Watersports

What Boaters Should Know About Lake Weeds

One common problem shared by all lake shore owners is weed management. Not only can aquatic weeds clog up and potentially damage a boat’s motor, but quite frequently they are an unpleasant sight and a…

Law and Disorder

We live in a society of laws. And with laws come a special subset of our species-lawyers. They need to eat, too. And they get to because any time something goes wrong, someone is always looking for so…

Storm Survival Strategies

Of the three damaging elements of hurricanes — wind, rain and storm surge — wind is the most underestimated. Windage increases by the square of the wind velocity. Five square yards of flat surface gen…

Lightning-Proof Your Boat

I'm always taken aback when statistical long shots are described in terms of the chance of being struck by lightning. Sure, the odds of a person directly catching a bolt from the blue are quite low — …

Fresh Perspectives: Keep Your Gear Like New

Most of us put away water-sports equipment the way Clark Griswold stored lights in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation — in a heap, wherever it lands. But a hasty retreat from the boat will only spe…

Best Boat Names

You can get a little insight into the psyche of a fisherman by the boat he owns and runs. Here are some boat names to ponder, with some poignant thoughts about each handle.…

Rope Challenge

These common questions will help you determine the best tubing rope for your family.…

10 Tips for Choosing a Wakeboard

By Brad Kovach Read these 10 tips for choosing a wakeboard, because having the right piece of gear under you can make all the difference. Ask any experienced wakeboarder, and they’ll tell you one of …

TOWING THE LINE: NINE TIPS FOR TOWING

With the proliferation of affordable commercial assistance outfits such as Sea Tow and TowBoatU.S. plus the constantly improving reliability of marine engines, it’s not nearly as common as it once wa…

Loosen Up: Pre-Ski Warm Up

When does your set officially start? Ball one, the pre-gates or your deepwater start? If improving your scores and avoiding injury sound appealing to you (of course they do), we need to rewind 20 minu…

Spins — Get a Handle on Them

Spins can be easy if you work on a few simple techniques. One of the most important things to focus on is your handle position. Whether you’re working on a heelside frontside 360 or you’re ready to st…

Wakeboarding: How To Get Better This Winter

Unfortunately, not all of us live in a part of the world where we can wakeboard all year long. So what can we do while the weather is cold to become better wakeboarders? The following are some differe…

Wakeskiing: 3 Quickies to Hittin’ It Right

With freestyle snow skiing gaining popularity, you had to figure it was only a matter of time before the latest rage of big-air boosts, crossed-up skis and tweaked-out grabs transferred onto the water…

Edge It Out: 5 simple reminders for your onside turns

Follow these 5 simple reminders for your onside turns for safe and clean tricks. By Jon Travers…

Set up for Success: Better driving equals better skiing

By Chris Eller Pre-game boat setup is crucial to any three-event skier and driver. Whether you are hand-driving or using cruise control, making sure boat speeds and balance are set accurately can m…

Straight From the Experts: 21 Waterskiing Tips for Your Best Summer Ever

The start of water ski season, a glorious time of year when anything is possible. A new PB (personal best) on the course, a new barefoot trick, the first trip off a jump — it’s all within reach. The t…

Wakeboarding and Wakeskating Glossary

Check out this comprehensive glossary for definitions of everything wakeboard and wakeskate. Get familiar before your hit the water or figure out the correct terms for all the cool tricks you are alre…

Wakesurfing - Tips on How to Get Started

Wakesurfing has exploded onto the wake scene in a big way. What started in the 1950s with a couple of guys goofing around on longboards behind their boat has become one of the fasting growing waterspo…

Great Lakes Marinas: Michigan's Harbor Program

Boating on the Great Lakes is an experience that once enjoyed, will never be forgotten. These lakes are designed by nature to charm and capture the spirit of boaters. As residents of Michigan, we are …

Fall Lay-Up

Nothing is harder on your boat than neglect, and neglect is exactly what recreational boats are subjected to when cold weather settles in. But proper lay-up techniques can minimize the ill effects win…

Beginner Wakeboarding Tips

Our wakeboarding tips section is no exception to this important boating safety rule. Be sure to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) at all times when you are in the water. A basic boating safety ti…

