Celebrate National Safe Boating Week

National Safe Boating Week is May 21-27, 2022, a reminder to all boaters to brush up on boating safety skills and prepare for the boating season.

The basics of boater safety

Understandably, wearing life jackets is a primary emphasis of boating safety. That’s for good reason: U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the cause of death in four out of every five recreational boating fatalities in 2020 and that 86 percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets.

Of course, boating safety encompasses much more: taking a boating safety course, making sure all equipment is in good working order, using an engine cut-off device, watching the weather, following navigation rules, having proper charts, and avoiding boating under the influence (the cause of one-third of all recreational boating fatalities).

The importance of up-to-date nautical charts

A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a sea area and adjacent coastal regions. Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water and heights of land (topographic map), natural features of the seabed, details of the coastline, navigational hazards, locations of natural and human-made aids to navigation, information on tides and currents, local details of the Earth’s magnetic field, and human-made structures such as harbors, buildings, and bridges. 

Technologies have made available paper charts that are printed “on demand.” They contain cartographic data that has been downloaded to a commercial printing company (such as OceanGrafix) as recently as the night before printing. With each daily download, critical data such as Local Notices to Mariners are added to the on-demand chart files so that these charts are up to date at the time of printing.

Beyond these official charts, OceanGrafix offers several books that provide mariners with vital safety information. Here is a partial listing:

• U.S. Coast Pilot® Series. This ten-volume series of the U.S. coastal, intercoastal and Great Lakes waterways includes supplemental navigational information that is difficult to portray on nautical charts, such as channel descriptions, anchorages, bridge and cable clearances, currents, ice conditions, dangers and traffic separation schemes. 
• USCG Light List Volumes. The USCG Light List is published in seven volumes and contains lights and other aids to navigation used for general navigation that are maintained by or under the authority of the U.S. Coast Guard and located in the waters surrounding the United States and its Territories.
• 2022 Tide and Tidal Current Tables. This two-volume set contains predicted times of slack water, and times and speeds of maximum current (flood and ebb) for each day of the year. More than 80 reference ports and 3,000 subordinate stations are available. One volume covers the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States, and the other covers the Pacific Coast of the United States including the Hawaiian Islands.

Other important books for safe boating include USCG Navigational Rules, Port Distances and Publication 1310 on radar navigation. The complete list of navigational books is listed on the OceanGrafix website under the Products tab.

The Black Sea: A Mariner’s Trip Back in Time

The Black Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia. It sits to the east of the Balkans in Southeast Europe, south of the East European Plain in Eastern Europe, and north of Anatolia and west of the Caucasus, both in Western Asia.

While it appears landlocked, a waterway connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, first through Istanbul (the Bosporus Straight) and then through the Sea of Marmara (the Dardanelles Strait). And, after a journey of 1,700 miles, the Danube drains into it.

In ancient times, mariners avoided the Black Sea due to its difficult navigation, winter storms that make the water appear black, rumored monsters in its black depths and hosts of savage tribes along its shores. 

NGA Nautical Chart 55001, Black Sea, 36 inches by 48 inches.

Unusual facts about the Black Sea

What makes the Black Sea so unique…and seem so ancient? Here are some common reasons.

Waters on the Black Sea do, indeed, appear black.

1. It’s anoxic. The Black Sea water is, especially at its depths, without oxygen, or anoxic. Only slight mixing with the Mediterranean Sea has brought oxygen-rich water to the surface of the Black Sea, but not to its depths. No marine life can live much below the surface.

This lack of oxygen makes the water act as a preservative. Reportedly, remains of those who drown in the Black Sea never decompose and lie at the bottom forever.

2. Noah’s Ark may have landed there. Although still debated, a rising of the seas in Noah’s time may well have sent him sailing into the Black Sea. This leads to the logic of why remnants of his ark are said to have been found on Mt. Ararat in Turkey, bordering the Black Sea, after the glacial water receded.

3. Its rocks are old. Rocks around the sea date to the Precambrian era, the earliest time of the earth’s history—dating perhaps to the formation of the solar system! These rocks were around long before the first dinosaurs!

4. Greek mythology traversed the Black Sea. According to legend, Jason and the Argonauts set out to find the Golden Fleece in the land of Colchis, a kingdom at the sea’s eastern tip (now Georgia).

