Thursday, December 3, 2009

Boating With Your Family

Boating with your family whether a day outing or a longer cruise is a great way to spend time together in the outdoors.

The planning and preparation for time spent on the water can be a family project involving everyone. Information and ideas for a boating family on my lens Family Boating

Consider assigning age appropriate tasks to the children such as setting the table, researching activities available at ports you plan to visit, and organizing board or cards games to play on board.

For more tips, visit Family Boating

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Boating and Fishing in BC

Boating and Fishing are two activities for families to enjoy together. Whether you are fishing from the shore, on a lake, or the ocean, fishing is a great family pastime.

If you are interested in buying a boat and/or fishing, you may enjoy the information on the lens Boating and Fishing

Monday, July 20, 2009

Boating Safety Equipment and Accessories

When you are looking for boating safety equipment and accessories, you may become overwhelmed at the amount of products available.

To begin with, you need to make sure that you have all the required boating safety equipment for your vessel. Check the requirements with your local Coast Guard.

A VHF radio, although not mandatory equipment, is an item you may want to have on board to request assistance in the event of an emergency. In Canada, to use a VHF radio an Operator Certificate is required.

Other accessories will depend on how you will be using your boat. For instance, for your water sports, look into a pair of water skis and a slalom ski as well as a strong tow rope.

If you will be entertaining on your boat, you may consider an on-board stereo essential. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a boat stereo, however, you may find the extra investment is well worth your enjoyment!

Recreational boating accessories can run the gamut from fishing gear to nice sunglasses.

If you will be traveling on large bodies of water, a boating accessory you may need is a navigation system. Today, many GPS systems can be found relatively inexpensively.

For boats with below-deck living quarters and a galley, you will want to have the the necessary accessories to prepare meals for the crew. Here is an article on Boating Galley Tips.

Depending on the size of your boat, a television with a DVD player may be useful if you are boating with children.

Boating accessories can be found in many places. Many deals may be found online. One place to check is Great Canadian Rebates. Shop around and outfit your boat with safety equipment and accessories. Then enjoy!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Boating Galley Tips - Suggested Equipment

Boating with your family is a summer activity to enjoy. Whether your boat is a canoe, kayak, sail or power, meals usually need to be prepared.

There are ways to feed the crew even if your boat has no galley.

"An open fishing boat, day sailers, or small power boats may not be equipped with a galley." Read the full article Small Boat No Galley

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Fishing and Boating

Fishing while boating is a way to combine two sports at once. You can enjoy fishing at local lakes, rivers, or on the ocean. Be sure to check the licensing requirements for your area before setting out. Fishing while boating can be fun, challenging, and a great way to spend time with your family.

After a day outing to a local island, I made a list of helpful items to carry with me. Many of these could apply when planning a fishing trip. I posted the information at A Day at Sidney Spit

Spending several hours on the water requires snacks or lunch. Suggestions and recipes on my Easy Family Boating Recipes blog.

Perhaps you do not have access to a boat and want to introduce your children to fishing. Fishing events are planned for several locations in BC for Father's Day weekend. More information available at BC's Family Fishing Weekend. Click on the 'Events' tab to check places and times. The fishing weekend or day has been a favorite for our family for several years.

Fishing can be an enjoyable sport whether you fish from the dock or from your boat.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Sidney Spit Provincial Park

A favorite family outing is Sidney Spit Provincial Park approximately 30 minutes by power boat from Sidney.

There are mooring buoys for your boat and once on shore activities can include hiking the trails, exploring the beach, swimming, or just relaxing.

The Spit is a destination for a day trip or for staying overnight. The children always enjoy the open spaces and exploring. We never tire of visiting the Spit.

No boat of your own? There is a Sidney Spit Ferry for passengers leaving from the foot of Beacon Avenue in Sidney. Taking the ferry is a way to have an on the water experience and travel to a nearby island to explore.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Boating Information, The Fundamentals - FREE REPORT

Gulf Islands Cruising School is offering their FREE REPORT, Boating Information, The Fundamentals.

The report is 22 pages in length. Topics include Getting Started, Navigation, Boat Handling, Family Boating, and Resources.

You may receive the report by subscribing at

Boating Information - Free Report

You may also reach the subscribe page by clicking on the report cover in the right margin.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Information and Resources for Power Boating

A new email series on Information and Resources for Power Boating is available from Gulf Islands Cruising School.

You will find the subscribe box using the above link. Information on boat handling, fuel saving, articles and more offered in the series.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Boating Articles

Boating Articles have been added to Gulf Islands Cruising School's site.

With spring approaching, it may be time to start planning a boating vacation or taking courses. More information can be found on our Boating Forum.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Great Canadian Rebates

At Great Canadian Rebates, you are invited to save!

I want to share with you a Canadian online shopping website that pays you Cash Back Rebates on online purchases. The website is called GreatCanadianRebates. Continue to shop online or become an online shopper at many of your favourite merchants. The expanding list of merchants includes: Dell, Expedia, Chapters & Indigo, The Source by Circuit City, Travelocity, The Apple Store and The Shopping Channel.

Savings and rebates are only a few clicks away.

GreatCanadianRebates is extremely easy to use. To get started, register by following the link below, shop as you currently do and your rebates will be automatically credited to your Cash Back Rebate account.

GreatCanadianRebates also has many great coupons, free shipping specials, and sales directly from the stores.

As a bonus for registering GreatCanadianRebates will give you a Toonie! That's right, $2.00 will automatically be deposited into your account, just for registering. GreatCanadianRebates also has an incredible referral program that will make you money. You will earn a 10% Referral Bonus on all Cash Back Rebates earned by any new Member you refer.

Please register at:
Great Canadian Rebates

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Canadian Boat Shows 2009

Here is a list of several Canadian Boat Shows for 2009.

Toronto International Boat Show Toronto ON January 10 - 18

Vancouver Int'l Boat Show Vancouver Feb. 4 - 8

Calgary Boat & Sportsmen Show Calgary Feb.12 - 15

Halifax Int'l Boat Show Halifax Feb 19 - 22

London Boat, Fishing, Leisure London Feb 20 - 22

Victoria Boat, Fishing, Outdoor Victoria Feb 20 - 22

Mid Canada Boat Show Winnipeg Feb 26 - Mar 1

Montreal Boat & Sportsmen Montreal Feb 26 - March 1

Ottawa Boat & Sportsmen Show Ottawa Feb 26 - March 1

BC Boat & Sportsmen Show Abbotsford March 6 - 8

Edmonton Boat & Sportsmen Show Edmonton March 12 - 15

Quebec City Sportsmen Show Quebec City March 12 - 15

Toronto Sportsmens Show Toronto March 18 - 22

Moncton Boat Show Moncton March 27 - 29