May 8, 2012
DeRust Cleaning Products
Rusty metal products can sour seasonal cleaning and commissioning chores and until recently there hasn’t been much available that easily eliminates rust stains on any boat. Even good quality stainless steel will rust in places if left unattended. And untreated iron or steel will quickly rust in marine environments. Recently, Protocol Environmental, a local manufacturer of specialty chemicals introduced us to their newest product, DeRust, a rust treatment product that can be brushed or sprayed on.
May 8, 2012
Cobra Two-Way (GMRS) Radios
GMRS radios – often called civilian pattern – are ideal companions to marine VHF radios. Popular for many years, Cobra has introduced a new pair that impressed us and our boating companions. We have always used these products for communication between dinghy and “mother” ship or between buddy boaters who want to talk freely without using priority VHF channels. These are called “civilian” because their use requires no license and range is limited to about fifteen miles or so.
April 25, 2012
Autotether™ Gives Wireless Freedom in an Engine Shutdown Safety System
In the U.S., new engine shutdown regulations are being introduced but doesn’t a safety switch system make a lot of sense anyway? Autotether's™ wireless lanyard system recently received the Connecticut Technology Council 2011 Innovation Pipeline Award as the most promising new technology product of the year.
April 18, 2012
Protect Your Boat From Chafing With “No-Wear” Guards
Chafing and rubbing from mooring lines, sheets, halyards and fender ropes can ruin the appearance of your boat and cost a fortune to fix. No-Wear Guard can stop the chafing damage on almost every kind of boat. No-Wear chafe guards are the first in the world to combine high-quality, flexible marine grade stainless steel with an aircraft-quality adhesive, creating a product that will look great and protect your gel coat, wood or plastic for years to come.
April 10, 2012
Keep an Eye on Things with Gost™ “Mini Ball” Cameras
GOST™ (Global Ocean Security Technologies – formerly Paradox Marine) has introduced several new models of its GOST Mini Ball Camera. The camera is now available in PAL, reverse image (NTSC and PAL) and also in wide angle with a 2.8 mm lens for enhanced security and surveillance on board. Measuring only 2.4 inches (61mm) in diameter, this rugged, marine grade, water – resistant and tamper proof analogue camera – just slightly larger then a golf ball – can be mounted discreetly inside or out – and it won’t detract from a boat or yacht’s decor or ambience.
March 9, 2012
Digital Yacht Puts A Wireless “Wi-Fi” Hot Spot On Your Boat
Wireless is the “buzz” in marine electronics with more and more applications available for wireless devices such as iPhones and iPads. With lots of onboard systems using legacy NMEA 0183 data, Digital Yacht America has devised a NMEA to WiFi adaptor – a small black box unit which converts traditional NMEA navigation and instrument data into a wireless TCP/IP feed. Essentially, it creates a local WiFi hot spot on board your boat which your mobile device can access. Many software applications allow data to be read through an individual TCP/IP port (e.g., iNAVx for the iPhone/iPad) or SmarterTrack 2011 PC navigation software.
March 1, 2012
Racers Will Love the Gill Regatta Master Watch II
The lightweight, new and improved Regatta Master Watch II from Gill is designed specifically for the competitive sailor. Water resistant to 50 meters, features include a stopwatch, countdown timer – with Sync function, compass, calendar and alarm, all displayed on a large digital screen. Serious racers will enjoy the countdown feature that gives a sound signal every minute, and in the last minute prior to the race start, the seconds count down in a large full screen display for ease of viewing. The synchronization feature allows sailors to readjust their timings to the closest minute at any time in the sequence.
February 15, 2012
Sperry Top-Sider’s “Son-R Technology™” Lets You See With Your Feet
Sperry Top-Sider® just announced updates to its new SON-R Technology, a patent-pending sensory feedback system engineered into a line of multi-water sport shoes. These shoes are specially designed to address the challenges water enthusiasts face when navigating across varied and unseen underfoot terrain. Whether on slippery rocks while portaging a canoe, or on the slick fibreglass of a boat, Sperry has engineered a complete collection of footwear that creates a safer and more enjoyable experience in, on and around the water.
February 10, 2012
Go Green While Getting A Six Pack!
There’s been lots of talk about electric boats recently, but few examples are actually out on the market. So far, the battery technology for large-scale applications seems to us to be a significant environmental consideration. I suspect that the carbon footprint of a big lithium-ion battery bank might totally negate the energy savings of the electric engine. Then, on September 28th 2011, a company called BionX introduced its own electric boat. There is some very interesting thinking behind it, but the size and scale is in the dinghy range, not the cruiser range.
