Lets look at a few actual testimonials of recent Paradox Boat security System users and see how their system works for them.

"I live in New Jersey but keep my 52' Davis Sport fish down in Fort Lauderdale for the winter season. I received a call from my Marine Magellan system alerting me to low battery voltage. It turns out that after my maintenance company sea trialed the boat for me, they forgot to turn the battery charger breaker back on. As a result my batteries were draining and almost dead. The breaker was turned back on, the batteries got charged back up and most importantly my fishing trip the next day was not cancelled. Even though I pay a maintenance company to take care of my boat, it gives me peace of mind knowing that the Marine Magellan is watching over them."
Paul N, River Edge, NJ / Fort Lauderdale, Florida

"Less than 48 hours after the installation of my Magellan was completed, and my boat was put into the water for the season, I received a call on my cell phone from a number I did not immediately recognize. When I answered, I heard "Moonstruck, High Water". The second number it called was my rigger and he was at the boat by the time I called him. The float switch wiring on my bilge pump had come loose and indeed there was high water. Thanks to the Marine Magellan, it was fixed before there was any damage what so ever - a great system."
Darold M. Kemah, Texas

"I received a call from my boat 24 hours before I was to arrive to it in Florida. "M/Y Toolin Around, A/C power failure". I called the dockmaster for the marina and was told that they were working on the docks and the power will be out for while. I called a friend and he started the generator for me. I have a new level of comfort regarding the boat, especially when I'm up north."
Tom S. Newport, RI

"I received a call at 2a.m. from my boat, "M/Y Bravo, cockpit beam sensor intrusion"; I connected to the speaker phone and advised the intruders that I was contacting the police. The police arrived at the marina, arrested the intruders and found that they had burglarized many boats in the marina. I was happy to see that the Marine Magellan system did everything promised and prevented any damage or burglary from happening on my boat. The Marine Magellan just paid for itself in my book."
Lester H. Hampton, VA

"I installed a Magellan system on my boat for peace of mind. I am now able to relax knowing that when I leave my boat that unless I receive a phone call everything is ok. I also have it programmed to call me when my captain or children arm / disarm the system. Every boat I own from now on will have a Magellan system on board."
Paul T. West Haven, CT

Visit our site at MarineGuardSecurity.com to learn all about these systems that are designed just for the marine environment.

Helps Prevent Theft of Bracket-Mounted Units - Fits Popular GPS, Fishfinders and VHF Radios

Bracket-mounted electronics on unattended boats are an easy target for thieves - just unscrew the knobs, unplug the cord and walk away. The Universal Electronics Lock from DuraSafe secures bracket-mounted electronics, leaving a thief no other alternative but to move on.

The compact and rugged lock replaces one of the bracket knobs and secures the unit to the bracket. One size fits GPS, fishfinders and VHF radios made by virtually every manufacturer. It can be keyed alike if more than one bracket-mounted device needs to be secured on board.

Made in the USA of marine grade material, the Universal Electronics Lock includes a rubber cap to protect it from the elements. MSRP $US24.99.

More info: www.durasafelocks.com or call 1+262.544.5615.

As hard times cause many boat owners to sell their vessels an opportunity arises to find a good deal on that boat you always dreamed of. Those of us that will never get out of boating understand that boating is a great way to save money, compared to other forms of entertainment such as travel, lodging and dining out. Others that rarely move their beautiful boat from the dock may see it as not needed and opt to put her on the market.

When we purchased our own Northwind we opted to keep the name that she had because we like it. With so many boats out there with the owner’s favorite girls name on her, you may not be so lucky.

Before you go removing the old name and adding a new one, you might consider the implications of doing it without a nautically proper ceremony. My favorite is posted below:

Ceremony for Renaming Your Boat

By Capt. Pat

Source: BoatSafe.Com

Everyone knows that renaming your boat will bring nothing but bad luck and make your boating experience something that you will want to forget. But what happens when, after months of searching, you find your dreamboat with a name that you just cannot live with. For example, my first love was a 28-foot Alden with the most beautiful lines I’d ever seen. She was named Perfidious. How could anything this graceful be named betrayer of trust? Well, I never bought her, but I often thought that if I had, I would have renamed her Magic, after my wife.