5. It’s big. The Black Sea is 7,257 feet deep and six different countries border it. The coastline, if stretched into a straight line, is three-fifths as long as the diameter of the earth. 

6. The Black Sea and Great Britain are cousins. Flooding from glacier melt 500,000 years ago (from a glacier that stretched from Ireland to Russia) put so much stress on the European continent that it broke off Great Britain into an island before it drained into the basin that is now the Black Sea.

7. The seabed is a museum of shipwrecks. Wooden shipwrecks dating back to the 3rd and 5th centuries B.C. have been discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea during diving expeditions. They are preserved perfectly due to the non-oxygen environment.

8. Some sea life exists. While most of the Black Sea water has no oxygen and cannot support life, the top 200 meters has varying amounts of oxygen deposited by rivers that drain into the basin. In that layer are zebra mussels, anchovies, common carp, round goby, bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, beluga whales and grey seals.

There are also some interesting facts about the Sea of Azov, which is north and connected to The Black Sea:

9. The Sea of Azov is shallow. In contrast to the depths of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov is the shallowest sea in the world, with an average depth of 23 feet and a maximum depth of 46 feet.

10. The Sea of Azov is less salty. Due to lots of freshwater rivers draining into it, the Sea of Azov has a low salinity content, freezes completely over in the winter and has historically been a great fishery, with perch, sturgeon, whitefish, herring, plaice, mackerel, carp, mullet, bream, and anchovies.

New USCG Rule: Update Boat Fire Extinguishers by April 20

Beginning April 20, 2022, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) will require all boaters with vessels over 26 feet to have updated fire extinguishers, mandating that all extinguishers have a 12-year (or less) expiration date from the date of manufacture.

Why the attention on fire extinguishers? There were 767 boating fatalities in the United States in 2020, an increase of more than 25 percent from 2019, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. And, fires are a major contributor to injuries and deaths. In fact, Coast Guard data from 2018 shows over 150 fatalities and 200 injuries resulted from fires or explosions on vessels.

A summary of the new guidelines

Here is a simplified explanation of the new extinguisher requirements, which depend on the model year of the boat:

• Model year 2018 or newer: Extinguishers must be labeled as 5-B, 10-B or 20-B. Extinguishers labeled with B-I or B-II only are no longer acceptable. The manufacturing date must not be more than 12 years old.
• Model year 2017 or older: Extinguishers labeled B-I or B-II are valid, but the manufacturing date must not be more than 12 years old.

Typical marine fire extinguishers.

Beyond varying by the date of the boat’s model year, the guidelines also change according to the length of boat. Motorized boats under 26 feet are exempt as long as they have outboard engines, fuel is in a portable tank, and there are no areas in the boat that could trap fuel vapors.

In addition, the guidelines address the functionality of the extinguisher itself. Extinguishers must be “serviceable.” This means the pressure gauge must be in the operable range, the lock pin has to be in place, the discharge nozzle has to be clean and clear, and the extinguisher, itself, must not show signs of corrosion or damage. This flow chart by type of craft helps sort out the new USCG fire extinguisher requirements for boat owners.

A quick Q&A about the new rule

Here are some of the most common questions and answers about the USCG fire extinguisher rule.

Is any fire extinguisher automatically approved?

No. The label on the bottle should state “Marine Type – USCG Approved.” Underwriters Labs (UL) approves fire extinguishers on behalf of the USCG. (Further requirements are listed above.)

Are sailboats exempt from this new rule?

Sailboats are not necessarily exempt. The rule mainly applies to motorboats with permanently installed fuel tanks or a storage area where portable fuel tanks may be stored. However, the rule also applies to sailboats with spaces that are capable of trapping fumes, such as a galley, and to sailboats with auxiliary engines.

Where do I find the fire extinguisher expiration date?

Boaters often can find the manufacture date stamped into the bottom of the container or near the UL label. This may be two or four digits — if it is two, as in 08, that means 2008.

What is a Type B fire extinguisher?

A Type B extinguisher is effective with a gasoline fire, which is the most common type of fire on a boat. 

What does the number before the “B” stand for?

The number before the “B” in the new rating refers to the size in square feet of the potential fire the device is suitable to extinguish. So, a 10-B extinguisher can handle a 10-square-foot gasoline fire. A “C” rating means the extinguisher can douse electrical fires.

