Questions tagged [boats]
Questions referring to the use or care of boats
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How many boats have been found encased in ice but still accessible?
I was watching National Treasure again today and the scene in which Cage and his team discover and explore the Charlotte made me curious. They find the ship buried under ice and snow, yet, though ...
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New 2.5 hp outboard motor has reduced power at full throttle
I have a new 2.5 hp 4-stroke Mercury outboard motor on a 12-foot aluminum boat:
I've used the motor four times; 15 km per trip.
When I first got the motor, it seemed to have a lot more power at full ...
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Boating — Avoid hitting water hazards in unfamiliar, uncharted lakes
I have a 12-foot aluminum boat with a 2.5 hp motor that I want to use on various lakes in Northeastern Ontario.
The lakes are small, remote lakes that aren't on navigational charts. There are a few ...
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What are adjustable strap buckles called?
I have a folding seat for my aluminum boat that is broken. The seam between the two bottom pads has ripped apart after just a few uses.
I want to build my own version of the seat out of plywood (like ...
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Boat motor rattles oarlock horns
I have oarlock horns attached to the oars of my aluminum boat.
They make a terrible racket when I use my 2.5 hp Mercury outboard motor. The vibrations from the motor travel through the boat and ...
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Waterproof safety kit for aluminum boat
What kind of safety kit should I have for my 12-ft aluminum boat -- for solo day trips on lakes in Eastern Ontario? I'm especially interested in having a waterproof kit with a waterproof flashlight.
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Avoid spilling gas into water when filling portable outboard motor
I have a 2.5hp portable Mercury outboard motor (link #1 and link #2). The gas tank is built into the top of the motor; there’s no external gas tank or line.
The tank is very small, so it needs to be ...
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Launch boat on a pebble beach
I want to launch a 12-foot aluminum boat at an off-road location.
I previously launched the boat/trailer at this location by attaching the tongue of the trailer to a 4-wheeled dolly (link 1 & ...
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Can't see empty trailer when backing down boat launch
When backing a small, empty boat trailer down a steep boat launch:
As a novice, I often can't see the trailer in my mirrors, even when the truck tailgate is down. Not being able to see the trailer ...
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Why are outboard motor handles located on the lefthand side?
The outboard motors I've seen have the handle positioned on the lefthand side of the engine. The operator would sit on the right side of the boat/motor and use their left hand to steer and throttle ...
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Down to what depth do I have a chance of surviving a submarine accident?
If a glass bottom boat or a shallow "snorkeling"-style submarine has an accident 3 metre below sea level, chances are I can just swim to the surface and survive unhurt.
Source: viator.com
...
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Yamaha 9.9 4-stroke outboard motor won't start (after working fine a minute ago)
I recently purchased a used 12-foot aluminum boat with a Yamaha 9.9 4-stroke outboard motor.
Earlier in the week, I had started the motor a few times in the driveway (in a barrel of water) without ...
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How can I keep water and leaves from accumulating on my boat cover?
My stock boat cover deteriorated to the point that I needed a new one. It had poles to hold up the middle so water would just roll off. The replacement I bought looks like the image below. It does not ...
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Quick-release for boat battery terminal loops
I have a D18S/T3 battery that I want to use to power the lights of an aluminum boat.
I don't want to leave the battery in the boat when I'm not using it. I figure the elements would damage the ...
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Leaky roof in wooden boat!
Recently, my partner purchased a narrow boat to live on in the London canals.
It is great! The only problem is that it has a fully wooden roof, and after the last week of heat, the wood seems to have ...
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Testing outboard motor when not in water
I'm new to boating. I recently purchased a used boat that has a 9.9 Yamaha 4-stroke outboard motor.
The previous owner showed me that the motor works, by running it for a second while the boat was on ...
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How to find quiet outboard motor
I have a very low tolerance for loud noises due to ear problems. I want to get a 12 or 14-foot aluminum boat and a motor, but I want the motor to be quiet.
How can I determine what type/brand of ...
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Did I understand the fuel economy of my boat correctly?
I don't know anything about outdoor sports or anything beyond the downtown of my metropolitan city. But someone gifted me a boat (along with piece of land in the middle of no where) and I'm trying to ...
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What is meant by "an Easterly wind"?
Does it mean that the wind is coming from east to west. Or is it meaning that the wind is coming from west to east?
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What is a 40 gross tonnage boat like?
I am about to start a course for boating license for boats up to 40 gross tons. I wonder how big such a boat is?
I looked everywhere for concrete examples, but most only provide length or other ...
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automated system for detection of "problems" and waking up from sleep on a yacht at night
So I want to travel across Atlantic Ocean alone in my boat.
And I like to sleep good..8h if possible
My question is, is there an automated system, radar (or some vessel detection system) that can wake ...
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Do I need registration under the Greek Law for inflatable canoe having length between 1 to 2.80 meters?
I thought to buy an inflatable canoe and cross the following distance between Poros Island and Daskaleio:
But do inflatable canoe such as this one (link for reference) need to be registered under the ...
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Does an Inflatable boat w a 4hp motor need a license in Ontario?
I bought a 4-person inflatable boat (around $600). I would like to equip that with a 4HP 4-Stroke outboard motor. I'm not sure if I need a licence for that in Ontario, Canada. In addition, I believe ...
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How long does it take to sail up the Mississippi?
The head of navigation of the Mississippi River depends on the type of craft and on the source you look at. For large oceangoing ships, it seems to be Baton Rouge, but otherwise, seems to be the Coon ...
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Free Online Text Books For Sailing
The FAA has a website to download free text books to learn all the things required to become a pilot. https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/
Is there a similar website ...
