Boats are an extension of ourselves, a vessel you might fall in and out of love with routinely, but that give you a sense of freedom seldom found elsewhere. Proper boat maintenance, mooring and more are required to keep the spirit of the pastime alive and the modern world has helped with this effort greatly. While it is an ancient pastime, there are modern developments that no boating aficionado should go without. Here are 5 concerns that websites can help solve.
- Finding A Mooring Spot
Whatever the nature of your trip, or even if the vessel is residential or for business, you’ll need to moor at some point. By using a fully integrated map and GPS system you can find a marina near me no matter where you are in the country. With a map, booking information and location descriptions integrated together you can see all the relevant info in one place, even as you are moving along the way.
- Learning The Lingo
Every boating enthusiast has their favourite phrases, but there are thousands more to learn. Jargon and legal terms, colloquialisms and more are all necessary for the avid boatman. By taking what you know and exploring the dictionary of official terms (also available on android) you can further your knowledge and deepen your understanding of the pastime.
- Community Communication
No one gets into boating alone. You need teaching, experience on someone’s vessel and much more. Boating forums online enable thousands of members to talk about common issues, offer advice, share the latest and generally be good community. The opportunity to learn from others and impart your own knowledge is vital to the longevity of the pastime and everyone does their bit across things like the forum above and Reddit to bring the conversation onto modern platforms on the internet.
- Getting Fresh Faces
Not everyone already owns a vessel or has access to someone that does. Being able to introduce those people to forums above is a great first step, but even better than that is being acquainted with short term rental options or days out. With a trusted owner you can introduce your friends and family to boating without the huge commitment of being an owner yourself. The more people experience boating, the better, and the internet/websites have made the pastime more accessible than ever before thanks to websites like this.
- Old, But New
Gone are the days when you’d discover something new and fantastical-sounding in a magazine or newspaper, instead the information is all digital. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Magazines have managed to survive, reinvent themselves, and thrive online. Boating magazines are still downloadable or upload directly to their sites and offer a more filtered and well-presented view of the hobby than a free-for-all public forum does. Staying up to date on the industry and the stories around it helps to keep the pastime alive and going at a steady rate of knots – with publishers and writers alike still very interested in digital content around the boating world.