How many extinguishers are required?

Depending on the size of your boat, you may need more than one. Boats less than 26 feet have to have at least one B-1 fire extinguisher on board. Boats 26 feet to 40 feet need at least two B-1 fire extinguishers on board. If your boat is between 40 and 65 feet, you need to have either three B1 extinguishers or two B2 extinguishers. If the boat has a USCG approved fire extinguisher system installed for protection of the engine compartment, then the required number may be reduced.

Do extinguishers require any maintenance?

Every month, the extinguishers should be turned upside down and shaken to prevent clumping when they are needed.

Must the extinguishers be mounted?

It is highly recommended to mount the fire extinguisher, but it is not a requirement to mount the fire extinguisher. All portable extinguishers must be readily accessible.

What is the fine for being out of compliance?

States generally (but not always) leave extinguisher compliance to the USCG. The USCG is focused on boat operator safety and prefers cooperation to fines.

Has the Endeavor Been Found? See for Yourself!

Breaking News: February 3, remnants of Captain James Cook’s Endeavor, scuttled in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island 244 years ago, have been confirmed to be found!

Maybe.

Although still a disputed find, the ship appears to be the Endeavor

The truth of the discovery depends on whether you believe the Australian National Maritime Museum, which alerted the media to the find during a news conference in Sydney just days ago. Or, if you believe a contrary account by D.K. Abbass, executive director of the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project, the lead group in the Newport Harbor study, who said immediately: “Not so fast!”

Captain Cook was born in 1755. He joined the Royal Navy as a teenager (just 17 years old) and became famous for mapping the St. Lawrence River during the Siege of Quebec. This led to his assignment on the Endeavor to map the South Pacific.

Abbass agreed the find of the Endeavor is likely but says they have yet to identify indisputable data: “And there are many unanswered questions.” 

Even within the context of the dispute, mariners are ecstatic at the possibility of having found the Endeavor. Maritime officials are securing the site.

Cook’s famous ship sailed him to his death

What makes the Endeavor so famous is that it was James Cook’s last ship, with incredible history behind it. Launched in 1764 as the Earl of Pembroke, it was soon renamed the Endeavor. Cook sailed it to Tahiti, charted the coastline of New Zealand (where his crew killed Indigenous Māori people), claimed Australia for Great Britain in 1770 and made it to Hawaii.

There the ship and Captain Cook’s legacy diverge. Cook was killed by Hawaiian natives. His dismembered body parts were boiled (but not eaten). The ship was renamed Lord Sandwich and sent to fight for the British in the American Revolution, where it purportedly sunk off Newport Harbor…and may just have been found more than two centuries later.

Curious to see it? You can be part of history!

While the archeological site may be off-limits, you can sail close to it.

Your guide should be an up-to-date nautical chart of Newport Harbor (see illustration with the wreck location marked in a red circle; the red circle does not appear on the actual chart). The ship is around 500 meters off the coast. For now, you can navigate near the wreck. While it sits 14 meters below the surface and is buried in sediment and silt, you’ll still be able to feel the spine-tingling excitement of being so close to history.

According to recent news accounts, during the Revolutionary War, the British also used the Endeavor as a prison ship. Then the boat was intentionally sunk in 1778 – along with 12 other vessels – to prevent an invasion and capture.

NOAA Nautical Chart 13223, available from OceanGrafix. The red circle identifies the Endeavor shipwreck site, but does not appear on the actual chart.

The three-masted bark was about 100 ft. long and 29 ft. at beam and carried four cannons and 12 swivel guns. Now around 15 percent of the wreckage remains, as researchers look to preserve what’s left of the vessel.

The Endeavour is believed to be located near the La Liberté, another sunken ship found in Newport Harbor.

The three-masted bark was about 100 ft. long and 29 ft. at beam and carried four cannons and 12 swivel guns. Now around 15 percent of the wreckage remains, as researchers look to preserve what’s left of the vessel.

The Endeavour is believed to be located near the La Liberté, another sunken ship found in Newport Harbor.

Yachting or Sailing Through the Incredible Panama Canal

You don’t have to be a passenger on an ocean freighter or sightseeing boat to go through the Panama Canal. In fact, personal watercraft of any size, whether yachts or sailboats, can pass through the Panama Canal. There is really no minimum size. In fact, the smallest “vessel” so far was a man, Richard Halliburton, who swam the canal in 1928. His toll was 36 cents. 