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Special trimaran design for extra power [closed]
First time posting on this particular forum so the usual about directing me to another stack exchange if applicable. I found most related questions to boats here, so I hope I'm at the right place.
I'm ...
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Why did Lewis and Clark use square rigged boats?
The best way to travel across wilderness with a lot of gear depends on the exact nature of the terrain; in particular, if it contains rivers, the best solution may be a boat. Lewis and Clark ...
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Why is sailing straight downwind considered dangerous?
I've been watching a video on learning to sail, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6DEToYI-7w&ab_channel=ClintonLakeSailingAssociation and much of it is clear, but it has left me with a couple of ...
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Is the head of navigation same for sailing and motorboats?
Rivers are often described as having a 'head of navigation', the furthest upstream point you can reach in a ship coming from the sea. Does this equally apply, regardless of propulsion method?
In ...
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Ways to pull up a stuck anchor?
There have been times where I have been on my friends pontoon boat in an average lake and we would drop anchor to go fishing but struggle to get the anchor out of the water. On some occasions, we had ...
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aluminum or hard plastic boat oar?
I lost my boat oar for my 8-ft long pontoon row boat and I need a new one, But I don't know what kind to get. I only lost one oar and the other one is hard plastic. I lost my oar because I let go and ...
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Fix/patch a leaky through-hull fitting below the waterline
I have a small (21') sailboat with a bilge pump hose that outputs to a through-hull that, depending on the weight distribution in the boat, is sometimes slightly below the waterline (not a great ...
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Repairs for severely damaged EPS/epoxy stand-up paddle board
I’ve never been on a SUP before. Many people have them in my area. I’ve seen people on them
at the beach and in the river, always dreamed of having one but they've been too expensive for
a new one. So ...
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How efficient is travel by canoe?
How efficient is travel in a canoe, in terms of effort/time required to cover distance?
Or kayak, pirogue, any kind of small boat that is moved by paddling instead of sail or motor - is there a ...
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In a river with light traffic, while swimming its length, how to be better seen by boats?
I try to look forward and flip to my back to look backward every five or so strokes, but my goggles eventually fog up. It's hard to see boats unless I'm constantly stopping to clean out my goggles.
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Is there a more accurate way to gauge the fuel level on my ski boat?
I own a 1988 Malibu Skier, and one of the things I've been thinking about upgrading on it is the fuel gauge. Specifically, I want to be able to have some kind of digital reading of how much fuel I ...
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Surfacing out of a sunken ship/submarine - Survival Tips
Here is a scary scenario:
Let's say you were in a ship or submarine that sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
No scuba gear, no oxygen tank, nothing.
The depth of the ocean is such that nitrogen ...
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replace Sunfish flotation blocks
My sunfish got to be over two hundred lbs.I opened up the forward deck to find only expanding foam. No Styrofoam. I see pics of the Styrofoam but need the specs/dimensions of the Styrofoam. I have ...
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Drawbacks and advantages of using a trimaran instead of a monohull for sailing in the arctic?
Which would be the main advantages and drawbacks of trying to sail a cruising trimaran in summer from the Azores to the Arctic, well past Svalbard but not quite to the pole?
From the experienced ...
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Does an outboard motor impeller go bad if it isn't exercised regularly?
The impeller on my outboard motor (2002 2 stroke 75 HP Yamaha) was replace last year before I used it. It was fully serviced at that the time, but the motor hasn't been run in about 12 months. Does ...
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Is it possible to 'live off the sea'
I've recently become aware of the american 'survivalist' or 'prepper' phenomenon.
The general idea seems to be that 'something bad' (exactly what seems to vary) is going to happen, civilization will ...
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Help me interface these two nautical devices
I'm crew on a boat (wooden 8.5m from 1973) which has a GPS and a tiller pilot that seem to work fine separately, but don't seem to want to talk to one-another. My captain is adamant this combination "...
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Understanding the transition in USCG Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Labeling
In this question a couple years ago: What do life jacket ratings mean (Type I, Type II, etc)?, we see the traditional types many of us learned about in Boating Safety courses, or in Scout/ Youth camp, ...
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Flat bottom boat trolling motor power
I am wondering how to estimate the needed motor power for boating upstream on big rivers like, for example, Danube. (mean the bottom to middle part, i.e. where the Danube is wide and "slow"?).
To be ...
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How much heel is optimal on a small katamaran in low wind?
I am a novice sailor (at best) and natively German-speaking, so the question might contain incorrect use of sailing terms and further misconceptions - thanks for any pointers in comments.
In high ...
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What are the differences between a lighthouse and a light station in terms of the specific purpose?
One summer evening we drove to Race Point, the farthest tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. We were told there was a lighthouse at that spot, and wanted to see the light shine through the darkness, ...
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What are those other three holes in the boat's transom?
The second one from left to right is the only one I'm currently plugging. Is it alright not to close the other three?
The boat hull is MAKO 86 23 feet . The boat is not currently sinking, but every ...
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What type of boat is this with a single mast and a square sail? [closed]
What type of boat might this be? Or what category of boats would it fall under?
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What is this protrusion on the bottom of the sailboat?
I recently acquired a sailboat and noticed a small protrusion under the starboard side of the hull in front of the keel. Does anyone know what this is?
The boat is a 1976 hunter 25. I have not put it ...
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What is head/lift indication in a digital compass on a sailboat?
A simple explanation would be great.
I am reading a manual for digital compass and there is a paragraph with the following words:
The SpeedPuck automatically detects when a sailor is trimmed to a
...
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