Nanaimo, Vancouver Island
Known as the “Harbour City” for its incredible downtown harbour district, Nanaimo is the second largest city on Vancouver Island and a popular cruising destination. It was first known as Snuneymuxw – meaning “great and mighty people” in the language of the Salish natives – and the first settlers who arrived in the mid-1800s translated […]
Maintaining Your Boat’s Attitude – Trim Tabs
Regardless of its size, if your boat has a planing or semi-planing hull, its degree of trim can significantly impact its operation. Trim tabs look and function in much the same way as the flaps on an airplane, adjusting lift by raising or lowering the boat’s attitude to improve boat speed, fuel economy, accommodate weight […]
Preparing for the Boatyard
Before delivering your vessel to the boatyard for service or repair, you can do a few things to ensure its time on the hard goes as anticipated, the effort is completed on schedule and there are no surprises. Establishing a well-developed work order is the most fundamental tool for every job, large or small, for […]
21 Questions for Spring
Before you start using your boat this spring, we wanted to share this checklist with best practices for spring commissioning that gives you a way to check off the important points before you cast off for another great season. Here is a list of questions you should answer before getting out on the water. Scheduled […]
VHF Radio is a Boater’s Best Friend
With the age of cellphones many boaters may think they don’t need to install a very high frequency (VHF) radio onboard, but nothing could be further from the truth. It connects us where cell phones can’t – getting info from others when we’re in the wilderness and especially when just out of cell phone range. […]
What’s in Your First-Aid Kit?
Scrapes, cuts, and bruises are all part of life on and off our boats. Being able to deal with medical situations appropriately makes them minor annoyances rather than emergencies. An on board first-aid kit is your first line of defense. The kit’s contents should enable the crew to initiate appropriate care for common medical problems […]
Rules to Play By for a More Pleasurable Time on the Water
For many the dream of cruising British Columbia’s coast centers on freedom, self-reliance, adventure, discovery, challenge, camaraderie, and plain old fun! There are four basic guidelines for safer, more enjoyable boating that serve mariners well when embarking on a journey. While each taken alone at face value may seem like obvious common sense, together they […]
Preparing for Winterization
As winter approaches and temperatures begin to drop, boaters start to think about winterization for their vessels. Some hire professionals to do the job and others like to invest a little time doing a portion or all of it themselves. Whatever the case, the process is the same. When winterization is performed properly it will […]
Anchor Trip Line
A Simple Inexpensive Insurance Policy You have most likely read or heard stories of boaters having a hard time retrieving their anchor because of snagging an old logging cable, being lodged between rocks, or hooking another boat’s anchor. If they had a simple device called an anchor trip line, they may have been able […]
Caring for the BBQ
Nothing beats a BBQ for onboard cooking, but don’t forget cleanup. Barbequing is many boaters’ favorite way to prepare a meal. There is nothing that compares to the flavor of grilled food. Plus, grilling is an effortless way to prepare a meal and keeps the heat and moisture out of the cabin. For […]