WaterBlogged, your blog for news, views, and reviews about the boating lifestyle

Living on a Houseboat

The 1960s and 70s was a time for hippies, disco, tie-dye, bell-bottom jeans, the fight for equality, and you guessed it, houseboats. OK, so maybe you didn’t guess houseboats, but during this time period there were actually three manufacturers leading the way for the growth of the industry: Sumerset… [more]
Five Overlooked Used Runabout Brands

Before you label me a flip-flopper, yes, I have previously in this space advocated focusing your search on big name brands. And that's still a good approach. However, like any skilled politician (if you can think of one) will tell you — I’m not a flip-flopper. I just adjust my opinion based on new… [more]
Bottom Stripping Basics

Scene 1: A kitchen, springtime. A couple sits drinking coffee. Man (looking miserable): “I can’t hold out any longer. It’s been years.” Woman: “What has, dear?” Man: “There’s no way I can keep covering it up. It’s embarrassing as hell.” Woman (alarmed): “What? What’s going… [more]
AIS for Boaters: Part 1

“When was the most scared you’ve ever been aboard a boat?” I get asked that question a lot, and every single time I remember a cold November evening in 1994 when a 40-knot gale frothed up the mouth of Chesapeake Bay during a boat delivery to Miami, FL. But it wasn’t the weather that was… [more]
Boat Trailers 101: Materials, Brakes, Hardware

You might think a trailer is a trailer is a trailer. Uh, no. Like so many other products, the quality of trailers varies widely, and if you look closely in all the right places, you can spot the differences. As simple as it sounds, a decent rule of thumb when trailer shopping is, “you get what you… [more]
Towing Safety: The Art of Getting There

Of course, we all want to get on the water as soon as possible. That leads to hurrying, which in turn leads to mistakes. So while the water is frozen (at least for a lot of us), let’s pause for a moment to consider our routine in packing and setting off for a day or weekend of boating. We've covered… [more]
Choosing a Boat: Ski and Wakeboard Boat Pros and Cons

It has been said time and again that all boats are compromises. That logic applies probably most pointedly to tow boats: ski boats and wakeboard boats, and we can now add wake-surf boats to the equation, too. Tow boats are so purpose-built that it’s practically impossible to use them for anything… [more]
High-Tech Towboat Electronics

Over the last several years, a quiet revolution has been taking place on the dashboards of premium towboats, industry-wide. Virtually all of them, it seems, are now available with digital displays with the capability of not only aiding in navigation, but also controlling nearly every system on the boat.… [more]
Replumbing Your Used Boat Engine

You never know what you’ll find when you open the engine hatch on a used boat. One thing you can count on finding is the need to replace a few items. Hoses and fittings are usually among them, because typically the last guy to touch them was the one who installed them—at the factory. These are critical… [more]

Latest Posts

Holiday Boat Parades

December 14, 2018 by Kim Koditek · Leave a Comment

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but boating is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, let it glow! Let it glow! Let it glow! It’s time to deck the hulls! The holiday season is in full … [Read More...]

A front-wheel drive vehicle can get the job done, depending on the numbers, but rear-wheel drive gets a traction assist from the trailer tongue weight. And four-wheel or all-wheel drive will do best of all.

Boat Towing with Front-Wheel Drive

December 7, 2018 by Brett Becker · Leave a Comment

A buddy of mine was nosing around the Auto Trader the other day looking for a used SUV to replace his clapped-out old beater. He has a boat, so he was definitely looking for something that would pull it … [Read More...]

Nordic Boats: Hot New Deck Boat & Sport Catamaran

November 30, 2018 by Matt Trulio · Leave a Comment

Based in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Nordic Boats remains one of the strongest players in the West Coast custom realm, a decidedly regional segment of the go-fast powerboat market that was mostly decimated … [Read More...]

Fall is often transition time for boaters. Some are shopping for boats to match their changing lifestyle.

Assess Your Boating Situation: Buy, Sell, or Upgrade?

November 23, 2018 by Brett Becker · Leave a Comment

Autumn can be bittersweet for boaters. The leaves are turning colors and some of us are getting in those last few cruises before we have to put the boat away for the winter. For others, it might be … [Read More...]

Sunsation Powerboats Grows Its Center Console Family

November 16, 2018 by Matt Trulio · Leave a Comment

Once a well-known builder of semi-custom go-fast V-bottom sportboats, Sunsation Powerboats of Algonac, Mich., abandoned that segment and completely switched to production of its Center Console Xtreme line … [Read More...]

New Yamaha AR195 Sport Boat Review

November 9, 2018 by Charles Plueddeman · Leave a Comment

Yamaha has redesigned its 19-foot sport boat range, offering a slightly larger platform with smart design updates that make these compact, easy-to-own runabouts a great choice for family boating. Yamaha … [Read More...]

Living on a Houseboat

Five Overlooked Used Runabout Brands

Bottom Stripping Basics

AIS for Boaters: Part 1

Boat Trailers 101: Materials, Brakes, Hardware

Towing Safety: The Art of Getting There

Choosing a Boat: Ski and Wakeboard Boat Pros and Cons

High-Tech Towboat Electronics

Replumbing Your Used Boat Engine

Latest Posts

Holiday Boat Parades

Boat Towing with Front-Wheel Drive

Nordic Boats: Hot New Deck Boat & Sport Catamaran

Assess Your Boating Situation: Buy, Sell, or Upgrade?

Sunsation Powerboats Grows Its Center Console Family

New Yamaha AR195 Sport Boat Review

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