Renaming a boat is, of course, not something to be done lightly. Since the beginning of time, sailors have sworn that there are unlucky ships and the unluckiest ships of all are those who have defied the gods and changed their names. So, is there a way to change a name and not incur the wrath of those deities that rule the elements? Yes, Virginia, there is.

According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea. It is logical therefore, if we wish to change the name of our boat, the first thing we must do is to purge its name from the Ledger of the Deep and from Poseidon’s memory.

This is an involved process beginning with the removal or obliteration of every trace of the boat’s current identity. This is essential and must be done thoroughly. I once went through the ceremony after the owner had assured me that every reference to his boat’s old name had been purged from her. A couple of weeks later, he discovered he had missed a faded name on her floating key chain. I advised him to start over, perhaps with a little extra libation for the ruler of the sea. Unfortunately, he declined. Since then, his boat has been struck by lightning, had its engine ruined by the ingress of the sea, been damaged by collision and finally sunk! It pays to be thorough.

In purging your boat, it is acceptable to use White-Out or some similar obliterating fluid to expunge the boat’s name from log books, engine and maintenance records etc., but it is much easier to simply remove the offending document from the boat and start afresh. Don’t forget the life rings and especially the transom and forward name boards. Do not under any circumstances carry aboard any item bearing your boat’s new name until the purging and renaming ceremonies have been completed! Once you are certain every reference to her old name has been removed from her, all that is left to do is to prepare a metal tag with the old name written on it in water-soluble ink. You will also need a bottle of reasonably good Champagne. Plain old sparkling wine won’t cut it.

Since this is an auspicious occasion, it is a good time to invite your friends to witness and to party.

Begin by invoking the name of the ruler of the deep as follows:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to expunge for all time from your records and recollection the name (here insert the old name of your vessel) which has ceased to be an entity in your kingdom. As proof thereof, we submit this ingot bearing her name to be corrupted through your powers and forever be purged from the sea. (At this point, the prepared metal tag is dropped from the bow of the boat into the sea.)

In grateful acknowledgment of your munificence and dispensation, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court. (Pour at least half of the bottle of Champagne into the sea from East to West. The remainder may be passed among your guests.)

It is usual for the renaming ceremony to be conducted immediately following the purging ceremony, although it may be done at any time after the purging ceremony. For this portion of the proceedings, you will need more Champagne, Much more because you have a few more gods to appease.

Begin the renaming by again calling Poseidon as follows:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to take unto your records and recollection this worthy vessel hereafter and for all time known as (Here insert the new name you have chosen), guarding her with your mighty arm and trident and ensuring her of safe and rapid passage throughout her journeys within your realm.

In appreciation of your munificence, dispensation and in honor of your greatness, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court. (At this point, one bottle of Champagne, less one glass for the master and one glass for the mate are poured into the sea from West to East.)

The next step in the renaming ceremony is to appease the gods of the winds. This will assure you of fair winds and smooth seas. Because the four winds are brothers, it is permissible to invoke them all at the same time, however, during the ceremony; you must address each by name.

Begin in this manner:

Oh mighty rulers of the winds, through whose power our frail vessels traverse the wild and faceless deep, we implore you to grant this worthy vessel (Insert your boat’s new name) the benefits and pleasures of your bounty, ensuring us of your gentle ministration according to our needs.

(Facing north, pour a generous libation of Champagne into a Champagne flute and fling to the North as you intone:) Great Boreas, exalted ruler of the North Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your frigid breath.

(Facing west, pour the same amount of Champagne and fling to the West while intoning:)  Great Zephyrus, exalted ruler of the West Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your wild breath.

(Facing east, repeat and fling to the East.) Great Eurus, exalted ruler of the East Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your mighty breath.

(Facing south, repeat, flinging to the South.) Great Notus, exalted ruler of the South Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your scalding breath.

