National Safe Boating Week kicks off the third week of May, just before many of us get out on the open water. The occasion is meant to draw attention to the importance of boating safely and to take a fresh look at boating safety tips. 

Technically, it is New Shoreman, but for many of us it is simply Block. To the locals it is “The Little Pork Chop." Like an Emerald in the sea, beautiful bike paths, spectacular views and best of all, no chain stores, but for one tiny Ben and Jerry’s. It is refreshing, clean and beautiful. My daughter went to work there for the summer in 2016. She never left. There are stories of pirates and things the locals did with lights ashore, but that is for another time.

Whatever you do, don’t call it Oak’s Bluff. The natives take offense at that.

The moment you begin to drift from the dock, you will experience a sense of release. The separation is not only physical in the sense that you are no longer attached to the land, but the tensions and worries of everyday life begin to fade. Suddenly, the water, sky, and the wind become your focus.

There are very few things in life more exhilarating than purchasing a brand-new cruising sailboat or powerboat.  At the right dealership, like Cape Yachts, the buying process should be fun and enjoyable every step of the way. Conversely, there are few things in life more irritating and frustrating than needing service on your brand-new yacht and getting a poor response from the dealership where you just bought it.  

You are thinking about selling or trading your marine pride and joy. But how do you know what it is truly worth? The adage about value based on “what the market will bear” naturally depends on the supply and demand for comparable boats and your urgency to buy or sell.

Many of us harbor dreams of sailing wherever and whenever we like. When we take time to pause, life on the water under blue skies can be both relaxing and therapeutic, offering an escape that makes many of our worldly concerns seem distant.

Maybe your fantasies of sailing away on an extended sea adventure or even dreaming of life aboard a yacht full-time are still slightly somewhat vague. You can bring those dreams into greater focus when you check out the latest Oceanis Sailing Yachts built by one of the world’s leading yacht design innovators, Beneteau.  

After turning the corner into the new year, visions of warmer, springtime days of carefree boating probably have begun to flood your imagination. While dreaming of another great season of sailing, fishing, or pleasure boating only weeks away, you should also be thinking about what you must do to get your boat back in the water in pristine condition.

If you had put your boat away for winter storage and it was stored properly at the end of the boating season last year, the recommissioning should be a straight-forward task. In any instance, proper steps taken now will increase the likelihood of a trouble-free boating season.

Recommissioning your boat in the spring should not be taken lightly. Diligent inspection, adjustment, and parts replacement will also extend the life of your treasured watercraft.