Basics of the Lanyard | Boat Tech | Boat Propellers | Boating and GPS

Boat Tech Information

Looking for the latest information on boating communication electronics, sonar electronics, or global positioning systems, we’ll here you are. If you’re a boater, either with a ski boat, power boat, sail boat or yacht this is some must read information for any boater.

Understanding the Basics of the Lanyard: A Look at Versatile Boating Gear

If you are interested in taking up sailing or boating generally, you likely have found yourself interested in learning about the different components, tools and equipment items that are important to the sport. To this end, one of the most important and versatile pieces of gear that you need to familiarize yourself with is something called a lanyard.

“Lanyard” is a flexible line of robe -- or wire rope or even a strap. At each end of the lanyard you can find a connector, a device for latching the lanyard on to different pieces of equipment, other gear and the like. For example, a lanyard can be sued to connect a body harness to a deceleration device. A lanyard can be used to link up a lifeline. A lanyard can be used to gear up an anchor. In other words, the uses for a lanyard in the context of boating or sailing virtually are limitless.

If you are contemplating the purchase of a boat, or if you have made the purchase of a boat, you will want to make certain that any lanyard that you have on board or on deck are in tip top shape. Again, because a lanyard has so many specific uses, you can be certain that any lanyard that you have on board or on deck will be put to regular use.

If you do purchase a boat, one of your first tasks will be to make sure that you have a sufficient number of lanyard ropes or straps on board. You need to undertake a complete inventory to determine each location and to determine which pieces of gear naturally will require a lanyard. Once you have completed this inventory, you need to make certain that you do have a suitable lanyard on deck to connect with a given part of the boat, piece of equipment or gear item.

Following this general inventory, you need to make certain that any lanyard that you do have on the boat is in good condition. Too often a boat owner will continue to use a lanyard even when the lanyard is in poor condition. If you do overuse a lanyard, you can find yourself in a bad situation. For example, suppose that you have a lanyard hooked up to a lifeline. And, further assume that the lanyard you have linked to the lifeline has been overused. (Indeed, you specifically linked that particular lanyard to the lifeline because you assumed that -- with any luck -- the lifeline would never need to be used. You consciously hooked an overused lanyard to the lifeline … which is something that does happen from time to time on a boat.) Finally, assume the day comes that you actually have to use the lifeline with the worn lanyard -- and the lanyard and the lifeline breaks while you are attempting to pull in a struggling swimmer. Not a healthy, happy scene to be sure.

In the end, make sure that any lanyard is in good, shipshape condition. Your life or the life a passenger on your boat very well may depend upon it …

Lost About GPS? Here's Some Direction!

by: Keith Thompson

If you've been confounded by all the technical jargon and hype surrounding GPS, confusing what's turning out to be a very useful tool, allow me to shed a little light on your roadmap to deciding whether or not this technology is for you! Originally designed with military applications in mind, the technology was made available to mere mortals in hte 1980's for the many and varied uses we've found so far for these special tools. Not only handy for auto navigation, GPS units have made their way into maritime navigation, backcountry uses, and much, much more!

How does GPS work? GPS (which stands for Global Positioning System) allows you to pinpoint your position anywhere on the planet to within an average of 15 meters, with some units doing much better than that. Twenty-four GPS satellites, paid for and placed in orbit by the Dept. of Defense courtesy of your tax dollars, send signals back to terra firma 24/7. These signals are retrieved by your handy dandy GPS receiver which uses three sources (satellites) to triangulate this information and compute your actual position. If there are four data sources, even altitude can be determined. Since there are normally eight satellites in line of sight from anywhere on earth, the opportunity for accurate positioning exists. Other things that can be determined besides latitude, longitude, and altitude would include things like speed, sunrises and sunsets, bearing, distance and more. While they will work in any weather, some hindrances would be electronic interference, buildings, and certain terrain. A good rule of thumb is that the units will generally not perform underwater, indoors, or underground. There are currently two Global Navigation Satellite Systems in use. Besides GPS, there is the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) Protocols are constantly being refined to enhance the abilities of these systems. A bright light on the horizon is Galileo, scheduled to go online in 2008, which promises even greater accuracy and functionality.