Of course, any champagne remaining will be the beginnings of a suitable celebration in honor of the occasion.

Once the ceremony has been completed, you may bring aboard any and all items bearing the new name of your vessel. If you must schedule the painting of the new name on the transom before the ceremony, be sure the name is not revealed before the ceremony is finished. It may be covered with bunting or some other suitable material.

Federal Requirements and Safety Tips for Recreational Boats

U.S. Coast Guard Boarding Policy

The U.S. Coast Guard is the primary maritime law enforcement agency of the U.S.

Authority: Section 89 of Title 14 of the United States Code authorizes the Coast Guard to board vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S., anytime upon the high seas and upon waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, to make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures and arrests.

What to expect: A uniformed CG boarding team will notify you that they are coming aboard to conduct a CG boarding. Like other law enforcement officers, they will be armed. Once on board they will conduct an initial safety inspection to identify any obvious safety hazards, and to ensure the sea worthiness of your vessel. The boarding officer will then ask to see the vessel registration or documentation, and proceed to inspect your vessel. The scope of the vessel inspection, during most boardings, is limited to determining the vessel's regulatory status (e.g. commercial, recreational, passenger, cargo, and/or fishing vessel) and checking for compliance with U.S. civil law applicable to vessels of that status. The CG may also enforce U.S. criminal law. The boarding officer will complete a Coast Guard boarding form, and note any discrepancies. You will get a signed copy before they depart.

Report of Boarding: When a CG boarding officer issues you a boarding report, they will either issue a yellow copy, if no discrepancies were noted, or a white copy if there were. A white copy will indicate a warning or a notice of violation. The CG boarding officer should explain the procedures to follow in each case. In any event, those procedures are written on the reverse of the form. If you have any questions ask the CG boarding officer.

NEWS From BoatUS Boat Owners Association of The United States 880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304 BoatUS News Room at www.BoatUS.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com USED BOAT BUYERS BEWARE: HOW TO STEER CLEAR OF A HURRICANE DAMAGED BOAT ALEXANDRIA, VA, October 7, 2008 – By the time the new owner of a nine-year old, $35,000, 24-foot fishing boat approached the BoatUS Consumer Affairs Department for help, it was too late. Shortly after purchasing the vessel the new owner discovered that the boat had been subjected to “excessive trauma” from a hurricane that caused serious structural damage. Unfortunately, the new owner was now left with only one expensive option: litigation. While buying a used boat is never easy, recent hurricanes could lead to an increase in the number of hurricane-damaged vessels for sale on the used boat market.  While many boats are properly repaired and sold, sellers don’t always tell the whole truth and sometimes just finding out whether a boat has been hurricane damaged can be difficult – especially if cosmetic repairs have been made.  Here are some tips that could help protect you from inadvertently buying a hurricane damaged vessel: Vote “independent”: Having a survey done by an independent surveyor is key.  In the case of the 24-foot fishing vessel, the new owner hired a surveyor – who was recommended by the dealer – for the pre-purchase inspection.  The true extent of the hurricane damage was never fully revealed until after the boat’s new owner, who lived in another state many miles away received delivery, became suspicious, and then hired his own surveyor. State line shuffle: Anyone wishing to obscure a boat’s history need only cross state lines to avoid detection. That’s because unlike automobiles, there are few states that have laws requiring the titles of junked or salvaged boats be “branded” as such.  And only 36 states even have a requirement that powerboats to be titled.  In the case of our 24-footer, the boat was damaged in Texas when a hurricane struck. The absence of salvage title allowed the unscrupulous seller to simply trailer the boat to Ohio to list it for sale with a dealer.  A seller who is not willing to document where a boat has been berthed or registered for the past few years should be a red flag that extra vigilance should be taken during the inspection and pre-purchase survey. Fuzzy “background” checks: Although a few Web sites purport to provide comprehensive background information about used boats, consumers should be skeptical, since there is no one national clearinghouse for boat information, short of checking the records of each boat by calling the boat registration agencies in every state. And be aware that even if you do that, state boat registration records do not include information about accidents or insurance claims. “As Is” could mean “expensive”: Protections afforded consumers by federal warranty laws and state implied warranty provisions are limited when products are sold “as is.” Without a thorough inspection and pre-purchase survey, you may not find any storm-related damages until something major happens and new repair efforts reveal their true extent.  And your insurance policy won’t cover the repairs since most don’t cover pre-existing conditions.  If you do buy “as is”, consider adding a statement in the sales contract that says the seller has revealed everything they know about the boat’s existing or repaired damages. Eyes Wide Open: For certain buyers, purchasing a hurricane damaged vessel may be appealing, provided they have the time, budget and sweat equity needed to facilitate repairs. However, knowing it’s a “hurricane boat” is a must. For more information on boat buying or to get a free copy of the BoatUS Guide to Buying and Selling a Boat, go to my.BoatUS.com/consumer ### About BoatU.S.: BoatUS – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 650,000 members with a wide array of consumer services including a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 885 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing; and a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, the most widely read boating publication in the US.  For membership information visit www.BoatUS.com

