As a boater, you want the waterways to stay clean. To make sure that your beautiful scenery will be around for your next trip out, here are a few tips that you can use.

1. Lead by example.

Next time you are at the marina, be sure to bend over and pick up a piece of litter out of the water (or from the beach, docks, or ground). If people see you taking the time and energy to clean up, they will know that it is not acceptable for them to litter.

2. Start a movement.

If everyone on your water picked up one item of garbage each time they went out, the water would be clean in no time. Put up signs suggesting the “pick up one piece” policy along the dock or at a relative area.

You can also organize to get a lot of people together to clean your lake or river. Like the “adopt-a-highway” program, getting everyone together once a year to clean your waterway will help you get your shores looking clean in no time.

3. Use Common Sense When Fueling.

If you have a portable fuel tank, be sure to always fill it on solid ground where spills are less likely to occur. In many areas it is illegal to fill a portable fuel tank in a boat for fire regulations. If your fuel tank is on-board, be careful while you fuel. Keeping a cloth or towel with you to wipe away spills will save the environment and your paint job!

Always know the capacity of your fuel tanks. Be sure that you have an accurate gauge to tell how full your tank is. Never overfill your tank.

If you have a smaller engine, use a funnel to fill your tank. You can even take an engine ashore to fill. This will give you an opportunity to wipe down the area of your boat where the engine attaches, and can prevent you from getting rust and other problems. This particularly applies to emergency engines for sailboats.

4. Know your Vent Line.

When fuel gets warmer, it expands. This can cause it to escape from the vent line. Riding through particularly choppy or rough waters can also cause fuel to escape from the vent line. You can install an anti-surge valve to prevent fuel from leaking overboard while you are having a good time.

When you are filling your tank, you will be able to feel air flow from your vent line. This air flow will increase dramatically when you are close to filling your tank. When you feel the air flow increase, it means that it is time to stop filling your tank.

There is no excuse for littering, especially on the water. The litter that you throw into the water can contaminate fish, the water that goes to our cities, and surrounding farmlands. The smallest items, such as cigarette butts, often take the longest to decompose (cigarette butts are NOT decomposable and will stay in the water, keeping it ugly, until they wash ashore where children might play).

As a boater, I have an intense respect for nature. I like going out into nature, and I have a vested interest in keeping our environment clean. Together, we will be able to keep our waterways clean.

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While the docking techniques in boating are always going to be dependent upon the weather conditions, there are a few simple things that you should always keep in mind. First of all, in this particular case practice makes perfect. Although we can provide tips, please remember that the docking techniques in boating are going to be something you will have to personalize to your experience, your particular boat and of course, the dock itself.

Secondly, the most common mistake boater’s make when attempting to dock their boats is to try and approach the dock in a straight line. By approaching the dock from an angle, however, it will much easier to get close without scraping and to hit the spot you’re aiming for. Thirdly, the speed at which you come in to the dock must be controlled. Anything you’ve ever been told about the best docking techniques in boating probably mentioned that it requires you to run your boat in at the slowest possible speed.

This however, is not as easy as it sounds. Often, even idle speed on a boat is too fast. Coasting, however, as a docking technique in boating, causes problems in and of itself. Coasting reduces steering capability, which makes it even more difficult to accurately line up with the dock. The best way to counter this problem is to alternate between power for steering (short shots of forward gear) and coasting for speed control. Being able to use the best docking techniques in boating is not automatic.

You’ll have to practice this one over and over. As you get closer to the dock, the best docking techniques in boating will tell you to start to turn the boat. It is at precisely the same time, however, that you will also need to decelerate to a stop in reverse. Again, the deceleration reduces steering capability. When approaching the dock, you are going to have to rely on the momentum of the boat to get you over this obstacle.

Momentum and speed, however, are not the same thing. Momentum is simply the forward motion of the boat that will actually carry you into the dock. You will need just enough momentum to get into the dock and that will allow you to smoothly make the shift to reverse so you can stop. Once you’ve actually mastered this task, you’ll probably agree that the best docking techniques in boating were the ones that you learned by trial and error. None of the docking techniques you’ll read will ever be a better teacher than practice, practice, practice.

The best advice that one could ever receive when looking for information on the best docking techniques in boating would be to take it slow, don’t get nervous or discouraged and most importantly, remember that every time you try it, will make it a little easier the next time.

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When it comes to introducing yourself to the water, canoes are great place to start! Some people prefer to start out with inflatable boats or even kayaks. Most people start their boating adventures when they’re young, at a summer camp or fishing with their dad. They are versatile and practical for a number of reasons, and can work in a number of different situations. Canoes are designed for ease of getting in and out, especially for older folks wishing to get into the sport. For the younger paddlers, this may not be as important. Another thing that makes canoes very popular over kayaks is their storage capacity. If you’re planning on buying one, you can use it on a camping trip and numerous other types of adventures. Because the canoe is available in an array of sizes, some people even prefer this to an inflatable dinghy.

The longer canoes are excellent for long open water trips, but you can also buy one-person smaller canoes for running white water. Canoes can sometimes be difficult to transport, unless you have a full-sized pickup truck and especially if you plan on loading it yourself. For this reason, some people choose inflatable kayaks instead. The storage capacity in the longer canoe is wonderful and can hold most items you will need for your adventure trip.

If you don’t own a pickup, you may need to purchase a trailer to tow your boat. One benefit that kayaks have over canoes is their portability. Inflatable kayaks are becoming more and more popular for this main reason. Another drawback with canoes is that when it rains heavily, the boat can fill up rapidly with water. Fortunately, a canoe is very difficult to sink, but it will certainly make your trip annoying if it rains a lot. Also with a canoe, you may find that steering and maneuvering it can be difficult at times when a strong wind catches it.

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