The definition of seamanship is apparently a matter of contention among some boaters, including other marine journalists not working for this publication. I will settle the matter right now: To practice seamanship means, in part, to practice good preparation. Seamanship is not limited to acts of high adventure on stormy seas.

Now that that’s resolved, let’s examine why boaters who winterize—or who store their boats otherwise—for months at a time should develop a routine for that first run of the season.

First, I never met a boat that wasn’t a work in progress. There’s always one or more tasks that need to be done or that are not 100 percent completed and one or more items that have failed or are about to fail. It’s the nature of the beast. Break out those Benjamins. Some of these tasks might be aesthetic and some might be critical. Along that spectrum, first-run boaters should make a checklist prioritizing critical items and working toward aesthetic.

Here’s my main point: Things that were in process or top of mind before you laid up the boat have had time to sink into the mire of disuse and distraction. Other things take up space in our brains. The holidays, house projects that got delayed while you were boating, plus the simple passage of time can all push boating tasks and repairs beyond recollection. So, make a list.

Start with safety: Check your flares for sufficient number and type as well as for expiration dates. Check your life jackets by pulling on the straps and ­tugging at the buckles, rearming the ­inflation mechanism, and noting whether any of your regular crew have grown over the winter and so now need a new size. Does the horn work? Do the nav lights work? Does your EPIRB, PLB or other beacon need a battery? Perform a self-test on these per the manufacturer’s procedure.

Other accessories that I’d give ­priority to include the VHF ­radio. Make sure it works by ­either requesting a radio check, radio-checking yourself with a handheld VHF, or by installing an inline wattmeter on the antenna cable (these come ready to go for easy installation).

Checking the bilge pump probably works as well in the safety paragraph, but I needed a good transition. Reach into the bilge and raise the pump’s float switch, and also check for manual operation by flipping the switch at the helm. What about livewell and washdown pumps? Better to find out before you launch, so check ’em out now.

Read Next: Six Tools for Spring Make-Ready

Let’s not forget propulsion. More than one boater shows up for spring launch with an ­engine that won’t start. Or won’t shift. Or otherwise doesn’t run right. ­Connect a hose, and fire off the engines in the yard or on the trailer. Shift gears. Check the alternator output, oil pressure and fluid levels before you head out for your first run.

This list is not intended to be complete for every boat. Nor is it an indictment of every boater. Instead, I’m hoping to provide you with a head start. I want to prompt you to think about your first run before you make it. Much of good seamanship is mindset and routine.

And don’t forget your drain plug. 

The post The Importance of a Spring Launch Checklist appeared first on Boating Mag.

After 30 years of saltwater use, the intricately curved anodized-aluminum trim along the cap of the open transom of my outboard-powered 21-foot center-console fishing boat was falling apart. Corrosion had eaten away at the metal, and its once-lustrous finish was now crusty and riddled with ragged holes. 

I wanted to buy new trim from the factory, but production of the model had long ceased, and no replacement trim was available. Commissioning a custom piece of trim from a fabricator proved a bit too expensive for my budget.  

Making my own seemed like the way to go. I started with 1-inch aluminum 90-degree angle stock for the straight run across the outboard edge of the transom where the liner meets the hull. On each end of the straight run, however, the transom curves upward to meet the rail cap. Bending the aluminum stock proved too difficult for me, so I turned to another material—1-inch PVC 90-degree angle stock—to adjoin and bookend the aluminum trim. The PVC is 3/16-inch thick, which is drillable and holds fasteners well, and the light-gray color complements my boat and blends well with the aluminum angle stock. It is available in up to 6-foot lengths for $21.08 each from grainger.com.

PVC angle stock is rigid and chemical-resistant but becomes malleable with the application of mild heat, and so it can conform nicely to inside and outside bends. It returns to a rigid state once it cools. Here are the steps I followed to shape one curving piece of trim, a process that needs to be repeated in a mirror image on the opposite side.

