Soundings is the news and feature publication for recreational boaters. Award-winning coverage of the people, issues, events -- and the fun -- of recreational boating. Check out our generous boats-for-sale section and our gunkholing destinations.
Typically, our editorial team takes to the water in a big way when the boating season in the Northeast gets underway. From May through October, we take advantage of opportunities to sea trial new models, run restored vessels and walk the docks at shows. In a normal year, it’s a busy period during which we spend a lot of time on the water, having a blast and rubbing shoulders with pleasant people who like to think and talk about boats. But this isn’t a normal year. The pandemic put the kibosh on our professional boating plans for the season. Like many of you, we spent the working days hunkered down at home, but trying to make the most of it by connecting with co-workers on video calls and doing lunch…
In late June, BoatU.S. sent a warning to boaters who use GPS, urging them to prepare for possible signal interference on board and, potentially, the need to purchase new GPS-based equipment. The warning followed a decision that the Federal Communications Commission made in April, when many boaters were distracted by the Covid-19 pandemic and government shutdowns. The FCC approved plans by the mobile satellite services operator Ligado Networks to build and operate a 5G network in a way that BoatU.S. and other opponents say will interfere with GPS signals—not just on boats, but also in aircraft, military operations and everywhere else that GPS is used. “We think it was a bad decision by the FCC, and it should be reversed,” David Kennedy, BoatU.S. manager of government affairs, told Soundings in…
As kids, we’d ask my father, “How deep is it here?” Looking us straight in the eye, he always gave the same sardonic reply. “All the way to the bottom!” It’s still true today—the topic of water depth seems so simple on the surface, but there’s a lot more to it. Knowing the depth and making decisions about avoiding submerged hazards is definitely worth a closer look. Charted depth is rarely the same as actual depth, or exactly what your depth sounder reads. The stage of the tide, the wind, the cycles of the moon and the earth all affect the height of the tides and the real depth of the water. Complimenting the information from our charts and plotters will make us better seaman. Using our own senses will…
1. NAVIGATION GENERAL: Stand of the tide is when: A. The vertical rise or fall of the tide has stopped B. Slack water occurs C. Tidal current is at the maximum D. The actual depth of the water equals the charted depth 2. NAVIGATION GENERAL: Neap tides occur when the: A. Moon is in its first quarter and third quarter phases B. Sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth C. Moon’s declination is maximum and opposite to that of the sun D. Sun and moon are in conjunction 3. NAVIGATION GENERAL: What information is found in the chart title? A. Date of the first edition B. Date of the edition and, if applicable, the revision C. Information on the sounding datum D. Information on which IALA buoyage…
Here’s good news for owners of boats powered by a single outboard. Those vessels now can be equipped with joystick docking control and a host of other features previously limited to multi-engine rigs with the introduction of the new Yamaha Helm Master EX system. Offered for single- to quad-engine boats, Helm Master EX will also be sold through Yamaha dealers, the first time an OEM joystick system has been available to retail customers for up-fitting or re-power applications. Helm Master EX is a collection of features that can be installed incrementally, starting with a binnacle Digital Electronic Control (DEC), and a Boat Control Unit (BCU) for each motor. The BCU contains system software, is about the size of a large cell phone, and can be mounted anywhere under the helm.…
RODEO RIDERS One way to learn how a particular boat handles rough seas is to find a nasty inlet, sit back and then watch. You’ll eventually see that some boats are better than others when doing battle with King Neptune. If you don’t have a gnarly inlet close to home, the Wavy Boats You-Tube channel is the next best thing. The channel focuses on Bakers Haulover Inlet in North Miami. When wind battles current here, things get dicey—and sometimes dangerous—very quickly. Standing waves as high as 8 to 10 feet and a rushing current as fast as 6 knots create treacherous conditions that some boats and owners just aren’t equipped to handle. Despite the dangers, the videos are informative.…
