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Price: $14.95 Basic Sailing and Cruising Skills is based on Rob MacLeod’s 1985 publication by the same name. This new version has full-colour photos and more detailed illustrations. Content is divided into the Knowledge you will need to learn to sail and Lessons broken down the way MacLeod has trained thousands of new sailors – start with the basics and build levels of skill. Whether you are new to sailing or you want to expand your enjoyment of sailing through better boat handling, this practical approach is right for you. As an added bonus, purchasers of the book have access to online video that expands the information and lessons covered in the book at no extra charge. Rob has a new online course to complement Basic Sailing and Cruising Skills. Learn-to-Sail: The Basics is a companion video-based course that will prepare you to challenge Sail Canada’s Basic Cruising examination. Also Available - Learn-to-Sail: The Basics (online) – visit InformedBoater.com Author: Rob Macleod
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Boat Reviews
CY Virtual Video Boat Tours
We all love boats and nothing can break us up! So, what better way to spend our time than looking at interesting boats and going aboard in a virtual ride or tour. We have asked our friends at various dealers and manufacturers to help us assemble a one-stop online resource to experience some of the most interesting boats on the market today. Where the CY Team has done a review, we connect you to that expert viewpoint. If you can’t go boating, you can almost experience the thrill via your screen. Not quite the same, but we hope you enjoy our fine tour collection.
Read more about the CY Virtual Boat Tours....................
WORLD CAT 280 DC-X
By Andy Adams
Last September, we had our first encounter with a World Cat 280 DC – X and it was quite impressive!
We know of no other comparable Performance Offshore Luxury Catamaran in the Ontario market, but we expect to see more World Cats in the coming seasons. The test boat was supplied by Central Marine Midland, in Midland, Ontario and they report that they are doing quite well with the World Cat line. Built with vacuum-infused hull construction in North Carolina, the World Cat was designed as a big water boat.
Dufour 430 Grand Large
By Peter A. Robson
Without the optional bow thruster, getting the new Dufour 430 out of the impossibly crowded docks at Vancouver’s Granville Island was a challenge, but long-time broker Richard Hargreaves got us out without mishap.
Also aboard was Richard Carrier from One4 Yachts. We’d been watching the Windy app for weeks, waiting for enough wind to put the new Dufour 430 through its paces. Finally, today’s winds were forecast at 15 to 20 knots.
Destinations
Salt Spring Island with Gourmet Food and Drink
Text and Photos by Marianne Scott
Salt Spring Island, the largest among the Gulf Islands, has a certain mystique—much of it having to do with locally produced food. It started thousands of years ago when the Coast Salish First Nations used the Island as a summer camp, collecting wild foods while also processing the abundant sea food for winter sustenance.
In the 19th century, five main groups settled here and began farming: Northern Europeans—some of whom had abandoned gold rush dreams; Hawaiians brought here by Vancouver Island’s second governor, James Douglas...
Lifestyle
By Katherine Stone
In my lifetime I have been a member of 5 yacht clubs. There were big differences. The one that I grew up at, is where I learned to sail and to drive a motorboat. The second one didn’t have a clubhouse. All we did was race off the beach. The third one was a self-help club, with a clubhouse.
The fourth one has a clubhouse, pool and wonderful winter activities. Finally, the fifth one only has a pavilion, but access to great cruising. The one thing that they all have in common is camaraderie. They were places where I could socialize, learn from other boaters and make life-long friends who shared the same passion for being out on the water.
This week, Feb. 22-26, is National Invasive Species Awareness Week and the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) released an animated video to raise awareness about the threat Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) pose to the boating industry and what manufacturers can do to limit the spread.
AIS can damage ecosystems and negatively impact fishing and the future of the boating lifestyle. Boat access to many aquatic resources has been limited due to AIS concerns and AIS infestation can result in serious damage to boats and their components. Invasive plant life can foul propellers,
As a life-long marine journalist, it has often occurred to me, that it’s a big leap to lay out the cash, (especially for those with no previous boating experience), to try it out. How does someone even know that they will like boating it if they haven’t tried it?