Those who have made the journey say it’s a trip of a lifetime: surreal, thrilling, stressful, awkward and euphoric.

Panama Canal. Covered by NGA Nautical Charts 21602, 21603, 21604 and 26068.

Still, you’ll need patience. Once you arrive at the starting city, you can apply for a transit date. Even in the best of times, you might have to wait four to six days to begin the journey. The actual canal trip itself takes about a day. It’s 50 miles long, through 12 locks.

You can go north, starting in Panama City, traveling from the Pacific to the Caribbean, or south, starting at Colon.

The sweet spot for traversing in a pleasure craft is December until mid-January, when lines are shortest. At other times, especially in heavy shipping season, you could face delays of a couple weeks. 

It’s not cheap!

You must pay a transit fee to pass through the canal and that cost depends in part on the length of your vessel. Other fees are fixed. Among the other charges is an agent fee, and this is critical. You must have an agent onboard (an employee of the Panama Canal Authority) who handles the paperwork, slots you into the queue, guides you on-board for the entire journey, rafts you with similar craft (or moors you to a tugboat or small cruise ship), and deals with any official challenges. Yet at the same time, your vehicle’s captain (not the Panama Canal agent) is responsible during transit for the safety of the craft, navigation, meals and beverages.

Here’s the fee breakdown:

• Transit toll: $800 to $1300, depending on the length of the craft (fee categories are for vessels under 50 ft., 50-79 ft., 80-99 ft., and over 100 ft.)
• Inspection fee: $184
• Security fee: $130
• Agent fee: $350 to $500 
• Cruising permit: $200

Just to be safe, expect to pay a total of about $2,000 per craft.

Bring special gear…and patience

Plan for waiting several days to start the journey. During the wait, you’ll pay dock fees at local marinas (reserve them ahead of time).

You’ll need lines and fenders to maintain position as the water levels change. Managing the lines is tricky. The canal will offer line handlers for $100 each, unless you supply your own. 

While the docking and passage fees for your craft are expensive, be thankful you don’t need a tugboat to navigate the canal. They run $3,000 an hour.

Time while in the locks takes complete concentration

Passing through the locks is not a leisurely vacation, where you can sit on deck and watch the monkeys in the nearby forests. The journey takes the constant attention of the captain and line handlers.

Your craft is rising or falling while tethered to the canal walls. The water churns, creating currents that can twist the boat sideways, bringing you close to other craft. Line handlers need training. The goal is to maintain position as the distance to the cleats on the canal walls increases or decreases.

On deck of a sailboat passing through the Panama Canal locks. (Yachting World)

Even considering costs and hassles, it’s a trip of a lifetime

Even with the costs, paperwork, skill and patience needed to successfully navigate the Panama Canal, the trip itself is incredible. It’s a bucket list checkoff.

Watch this 1 ½ minute timelapse of the journey.

As you travel this engineering wonder of the world, you’ll see “mules” (more like heavy trucks on rails) pull and guide the ocean tankers. Twenty-six billion gallons of churning water raise or lower your craft during the crossing. You’ll pass Renacer Prison, which housed Panama dictator Manuel Noriega. You’ll see the world’s largest off-loading shipping crane. 

The natural wonders along the forests and bayous next to the canal include capuchin and spider monkeys, frigatebirds, brown-throated sloths, blue-footed boobys, tamarins and giant iguanas. Lake Gatun is full of crocodiles and manatees.

Finally, don’t forget the essentials (besides passports): sunscreen, hat and, most of all, a camera to record this trip of a lifetime.

Protect Passengers and Your Boat From Fumes and Fire

Having adequate carbon monoxide (CO) detectors and smoke detectors is a simple and affordable step that can prevent serious harm to recreational boaters and their vessels. 

There have been 46 CO boating deaths in the last decade in the U.S. Plus, just in 2020, 316 U.S. boaters died of onboard fires, smoke and explosions. In 2019, in a widely publicized tragedy off the coast of California, 34 passengers in a dive boat died of smoke inhalation due in part to there not being smoke detectors in the accommodations area of the vessel. 

Yet it takes just a few pennies and minutes to install these alarms, update them or check batteries. As cold weather sets in, now is the greatest time of need.

