Environment Canada uses special wind terms in marine weather forecasts:

Conversion

* One knot is one nautical mile an hour (1.852 km/h)

1 Knot           =  1 Nautical MPH
1 Naut. MPH  =  1.82 KM/h

It is always a good idea to bring a map, compass and GPS navigation equipment with you when you are boating. It’s also even more important to understand the basics of navigation and markers before heading out on the water. This is especially true when you’re not familiar with the area.

Recreational boaters should be prepared to share waterways with wildlife, swimmers, divers, other boaters and watercraft ranging from sailboats to float planes.

As an operator, you must respect others on or near the water for them to respect your rights. Operators using courtesy and common sense will not create a hazard, threat, stress or be an irritant to others, to the environment or to wildlife.

Operating Rules

Port: If a power-driven vessel approaches within this sector, maintain with caution, your course and speed.

   

   PORT:adj. Left side of your vessel.

Starboard: If any vessel approaches within this sector, keep out of its way.

(Note: This rule may not always apply if one or both vessels are sailboats.)

Stern: If any vessel approaches this sector, maintain with caution, your course and speed.

A blows one blast and alters course to starboard.

B blows one blast and alters course to starboard.

a) When each sailing vessel has the wind on a different side, the vessel that has the wind on its port (left) side must keep out of the way of the other. In the illustration below, A keeps clear of B.

If a sailing vessel has the wind on its port side and the sailor cannot determine with certainty whether the other vessel has the wind on its port or starboard side, the first vessel must keep out of the way of the other.

b) When both sailing vessels have the wind on the same side, the vessel to windward* shall keep out of the way of the vessel to leeward. B keeps clear of A.

* The windward side is defined as the side opposite to that on which the mainsail is carried or, in the case of a square-rigged vessel, the side opposite to that on which the largest fore-and-aft sail is carried.

Maintaining a constant lookout is common sense and the law. If you are sharing the water with large vessels remember they have limited visibility, manoeuvrability and take much longer to come to a stop. Be prepared to move out of the way of these vessels for these reasons.
Be aware and be considerate

Never buzz, try to spray swimmers, cut in front of or try to jump the wake of other vessels. Some of the worst boating accidents happen when speed or distance is misjudged. It only adds to the tragedy when the two parties involved are friends or relatives.

Vessels less than 20 m (65’7”) in length, including sailing vessels, must stay out of the way of larger vessels that can safely navigate only within the channel. A large vessel will remind you of the requirement to give way by giving five or more short blasts of its horn. This means the situation has escalated to an emergency and you must take all necessary steps to get out of the way.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/menu.htm

• All operators of powered watercraft born after April 1, 1983

• All operators of powered watercraft, regardless of age,

• under 4 metres, including PWCs (Sea-Doos)

By September 15, 2009 all operators of powered watercraft regardless of length.

Check out the latest version of Transport Canada's Personal Watercraft Regulations.

Your Safe Boating Guide is available for download Here.

Pleasure craft do not have to carry GMDSS compatible equipment, but it is recommended. If your pleasure craft has this equipment, connect it to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to ensure your exact location is automatically transmitted in a digital distress alert in an emergency.

These numbers are assigned, free-of-charge, by Industry Canada.

Call 1-800-667-3780 or visit www.ic.gc.ca for more information.

An important feature of a VHF/DSC radio is its ability to send a distress alert that tells the Coast Guard and nearby vessels you require immediate assistance.

To find out where VHF/DSC services are available visit www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca or contact a Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services centre.

Currently, all VHF marine radio operators are required to have a restricted operator’s certificate (ROC) with maritime qualifications.

Contact your local Industry Canada office or the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons at 1-888-CPS-BOAT for more information on procedures and radiotelephone licence requirements.

For more safe boating information visit: http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/menu.htm

Choosing the Right Propeller

 
  Welcome to your complete tutorial on Propeller Basics. If you have questions,
  please contact us.

Choosing the Right Propeller ^

To some, choosing the right boat propeller can seem like a job for a marine service center. Anything that has to do with the backend of the boat can be a scary thing. Despite popular belief, choosing the correct propeller for a particular boat and motor is actually a fairly simple thing to do, once you understand what a propeller really is.