Skill Level: 2.5 of 5

Finish Time: Approx. 3-4 hours per each curved piece of trim

Tools and Supplies

• PVC 90-degree 1-inch angle stock ($21.08/6-foot length; grainger.com)
• 2-foot-long piece of ­two-by-six hardwood lumber
• Jig saw or coping saw
• Scrap cardboard and ­masking tape
• Pencil or marker
• Heavy-duty scissors and ­razor cutter
• Assorted vises and clamps
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Heat gun
• Miter box and fine-tooth back saw
• Bastard file
• Power drill and bit set
• No. 10 Phillips 3/4-inch-long truss-head self-tapping screws 
• Phillips screwdriver
• Marine sealant
• Shop rags (to wipe away ­excess sealant)

Create a Template

If you have not done so already, remove the old trim. If it comes off without bending or breaking, you can use the old trim as the template to build a jig as outlined in the next step. If the old trim is not usable for this purpose, securely tape a piece of cardboard against the outside of the transom, then with a pencil or marker, carefully trace along the curve of the transom. Then remove the cardboard and cut carefully with pair of scissors or a razor cutter with a fresh blade along the line you traced. This piece of cardboard will serve as your template for building a jig to shape an inside curve in the PVC stock. 

Build a Jig

I used a piece of two-by-six hardwood lumber about 2 feet in length to build the jig. Using the template, trace the radius of the curve so that it carries from the top edge of the wood to merge with the end of the piece of lumber. Next, use a jig saw or coping saw to cut carefully along the line that you drew, ensuring that the cut is as perpendicular as possible to the broad side of the board, thus creating a flat surface on the narrow edge for clamping and ­bending the PVC 90-degree angle stock. If not, you might have to sand the narrow edge of lumber to obtain a flat and level surface after the cut. 

Tip: Depending on the radius of the curve you need to create, you can use a two-by-four (for a smaller radius than in this project) or a two-by-ten (for a larger radius) to build the jig.

Heat and Bend

Lock the jig into a vice with the broad side vertical and the curved portion on top and hanging over the edge of your work surface to allow the heated PVC to bend around the end of the board. Clamp one side of the PVC angle stock to the top of the jig so that the ­other side of stock is ­oriented upward (to accommodate the inside curve). Gently and slowly warm the PVC in the area of the bend with a heat gun. Keep moving the heat gun to avoid overheating or crinkling of the plastic. As it softens, guide the stock carefully around the radius of the curve until you have created the desired bend.

Tip: A pair of heat-resistant gloves allows you to shape the curve of the heated plastic without suffering any burns to your hands. 

Fit and Trim

Let the angle stock completely cool with the clamps in place until the PVC angle stock becomes rigid again. Then unclamp it from the jig, and test-fit it to the transom edges to ensure that the newly curved piece follows the bend and fits flush on all surfaces. Assuming a good fit, also note where you need to trim the PVC stock on each end, marking both with a piece of masking tape. Cut the angle stock to fit with a miter box and a fine-tooth back saw. Leave at least ¹/₈ to ¹/₁₆ inch of extra length on each end. This will allow you to file down the last little bit of material for the tightest fit possible.

Read Next: How to Apply Clear Coat to a Fiberglass Boat

Drill and Secure

Refit the piece of trim in place—recheck your cuts to make sure everything fits well and flush. Then mark the best location for the mounting screws. Avoid screwing into the apex of the curving portion of the trim or along the vertical leg of the angle stock. Instead, secure it along the straight horizontal portions of the PVC. Drill pilot holes with a No. 21 bit through the trim and into the transom cap, and use stainless-steel 3/4-inch-long No.10 Phillips truss-head self-tapping screws. Bed the surfaces and pilot holes with marine sealant. Don’t overtighten the screws so as to prevent cracking the plastic.

Tip: Before attaching the replacement trim, fill in and seal the old screw holes from the original trim. In this case, I filled in the old holes with Marine Tex. 

The post How to Create Custom Boat Trim appeared first on Boating Mag.

On July 13 of last summer, 18-year-old Harry Besley left Lyme Regis on the English Channel, aiming to be the first person to circumnavigate Britain in an all-electric boat.  He and a rotating crew of friends stopped at more than 45 locations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland before completing the clockwise round trip on August 14.  The team covered 1,708 nautical miles in Electra, a 21-foot Galaxy P7 aluminum-hull rigid inflatable boat (RIB) modified for electric propulsion and powered solely by a 90 kW (120 hp) Evoy Breeze outboard motor. The Evoy system consisted of two 63 kWh liquid-cooled, lithium batteries, a 6.6 kW AC charger, a DC fast charger, and a battery management system that could be remotely monitored. We caught up with Harry for some insights into his epic voyage. —Capt. John Page Williams

What prompted you to develop the Round Britain Electric RIB project?

