simply put - we collect experts for various YACHT and CRUISING topics and get them together to kick our BOATING TIPS & TRICKS philosophy to the next level

whether you are just starting out or contemplating crossing an ocean - one of these (or all of them) will amaze you, inform you or get you that AHA moment over something that puzzles you when afloat



at COOPER BOATING, we have to be generalists in order to keep a whole bunch of different boats in top form - but we have a collective team of strategic partners that are the true specialists and yacht experts - from building entire boats to BC boat sales experts who know how to scour the planet to get you the best deal

we have people specialize in rigging,  engines or boat wiring as well

these sessions represent a building wave in shoreside boat clinics - and an opportunity to test drive for some of our classes

everyone wants to share their expertise and make those all important face to face connections to truly make you READY for FUN on the WATER - 

what does it cost??  we cover all the expenditures but want to do something great at the same time - so please bring something for the FOOD BANK so we can give something back -  from those fortunate enough to enjoy time afloat to those who need a helping hand at this time

in a recent ALBERTA session one participant said "it's like drinking from a fire hose" -- we're adjusting the format to keep these passionate experts to a manageable pace!

check out the next one 

when charging batteries, remember how we fill a jerry can and understanding is easy

we just returned from a series of YACHT EXPO SEMINARS and our good friend JEFF COTE with PACIFIC YACHT SYSTEMS shocked the groups with little known facts about batteries and marine electrical

one participant said it was hard to start asking questions because his brain was completely full and the quality and quantity of great information at the event was LIKE DRINKING FROM A FIREHOSE

to take a quick note from JEFF'S ELECTRICAL 101 session, think of topping up the batteries as you would filling a JERRY CAN



when filling one of these, you can initially open the nozzle right up and fill quickly - think of this as BULK CHARGING

as you get past 85%, one needs to slow down or it will spill everywhere - this is ABSORPTION CHARGING and trickier to do when you are out cruising, so some cruisers will bring the batteries up to around 85% and then start using them again

topping off a near full battery - replacing the gas that evaporates so to speak, is called FLOAT CHARGING and newer battery chargers are able to do this without damaging the batteries - what JEFF called not killing the batteries with "DEATH BY 1000 PAPER CUTS"

for more helpful tips - check back or check out the PACIFIC YACHT SYSTEMS BLOG

For many years we watched sailors switch over to power vessels and thought it might be an unstoppable trend.  Then came a period of time in 2008 when fuel prices came close to doubling inside 6 months.  The tidal wave of sailors moving towards power vessels in both courses and charters ebbed.  At the same time, a new trend picked up - one towards catamarans - and why not?  When compared to a trawler style power boat, these boats go the same speed under motor and can go faster than a trawler in strong winds.  There is nearly twice as much room and the visibility is excellent. They also use a fraction of the fuel and the ride is very comfortable in a wide range of conditions.



A few pointers if you are joining the crowds that are heading towards catamarans:

1) Handling - take a course or arrange private instruction at the time of your charter or separately.  These boats are easy to handle and most people pick it up quickly - but it is different and therefore not automatic.  Don't be fooled by their size - moving a pair of engines far apart makes for quick work of turning and once you have the hang of it, you'll have trouble going for anything else in the future.

2) Moorage - book the boat early and then call ahead for popular times in our top marinas.  These boats don't exactly tuck well into corners of the marina.  Every marina has spots suitable for catamarans, but you need to plan early to make for easy work of your evenings ashore.
 
3) Sailing - because the boats don't heel, it is important to reduce sail as the winds pickup so as not to strain the rig excessively.   Watch the wind strength and were there are forces that would normally cause excessive heeling, take those to mean it is time to shorten sail.

4) Anchoring - as the windlass is positioned at the forward end of the bridge deck, it is important to transfer the load while anchoring to the bows with the use of an anchoring bridle.  Our crew will be pleased to show you how to do this.



Featured here is the Lagoon 400 - and you can book onto Amritha - this new model available out of Port Sidney - but act soon to avoid disappointment. 