First think of propeller as a gear, whether it be on a car or even a bicycle. The lower the gear, faster hole shot, more power, but revolutions are much faster so at a point you can only turn that gear so fast until you over rev the engine (or you legs). Now think of your car stuck in only 5th or 6th gear, very slow out of the hole, little torque, but eventually it will catch up with itself so you can cruise to a good speed.

The same basic concept applies to propellers, except with a prop you are committed to only one ?gear". So what to do now? Find the prop size that will give the best overall performance. Sound difficult? It's really not.

Your engine has a recommended wide open throttle rpm range. Let take an example of an18' boat with a 125 hp engine with a rpm range of 4500-5500. In most cases you purchase a boat with some sort of propeller on it. Let's say this motor has a 21 pitch prop on it and at wide open throttle under a normal boat load, the engine turns 4900 rpms. Well it's in the range so it's the correct prop, right? Well yes and no. For the health and longevity of the engine it's okay, but for overall performance, you want to run a propeller near the top of the range. Well how do you change the size to get that?

Remember this rule of thumb: For every 2" of propeller pitch, rpm's will change approximately 400 rpm's. As you drop in pitch, rpm's increase, and as you go up in pitch, rpm's decrease. So if we want to raise our rpm's we should choose a lower pitch prop. Following the rule, going down to a 19 pitch should raise our rpm's to about 5300. That would help the hole shot and also gain us some more speed.

As you follow the rule of thumb, remember that sometimes rules are meant to be broken. This is not an iron clad rule, sometimes varying 2" of pitch will only change rpm's by 200. Switching prop brands or manufacturer, it can sometimes throw off the rule too.

At this point the most important thing to understand is that less pitch means more rpm's, more pitch means less rpms. For your boat to perform at its peak, you need to run at the upper end of your engine's recommended rpm range. That's it. Once you're there and still want more speed, handling, lift, etc, that's when choosing the right propeller brand comes into play.

Here's a simple adjustment you can make to improvement performance under varying boatloads: If you normally run with one other person on board, use that boatload as your measurement when determining your wide open throttle rpm's. But if you sometimes load the boat with 2-5 more people or try pulling a water skier or tube, get another prop 2" of pitch lower than your normal prop. It will compensate for added weight and drag and make a huge improvement on performance in these circumstances. But remember to keep an eye on you rpm's when running a lower pitch for these circumstances.

Most props have the size marked somewhere on the prop, either on the barrel, on the blades, or in the front or back of the propeller. Use that pitch that you're currently running as your starting point. If it's already running correctly then that pitch is your pitch.

Aluminum vs. Stainless Steel ^

The decision between purchasing an aluminum or stainless steel propeller can be difficult. However if you fully understand the differences between them, your decision can be much easier.

The most common understanding of the difference is that stainless steel propellers perform better than aluminum propellers. This is only half true. Material (Stainless vs Aluminum) only accounts for approximately 10% of the actual performance of the propeller. The other 90% of performance is in the blade design.

Well designed aluminum propellers will out perform an average stainless steel propeller. So it's important to research a propeller's performance before your purchase. It is also important to try different pitches and brands to get your boat dialed in to the best possible propeller.
The advantage of a stainless steel propeller over aluminum is durability. Stainless props can withstand more of the damage caused by small rocks, sand, or other loose objects in the water.

However, the disadvantage to a stainless propeller is that there is ?minimal give" to the blades, so if you hit an object hard enough, there is a possibility of causing major damage to your lower unit is increased greatly. With aluminum props, the blades will most likely sacrifice themselves before any damage is caused to your lower unit.

If you run in deep or familiar waters, or in salt/brackish water, a stainless steel propeller can be a good choice. But it is important to always carry a spare propeller on board, and a spare aluminum is an inexpensive choice.

Why not run a damaged propeller? ^

Continuing to use a damaged propeller can cause damage to the gearcase and ultimately the power head of your motor. When a propeller has sustained damage, it will not spin true, thus creating excessive vibrations that will transfer all the way into your motor.

