ianfortey
Articles by ianfortey
Ranking The 11 Best Boat Anchor Ropes for 2024
Choosing a good anchor line shouldn’t be a hassle. It’s anchor line, you just want it to hold an anchor! You don’t want to invest a lot of time or effort into getting the right one. But if you get the wrong one, you’ll know. Bad anchor lines can break too easily. They also knot…
How to Fish Lipless Crankbaits: Ultimate Guide
When it comes to bass fishing, many anglers prefer fishing crankbaits. But not all crankbaits are the same. And catching bass whether with regular crankbaits or lipless crankbaits takes some skill. You need to know the best method for fishing lipless crankbait if you want to be successful. That includes knowing things like: What’s the…
Best Marine VHF Antennas for 2024
New boaters are often surprised by all the elements they need to get out on the water. It’s easy to overlook everything from a good fish finder to carpeting. VHF antennas are another one of those things we may overlook. But a good VHF antenna is an absolute must on the water. Unlike a handheld…
How to Charge a Trolling Motor Battery
If you’re new to trolling motors you may not be sure how to maintain them. When it comes time to charge trolling motor batteries you want to make sure you’re doing it right. The last thing you want is to run out of battery power on the water. Let’s walk through how to charge your…
11 Best Underwater Boat Lights for 2024
Underwater boat lights have been gaining in popularity in recent years. And for good reason. LED technology has made them affordable and brighter than ever. They’re also easier to install than you might think on something like a pontoon boat. And they do have practical benefits when it comes to fishing, not to mention safety….
8 Best Boat Trailer Jacks for 2024
A boat trailer jack is often overlooked when it comes to boating. Heck, even boat trailers are often secondary considerations. But lifting that trailer up has to be done somehow. Not all boat trailer jacks are created equal. If you want an effective but also safe and easy to use boat trailer jack, it takes…
The 7 Best Boat Propellers for 2024
Buying a boat propeller seems like it should be an easy task. But there are actually so many factors you need to take into consideration. It can leave you scratching your head. Let’s cut through the confusion and take a look at the best boat propellers on the market today.
The 7 Best Fish Finder Batteries for 2024
A fish finder is one of the best tools you can use as an angler. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of your job. But if you want your fish finder to live up to its potential, you need power. That means choosing the right battery. Let’s take a look at which batteries…
The 7 Best Electric Boat Anchor Winches for 2024
Not every boater thinks of getting an electric anchor winch at first. If you are serious about boating, it really is a must have item. Whether you like to fish on your bass boat or just relax at sea, a winch can be a lifesaver. Manual hauling of your anchor is something any boater gets…
How to Use a Dive Computer
If you’re just getting into dive computers, there’s a lot to know. They can really take your scuba diving to the next level. But understanding them at first can be a little daunting. And there are a number of different kinds on the market. That makes understanding them difficult. Basically, they all provide the same…
The 10 Best Boat Trailer Guides for 2024
A good set of boat trailer guides can be invaluable. You already know how troublesome loading and unloading your fishing boat can be at the best of times. Doing it with broken or wonky trailer guides is so much worse. Sometimes a DIY guide made from an old 2×4 will get the job done. But…
Why the Captain Goes Down with the Ship
Everyone has heard that the captain goes down with the ship. Most of us have probably not stopped to wonder where this saying comes from. Is it just a saying? Is it a rule? And if so, how long has it been around? And most importantly, why was it a tradition at all. There’s a…
How to Paint a Boat Trailer: A Step-by-step Guide
Boat trailers are highly underappreciated pieces of equipment. They’re often relegated to background status. But their role is essential. And they can often cost thousands of dollars. That’s a big investment, so they deserve maintenance and care. Let’s take a look at some tips for painting that boat trailer. Even an old, rusty boat…
Ranking The Best Boat Trailers for 2024
A boat trailer is not the sort of thing you’ll just look up on Amazon. It takes some digging to find the best boat trailers on the market. And you really need to customize it to your boat. After all, there are literally dozens of kinds of boats. No one trailer can meet everyone’s needs….