Be sure to contact the office for the article written by our Lagoon owner who took his vessel to Alaska.  It is a great read.

Giving the gift of boating is so much better than socks.  Socks, however, are great if you are going to be boating in the very near future - it is a little cold these days! 


We've got some great ideas for gift ideas ranging from HELLO SAILING - for as little as $84.   This program is ideal for those who have little to no experience.   Our modular format CREW program is a little more extensive - $399 provides two evening sessions followed by a weekend of fun on the water.   


For folks already well underway on their courses, clinics like DOCKING, ANCHORING and SPINNAKER SAILING are only$199 each.


This is the BEST PART - you don't need to leave the comfort of your home, office or car (well for safety purposes, at least pull over).  Our gift certificates have serial numbers and can be E-MAILED right to you -- and forwarded on to the recipient.  It's the green gift alternative.  Wrapping is so much easier this way! 

We're very excited about being in the GUNKHOLING business moving forward.  It's both one of the best things to be part of and probably the item that tends to elude many people on a quest for fun on the water.  If you want to know more about GUNKHOLING, look no further - we are going to have lots of fun together.

GUNKHOLING, according to Wikipedia is a boating term referring to a type of cruising in shallow or shoal water, meandering from place to place, spending the nights in coves. The term refers to the gunk, or mud, typical of the creeks, coves, marshes, sloughs, and rivers that are referred to as gunkholes. Because of the slow pace, this type of cruising is best enjoyed by those cruising by sailboat or trawler. While not necessary, gunkholers typically seek out the serenity of isolated anchorages over the crowds of marinas and popular bays.

 

GUNKHOLING - COOPER STYLE


We hold that gunkholing embodies the ultimate cruising lifestyle - it's one of those rare experiences that is best enjoyed slowly and deliberately. Gunkholing is the type of cruising that makes our coast one of the best locales on the planet.

Some prefer to conquer oceans; we thrive on a good cup of coffee in a peaceful anchorage or quaint marina. Some would spend days and days aboard; we prefer a shoreside adventure such as a hike under the canopy of our coastal rainforest.  Some brandish their swords as they battle other boats on a race course; we prefer to raft up to our fellow boats and make a few new friends.

The magic of gunkholing is really a collection of small experiences that weave together into the fabric of our boating community.  It is impossible to fully describe what one gains by embracing the gunkholing lifestyle with a passage of words, but here is a small sample of the threads that combine to provide the allure of this pastime:

 >  The satisfaction of piloting your boat into an unfamiliar harbour by making
reference to the local charts and publications

>    The joy of kids exploring tidal pools

>    Flashing the barbeque up after a day of cruising from one island to the next.

>    Beachcombing poker - win or lose those treasures found earlier in the day

>    Sitting back and watch an eagle dive for her dinner right next to you

>    The playful banter as we line up at the pilgrimage to the shoreside showers with a towel and kit in tote

>     The camaraderie of flotilla cruising

 >    Watching the best in people come out as they assist with docking, mechanical challenges and tips as to the best spot to catch shellfish, take a dip or find the elusive baked goods

>    Sharing the waters with orca whales, dolphins, harbour seals and sea lions

The term originates from that spectacular gunk that oozes off an anchor as it breaks the water.  We

know it to mean so much more.  Won't you join us so we may properly introduce you to GUNKHOLING?

Boaters operating motor driven craft now need their Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC).   If you need to get one, please contact our office or browse our courses.  If you had a PCOC and have lost it, please note that all PCOC's issued by Cooper Boating originate from the Canadian Yachting Association (CYA).  Here is the link to their page that allows you to get a replacement PCOC.

After all these years doing bareboat charters, now is a great time to take a look at what has stayed the same and what has changed.   Perhaps most importantly: what is a bareboat charter?   

