Planning a cruising itinerary for you and your crew generates enthusiasm for the trip and establishes team effort. Trip planning is part of the fun, and Waggoner can help you get started with some of our planning tips, suggested resources, and the latest information about destinations.
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Part II – Cellular, Internet, & Satellite Communications
This four-part series of articles covers cellular, internet, and satellite communications. Information about cellular devices, amplifiers, and cellular providers were covered in Part I; in Part II, we will focus on Wi-Fi connectivity. Many marinas and coastal towns...
U.S. Coast Pilot 10, 4th Edition Release
United States Coast Pilot publications consist of a series of nautical booklets that include a variety of information important to navigators of coastal and intracoastal waters. There are 10 volumes for specific U.S. cruising areas containing descriptions of...
Trailer Boaters – Join the Club!
If you have a “small” boat and are looking for a social group with no bylaws, commodores, or membership dues, then the Pocket Yachters group is for you. Pocket Yachters, based in Port Townsend Washington, is a social group for boaters with trailerable boats. Most...
Waggoner Guiding Freedom Boat Club Members
Those wanting to experience a water-based vacation and visit islands, marinas, and anchorages by private vessel can do so by joining a boat club. Boat Clubs are popular with those who have limited time to get out on the water for a family weekend vacation, and Freedom...
New Weather Forecast Zones for Alaska
Marine Forecast Zones in Alaska have traditionally encompassed large areas of up to 100 nautical miles offshore, making it difficult for mariners to determine sea conditions for nearshore areas. This has proven problematic for boaters making that Go-No-Go decision...
Boat Insurance – Trends and Coverage
As Peter Ricks of Novamar Marine Insurance likes to say, “Insurance, it’s about as exciting as watching paint dry and is the last thing any boater wants to think about.” But insurance for your vessel can mean the difference between an accident remaining an accident,...
Big Brother and AIS
Yes, to use a metaphor from the 1984 futuristic novel by George Orwell published in 1949, which predicted the effects of surveillance – “Big Brother is Watching You.” No, we are not advocating stealth actions, turning off your AIS transponder; however, boaters do need...
Lord Kelvin and The First Tide-Predicting Machine
Ever since humans began living by the sea, it was well known that the height of the sea-level changed. Sometimes the tide was low with vast stretches of beach exposed; sometimes the beach was covered by meters (if not tens of meters) of sea water. People quickly...
Crew-less Cruising – Single-handing Your Boat
This article is based on ten years of managing without crew on power vessels I have owned over the years – first on two different Ranger Tugs, and since 2018, on my 42-foot Nordic Tug. No crew to cruise with? Read on! Safety and Preparation. Cruising without any crew...
Anchoring Using a Fishfinder
How do you use your boat’s fishfinder to help locate a good spot for anchoring and avoid dropping the anchor over rocks, kelp and eelgrass? When anchoring for the first time in a bay or cove, it’s sometimes hit-and-miss to find the right spot. Charts are very general...
WA Clean Vessel Act – More Options for Boaters
For the past two years, the pandemic has stimulated boat sales by 17.8% and increased boater activity on the waters in Washington State. With an increase in boating activity, the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act Program (CVA) is making it a priority to add...
A Call for First Aid – Beyond Cuts and Scrapes
The captain of a vessel is responsible for the health and safety of his or her crew and guests. First-aid challenges can sometimes occur that are beyond cuts and scrapes. Are you ready for when First Aid requires more? At 2 am aboard our vessel, a quiet tap was heard...
There’s an App for That?! – “Pumpout Nav”
Have you found yourself desperate for a pumpout? The boat that is, or have you created an itinerary but forgot to account for necessary pumpout stops. Thanks to the Pumpout Nav App, boaters have a quick, easy way to look-up the location of pumpout facilities...
What’s in the Name? – Waggoner
The Waggoner Name - In 1584 the Dutch pilot Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer published a volume of navigation principles, tables, charts, and sailing directions, which served as a guide for other such books for the next 200 years. These “Waggoners” as they came to be known,...
I’m Going Boating! – Which Guidebook Should I Buy?
Our Recommendation Boaters planning to cruise the Pacific Northwest often ask us what materials and guidebooks they should purchase for their trip. Social media contributors and members of boating forums often mention that the Waggoner Cruising Guide is a must. We...