So how do I know which GPS unit is for me? Quite a few choices now exist for consumers in the GPS marketplace. Whether you need a handheld unit for backpacking or boating, or one for your automobile (they are becoming an attractive option!) or for one of a myriad of uses, there are several reputable manufacturers of quality GPS units out there to help you find your way through the maze of choices. Names like Magellan, Garmin, Rino, Etrex and Meridian lead the market, and are readily available. Take your time, check out the various features each has to offer, and get yourself outfitted with one of the more useful and efficient navigational tools out there today!

Boat Propellers - First Time Prop Replacement?

by: Sebastian Romero

Are you a fan of boating, who has never replaced a propeller before? It is common to feel inexperienced in this area – particularly if you are new to the sport. Boat propellers come in a bewildering array of sizes, shapes and configurations. There is no need to be daunted, however, as searching for this vital part online allows you to find out about and browse the different types at your leisure.

Often, you will find that the propeller was made for the particular brand of boat. Although it might be the same size as other brands, they may not be compatable by design. However, check with the manual of your boat, it will say how much flexibility there is when choosing new parts.

The main factor however is to match the size of the propeller to the power of the engine – as this will make sure your boat runs at the correct balanced speed.

The best internet sites that deal in boating equipment offer to personally match the brand and size of the product with the engine and power of your boat. You should take advantage of this, as it can be hard to send important equipment like this back because it needs to be sold brand new for safety.

However, it is also impossible to perfectly match the equiptment to the engine 100 per cent of the time, so many dealers offer to replace the blades rather than the whole propeller if you are dissatisfied. This works very well for both parties, as it is the size of the blades rather than the difficult to repair internal mechanism that affects the speed and power of a propeller.

Another dilemma is what material the product should be made from. Experts agree that by far the best option is a composite metal. This has been proved in certain studies to exceed the durability and performance of both stainless steel and aluminium models. Many also have a greater tensile strength than their conventional counterparts.

Check whether the manufacturer highlights the non-corrosiveness of the metal. A failure to mention this can suggest an inferior product. A lifetime warrantee is another excellent indicator of the reliability of the material.

Boat propellers have traditionally only been mended by experienced mechanics. However, manufacturers are changing this by selling mending equipment that is specially designed for thier product. This has the potential to save you much money and hassle.

Other new technology includes propellers that come with replaceable blades. The blades can now be changed by people with little experience, rather than in the past when they had to be sent back to the shop. This also limits the need for repair work that can damage the equipment in the long term – such as welding, heating, beating and bending.

Make sure that any replacement blades you buy are definitly new, however. Since it is partly the quality of the metal that controls the performance and accuracy of the propeller, it is important not to let this deteriorate over time.
Find specialist help at http://www.boat-propellers.info

Practical Uses for GPS Technology

by: Jeremy Maddock

Since the US Department of Defense established the worldwide Global Positioning System (GPS) network, it has been put to a very wide variety of uses by governments, corporations, organizations, and individuals alike.

It has been put to good use for many years in its original, and most obvious, purpose of coordinating military operations. In fact, if it weren’t for GPS, many modern military operations and practices would simply not be possible. It is also frequently used in search-and-rescue missions as well as disaster relief efforts.

In addition to this, GPS technology has proven to be instrumental in numerous scientific research expeditions, especially in very remote regions such as mountain ranges and the north and south poles.

The other side of GPS functionality, which is sometimes forgotten, is the many uses it can be put to by individual consumers. Handheld GPS units ( http://www.gpsdevices.info/gps-handhelds.php ) and other GPS devices ( http://www.gpsdevices.info/ ) are available for sale through many ordinary retail channels, and can be very useful for a variety recreational purposes. For example, having a GPS device handy when camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, or boating can be an excellent way to ensure that you don’t get lost, even if you somehow manage to wander off course. Another common consumer use of GPS technology is for safety security purposes. Using a GPS tracking system ( http://www.gpsdevices.info/gps-tracking-system.php ) can be an excellent way to combat crimes such as theft and kidnapping.