“I’ve been on and around boats since I was three years old,” Harry explained. “I love sailing, water-skiing, and exploring along the [English] Channel in powerboats. I’ve also taken advantage of local courses in first-aid, lifesaving, and boating safety. For the past couple of years, I’ve thought a lot about circumnavigating Britain.”

“But I didn’t want to burn a lot of petrol making a trip like that,” he continued. “I wanted to show how powerboaters can reduce carbon emissions and promote clean boating. That goal is very important to me as a young person with much of my life on Earth ahead of me. I wanted to show that an electric boat can take this kind of extensive journey now, though I knew that planning for charging along the route would be a logistical challenge.”

Harry’s mother and project manager, Jaqui Besley, adds: “Right from the start, our intention was to help the marine industry move towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future, accelerating the change and encouraging industry investment. Our world-record attempt showcased some of the technologies which are leading the market in zero emission propulsion and helped develop knowledge, skills and infrastructure at the 40 locations we visited around the UK.”

This expedition required both training and logistic planning. How did you meet those challenges?

“The whole process took a couple of years,” Harry told us.  “It was a huge, all-over-Britain team effort. My mother is a deeply experienced project and business manager. Our stakeholders provided invaluable help in planning charging stops. Jim Thomas, a local geography teacher and retired Helm for the Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station for Royal National Lifeboat Institution, was a great help in developing my skills on the water. More than 50 sponsors helped us with everything from seamanship training, electrical systems, shock-absorbing seats, and foul-weather clothing to insurance, fire protection, and funding.”

Distance between marina-charging stops ranged from 35 to 50 nautical miles. Though the shore support crew carried a petrol backup generator in case charging wasn’t available in an outport, Harry never had to use it.

Where did you sleep?

“Mainly in a tent on the roof of the shore-support landrover. The crew had short naps on board Electra but I couldn’t! Only eight nights in a real bed on a 32-day trip. To work around weather, tides, and charging availability, we had to start some days well before sunrise. At least Electra’s deck was long enough for one of us to nap while we were underway.”

Read Next: Decoding the Horsepower Ratings of Electric Motors

Which sections of the trip were your favorites? Which sections challenged your seamanship the most?

“We loved the dolphins that showed up periodically to play in our wake, and the seals, and the puffins. The scenery varied, of course, but it was often stunningly beautiful. We had to navigate some serious waves, strong winds, and big tidal currents, but I enjoy it when the water is rough. Electra is a very able boat, especially with the weight of the batteries that allowed her simply to crush choppy seas. The instant torque of the Evoy electric motor made it easy to handle seas, and our suspension seats helped a lot. Our technical clothing—especially our dry suits—was crucial to both comfort and safety.

“The seas were especially rough on the run from the Isle of Man to Northern Ireland, but with such a capable rig, we weren’t worried. The scariest incident came in our attempt to round the southwest corner of Wales, from Milford Haven to Fishguard at night in rough seas, when the electronic display showing charge data cut out. We had to turn back. Otherwise, the trip wasn’t bad—except for the lack of sleep. Balancing daylight, tides, and proper charging availability was a constant challenge, and they didn’t always line up conveniently. Staying sharp when fatigued was not easy; we made some silly mistakes, like tying up the boat overnight with lines too short for the tides. Thank goodness none of those mistakes were too costly.

“All told, it was a great adventure, but the next time I do this, it’ll be in a boat with a cabin!”  [Get a feel for the trip by visiting Harry’s YouTube Channel at youtube.com/@RoundBritain_eRIB.]

What comes next for you?

“Well, I’m now on my gap year and having spent 3 to 4 months in the Mediterranean, I’m heading off to work in Australia. Then I’m back to London to go to university next year to study paramedic science. Maybe I’ll be able to combine boating with being a paramedic—who knows?”

The post On Board With: Harry Besley appeared first on Boating Mag.

