Boat Unloading Failure

There's a right and a wrong way to unload your boat in the water. This would be the wrong way to do it.
Why they were in the boat to begin with is beyond me. But I bet that's the cause of the failuer.



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Tropical Storm FAY: Prepare for it.

Well one of the hazards of living in florida is that you get tropical storms and hurricanes a few times a year. While potentially dangerous, if you prepare properly, tropical storms and hurricane damage can be lessened.

Here's a list of things you should prepare:

• Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days
• Food - at least enough for 3 to 7 days— non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices— foods for infants or the elderly— snack foods— non-electric can opener— cooking tools / fuel— paper plates / plastic utensils Blankets / Pillows, etc.
• Clothing - seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes
• First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs
• Special Items - for babies and the elderly
• Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes
• Flashlight / Batteries
• Radio - Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
• Telephones - Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set
• Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards - Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods
• Keys
• Toys, Books and Games
• Important documents - in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag— insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.
• Tools - keep a set with you during the storm
• Vehicle fuel tanks filled
• Pet care items— proper identification / immunization records / medications— ample supply of food and water— a carrier or cage— muzzle and leash

In addition to this list of things you should prepare. You might want to do these things around your home:

• Trim trees away from power, phone and cable tv lines. Remove dead branches from trees, these can break off easily and become a projectile.
• Pick up any loose items that might be laying around your yard. Even a stick can can break a window when a 40 mph wind gust turns it into a flying projectile.
• Put away and secure patio furniture, garbage cans and other items so that it doesn't become a flying projectile.
• Clean out your rain gutters and or drains to prevent flooding.
• Put up your shutters or plywood to protect windows.

These are just a few tips. You can do a search on google for hurricane safety to find websites with more information.

You can get hurricane info from the National Hurricane Center.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

No Doc Boat Loans

I was on the Hulltruth forum and someone was asking about a no doc boat loan. So not knowing what one was myself I decided to look into what a no doc boat loan was what were some of the requirements.

Q: What is a no doc boat loan?
A: In a no doc boat loan lenders don't verify things like Assets, income or employment. Normally they verify just the collateral and your credit history.
You would use this if you had income or assets that were difficult to verify. If you are self-employed this might be the best way to go

Now of course in this situation you will need excellent credit. A score of 720+ will help in this situation. A well rounded credit history. This means lenders will want to see that you've had different types of credit or loans not just a bunch of visas in your wallet. Plus they'll want to see things like a on time payment history with no late pays. Low credit card balances on all your revolving credit accounts. How long you've had the your credit lines. And avoid credit binging, where you open too many accounts at once. Try to not open more than 1 line of credit every 6 months.

Most lenders have other requirements. Loan sizes of up to 100k or 250k depending on the lender. And you will have to provide a down payment of roughly 20%.

So in the end a no doc loan might be easier for you in terms of not having deal with the hassle of documents. However the requirements are strict and this type of loan may not be suitable or attainable for everyone. In the end it all comes down to your credit.

Autotether Wireless Lanyard.

I came across this website today. The Autotether Wireless Lanyard alarm and kill switch. The site claims that the Autotether helps to protect you, family and pet in case someone falls overboard.

According to the Autotether website.

Don’t become a statistic! In 2006, the U.S. Coast Guard reported 4,967 boating
accidents resulting in 710 fatalities. Boat safer, boat smarter with an
AUTOTETHER™!

The Autotether is an interesting idea. It sounds an alarm if someone falls overboard. Of course they have to be wearing a wireless device on them for it to work. And the device is a bit pricey at $235 a pop for the base system that includes the kill switch and operator sensor. And another $69 dollars per passenger or operator sensor. Though I guess that price really shouldn't matter when you can potentially keep your passengers safe.

Installation of the device is fairly simple. You clip the device to the kill switch. And attach a sensor to yourself. If the boats operator falls overboard then the alarm sounds and the boats engine will be shutoff. If a passenger falls overboard the alarm will sound and everyone can start looking for their buddy in the water. As an added bonus each sensor has a alarm button that you can push to sound the alarm in case of a potential hazzard. Plus the install of the killswitch is not permanent. You can take this puppy with you to any other boat you are on.

Like any other activity boating can be dangerous. However if you prepare yourself you can be safe or minimize any dangers. This device can hopefully prevent an accident occuring if you go overboard. It's a bit pricey but I'd say worth the cost if you do have an accident.