Coming up Aces

A small celebration!
Experienced boaters are my latest heroes. This, because most know or have learned the "rules of the road" for our waterways. Moreover, they know port from starboard and bow from stern, they know about PFDs, buoys, navigational definitions (give way vs stand on, "can" vs "nun", etc.), the fine points of fire extinguishers, how to approach other vessels, bridges, locks ... This is not easy stuff. It's certainly not easy stuff for a swabbie.
Luckily, this swabbie stumbled into the Free Online Boating Safety Course offered by Boat US Foundation. Studying navigational protocols is not easy for someone with a mild case of left/right dyslexia and, until recently, no context for what is required for safety in the navigational world.
Nevertheless, I persisted and, today, passed the final exam.
Excited, I told a friend about my success and he said, "Now I'll have to call you Captain."
Not so fast. That title is a responsibility I'm not yet ready to take on. I like being a swabbie. I like incrementally learning the ropes, toeing the line, cutting the muster. Perhaps, one of these days, I might feel ready to step from the Swabbie rung to Petty Officer, but I'm not in a rush.

Meanwhile, if you are American and you haven't done that set of quizzes and final exam yet, I encourage you to do so. If you're a lowly swabbie like me, the exam might give you more insight into the complexities of boating. Or raise your awareness about just how much more there is to learn.
For now, clutching my Certificate of Completion, I plan to stay humble (rather than petty) and work slowly toward proficiency.

If you are interested in other free to low cost course offerings, visit http://www.boatus.org/courses/.
Here's a sampling of what they offer:

• Offshore Sailing School's Learn To Sail Online
• Partner in Command- An Essential Intro for Every Crew Member
•  Boating on Rivers, Locks and Lakes- Navigating Inland Waterways and Locks with Confidence
• Weather for Boaters- A Boater's Guide to Forecasting, Winds and Storms
•  Hurricane Preparation for Boaters- Protect Your Boat from the Next Big One: Storms, Floods and Wind
• All About Marine Radio- Choosing and Using a VHF Radio for Your Boat  Planning Your Cruise- Boating Beyond the Day Trip
• How to Use GPS- A Boater's Guide to Electronic Navigation
• Free Clean Boating Course
• Modern Marine Navigation

Getting a charge out of batteries

A neophyte swabbie has a lot to learn. Learning on the job comes with challenges, and a price tag, but it also comes with the joy of accomplishment.
Monday through Friday I accomplish what the work-world demands. Come 4:30 pm Friday, I hop into my vehicle, enter a river of bumper-to-bumper traffic squeezed into six lanes, and head to the other river, the serene San Joaquin. 
Saturday and Sunday I swim, bird watch, read, fix things, and swabbie.
A good life, that requires energy.

Energy, packaged

Until recently, I understood batteries be be packs of potential energy purchased from AAA roadside assistants, or tech and grocery stores. My biggest decision was buying one-time use or rechargeables.
Then I bought a houseboat. Oh, how woefully under-prepared I was.
I listened and nodded as the couple selling their boat advised about batteries, generators, inverters, chargers. Certainly, I recognized the three car-size batteries sitting neatly on the transom, just as I recognized the "classic" 85 HP Johnson Sea Horse outboard motor next to them. Together, those objects, I knew, made the boat move. But I focused on the romantic side of houseboating and much of their advice was over my head.

You've come a long way, baby

Two of three batteries on the transom were dead. Before replacing them, I applied myself to learning about batteries, intending to purchase the best value for money with least negative environmental impact.
That intention led me down a path I'm still travelling.
Who knew that batteries offered such variety, and that boat/marine and car batteries were different?
Boats/marine/RV batteries are deep cycle geared both to start engines and provide energy for on-board systems when on the water (away from marina slip).
Car batteries, aka "starting" or “cranking", provide enough power to start cars' engines.
Who knew that there are the four chemical types of batteries?
Well, Sailor for the Sea knew, and they offer this illustration of wet cell (flooded), gel cell, absorbed glass mat (AGM), all lead-acid, and lithium.  (Visit their website, too. It focuses on protecting the health of bodies of water.)

Good overview of batteries from Sailors for the Sea. 

I've come a long way and, yes, I still have a long way to go. But I've taken my first steps.
I learned enough to purchase a new deep cycle battery and recycle the two that no longer work. While I haven't yet purchased a battery charger - I'm still reviewing my options - I regularly start the 85 HP 2-stroke outboard to keep it tuned. For, one of these days - after I pass the boating safety course - I intend to take my houseboat out on the river. Mine is, after all, a riverine romance.