Boat Covers - Just the Facts

marine supply

Choosing the right boat usually takes a great deal of time and patience, so it's wise to also spend time researching the many boat covers that can be used on your boat. The exciting news is that good boat covers will extend the life of your boat. You can find these covers at several different prices, but be aware that price does not always indicate quality.

It is important to understand what differentiates high quality boat covers from cheaper imitations. Quality, not price, should be your priority. First, you must decide whether you want a custom boat cover or a universal boat cover. Custom boat covers are designed to fit the exact model and year of your boat. The advantage of the custom boat covers is that they will fit tightly. The particular size and shape of your boat are taken into consideration. This means that gapping is minimized and your boat is better protected.

Universal boat covers are designed to fit all boats within a given size range. They provide adequate protection and are significantly less expensive than custom covers. However, you may experience a loose fit or some gapping. If you choose to go with a universal boat cover, be sure to purchase one that is as close as possible to the actual size of your boat.

A high quality boat cover should have certain protective features. Your boat cover should be UV and mildew resistant. UV light can cause many fabrics to break down, so UV resistance will help the cover last. Do not trust a manufacturer who claims that a boat cover is mildew-proof, as mildew is inevitable in the damp conditions experienced by a boat cover. However, mildew resistance will help to inhibit the growth of mold.

Check the seams and corners of your boat cover to make sure that they are well made and reinforced. Also, check the tie-down straps and buckles to make sure that they are well constructed and well attached. You want your boat cover to hold up against the inevitable abuse that it will take.

If you plan to put your boat on a trailer, look for a cover with special straps to tie the cover to the trailer. Special straps and hoods are also available to secure the cover around the bow of the boat and around an outboard motor. While not strictly necessary, these extra features help the cover to fully protect your boat.

Boat covers come in a variety of fabric types and colors. Lighter colors are generally a better choice as they will reflect light and minimize heat buildup underneath. Polyester and high polyester content blends are considered ideal fabrics due to their light weight, lack of stretchability and superior water resistance.

It is important to understand the basics about boat covers in order to make an intelligent decision about which one to purchase. A good boat cover is truly an investment in protecting your boat. To find a reputable dealer, check boating books or an online boat forum for recommendations. You can also look in the telephone book under "boating gear" or "boating supplies," but be sure to check out an unknown dealer carefully. Wherever you choose to buy your boat cover, remember that quality is the most important factor.

YACHT WEDDINGS

YACHT WEDDINGS

Imagine a yacht, fully lit up, decorated with satin ribbons, rosettes, balloons, flowers, champagne flowing, the yacht cruising along, a soft breeze blowing, and the even softer sounds of water splashes; this could be your big day, a perfect Yacht Wedding. The clear, blue waters sparkling in the evening sunlight, and ladders to go down for a swim in the waters as well. A yacht wedding is an enchanting event, almost out of a dream.

A yacht wedding, though exciting, also requires a lot of planning. Like deciding how many guests you are going to have on board, the kind of ceremony you wish to have, be it a civil wedding, church ceremony, or a simple exchange of vows. A wedding is the most important day in the lives of the bride and the groom, and having in as a yacht wedding leaves you with the most memorable day ever. And not only the couple, even the family, friends and guests will have an amazing memory-filled day to take home. Imagine giving your guests an invitation to attend your ‘yacht wedding’.

Another plus point of having a yacht wedding is that you can make the same boat your honeymoon destination as well. After the ceremony, the couple waves off to their family, friends and guests, and goes on a cruise on the yacht for their honeymoon. That makes the day all the more memorable. There are many agencies that actually offer you a complete, planned yacht wedding, with the overnight stay and the next day cruise included.

Yacht weddings are however, quite expensive, as a lot of work goes into it. The planners also arrange for a professional crew to man the yacht, and they also take care of all the on deck preparations. A normal yacht wedding without much extravagance would cost around €1020 and a lavish, rich yacht wedding, no holds barred would cost up to €5000.

YACHT RACING

YACHT RACING

Yacht racing is a very entertaining and challenging sport, played in various world games as well. There are different kinds of yacht racing, and various types of yachts used for them. Some of the yacht racing is done in small outlets called buoys or also small areas in protective waters. Sometimes, a longer yacht race is held in open waters too. Yacht racing is governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing. The various types of yachts used may be catamarans, dinghies, boats, and propose-built racing boats.

Harbour/buoy racing is the most popular form of yacht racing. It is held in protected waters, and does not normally last long. This yacht racing is probably the shortest type, lasting from minutes to few hours at the most. It is held usually in the form of a regatta, where many races are held, and the yacht with the most wins is declared the racing champion. The race consists of laps, with the pre-set course that the yachts need to go through.

Inshore yacht racing is another type where the race is done along the shoreline of land, and not in protected waters. These races can last long, sometimes going on over several days. One kind of Inshore yacht racing is the famous Swiftsure yacht racing. This includes many races running side-by-side, with different skill levels, some of them even overlapping with each other across the same distances. This kind of yacht racing is normally held at racing clubs and the like.

Another yacht racing is the Offshore racing, which are the really long ones, held out in open waters. Some of them even go into a circumnavigation of the entire world. There are some other types of yacht racing as well, like the famous Three peaks yacht racing, which is held in UK. This is a team event, which includes a three tier racing system – sailing, cycling and running.

YACHT INSURANCE

YACHT INSURANCE

Yacht insurance is very important for people who own yachts. It is a safety net for the yacht owner in case of accidents, damage to the yacht, or any kind of repairs that may be needed. Especially in the case of luxury yachts, yacht insurance becomes very essential, since the yachts themselves are expensive. And when these are rented out for charters, there is every possibility of minor or major damages to the yacht. This is where the insurance coverage helps, to cover the costs of repairing the yacht.