Our neighborhood made the boating news twice in 2024, stories that have fueled the offseason hot-stove league here at the Lake View Inn, where everyone is welcome to their opinion. I’m almost certain you heard about Ryan Borgwardt, the fellow who tried to stage his drowning in Big Green Lake this past August. I got calls and texts from all over the country on this one.

Borgwardt flips his kayak into the lake, leaving behind ID and a tackle box, and then paddles a little tube to shore, where he has stashed an e-bike, which he rides 60 miles to Madison, where he catches a bus to Michigan, crosses into Canada, then catches a flight to meet a woman in Georgia. The Republic of, not the state. But for a month, everyone thought the poor guy had drowned in the state’s deepest lake. Everyone, of course, except my good friend Chuck Larson, who has watched many episodes of Unsolved Mysteries, and immediately smelled a rat.

“Using my Spock logic, I deduce this is a ruse,” Chuck said after a week of high-tech searching had not located a corpse. “Nobody fishes Big Green from a kayak, especially that side of the lake. The wake reverb off the sandstone bluff makes it too rough. And the water is 260 feet deep. Was he trolling for lake trout from a kayak? I don’t think so. Finally, they found his life jacket. Have you ever seen a kayaker not wearing a life jacket? My next call would be to check his passport records.”

Borgwardt had requested a replacement passport and left one on his dresser at home, so the county sheriff didn’t check passport records for a month. Once it was revealed that he had used the replacement to cross into Canada, the jig was up. And $40,000 had been invested looking for his waterlogged body. Borgwardt voluntarily returned to Wisconsin in December. His wife is reportedly pissed.

Read Next: Tow or Salvage?

We are also still discussing the matter of Deep Thought (oh, the irony), a 33-foot Chris-Craft Roamer that has been beached on the Lake Michigan shore near Milwaukee since October 18. The story goes that the new owners purchased the boat in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and intended to cruise it home to Mississippi. Except they ran out of gas. The boat drifted onto the sandy shore just south of Bradford Beach, and the owner has apparently not been seen since. After determining that the boat did not pose a hazard to navigation or the environment, the Coast Guard declined to get involved. Turns out, Wisconsin does not have a formal program to address abandoned vessels, and no statute requiring removal if said vessel does not impede navigation. So, there it sits. The boat has become a tourist attraction, with a Google Maps pin. It was decorated with a pine garland for the holidays and tagged with graffiti and an “I Closed Wolski’s” sticker. A commercial towing and salvage company made two failed attempts to pull the boat off the beach, but its running gear is reportedly 4 feet deep in sand, and the engine room is filled with water. Or now, probably ice.

Chuck is working on a scheme to salvage this vessel, using a fire truck to pump high-pressure water under the hull and wash away the sand. So, let us know if you spot a pumper truck for sale. Chuck intends to rename the Roamer Finders Keepers.

The post Solving Boating Mysteries appeared first on Boating Mag.

Early on in my boat-testing career, I learned the hard way about what can happen when boating in unfamiliar waters. The boat company set up our test out of a beautiful Southwest Florida resort adjacent to Pine Island Sound. As I boarded the shiny new 30-foot cruiser and set to throw the lines, I asked the company rep where we should go to run the boat.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “I’m from Wisconsin.”

A dockhand happened to ­overhear and said that whatever we do, don’t veer outside the marked channels. So we idled out and then started ­collecting performance data between the safety of the red and green channel markers. All went well ­until we started running at speed in a stretch of water where the channel markers seemed at least a half-mile apart. I decided to try a hard-over turn at speed—­standard testing procedure—and wandered outside the designated channel by about 20 feet. Sure enough, we both heard and felt the whump of the bow ­slamming into soft sand, then the boat stopped moving. What was supposed to be a two-hour boat test turned into a six-hour one as we waited for the tide to rise.

Lesson learned.

When boating in unfamiliar waters, there are steps you can take to ensure that you don’t wind up high and dry—or worse.

Seek Out Local ­Knowledge

Unlike that boat test decades ago, a GPS and chart plotter now come standard on all but the simplest of boats. Make sure to update chart-plotter software to include whatever new waters you might be visiting, and also purchase a paper chart as a backup. But before you launch, ask around at the local docks and seek out people who regularly boat in the area. They will be able to share information about shifting sandbars, recent unmarked hazards, and quirky navigation tricks that might not be obvious. For instance, the spot where I ran aground gave away no telltale signs of being shallow, such as a color change, current seam or standing birds. To the naked eye, the water in the area looked exactly the same. We should have listened to the dockhand.

