Boats
Port vs Starboard: How to Tell The Difference
Port and starboard are common nautical terms to describe the left and right sides of any vessel on the water instead of using the more common terms we might use on land like “left” and “right.” Though they can be confused with left and right and sometimes align with left and right, they are not…
Colorado XT Pontoon Boat Review
The Classic Accessories Colorado XT is an inflatable pontoon designed for fishing that offers a sturdy build and some interesting features. What Is it Classic Accessories offers a handful of fishing pontoons and their Colorado XT fits nicely between their Colorado model and their Colorado XTS model. It’s a mid-range inflatable in terms of price,…
What is a Jon Boat?
Jon boats are flat-bottom boats with squared off bows. They are most popularly used as fishing boats and they tend to be extremely simple in their design. Though not only useable as fishing boats, it’s their flat bottom that makes them ideal for this task since they have a very shallow draft and are easy…
Which Part of a PWC Is Dangerous to Your Hands, Feet and Hair?
In general, it is safer to be in the water closer to a personal watercraft than it is to be near a traditional propeller-driven boat. That said, you need to be careful of a jet ski’s pump intake area which can be dangerous especially if you have long hair, as well as the steering nozzle…
Sun Tracker Party Barge 18 DLX Review
Sun Tracker has been making its line of Party Barge pontoon boats for a few years now. The Sun Tracker Party Barge 18 DLX is arguably the entry level model with some solid features. What Is it Sun Tracker didn’t pick the Party Barge name by accident. One of the biggest draws for pontoon boats…
Harris Solstice 250 Review
The Harris Solstice 250 offers versatility and features galore. However, this pontoon boat from Harris Flote can get bogged down with choice and extra costs. How We Rated the Harris Solstice 250 Our rating breakdown offers an overall score out of 5, with 5 being the best. To get that number, we rated the Harris…
Princecraft Vectra 21 RL Review
Princecraft has a modest line of pontoon boats but their Vectra line are some of the best available in terms of versatility and features. The 21 RL, which stands for rear lounger, offers a lot of functionality for fishing, family outings, and more. What Is it What you might call an entry-level pontoon for those…
When One Boat is Overtaking Another Which Boat Must Give Way?
Unlike other conditions in which boats meet in the water, when one boat is overtaking another boat, the overtaking vessel is always the give way vessel. This will not always be the case based on both how vessels meet, such as head on or crossing paths, and also based on the types of vessels that…
17 of the Best Pontoon Boat Brands
There are numerous brands of pontoon boats on the market today. This goes to show just how far pontoons have come in the last several decades. There was once a time when pontoons were a very overlooked type of boat that lacked much of the versatility they feature today. Advances in pontoon technology have allowed…
Harris Crowne SL 270 Review
When it comes to luxury pontoon boats, Harris has a lock on what they’re doing. They didn’t name it the Crowne by accident. Let’s take a look at some of what makes this boat stand out. What Is it? Harris makes some really high end pontoons and the Crowne SL 270 is one of their…
Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 16 XL Review
Sun Tracker’s Bass Buggy line of pontoon boats has been a hit with anglers for years now and their latest model keeps the trend going with some great features and a great value. What Is it? You can tell with a name like “Bass Buggy” that we’re not dealing with something like a ski boat…
Why Are Boat Steering Wheels on the Right?
You may be surprised to learn that there is actual debate over the answer to this question. Even among boating experts and even boat designers you can find answers that are either in conflict or complementary to each other while still being notably different. With that in mind, here are some of the most plausible…
Sea-Doo Switch Review
Sea-Doo has entered the pontoon boat game with their very new and still hard to get Sea-Doo Switch models. What Is it: The Sea-Doo Switch is as close to a game changer in the world of pontoon boats as you’re likely to have seen in the last 20 years thanks to the fact it operates…
300 Alcoholic Boat Names
Boating and drinking or partying go together like peanut butter and jelly. The leisure atmosphere of boating life lends itself to that and, as such, a lot of boaters like a pun name that relates to drinking and partying. That means these work great for a pontoon boat, a fishing boat, or even some sail…
How Much Does a Pontoon Boat Weigh?
Because pontoon boats can range in size from mini pontoons of around 8 feet by 4 feet all the way up to 30 foot pontoons, the average weight can be a little misleading unless you set some more strict rules for what you’re considering. If we ignore the mini pontoons and focus on medium sized…
What is the Risk When a PWC Passes Too Closely Behind Another Boat?
