Somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 million people go boating each year. While boating is much safer than driving a car, there are still enough boating accidents to raise some alarm signals as to why boating accidents occur.

Safety

53% of fatal boating accident victims drowned, while 39% suffered trauma and 9% died of other causes. Most boating deaths result from falling out of a small open boat, without a PFD, whether it capsizes or not. Make sure that all boaters have on flotation devices.

When boating be alert to sudden boat motion changes, wind shifts, light flashes and the beginning of choppy water. These sudden changes can all mean a storm is brewing. Always carry a radio with the local “Marine Band” on it. The Marine Band broadcasts storm warnings, which should alert you to head in to a dock until the storm blows over.

On The Water

There is no excuse for littering, especially on the water. The litter that you throw into the water can contaminate fish, the water that goes to our cities, and surrounding farmlands. Going out on the boat with your family can be a fun experience that can create many happy childhood memories for your children. Growing up on the water is an experience that not all children get to have. If sunbathing is a priority, then a calm inlet where you can tie floats to the boat and be lazy in the water is a perfect spot. Many now rent houseboats where they spend their vacations enjoying the peace and tranquility of the waterways.

Canoes

Canoes are designed for ease of getting in and out, especially for older folks wishing to get into the sport. Canoes are versatile and practical for a number of reasons, and can work in a number of different situations. When it comes to introducing yourself to the water, canoes are a great place to start. The longer canoes are excellent for long open water trips, but you can also buy one-person smaller canoes for running white water.

One feature that the canoe has over the Kayak is its storage capacity, which allows passengers to haul large amounts of accessories and supplies on extended water trips. Canoes however can sometimes be difficult to transport, unless you have a full-sized pickup truck and especially if you plan on loading it yourself. Another drawback of canoes is that when it rains heavily, the boat can fill up with water very rapidly.

Kayaks

The way kayaks are designed; they seem to blend in with the natural surroundings instead of disturbing them. Kayaks are never motorized…they are propelled manually, using one oar that has a paddle on either side. Kayaks are small, streamlined boats that have tapered ends and slightly thicker centers. There are openings in the middle that are just large enough to fit one person. One benefit that kayaks have over canoes is their portability. Kayaks are very easy to transport due to their size as compared to a canoe. Another thing that is making Kayaks very popular is their storability.

Inflatable kayaks are becoming more and more popular for this main reason. The serenity of paddling your kayak along a glassy lake in the early morning or along a river through a small canyon at sunset can be an incomparable experience.

Engine driven boats

Before starting your engine, always carefully sniff for gasoline fumes in the engine and fuel areas, open hatches and run the blower. Fuel fires and explosions burn and kill boaters each year. People who take boat trips often fail to realize the potential disasters that can ensue if they are not careful and safe on-board their boat. Over 1,000 people die on boating trips per year, and many of the dangers associated with boating are easily preventable.

Alcohol and Boating

Did you know?

* The use of alcohol is involved in about a third of all recreational boating fatalities?

* The penalties for BUI (boating under the influence) can include large fines, revocation of operator privileges and serious jail terms?

* It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in every state?

Every boater needs to understand the risks of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs (BUI). The Coast Guard also enforces a federal law that prohibits BUI. This law pertains to ALL boats (from canoes and rowboats to the largest ships) — and includes foreign vessels that operate in U.S. waters, as well as U.S. vessels on the high seas.

Conclusion

Bottom line: don’t drink and boat, wear your lifejacket, carry a radio with the Marine Band on it, take a safe boating course and maintain a proper lookout, especially for boaters who fit the profile of an accident-maker.

Each year hundreds of lives are lost… thousands are injured… and millions of dollars of property damage occurs because of preventable recreational boating accidents on U.S. waterways. Too often pleasure outings turn tragic. You — as a boat operator, passenger, or concerned individual — can make a difference. Copyright © 2007 Jerry Tarrer

WaterStates Trading Company specializes in LOW prices on QUALITY water sports, boating and fishing and camping supplies. We offer communication, safety, navigation and entertainment electronics for your boating or camping experience.

Buying a fishing boat has only one purpose: to be used in fishing.  Selecting and acquiring the ideal fishing boat is a real art for someone who has already gone through many experiences as far as boating is concerned.

However, it can be a daunting task to those who have not yet experienced buying a fishing boat. 

 Owning a boat is the goal of many. Owning and operating a boat correctly requires the skill, desire, and time to care for her correctly.

 All alone with just the deep blue quiet all around you and the vault of stars above to light your way; what could be better?

One of the greatest pleasures that a man can have is owning his own boat. It goes back to the days of adventure on the high seas when a man was absolute monarch of his realm as a captain of his ship.

Today there are very few places that the average man can be master and commander of his own destiny.

Fishing boat with modified V shaped double hull for superior performance and stability…

Exclusive impact resistant RAM-X hull and deck…

Built-in flotation for added safety…

Two folding / padded swivelling seats with side trays…

Live-well with aerator pump and battery compartment…

Built-in motor mount on transom, bow electric motor mount and fore and aft 12V electrical sockets…

Equipped with one swivel, two vertical and two horizontal rod holders, drink holders, lure compartments and cleats….

White/Khaki:…

Length 10ft.3in.:…

Beam 61in.:…

Weight 162lbs:…

Max Capacity 500lbs:…

Max Hp 7:…

WaterStates Trading Company specializes in LOW prices on QUALITY water sports, boating and fishing and camping supplies. We offer communication, safety, navigation and entertainment electronics for your boating or camping experience.

Ice fishing is the standard in winter, however, spring is just around the corner and now is the time to start preparing for spring.  Changes in weather bring about differences in behavior in migration patterns of fish. One thing fisherman should consider when preparing bait for fishing is the changes in the digestion patterns of the fish.

As seasons change, fish undergo biological changes in their systems as well because their bodies are getting ready for survival during the colder months.

As such, the choices in baits are crucial in being able to catch as much fish as possible.

Consequently, fish feeding patterns differ during spring, summer, autumn and winter months. This is manifested in the type of food the look for. But generally, during the colder months, fish have the tendency to gather and store more food.

This being the case the preparation for baits during different seasons differs as temperatures rise or drop. Temperature changes bring about biological changes in the fish that helps them adapt to their surroundings. The change in their feeding patterns helps them survive the cold months by preparing their bodies to store more food.

It is also essential to pick the right location. Very still waters do not have much fish in them. Another thing to remember is fish don’t tend to stay in areas that have been heavily baited previously.

According to experts and veteran fishers, using baits rich in protein during cold weather lessens the possibility of catching more fish. This is because it will take the fish longer to digest high protein food. On the average, it will take up to three days for fish to digest baits high in protein. Protein has the characteristic of keeping fish feeling full for longer periods. Feeling full will not encourage fish to swim to the surface to look for bait.

If you want to catch more fish, go for baits that will increase appetite. This hunger will surely drive the fish to look for food. Fishers can take advantage of this and drop more bait.

Baits with lower protein content are very much suitable for fishing in cooler weather. You should try to choose baits with just about 22% protein. These baits tend to digest faster and will leave the fish to feel the need to feed faster, with lesser number of hours in between, as opposed to high protein baits. This means that with baits with lower protein content will be a lot hungrier faster and will be a lot easier to catch.

It is important to note that it might mean better catches for you if you steer clear of high protein baits, such as those laden with milk during the cooler months. Most often it is better to prepare your own bait than to buy from the store. Case in point are boilies made at home that are easily digested will yield a better catch than pellets made of fish.

By: Wallace Brigs  Article Source: (http://articlefree4all.com)

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