CO and smoke detectors may be required soon on recreational boats

Surprisingly, the U.S. Coast Guard does not require smoke detectors on recreational craft. But the USCG relies on the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) chapter 46 guidelines to require that smoke detectors be installed in the sleeping compartments of all small, inspected vessels that carry paying passengers.

While international boating rules vary on the issue of CO and smoke detectors, the USCG is moving toward making detectors a requirement on recreational vessels. 

From PropTalk.com, May 2018

Currently, the USCG:

• requires boats to have at least one B-1 marine fire extinguisher on board. Boats 26′-40′ need to have at least two B-1 fire extinguishers on board.
• advises the owners of all inboard and sterndrive powered boats built prior to 1998 to inspect their CO detectors.

After July 22, 2022, the USCG intends to impose fire detection requirements on passenger vessels, because at that date new marine smoke detectors will be available that meet USCG testing requirements.

Here’s a look at suggestions for alarm placements:

1. Installing smoke alarms and fire extinguishers 

Fire is one of the leading causes of boat losses in the U.S. Shipboard smoke alarms, particularly in cooking and sleeping areas, issue ear-piercing alarms, alerting boaters and giving them time to extinguish the fire or evacuate the danger area.

Boaters are advised to place smoke alarms not only in cooking and sleeping areas, but in other onboard areas where fire dangers exist, such as in battery compartments, adjacent to the shore power inlet and cord, and near engine voltage regulators. 

2. Detecting gas vapor buildup that can cause a fire

A vapor detector is another important safety alarm to have. Fumes can accumulate during fueling or engine operation and ignite from an engine spark. Also known as “fume sniffers,” vapor detectors monitor for flammable gases such as gasoline fumes. If a boat has a gasoline fuel tank mounted below deck, a vapor detector alarm can be placed nearby. 

3. Placing CO alarms in vessels where buildup is most common

Deadly concentrations of CO are some of the most menacing gases because they can’t be detected by humans. CO has no smell, taste or color. The gas, when inhaled, prevents the body from retaining oxygen. Brains become foggy. People either die of asphyxiation or become disoriented.

Causes on a vessel of excessive CO often are traced to engine exhaust or cooking. Safety experts suggest that boaters examine the obvious areas where CO can be created and can build in concentration. Experts recommend that boat owners take time to:

• Check engine room seals and replace them if necessary.
• Replace faulty exhaust lines or clamps. 
• Add CO alarms near cooking stoves and make sure stoves are properly vented
• Check hatch vents above confined galley spaces and make sure the vents remain open even in inclement weather, so as not to trap CO inside. 

Efforts that recreational boat owners take to protect their passengers and their vessel by way of these alarms are relatively easy and can save lives.

Seven Smart Boat Upgrades for the Off Season

The off season may not be as much fun for boaters, but it’s a great time to improve your craft in ways that make it safer, more functional or even more stylish. If it’s cold where you live and your boat is in a protected warehouse or garage, you may want to plug in a space heater and get to work. 

Here’s our list of the top seven upgrades to consider:

1. Battery and related upgrades

Start by purchasing a battery monitor. For $300 to $400, a monitor will tell you if your batteries are falling below 50% (flooded lead acid) or 70% (absorbent glass mat) charge. When that happens, the battery either degrades or fails permanently. Monitoring is essential to long-term battery health (not to mention avoiding surprises). Second, purchase a battery charger as an essential backup. Solar chargers are popular, but so are methane-powered generators, especially for cloudy days. Most chargers have blue tooth adaptors that monitor operating mode, fuel level and charge rates and display them on your phone. Third, even with a monitor and charger, check the batteries themselves, which may need replacing. 

2. Enhanced solar power

Solar has long been a favorite power source for boaters. Without the generator buzzing, cruising under sail is quieter. For cruisers, solar power is a backup and can reduce the battery bank or extend its life. So now might be the time to switch out an old solar panel for a new one. Panels range from $400 to $800 and their power has doubled in the past few years, from 100W to 200W. 

3. Automated Identification System (AIS) equipment upgrade

Safety at sea¾or on a large freshwater lake¾depends on being able to identify other craft and have them “see” you on VHF. AIS information provides boat identification, position, course and speed. A strong, dependable AIS system requires three components: a VHF antenna, an AIS receiver and a chartplotter. For the latter, you can use a smartphone, but a larger screen that integrates your chart with the ID numbers is more descriptive. Expect to pay $1,000 to $1,500 for the transceiver/receiver alone.