A damaged propeller will also not perform as well as a new propeller because the damaged parts of the blade can degrade hydrodynamic efficiency.

What is pitch? ^

Propeller pitch is the theoretical forward movement of a propeller for one revolution, assuming that there is no prop slip. For example, a 21 pitch propeller will theoretically move 21 inches for every revolution. Propeller slip occurs with every propeller, but the amount of slip varies depending on propeller design. More aggressively and efficiently designed propellers will slip less.

When selecting a propeller pitch for your boat, it is important that the propeller runs at the upper end of your engines wide-open-throttle RPM range. If you want your RPM's to increase, go down in pitch. To decrease RPM's, go up in pitch. As a general guide, for every 2" of pitch, RPM's will change approximately 400 RPM's.

For water sports or extra people on board, you should generally drop 2" of pitch to help compensate for the added weight and drag on your boat. It makes a noticeable difference in your boat's hole shot, fuel efficiency, RPM's, and overall performance. You should ALWAYS carry a spare propeller on board, and if you're into water sports or occasionally load the boat with extra people, a spare prop with a lesser pitch is a good idea. When thinking a propeller pitch, compare it to a gear on car - lower gear, higher RPM's.

The same pitch from different manufacturers will run slightly different RPM's due to a difference in blade design. Speed differences among the same pitch from various manufacturers will vary even more. For example a 17 pitch from one brand could run up to 7 mph faster than a 17 pitch from another brand.

Pitch is the 2nd two digits that are listed in a propeller item description (14-1/4 x 19, 19 is the pitch, 14-1/4 is the diameter)

What is diameter? ^

Propeller diameter is distance across the imaginary circle that a spinning propeller makes. It can be easily determined by measuring the distance from the center of the hub to the tip of one of the blades and multiplying that number by 2.

Diameters between different propeller manufacturers may vary slightly. For example for a V6 outboard application, Turning Point uses a 14-1/4" diameter where a different manufacturer may use a 14-1/2" diameter. This small variance does not affect your performance as much as the pitch and overall design. However, larger diameter propellers - 15" or 16" diameter - are designed for larger boat applications - 23 ft +, and are not ideal for 15" - 22" foot run-a-bouts. These larger boats need more blade area to push more water.

What is rake? ^

Propeller rake is the degree that a propeller blade is angled in relation to the hub. Props with higher rake typically have better speeds and greater lift. The better performing propellers typically have between 20 - 30 degree rake angles.

What is cupping? ^

Propeller cupping is the curved lip at the trailing edge and/or tip of the propeller. Cupping helps the propeller to get a better grip in the water for better holding at higher trim and on turns. Cupping also increases the efficiency of a propeller and can result in higher top end speeds when properly designed.

What are vent holes? ^

Vent holes are holes behind each blade designed to aid in the hole shot of a propeller. When accelerating from neutral, these holes allow some exhaust bubbles to flow through and flood the blades. The prop is then spinning through more turbulent water, thus gaining RPM's and speed more quickly. After approximately 1000 RPM's, the exhaust flows rapidly enough that is will bypass the holes and flow through the hub, eliminating any further slippage from the holes.

This performance feature can only be found in stainless steel propellers. However Turning Point is the only one to offer this feature in aluminum propellers as well.

This excerpt is from Provided by Turning Point Propellers. You can use Turning Point's Prop Wizard to help you choose the right Propeller for your boat. Click here.

1. Covertible

Also known as a regular boat top. Encloses the top of the boat from the windshield to amidship. It can retract on the bows and can be stored upright in an canvas envelope.

2. Cockpit Cover

4. Fly Bridge Cover

Cockpit Cover encloses the boat from the Fly Bridge or Sedan Top down the the stern. Also known as Aft Curtain or sometimes Drop Curtain. Fly Bridge Cover encloses the Fly Bridge.

3. Drop Curtain

Drop Curtain encloses the boat from the Covertible top to the amidship floor.