Bareboat charters certainly don't derive their name from the inventory and options aboard - that has grown on the boats from a half page under a piece of plexiglass screwed to the bulkhead of boats with virtually no "toys" back in 1983 to Cooper Boating's current multi-page document that includes many features that make the bareboat charter far less than bare on the equipment side of the equation.

The term bareboat charter refers to the legal arrangements in place to access the boat.  You are well served to think of a bareboat charter as one where you are, in effect, the owner of the vessel for the charter period.  As a bareboat charterer, it is your responsibility to arrange for the running of the boat including its safe navigation, the insurance, the fuel, the destinations and so forth.  When looking at current regulations, it is clear that any influence of the actual vessel owner should not take place.  A bareboat charter of a pleasure boat is one where the charter client is using the boat for pleasure (non commercial application) and has complete control of the vessel as if they were the owner.   

In fact, we embrace the concept of being the owner for the duration - nothing on our boats says they aren't yours.   You don't rent a Ferrari and want a rent-a-car sticker on the back... so we embrace that concept and have had clients actually end up debating with others who 'don't believe' that the boat they are on could be a charter boat.   We love that, but let's get back to the discussion of this word 'bareboat'.

A charter agent like Cooper Boating can coordinate many of the items such as insurance and crew as required, but it will be on your behalf, not the actual owner of the vessel.   Should you not meet the competency requirements and require someone to be aboard to help you, those arrangements are on your behalf and do not involve the vessel owner.  If you delegate skippering or navigating or any other aspect of running the vessel, the responsibility for those assignments does come back to you as the charterer.

In Canada, you are welcome to buy a boat, and, providing you have your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) - you are welcome to operate the vessel with that alone for non-commercial applications.   It may be more difficult to insure the vessel with just a PCOC as the insurance company will want to know that you are an acceptable risk when operating the boat.  They will want to see experience and training on the size and type of vessel you own.  Chartering is similar - as agents we work to confirm you are properly insured when operating the boat.  We work to fill out any requirements stemming from holes in your boating resume.

 
All the vessels we operate through Cooper Boating are offered on a bareboat basis.   We do not offer a skippered charter or passenger arrangements.   Some charters add crew or skippers, but it is important to understand those people are NOT working for the vessel owner. As with many topics, one can go deeper into the workings and background - Wikipedia discusses further the concept of a bareboat charter (also referred to as a demise charter).  Our agents  would also be happy to help you further as you book your spectacular boating holiday.

Bob Doiron of Alberta sent in the following tip to share.  He refers to it as a "Jamie Johnson special."  Bob took a course with Jamie a few years back and has gone on to charter and then purchase a quarter share with One 4 Yacht Fractions.

SELF RELEASING LINES
 
We were taught to pass the lines through the dock cleat, rail or whatever mechanism is there and bring the line back to the boat cleat to tie it off. The trick is to pass it under the cleat or rail from the boat side so when it is released you flop the line on the dock and avoid having the end drop in the drink as you reel it in. If you pass it over the cleat or rail and fop the line on the dock
it wraps and binds. It works really slick and has the following advantages:


    * It is simply easier and quicker to tie off.
    * It can work well when getting assistance from well
      meaning dock hands as you can control the degree to which the bow or stern
      is pulled in because you get them to pass it back to you.
    * It is safer for the crew because lines can be released
      while on board; no jumping on.
    * When you are checking your lines it can all be done on
      board and easily adjusted. This is particularly true under windy
      conditions. (New Years Eve 2008 tied up at Ganges with 60 - 70 KM winds on
      our starboard beam the docks were rocking quite hard as was the boat.
      Having our lines self releasing enabled us to check and adjust as needed
      very safely.)
    * It works equally as well with spring lines as others,
      even with rails, as you are virtually always able to find stops all along
      the rail to hold a spring in proper position.
    * If you must do a bow 'spring off' it is virtually
      essential to have a self releasing line unless you have someone on the
      dock to assist.