Another great resource is the Coast Guard’s Local Notices to Mariners, which can be found under the “LNMs” tab on its ­Navigation Center site (navcen​.uscg.gov). From there you can ­select a region and find out if a buoy or nav beacon is down, if a sandbar has shifted at an inlet, etc.

Read The Water

It’s not ­always the case, but often your ­surrounding environment will provide clues as to what’s happening around you. Breaking waves in an inlet typically indicate a depth change and should be avoided. A drastic color change in the water can also reveal a spot where deeper water transitions to shallow. More-­concentrated wind dimples can be a ­telltale sign of a depth change or a submerged hazard. Trust your ­senses; if something looks slightly off, it probably is.

Read Next: How to Avoid Underwater Boating Hazards

Stay the Course

You might think you’re safe just by monitoring your electronics and ­following the course laid out for you onscreen. But be sure to account for how wind and current affect your boat as you navigate. A crosswind or current can push you astray, even when you think you’re tracking true. And as we found out that fateful day, in some areas, straying even a few feet outside the channel can be the difference between safely reaching port and being hopelessly stranded.

The post Safely Navigating Unfamiliar Waters appeared first on Boating Mag.

It was a beautiful August afternoon in Maryland, and my fiancée, her granddaughter, and I decided to take my 28-foot cabin cruiser down the South River and out into the Chesapeake Bay to the picturesque Thomas Point lighthouse, 5 miles from the marina. Once there, we decided to visit Annapolis, about 7 miles farther across open water dotted with crab traps. We went down Ego Alley and meandered through nearby Back Creek before heading home. I had noticed the voltmeter reading low and slowly dropping, but I pushed on.

The seas had picked up to about 2 feet on our bow, making for a rough ride. Suddenly, the boat jerked and veered hard to starboard. I looked around and saw the anchor line leading behind our boat, pulling a crab-pot float (more on this later). The anchor had jumped off its hook and deployed. We stopped the boat, and I hauled in the anchor, which had its shank bent 45 degrees.

I went to restart the boat and nothing. Both banks of batteries were apparently dead. I thought about checking the engine compartment, but the boat was rocking a lot.

We donned life jackets, and I called TowBoatUS. I deployed the anchor again, but we kept drifting because it would not dig in. We were lying sideways to the 2-foot seas, and the cooler and refrigerator down below upchucked their contents. The granddaughter also upchucked her contents all over the cockpit.

Ninety minutes later, Capt. Greg with TowBoatUS showed up and towed us safely back to our marina.

We made it in before dark. Upon raising the boat on its lift, I noticed that there was a metal crab pot firmly wrapped around the prop. So, we would not have been able to make it home, even if I had found and fixed the loose battery connections that had prevented the motor from restarting.

Read Next: The Importance of Wearing a Life Jacket

What we did right: donning life jackets, keeping calm, deploying the anchor to slow our drift, and having three working cellphones and a handheld VHF. Had I gone into the engine compartment to troubleshoot, I could have been injured with the severe rocking.

What we did wrong: not fully checking everything before leaving the boat slip, not stopping in Back Creek to check the voltage drop, and not staying clear of the crab-pot area. I have since installed locknuts on the battery connections to keep them secure and tight.

Jim Anderson
Davidsonville, Maryland

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Share your boating mistakes and mishaps so that your fellow boaters might learn from your experience. Send us your first-person accounts, including what went wrong, what you’d do differently, your name and your city, to editor@boatingmag.com and use “ILAB” in the subject line. If your story is selected for publication, we’ll send you a $100 West Marine Gift Card!”

The post Ignoring a Warning Sign Ruins a Day of Boating appeared first on Boating Mag.

1. Take a Turn Around the Base

Start by taking a turn around the base of the cleat with the line. This ensures that the load is spread evenly on all fasteners holding the cleat to the dock or boat. With respect to direction of pull on the line, take the line around the far horn first and then back under the closest horn. Now proceed to Step 2.