February 7, 2012
New Floater Coat from Mustang
Mustang Survival, the well-known Vancouver-area manufacturer of quality safety gear, has introduced a new generation of its familiar floater coat. The Catalyst model is the latest combination of a waterproof yet breathable exterior with a segmented foam middle layer that provides flotation and an inner layer that allows breathability and aids in wicking moisture away from the wearer. Mustang calls this new design the M-Tech Comfort System and it makes for a more comfortable coat that still provides warmth and protection from rain, as well as flotation in an emergency.
January 10, 2012
BOATaid 24-7
BOATaid is a mobile and web based service available 24/7 across Ontario to help boaters obtain emergency assistance on the water and much more. The first ever service of its kind providing boaters with location based information they can rely on in an emergency to obtain towing, on site repairs, battery boost, or fuel delivery. The cost of these emergency services is covered by most boat insurance policies with no deductible. Until now it was not always easy for boaters to find qualified service providers in an emergency situation away from their home port.
October 26, 2011
Whale Pump
Whale electric products, including the universal freshwater electric pressure pumps, are designed to retrofit any existing pump location with flexible feet that absorb vibration and reduce noise.The Whale Gulpers for toilet and shower waste both boast a unique, virtually unblockable valve design and multi-directional head means that they can be mounted almost anywhere. The Whale Quick Connect plumbing system does not require collet clips and therefore is less expensive, easy and fast to install. The unique 'Double Gripper' and o ring seal combination prevents leaks.
October 26, 2011
Dickinson Round Sea-B-Que
The truly innovative Dickinson Round Sea-B-Que combines legendary quality, a tough round design and the rugged good looks that makes for an unbeatable marine grill. Built with 304 marine grade, 18 guage stainless steel, the round Sea-B-Que design allows for strength and resistes flame outs in high wind conditions. A list of accessories is available, including deck legs. Model 00-SBQ-R shown here measures 18" wide by 14.25" high and 16" deep. It weighs 20.5 lb., has a cooking surface of 14.375 diameter and offers 7,000 BTU.
October 26, 2011
Nova Kool R1600 Singe Door Fridge
The Nova Kool R1600 DC fridge has a capacity of 48 litres with the following features including a positive latch system; storage for tall bottles; shelves with powder coated wire for durability; reversible door swing; and a two-year manufacturers warranty on all components. This 12V unit offers low battery protection to help prevent full discharge of batteries. Its stainless steel unit uses environmentally sound 134a refrigerant and has been designed for mobile applications on grades up to 30°.
October 26, 2011
MARINE PRODUCT – Lewmar CPX Windlass
Lewmar identified the need for a high-quality product that is lighter than the all stainless steel deck unit. Subsequently, the CPX deck unit features an alloy base. With an emphasis on reliability, Lewmar has reduced the number of parts without compromising on performance, making the windlass easier to service. Lewmar strives to keep up to date with new developments in the motor/gearbox industry, constantly testing new products coming to market, and the CPX Windlass is no exception. The result is a highly reliable, light weight, high performance windlass.
October 26, 2011
Big Orange Holding Tank
The Big Orange holding tank vent filter is easily installed on the vent line of your holding tank and begins working immediately by filtering the air coming from your holding tank to remove the odour. In fact, the Big Orange holding tank vent filter uses the same activated carbon pellet technology that is used in industrial exhaust scrubbers to eliminate the odour coming from your holding tank. Big Orange boasts a large carbon pellet volume, more than any other vent line filter available on the market. It lasts longer and works better. Unlike "the other guys", the Big Orange holding tank vent filter uses an easily refillable cartridge so you don’t need to buy a new filter every year.
October 26, 2011
Raritan Atlantes Freedom ® Toilet
The Raritan Atlantes Freedom ® Toilet has powerful bronze cutting blades designed to "shred" most objects. It is now available in two bowl sizes: standard household and elongated. Enjoy the freedom from clogged toilets and marine size bowls. There are no fuses or relays inside the unit and timer module (A8 model only) can be removed and the toilet will still operate.
October 26, 2011
Isotherm Divino Wine Cellars
Isotherm offers its customers a great opportunity to have a wine cellar on board. This high-class equipment enables boat owners to keep great wine and champagne at the perfect temperature. Both 23 and 35 bottles wine cellars can be built into the dressers or columns of modular furniture with no alteration of furniture design. For a perfect integration, the profile of the door is totally lined up with the doors of the furniture.Both models feature double door locking systems to prevent unwanted door opening in rough sea conditions and specialracks designed for storing champagne bottles.
October 18, 2011
Mobile Devices Link You to Your Boat from Anywhere On The Planet
Over the past two years, we have featured a number of articles focusing on the functional and performance benefits available through the universal NMEA 2000 protocols developed to enable a wide range of devices to all communicate with each other using one language. Separate from that, there is now a rapidly growing interest in using mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers in place of notebooks and desktop computers because they offer connectivity on the go using easily carried equipment. Also, the “cool factor” is very high!
