Archive for the ‘Boating’ Category

Hazards of outdoor activities

Monday, April 14th, 2008

Take any outdoor activity and you have to be careful, as the trip can be unpredictable. Such trips can include many risks even if the participants do not place themselves in hazardous activities. A simple accident can create havoc and this can require certain survival skills. But, with the right kind of precaution, such outdoor activity can be more enjoyable and also safe.

Each and every hazard has its own safety measure as there is a remedy for every ailment. One of the standard precautions for any outdoor activity is to carry the ten essential tools important for the prevention of certain accidents. Also, whenever you travel for any outdoor activity, be sure to travel in groups, as this can help you in case of emergencies. If one person is injured, the other group members are there to help him.

Further, a group is able to avoid poor decisions which a lone traveler might make and in an emergency situation, the group gets together and pools together their brain power, body heat and muscle power. There is also another precaution which you should take while on an outdoor activity. This is to inform the people outside the hiking group of your expected return time. You should also carry with you a communication device like a mobile phone or a satellite phone in order to be connected to others in an emergency. But, cell phones coverage in the wild forest can get poor.

There are also dangerous hazards while on an outdoor trip like losing the way, unpredictable weather conditions, sudden confront of wild animals and such risky terrains.

Popularity: 31%

Types of boating

Monday, March 17th, 2008

One can certainly enjoy his boating trip when he visits other countries during his vacation trip with his family. Now, there are a lot of boating techniques that one can use and various boats are available to a person to explore the big sea, go kayaking and even while surfing on the rock rough waters.

There are different types of boats for different kinds of outdoor boating sports. One such boat is known as the recreational boat for less sporting activities. Such boats include the paddle sports boats like the rowing shells, canoes and the kayaks. Then, there are runabout power boats which the person can go for like the outboard, inboard engines. Other boat types include the cruisers like the powerboats with cabins and the racing sail boats with auxiliary engines.

There are also certain boating activities related with outdoor sports that the person can enjoy. This includes the paddle sport to be done on flat water, on rivers and on oceans too. In this sport, the person can opt for Canoes, Kayaks and the rowing shells or row boats. Sailing boats includes small sail boats, day sailors and cruising sail boats. The person can go for fresh water fishing boats and water sport boats too.

To some extent, the boating activities have an impact on the boat design. For instance, water ski boats are very much designed to hold a precise course at an accurate speed with a flat wake for the skiing runs. Other boating types include the salt water fishing boats and the cruising boats.

Popularity: 6%

White water kayaking

Thursday, March 13th, 2008

White water kayaking is actually is a sport in which one paddles a kayak on a moving body of water, which is a whitewater river. White water kayaking can normally range from simple to carefree gently moving water and also to demanding and dangerous whitewater. There are certain grades allotted to the white water as white water grades from range one to range 6 which is the most difficult of all ranges. Grade 5 is considered as unrunnable water like the Niagara Falls.

There is in fact few categories of white water kayaking. One of this is the river running category. In such an outdoor sport, one can tour down the river and enjoy the scenery and also experience the challenging nature of the unpredictable river. White water racing is one of the most competitive aspects of white water kayaking and is like racing canoes or kayaks down the river as fast as one could go.

Creeking is also one type of river running sports and involves a lot of technical as well as difficult rapids from grade four to six. This type of sports requires a higher gradient and includes running through slides, ledges and some small and tight rivers. There are also some large volume rivers that one has to cross.

Slalom is another competitive kayaking form and is used for the Olympics too, whereas play boating, known as Rodeo lays more stress on artistic and gymnastic side of kayaking sports. Squirt boating is also one of the categories of the white water kayaking which features the use of low volume boats to perform the special moves in the white water.

Popularity: 6%

Safety equipments required while boating

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008

There are many safety equipments and devices that have to be kept while boating in the sea. Some of the authorities have made it mandatory to keep the various safety equipments on board while on a recreational boating session. The responsible skippers make sure that they keep these safety equipments which ensure complete safety at times of emergency. Some of the minimum safety equipments that have to be kept onboard all the time range from Bucket, Bilge Pump or a Bailer. Boats which are more than 7 meters long should be equipped with Bilge pumps and in the case of smaller boats bucket or the bailer can work. Along with these things a fire extinguisher should also be kept specially the boats which use motors or engines that use fuels or liquid gas.

The boats which sail around two nautical miles around the sea coast should be equipped with safety devices such as life jackets, flares, anchor and line etc. There should be a lifejacket for every person out there on board. Flares come in various types and variations. Hand held red are the best ones that can be used at the night while the other type of flair leaving Orange Smoke can be very useful for attracting other people around. The boats which sail in much wider area are recommended to be equipped with Parachute Distress Flares along with some red flares as well. Two Way Marine Band Radio is also a must to be kept which can be used in emergency.

Popularity: 5%