After Sabrina, the MIT-trained boat engineer, had fixed and done the necessary touch-ups on Family Jewels, I got ready to take her (the boat that is) out of the boathouse to the mariner. With one turn of the ignition, Family Jewels’ engine purred into life. To warm her up, I reved a couple of times, …

I spent years dreaming of purchasing a lakefront property. Once I finally found my dream home, I was confronted with an unexpected decision. What kind of dock should I choose?  I learned that there are many types of docks. Which one is right for you will depend on your body of water, weather conditions, and …

Do you have any idea how heavy a sit-on-top kayak is to carry when it’s full of water? Or how unpleasant it is to sit on the back of a boat with water sloshing around your feet? If you do, then you’ll understand why boat scuppers are so valuable. Surely it makes sense, doesn’t it, …

There’s nothing like being out on the water. Athletes who rely on that water for competitions know not to take great weather for granted. Ancient Egyptians felt the same way, they started racing on the Nile pretty much as soon as they could build reliable vessels on the river. That infinite love for showing the utmost skill …

Since the first person floated down a river on a log, many types of boats have evolved. Even dugouts made from logs are a hull type. They have round bottoms, as do most canoes. Understanding the pros and cons of each hull type can help when looking for a boat to purchase. Each hull type …

Batteries, where would we be without them, right? From watches to cell phones to remote controls, and need I say it, vibrating toys, it looks like everything in our lives needs one sort of battery or another. Take the boat, Family Jewels, I inherited from my late Pappy, for instance. After just leaving (or neglecting-depends …

There are many ways you can propel a boat. For example, you can paddle, row, or put sails on one. Or you can use gas, LP gas, diesel, Hybrid drives, or an electric motor. The motor you use can turn a propeller below or above the water, and the type of boat you have can …

Boat lifts are devices used to raise and lower boats between the water and a dock. There are many different boat lifts, each designed for a specific purpose. The most common type of boat lift is the hydraulic lift, which uses a system of hydraulically-powered cylinders to raise and lower the boat. Another common type …

Just as cars have handbrakes and footbrake to hold them when needed, boats have anchors to perform the same function.  Anchors are let down of the boat to sink into the waters, dig and stop the boat from drifting. There are several types of anchors available out there and they all perform the same type …

Sails, like boat hulls and engines, have evolved. For example, the ships that traveled the oceans a little over a hundred years ago had multiple masts and may have had eight to ten sails. Likewise, as recreational boats have evolved, so too have many sail types used by wind-powered vessels. Many of what was and …