October 17, 2011
Ventilating Sail Delivers Cool Breezes To Stuffy Cabins
Hot, stuffy cabins can lead to long, sleepless nights. Keeping sleeping quarters cool and comfortable is easy with the Windscoop Ventilating Sail from Davis Instruments. The attractive, lightweight sail is aerodynamically designed to direct even the slightest breeze below deck to where it's needed. For sailboats, the self-supporting Windscoop can be hung from a halyard, boom or roller furling sheet. On powerboats, owners build a simple frame from aluminum tubing and a stanchion base or floor flange for mounting.
October 17, 2011
9-in-1 SafetyPuck
The 9-in-1 SafetyPuck warning light is just that, a creatively designed puck-like product that sports 16 LED lights all around the unit that allows for a wide array of illumination patterns. The nine light patterns provide 360 degree light coverage and range from flashing or flickering, to pulsing or swirling, and even a flashlight-like beam. One side of the SafetyPuck is magnetic so it can stick to the side of any vehicle providing light visible for up to a half mile. It is durable enough to function in a temperature range of 130 degree to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and even can be run over by a car and not be damaged. In addition to its use on land, it is waterproof and floats, making it ideal for use in boats and watercrafts.
October 17, 2011
Low Lux Night Vision Camera
The new Low Lux Night Vision camera is a safety-device that extends your play time or work hours on the water. The black and white picture allows for safe maneuvering of waterways or when docking. Use as a stand alone device or an enhancement to radar. This camera connects to any monitor with a RCA video jack or with a DVR you can record your trip. The camera can be mounted permanently or use the optional vacuum mount for a quick and easy removal. Measuring only 6" in length and 3.5" in diameter, the camera is small enough to be stored after usage to prevent theft.
October 17, 2011
TRAC Ecological Products Barnacle Buster™
Marine growth build-up is the #1 reason water-cooled equipment malfunctions. These deposits reduce equipment effectiveness often resulting in costly downtime. Even a thin layer of growth, as little as 1/64” can result in a 15% decrease in efficiency. While conventional methods of cleaning, such as mechanical brushing, do have some success, harsh acids are harmful to the user, the equipment, & the environment and in many instances, these methods result in damage to the equipment users were trying to clean.
October 17, 2011
Garmin® Debuts GDL™ 40 Cellular Marine Weather Receiver
Garmin International Inc. announced the GDL 40 – an affordable marine weather solution that brings on-demand graphical weather and radar data directly to a compatible NMEA 2000 Garmin chartplotter. The GDL 40 is the first and only cellular marine weather receiver on the market today. “For the first time, using the GDL 40, mariners will be able to purchase vital weather data on-demand when they need it most,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales.
October 17, 2011
The Coastal Keelboat Vest by Salus Marine Wear
The Coastal Keelboat Vest by Salus Marine Wear has just received Coast Guard approval for your sailing enjoyment this spring. The Coastal keelboat vest is inherently buoyant rather than being an inflatable, so it is actually lighter in weight and can provide safety and protection while sailing and racing. The big news for keelboat sailors at all levels, is that The Coastal keelboat vest by Salus features a built-in harness, so you can tether yourself and you can adjust the harness as needed.
August 30, 2011
Inspecting the Aging Sailboat
This book will help you with all the maintenance issues you may face if you own, or are looking to own, a fibreglass boat. It provides clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations as to how to recognize the problems (both on the surface and below) and how to determine the difference between cosmetic flaws and the serious flaws you need to address more quickly.
August 30, 2011
An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude
“As I write this, back in the real world, back in an office, back home, back up against a deadline, I glance down at the mouse pad to my right, and I am filled once again with powerful longing. The pad is printed with a picture of a laughing woman stripping off a wetsuit on a golden beach. Her hair is streaked blond, her shoulders broad on an otherwise slender frame, muscular shoulders that look like they know how to work. She is completely relaxed, and radiates happiness. The slice of beach in the photo is deserted – pristine, private, no one and nothing on it, except for a pile of snorkeling gear in the sand at the woman’s feet. Behind her, the sea is turquoise glass, on which sits a lone boat with a white hull and a tall mast that has impaled the sky’s single puffy white cloud like cotton candy on a stick.
August 30, 2011
From the Galleys of Women Aboard
A compilation of tried and true recipes from the women of the Women Aboard organization dedicated to empowering women boaters. With over 45 women contributing their personal recipes, this handy galley companion covers everything from appetizers to desserts, from breakfast to dinner. After each recipe there are tips these chefs have used to help them with provisioning, along with a ‘Provisioning Hints’ section at the end of the book.
