Island Hopping in Thailand
Travellers to Thailand will witness the manifestation of the island charm; incredible and dramatic scenery, white beaches lined with tropical coconut trees, and a crystal clear turquoise ocean. Yet, the bustling islands offer visitors a taste of something a little different; something exotic that they won't find elsewhere. And those that are less well-known possess a rare whiff of a time gone by when life moved more slowly. Without question, the best way to explore the delights of the Thai Islands is aboard a Chartered Yacht. Allowing travellers not only to enjoy the journey, but also to island hop at will, Yacht Charters ensure that visitors see the best of what Thailand has to offer.
Solar Powered Boats, Are You Kidding?
Solar power is quickly becoming a suitable renewable source of energy which many people are adopting. Lots of homes and businesses all over the country already have solar panels. Many people think that solar power is a very new invention, however actually it has been around for over 100 years! It's amazing that it's taken so long to catch on. It was developed by a Russian scientist way back in 1838, he used this to create a solar powered boat. Solar engines were developed further, however with the advent of the internal combustion engine people were less impressed with a solar boat. A boat could get more power from fossil fuel, rather than solar power.
Buying A Boat
Finding the perfect boat is a grave responsibility and buying a boat needs to be done with careful considerations as getting the wrong boat can cost you greatly in the long run. At the time of buying a boat, you need to decide whether the boat is to be used for protected waters or offshore waters. It is important to determine the properties of a boat such as comfort at speed and stability at rest, shallow draft for access to a favorite cruising area, high speed or planing hull or an economy displacement hull, single or twin engines, diesel or gas engines, fewer electronic options, performance with varying weather conditions and with different loads in terms of how many people will it carry for its size safely.
Race, No Doubt About it!
You don't need much to go racing? A desire to learn, to help and to exceed and you're off to a fantastic start. Grab some foul-weather gear (keep it simple to start), pair of good shoes or better yet, get some watershoes or seaboots, and gloves are a must. Sunglasses, some sunscreen and a red Mont Gay Rum hat (just add to the mystique.) The last thing you want to do is show up to the boat with a huge gear bag filled with stuff you won't use. Remember the whole weight issue? Time to take off for a leisurely ride. You're sailing along on a fine reach back from the gate. Off your starboard side a boat appears.
10 Boat Maintenance Tips
A properly maintained vessel is the basis for safety at sea. Are you conducting a regular maintenance and servicing schedule to ensure you and your friends and family's safety at sea? Poorly maintained vessels result in problems at sea which can be disasterous. Below are 10 top maintenance tips that skippers should constantly monitor to ensure the safety of their vessel and their crew... 1) Service your engine at least once a year. If possible you should follow the manufacturers guidelines as to when to service your motor, but at the bare minimum ensure it is done on a yearly basis. 2) Check the water pump from your motor regularly to ensure a strong discharge.
Planning Your Next Boating Trip - An Essential Guide
If your going out on a boat you should always first plan your trip. Good planning and preparation prevents problems whilst out at sea. Below are 8 tips to help you plan your voyage. 1) The very first point of any voyage is to ensure you have a seaworthy vessel. If the vessel is not up to standards, don't go out on it! Ensure the vessel is suitable for the trip you are planning (e.g. don't take a small dinghy out to a well offshore reef). 2) Check the weather conditions. Usually the most up to date weather predictions can be found on government forecasting sites found on the internet. Keep updated and try to stay out of rough weather.
Boating Safety - What To Do If Your Boat Capsizes
There are many factors that can increase your chances of capsizing. Rough seas, overloading a boat (or poor load distribution), poor driving, freak waves and broaching (when the water is pushed into the boat, usually by a following sea) are all factors that can cause a capsizing. Obviously, you should always try to avoid capsizing. Common sense often goes a long way and it is often important to be a little over vigilant rather than a little slack. Proper preparation and skippering decrease your chances of being involved in a capsizing. However, should your boat capsize, below are some tips that will help you stay alive.
Preventing Sea Sickness
THE CAUSE OF SEASICKNESS: Sea sickness occurs when the movement of the waters swell impacts on the inner ear. If what the eyes are seeing does not match up with the movement felt by the inner ear you begin to feel sick. This sickness is similar to any type of travel sickness and some people seem to experience its effects more than others. On a boat it usually happens when the swell is large and you are constantly looking down or in a cabin. SEA SICKNESS MYTHS: Some people will say only weak people experience sea sickness. This however is not true as sea sickness is caused by our bodies as outlined above.
Fiberglass Vs Your Health Part I
As a volunteer manning the the booth for the Marine Industries Association of S. Florida during the Miami Boat show this past February, I was approached by a prominent figure in the marine industry. He too is a member of the association and as we stood there saving the industry for the benefit of the world he asked for my opinion on what he thought were serious health hazards relative to fiberglass within the industry. It seems that he had watched more than one of his associates in the field die of lung cancer. It was his opinion that all the people who had died shared only the fact that they had all worked for years in the construction and repair of fiberglass boats.
Cape Town Boat Charter Boat Trips
Let's get together Every year we have at least one big team-building adventure, where our entire company joins in, in a day of fun. Because our company is still rather small, it means that we can enjoy a bigger variety of adventures, and this year we opted for a Cape Town boat charter adventure along the Cape coastline. Ready, aim, shoot! Our day was planned with a couple of activities for the day, starting off with a boat based clay shoot. I've never done clay shooting, but I thought "how difficult can it be, right? " Turns out, it is much harder than I anticipated. We were separated into two teams: at work it's usually the creatives and suits (otherwise known as marketers) working in groups, but on this day it was creatives and marketers working together against a team of a similar setup.