Prepare your Inflatable

Home Boat Ramp Courtesy Fuel: Winterization and Ethanol-Blended Fuels Maintain Boat ValueBattery Clean Your Boat Tips for Boating with Your Dog Upper Deck Capacity Boat SafetyTen Safe Refueling TipsMarine First AidPrepare your InflatableRapture of the Deep Old North State Marina Guide Events Service Index Boat Dealers A-HBoat Dealers J-SBoat Dealers T-Z Boat Delivery Boat Lettering Boat Lifts - Boat Lift Repair Boat Registrations - Documentation Boat Rentals Boat Clubs Boat Shows Bottom Painting Brokerages Captained Charters - Captain Service Cleaning-Detailing Clubs & Associations Covers & Upholstery Dive Shops - Divers and Dive Services Dock Boxes Dock Builders - Dock Materials - Dredging Dry Storage Electric Repair Electronics Engine Sales-Service A-JEngine Sales-Service L-REngine Sales-Service S-W Fiberglass - Gel-Coat Golf and Utility Cars - Motorcycles-ATV's Life Raft Sales-Service Marine Accessories Marine Audio-Video Marine Finance-Insurance-Surveyors Marine Parts Marine Plumbing-Generation-AC Nautical Apparel Overland Transport Paddle Sports Pile Driving - Seawalls Powerboat Rigging Propellers PWCs Restorations Sailboat Rigging - Sailboats - Sails Schools Spring Commissioning - Winterizations A-RSpring Commissioning - Winterizations S-Z Sunken Boat Retrieval - Towing On-Water Trailer and Trailer Hitches Trailer-Vehicle Tires - Tram Systems - Vintage Boats Water Skis and Wakeboards Waterfront Real Estate Welding and Fabrication Fishing Guide Flathead Cat Fishin'Winter Fishing TipsFebruary Fishing HolesGood Luck, Bad LuckWhat's in your Tackle BoxAugust FishingSummer Night FishingFishing Lures Crickets! Bait and Tackle A-LBait and Tackle M-Z Rod, Reel Repair; Taxidermists; Clubs Guides and Charters Fishing Licenses Pilot's Galley Fry Great SeafoodTips for Steamin' Seafood Chowder

Boat Ramp Courtesy Fuel: Winterization and Ethanol-Blended Fuels Maintain Boat ValueBattery Clean Your Boat Tips for Boating with Your Dog Upper Deck Capacity Boat SafetyTen Safe Refueling TipsMarine First AidPrepare your InflatableRapture of the Deep Old North State Marina Guide

Fuel: Winterization and Ethanol-Blended Fuels

Tips for Boating with Your Dog

Ten Safe Refueling TipsMarine First AidPrepare your InflatableRapture of the Deep

Ten Safe Refueling Tips

Prepare your Inflatable

Old North State Marina Guide

Service Index Boat Dealers A-HBoat Dealers J-SBoat Dealers T-Z Boat Delivery Boat Lettering Boat Lifts - Boat Lift Repair Boat Registrations - Documentation Boat Rentals Boat Clubs Boat Shows Bottom Painting Brokerages Captained Charters - Captain Service Cleaning-Detailing Clubs & Associations Covers & Upholstery Dive Shops - Divers and Dive Services Dock Boxes Dock Builders - Dock Materials - Dredging Dry Storage Electric Repair Electronics Engine Sales-Service A-JEngine Sales-Service L-REngine Sales-Service S-W Fiberglass - Gel-Coat Golf and Utility Cars - Motorcycles-ATV's Life Raft Sales-Service Marine Accessories Marine Audio-Video Marine Finance-Insurance-Surveyors Marine Parts Marine Plumbing-Generation-AC Nautical Apparel Overland Transport Paddle Sports Pile Driving - Seawalls Powerboat Rigging Propellers PWCs Restorations Sailboat Rigging - Sailboats - Sails Schools Spring Commissioning - Winterizations A-RSpring Commissioning - Winterizations S-Z Sunken Boat Retrieval - Towing On-Water Trailer and Trailer Hitches Trailer-Vehicle Tires - Tram Systems - Vintage Boats Water Skis and Wakeboards Waterfront Real Estate Welding and Fabrication

