Let’s admit it. We’ve all made mistakes. And when it comes to boating goof-ups that can cause a little pain, the folks at BoatUS Marine Insurance have seen them all, handling hundreds of claims each year. So here’s a look inside the claims files for some of the more preventable mistakes that cause injuries around the boat yard every springtime, and some tips to avoid them:

Boat trailer lights are critical and under-discussed components that seem to fail at the most inconvenient times. Don’t risk getting a ticket or in an accident because you neglected your boat trailer’s lighting. Most light fittings are vehicle types with incandescent lamps. They are easily flooded and waterlogged, which results in burnouts and failure. Moisture is the enemy of all electrical systems and connections. Water, especially saltwater, quickly and easily corrodes electrical connectors, which wreaks havoc on lighting systems.
    
Recently, improvements to lighting components have resulted in waterproof fixtures that virtually eliminate water intrusion. Most of these new components utilize the innovative LED lights instead of incandescent bulbs.

At last, April is nearly upon us, and with it comes some of the best fishing Tampa Bay has to offer. Anglers from Double Branch in the north to Bishop Harbor in the south are treated to some of the best inshore fishing anywhere in the state. Snook start their migration from the creeks and rivers to the flats and eventually to the passes to spawn by the first full moon of May.

We have some great catches going on right now but you have to fish in between the cold fronts this time of year On Show Me the Fish Charters. My clients are catching greater Amberjack, Cobia, Blackfin Tuna, Kingfish, Mangrove Snappers, Porgys, Triggerfish, door mat size Flounder, Sea Bass, Bonita [Little Tunny's],  Blacktip Sharks up to 5 ft. An over abundance of catch and release of Grouper and Red Snappers have been enjoyed as well.

Anglers fishing aboard the Flat Back II, my 1820 Action Craft Flatsmaster SE Hybrid, reeled in Inshore Grand Slams of snook, trout, and redfish this week, while fishing the waters of Terra Ceia Bay. The single most important feature in our fishing over the past month has been the extraordinarily high water temperature we’re encountering in the bay and near shore waters. This week I encountered water temperatures up to 74.9-degrees on the flats in the early afternoon. Normally our water temperature inshore in the warmest areas will hit the low 60s for an afternoon high temperature. These kinds of conditions are normally are seen in late April and May. With that said, I’m using my late spring tactics in lure choice for the species we’re targeting. 

Spencer Simon with a trophy Flounder he caught using a sand perch for bait in about 45 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The party also caught a limit of large Amberjacks further out fishing with Capt Larry McGuire, Show Me The Fish Charters, operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina.

What do you get when you mix lenses, hinges, frame arms, nose pads, side shields and retainer cord segments from hundreds of Costa sunglasses?

The answer: a very unique, one-of-a-kind Blue Marlin sculpture that the internationally famous sunglasses manufacturer and longtime TBF-sponsoring partner has donated to The Billfish Foundation for its conservation efforts.

With its ability to attract moisture and clog fuel filters, it’s no wonder America’s boaters have not been thrilled with ethanol in gasoline, which today is most commonly found as a 10% blend and known as E10 at the gas pump. America’s desire for renewable fuels is growing, but recent Department of Energy tests on boat engines showed that increasing the amount of ethanol to 15% doesn’t work for boats. While higher ethanol content has been approved by the EPA for 2001 and newer cars and light trucks, E15 is not legal to use in boats and other gas-powered equipment.
 
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) suggests that butanol, an alcohol with a characteristic banana-like odor typically made from corn and beet byproducts, may be an answer.

March starts the season for me, as Redfish are schooling around the mangrove islands, and Snook start their migration into the mouth of rivers and creeks. Trout move into deeper water flats and the large yellow mouth critters from the gulf are eager to bite.

For me March means the start of the spawning season for (Pogonias Cromis) Black Drum, and these big brutes will be around all summer long, hanging around bridges and artificial reefs eager to be caught on Grouper tackle.

March brings hundreds of the big spawners into the shallow flats of Tampa Bay to do their thing, and the schools are so large the sandy bottom turns brown.

With over 600 tow boats spread across North America, the law of averages dictates that, eventually, BoatUS towing captains will be thrust into the middle of life-threatening emergencies. BoatUS Towing Services recently honored five of its TowBoatUS captains for their heroic actions with its annual BoatUS “Woody Pollack Lifesaving Awards” at a ceremony that capped off the group’s annual conference held in Tampa, FL. The award is named after the well-respected towboat captain in the fleet who died at an early age.
 
“Sometimes the routine of normal day is interrupted by a life-threatening mayday call or an incident that unfolds in front of them, and our captains step in without hesitation,” said BoatUS Vice President of Towing Services Jerry Cardarelli. “They are not in the rescue business, but their actions save others. We are very proud of them.”
 
US Coast Guard Chief of Search and Rescue, Captain David McBride, who BoatUS also honored at the ceremony for his years of selfless and dedicated service to the nation’s boaters, presented the awards on behalf of BoatUS. Here are the details on the incidents: