Boating Knowledge Archives

Mooring a Sailboat

October 14, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Mooring a vessel means attaching it to a float that is firmly and permanently anchored to the sea bottom.

Know Your Chart!

October 14, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Always familiarize yourself with any chart before using it for navigation and plotting of positions; there are significant differences between charts that could lead to mistakes.

Returning a sailboat to the Slip

October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Time flies when you are sailing. But sadly, the moment comes when you must return and put your vessel back in its slip.

Sailboat Maneuvering Topics

October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

With practice, wind direction and current direction are not too much of a problem. But what can get you into trouble is extremely high winds. Be prepared to change…

Sailboat Fire Extinguishers and Requirements

October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Fire Extinguishers Fire Extinguishers are given a letter rating that matches the type of fire they will be battling.

Spinning Propeller

October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

As you sail along, the water flowing over your propeller will cause it to spin. Some sailboats are fitted with a special alternator that will create electricity…

Sailors are forever measuring stuff. This brings us to the subject of navigation units. As we all remember from the good ol’ school days, measurement is the process of comparing something with an established standard.

Sailboat Inverters

October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Sailboat Inverters are devices used to convert 12-volt DC battery electricity to AC 110-volt or 220-volt electricity. Special electronics in

Sea Anchor

October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Finally, there is something called a “sea anchor.” These can be a variety of devices used to slow down a vessel caught in high winds and turbulent seas.

Basic Surface Geometry

October 13, 2023/by Grant Headifen

Below is a brief summary of how locations are commonly expressed on different surfaces.