Using apps to decide: Go or not go?
It’s a lovely summer day, and you’re pining to go on a longer journey than your usual casual afternoon boating outing. You want to spend …
Boater encounters deteriorating weather while sailing to Cape May
In 1992, I headed north for the summer aboard my sailboat, SMAY. After traversing the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, I emerged into the top of …
Cruising the Douro River in Portugal
In May 2025, 12 friends from districts 22 and 28 traveled to Madrid for a once-in-a-lifetime cruise on Portugal’s Douro River. After a three-day stay …
Paddling and heat stress
In August 2011, I went on a kayak trip with Tampa Bay Sea Kayakers. We launched in the morning at Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs. …
Smuggler’s Cove
Boaters cruise the Channel Islands for Labor Day Last year, we decided to get the boat ready and head out to California’s Channel Islands over …
Vessel safety checks and National Safe Boating Week
For years, I have been presenting recreational boating safety programs to boating, sailing and paddling clubs during meetings, symposia, picnics, training, on-water trips and other …
Weekend outing fouled by leaky water pump
A recent Labor Day weekend outing on Most Precious was a series of blunders. While I’m proud of the way my first mate and I …
Exploring the beauty of Norway
My husband, Dave, and I aren’t frequent international travelers, and we never thought about Norway as a destination. But after a recent high school reunion, …
Bucket List Realized
Member reminisces on conquering the open water In 1997, I retired from my sales job. I had long dreamed of going blue-water sailing. For 20 …
The Nile: Not just a river in Egypt
A picture of a felucca, a traditional Egyptian sailing craft, that appeared on the cover of National Geographic Traveler was the catalyst for our latest …
Boat modifications lead to tragedy
Recently, I learned about Bryan from Ontario, Canada, who modified his boat RingUL8r to be 100% electric—no minor upgrade. Despite Bryan’s best efforts, not everything …
Transporting and launching
Most paddlecraft average 6 to 20 feet in length and weigh 20 to 100 pounds. They can usually be handled by one person—or two for …