Operating a PWC (Personal Water Craft) too closely behind another boat poses significant risks for both visibility and safety. The larger vessel in front can obscure the PWC from the view of oncoming traffic, effectively placing it in a dangerous blind spot. This limited visibility not only affects the PWC operator’s ability to see other…
How to Release Brakes on a Boat Trailer
Boat trailer brakes can sometimes lock up on you and render the trailer immovable. Releasing locked brakes can depend on why exactly they’re locked in the first place but if the reason relates in some way to an issue with your breakaway switch cable, you may be able to get the brakes to release by…
Which Type of Anchor Has Little Holding Power?
Mushroom anchors are best suited for small vessels like canoes, rowboats, and inflatable boats due to their minimal holding power. Unlike anchors designed for high holding capability, the mushroom anchor relies on sinking into bottom sediment for stability. Therefore, it is generally not recommended for anchoring larger boats or in conditions requiring strong holding power….
Why Do Dolphins Follow Boats?
Dolphins can often be found swimming alongside boats in the open sea for several reasons including exploiting the current created by your boat, to try to get food, or perhaps even just for the fun of it. It’s one of the most exciting and memorable experiences you can have as a boater, and no matter…
310 Pontoon Boat Names
Deciding on a boat name is not always an easy task, and that’s also the case with naming a pontoon boat. Funny boat names are often the most popular, but if you’re an angler then maybe you want a specific fishing boat name. If your pontoon is a party boat, maybe you want an alcohol…
What Safety Feature Was Designed into PWC Fuel Tanks?
A personal watercraft’s fuel tank is designed to have additional room into which fuel can expand. They leave space to prevent dangerous conditions like overflowing fuel, fires and explosions. For that reason, as an operator of a jet ski, you always need to know how much fuel your PWC can hold and how to properly…
How to Drive with a Boat Trailer
Driving for the first time with a boat trailer is not necessarily going to be difficult, but it won’t be easy, either. This is something you will need to practice to master. I strongly recommend practicing in an open space like an empty parking lot until you are comfortable enough with all aspects of driving…
220 Banned and Inappropriate Boat Names
Coast Guard rules ban certain words in the naming of boats, even though it may not seem like it sometimes. These are the specific guidelines for boat naming, which are actually pretty lax. “The name may not be identical, actually or phonetically, to any word or words used to solicit assistance at sea; may…
How to Winterize a Pontoon Boat
There are a handful of steps you need to take to prepare your pontoon boat for winter that include prepping your engine, getting the boat clean, removing all the gear and equipment, lubricating your fittings, running antifreeze through the lines and more. Because it can be such an in-depth process you may be tempted to…
Types of Sailboats: Classification Guide
Sailboats can be divided into three basic types based on their hulls (catamaran, monohull or multihull), their keel and their rigging, and then further subdivided from there. The result is that there are actually well over a dozen different kinds of sailboats out there. Sailboat Hull Types There are three main hull types that you’ll…
Incredible Facts About the The Largest Cruise Ship in the World
There’s more than one way to define “large” when it comes to ships. Typically, the two main criteria when looked at largest include the overall length of the vessel or the gross tonnage. It’s possible for a longer ship to have a lower gross tonnage than another ship. When that happens each could technically be…
How Do Surge Brakes Work on a Boat Trailer?
Surge brakes are one of several kinds of brakes that a boat trailer may have. Surge brakes are a kind of hydraulic brakes and arguably the simplest and easiest to both use and understand of the brakes a trailer might employ. The process of braking your tow vehicle will cause the trailer’s momentum to push…
How to Anchor a Pontoon Boat
Anchoring a pontoon boat is slightly different than anchoring other kinds of boats and it may throw you off. Proper anchoring of a pontoon boat requires positioning your pontoon correctly and also having a good understanding of the depth of the water you’re in. Because pontoons are so much more buoyant than most other kinds…
140 Latin Boat Names
Latin boat names add a touch of sophistication to any boat. Not every boat you run across has to have a funny boat name, although many are and they’re great. But choosing a Latin name can give new meaning and gravitas to your boat. If you like a boat name to be distinguished and powerful,…
Jet Boat vs Propeller Boat: What’s The Difference?
Most boats on the water are propelled by one of two main systems – jet propulsion or propeller propulsion. Jet boats use an impeller pump to draw water in before forcing it out in a high velocity jet that moves the boat forward. Propeller driven boats use a propeller to push the water away from…
