly updated to show vessel tracks and fishing activity from January 1, 2012 through three days prior to present time. By sharing this critical information publically for the first time, Global Fishing Watch will have immeasurable and wide-ranging positive impacts on ocean health. From allowing fishery managers to better understand and manage fishing activity in their waters to aiding enforcement agencies in deterring illegal fishing, Global Fishing Watch is a powerful tool to help restore our oceans.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Tragic Boating Accident in Texas

Night boating can be extremely dangerous. It is not yet known what caused a deadly boating accident on Lake Sam Rayburn in Texas on Tuesday evening, and we may never know what happened.

Boat accident in Texas
Photo: KJAS.com

It is being speculated that the Triton center console struck an island or possibly another vessel, but no other boat has been found. 


Of the four people found on the boat, one of the two adults was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other three (another adult and two children) had what are being described as severe injuries.

Full story from KJAS.com.

Sunday, July 03, 2016

Texas-Style Sailboat Rescue

Coast Guard rescues family of 6 from sinking sailboat near Freeport, Texas 

Courtesy Photo: U.S. Coast Guard District 8 PADET Houston

HOUSTON — A Coast Guard boat crew came to the rescue about 4 miles northeast of the Freeport jetties, dewatering a sinking sailboat with a family of six aboard, and towing them to safety early Sunday morning.

Coast Guard Station Freeport crews rushed to help after getting a Mayday call from the 40-foot sailboat Providence at about 1 a.m., stating that they were taking on water. The family reported striking a large submerged tree, which caused the engine boot seal to fail. The onboard bilge could not keep up with the flooding.

The Station Freeport boat crew towed them back to Old River City Marina in Freeport and are staying with the boat and dewatering pump until TowBoat US can take it somewhere to get pulled out of the water. They anticipate TowBoat US to arrive later in the morning.

The family is out of Norman, Oklahoma, and departed from Galveston, where the boat is kept. The family included a father, mother, three daughters and the youngest child was the only minor, a 17-year-old son.

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Date: Jul 3, 2016
Public Affairs Detachment Texas
The United States Coast Guard

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Is Tesla Building Amphibious Vehicles?

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla (as well as SpaceX and Solar City), created quite a stir this past Sunday when he tweeted the following:
"We *def* don't recommended this, but Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation."

It appears that Tesla cars are so well-made, so air-tight, that they will actually float for a spell and won't stall out like traditional, non-electric vehicles. Looks like this was sparked not a planned marketing pitch from the company, but from an amateur video from a Tesla owner in Kazakhstan, according to TheGuardian:




In addition to leading the automobile industry with electric vehicles, Mr. Musk is also pioneering private space exploration with SpaceX, solar energy with SolarCity, and has been the driving force behind many other ambitious projects (PayPal, HyperLoop). So would it really be a surprise if he ventured into amphibious vehicles next?

Full article from TheGuardian.

Learn more about Elon Musk at biography.com.






Friday, May 20, 2016

National Safe Boating Week Means Start of Boating Season

National Safe Boating Week, May 21-27, Kicks Off this weekend with Reminder for Boaters to Always ‘Wear It!’

Wearing a life jacket is the simplest life-saving strategy for safe boating

Boating safety advocates across the U.S. and Canada have teamed up to promote safe and responsible boating, including consistent life jacket wear every time boaters are on the water, during National Safe Boating Week, held from May 21-27, 2016. The week is typically planned for the week leading up to Memorial Day in the United States, which is the unofficial start of boating season in much of the country. 

National Safe Boating Week is the launch of the 2016 North American Safe Boating Campaign. This yearlong campaign promotes safe and responsible boating and the value of voluntary, consistent life jacket wear by recreational boaters through the national theme, Wear It!

“What looks like a perfect day for boating can quickly become hazardous if you end up in the water,” said Rachel Johnson, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council, the lead organization for Wear It! “You can have a great time while choosing to always wear a life jacket and being a responsible boater.”

U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the reported cause of death in three-fourths of recreational boating fatalities in 2014, and that 84 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets.

“Each year hundreds of people lose their lives, and they may still be alive if they had been wearing a life jacket,” said John Johnson, chief executive officer of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. “You never know when there may be a boating mishap, so it’s important that everyone onboard always wears a life jacket.”

New life jackets are much more comfortable, lightweight and stylish than the bulky orange style most boaters know. There are innovative options, such as inflatable life jackets, allowing mobility and flexibility for activities like boating, fishing, paddling or hunting, and are much cooler in the warmer weather.

Throughout the campaign, Wear It! will remind boaters of the importance of boating safely, including consistent life jacket wear, boating sober, knowing navigational rules and having a proper lookout. Partners will host local events, teach classes, offer on-water training, distribute educational materials, and perform free vessel safety checks.

Wear It! unites the efforts of a wide variety of boating safety advocates, including the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and Canadian Safe Boating Council with the National Safe Boating Council. It is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. Follow Wear It! on Twitter at @boatingcampaign, like on Facebook at facebook.com/safeboatcampaign, and share your boating story at safeboatingcampaign.com.

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Thursday, May 19, 2016

The 2016 Annual Boat US Top 10 Boat Name List

Over the past few months, the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has been busy compiling their annual list of the most popular boat names of the past year, and they have finally released it today.