How to Jack Up a Boat Trailer
As you have no doubt just realized, jacking up a boat trailer is not always as easy as you might think. When you research it you are also going to find two different meanings. Do you want to jack up the boat trailer to lift or lower it for towing? Or do you want to…
The 18 Best Places to Scuba Dive in 2024
The Covid-19 pandemic saw most of us missing out on the best places to scuba dive. If you’re looking to find a new dive site, or reconnect with an old dive site, we’ve got you covered. The best diving in the world doesn’t have to be on the other side of the planet. Some of…
How to Install a Fish Finder
So you’ve got the best new fish finder. You got your battery picked out; you know how to use it, you’re ready to go. Now how do you install the thing on your boat? Unfortunately, installing a fish finder isn’t as easy as just setting it on the deck. There are few steps that we…
Ranking The Best Tanning Oils of 2024
Tanning oils have come a long way. Once upon a time people might run some sunflower seed oil or baby oil on their skin and head to the beach. Once we learned about the harmful effects of UV rays, the industry changed. That didn’t make tanning oils go away, though. Choosing the best tanning oil…
The 15 Best Scuba Diving Sites in Hawaii
There are more places to dive in Hawaii than you could hope to visit in one trip. Even if you live in Hawaii, you could spend years visiting the Hawaii scuba diving spots. But if you do plan a trip, there are some real standouts you may want to check out. From wreck diving to…
Best Compact Binoculars for 2024: Review and Buying Guide
Full sized binoculars can offer a lot of power. The problem is they’re not built for your life, right? The best compact binoculars have to go where you go. You need crystal clear images for bird watching, sailing, and more. That means limited weight and nothing bulky. Check out our picks for the best of…
Best Two-Way Radios of 2024 Reviewed
Two-way radios or walkie talkies have come a long way. When you were a kid, they were just goofy toys. But modern walkie talkies have a lot to offer. With compact design and easy voice controls, walkie talkies are incredibly useful. So what’s going to be the best way to stay connected when you’re hiking…
How Do Fish Finders Work?
Modern fish finders have been the real benefits to anglers. Whether you ‘re ice fishing, saltwater fishing, or just going downriver in a bass boat, they help a lot. The way fish finders work is worth understanding. In order to get to the bottom of how fish finders work, you need to know a little…
Reviewing The Best Marine Binoculars of 2024
On land you may need a pair of binoculars just for fun. If you’re bird watching or hiking, they can be a real help. At sea, they’re much more. Marine binoculars can enhance your vision to improve safety on a boat. They can improve your field of view and allow for enhanced warning of danger….
Sailfish vs Swordfish vs Marlin: The Billfish Heavyweights
While the jury might still be out on this, most experts agree that the Sailfish might be the fastest fish in all the sea. Zooming past at a blistering 70 mph, the Sailfish can out swim pretty much every other fish found in any of the oceans. Not to be outdone, its cousin the swordfish…
Best Scuba Diving in Florida: 21 Dive Spots for 2024
There are plenty of great dive spots on the West Coast and all along the East Coast as well. But you know as well as we do that the best scuba diving is in Florida. It’s the dive capital of America. The problem is that you’re spoiled for choice. You could dive at 100 dive…
13 Best Beach Tents and Canopies of 2024 Reviewed
You’re at the beach, you need coverage. You need a beach tent or a beach canopy. Nothing can spoil a good time faster than a brutal sunburn. Likewise, an unexpected wind is a problem worth avoiding. And sometimes you just want privacy without other people eyeballing you. Let’s check out the best beach tents and…
Ranking The Best Collapsible Water Bottles of 2024
You know you need to stay hydrated when you’re out for the day. Boating, fishing, hiking, you’re going to need water. But sometimes a standard water bottle takes up too much space, right? And you don’t need a full survival kit here. If you’ve decided a collapsible water bottle is what you need, check out…
Best Handheld GPS Units of 2024 Reviewed
Looking for the best handheld GPS for your boat instead of a larger boat gps? Most handheld GPS units come from Garmin. They offer everything from barometric altimeter sensors to a wide area augmentation system. Whether you want touchscreen GPS, free spatial data, rechargeable battery packs, or VHF radio. If you’re not sure which is…
Reviewing The Best Boat Carpets of 2024
Caution is the name of the game on the water. The deck of your boat can be dangerous if you’re not careful. It may also not be as comfortable as it could be. Bare wood or fiberglass can leave a lot to be desired. The answer you need is carpeting. Choosing the best boat carpet…
Ranking the Best Marine Radar Systems of 2024
Marine radar used to be a pipe dream for most boaters. A cool sounding gadget, but totally impractical. How could any regular boater use it? Why would they ever want to? It was for commercial freighters and ocean liners. But you can’t stop progress. These days marine radar has come home. There are plenty of…