In the five years we have boated there have been only a handful of times when we haven't been able to do this because of the dock or lack of cleats. Even if you don't have enough bow line you can release it while on the dock and then board and release the remaining lines in a safe and orderly manner. If there is a line that won't work It's usually the bow line because of the distance from the centre line of the boat to the dock.



THANKS BOB for your submission!

Here's the SECRET to being more comfortable and competent on the water:  THERE IS NO SECRET.  Just do it more and work hard at it!  Just like learning to drive a car, there's lots to figure out when you're new but eventually, it all lumps into that boring task of 'driving'.   Being on the water doesn't necessarily have to be boring (okay - offshore passages are a combination of boring and terrifying, but let's stick to the flotilla talk for now!).   It does become easy as you do it more - just check out some of our folks docking boats singlehanded while talking on a mobile phone (that's still legal!) and occasionally having a coffee at the same time!  (One armed workers unite!)

Challenge is, you might not have been out for a while (or at much at all) and the thought of heading off all on your own is a bit intimidating.   We understand, which is why flotillas might be the answer.   The term flotilla originates with naval groupings of ships and has evolved to groups of pleasure boats invading great destinations together 'just for fun.'

There are flotillas all around the world for those so inclined, but let's focus on the ones here in BC waters.  Isn't it great to know that your flotilla leader will:

    * help figure out where to go
    * when to leave in order to make passes on time
    * brief everyone on recent weather and local hazards along the route
    * help off the dock
    * 'shepherding' whilst transiting passes
    * taking the lead into an unfamiliar harbour
    * help back on the dock
    * local knowledge and shore side fun at destinations
    * someone to double check lines and anchors and generally be quizzed on seamanship

Whether it be calling the 'easter bunny' over the vhf, doing a giant 'conga line' of boats through fog or just hanging out for some great chatter while testing the capacity of some poor cabin or cockpit - flotillas are where it's at. 

Check here for some FLOTILLA BASIC INGREDIENTS
Check here on the NEXT FLOTILLA IN BC WATERS

We continue to survey folks about what they would like to know more about and a common thread takes us back to docking.  We're so happy to put more tools in your docking toolbox.  Today we dive into what that propeller is doing for you (or against you).  Knowing some propeller basics will help dramatically.

Prop walk goes by different names, but that's what we call it around here because the P-effect or P-Factor has us sounding less cool.  We say a boat "walks to port" in reverse.  Okay - what are we talking about?

Cut to its simplest element on the 'need to know' basis, does the boat pull to port or starboard when you are going backwards?   Prop walk is best tested in the middle of a wide open space from a standstill (with no wind or with the stern facing what wind you do have).  With the wheel 'a midships,' apply a big shot of reverse and see where she goes.  A right hand propellor will normally send the boat back to port and a left hand will send the boat generally to starboard.

Beyond which direction, prop walk varies by boat based on some set up factors that you can't do much about other than understand.  The angle of the propeller shaft and the size/type of the propeller are two factors that determine how much prop walk you should experience on a particular boat.

What you can control is the timing and location of your use of the throttle in reverse gear.  The higher you rev the engine in reverse, the more you get to experience prop walk.   From a standstill, it's all prop walk.  As you start moving backwards, you will start to gain some directional control as water starts flowing across the rudder.

Behind the scenes, it boils down to discharge current.  In forward, all the engineering is aimed at pushing the discharge current as straight backwards as possible.  In reverse, the discharge current ends up traveling off to one side or the other, based on the rotation direction of the prop and the magnitude depends on other setup variables.

 

How to you check and get a clue before you go?  Ask someone knowledgeable about the boat OR, with the boat securely tied to the dock, engage reverse power and look for the discharge current coming off the rudder.   If you see a lot of current coming out to starboard, you know the boat will 'walk to port' in reverse.  

With a pair of motors, the reason the motors rotate in opposite directions is to cancel the effects of propeller discharge.  Using more throttle on one engine or another can work in your favour as you understand these effects.

Our crew can help explain how to make prop walk your friend.  Docking clinics and courses can help you master these skills on the water.