Boating & Sailing

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Paddled & Poled

Sailed

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Paddled & Poled :

Boat Building: Where trapping is carried on along the banks of the lakes aid rivers, a boat of some kind becomes almost a positive necessity. The following examples represent those in most general use and provide expedient methods of constructing them.

Four Hour Kayak You can build a kayak of green willow shoots, a blue tarp and Shelter Systems' Grip Clips in just four hours!

Canoeing and Kayaking Lessons for Beginners Learn beginning canoeing and kayaking with tips and techniques such as how to safely get into a kayak and canoe, the parts of the canoe and kayak, finding certified life-jackets, proper use of life-jackets, & how to hold a paddle.

How to Make a Wooden Canoe Paddle by Bob Gillis: This canoe paddle was first carved as a model from a section of a willow branch and then an actual full size paddle was created from a 2" by 6" redwood board. Choose a light weight wood as you want the finished paddle to be light in your hands (examples: spruce, pine, cedar, redwood as lumber or logs).

River Courtesy and Manners Rivers will remain unspoiled for future generations only if protected and cared for by those who use them today. It is important that we set high standards for ourselves and minimize our impact as much as possible.

Open Canoe Mistakes 11 Common Whitewater Miscues

When and How to Use Tandem Canoe Pivot Turns Often the river currents will push your canoe towards obstacles such as strainers, undercut walls, falls, holes, boulders and rocky shorelines. The fastest way to change your location on the river and loosing the least amount of distance downstream is by using pivots and power strokes.

The Art of Canoe Surfing The canoe lurches forward as the bow plunges towards the bottom of the wave trough. You feel the energy of the wave as it grabs hold of the hull. With a few rudder adjustments you find the "sweet spot" and enjoy the sensation of surfing.

Canoe Rescue Techniques One thing you can count on when you take up canoeing is that at some point you'll end up in the drink, clinging to your half-submerged craft. And none of us looks forward to the sometimes long swim; towing or pushing our canoe to shore...

Sea Kayaking Adventurer's Checklist & Canoe Equipment and First Aid List from Outdoor Mind/Adventure Sports

OA Guide to Running a Safe River Trip This article is based on the pioneering work in outdoor safety management by Alan Hale who administered the International Outdoor Safety Review for many years. Paddling can be a hazardous sport. You need to be aware of the potential risks and your own skill level and paddle at an appropriate level.

OA Paddling Decision Guide Whenever paddling in whitewater (or sea kayaking) you need to be able to gauge how your skills, experience, and abilities match the difficulty of the water. Either as an individual or as a member of a group here are some of the questions we need to ask ourselves and be able to answer. Most of us run through a short list of these before a trip, but sometimes enthusiasm may cloud our judgment and we just dive in. So run through the list and add your own questions.

The Canoe The basic design has been virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. How were the birch bark craft made? How much could they hold? Can you still make one? Find it all here. Skip the history and go directly to Construction of canoes if you prefer.

Rafting – Part I. Actually a pretty good article on rafts & canoes, and their usage. Part of the Survival Bible (now located on a different server – this link works!)

Rafting – Part II. More interesting notes on rafting. Part of the Survival Bible (now located on a different server – this link works!)

Life on a lumber raft (Harper's Weekly, January 8, 1887).

How to build a raft Build a 4 bbl raft. a barrel carries about 250 kg. Large barrels even more. So, sinking is virtually impossible. However, with a hole in your barrel or if one of the stops is missing, you’re up the creek...

How to Build a Raft: Is it summertime, and do you hear the lazy river calling your name? Or do you just need to get away for a little while? Below are step-by-step instructions for how to build a raft so you and your friends can travel the Mississippi the way people have for centuries.

Creeking Equipment & Creeking Techniques & Creeking Safety Creeking is traveling in a low level river usually involving waterfalls, rocks and other dangers in a kayak.

