What do you do to make boating better????

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Got a cooler with lunch? Maybe a port-a-pottie, or just the fabric top.


Let us know what you do!!!!!!!!
 

abj87

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 4, 2008
Messages
354
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

well i'm hoping to live aboard a 45' trawler in a few years. I also try to help people out the best i can. For example i towed a boater 5 miles back to the marina a few months back.
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

yup.....the cooler is involved........but its all about the people you are with.

the boat and its equipment can help......but its all about the people
 

marine4003

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
1,119
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

yup.....the cooler is involved........but its all about the people you are with.

the boat and its equipment can help......but its all about the people

So true,generally its me, my wife and daughter (2) sometimes Fido comes along,she's getting up there in age,and a day on the water wipes her out,our other dog is just to hiper,so when i go fishing alone he goes.But nothing beats a Carolina day on the water,we mix it up, as for our destination it can vary weekend to weekend , and often we day trip to Charleston SC or Wilmington/Bald Head area, always plenty to eat & drink (no booze) No radio / no cell / no worries.
 

lkbum

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
445
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

I try and avoid the nuts... A new boat without numbers yet, may have an inexperienced skipper (stay away from these guys), wild eyed kids on wave runners (ditto). I stay off the lake at the busiest times, it gives the tubers and wake borders more room. Going out early A.M. or at dusk avoids alot of traffic and makes for a great cruise. Has anyone else been bothered by the Music from wakeboard/ski boats?? A couple of them near me blast the music loud enough for the guy on the wake board to hear. I grin and bear it at the moment, but it's starting to wear on me a little.
 

sundowner205

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
213
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

...But nothing beats a Carolina day on the water,..and often we day trip to Wilmington/Bald Head area, ...

I couldn't have said it better...miss those Wrightsville Beach/Masonboro Island days!...if everything works out I'll be moving back down there in the spring....

Good people, good beer...I'm content. :D
 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

i've got several things i do. keeping the interior of the boat uncluttered is very helpful. specially in a small boat. (19' in my case) everything has a place and it's either there or being used so ya can move about. having excess safety equipment always helps too. extra throwables, lifejackets, line, firstaid kit, 2 anchors, flares etc. boating is one of them things ya just can't help but get into trouble once in a while. ya need to be self sustaining. having communications is important too. more safety.. the cooler is a must of course w/ your favorit beverage. though also containing in my case, usually cheese and salami along with crackers onboard. semi kinda emergancy food if ya gots to, or a snack of course.... . i've got a hardtop but also capabilities of full encloser with an aft curtain. this is a big plus being able to control your environment. i've had soft tops with the same capabilities and it's worth it to be able to convert while on the water.... while i don't have a porta poti. i do have a uscg approved folgers coffee can bailing bucket/ poti.... this ain't to private, but will work just fine if ya gotta go. for the other ya gotta have shovel and paper onboard, these i carry too for a worse case scenario....
these are the things that can make boating better to me. after all, boating is an adventure every time, ya need to be ready for it......

my creature comfort for better boating is a quality stereo. needs to sound good at low volumes.... background music ya know... with capabilities of bothering others too for those lonely times when there's no one to bother......
lastly, a well tuned boat. ya can really be alone on the water. ya need your boat to function proper. if it don't it can be inconvenient at the least or be as bad as life threatening.... ya gotta be able to trust your equipment in the bad times.....
 

wajajaja02

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
667
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

I think the folk on lk hopacong would say that "when I stay Home"
 

SuzukiChopper

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
782
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

Make boating better? I'd have to say not forgetting the plug and having a running motor makes boating better then just about anything else I can think of. The cooler, cover, people I'm with... well all that would really depend on my mood and what I'm expecting to get from my time out on a lake.
 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

"when I stay Home"
whens that.......... oh, i know. when it's winter or i'm outta money. either or.......:(
 
Last edited:

ebry710

Ensign
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
981
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

Boating is better with a comfortable chair, cooler full of the favorites, Bimini top, remote electric trolling motor, proper fishing gear and the real world left at home. It is enhanced by people like the same, enjoy the rising of a fish, the soaring of eagles and other things that bring joy to life.
 

AguaSki

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
545
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

Sunscreen. Nothing worse than a boating caused sun burn.
 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

the soaring of eagles and other things that bring joy to life.
like this.....

IMG_4024.jpg


a mid sunday morning after a campout on the boat sat. night. slight calm breeze. drifted into some pelicans, nice and quite... still didn't get to close. but sure was fun..... it don't get much better.....

Nothing worse than a boating caused sun burn.
been there, done that..... put up yer softtop or have a hardtop....;) don't be on a jetski....:( do use sunscreen though. it does work.... top or not.....
 

wildspeed

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 13, 2005
Messages
177
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

or like this

IMG_1848.jpg


IMG_1810.jpg


DSCN0795.jpg


DSCN0424.jpg



IMG_1527.jpg


Those shots just make me realised it's hard to make it better... : )
 

puddle jumper

Captain
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
3,830
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

wildspeed good looking kids.

I would have to say just being on the water with the family. A great gray brechin nearby makes it extra special.
 

wildmaninal

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
1,897
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

I'm not much of a pleasure boater so to me there isn't anything to make it better then just wetting my line and drowning a lure or a minnow :D.

I do try to bring a cooler full of non alcoholic drinks ;), don't get me wrong I like a beer every once in a while but I don't bring it on the boat, hope I don't ever start doing that.

Seriously though to me making boating, (and in my case fishing) better is bringing a friend along or making plans and meating up with a friend or relative on the lake.

Of coarse having a safe trip to and on the lake or river, then back home. Watching wildlife also makes for interesting and beautiful scenery. We had a deer watch us fish for the longest durring one outing :D.
 

jeffnick

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
695
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

When I was younger, it was all about raw adventure. Now that I'm an old f*rt it's all about comfort...like heat/air conditioning, quick meals/coffee, easy anchoring, and not forgetting the plug while we do the adventures on the water and on the road.

Heat/AC
Air Conditioning pics here
GenFun.jpg


Quick meals
IMG_2529.jpg


Easy anchoring
IMG_2487.jpg

IMG_3249.jpg


Remembering the plug
IMG_3268.jpg

IMG_3265-1.jpg


On the road and water
Oops, no more pics allowed....
 

ebry710

Ensign
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
981
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

This thread seems to being implying that we all need to buy a house boat......with a basement :):):):)
 

jay_merrill

Vice Admiral
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
5,653
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

How to make boating better? If I had the technical know-how, I would figure out a way to make a 20 foot, planing type hull get 20 mpg!

Then again, if I were able to do that, I wouldn't care about fuel consumption because I'd be a rich guy!
 

bekosh

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
1,382
Re: What do you do to make boating better????

Two years ago, we moved up to a cuddy cabin w/full canvas from an old tri-hull.
Now instead of just boating on Sat. we stay overnight and boat on Sun as well. We did 22 nights on the boat this year.:D
Winneconne8-31-07002.jpg
 
Top