What goes better with sunny summer weather than spending time on the water having fun fishing, water skiing, or just plain relaxing? For some, a day on the water doing what they love is all it takes to have an enjoyable time. For others, alcohol is the key ingredient for fun. Unfortunately, mixing alcohol and boating is all too often a recipe for disaster, rather than a recipe for relaxation.

In the last ten years, I think my wife and I have gone out on our boat only a handful of times without our dog. That’s a lot of hours on the water with our beloved pooch. During that time, we’ve experienced plenty of picture perfect days, some bumpy seas and some very hot and humid weather. All without incident. We’ve been fortunate, but we also plan rather well.

Have you ever spent any amount of time at the boat ramp during weekend rush hour? Of course you have. The experience evokes all sorts of emotions – humor – drama – action – anger – even a healthy mix of the World’s Funniest Videos thrown in. You can’t help but wonder why so many continue to make the boat ramp experience so frustrating yet so entertaining for onlookers. It must be because so many boaters who trailer their vessels just don’t practice, don’t plan, and don’t expect the unexpected.

Wow! The seas are really kicking up! This thunderstorm is really, really bad. The boat is all over the place and it doesn't look like there is any relief in sight. This would probably be a good time to put on a life jacket. But I don't know, the darn thing is so big and bulky plus it's hot and it gets in my way. I guess I can always grab it if I need it.

The sun is shining, the birds are diving, reels are screaming and dinner is in the fish box! It’s one of those great days that we remember for a long time. Just as you and your crew are exchanging high-fives and preparing to head back to port from thirty miles offshore, tragedy strikes! A raging fire erupts in the galley, and you have no choice but to abandon ship. Just then, you think to yourself, “I should have bought that life raft!”

One of the fastest growing segments in the boating industry today is kayaking, although, this wasn’t always the case. There are nearly 300 million Americans living in this country, and according to Inc. Magazine, only 30,000 kayaks were sold in 1993. In 1996, just an estimated 40,000 kayaks were sold, but times have changed recently.