4. Repairs of worn-out parts

Every year, manufacturers produce more flexible and durable hoses and stronger hardware less prone to corrosion. To take advantage of these advances, replace punctured or frayed hoses (and worn-out clamps) that are used in fuel supplies, freshwater and overboard discharges, supply lines for generators or engines, and hydraulic systems. You should also replace dry, loose or cracked gaskets. In addition, swap out worn, corroded or burned-out navigation lights and repair small scratches in the gel coat. 

5. Passenger amenities

Your boat passengers now appreciate some of the amenities they’ve come to expect in road vehicles. Some of the most popular are more cup holders and coolers, more USB charging ports and added trash cans. Most of these upgrades come as easy add-ons that can be snapped or plugged into place. 

6. Repairs or upgrades to essential accessories

Paying attention to the basics and making sure they are updated and in working order will reward you with enhanced safety and no surprises. These essentials are life jackets, flotation throw cushions, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, dock lines, anchors and fenders. Don’t forget to upgrade flares, air horns, a basic tool kit and flashlights and always be prepared with the latest nautical chart. Also, you may want to upgrade your battery jump pack and dry box seals.

7. Worn carpet and upholstery swap-outs

Nothing degrades carpet and upholstery more than salt air and direct sun. Boat interiors take a beating from more than the weather and environment. For example, passengers sit with wet clothes and suntan lotion on, neither of which is good for leather. An upgrade with newer, more durable fabrics and non-skid flooring options will spiff your skiff. Short of that, cleaning and protecting surfaces will give them added life.

Tending to your boat in the offseason can be fun and rewarding as you anticipate next season. Even with a low budget, some of these upgrades will make boating safer and more comfortable.

Fighting Off Small Craft Pirates (Yes, they’re back again!)

As if an increase in cyclones and a global pandemic aren’t enough to pester mariners, now pirate attacks of small craft are trending up since 2016. 

Pirates!? Yes, the ICC International Maritime Bureau reports about 200 incidents for all size craft in 2020, with about 60% involving yachts and other small craft.

Worst hotspots: the coasts off Nigeria and the Horn of Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and the South China Sea, along with significant but fewer incidents near Venezuela and Peru. Small craft have even been targeted on the Danube River through Serbia and Romania. It could happen anywhere, particularly with pleasure craft, because they are expensive, in high demand, and easy to board.

The worst pirate areas for the Coast Guard to patrol are along territorial borders, where jurisdiction can change suddenly. When during a pursuit pirates cross from one country’s water to another, governments give up the chase rather than risk an international incident.

Today’s pirates are sophisticated. They no longer dress like Johnny Depp, have a long sword and a parrot on their shoulder, or make you walk the plank. They’re poor and angry criminals with a speedboat and armaments. They’ll often wear night vision goggles and be heavily armed with rocket launchers and automatic weapons, using advanced GPS devices to locate you. 

Modern pirates who attack private yachts and cruise ships go after personal belongings of crew and passengers. Worse, if you’re from a wealthy family, they will figure that out quickly and you may become hostage bait. Pirates don’t want your craft and they don’t want to harm you (although they’ll maroon you on a beach if you irritate them). Rather, they seek valuables they can sell for cash where there is no tracing. Usually, they intimidate you to get what they want. 

Protecting yourself from a pirate attack: it’s all about equipment

Ready to fend off pirates? The first rule is don’t try to outrun them. Most superyachts reach a maximum speed of 17 knots. Pirate skiffs can reach 35 to 40 knots. The best defense isn’t to try to avoid pirates, but rather to make their life miserable when they get too close to you.

There are some high-tech solutions and some old-fashioned ones, too:

Dazzle Gun. While it’s against the law to shoot a pirate (unless they fire on you first), you can use a dazzle gun, which temporarily blinds them with a nonlethal laser beam. Another version fires a sharp electrode with 950,000 volts, available on Amazon for only $38. A more expensive weapon option is a long-range acoustic device (L-RAD, at $20,000), delivering ear-splitting acoustics in a tight beam.