2. Figure Eight

After taking the line round under both horns, cross the line from under the nearest horn diagonally over the top of the cleat and then under the horn farthest away. Next, bring the line from under the farthest horn back diagonally across the top of the cleat. When looked at from above, you have formed a figure eight. This ensures that you are spreading the load evenly across both horns of the cleat. Proceed to Step 3.

Tip: Making multiple figure eights across the cleat doesn’t make the tie more secure. What it does do is take up all the space on the cleat, preventing you or others from using the cleat for another line, a fender, a bait cart or other item. A single figure eight is sufficient.

3. Half Hitch

Make the half hitch by bending the bitter end of the line under itself to form a loop. Place the loop over the horn. Pull the tag end to snug it all up. The half hitch locks the cleat hitch in place and prevents the line from slipping. Remember that in strong wind or rough waves, the line will be ­stretching—changing diameter—and the boat or dock structure might be flexing and vibrating. These can all cause line that is seemingly secure to slip. So, please: Add the half hitch.

Read Next: Three Choices for Nonsnag Cleats

4. Be Neat

Be neat with any ­excess line. You don’t have to flemish it into coil, but do take care to arrange it neatly and in a way that others on the dock won’t trip over. If the cleat is vertical on a pole or pile, you can hang loops of excess line on the cleat.

The post How to Cleat a Dock Line appeared first on Boating Mag.

New York Times bestselling author Randy Wayne White has written more than 40 novels, but he’s best known for his “Doc Ford” series, set on Sanibel Island, Florida. Doc Ford is a biologist with a “certain set of skills” that his bookish appearance belies. White’s latest novel, One Deadly Eye, is set during Hurricane Ian in 2022, and because White hunkered down on Sanibel Island for the blow, he gives a terrifying bird’s-eye view of the destructive force of Ian’s winds, storm surge, and worse, the seedy looters and assassins that wormed their way into the devastated zone. I met up with White at a book signing in Sandman Books in Punta Gorda, Florida, one of his favorite bookshops, on his latest book tour.

Your main character, Doc Ford, is clearly a skilled boater with near-limitless local knowledge. You must certainly be a boater yourself.

I got my Ocean Operator’s Unlimited license in 1974. I worked as a licensed fishing guide in the Sanibel area. Getting a license was hard back then. I had to apply to the US Coast Guard for the privilege of testing. The USCG accepted me, and I had to overnight in the Tampa barracks while taking tests on international rules, inland rules, and safety. It was tough. After a physical, they swore me in as a captain. I’m not positive, but I think there were only two-dozen licensed guides between Estero Island and Captiva backthen. Now, with six-pack licenses, it’s much simpler.

You began guiding in 1974. When did you stop?

My marina was shut down in 1989, and I no longer had a home port. I had boys to raise and feed, and I had to make some money. So I started writing more. It took me 10 years to write something I’d put my own name on. Along the way, I wrote thrillers under a pseudonym. I had a bunch of DNF books and the stuff I sold for groceries—“duck and f-cks,” we’d call them. My big break was when Rolling Stone started Outside magazine. I wrote for them and soon editors from some of the best paying magazines in the country started asking me to contribute. 

Did you miss guiding?

I loved my clients. Many would come back annually. I’d watch their children grow from kids to college kids a decade later. I always disliked my peers who spoke poorly about their clients. They come down to have a good time, don’t really have any fishing skills or wouldn’t have hired you, and the guide would get frustrated with them. I adored my clients.

Did you have any bad clients?

In the years I guided, I had only two who should not be allowed to reproduce.

What’s your current boat?

It’s a 25 Dorado with a half-bridge; I really like it. I got the Doc Ford stencils on it.

What is your favorite boat?

I had a number of Shamrocks. Beautiful boats! But God almighty, they run like a John Deere tractor in the rain. The torque on that boat! It’s a true inboard. I could run across almost anything, but if you ran aground, you were aground.

What boat do you wish you still had?

The Maverick 21 Master Angler, Kevlar. A magic boat. I just loved it. I had inshore red lights with night vision and ran Sanibel, Captiva, and Boca Grande islands. I avoided channels like the plague.

What’s your favorite bit of new boating tech that was unavailable when you began in ’74?

