Boating Insights

In this episode, Neil discusses the benefits of progressing through your skippering journey with other people, whether they are regular crew members or close friends and family.

If you are looking to modify a setup on your boat whether it is from cruising to racing, or from short coastal adventures to longer offshore passages, then there are a few things to consider to make sure that your time changing things on your boat will be effective and not costly.

An important part of boat ownership is checking your vessel's condition and ensuring the systems are working regularly. In this episode, we have some tips for putting some structure into the regular checks and understanding of your boat!

In this episode, we look at some of the different types of Mainsail setups on a boat that would be best suited for you if you are considering buying a new boat or changing your sail setup.

In this episode, we have some tips on how you can learn more about using your VHF radio and feeling comfortable using it at all times.

In this episode, Nick Casey joins Neil Driscoll from Above & Beyond Boating to discuss some ideas you can implement for preparing food on a boat. One of the most difficult tasks while on passage is preparing food, so Nick has some great tips to make things easy while also ensuring you still have delicious food to keep you going!

The Firefighter Family Day on the Water initiative was created by Above and Beyond Boating to provide a way for the boating community to give back to the dedicated fire fighters that have spent countless hours working to protect our homes, families, wilderness and wildlife from the terrible bush fires. We have received tremendous support from the boating community and industry. The event will be held at multiple locations across Australia on Sunday 15 March 2020. Neil and Nick talk about the upcoming event, what will be happening and why we came up with this idea.

As your adventures go further than where you've been before, making sure you are comfortable using your instruments and equipment is very important. Quite often, many people aren't using their electronics to their full potential, so taking the time to have your equipment and instruments giving you relevant and helpful information will make your passage making simpler and more enjoyable.

If you're undertaking a coastal or offshore passage, then creating a plan to include an unannounced Man Overboard drill at some point through the trip is a productive way of rehearsing a Man Overboard situation. The crew will be able to practice their spotting and recovery methods in a realistic way, rather than a planned exercise where people will have time to think their spotting and recovery through beforehand. Here's what you can do to make this a safe and effective exercise.

Do you know the where the through hull fittings are on your boat? Do you know how to check fittings for wear and replacement? In this episode, Neil has some tips for getting to know your through hull fitting layout on your boat for simple maintenance checks and responding to emergency flooding situations.