5. Tee Top

6. Spray Hood Tee Top.

Also known as a Bimini. Tee Top can be permament or retractable. It encloses the consoles in an open boat. Spray Hood encloses the bow of an open boat.

7. Camp Enclosure

Also known as a Camper Top. Encloses the boat from amidship to stern, continuing the height of the boat top.

8. Aft Curtain

9. Side Curtain

Aft Curtain. Also known as Drop Curtain or Cockpit Cover. Encloses the boat from amidship to the stern in a tapered design. Side Curtain is generally made of clear plastic or canvas and protects the cockpit from the elements.

10. Mooring Cover

Also known as Travel Cover. Enloses the boat securely from bow to stern. Sometimes a Mooring Cocer only encloses the boat from the windshield to the stern.

11. Travel Cover

Also known as Mooring Cover. Sometimes a Travel Cover will be secured to the travel trailer.

Canvas Fabrics ^

There are a handful of mass market marine canvas fabric companies in the market, however the two most popular fabrics are:

• Sunbrella

• Top Gun

A good quality canvas should provide you with years of trouble-free service.


In the following brief we provide advice on the best way to care for, clean and properly store the fabrics and fasteners that make up your marine canvas.

Sunbrella®

For stubborn stains, soak the fabric for approximately 20 minutes in a solution of Yacht Brite Moldways® (use as directed - one scoop of Moldway powder per one quart of lukewarm water, no more than 100 degrees F). Rinse the fabric thoroughly in cold water to remove all the soap. This may require rinsing several times. Incomplete rinsing can cause deterioration of sewing threads and prohibit the fabric from being properly re-treated. Allow the fabric to air dry completely. This method of cleaning may remove part of the water and stain repellency and the fabric should receive an application of an air curing re-treatment, such as 303 High Tech Fabric Guard™ (available at www.boatingstore.com) Sunbrella® may be dry cleaned but 303 High Tech Fabric Guard™ must be applied to the fabric after dry cleaning. Sunbrella® is made from 100% acrylic fiber and is thermoplastic or heat sensitive. When washing and cleaning, DO NOT SUBJECT TO EXCESSIVE HEAT as the fabric will shrink.

Top Gun®

Top Gun fabric may be cleaned with a cleaning solution of 4 ozs. of Clorox® and 2 ozs. of SOAP in a one gallon of warm (100 degrees F) water. DO NOT use detergents. Use a soft bristled brush to lift soil embedded in the fabric surface. Rinse thoroughly with clear water to remove soil and soap residue. After thorough cleaning, water repellency may be reduced. An application of Aqua-Tite silicone water repellent is recommended after the fabric has dried thoroughly. Use of other refinishing agents is not recommended in that some may damage the coating and void the warranty.

• NEVER store canvas wet or in an unventilated, moist area.

• Always roll the canvas instead of folding. This is of particular importance on any part with the clear vinyl "glass" or the snapless vinyl extrusion strip.

• Handle the clear vinyl carefully. It is soft and very prone to scratching.

• To keep the vinyl soft and flexible, regularly apply a UV screening agent such as Yacht Brite Serious Shine® (use as directed) with a Yacht Brite Microfiber Towel®.

• Your top, side curtains, aft curtain and camper sets are designed and intended for short-term use only; DO NOT USE FOR STORAGE.

• Under no circumstances should the boat be towed with the boat top in the upright position.

• When zippers are new they can be a little difficult to zip. Zip carefully without forcing - they will loosen with use.

• A zipper lubricant such as Zip Tech™ or Max Wax™ may be used to help new zippers as well as for maintaining long, trouble-free service.

• The most vulnerable part of the zipper is the start. Use care when starting zippers.

• To prevent damage to the fabric, fasteners should be unsnapped as close to the button as possible.

• Never remove canvas by pulling roughly on one edge of the material.

• If the snaps become difficult to unsnap, the action can be lowered by many lubricants, such as oil, petroleum jelly, wax-based lip balm, silicone sprays. The most common recommendation is to rub candle wax or paraffin around the stud or inside the socket. Whichever method is used, care must be taken that the lubricant does not stain the canvas or other surfaces it may contact.