Near-Tragedy Inspiration | Pontoon-Depot
By: pdbmagazine.com
Scott Smiles’ 42-foot boat sank in 50 seconds, leaving him, a friend, and their two PFD-clad young sons clinging to a cooler and EPIRB—the only items he had time to grab. The harrowing experience inspired Smiles to develop Life Cell, a completely new approach to safety equipment storage.
Life Cell from Life Cell Marine Safety is a self-contained buoyant device that holds user-supplied safety and survival equipment. Best of all, it provides flotation assistance for up to eight adults, depending on the model.
Life Cell is simple to use and easy to access. It can be thrown or, should the boat sink, will float off its included mounting bracket. The high visibility Life Cell doesn't rely on its watertight compartment for buoyancy; its flotation is built in. Life Cell models start at $299 with a two-year warranty and are available in orange or white.
For all your accessories and/or vinyl flooring visit Pontoon Depot's shop site.
E15 Fuel Year-Round? | Pontoon-Depot
By: pdbmagazine.com
The nation’s largest advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), reacted negatively to the recent news of the Administration’s plan to permit the sale of E15 (15 percent ethanol) fuel year-round.
E15 is prohibited by federal law for use in recreational boat engines, voids many marine engine warranties, and is currently banned for sale in many states by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during summer months over concerns that it contributes to smog on hot days. Under the Administration’s new proposal, however, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would grant a waiver to the Clean Air Act to permit the sale of E15 in all 50 states year-round at the same roadside gas stations where most recreational boaters refuel their trailered vessels.
The BoatUS released this statement:
“The proposal to permit the sale of a fuel (E15) during the peak summer boating season that is both harmful and illegal to use in marine engines is a major concern for boat owners. The nation’s 11 million recreational boaters want fuel that is safe for their boats, however, this proposed EPA policy change will increase the chances that boaters could inadvertently put engine-killing E15 into their tanks. Unlike the physical barriers that prevent misfueling between gasoline and diesel fuel-powered vessels, just one small orange warning label on the fuel pump is all that stands between a boat owner making a misfueling mistake that could lead to expensive, warranty-voiding repairs and catastrophic engine failure.”
At the core of the issue is the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). When it was passed in 2005, RFS assumed that America’s use of gasoline would continue to grow. Since then, however, gasoline usage has not increased as forecast, which today forces more ethanol into each gallon of gas. To keep up with the RFS mandate, in 2010 the EPA granted a partial waiver to allow E15 into the marketplace – which they are now expanding regardless of market demand and infrastructure constraints. Only fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol (E10) are permitted for use in recreational boats.
The more than half-million-member boat owners group is a member of Smarter Fuel Future and supports fuel choice, including smart biofuels development such as biobutanol, and the availability of ethanol-free fuels that most boat owners prefer.
For all your accessories and/or vinyl flooring visit Pontoon Depot's shop site.
- Amy Cabanas
- Tags: Boating Boating Safety DIY Family pontoon boat Pontoon Boat Operating respectful boating tips
What Do You Know About Using Household Cleaners On A Boat?
By: Pontoon Boat & Deck Magazine
Keeping your pontoon or deck boat in showroom-like condition usually isn’t accomplished by using your run-of-the-mill household cleaners. For example, did you know that common dish soap can eat into gelcoat, remove wax and polish, and bring on early aging and oxidization? That’s why Shurhold Industries offers a set of Clean-N-Simple Tips to ensure you don’t use a product that’s not safe for your boat.
Shurhold's marine-specific concentrated Brite Wash is safe to use anywhere on board and still cuts through dirt, grease and salt residue. There’s no need for re-waxing or cleaning away water spotting. Environmentally friendly, it's completely biodegradable and can be rinsed overboard.
Rather than using bleach, which is effective but quickly dulls gelcoat, changes vinyl color, degrades fabrics, and corrodes fittings (even stainless steel), SMC Spray is the bleach-free and environmentally friendly alternative that removes the toughest of stains and is safe to use on all surfaces.
Likewise, the ammonia in home glass cleaners can make isinglass, Plexiglas, plastic or touchscreen electronics material brittle. Shurhold's Serious Shine is a one-stop detailer that cleans, polishes and protects any surface commonly treated with glass cleaner or spray wax in one breezy step. UV inhibitors and anti-static and water-repelling properties makes it an ideal marine maintenance product.
A great companion to Serious Shine, Microfiber Towels are very absorbent and can gently lift away dirt, moisture, grease and stains without scratching delicate surfaces.
And when a strong restoration compound is needed, Shurhold's Buff Magic is designed to do the job well; formulated with jewelers rouge, it actually breaks down as it's being used, effectively becoming finer with use until it's a polishing agent. Thus, this product gently and thoroughly removes oxidation, stains, rust, and surface scratches.
And last but not least, the Pro Polish Wax is designed to seal the pores of fiberglass with a long-lasting UV- and water-resistant finish – and, as a bonus, leaving a deep shine behind.
Price ranges are as follows: a 32-ounce bottle of Shurhold's Brite Wash is $11.98; a 32-ounce spray bottle of SMC is $11.98; a 14-ounce aerosol can of Serious Shine is $17.98; a 3-pack variety of Microfiber Towels is $18.98; and a 16-ounce bottle of Pro Polish Wax is $22.98.