August 30, 2011
Marine Diesel Engines
The world’s bestselling marine engine maintenance book got even better and more up to date. Lucid explanations, over 300 black and white photos and drawings of every diesel system and advice on what to do when things go wrong. Covers electronic controls and other new technologies.
August 30, 2011
The One Pan Galley Gourmet: Simple Cooking on Boats
Now you can turn even a one-burner galley into a gourmet kitchen and enjoy hot, wholesome, delicious meals wherever your boat takes your. Want apple pancakes for breakfast? Quesadillas for lunch? Saucy chicken with noodles and green peppers for dinner? All you need is one pan, the right ingredients, and a little help from The One Pan Galley Gourmet. This practical guide for the seagoing epicure has it all – one-pot simplicity, delicious recipes using fresh ingredients, and plenty of spice and personality. Special features include:
August 23, 2011
Social Navigation – The Next Dimension for Marine Electronics
In early May, a news story came out that identified the most valuable company in the world. Which company do you think it was? Maybe General Motors…Shell Oil, or IBM? No wait…it must be Microsoft! Well no, but you’re getting closer. Apple has overtaken Google as the world’s most valuable brand. A new study by global brands agency Millward Brown says Apple is now worth $153-billion, according to the annual BrandZ study of the world’s top 100 brands. It’s incredible how quickly things can change.
May 9, 2011
Yamaha-Watersports
WE ARE SEEING more and more big boats carrying a personal watercraft instead of a dinghy or a RIB (rigid hull inflatable boat).
May 8, 2011
Life Rafts for Coastal Waters
Do you really need a liferaft? Well, if you are out in water over your head, you certainly should consider having some alternative to your boat! Many small cruisers and sailboats do not even carry a dinghy, or if they do, it is stored in such as way as to be useless in most “abandon ship” situations. On striking an object, a boat can fill and sink in just a few minutes. Fire is another very real risk on a small boat. Do you have an “abandon ship” plan? Since the point of this article is to consider whether or not you should invest in a liferaft, I’ll concentrate on coastal and small vessels rafts.
March 10, 2011
Introducing the new Oceanview Apollo II Xi Camera Systems
Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida USA, OceanView manufactures a full line of 9 Night-Vision Cameras utilizing state-of-the-art camera sensors such as Thermal Imaging, Ultra-Low-Light and Color. OceanView allows your journey into total darkness, low-light conditions, torrential rain, some fog, smoke and even intense sun to become a safe and cautious one. Oceanviews industry leading 3 year warranty underscores the reliability of OceanView’s night-vision cameras and our dedication to customers.
February 2, 2011
Fair Wind and Plenty of It
Fair Wind and Plenty of It tells the story of an obsession, as Captain Dan Moreland, driven by desire to make his mark in the world of traditional sail, rallies forces to convert a 69-year-old North Sea trawler into a seaworthy tall ship, and then assembles the crew to sail it. It’s the story of the uneasy balance that is achieved on board, where insubordination and rancour must be kept in line among a crew whose only connection is their common desire to be part of this journey.
February 2, 2011
The Galley Guru: Effortless Gourmet Cooking Afloat
For the cook who sails and the sailor who cooks, Galley Guru is a connoisseur’s guide to simple ways to keep your grip in the galley. Prepare, preserve, and present, from a tiny space, real food that would not be ashamed to have come from a gourmet kitchen many times the size.
February 2, 2011
Sailing in Stitches: An Account of a Two-year Circumnavigation
Stitches Explorer is a 74-foot yawl, built in 1966 with an extensive rebuild in 1992, and very well equipped, with two of all the important pieces of equipment. In 2000, with an international crew, she set off on a journey that would include 62 countries, 180 ports, two major pirate areas and one pirate boarding. Starting from Florida, she headed south, down the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific to Australia, Indonesia and Thailand, then across the Indian Ocean…
February 2, 2011
Fiberglass Repair, Polyester or Epoxy
Filled with easily accessed information aimed at giving the boatowner the skills to tackle typical fibreglass repairs using either polyester resin or epoxy. Includes blister repair, repairs to cord decks, hole repair, touch-ups, etc. Includes illustrations.
February 2, 2011
Beyond Endurance: 300 Boats, 600 Miles, And One Deadly Storm
Beyond Endurance is the story of that race, which culminated in a night of terror, courage, and split-second reactions, of ferocious seas that forced each sailor either to give up and face almost certain death or to find within himself the extraordinary strength and skill that might, just might, keep him alive. Not all of them made it. Among the survivors were twenty-six men from Canada, Britain, and the United States, whom Mayers has interviewed about that they still call “that night”.