Boat Dealers A-HBoat Dealers J-SBoat Dealers T-Z Boat Delivery Boat Lettering Boat Lifts - Boat Lift Repair Boat Registrations - Documentation Boat Rentals Boat Clubs Boat Shows Bottom Painting Brokerages Captained Charters - Captain Service Cleaning-Detailing Clubs & Associations Covers & Upholstery Dive Shops - Divers and Dive Services Dock Boxes Dock Builders - Dock Materials - Dredging Dry Storage Electric Repair Electronics Engine Sales-Service A-JEngine Sales-Service L-REngine Sales-Service S-W Fiberglass - Gel-Coat Golf and Utility Cars - Motorcycles-ATV's Life Raft Sales-Service Marine Accessories Marine Audio-Video Marine Finance-Insurance-Surveyors Marine Parts Marine Plumbing-Generation-AC Nautical Apparel Overland Transport Paddle Sports Pile Driving - Seawalls Powerboat Rigging Propellers PWCs Restorations Sailboat Rigging - Sailboats - Sails Schools Spring Commissioning - Winterizations A-RSpring Commissioning - Winterizations S-Z Sunken Boat Retrieval - Towing On-Water Trailer and Trailer Hitches Trailer-Vehicle Tires - Tram Systems - Vintage Boats Water Skis and Wakeboards Waterfront Real Estate Welding and Fabrication

Boat Dealers J-SBoat Dealers T-Z

Boat Lifts - Boat Lift Repair

Boat Registrations - Documentation

Captained Charters - Captain Service

Dive Shops - Divers and Dive Services

Dock Builders - Dock Materials - Dredging

Engine Sales-Service A-J

Engine Sales-Service L-REngine Sales-Service S-W

Engine Sales-Service L-R

Engine Sales-Service S-W

Fiberglass - Gel-Coat

Golf and Utility Cars - Motorcycles-ATV's

Life Raft Sales-Service

Marine Finance-Insurance-Surveyors

Marine Plumbing-Generation-AC

Pile Driving - Seawalls

Sailboat Rigging - Sailboats - Sails

Spring Commissioning - Winterizations A-R

Spring Commissioning - Winterizations S-Z

Sunken Boat Retrieval - Towing On-Water

Trailer and Trailer Hitches

Trailer-Vehicle Tires - Tram Systems - Vintage Boats

Water Skis and Wakeboards

Waterfront Real Estate

Welding and Fabrication

Fishing Guide Flathead Cat Fishin'Winter Fishing TipsFebruary Fishing HolesGood Luck, Bad LuckWhat's in your Tackle BoxAugust FishingSummer Night FishingFishing Lures Crickets! Bait and Tackle A-LBait and Tackle M-Z Rod, Reel Repair; Taxidermists; Clubs Guides and Charters Fishing Licenses

Flathead Cat Fishin'Winter Fishing TipsFebruary Fishing HolesGood Luck, Bad LuckWhat's in your Tackle BoxAugust FishingSummer Night FishingFishing Lures Crickets! Bait and Tackle A-LBait and Tackle M-Z Rod, Reel Repair; Taxidermists; Clubs Guides and Charters Fishing Licenses

Winter Fishing TipsFebruary Fishing HolesGood Luck, Bad LuckWhat's in your Tackle BoxAugust FishingSummer Night FishingFishing Lures

February Fishing HolesGood Luck, Bad LuckWhat's in your Tackle BoxAugust Fishing

February Fishing Holes

Good Luck, Bad LuckWhat's in your Tackle Box

What's in your Tackle Box

Rod, Reel Repair; Taxidermists; Clubs

Pilot's Galley Fry Great SeafoodTips for Steamin' Seafood Chowder

Fry Great SeafoodTips for Steamin' Seafood Chowder

Tips for Steamin' Seafood

Check the cartridge and inflation mechanism for corrosion. Some inflator mechanisms have a little “pill” or “bobbin” that dissolves in water allowing for automatic inflation. It should be in good shape. If not, purchasing a rearming kit can solve the problem. Some inflators will have a green ready-to-go indicator. 3. Make like a birthday balloon: Using your mouth, blow up the life jacket using the manual inflation tube which is found on the upper left front of the life jacket. This tube may also be used as a back up to fill the jacket with air, so familiarize yourself on how 4. Go wax the boat, organize a tackle box, or do some other busy work while you leave the fully inflated life jacket alone for 24 hours. 5. If, after the time is up and the life jacket still holds air, deflate and repack according to the instructions which can usually be found on an inside flap. With their small size, inflatable life jackets keep you cool on a hot day, allow you to freely move around the boat, cast a line or raise sail, and come in a variety of belt and harness styles. While inflatables have a reputation for comfort, they do require a little preparation for the season that’s best done at least a day before your first outing. Here’s a quick five-step prep for your inflatable life jacket from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water: 1. Open it up and look: Gently open the life jacket, usually by pulling apart any Velcro covers or flaps and then unfold. This thin walled bladder could be the only thing keeping your head above water, so take your time looking for any tears or abrasions. Are the waist strap and any buckles ok? 2. Remove the cartridge: Unscrew the CO2 cartridge and ensure it hasn’t been discharged, sometimes indicated by a small puncture in the center of the threaded end. Congrats – you’ve got another comfy and safe season of boating, fishing or sailing ahead of you. If you’d like some help inspecting and repacking belt pack and harness style inflatable life jackets, videos can be found at BoatUS.org/Inflatables. Prepare Your Inflatable Life Jacket for the Season Content Courtesy BoatUS

inflators will have a green ready-to-go indicator.