Having yacht insurance is not necessarily a compulsory obligation on the part of the owner, but yet most people go for one. It saves them a lot of worry and money as well. Also, insurance agencies will cover the costs even if the yacht is stolen or if parts of the yachts are stolen. Yacht insurance need not necessarily become an expensive affair. An insurance broker can set up a fixed quote for you to pa each month, which will reduce the overall cost that you pay to keep the insurance. However, when choosing the yacht insurance quote, you need to ensure that it is in accordance with the market standards.

Yacht insurance comes in different schemes.  Some of them will cover costs only till the cost of the yacht, while others will cover costs of accessories as well. Owners who rent out yachts for charter will do well to take an insurance that covers both yacht and its accessories. One way of reducing the insurance quote costs of the yacht insurance will be to pay a larger amount in-excess, which is the initial payment that is made towards the scheme.

While taking yacht insurance, the agent needs to ensure that all the owners’ needs are met. The agent has to pay attention to minute details as well, and prepare a comprehensive and fully clear chart wherein the owner does not have any doubts with the yacht insurance policy.

MOST FAMOUS YACHT IN UK

MOST FAMOUS YACHT IN UK

There have been many famous yachts in the UK, but the most well-known of the lot if the Gipsy Moth IV. It was commissioned by Sir Francis Chichester in the 19th century as a 54 feet ketch boat. The yacht is the 4th boat made by Chichester. The yacht had a unique ability created by Blondie Haster, enabling this famous yacht to be steered from the skipper’s cabin directly. This came in very handy especially for sailing solo in the high waters.

This famous yacht was originally launched in March of 1966, from the Plymouth port. The yacht measured 38 feet inside the water-lines, and a complete 53 feet otherwise. The sail size of the yacht is 854 square feet, which can be expanded up to a huge 1500 square feet. The hull of the famous yacht is made out of a cold-mould of the Honduras mahogany, which is extremely durable, having lasted all these years till today.

The famous Gipsy Moth IV yacht gained a lot of records in its first voyage itself, like being the fastest small yacht to make a voyage around the world; the longest passage made by a yacht, non stop; it was double the distance covered by the last solo voyager; and also the record for the fastest single-handed sailing by any vessel. In august of 1972, Sir Chichester passed away, leaving this famous yacht abandoned. It never sailed again, and was displayed permanently in England. For some years it was open to the public, who were eager to get on board the famous yacht, but after a while, this was also stopped due to the deterioration of the decks.

After 40 years of being on land on display, the most famous yacht of all time was finally taken back into waters recently. This marked the 40th anniversary of the famous voyage of this famous yacht with Sir Chichester as its skipper.

LUXURY YACHTS

LUXURY YACHTS

Luxury Yachts are very expensive yachts and are owned mostly by a private party. The crew on board will be a professional group, because it isn’t a very easy task to manage a huge luxury yacht. These luxury yachts are for this reason, also known as Super Yachts. There can be two kinds of luxury yachts – a sailing yacht or a motor driven one. Large luxury yachts are a craze nowadays, as it is the perfect getaway vehicle, especially for the wealthy, to go on long cruises.

Most luxury yachts are used solely by the owners of the yachts, though sometimes, they are given out for charters when the private owners are not using them. There are also luxury yachts bought for the purpose of charters alone, which work throughout the year, renting it out to people, or taking tourists on cruises. The charges that most charter agencies demand for weekly luxury yacht cruises vary from about 20000 euros to 60000 euros. This is the reason many private yacht owners let their yachts out on rent, as it beings in a very good income.

Luxury yachts consist of different levels, 4 to be exact, the main deck, the upper deck, the lower deck and the sun deck. The main deck of the luxury yacht is the outer part which is sheltered by the upper deck. The upper deck is the one housing the outdoor dining areas, the lower deck has the swimming pool and guest cabins, and the sun deck is situated on top of the upper deck, usually equipped with the Jacuzzi.

A luxury yacht is generally 23 meters or above, and most of them have a minimum of at least 3 of the above described decks. The captain’s room is generally found at the upper deck, as is the bridge. There are luxury yachts with more decks as well, but the standard seems to be 3 to 4 decks.

BAREBOAT YACHT

BAREBOAT YACHT

A bareboat yacht is the ultimate experience, because it the type of charter where you have complete freedom to sail the yacht, and handle it the way you want to. It like replacing yourself with your chauffeur while driving. However, at least a couple of people on the yacht need to know how to sail, or else it becomes difficult and even dangerous. There will be coastguards available for assistance at anytime as well.

There is no necessity for a formal coaching in bareboat yachts. In some cases, people have sailed for years together, and become experts at yachting, but did not have any education in it. Therefore, simply knowing the rules and knowing how to manage a bareboat yacht is enough for you to take it out to waters. However, if in case you are not experienced enough in managing a bareboat yacht, there are agencies that will provide you with skippers to handle it.

A bareboat yacht should be chosen based upon the cost, the equipment standards and how old it is, and you must also ensure that there are all the necessary navigational tools on board. Also make sure that the reference charts, piloting books, manuals, etc are available. Once you get on board the bareboat yacht, check whether all the equipment is in functioning condition. If anything is improper, inform the operators of the charter service immediately so that it can be set right.

A bareboat yacht is mainly meant for those who have a unique sense of adventure, and who likes to do their own thing, and by themselves. However, for such people, when taking a bareboat yacht out on a cruise, they must be sure that they have the capability to handle the yacht by themselves. In conclusion, a bareboat yacht is something that only the really adventurous and experimental kind of people will enjoy.