Boating.Tips

10/29/2025

https://www.waterwayguide.com/knowledge-center/news-post/11790/learning-boatyard-lingo?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news&utm_content=News+10%2F29%2F2025

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06/23/2025

Print it and post it by your VHF radio. We all need reminders now and then. Thank you to Michael Cohen for putting this together!

04/09/2025

NexGen Fire Extinguisher

The Element E50 offers 50 seconds of fire fighting protection - compared to about 10 seconds for the conventional 5lb bottle. It's compact, weatherproof, easy to use and store, leaves no residue upon use, and is maintenance-free.

USCG will require that you have a conventional bottle extinguisher on board, but this is our go-to for fighting the A,B.C and K class fires most likely aboard a boat. Available at KYC and elsewhere. $89.95 MSRP.

01/14/2025

https://www.kingmanyachtcenter.com/boater-education-is-now-law-in-massachusetts/

It is now law that boat operators in MA obtain a boater safety certificate by passing a boater safety test. The certificate must be present on the boat being operated. The new legislation provides exemptions for merchant mariners, qualifies members of the armed forces, or students of a secondary or....

06/13/2024

06/04/2024

EMERGENCY CUT-OFF SWITCH OPTIONS

Whether you choose to use the hardwired switch installed by your manufacturer, or a wireless fob, always use your ECOS.
For decades boat manufacturers have equipped boats with an emergency cut-off switch. The emergency cut-off switch lanyard, or ECOS-L, connects the engine ignition system to a life vest or belt loop, so if the operator leaves the helm while underway the lanyard is pulled and the motor stops. Congress recently passed a law making it mandatory to use an engine cut-off device whenever on plane in a boat under 26 feet.

This law will absolutely save lives. Accidents where the skipper is ejected or thrown from the helm are more common than you’d think – and even if the operator does stay in the boat, the time it takes to regain control can result in injury or even death.

That’s where the ECOS switch comes in. A traditional hard-wired lanyard will stop the motor whenever the operator is ejected, incapacitated or simply falls from the helm. It prevents the most terrifying predicament in boating – being in the water as the boat turns circles at high speed. It’s a simple, inexpensive and effective safety tool.

One knock on lanyards is that they only stop the motor when the skipper leaves the helm. That’s where the new generation of wireless ECOS switches shines. They can protect everyone onboard. Base models usually come with two electronic lanyards and can be linked to several more. If anyone goes overboard, these wireless lanyards will stop the boat and immediately set a man-overboard waypoint on the GPS, allowing the skipper or crew to restart the motor and circle back to the overboard passenger. This technology is invaluable on larger vessels where crew may be at risk of ejection without the captain being aware, and whenever children are onboard.

Whether you choose to use the hardwired switch installed by your manufacturer, or a wireless fob, always use your ECOS-L. It’s the law, and it saves lives. Wireless ECOS systems are priced between $200 and $500, and are available at Amazon, West Marine and from the Kingman Yacht Center parts and service departments.

Thank you to Boating Safety Magazine at https://www.boatingsafetymag.com/safety-tips/emergency-cut-off-switch-link-requirements-and-options/?oly_enc_id=3781D7225256B9M

05/10/2024

https://www.marinalife.com/articles/the-longitude-act-of-1714

Discover the captivating story of the Longitude Act of 1714 and the quest to solve the age-old problem of finding longitude at sea.

05/09/2024

Bourne Community Boating will host a US Sailing "Safe Powerboat Handling" course on June 8th and 9th at Kingman Yacht Club. This 16-hour hands-on, on-the-water course is for anyone who wants to learn how to safely operate a small motorboat and improve their boat handling skills, for ages 13 and up. This USCG-approved course also meets the NASBLA requirements for the MA boating education certificate.

The course fee for the 16-hour hands-on course is $250. covering text materials, US Powerboating Certificate, and Ma State certificate. For more info about the course go to https://www.uspowerboating.com/courses/safe-powerboat-handling/

This class will fill up quickly and space is limited to 10 people. Registration is open at https://bourne-community-boating.jumbula.com/safe-powerboat-handling

03/06/2024

https://www.kingmanyachtcenter.com/preparing-boat-weather-storm/

Hats off to the folks at Boats.Com for their excellent review of storm preparation tips: Hurricane Preparation for Boaters Organize your thinking, gather your gear, and have your plan in place. If you have to act, act decisively, and give yourself time to help your neighbors on the water: Their prep...

09/05/2023

https://www.kingmanyachtcenter.com/dont-poke-poseidon-the-ritual-of-naming-your-boat-and-staying-afloat/

One of the most frequently asked questions at the boatyard is about how to properly rename a boat. We recently ran across this post on BoatBlurb.com that explains the rituals and process really well: Naming a new boat is one thing, but ask any boater about re-naming a used vessel and they’ll shoot...

08/21/2023

Know your buoys!

07/17/2023

There's a new look for life jacket labeling. Our friends at Boating Magazine share what you need to know to decode the symbols.

Life-jacket labels used to mostly list the type. Now, they'll include a host of other information. Learn what each symbol means and how it impacts you.