Contender Recovered By US Coast Guard 12 Hours Later

Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA) – A 34-foot Contender equipped with the Nav-Tracker 2.0 wireless boat location and GPS tracking system from Paradox Marine, stolen from Marsh Harbor in the Bahamas around midnight last Wednesday (September 17) local time, was located by the system and recovered in the vicinity by the US Coast Guard about 12 hours later.

When a Nav-Tracker 2.0 transmitter is mounted discreetly on a boat, a wireless ‘fence’ with a 500-meter range is created. If a boat is moved outside of this fence, Nav-Tracker 2.0 uses Inmarsat based GPS satellite technology to monitor a boat’s location and notify up to four people by email and/or text message every 15 minutes with the latitude/longitude, speed, heading and distance to the closest city.

As many as 27,000 boats are stolen annually and the odds of recovery are only about 1 in 10, according to the International Association of Marine Investigators. “Alarms and other deterrents are not enough. However, with a Nav-Tracker on board, if your boat is stolen, you’ll have a much better chance of getting it back,” said Jay Keenan, Paradox Marine Vice President of Marketing.

The message transmitted from Nav-Tracker 2.0 on board the Contender when it was stolen would have been similar to this:

Message From Nav-Tracker 2.0
User: Paradox Marine
Asset: M/Y Island Time
Fleet: ETI
Date/Time: 2006-07-25 15:06:28 (EDT)
Event: Geo-fence breached;
Location: 26.05767,-80.1303.3 (0.75 mi NE of Hollywood, FL 33019)
Speed/heading: 9.2 Knots, 144 deg
Google Earth Map: [KML]

Some insurance companies now require GPS tracking devices to be installed on certain types of boats, including high performance boats and boats with triple high-horsepower outboards.

For more information about Nav-Tracker 2.0 and other Paradox Marine boat security, monitoring and tracking products, visit www.marineguardsecurity.com

 

You know how important it is to have a system to look after your boat in your absence, but you keep putting it off due to expense and fear of the installation process. Now you don’t have any more excuses! This easy to install and affordable boat security and supervisory system answers the call.   

The BoatNanny™ Boat Alarm System Monitors:

• High Water Alarm

• AC/DC Power

• Temperature in Cabin/Engine

• Onboard Fire/Smoke Alarm

• Motion & Intruders

• Audio Levels

-(listen in on cabin's activities)

The BoatNanny™

is a wireless plug n’ go remote boat alarm system that anyone can install in less than 30 minutes. When an alarm is activated, the systems will text message your cell phone and/or send you an email. The system communicates to you anywhere cell phone coverage exists.

24/7 SECURITY ALERTS

The BoatNanny™ is a wireless portable system and not a fixed hard wired system, it can also be used to monitor your home, cottage, business, plane, RV and camper.