3. Make like a birthday balloon: Using your mouth, blow up the life jacket using the manual inflation tube which is found on the upper left front of the life jacket. This tube may also be used as a back up to fill the jacket with air, so familiarize yourself on how

jacket with air, so familiarize yourself on how

4. Go wax the boat, organize a tackle box, or do some other busy work while you leave the fully inflated life jacket alone for 24 hours.

the fully inflated life jacket alone for 24 hours

5. If, after the time is up and the life jacket still holds air, deflate and repack according to the instructions which can usually be found on an inside flap.

With their small size, inflatable life jackets keep you cool on a hot day, allow you to freely move around the boat, cast a line or raise sail, and come in a variety of belt and harness styles. While inflatables have a reputation for comfort, they do require a little preparation for the season that’s best done at least a day before your first outing. Here’s a quick five-step prep for your inflatable life jacket from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water: 1. Open it up and look: Gently open the life jacket, usually by pulling apart any Velcro covers or flaps and then unfold. This thin walled bladder could be the only thing keeping your head above water, so take your time looking for any tears or abrasions. Are the waist strap and any buckles ok? 2. Remove the cartridge: Unscrew the CO2 cartridge and ensure it hasn’t been discharged, sometimes indicated by a small puncture in the center of the threaded end.

Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water:

1. Open it up and look: Gently open the life jacket, usually by pulling apart any Velcro covers or flaps and then unfold. This thin walled bladder could be the only thing keeping your head above water, so take your time looking for any tears or abrasions. Are the waist strap and any buckles ok?

2. Remove the cartridge: Unscrew the CO2 cartridge and ensure it hasn’t been discharged, sometimes indicated by a small puncture in the center of the threaded end.

Congrats – you’ve got another comfy and safe season of boating, fishing or sailing ahead of you. If you’d like some help inspecting and repacking belt pack and harness style inflatable life jackets, videos can be found at BoatUS.org/Inflatables.

Congrats – you’ve got another comfy and safe season of boating, fishing or sailing ahead of you.

If you’d like some help inspecting and repacking belt pack and harness style inflatable life jackets, videos can be found at BoatUS.org/Inflatables.

BoatUS.org/Inflatables.

Prepare Your Inflatable Life Jacket for the Season

Content Courtesy BoatUS

REVERE COMFORTMAX AUTO-INFLATABLE LIFEVEST WITH HARNESS AVAILABLE THROUGH WWW.SPORTSMANSGUIDE.COM Other Boating Features: Boat Ramp Courtesy Fuel Winterizations Maintain Boat Value Battery Maintenance Clean Your Boat 10 Safe Refueling Tips Marine First Aid New Upper Deck Capacity Rules The Boating Dog

REVERE COMFORTMAX AUTO-INFLATABLE LIFEVEST WITH HARNESS AVAILABLE THROUGH WWW.SPORTSMANSGUIDE.COM

REVERE COMFORTMAX AUTO-INFLATABLE LIFEVEST WITH HARNESS

AVAILABLE THROUGH WWW.SPORTSMANSGUIDE.COM

WWW.SPORTSMANSGUIDE.COM

Other Boating Features: Boat Ramp Courtesy Fuel Winterizations Maintain Boat Value Battery Maintenance Clean Your Boat 10 Safe Refueling Tips Marine First Aid New Upper Deck Capacity Rules The Boating Dog

Other Boating Features:

10 Safe Refueling Tips

New Upper Deck Capacity Rules

ABOUT PILOT MEDIA Pilot Media publishes boating guides providing comprehensive information on boating and waterfront living. Each edition includes an index of boat related businesses, reference maps, marina & boatyard guides, a directory of waterfront & water-access restaurants - The Pilot's Galley - and a Fishing Guide that includes a directory to area fishing service providers. Read more > Copyright © 2018 Pilot Media II LLC

Pilot Media publishes boating guides providing comprehensive information on boating and waterfront living. Each edition includes an index of boat related businesses, reference maps, marina & boatyard guides, a directory of waterfront & water-access restaurants - The Pilot's Galley - and a Fishing Guide that includes a directory to area fishing service providers. Read more >

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