The Power-Pole! My God, don’t you wish you had invented that? I also love my automatic-deploying Minn Kota Ulterra trolling motor.

What are you nostalgic about in your career?

Not being a gimp. (White grins wryly, acknowledging his struggles with back surgeries and arthritis.) I miss the time when there were no jet skis. Times when other guides would honor your place, give a wide berth. Then suddenly all these six-packs crowded in, and honor was gone. When my marina closed, I guided off a trailer and boat ramps for a few years. The guidingculture was different. The veteran guides were so good to me. All the guides wanted all the guides’ clients to catch fish. Everybody caught fish. It was fun.

In One Deadly Eye, Doc Ford, your mysteriously skilled, spectacled biologist protagonist, gains access to a futuristic weapon. Are you a techie guy?

I’m very thorough in terms of research, and I have friends who do unusual things, so I have access to some crazy techie stuff. After Ian, we went to the Bell Tower Hotel on US 41—it was like Casablanca. Everybody wanted something. Especially boats. I met this English doctor. He got interested in thermal technology and got patents on this device, which you can put into a Walmart or anywhere, and it can read body temperatures of people walking past. This was done before the pandemic.

Read Next: On Board With: Capt. Boomies

He sounds like an inspiration to you and Doc Ford.

Oh my God, he has won three consecutive Queen’s award, is friends with King Charles, and has won the King’s award. He has done well. He’s shared some about his thermal technology, and another company has sent me some pretty high-end stuff to test. It is like science fiction.

As were some of the weapons in One Deadly Eye. How many people asked if you’re a spy?

It happens all the time, but when agencies start hiring people like me, we’re all in trouble.

The post On Board With: Randy Wayne White appeared first on Boating Mag.

There are a number of app-based boat security and monitoring products today from well-known brands such as Garmin, Gost, Siren Marine, and one newcomer, the Skyhawk Oversea.

Oversea is unique in that its components are all independently powered by internal, replaceable batteries. This eliminates the need for onboard battery power, and this greatly simplifies installation. In fact, the Skyhawk Oversea system is so unique that it won an Innovation Award from the National Marine Manufacturers Association at the 2024 Miami International Boat Show.

Consisting of a 4-by-4-inch waterproof Hub ($299) that communicates via high-power RF signals with even-more-compact waterproof sensors, Skyhawk allows you to customize a system based on what you wish to monitor. The sensor Hub itself contains GPS to enable you to check the location and track your boat remotely via 4G cellular (additional service required) and the free Oversea mobile app. You can also check the sensor readings with the app.

The system can be configured to send alerts via text and/or email if, for example, a boat battery sensor detects that voltage has fallen below a predetermined limit, if a bilge-water sensor is triggered, or if a motion sensor is tripped.

For this installation, we added two battery-voltage sensors, one bilge-water sensor and one motion sensor. With the $19.99 monthly cellular plan we selected, we could have up to six sensors, allowing for expansion in the future.

Skill Level: 1 of 5

Finish Time: Approx. 2 hours

Tools and Supplies

• Skyhawk Oversea Hub ($299; oversea.boats/shop)
• Skyhawk Oversea ­Sensors ($69 each, except for door-entry sensor, $29; ­oversea.boats/shop)
• Skyhawk Oversea cellular plan ($19.99 per month)
• Power drill and bit set
• Phillips screwdriver
• Marine silicone sealant
• Shop rags (to wipe away ­excess sealant)

Subscribe and Register

Before beginning the actual physical installation, take time to download and launch the free Oversea app on your cellphone or tablet. The Oversea app is available in the App Store (for iOS devices) and from Google Play (for Android devices). Use the app to establish an account for the Oversea service, set up your profile, and register each of the devices you have purchased by scanning the barcode on each item in your setup. No pairing or passcodes are required to undertake this step. Take care not to turn on any of the devices at this time. However, you can start to look for the best locations for each based on the function of the sensor.