The BOATNANNY™ BOAT ALARM COMPLETE PACKAGE INCLUDES:

·         BoatNanny™ Base Station

·         BoatNanny™ Remote Sensor w/ Float Switch

·         BoatNanny™ Users Guide

·         Easy Command Card

·         AC Power Adapter

·         DC Power Cable

·         Cell Phone Antenna

·         Remote Sensor Mounting Hardware

·         2 AA alkaline batteries for the Remote Unit

·         4 AA nickel cadmium batteries for the Base Unit

·         T-Mobile SIM Card

POWER

·         Base Unit is powered by 120VAC or the ship's 12-24 Volts DC systems with built-in rechargeable battery back-up.

·         Remote Unit is powered by 2 AA alkaline batteries (guaranteed for 1 year).

·         BoatNanny™ consumes little power (50mA) and can be used on small vessels on moorings or at slips with no AC power.

INSTALLATION/PROGRAMMING

·         Easy to program, just send a command text message to the BoatNanny™ and it will text or email you if alarm is tripped.

·         Can program up to three different contacts if alarm is activated.

·         Daily status reports on all boat parameters are sent by text message to your cell phone.

FEES

·         No monthly monitoring fees or contracts.

·         The pre-installed Datablaze/T-Mobile SIM card costs under $10/month and includes 300 text messages a month or, buy your own SIM card from a GSM cellular carrier (such as AT&T or T-Mobile). Most “pay as you go” plans range from 10 - 15 cents per text message. Average cost per year is $100.

NOTE: For your convenience, The BoatNanny™ staff will install a pre-activated SIM card. Simply provide us with up to three cellphone numbers that you want an alarm message to be sent to and your BoatNanny™ . No fees or programming/installation needed, just plug it in!!! No fee for the programming/installation of SIM card. Service is offered by Datablaze/T-Mobile and includes 300 text messages/month for under $10. Click here for rate plans. Call (508)845-7770 for more details or go to  https://my.datablaze.com/boatnanny login as nanny, password demo.

THE SENSORS:

The BoatNanny™ comes standard with one Base Unit and one Remote Unit. Each unit has its own sensors and can be accessed by your cell phone. Below is a list of the sensors, what their function are and where they are located.

Base Unit:

·         Temperature Sensor - The temperature sensor monitors the temperature in the boat cabin. You can set the low and high temperature thresholds. If the temperature goes above or below the threshold, you will be notified. For example, if the heat in the boat fails and the temperature falls below the threshold, an alarm message will be sent.

·         Motion Sensor - The motion sensor points toward the entrance of the cabin. If someone were to enter the boat, it would trip the motion sensor and notify the customer. The motion sensor selected is a highly accurate sensor that activates only when someone enters the detection zone. It is not activated by the boat rocking, or from curtains moving, etc.

 ·         AC/DC loss of power - The BoatNanny™ sends an alarm message to the customer if there is a loss of either AC or DC power. For instance, if your ship-to-shore power becomes unplugged, or if your 12V battery becomes discharged, the BoatNanny™ will alert you.

·         Smoke Detector - The BoatNanny™ monitors existing smoke/fire alarm and sends an alarm message when smoke or fire is in cabin.

·         Audio Microphone - Simply call The BoatNanny™ and you can listen-in to the activities and audio levels within the cabin.

 Remote Unit:

 

· Temperature Sensor - The temperature sensor in the Remote Unit monitors the temperature in the engine room. This also has a high and low threshold. Overheating of the engine or icing of water in the engine room are examples of when the BoatNanny™ would alert you.

·         Bilge Water height - The Remote Unit can be connected to a wide variety of float switches or water sensors. As soon as water either trips the float switch or water rises to the water sensor, the BoatNanny™ will alert the customer that there is water entering the boat.

 

If you would like to know more about the Boat Nanny System or if you would like to purchase one visit  www.MarineGuardSecurity.com     

The Experts Know has been educating consumers of electronic security systems for home and business for many years. I have always taken pride in the many people that we have educated on how to choose a good security company and the proper equipment. Through educated consumers, alarm dealers began reaching out to us for consultation. Over the past few years, The Experts Know! LLC has been called on to help train dozens of existing and startup alarm companies. They needed to know how to market to and satisfy the newly and thoroughly educated consumers we took a big part in. This became our grass roots campaign to insist on pride and professionalism in what I have always considered a noble profession.

