Sometimes we take things for granted. Growing up, our surroundings, no matter how exotic or grand they may be, will become common place to us. Florida Keys fishing is like that for me. I grew up on the Florida Keys fishing with my father. We actually lived in Key West, but we fished up and down the Florida Keys.

So, I became accustomed to the crystal clear reef water and the huge fish catches that were made. To me it was the norm. To visitors who came down for a Florida Keys fishing trip, it was anything but the norm.

So let’s look at Florida Keys fishing today and see how someone can come down and be successful on a fishing trip.

Continue reading »

Sometimes We Need to Get Away and Let the Other Guy Do the Work!

Every now and then people need a break. They need a change of pace from what they normally do, from what they normally see. People on the coast usually head for the mountains. People in the mountains likewise head for the coast.

And so it is with me and a number of my guide friends. After fishing and working all year in saltwater, we simply need a change of pace. We need a break. We need to experience some other aspect of life that we rarely get to see.

For me, that change of pace took place in an area known as the

River of Lakes Heritage Corridor in north central Florida. The area encompasses western Volusia County with the focal point being the St Johns River around the city of Deland.

Continue reading »

Bass fishing can be one of the most fun and most rewarding pastimes. It is, also, a fairly inexpensive hobby to have. It is a sport that can be enjoyed alone or with friends or family. Of course, you can go to the nearest marine sports store and purchase a big, expensive bass boat with electronic fish finders and multiple live wells. If that is what you want and can afford it, then great!

However, you don’t have to have a lot of expensive gear to catch the perfect bass. All you have to have is a rod and reel, your choice of bait, stringer or bucket, needle nose pliers-in case a fish swallows your hook-and a net. (If you are wading, leave the net at home. It will only get in your way.)

Continue reading »

Knowing how to anchor safely is an important seamanship skill that every boat operator should master. There will certainly be times you’ll want to stop in a sheltered spot for swimming, fishing, lunch or an overnight stay. But in bad weather, or if you experience engine failure, the only alternative to setting the anchor may be washing ashore or drifting out to sea. Anchoring is an easy task if you follow these guidelines.

1   Approach
Choose an area clear of boats and underwater obstacles. Check your chart to make sure there are no cables, wrecks or obstructions on the bottom to foul your line. Determine the water depth and type of bottom (preferably sand or mud). Calculate the amount of anchor line you need to let out. The general rule is five to seven times as much line as the depth of the water plus the distance from the surface of the water to where the anchor will attach to the bow. Secure your anchor to the bow cleat at the point on the line where you want it to stop. Then, with your boat heading into the wind (or current, if that is stronger) move into the area, put your engine in idle and bring your boat to a stop with the bow just forward of where you intend to drop anchor.

Continue reading »

Attendance was up 14 percent at the 2011 Miami International Boat Show, which closed last Monday.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association, which produces the show, reported 104,168 attendees this year, versus 91,415 in 2010.

Strictly Sail Miami, however, was down 8 percent compared with 2009 – the last time it was held as a stand-alone show. A total of 18,122 people attended Strictly Sail, versus 19,723 two years ago.

“The atmosphere throughout the five-day event was positive, and exhibitors from both shows reported strong buying crowds and increased sales,” the NMMA said.

Five years ago we first reported on Tamarack Lake Electric Boat Company’s Loon, a proposed production solar-electric boat. At that time, creator Monte Gisborne told us that “exhausting hydrocarbons directly into your own lake isn’t much different from urinating in your family room.” In 2009 the 8-passenger watercraft received a design overhaul, and production was scheduled to begin later that year. Now, with a just-announced deal in place to manufacture the boat at facilities in the city of Rome, New York, full-scale Loon production should finally be commencing within the next few months.

The current version of the Loon is 22 feet (6.7 meters) long, with a beam of 7’4” (2.24 meters), and a resin-infused fiberglass hull. Its 48-volt lead-acid battery is charged via 115 or 220-volt mains power, to in turn power a 5.5 hp motor – a 1,000-watt rooftop solar array helps extend the boat’s range, which sits at over 50 miles (80.5 km). It has a cruising speed of 6.5 knots (7.5 mph/12 kph) and a top speed of 8 knots (9.5 mph/15.3 kph).

Continue reading »

Unless you happen to be shooting a raging white-water rapid the prospect of reaching speeds anywhere near 25mph is not something normally associated with kayaking – but swap paddle power for a 9.5hp engine and the whole game changes. We’ve covered a menagerie of fun watersports machines recently, from the amphibious Quadski to the Aquajet Jetbike, all aimed at injecting a serious dose of thrills into aquatic activities and the latest to catch our attention – Surfango’s PowerKayak – is no exception. The PowerKayak mates the body of a kayak with a fun little 4-stroke engine to deliver a 25mph top speed and the ability to explore lakes and rivers with no regard for what the wind and current are doing.

Continue reading »

If the Seven Wonders of the World was updated for the 21 st century, the Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C turbocharged two-stroke diesel engine could be a contender. If you are a student of the internal combustion engine in all its wondrous configurations, then feast your eyes on this set of numbers which outline the truly astounding engineering feat. It is the most powerful and most efficient engine in the world today.

Designed to provide the motive force for a variety of supertankers and container ships, it comes in 6 cylinder in-line through to a whopping 14 cylinder version. The cylinder bore is 38 inches and the stroke is just over 98 inches. Each cylinder displaces 111,143 cubic inches (1820 litres) and produces 7780 horsepower. Total displacement comes out to 1,556,002 cubic inches (25,480 litres) for the 14-cylinder version.

Continue reading »