For all your accessories and/or vinyl flooring visit Pontoon Depot's shop site.
- Amy Cabanas
- Tags: Boating DIY DIY Boat maintenance pontoon boat Pontoon Boat Cleaning Tips tips
Best Halloween Ever | Pontoon-Depot
Just as some northern houseboat owners are packing it in for the season, the folks at Tradewinds Marina, on Lake Thurmond, are gearing up for fall and winter. Lake Thurmond is a deep, beautiful, 111-square-mile-lake, located on the border of Georgia and South Carolina, near Augusta. With 1,200 miles of shoreline, surrounded by the Sumter National Forest and limited to 5 percent development, it is a magnet for bass fishermen and pleasure boaters.
Granted, it is hot in the Georgia summer, but its moderate weather the rest of the time, makes this lake a year-round playground for diehard boat owners. Tradewinds Marina is home to an interesting mix of houseboat owners who definitely consider themselves family, and tend to spend all their weekends and especially holidays, together.
Party Central
When you want to find a poker game on Saturday night, there is no doubt you'll find a game (or two). Cigar smokers just need walk over to "D" dock, where the discussions are infused with the distinct smell of tobacco. Camaraderie abounds and thoughts of home or work seem to disappear. Holidays mean special times at Tradewinds Marina. Memorial Day and Labor Day are celebrated with beach-themed parties, as dozens of boats spend the weekend on one of the sandy shores around the lake. Sunning, swimming, barbecues, bonfires and movies under the stars bring everyone out.
The Best Of All
New Year's Eve is a raucous and fabulous evening, but most people can't quite remember it the next day. As you can tell, holiday celebrations and parties are legendary at this marina, but none is more anticipated than Halloween, when being outrageous is an accepted practice, and creativity is applauded!
Plans for the 2011 Halloween Goblin Gala began in early September, when Mike Parlier suggested that the marina invite Houseboat magazine to its annual celebration of all things horrifying.
Game Plan
At that point, plans jumped into high gear. Although there was no formal "committee," a small group took charge of making this event memorable.
Each year, this party seems to get bigger, so the group decided to expand its party location. The plan was to have a "progressive" fright night that would kick off on "D" dock with spooky drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Then move to "C" dock for spookier drinks and Richard and Carla Smith's chili and fixins' dinner. Then cap off the evening on Sunset Dock for dessert, coffee bar, and actual Witches Brew.
One person from each dock took charge of their respective docks for the evening; Melanie Villamein for the first course "D" dock, Mike Parlier for the "C" dinner dock, and Meredith Ray took on the desserts to be served on Sunset Dock. Each of them was responsible for getting the word out to boat owners in their respective area, coordinate the various menus and music and to encourage boat owners to creatively decorate for the evening.
This group also organized a post Halloween brunch, which would be held at a cabin at the marina. One thing you can be sure of, you will never go hungry with this group.
A Spooky Place
Houseboat decorating began in earnest on the Thursday before the Saturday night party. It is amazing what is stored in boat holds! Out came colored lights, spider webs, skeletons, ghouls, assorted nooses and tombstones.
The docks and the ramps became creepy labyrinths. The houseboats completely transformed into haunted houses, complete with resident ghosts and goblins; eerily lit and emanating sounds of horror and fear. Ghosts flew in the wind, shrieking skeletons dropped to greet you as you boarded the boats, carved pumpkins flickered in the darkness, and each boat offered bowls of scary treats. Everyone seems to add to their collection of decorations, and the atmosphere gets more bizarre according to the regulars.
As the sun went down, the dock party began to get going in full swing. The costumes were amazing, and even in face paint, mummy gauze, witches hats and pirates leggings, everyone managed to be an adorable (if not scary), bunch.
The annual costume contest was won by Steve and Desiree Wolf, unrecognizable in their witch and goblin face makeup. They took home the coveted "Headless Pumpkin" trophy. There was an entire cast of Gilligan's Island, and Amy and Hannah Masiongale were pirates that would have put a spell on Jack Sparrow himself!
Mike and Angela Parlier made a gruesome twosome, and the real coffin, complete with body, on Tommy King's front deck, was a fright to behold. Costumes ranged from NASCAR to Neverland, cowboys to aliens, flower children to Flintstones and an absent Jim Masiongale head on a stick. Decorated tables held all the food and drinks of all types flowed endlessly.
Party participants traveled between docks by foot, or by decorated pontoon boats, which doubled as pirate ship water taxis. Dance music played atop many of the boats, with country songs mixing with Carolina beach "shag" tunes bringing out the dancers. Almost 250 revelers celebrated the spirit of the haunting season through the night and well into the morning.
Don't Forget Food
Seemingly, none the worse for wear, the houseboaters met for the customary holiday brunch the next morning. Again, everyone attending brought a favorite dish. Southern breakfasts tend to be very eclectic, with everything from fried chicken to anything containing bacon. Between the biscuits and gravy, the eggs and the grits and hash brown casseroles, the world seemed to fly by in a carbohydrate laden haze.
Everyone was decked out in their new "I Love Houseboating" t-shirts, which we brought along. The pace had definitely slowed from the night before. The topic at brunch: how could they possibly top this party next year? With this bunch, there is no doubt; they will find a way!