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Displaying items by tag: Owner

Boat owners are being warned of of the lasting consequences of the winter's big freeze and the possible damage to boats on launching this season.

At the most recent meeting of the Irish Branch of the International Institute for Marine Surveying members highlighted a real danger of some boats sinking shortly after being launched due to cracked pipe work on intakes and discharges where fresh water was not drained from cooling and other systems.

Owners and Boat yard employees are reminded to check carefully all pipe work prior to launching boats and immediately when the boat enters the water. Check that all valves are operating correctly. Complete a full check for leaks and monitor the bilge water during the first few hours when the boat has been re-launched.

Engine blocks should also be checked for frost damage prior to staring them. Do not start them if you see fractures, have the engine checked by a marine mechanic if in any doubt whatsoever. Batteries may also be dead and need of replacement due to the severe weather experienced over the Winter months.

 

Published in Marine Warning

So you're taking the plunge and buying your first boat, but you don't know where to begin.

Luckily there's a host of hints and tips online to guide boating novices towards their first purchase, and the latest guide at Cool Articles is no exception.

The Beginners Guide for New Owners breaks things down into a simple list of everything new boaters must consider - from finding the type of boat that best fits your needs, to finding the right dealer at the right price, and understanding what owning a boat really entails.

See more of Buying a Boat - Beginners Guide for New Owners at http://travel.coolarticles.org/buying-a-boat-beginners-guide-for-new-owners/

Published in Marketplace

Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!