Wakeboarding Boat Buyer Guide

Is wakeboarding your first love? Read through our helpful boat buyer guide for information on which types of boats are best for wakeboarding. With direct links to manufacturers and more, we can help y…

Finding a Well-Fitted Wetsuit for your Watersports Adventure

Water absorbs body heat 25 times faster than air, so unless you’re frolicking in a hot tub that’s set above 98.6 degrees (body temperature), you’re going to get cold. …

Boating is Affordable

Boating is affordable and there’s a boat for every age, lifestyle and budget. Most people don’t realize how affordable boating is: in some instances, you can buy a brand new boat financed for around…

Tips on Buying from a Certified Dealer

Marine Industry Certified Dealers have earned a reputation for taking good care of their customers. In fact, to become certified a dealership must meet independently verified high standards in everyth…

Water Tubing Tips: Boat Safety Tips for Water Sports Tubing

The next time you or your family decide to go out boat tubing, keep these boating safety and water sports tubing tips in mind to make sure your experience is safe and enjoyable: …

Water Tubing: 5 Reasons to Love Boat Tubing

Water tubing always conjures up images of big splashes and big fun. Here are our favorite reasons why we love boat tubing:…

Ten Tips for Clean and Green Boating

Follow these easy top 10 tips for clean and green boating.…

Let’s Go Clubbing: Watersports Clubs and Organizations

Water sports can be the most exhilarating activities around—on or off the water. But they are not commonly taught in phys-ed classes, or at YMCAs or local recreation departments. …

Water Tubing Tips: Which Tubes are Best for Your Family?

While wakeboarding may get the TV coverage on ESPN2, most boaters in America are towing tubes for family fun. Suitable for all members of the family, tubes are among the most popular types of towables…

Plotter/Nautical Chart Plotters

When you’re out boating on unfamiliar waters, you really should have the official navigational charts (maps for the water) for that particular body of water. …

Fire Extinguishers

The law requires fire extinguishers for most boats—a good idea, if there’s anything on your boat that could possibly burn. Read on to find out which extinguishers you should have on hand and what othe…

First Aid Supplies

As much as we try to be careful, accidents can happen while we’re boating—usually miles away from professional medical care. That’s why it’s important to have a well-equipped first aid kit on board, a…

Sun Protection

Being on the water’s all about sun and fun, isn’t it? As they say, you can have too much of a good thing—and it’s all too easy to soak up more sun than you should’ve.…

The Fun of Watersports: Types of Watersports

Having fun on the water is more than just going for boat rides or doing a little bit of fishing—real fun means watersports—and water toys…

Wakeboarding Trick: Backside Lipslide

Learning the backside lipslide will give you a good base for more technical grinds down the road. …

Wakeboard Trick: Kicker Perspective

Spinning off a kicker behind the boat or on a cable can be really easy if you take your time and wait for the top. …

Wakeboarding Tips

Follow these easy steps and you will become a wakeboarder in no time...…

Knee Boarding Tips

Knee Boarding made easy! Read some of the basic information to get started in knee boarding...…

Boat Buyer Guide: Tips on How to Buy a Boat

Plan ahead… There are a lot of choices. Allow enough time to explore many different types of boats, and several different brands within each category… This is a big investment that will change your li…

Teaching Someone to Ski

Eliminate the intimidation of engine noise and the fear of being 75 feet from the boat. Stay close, and make the first time on skis fun. …

Installing A Swim Platform

Most boat owners would agree there’s nothing like anchoring out in a quiet cove or enjoying a raft-up with friends on a summer afternoon. A swim platform can certainly update the look of your boat, …

Wakeboarding Tips: How to Get Up on a Wakeboard

Insure that you are comfortable with whatever foot you placed forward. (I have taught several people to wakeboard, and sometimes just switching feet is all that is needed.) Place your arms ON EACH S…

Watersport Trends

It may have been post-Sept. 11 stay-at-home syndrome or it may have been the industry’s promotional campaigns, but for some reason a lot more people went boating last year than in 2001. The annual …

Trailer Without Tears

If you’re one of the legions of trailer sailors, you know the advantages of having your boat in your driveway or storage yard instead of in a slip or on a mooring. Storms are not likely to be a concer…

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