Security Guards. It may be too expensive to add a security guard to your crew, but a strong defense against piracy is to dock your craft in a marina with a full-time security guard. Many attacks occur at night at dock.

Wireless Gadgets. Just as with a home, your boat when moored can be armed with alarms, motion detectors, lights, security cameras, door-locking sensors, collapsible electric fencing and underwater sonar, all connected to your smartphone. 

Once you have defenses, then have a plan

Michael Schueler, a yacht captain who fended off a pirate attack, said the best defense is to have a plan and practice it. “Drill, drill, drill with the crew,” he says. His preferred approach to safety is to have barbed wire readily available, flare guns to shoot into the pirate boat hull and line launchers that ensnare the propellers of the approaching skiff.

He also suggests periodically broadcasting “Armed Security Detail on Board” on your Automatic Identification System (AIS). Pirates often use AIS.

Don’t let fear rule your dreams

Your chances of running into pirates are slim (but never zero), particularly if you stay away from West Africa, the Horn of Africa and the South China Sea. 

Sailing and cruising the high seas is a dream come true for most of us and a doorway to sun, ocean breezes and adventure. Sailors are, by definition, creative, bold and self-sufficient. Even if you take some of the precautions mentioned above, your chances for worry-free travel are high.

Preparing Your Craft for Winter Storage

Boaters in northern climates, particularly where the water freezes or storms rage, store their crafts for the season. But proper storage brings lots of questions. We’ll answer some here:

What’s better: wet storage vs. dry storage

Wet storage, or keeping your boat in the water, requires safe dockage away from storms that could gash your boat against the dock or, worse, throw the craft onshore. You have to be in a climate where the water can’t freeze, which would crack the hull. The hull needs to be impervious to water, so the hull material doesn’t blister. You’ll be paying dock fees all year, but you will avoid transport and storage fees.

Wet storage has its downsides. In saltwater, barnacles and seaweed can grow on the hull and damage the surface, but most marinas offer sophisticated cleaning services. 

Most boaters prefer dry storage either in sheds, on racks or even in the open air on lots. Dry storage allows for inspection of the hull and gaskets, cleaning and repainting. Fees depend on the size of the boat, but many facilities can stack (one atop the other on racks) for boats up to 80 feet in length.

The critical issue in dry storage is structural support. Either custom cradles or boat stands should be crafted to support engines, bulkheads and the keel. 

Make equipment inspection part of the annual storage process

End-of-season, before placing your boat in storage, check all your equipment. Replace fire extinguishers and flares that are past their expiration dates and dispose of them at hazardous-waste materials sites. Update the first-aid kit, throwable flotation devices and life jackets. 

Replace worn or chafed docking lines and fenders. Replace dysfunctional VHF radios and navigation electronics. Inspect and replace all boat cushions that are worn, stained or mildewed. 

Winterizing checklists mainly remove harmful water

Once your boat is out of the water, the challenge is to remove water still in the boat! The engine, electrical, interior and plumbing must be prepared for the freezing months. Here’s a top-level checklist in part from Discover Boating:

1. Drain and remove water from your engine
2. Replace spark plugs
3. Apply corrosion protection to the engine
4. Coat internal engine parts with fogging oil
5. Add a fuel stabilizer
6. Replace fuel filters and fuel/water separators
7. Drain all freshwater plumbing from sinks, heads and tanks
8. Remove water from raw water washdowns, live wells, and bilge pumps
9. Add antifreeze to all plumbing systems
10. Remove all drain plugs
11. Keep hatches and drawers open for ventilation
12. Lubricate door hinges and clasps
13. Clean all limber holes and drainage pathways to prevent ponding
14. Plug all exhaust outlets to keep critters out

Shrink-wrapping vs. custom cover: the choice depends

Boaters who cover their boats in the winter typically use either custom covers or shrink-wrap (plastic). The general argument about which is a better choice (shrink-wrap vs. custom cover) usually depends on how long you plan to own the boat. If you expect to own the boat over several years, the more expensive custom cover may be cheaper in the long run. If you are planning to own the boat from one to three years, shrink-wrapping each year is cheaper than a custom cover.

After the boat has been thoroughly cleaned and dried, the covering is put in place. Allow for vents or zippered access to allow moisture to continue to escape. Slow-release mold/mildew packs should be placed inside. At best they last three months and need to be replaced during longer storage.

