Articles by Douglas Malat on ArticleSnatch.com

Buying a Houseboat

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:15:23 -0400

There are so many benefits to living on a houseboat that it has become increasingly popular. They come big and small, with all kinds of amenities, making them appealing for a wide variety of tastes. Thereâ€™s plenty of space onboard, making it comfortable enough to feel like a real home. Modern designs include features such as breakfast nooks, wet bars, etc. You can get up to 3 staterooms and plenty of privacy with ensuite heads. Itâ€™s common to find upper and lower helm stations on most houseboats. Whatâ€™s great about that is when the weather is bad, you can maneuver the boat from within the lower station, which is located inside the boat, avoiding getting wet. When you pilot from the upper station, also called the flybridge, you get a terrific view. Out on the bridge deck , you get plenty of room and seating. This area may be covered with a bimini tops or be entirely closed-in. Behind the flybridge, youâ€™ll find a lower deck, or sundeck. This is great for sunning and entertaining. This area is typically enclosed by railing. The lower deck, too, is enclosed by railing that runs all along the outside edge of the boat. **End Summary** Topics: houseboat]]> houseboat for sale]]> boats for sale]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Douglas Malat is a captain, sailor and creator of YachtAuthority.com, where you will find houseboats for sale.

Negotiating the Boat Price

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:11:13 -0400

The process of shopping for a used boat is quite similar to shopping for a home. There are problems to watch out for and updates that will increase the value. Most people have heard of Carfax for uncovering a carâ€™s history. Well, you can do the very same thing prior to purchasing a boat. If you have the hull identification number, you can go online and look up the history for free. It will tell you if the boat was damaged, in an accident, and much more. Prior to obtaining boat insurance, you will need a surveyor to look the boat over. In some instances, it may not be necessary, if the boat is pretty new. If a survey was performed recently, that information may be available to you to review, to get an idea about the boatâ€™s condition. Anything the surveyor finds should help you to negotiate the price and/or help you make the decision whether you want to spend the money necessary to make any repairs he recommends. The boatâ€™s value drops significantly within the first few years. A boat that has been equipped with many manufacturersâ€™ options will maintain its value much longer. **End Summary** Topics: boat price]]> used boats]]> boats for sale]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Douglas Malat is a sailor, captain and the co-creator of YachtAuthority.com, where you will find great deals on used boats

What about Carver Boats

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:07:00 -0400

Have you seen the New Carver Boats recently? Their line of Voyager Yachts 46â€™ to 57â€™ is a wonder of design. The Carver 57â€™ Voyager has so much room, you would think you were on a much larger Yacht. The roomy cockpit area gives you a sense already that you are on a true yachtâ€¦.even the swim platform area is large enough for whatever you want. Stepping inside thru the sliding glass doors gives you an open spacious feeling like being in a large living room. The galley area further forward has a breakfast nook with stools that looks like a small bar area for evening entertaining. The cabinets behind only add to this style making it look my for entertaining than a galley area. The whole area works very well together. Moving forward to the starboard side, there are several stairs up, and to the port is your inside steering station room. Carver didnâ€™t forget anything here either. Itâ€™s like being in your den area with a wrap around couch, flat screen TV to starboard, and a large full sized Captainsâ€™ helm seat with armrests at the steering control area. **End Summary** Topics: carver boats]]> 57 carver]]> boats]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Douglas Malat is a captain, sailor and creator of YachtAuthority.com, where you will find carver boats for sale.

New and Used Yacht Bilge Pump Installations

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Yes, now letâ€™s open up that floor board and take a look in the bilges! There are a few things I do down there to set up for safety. It does give you piece of mind knowing you are in control of things below the waterline. I have read many articles/books about being offshore or just running coastal in a boat only to read further on that the captain stepped below into the cabin to find water above the floorboards - a dire situation. I never want to get into that situation while being offshore or running in the bays. A number of years ago I tried to remedy that kind of situation. In those books and articles I read, the amount of water was 1 inch to 1 foot above the floorboards. This was due to the bilge pump being jammed, burned out, or a fuse blown. The height of the water in the cabin depended upon the amount of time gone by before someone went below or woke up in the cabin. At times it is easy to find a leak. **End Summary** Topics: bilge pump]]> boat accessories]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Douglas Malat is a licensed captain, freelance writer, and co-creator of YachtAuthority.com, a website where you will find all types of boat accessories.

Simple, Do It Yourself Gel Coat Repairs

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Got a scrape, crack, or soft deck on your power boat or sailboat? Heres a quick, easy fix that will save you money. There are many different ways to go about the repair, but my method works and is not too difficult to master. Let's get started fixing that crack. Did your jib pole come loose? Did the anchor swing too wildly or did your landlubber friend forget to tell you he had on his golf shoes? Dont laughÂ¦it happens. I used to get all upset when I saw the slightest damage to my gel coat and thought it would never be the same. You will always see it even after a mint fix. But no one else will, even if the fix is not perfect. Power boats get cracks here and there from the pounding as they cut through waves. Sailboats get it the same way, plus all the heeling over they do. I have read all the books and articles and found they all do a great repair. Some more complicated than others. I took the best from each and now do this procedure for a great fix. What you will need: 1. **End Summary** Topics: gel coat]]> gel coat repairs]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Douglas Malat is a licensed captain, freelance writer and co-author of YachtAuthority.com, where you will find gel coat repair services in your area.

How To Shop For A Used Power Boat

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Itâ€™s funny when the boating bug bites you - all you can think about is getting out on the water and having fun. But purchasing a power boat is a financial decision and using your head, rather than your heart, is wise when selecting the right boat for you. There are specific things to examine and a lot of questions to ask when shopping for a used power boat, so you should know where to start. First, you need to decide which type of boat will suit your needs. You may want a fishing boat, an open boat with plenty of room to fish; a cruiser with a cabin for overnight stays; or a speed boat to get there fast. No matter what kind of boat you desire, all should be inspected for tell tale signs of possible problems. Begin by examining the exterior. Do a walk around, looking at the hull and deck. Is the gel coat faded, the stainless steel not so stainless? Are the lines holding the boat to dock frayed? Looking at the hull, is the gel coat faded or dull looking? This could be due to a lack of maintaining a good wax coat. **End Summary** Topics: power boat]]> used power boat]]> yacht broker]]> boat dealer]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Captain Douglas Malat is a licensed captain and co-author of YachtAuthority.com, where you will find thousands of used power boats for sale in your area.

First Time On A Sailboat

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I guess Iâ€™m a long time sailor, but I was a long time power boater, as well. I can remember those days clearlyâ€¦blue skies and seas as I headed out in my 42â€™ Chris Craft, adding power to move her out and just watching for the moment when the bow would descend into a plane. I would ease those throttles back a bit, and listen for those engines to synchronizeâ€¦.that cool sounding hum. What a feelingâ€¦heavenâ€¦until a pesky sailboat got in my way. It would seem they would turn their sailboat to cross my path on purpose. I would turn away, at times closely, (not too closely) to show my frustration. But, I was young in those days, and didnâ€™t know any better. Most of those times, the sailboats had to turn (tack) to stay in deep water. Their drafts are 4 to 5 feet, so staying in the channel is a must for them. Plying the waters in Great South Bay in those days, you had to stay in channelsâ€¦ it was shallow! **End Summary** Topics: sailboat]]> sailing]]> power boats]]> four winn]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Captain Douglas Malat is a sailor, licensed captain, freelance writer and co-creator of Yacht Authority, a virtual boat show website, where you will find hundreds of power boats and sailboats for sale .