Control onboard systems from anywhere in the world. Courtesy Raymarine Remote app-based boat-monitoring and control technology is a rapidly expanding segment of the marine electronics market. One of the latest to join is Raymarine with its YachtSense Link system that networks with the company’s digital-switching system and Axiom multifunction displays.Raymarine calls this integrated network the […]

  Multiple styles are available. Courtesy Fin-Nor Fin-Nor, best known for saltwater fishing tackle, has debuted polarized sunglasses for anglers. Designed by eyewear experts in coordination with fishing guides, models feature Lateral Line lens technology that intensifies color without distortion, reduces blue light, prevents glare and cuts through haze. The glass and polycarbonate lenses feature […]

  While serving the same purpose, life jackets do differ in fit and feel. Courtesy West Marine Life jackets might be the most important safety gear you can have on board for you and your crew. But what type of life jacket do you need? There are three types of inherently buoyant life jackets designated […]

Today, Seafarers is more than just a place to boat. Becky Harlan It might be difficult to remember a time when boating wasn’t a friendly pastime, but the memories are fresh in George “Lefty” Smith’s mind. He bought his first boat at 33, and just sold his fifth boat 51 years later. He’s the oldest […]

Easy to clean and operate. Courtesy Dometic Dometic’s new Gravity Series marine toilets offer a touch of style and comfort without the need for complicated holding tanks, pumps and hoses. A self-contained, easy-to-clean ABS 6.5-gallon waste tank doubles as a toilet stand. A steel flush lever with a sturdy plastic cover ensures easy operation and […]

  Blake Broussard never wanted to get famous on the internet, but his GoPro camera was rolling that day on Toledo Bend Reservoir when he and his father got thrown from their bass boat at 60 miles per hour. Just like that, Blake was sitting on the best video footage ever captured of a high-speed […]

When it comes to watersports, inboard V-drive models continue to reign supreme. Courtesy Supra Watersports boats, aka tow boats, have grown in popularity over the years—and the numbers show it. According to statistics from the National Marine Manufacturers Association, since 2007, tow boats have enjoyed double-digit sales increases year over year. Much of this is […]

Some throws are not Coast Guard-approved, but all can prove useful. Courtesy West Marine, Airhead, Mustang Survival A Type IV throwable device is a specific US Coast Guard-approved class of safety equipment designed to throw to a person in the water. It is intended to be grasped or grabbed, not worn. All recreational powerboats in […]

When it comes to watersports, inboard V-drive models continue to reign supreme. Courtesy Supra Watersports boats, aka tow boats, have grown in popularity over the years—and the numbers show it. According to statistics from the National Marine Manufacturers Association, since 2007, tow boats have enjoyed double-digit sales increases year over year. Much of this is […]

I’m no wrench when it comes to the inner workings of outboard motors, so when I learned the PO of the 130 hp ETEC I had recently purchased had neglected to mention its close encounter with Lake Erie limestone and related gearcase damage, I feared the worst financially. After discussing the situation with my trusted […]

Zenon Bilas shows that with the right training and mindset, you can enjoy watersports such as barefoot skiing for a long, long time. Courtesy Brian Heeney I earned my first gold medal at the 1982 USA Barefoot National Championship. I was 20 years old. In 2021, I won a gold medal in the Open division at […]

  The Shoxs X8 is equipped with a height-adjustment feature. Tim Barker Some say that the worst day of boating is better than the best day at the office. But that’s not true. I’ve endured too many wind-swept, slam-bang days on the water when I pined for terra firma. Such a scenario played out as […]

Thankfully, we had an anchor. But we did not have a radio, and there were no cellphones back then, so there we sat. Tim Bower I was just settling back in the shade of the porch with an ice-cold Deere beer, my reward for two hours on the mower, when the phone rang. “Are you […]

Personal watercraft come with some category-specific safety recommendations. Courtesy Yamaha Personal watercraft are built with an impressive array of safety features, but just like any boat, safe operation requires a familiarity with the craft’s controls, handling characteristics, and knowledge of any category-specific safety concerns. Read this primer to help make your next ride fun and […]

  Alert the proper authorities in the event of an emergency. Courtesy Ocean Signal Ocean Signal’s SafeSea EPIRB1 Pro is the world’s most compact emergency position-indicating radio beacon, offering a 30 percent smaller footprint that other EPIRBs. The floating beacon has a 10-year battery life, and intuitive operating controls help prevent accidental activation. It is […]

  Lithium batteries cannot be charged on traditional battery chargers and instead should be repowered on specific chargers at 14.4 or 14.8 volts. Courtesy Dakota Lithium Batteries If anybody could justify a battery that exceeds the total cost of a boat and motor, it’s me. My used 14-foot aluminum boat and new Minn Kota 55-pound-thrust […]

An up-cycled plastic jug can be used for a variety of purposes aboard your boat and reduces plastic in the waste stream. Add a lanyard to make it less likely to be dropped overboard. You can even add your boat name. Garrett Cortese I keep a couple of tools made from old plastic jugs—ones with […]

Sirius Signal’s bright, two-color light stands out against background lights better than red pyrotechnic flares in Coast Guard tests. Courtesy Sirius Signal E-flares—battery-operated bright lights that automatically flash the Morse code S-O-S distress signal—can replace red handheld pyrotechnic distress flares as required nighttime distress signals. Are there restrictions, and are e-flares as effective? I talked […]

Sebastian grew up on the water and put those skills to good use on Survivor. Courtesy Sebastian Noel Fans of the CBS-series Survivor will likely recognize Sebastian Noel. The free-spirited Florida fishing guide earned his keep on the show by doing what he does best, supplying the cast with the bounty of the sea. Along […]

Head-on? Both boats should veer right. Ryan Swanson There is no right of way on the water. Every boater is obligated to do what is required to avoid collision. In any meeting of boats, one is deemed the stand-on vessel and the other the give-way vessel. The rules of the road explain the situation more […]