The pros and cons of each storage option

Arguments can be made for the many benefits of professional storage, out of the water and in a closed building. Although you will be giving up ready access to the boat for use on a sudden, ideal weekend, dry storage in a secure building prevents theft, weather disasters and insurance issues. Often it is well worth the costs.

Storing your craft on your driveway at home (where practical) may seem more economical, but opens the craft to weather damage, hull damage, theft, vandalism and pests. Storing your boat in the water (where the water doesn’t freeze) offers the best possible hull support, but can involve year-round dock fees, cleaning costs, potential theft and vandalism.

Ultimately, the decision of how to store a boat off season depends on the climate, whether you are boating in fresh or saltwater, how much of the work you want to do yourself, the distance from your home to the water access and the fee structure of marina services.

Five Charts for Head-Turning Adventure

If you’re into conversation pieces, these five charts have their own story to tell. Each is worth pondering in awe or, if you’re into adventure, using to plot your next high-seas trip of a lifetime.

1. The Bering Strait (NGA Chart 96036)

When you cross the Bering Strait , the gap between the U.S. and Russia is only 85 kilometers. You can see both countries at once and might even spot a nuclear submarine on patrol. This is ground zero between two superpowers, and a sight to see. Animals include fur seals and sea otters, several whale species and plenty of salmon, herring, cod, flounder and halibut. But don’t sail there expecting a cushy passage. The Bering Sea is an intense patch of ocean, with strong winds, freezing temperatures and 30-foot swells. The sediment, some 50 meters down, is rumored to be rich in gold. As you sail along, imagine that only 18,000 years ago, people walked over a land bridge on this very spot between the two countries.

2. Turkey’s Turquoise Coast (NGA Chart 302, Mediterranean Sea, Eastern Part)

The big bend along Turkey’s southwest shore is a little-known gem of the Mediterranean Sea, with turquoise bays and the Oludeniz lagoon. The area isn’t known as the Turkish Riviera for nothing. Here you can sail warm seas, swim off beautiful beaches, and enjoy mountainous scenery.  Two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum of Maussollos and the Temple of Artemis, await you. If you’d rather leave your craft at home, you can buy a week’s passage on a local gulet schooner. No less than Marc Antony picked the Turkish Riviera as a wedding gift for Cleopatra. Santa Claus is said to have been born there, too.

3. Goa and Kerala, India (NGA Chart 63005, Bombay to Cochin)

Stretching from Goa to near India’s southern tip, the fabled Malabar Coast was once renowned for its fabulous riches and wealthy seaports. Now, seafarers come for sun-splashed beaches, to cruise the coastal canals in luxury houseboats or slumber in the posh oceanfront resorts of Goa and Kerala. Calangute Beach, with its golden shimmering sand, is filled with seafood shacks. South Goa has the most secluded beaches, such as Butterfly Beach. Kerala has hundreds of beaches, known for surfing and shops. If you want a retreat, Marari Beach includes a big resort of the same name, filled with coconut groves and lotus ponds.

4. Skeleton Coast, Namibia (NGA Chart 203, Ascension Island and Luanda to Walvis Bay)

Pull your craft along the northern reaches of Walvis Bay, keeping your distance from shore, for a view of elephants thundering down the beach! The bay itself is a deep, safe haven, protected by Pelican Point, the only natural harbor along the Namibian coast. Where else can you see southern right and humpback whales and then look off toward shore and see huge sand dunes? Go ashore at night to visit one of two soccer stadiums, where you can watch matches for Eleven Arrows F.C. or Blue Waters F.C. Walvis Bay is a jumping off point for wildlife safaris, too.

5. Beagle Channel, Chile and Argentina (NGA Chart 609, Valparaiso to Islas Diego Ramirez)

CNN’s travel writers say it best: “Named after the Royal Navy ship that took Charles Darwin on his global voyage of discovery, the channel runs 240 kilometers along the south side of Tierra del Fuego island. Flanked by snow-capped peaks, thick sub-polar forest, and tidewater glaciers tumbling down from the Cordillera Darwin ice field, the largely uninhabited shore offers a glimpse of planet Earth the way it must have been before mankind.” Sailing among this strange hot and cold habitat, imagine the earliest inhabitants, the Yamanas, who lived in these temperate and sometimes cold and wet islands without clothes!