Well, joining a boat club, or a yacht club that has boats available for members to use, can get you started without the big financial commitment and with the support of the club’s education and resources. Try before you buy.
DIY & How to
Longer Battery Life Pt1 - How to get more years from your boat batteries
By John Connell, Vice President of SLI Products Group, Crown Battery Manufacturing
Your family is onboard and eager to cast off. What happens if your battery doesn’t start?
Early battery failure is costly and frustrating enough. But with a short boating season and unpredictable weather... if you lose a weekend, it hurts. Worse, battery problems can leave you stranded on the water -- a safety hazard and a leading cause of tows. Fortunately, anyone can extend their battery life. And it’s easier than you might think.
Ask Andrew: Replacing and Installing Transducers
A Transducer is a device that is installed below the waterline that provides underwater data to a display at the helm. This data is usually in the form of depth and speed – but in more advanced systems can also provide sonar, fish-finding and side or forward views.
A Transducer is a device that is installed below the waterline that provides underwater data to a display at the helm. This data is usually in the form of depth and speed – but in more advanced systems can also provide sonar, fish-finding and side or forward views.
Tips and Tricks: Prep in pandemic times - Part 1
Spring has finally sprung! At least it has weather wise here in Montreal, so it is with great anticipation and boyish giddiness that I loaded the car with all the “things” I will need for this special day - the first of many pre-launch readiness days!
The club property is abuzz with members who, while social distancing from each other and wearing masks when required, are busy removing the winter blankets off their beloved boats and assessing the needed TLC and projects they hope to accomplish prior to be put in the drink.
Marine Products
Thinking of a knock-out big gift for the boaters you love? Now you can also make an environmental statement by giving the gift of a Canadian Taiga electric personal watercraft (PWC). Their Orca models start at $15,000 USD.
For now, just give a card – the Orca Sport and Performance model deliveries are targeted to begin summer 2021 through Taiga dealers and can now be pre-ordered online with a $100 USD deposit. A 5-year no maintenance electric powertrain warranty is included.
Pack a Little Added Pleasure for Next Summer
The ZINO High Performance inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board from WOW World of Watersports fits into a case the size of a big backpack, but inflated, it’s 11 feet long, 32 inches wide and 6 inches thick with a 300 lb capacity.
Pump it up for a day of fun in the sun from your boat, or any shoreline location.
Towable Watersports Inflatables Are Fun for Everyone
Just about anyone can don a PFD and go for a thrilling ride on the WOW World of Watersports 2BER tube. Tow it fast or slow, it’s fun and good exercise too. Makes a great gift.
News
Let’s make it very clear – everyone is feeling the pain of the never-endemic but the authorities – health officers and legislators – should really take another look at boating. While the rules vary from BC to the Maritimes, basically no-one is allowed to do much with their boats.
If you follow the rules in Ontario right now, you cannot even go see your boat on land, let alone launch it unless there’s an ‘essential’ reason. While big cruisers are obviously only available to some of the population, the same could be said of cottages and chalets; those vacation facilities are full of people. Cottage rentals are booked solid for months. But propose taking your boat for a trip to a remote island and you’re breaking the law.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer pushing for reopening the Canada-US border
Photo copyright shutterstock
The CBC reported on May 6th that the top member of the U.S. Senate, Chuck Schumer from New York, has written a letter to members of the Biden administration making several demands regarding the border. According to the CBC story, Schumer has asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for four things.
The first is a detailed Canada-U.S. plan — to be released as soon as possible — explaining what rules and health-related benchmarks will guide the return to non-essential travel.
Why Should My Squadron Offer Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks (RVCCs)?
By John Gullick, Manager of Government and Special Programs, April 21 2021
Finally after a few years without funding I can talk about why Squadrons should offer Recreational Vessel Courtesy Checks (RVCCs). We have now received funding from Transport Canada for the next three years.
Many Squadron Officers continue to talk about how their Squadron’s course participation, and hence membership, is down and continuing to drop. Well the opportunity is back to be able to talk directly with boaters, especially new boaters who have come o recreational boating in very large numbers over last season and the current season.
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