Back on September 28, 2022, the USCG Office of Investigations & Analysis (CG-INV) released Marine Safety Advisory 01-22 titled, “Maritime Distress Communication Devices,” which is available on their Safety Alert internet site. In it, they detail what devices the USCG is listening to in real…
Posts tagged as “Vincent Pica”
I am often reminded of this expression, and it goes back to Biblical days – when there were fewer people and even fewer boats. If each generation wants to hand over these creeks and bays to their children and grandkids in the condition that we…
A number of years ago, as I was doing a (free) vessel exam for the owner of a very substantial yacht, I got to the part where I ask to see the life jackets. He pointed me to a locker, which I opened to find…
Last month, we wrote about various techniques you could try before throwing the towel and calling for help, whether that be the towing services or your brother-in-law. Mechanical issues are one thing. Electrical are another. This column is about that. For 1,000 years, Safety at…
Time and tide are now on our side – I know it’s only February but if major league baseball has pitchers and catchers showing up, Spring isn’t too far away! So, BEFORE you start your engines, ready the boat! Getting StartedAs with any project, starting…
GPS, the wonder of the 21st (really 20th!) century, is truly one of the simplest yet most powerful aids to navigation ever invented. And it just keeps getting better and better (column to follow in the months ahead.) So, who needs a compass? You do,…
Usually, as soon as I write a column on de-commissioning the boat for the winter season, Indian Summer arrives to bathe us in the last warmth of the year. As of this writing, it seems like it has arrived – but no one needs much…
Now, I’m the first to say, “You’ve got a $50,000 boat tied to the dock and you’re fretting about $200 in fuel? Wassup, doc!?” But, with that said, “Waste not, want not!” and this column is about that. Some BasicsWould it be any surprise to…
Previously, we talked in the past about cell phones aboard boats and the issues thereto. And they are fantastic devices – and therein lies another issue. As the functionality of cell phones starts to rival computers (did I say “rival” – I should have said…
Sometimes, the simplest thing can take on monumental proportions – if you get it wrong. And setting a proper anchor, and retrieving (or “weighing it” so you can “make way”), can make all the difference in the world when the wind starts to stiffen and…