Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

10
Part 1: Getting Started in Boating
Runabouts offer versatility,
comfort, and economy in a
package that fits in most
garages. This variation,
known as a bow-rider, offers
added seating in the bow and
doubles as a fishing boat
because of the large cockpit aft.
(Photo credit: Grady White Boats)
The front section of a bow-rider creates a great “kiddie-pen” where you can keep little
sailors under your watchful eye with just a bit of separation provided by the windshield.
It’s no place for kids once the boat is underway, however—
Boat Bytes
the ride is rough, and they’ll be safer back in the cockpit.
The National Marine
Manufacturers rating, listed
on a sticker placed on the
dash of all powerboats,
gives the safe load capacity
in terms of persons estimated
at 150 pounds each, plus gear.
It also lists the safe power rating
of any powerboat.
The Need for Speed: Performance Boats
Dedicated ski boats are a specialized form of runabout.
They’re usually inboard-powered, 18 to 22 feet long, and
have fairly flat bottoms so that they plane easily when
pulling several skiers.
Some feature special fins on the bottom that allow them
to turn very sharply, a ski pylon or post near the center to
attach the tow rope, and a rear-facing seat so that one passenger
can keep an eye on the skier without turning
around. Ski boats tend to be fairly expensive for their size,
ranging from $20,000 to $50,000.
Performance boats also share the general configuration of runabouts, but there’s a difference
in the engine room. They’re also called “muscle boats” for their powerful engines
relative to their weight, and they’re dedicated to white-knuckle speeds. While a runabout
might be powered by as little as 70 horses, muscle boats sport engines of 225 to 500
horsepower.