When Experts moved our base operation to the great Pacific Northwest in 2005, we began to get many phone calls from owners of boats and yachts. There are multitudes of privately owned vessels all along coastal waters that are prime targets for theft. These boats are often unattended while their owners go about the business of being able to afford them. That makes them prime targets as they are not difficult to board without being noticed. Boats of all sizes have several thousands of dollars worth of electronics and equipment onboard to help them navigate and operate safely.

In addition to being an easy target for criminals, owners have a large list of supervisory conditions to worry about. It’s astounding how many boats have sunk tied to the docks at the marinas they are kept in, because a bilge pump failed to operate as water naturally seeped into the bilge. There are also many other  problems for boat owners to be concerned with such as unauthorized boarding’s, someone pulling the shore power plug out and not replacing it, freezing temperatures onboard because of heater failure, fire and unauthorized movement of the boat, to name a few.

As I began to research proper methods of protecting these vessels I was astounded at the statistics. There was an abundance of case history to warrant the need for security in this environment and the market was not making products available to answer the call. The few companies that saw the need and stepped up to offering solutions were making a big mistake. They were using the same alarm systems that are being installed in residential and commercial applications on the boats that wanted security.

As we researched the effects of modifying land based alarm systems for the marine environment, it became obvious that the harsh marine environment where most boats reside and operate is too harsh for these systems to be reliable in. There are inherent problems as basic as the corrosive salt air and vibration during operation. In addition to the obvious, there are choice issues such as mooring on a buoy instead of docking with an electrical source and reporting conditions without use of a phone line.

The list grew bigger with problems like wind and dock bumping causing violations on motion detectors that were not designed for these conditions. Access to expensive equipment without ever entering the interior and critters boarding without care of any of these issues, and it was quite obvious that there was a lot to be considered.

After much research we found only a few systems that were designed specifically to address the necessary concerns. These systems are enclosed in NMEA III water resistant control boxes with epoxy protected components and potted electronics. They use deck sensors to protect against unauthorized boarding’s, work on 12VDC power from the boats batteries and draw very few milliamps. Bilges are supervised for high water, smoke detectors and temperature sensors look for signs of fire and temperature extremes, High and low voltage monitors watch over shore power and battery conditions while the boat owner can set a Geo Fence around the boat that will detect movement outside of a virtual circle.

As for reporting these conditions to the boat owners and their assigned supervisors, the systems use cell communicators for inland water kept vessels or boats that will remain within the reach of cell towers. You can also choose a satellite communicator which protects the boat from anywhere in the world.

These systems report directly to the owner and assigned supervisors such as mechanics and dock master’s by cell phone and e-mail. The boat owner can access a web page just for their vessel and see the location, heading and speed in real time.

They can also remotely operate the complete system, turn on and off onboard appliances and lighting, and even shut down the engines if they wish. The Experts Know has created a dedicated marine division called Marine Guard Security and makes information and product available directly to the marine consumer through a link on our website. You can also go directly to marineguardsecurity.com to learn more about these systems that answer the call and apply the standards of excellence that an educated consumer will insist on.             

It should, because every boat that is crewed by 2 or more people has heard it.

Its not that the skippers are wanting to shout, it’s because concise and well understood communications are pertinent to the safety of the crew and vessel itself. Timing and execution of necessary maneuvers are always important to their success. Every skipper knows that job #1 is to take responsibility for these.

Due to winds and currents causing ever changing docking, anchoring and mooring buoy situations, the shouting of an unrehearsed crew becomes entertainment for onlookers and all others within earshot. Some attempt to overcome this well known problem with the use of hand held radios or cell phones. This just adds to the list of things to coordinate as crew with lines or bow hooks in hand, fumble for the talk button on the radio or wait their turn to answer the skipper when he/she is orchestrating the crew.

