Friday, April 26, 2013

Woodies on the Lake


It's that time of year!

Join us for the annual Woodies on Sinclair wooden boat show on May 11!

The Show will be at Sinclair Marina on Saturday May 11th, from 10am to 4pm. This event is a must-see if you love boats! It is hosted by The Antique and Classic Boat Society, Blue Ridge Chapter. The most beautiful and meticulously cared for wooden boats on the water today will be on display for you to check out. You will be able to vote for your favorite in different categories and ask the owners about their boats. Enjoy food catered from the popular Georgia Butts BBQ and register to win great prizes.

This event is sponsored by Sinclair Marina and the Bone Island Grill.

RSVP to attend on our Facebook event!

Will we see you there?

Friday, April 19, 2013

Packing for a Fishing Trip



Do you have an awesome vacation planned this summer that involves fishing? (By definition, we are guessing that fishing makes a vacation awesome.) Of course, if you are driving (and taking your boat with you!), packing for fishing is just as easy as packing for a day on the lake. But if you're flying somewhere interesting, packing that gear is a little trickier. So here are some tips for packing your fishing gear for a plane trip.



Use a soft tackle bag: Hard tackle boxes can crack when tossed around by baggage handlers (and you know that happens), so use a soft-sided tackle organizer instead. You can sometimes fit more in these bags than in your regular box anyways! You might want to take apart your lures to fit more in. This creates a little more work when you get to your fishing destination, but it may be worth it if you need a variety of sizes.

Packing your rods: 
If you're bringing along rods, pack them in a sturdy rod tube you can check or pack 4 and 5 piece rods that can be packed in your main checked duffel. It's easy enough to use PVC pipes and plastic caps to make your own tubes. Just make sure they are clearly marked with your contact information and the ends are securely fastened if you are checking them.



Practice: Do a packing trial a few days before you need to do it for real. That way, you can experiment with how everything fits and alter your packing list as needed. 



Go incognito: If you don't have the latest in fishing travel gear, not to worry. It may be better to use bags that are not branded from a fishing company. That way, no one knows what's inside, and your gear is much less likely to be messed with - or stolen.



Check out FishAbout for more packing tips (some of which are not specific to fishing).



Where are you taking your gear this year for a great fishing trip?

Friday, April 12, 2013

Do You Meet USCG Safety Requirements?

When we head out for a day on the lake, we never want think about the worst. Thankfully, the United States Coast Guard has thought through most of the possibilities for us, and has come up with this list of required equipment for your boat. Make sure you have the following items aboard so you can handle pretty much any incident if and when they happen.



Personal flotation devices (PFDs): Life jackets must be Coast Guard approved, in good condition and of suitable size for each person on the boat (we recommend keeping a variety on the boat so you're prepared for any sort of crew). Remember that PFDs must be readily accessible if not being worn (but on boats 16f ft or smaller, they must be worn). In Georgia, children under age 10 must wear a life jacket at all times (except within a fully enclosed cabin... but we say better safe than sorry!).



Visual distress signals (VDS): Recreational boats 16 ft and over used on coastal waters are required to carry a minimum of either 1) three day and three night pyrotechnic devices, 2) one day non-pyrotechnic device (flag) and one night non-pyrotechnic device (auto SOS light) or 3) a combination of 1) and 2). Recreational boats less than 16 feet on coastal waters need only carry night visual distress signals when operating from sunset to sunrise.



Fire extinguisher: Not required on all boats, but recommended. For example, if you have inboard engines or an enclosed living space, fire extinguishers are required. But as all boats have fuel and engines, it is highly recommended you keep one on board no matter your size. Make sure they are readily accessible (many boats feature recessed areas just for this purpose).



Sound producing device: You might have a built-in horn, but if not, carry a bell, whistle or other noise maker. (In fact, we carry multiple varieties just in case.)



While this is not a comprehensive list, it puts you well on your way to a safer boat. In addition, make sure you check out Georgia state boating regulations.



Want to take things one step further? Then do a virtual vessel safety check next time you're at the boat. These checks have a few more requirements, which will just make sure you are that much more prepared!