Category Archives: Boating Safety

NOAA Ship Rainier surveying the waters off Washington

Posted on November 1, 2014 by captnmike

A NOAA ship plying the waters off the coast often inspires public curiosity. This is especially true when boaters and others see the ship or her launches just go back and forth, back and forth, all day. It’s not a surprise,…

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Let There Be Light – Testing the Streamlight Siege LED Lantern

Posted on October 10, 2014 by captnmike

I have used the Streamlight Siege LED Lantern for several months and have been quite impressed by it. For boaters, the Lantern floats, has multiple light levels, should survive a 2 meter (6 foot) drop), has a nice handle to … Continue reading →

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The Untold 9/11 Boat Lift Story

Posted on September 11, 2014 by captnmike

Originally posted on Boating Safety Tips, Tricks & Thoughts from Captnmike:
Evacuation of 500,000 people from Lower Manhattan on 9/11 by boat Following the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers in 2001, a problem faced by many New Yorkers was…

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2014 – Special Notice To Mariners

Posted on September 6, 2014 by captnmike

The Special Notice To Mariners is an annual safety publication for all Mariners, published as a 116 page PDF document by the Coast Guard District 13.  D-13 has included information from many sources in one handy place. The Special Notice … Continue reading →

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Navigators Piloting and Charting Reference Card

Posted on August 23, 2014 by captnmike

The Navigators Piloting and Charting Reference Card puts the commonly used coastal navigation formulas and symbols on one handy card for easy reference.  This card helps prevent mistakes when tired, or when doing your Navigation Class homework. Even with today’s use … Continue reading →

Posted in Boating Safety, Navigation, Sailing and Boating Skills | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

A Face Plant at Speed

Posted on August 11, 2014 by captnmike

Running with the spinnaker up in good wind with a planing hull is a rush when the boat pops up out of the water and starts planing. If the wind is too big serious damage can be done, from the simple … Continue reading →

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Correcting chart discrepancies at Alaska’s Whale Passage

Posted on July 25, 2014 by captnmike

by Ensign Sarah Chappel, NOAA Ship Rainier NOAA Ship Rainier recently surveyed Whale Passage, which separates Whale Island from Kodiak Island, Alaska. The area has never been surveyed with modern full bottom coverage methods, and some project areas were last…

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Making Spiral Pelican Hook Lanyards & Key Fobs

Posted on July 21, 2014 by captnmike

After I wrote the original article on Lanyards & Key Fobs, some friends saw the spiral version and wanted to know how to make the spiral key fobs. Making a Spiral Portuguese Sennit, key fob is not too difficult and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boat Maintenance, Boating Safety, Sailing and Boating Skills | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment