Boating Sailing

Vancouver is one of the great cities for sailing and boating. A sea port city on the coast of British Columbia, Vancouver is appreciated as a destination location for yachters, boaters, sailors, and other people who appreciate the open water.

Vancouver has many marinas and docks where you are able to make port, such as Granville Island, where boaters can enjoy some of Vancouver’s culture, along with great shopping and food. If you are traveling north from Seattle, Vancouver’s marinas offer respite for eager sea travelers.

If you are interested in sailing, kayaking, fishing, or sightseeing, there are many opportunities to charter a boat, where well-trained professionals can offer their services by the hour or by the day, teaching you the nuances of sailing in Vancouver’s harbour, riding the waves from Lion’s Gate bridge to Point Atkinson, and even beyond to Horshoe Bay or Bowen Island.

Kayaking fun can be had from Deep Cove in North Vancouver, where enthusiastic paddlers can explore parts of the Indian Arm, and enjoy the beautiful scenery that Burrard Inlet has to offer. Professional kayakers can offer lessons on kayaking and water safety, allowing beginners to appreciate and understand the basics of kayaking.

Even if you’re not a big fan of small boats, you can ride one of the British Columbia ferries to Vancouver Island, stopping in Nanaimo or Victoria. The one-and-a-half hour voyage takes you across Georgia Strait, where you can witness seafaring delights, perhaps spotting a whale or dolphin in the process.

Even a small trip from Vancouver to Granville Island from the tiny but efficient Aquabuses can give you a taste of some of the Pacific’s maritime fun. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got your sealegs or not, because you’ll be on the other side in no time at all.

Powerboating, jetskiing, canoeing, and other water activities are also available to you, whether in the ocean, or in one of B.C.’s many recreation lakes. So if you plan on visiting Vancouver anytime soon, and watersports is what you’re after, then the world’s your oyster when you come to stay in beautiful British Columbia.

There’s a natural association between boating or sailing and alcohol, and while it seems normal and ordinary to want to go out fishing or sailing and have a few drinks, this decision can be one of the most dangerous choices you can make when going out on a boat.

Alcohol and boating are a deadly combination.

The dangers of boating and being under the influence of alcohol are numerous, and regardless of whether you are the driver or the passenger, your risks to your own life increase significantly if you drink on a boat. The obvious concerns are falling overboard and drowning, something that is real and occurs hundreds of times per year on lakes, rivers, and oceans. If you choose to drink while you’re on a watercraft, be sensible and wear a lifevest. Wear one even if you’re not drinking alcohol. You’re much more likely to stay afloat and alive, if you have a floatation device. It’s that simple. But falling overboard without one just adds to your chance of death, especially if you’ve had a few cocktails.

Operating a boat while drinking is just stupid, and the same rules should apply as if you were driving a motor vehicle; the runs on the water are much more complex, and boaters must be on constant alert for floating objects, natural obstacles, and other boats! Be sensible and stay in port if you own a boat, and again, were your lifevest.

There are enough dangers on the waters to be concerned about with adding to them with alcohol. If you choose to drink, be safe, and be sensible…challenging words for someone who might be as tipsy as their boat.

The cost of fuel is soaring, which frustrates boaters, especially those who own powerboats. And the yacht owners are hit the hardest with the rising cost of gasoline as their fuel costs can be in the thousands of dollars. But fortunately for sailboat owners, gasoline isn’t that much of a priority, because wind power is still free from taxation, as far as we all know.

Although many small sailboats carry small outboard motors (kickers) with engine output less than ten horsepower, most of the real travel distance is done through open sailing. While a gas tank might cost ten dollars to fill, and will most likely be necessary around docks, inlets, marinas, and around tidal waters, sailing is much cheaper on the open water than its motorized counterparts.

Yes, a powerboat can reach its destination much quicker than a sailboat, but sailing is half of the fun, and the savings in the pocketbook and to the environment makes sailing a much more satisfying and less guilty experience than cruising along in a yacht.

While I’m not trying to create an argument between sailboat owners and powerboat owners, there is no question that when it comes to gasoline and the wallet, the sailboat owner is going to win. Only the rowboat owner is going to beat the sailboat in this challenge.

Just like buying a car, a lot of criteria need to be considered when purchasing a boat. The safety and security of the passengers are of the utmost concern. Beyond that the details, which need to be considered, need to include anything from speed to durability to color. A person who loves sailing and loves the water has an idea of the kind of boat they would like to purchase and they need to put that idea into a reality. It is important that they do not compromise on what they want too much because it is a large purchase and they should be not only getting their moneys worth but also getting exactly what they know they will enjoy.

Luxury sailing yachts and other types of yachts are all beautiful choices of boat for some people, but others would rather smaller less elegant boats. Depending on the type of person and their reasons for getting a boat they may want a small size sailboat rather than a boat big enough to fish off of. It is important to have a boat that the sailor likes because boating is a fun and relaxing past time and the experience can be enhanced when the nicest boat for the sailor is used.

Buying a car is the same situation. What is a great car to one person, the next person would never want. So it is with boats and one cannot expect to find the perfect boat right away. They must look at all options. From high performance luxury catamarans to motorboats, if the person using the boat does not like it then it was a waste of money.