Boating is the world's foremost magazine for boating enthusiasts. Written by experts for those who love the sport, the editorial covers the waterfront -- from runabouts to sportfish convertibles to luxury showpieces, and everything in between.
SCAN HERE Scan this tag to watch our BBG videos or go to youtube.com/c/BoatingMagazine/playlists. A new boating season approaches, and with it comes dreams of a new boat. And while dream boats come in as many varieties as microbrewed beer, common threads connect boat buyers regardless of the dream they individually seek. That is, we believe the information that turns boat buyers into confident consumers transcends the type of boat sought and the particular boating style or habits of individual boaters. Knowledge of a boat’s performance ranks as a key factor that provides confidence to buyers, whether at a boat show or in the dealer’s showroom. Boating editors rate as a top source for this information. Our tech team of professionals boasts a combined two centuries of assessing boats and…
BOATINGMAG.COM ON BOARD WITH… FOR COMPARISON’S SAKE 5 THINGS ON BOARD WITH… You drive race cars at extreme speeds for a living. What attracts you to a sport like wakesurfing? I can’t snowboard or ride my motocross bike because of fear of injury. With wakesurfing, if I fall at 11 mph, it doesn’t ruin my career. You just bought a new boat. You must like wake-surfing for more than safety? Oh, yes. Wakesurfing has allowed me to feel the board and the wave. It has helped me become more in tune with my body, and therefore more in tune with my race car. How does your new Supra SL 550 compare to your race car? The common denominator is the driver’s seat. The Supra’s dash provides me that same sense…
Helicopters, photographers, cruisers, ‘toons and chase boats: every issue of Boating is a major production, and Icom helps the team communicate during the controlled chaos of a big shoot. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the magazine, and tips on how to optimize your Icom marine radio like the Boating team does. SCAN ME Scan the QR code below to gain access to each new episode that includes advice/tips from our editors on maximizing use of your marine communication. MADE POSSIBLE BY…
STAINLESS STEEL THE SPIN: Very strong stainless-steel alloy permits thinner blades that reduce drag, flex less than aluminum, and can be formed into complex blade shapes, which give premium props like the Mercury Enertia (about $955; mercury marine.com) a real performance edge over other prop materials. The Mercury Flo-Torq SSR hub system limits shift clunk and fits most outboard brands. THE SLIP: It’s so expensive, you’ll want to cry if you hit hard bottom. There are fewer choices for lower-horsepower motors. PRICE RANGE: Between $360 to $1,000, depending on prop size and model. COMPOSITE THE SPIN: A fiberglass-nylon composite propeller like the Piranha (about $125; piranha.com) is designed to fail to protect your expensive prop shaft and gear case. Individual blades fit into a composite-covered aluminum hub and are secured…
After repowering my twin-outboard 29-foot boat, I was dying to get back on the water—so much so that I ignored common sense and went out to the local river, which was running high and fast. The good news was that my repower worked fine and the boat ran well. The bad part: Swift current plus a large boat equaled disaster. It took no less than a dozen attempts to get the boat remotely close to the trailer at the end of the day. The surging current would sweep it downriver past the trailer. Finally, we repositioned the trailer so it slanted in the direction of the current and finally got the boat loaded. My wife was almost in tears trying to help, and my stress level was off the charts.…
DIY + Weekend Workbook SKILL LEVEL FINISH TIME Approx. 3-5 days TOOLS AND SUPPLIES • ColorRite Aerosol Complete Repair Package; includes three 12-ounce spray cans (one each of primer, color coat and clear coat), Prep-Wipes towelettes, sandpaper pack, tack cloth, masking tape, and 2-ounce bottle of light-cut polishing compound ($91.95; colorrite.com) • Microfiber towels • Goggles for eye protection ($3.99 for three-pack; harborfreight.com) • Respirator mask ($35.47; homedepot.com) • Rubber gloves • Water bowl for wet sanding To paraphrase one of my best buddies, there are a thousand ways to mess up a boat engine. I’ve witnessed my share, including scratched, scuffed, scraped or sun-faded finishes on outboard engines and sterndrive units. Many times it’s the gear housing or skeg that suffers paint damage, the result of unwelcome encounters with…
