At last month’s Toronto boat show, there certainly was a lot to see. One exhibitor Woodard and Company had a couple of brand new and noteworthy items that will be in marine stores soon.
One of the most important boat-ownership tasks is cleaning the bilge. Not only does it reduce noxious interior odors, but also eliminates a Coast Guard officer visit for unintentionally discharging oily waste. Bilge Cleaner from BoatLIFE quickly and effortlessly emulsifies oil and scum, leaving the vessel smelling fresh and new.
Blue Guard has announced the general availability of the BG-One, a solid-state bilge pump switch, oil and fuel detector. Having no moving parts or mechanical float switches, BG-One will automatically turn off the bilge pump when oil or fuel is detected, preventing potentially costly oil or fuel discharge.
Read more: Blue Guard Introduces Next-Gen Bilge Pump Switch...
Erik Pawson Of Watertight Boatworks here in North Vancouver, BC, is really passionate about the Rainman distillation equipment that he now distributes throughout Canada.
Acuva Technologies Inc. has come up with an innovative solution for boaters that want clean drinking water from their fresh water holding tank...
Read more: Clean Drinking Water from Your Vessel’s Holding...
A really practical and valuable new product is the Aqua King II water pump from Shurflo and we met manager Wendy Inskeep at IBEX. She explained the value and importance of this great new water pump. It’s a four chamber pump and in her display you could see her operate four different fixtures at a flow rate of four gallons per minute [five gallon per minute is also available] and the flow of water remained steady at all four taps even as you turn some on or off.
John Bartnick is the developer of The Dry Boat System and he had a pair of identical fiberglass runabouts on display. Both were boats with foam cored construction but one had been cut open extensively to repair and replace the wet and damaged core while the other was being dried out using a dry air injection system applied to the bad core areas using
Fresh water freezes in winter so what do you do when you need water all winter? Recognizing this need, Paulin & Co. developed just the product, an electrically heated garden hose. With heating elements fabricated right into its walls, the 5/8-inch hose has its power supply through an electrical cord at the supply end. It can be set to operate automatically and turn on at 45 degrees F (7 degrees C) and off at 57 degrees F (14 degrees C) or higher.
With Raritan's Atlantes Freedom Toilet, boat owners can declare their independence from clogged heads. Now this excellent performing toilet features the company's Vortex-Vac discharge system.
This technology creates a vacuum internally, so no remote vacuum pump or tank is required. It also eliminates the need for foot pedals and other mechanical components that can fail. Unlike typical vaccuum toilet systems, a convenient, built-in shredder with stainless steel blades transforms waste into small particles to reduce clogs. A unique discharge loop eliminates odours and enables the bowl to hold water, similar to home toilets.
Vortex-Vac is quiet, efficient and has both low-power consumption and
With increasingly stringent waste discharge legislation in both Canadian and US waters, boaters looking for waste removal solutions have at least a couple of options. Holding tanks are the obvious first-level fix but, of course, these need a pump-out station and there are not many of those on this coast.
Raritan has another option for vessels up to 65’ in length.
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Lifestyle
The Secret Salmon Recipe – Finally Revealed!
It was during our annual trip to Nova Scotia that I was made aware of the special recipe for cooking salmon that was being held very tightly by an individual in Chester Nova Scotia. It was said that for several years this individual would show up at parties with this cooked salmon that became the centre of attention. Several people tried to pry the recipe from him - or was it the secret ingredients - or maybe some magic dust - that made this salmon so sought after?
One of our Galley Guy associates, Jim Grove was also on this list of seekers wanting to pry the recipe from Robert Helms, but to no avail.
Read more about The Secret Salmon Recipe...............
DIY & How to
What’s a yacht and small craft marine surveyor worth?
By Mike Schwarz
Pause for a moment and ponder this question. How much is your life and your safety at sea worth? Most people would say priceless and impossible to put a value on. And yet many people seem to misunderstand the worth and principle role of a marine surveyor, whose very job it is to ensure your safety at sea by surveying, inspecting and reporting on your expensive, potential new purchase. Instructing a marine surveyor to work on your behalf should never be seen as a distress purchase where price is the all-important factor, rather it is an essential requirement.
Read more about Small Craft Marine Surveyors........................
Boat Reviews
Excess 12 and Excess 15
By Kieran Flatt
Catamarans have many advantages for cruising: more space, more speed, no heeling and a more comfortable motion. However, many experienced sailors find them less rewarding and engaging to sail than a monohull. That isn’t an inherent problem with multihulls, though. Rather, it reflects the fact that most cruising cats built in the last ten years have been aimed primarily at the charter market, designed above all to be docile and easy for novices to handle.
Read more about the Excess 12 and 15....................
Destinations
Looking for a boating adventure? set your course to Ucluelet
On the west coast of Vancouver Island Ucluelet is straddled between the famous Pacific Rim and the iconic Broken Islands.
The Ucluelet Boat Basin is steps away from the downtown core, and half-way between the iconic Long Beach and the Wild Pacific Trail
You are encouraged to take advantage of the untamed nature and sublime scenery while surfing, hiking, and enjoying the wildlife. Make the Ucluelet your base for exploration and adventure.
Read more about Ucluelet......................
See What You Cannot See
Electronic innovations that allow you to see in the dark, in the fog and in the depths
We cruising boaters often go places we have never been. Cruisers and fishing enthusiasts sometimes arrive in the dark, get caught in the fog or find what looks like a good anchorage, but do not have recent chart information or survey data to know if the anchorage is safe. We wander up rivers and into corners of small harbours in search of shelter or to pursue a particular finned prey.
Read more about Boating Electronic Innovations...............