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Sailed :

THE LAND-LUBBER'S CHAPTER & RIGS or ALL KINDS FOR SMALL BOATS: Common Nautical Terms and Expressions Defined. How to Sail a Boat. Boat Rigs. How to Distinguish between a Ship, Bark, Brig, and Schooner. Merits and Defects of Cat-Boats. Advantages of the Sloop. Rigs for Canoes Buckeyes and Sharpies.

SAILING: Characters of a Yacht, Various kinds of Yachts, Description of the Cutter Yacht, Construction of the Hull, Something about the Masts, Spars, Ropes, Sailing a Yacht, Bringing up, Making Snug, Going back, Jibing, Bringing up at Moorings, Of the Mariners' Compass, and various Nautical Terms, Cautions and Directions, Nautical Terms

A RAFT THAT WILL SAIL: And a Home-Made Catamaran. The Raft is Just the Thing for Camp Life. Pleasurable Occupation for a Camping Party Where Wood is Plentiful. You Will Need Axes and Hatchets and a Few Other Civilized Implements.

How to Clean a Sailboat Learn how to clean the inside, outside and hull of a sail boat in this free series of yacht care videos from our experienced sailor and sailboat maintenance expert.

How to Sail Learn the fundamentals of sailing, including safety, sailors' knots, what is a tack and a jibe, & the parts of a sailboat, in this free online video series. See also: Advanced Sailing Lessons and Sailing Tips & Advice

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Motorized:

"FM 55-502: Army Watercraft Safety" : This manual provides guidance and technical information relevant to safety and survival equipment/systems used by US Army watercraft. Safety and survival equipment/systems are identified in AR 56-9. The manual contains guidance, instructions, technical data, illustrations, and procedures pertinent to the application, inspection, modification, maintenance, and the use of safety equipment, safety policies, and survival systems. The primary users of this manual are watercraft masters and personnel. This manual will also be used by key personnel engaged in the supervision, operation, or maintenance of US Army watercraft. The US Army’s environmental strategy into the 21st century defines the Army’s leadership commitment and philosophy for meeting present and future environmental challenges. It provides a framework to ensure that environmental stewardship ethic governs all Army activities. The Army’s environmental vision is to be a national leader in environmental and natural resource stewardship for present and future generations, as an integral part of all Army missions. The Army’s environmental vision statement communicates the Army’s commitment to the environment.

How to Use Speed Boats A motorboat is a water vessel propelled by an internal combustion engine driving a jet pump or a propeller. A speedboat is a small motorboat designed to move quickly in races, for pulling water skiers, as patrol boats, and as fast-moving attack vessels in the military. Motorboats can differ greatly in size and configuration, from the Boston Whaler to the luxury mega-yachts that can cross oceans. Learn how to speed across the water in your motor boat or speed boat with these video instructions.

How to Do Boat Maintenance Learn how to do basic boat maintenance with expert tips on cleaning and maintaining the engine, interior upholstery, battery, and ropes, in this free video series on boating.

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Other :

Build A "ROUGH AND READY" BOAT: Just What an Ingenious Boy Must Do to Build It. Detailed Instructions as to How to Make the Boat and How to Rig It.

SEA-soned Traveler. Finding your way on the bounty main using new & old techniques. Actually discusses sextant usage! Part of the Survival Bible (now located on a different server – this link works!)

Sea Survival. A lot of dubious and frivolous material, but still worth a gander. Some very good stuff, too. Part of the Survival Bible (now located on a different server – this link works!)

Scuba Diving for Beginners Learn the basics of how to scuba dive in this free scuba diving lesson video series from our experienced diver and certified PADA divemaster.

Scuba Rebreather – Build Your Own. Interesting page of links on building your own rebreather device and other SCUBA stuff.

"FM 5-490: Engineering Diving Operations" Engineer divers support all specialized underwater missions in the TO. The primary mission of engineer diving operations is to support sustainment engineering in the communications zone (COMMZ), providing a means for movement of logistics from port harbors and beach fronts to forward- and rear-area units. The secondary mission is to support maneuver units during water-crossing operations in the forward-battle area, providing maneuver units the capability to cross wet-gap obstacles while minimizing losses.

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