kids
Required Equipment for Boats
U. S. COAST GUARD MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR RECREATIONAL VESSELS EQUIPMENT Less than 16ft/4.9m 16 to less than 26 ft/7.9m 26 to less than 40 ft/12.2m 40 to not more than 65 ft/19.8m Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) One approved Type I, II, III or V(must be worn) PFD for each person on board or being towed…
Parents get help at BoatSafeKids
Parents get help at BoatSafeKids Frank writes: My son is reading 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and asked me what distance a league is. Also, he wanted to know what the water pressure per square inch per foot of depth under water is. Your help would be greatly appreciated. A league is a measurement of…
The History of Ship Figureheads
One of the most striking and prominent features on any old ship is the ship figurehead. A carved figure displayed prominently on the bow, these ornamental displays are iconic. Their origins stretch back further than some might think. And their meaning and purpose is multi-fold. These figureheads were symbolic, hence the name. But they were…
The Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria
Most schoolchildren learn the tale of Christopher Columbus and his historic voyage across the ocean. The story has evolved over time to take a more realistic and practical view of the trip. Gone are they days when people thought Columbus thought the world was flat. But there’s one part of the story that not enough…
What is waterline length and does it affect boat speed?
That is a very good question. Waterline length is the length of the boat from bow to stern where it sits in the water. In other words, as it floats in the water if you were to mark the point on the bow where the water touched and marked the point on the stern where…
Who came up with nautical miles and defined sea speed as knots?
A nautical mile is a distance on the earth’s surface of 6,080 feet, which is equal to one minute of latitude at the earth’s equator. Since there are 360 degrees around the earth, and each degree equals 60 minutes, the distance around the earth, at the equator or any other great circle, is 21,600 nautical…
Your Guide to Bringing Pets on Board Your Boat
Interested in taking your cat on a boat? Do dogs on boats do well? Many boaters have managed to take their furry family members out for a trip at sea. Cats and dogs have been a part of boating for many long years. But you do need to be properly prepared. And remember, not every…
Do I Have to Wear a PFD?
Christa from Illinois asks, “Do I always have to wear my PFD?” The easy answer to that question is that Illinois has a law that says anyone 13 or younger must wear a PFD when underway on a boat. Also, a Federal law requires that children 12 and under must wear a PFD when onboard…
Vicki asks “How Many People Can Fit in a Boat?”
That’s a very good question, Vicki, because overloading a small boat is a very dangerous thing to do. Luckily, there are some federal regulations helping to protect you. Boat builders must comply with Federal law by putting a Capacity Plate in sight of the helm (steering area) on motorized boats less than 20 feet in…
Why Does a Boat Plane?
To answer this question, let’s first look at what kinds of boats you may see. Displacement Boat Planing Boat Hovercraft Hydrofoil Hovercraft and hydrofoil boats are not as common so we won’t cover them here. (A later article!) Most recreational boats are either planing or displacement. To get a better understanding, you should first read…
Why do some sail boats have more than one sail?
Bramp asks: Why do some sail boats have more than one sail and how can some boats go faster than the wind? Good question Bramp! Most small sail boats have only one sail because the square footage of sail area is big enough to collect enough wind to push a light boat. As the size…
How are flat charts and maps made of our round planet?
Sailors need accurate charts to find their way around the seas. The trouble is, nobody can make a perfect chart because the earth is a large ball and charts are drawn on paper, which is flat. You need to know a few things before you can understand how this problem has been tackled, so here…