Install the Hub

The Oversea Hub must be positioned on a horizontal surface in a cool, dry compartment that will not block GPS, cellular or RF transmissions. Orient the hub with the On button facing upward and the imprinted boat icon pointed forward, parallel with the centerline. We chose the inside of the fiberglass seat base, and attached the four nonskid adhesive pads to the underside of the hub, placed the silicone bracket over it, and used the two supplied stainless-steel screws to secure it. Press the power button (The three AA ­batteries in the hub have an expected life of one year, and might last as long as three.), then check the Oversea app to ensure that it connects to cellular and displays as one of your devices. You must do this before ­moving to Step No. 3.

Tip: The hub can receive GPS, as well as transmit and receive RF and cellular signals through fiberglass. Avoid mounting the hub or the sensors near metal such as marine batteries or engines, which can block connectivity.

Install the Sensors

Locate battery sensors next to the boat batteries in order to connect devices’ positive and negative leads to their respective batteries. The bilge-water sensor has an electronic water-­sensing switch and thermometer with a 4-foot wire that plugs into the sensor device, which should be mounted as high as possible in the bilge compartment. Mount the passive infrared motion sensor in a hidden spot aimed at the helm. There are two ways to mount sensors: 1) a built-in bracket for supplied stainless-steel fasteners; and 2) high-strength adhesive hook-and-loop fasteners. Both allow for easy removal to replace batteries when the time comes.

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Turn On the Sensors

Turn on each of the sensors by pressing the power button on each device once. A green blinking LED after a button press means the device is turning on. A red blinking LED after a button press means the device is turning off. A sensor that is working and connects with the Hub will blink green every 10 seconds. A yellow blinking LED shows that the last signal from the device was not processed correctly and it will try again to transmit the signal. A red blinking LED means the battery is running low (The two AA batteries in each sensor have an expected life of five years, and some might last 10 years.), and a blue blinking LED means the sensor is sending an RF signal. Confirm that each of the sensors is active in the Oversea app.

Tip: The power-up and connection process can last for 30 seconds or more, depending on network traffic. Do not press the button again too quickly.

Configure Limits and Alerts

The Skyhawk Oversea app enables boaters to create a certain level of customization and configuration. For example, on the homepage, known as “My Dock,” you can upload a photo of your boat, as well as your boat’s name. You can also name each sensor such as “Start Battery” or “House Battery” to simplify identification of the sensors. You can also set low-voltage thresholds for each battery, and enable alerts that will warn you via text and/or email if such limits are breached. Similarly, Oversea will alert you via the app if the bilge-water level triggers a sensor or if a ­motion sensor detects ­movement on board.

The post Installing a Skyhawk Oversea System to Protect Your Boat appeared first on Boating Mag.

After months of extensive preparations, my friend Coy and I headed for the Bahamas from Brunswick, Georgia, on Makana, his 32-footer.

Prior to leaving for the Bahamas, we learned that the -autopilot on Makana was not functioning, so Coy had a marine-electronics technician come to repair it and conduct a test trip. It was now running great. Having cruised extensively, we knew the value of an autopilot for fuel and time savings and for reducing stress on the skipper.

We set off, heading under the Sidney Lanier Bridge before allowing the autopilot to take control. Within seconds, Makana veered sharp to starboard and started swerving erratically. I immediately disengaged the autopilot and took control of the steering.

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Coy was not happy and was talking about returning to the dock. The autopilot had functioned flawlessly just a few days prior. Why was it suddenly acting like this?

I had experienced a similar event before on a boat that had its fluxgate compass and controls in one unit. It worked great in stand-by, but if I hit the engage button, it would turn us hard starboard. I figured out that the external fixator on my wrist (used to repair a fracture I had sustained) was causing the problem, so I thought maybe we had a fluxgate-compass problem with Makana.

After a thorough search in the aft cabin, I located the fluxgate compass situated at the bottom of the aft hanging locker, next to a No. 10 tin can (110 ounces) of peanuts. We quickly relocated the peanuts, and the autopilot operated flawlessly for the remainder of the voyage. Sometimes the solution to a boat problem can be quite simple, and this, thankfully, was one of those cases.

Charles Wilsdorf
Brunswick, Georgia

[The key safety takeaway here is that Mr. Wilsdorf remained at the helm, despite using an autopilot. Had he left the helm, the boat may have struck something or a sudden turn may have thrown someone overboard. Always keep a helm watch when using autopilot. —Ed.]

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The post Troubleshooting Autopilot Interference appeared first on Boating Mag.