As we all know, a boat name can reveal much about the personality of a boat owner. But as obvious or obscure as some boat names may seem, choosing a boat name is no easy task. To help boat owners come up with ideas, BoatUS asks a few questions to help them start thinking about the process.
  • Are they into fishing? "Reel Therapy" certainly shows it.
  • Do they have kids in school? The name "What College Fund?" says it best. 
  • Like to sing? The name "In Harmony" is a popular choice. 
  • Work in the finance industry? "Liquid Assets" is suitable. 

In addition to BoatUS's annual lists, there are also resources such as the Boat Name Blog to help you pick out a name. No matter what boat name you choose, it will look great once you get it embroidered on shirts, hats, totes and towels from the professionals at BoatNameGear.com. They make any boat name look good and are the best company we know for getting nautical swag.

And now, the list you've been waiting for...

The official 2016 BoatUS list of top ten boat names

 

Thursday, May 12, 2016

CT Spring Boat Show This Friday - Sunday in Essex, CT

Connecticut Spring Boat Show Essex

There's a new boat show in Connecticut this weekend, and it aspires to be one of the region's largest nautical events.
Boat Show At A Glance
CT SPRING BOAT SHOW:  The first CT Spring Boat Show features some of the newest boats on the market including center consoles, fishing boats, luxury cruisers, sport and sail boats.

Boat Show Hours
Friday, May 13th 12PM-6PM.
Saturday/Sunday May 14-15th 10AM-5PM

Location
The new Brewer Essex Island Marina, 11 Ferry Street, Essex, CT.
Visit www.ctspringboatshow.com for specific event details, parking info and more.

With FREE admission and FREE parking for the show's inaugural weekend, CT Spring Boat Show will certainly be larger than the SailQuest boat show and Essex Spring Boat Show that combined to create this new bigger and better boat show.

ct spring boat show The first ever Connecticut Spring Boat Show will display over 70 boats varying in size from 20-75ft.  The event is set for May 13-15, 2016 at Brewer Essex Island Marina located in Essex, CT and is attracting interested boat buyers from Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and beyond.  The outdoor boat show is free for attendees, and coincides with another fun nautical event in the same seaside town: the annual ‘Burning of the Ships’ parade is scheduled to take place in the center of Essex on the same weekend.

This quote from the show’s press release sums it up quite well: “Brewer Essex Island Marina could possibly be the most intimate place in CT to have a boat show”, says Tom Pilkington of Prestige Yacht Sales. “Where else can show goers look at their favorite boats in the water, visit land exhibits, and explore the town of Essex which is filled with its own maritime heritage? With boats ranging in size from 20ft to 75ft, sail, power, new, & used, there will be a boat for every taste and budget.”
CT Spring Boat Show
Visitors attending the free show will enjoy seeing a wide range of new and brokerage, power and sail models.  Boating gear, accessories and service companies will also be on site with land exhibitors that include Sails Up 4 Cancer, Permateek, Boat Name Gear, Freedom Boat Club, and many more.

CT SPRING BOAT SHOW
Boat Show Hours:
Friday, May 13th 12PM-6PM.
Saturday/Sunday May 14-15th 10AM-5PM
Location: the new Brewer Essex Island Marina.
Visit www.ctspringboatshow.com for specific event details, parking info and more.


We encourage you to check out www.ctspringboatshow.com for more information about this brand new show.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Win a Family FIshing Trip

Cast your vote in America’s Top Family Fishing and Boating Spots Sweepstakes!

TakeMeFishing.org is on a mission to identify this year’s Top 100 Family-Friendly Spots for Fishing and Boating and they need your help.

https://takemefishing.prizelogic.com/Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) announced this week the return of its popular America's Top Family Fishing and Boating Spots Instant Win and Sweepstakes. Consumers are being asked to vote for their favorite family-friendly fishing and boating spots across the country and will be entered to win an instant prize of a Take Me Fishing™ backpack and one lucky grand prize winner will receive their own memory-making experience from Take Me Fishing™: a three-night, four-day stay for four at the Walt Disney World ® Resort, including a Guided Fishing Excursion. The Sweepstakes, back for its third consecutive year includes new features, such as a Spanish-language version, mobile-friendly components and a broadened list of locations to vote for. As part of RBFF's Take Me Fishing and Vamos A Pescar™ campaigns, the Sweepstakes ultimate goal is to increase awareness of the great family-friendly places across the country and get more families out on the water fishing and boating. 


This year's Sweepstakes includes several National Parks like the Everglades, which ranked No. 1 on the 2015 Top Places list . Offering more than 310 pre-selected family-friendly parks from across the U.S., entrants can vote daily for the three parks they feel offer the best fishing and boating experience based on family amenities, location and the likeliness to catch a fish or enjoy a day on the water. The Sweepstakes voting duration is six weeks-long, ending on March 27, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. The parks with the most votes will make the list of the 2016 America's Top 100 Family Fishing and Boating Spots, which will be released during National Fishing and Boating Week from June 4 - 12, 2016 and promoted throughout the summer.
Enter here.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Winter Boat Shows and You

It's that time of year again. You know it if you live near the Great Lakes, or in New England, or the Pacific Northwest. It's been too long since you've been on the water. It's way too cold to boat in many parts of North America, but you can get a little taste for boating season by attending a winter boat show!

New England, New York, Seattle, Toronto, Chicago... Have you been to a show recently? If so, tell us about it - were the boats bigger this year than in recent years? What about the price tags? Did you buy a boat, or do you plan to soon?
We want to hear from you - please comment below...