This problem is easily solved by what I consider a “must have piece of boating equipment.” The Eartec TD 900 wireless communications system is the finest captain to crew radio set I have ever had the pleasure of using. It is crystal clear without any static from anywhere on board. This system is not push to talk and not voice activated, instead both captain and crew can talk simultaneously (because of its full duplex technology) as if they were in the same room having a conversation.

This system has relieved much anxiety for my wife and I as we are in constant communications and always aware of what the other is thinking and doing, without any shouting. This allows us both to concentrate on our responsibilities and task at hand. It also allows me to talk her through her plan of action which creates training through repetition.

The radio itself is a lightweight unit with a belt clip. Since my wife works the decks and lines, we found that putting hers in a small cloth bag with an over shoulder strap keeps her unit secure while moving about. The lightweight headset is plugged into the radio and keeps one ear free for other sounds. A quick radio check has us both off to work with the task at hand, looking like we actually know what we are doing.

The unit costs under $300.00 and comes with a molded storage case; two radios (master and remote), two headsets and two recharging plug in transformers. More can be learned about these units from Eartec at: www.eartec.com

It is worth every penny and will add to your boating safety and pleasure. If you are into other two person activities such as rock climbing, bicycling, horseback riding etc… Bonus!

As my wife and I returned home to our marina from a day at the office yesterday, we saw the upset on the face of a fellow live aboard. She stated that a diver was called to check the zincs on the bottom of the boat that shares the slip with hers. The boat owner lives in a different state and hadn’t been up to visit his vessel for over two years.

When the diver took a look below, he was in shock not only by the amount of growth on the bottom but at the total loss of all of the boats zincs. The twin props became the new sacrificial lambs and were in the advanced stages of disintegrating as well.

The reason my neighbor was so upset, is that she and her husband were only back in the water 10 days from a new bottom paint job, new zincs, and serviced props. The diver told her that he noticed her new paint was bleeding copper and her new zincs were already corroding. It was obvious from her neighbor’s boat condition that he was running hot with voltage leak.

The dock master was called and contacted the boat owner to notify him of the condition, that was causing a problem for him and his neighbors. The out of town owner asked the dock master to board and check things out for him. When the dock master and president of our docks condo association boarded the vessel, they noticed a water leak from one of the through hulls. When they touched it, the through hull popped off and the vessel began to take on water. An emergency tow and haul out saved a boat that was doomed for a trip to the bottom, if it wasn’t discovered by this chain of events.

Upon returning home today we saw the boat in the slings and a crowd of people stood around in awe at the horrific conditions that were now visible on this beautiful boat. In just two years the bottom was becoming it’s own reef and the running gear was all pitted and now useless.

My wife and I no longer feel bad about spending money to have our boat dove on every three to four months for cleaning, inspection and zinc replacement as needed. As with everything else in our beloved boating world it’s “Pay Me Now” or “Pay Me Much More Later”

Let’s take notice of the parts of our boats that we can’t see and remember that our neglect can also cause hardship for our neighbors.

The boating season is in the height of activity in some parts of the world and coming to a sad close in others. Now is the best time to look into how a boat alarm system can prevent theft and help supervise your vessel for loss of shore power, high bilge water, extreme temperatures, movement and unauthorized boarding.

The systems that are designed from the ground up just for the marine environment are the most dependable. Many companies offer modified home or business security systems as boat alarms. These systems are not able to stand the test of time in the harsh environments we use our boats in. They also utilize equipment that was never designed to detect violations in or on boats.

When you research the systems that are designed just for the marine environment, the difference becomes visibly and sensibly clear. Easy to install, very low power draw, simple to use and functional for all the things you want protected on your vessel, is what you get with a marine security system. They are extremely affordable also, as you are not paying for features you will not be using in the home security platforms.

These systems can be used as a stand alone attention getter, sounding siren and flashing vessel lights or they can easily be monitored by adding a cellular or satellite communicator that is also designed just for boat alarm systems.

We have developed a website where you can learn all about the finest boat and yacht security alarm systems available at MarineGuardSecurity.com If you have any additional questions when doing your boat alarm research, I will be available there to answer all of your questions.