Inflatable Boats Cost Less and are Lots of Fun

A good friend of mine CT Wilson wrote an article on inflatable boats that I would like to share with you. With summer upon us and water sports being on the top of the list of things to do I think this article has plenty of great information in it. Inflatable boats have come along way in safety and are much more affordable than the fiberglass boats. I think what is the most appealing to me is the fact that you can put inflatable boats anywhere in the water, unlike the fiberglass boats with a trailer that has to have a ramp of some sort to place them in the water. I can see where the inflatable boat could be much more convenient in that aspect. Enjoy the article!

Inflatables – The Pleasures of Boating Without the Hassles

For many people the idea of spending a leisurely day floating on a river or lake sounds just heavenly. The high costs of maintaining a boat, however, do not. Fortunately, inflatables provide an excellent alternative to their fiberglass counterparts.

Inflatable boats may have been around since prehistoric times. Archaeologists have found drawings of man using inflated animal skins to cross rivers and get across lakes. In many waterside cultures, young children were taught sailing and swimming skills by using inflated animal bladders.

It wasn’t until 1838 when Charles Goodyear perfected the process of vulcanizing rubber that inflatables really had widespread potential. The following year, 1839, the Duke of Wellington tested the very first inflatable pontoons. This was followed very shortly by the development of two types of inflatable boats which were meant to be used in Arctic expeditions.

These first inflatables were often made from Mackintosh cloth which was most commonly used for raincoats. The cloth was infused with rubber to make it more durable and airproof. There was a pocket created to contain the bellows which was used to inflate the boats.

It wasn’t until the early 1900′s, when rubber manufacturing really took off, that the inflatable boats used were developed. Now inflatables are used for dive boats, rescue operations, lifesaving rafts, military maneuvers, and so much more.

For most of these boats, the sides and bow are made up of flexible tubes which can be filled with pressurized gas. These tubes are frequently separate chambers to help reduce the impact of a puncture and will have independent valves for inflation.

For smaller inflatable boats the floor and hull are frequently left flexible, but for boats 10 feet or more the floor and hull may consist of 3-5 pieces of plywood or aluminum sheets. These braces will be placed between the tubes but are not rigidly joined to enable them to be easily removed.

In many cases the transom will also be made of rigid material so that it’s possible to mount an outboard motor.

The tubes are made of a rubberized, synthetic hypalon or PVC. These materials are very lightweight and provide secure buoyancy. Different manufacturers use slightly differing variations on these which can result in some inflatables having thicker walls than others (something to consider when selecting the boat you want to use).

One of the best aspects of inflatables is that they are designed to be taken apart and stored in a small area. This means you don’t have to find some place to park a large boat, not do you have to worry about maintaining property insurance on inflatable boats. Furthermore, most of these types of boats don’t even require a trailer or boat ramp for putting them in the water. You can simply carry or pull your boat to the water’s edge and inflate it right there.

When conducting your homework on brands of inflatables, the two names that are sure to pop up are Intex and Stansport. Both companies are known for producing high quality, safe and reliable inflatable boats.

Intex is, in fact, known for manufacturing boats with an extra degree of safety against punctures because their tubes have the thickest walls while still maintaining the flexibility needed for ease of storage.

Stansport, a name known in the outdoor industry for producing a huge range of products, also manufactures one of the top 4 and 6 man inflatable boats. Both of these companies routinely exceed regulation standards in the production of their boats and other items.

If you just don’t have the space or the money, but you have the desire to have a boat, inflatable boats may be a viable option to consider. These boats have high safety ratings, and they have to adhere to the same testing and regulations as other vehicles, but they won’t break your wallet.

Happy boating this summer! Let us know how you like your inflatable boat.

Why do we Need Tent Camping Tips?

What is most important to me is keeping my family safe while tent camping and through tent camping tips we can share knowledge and experience with each other to help keep our family, friends and ourselves safe while camping. Here are some safety tips and some camping tips too, that will help your camping trip to be a safe and an enjoyable outdoor experience.

• Always check the weather forecast for the area your camping in.
• Tell someone where you will be and when you plan to return.
• Give yourself enough daylight time to set up camp and check out your immediate area.
• With family camping you always want to give yourself enough room for family and gear, for a family of 4 – bring a tent that sleeps 6 to 8, you won’t regret it.
• Don’t set up your tent in lower terrains and if  you don’t have a choice, dig a 3 to 4 inch trench around your tent for rain run off if there is rain in the forecast (It is always a good idea to keep an eye on the sky for weather changes).
• Don’t set your tent up in the middle of a worn path, this could a deer, elk, etc. path that is traveled at night by them and your tent could be trampled as well as the people inside.
• Set up your tent well away from a campfire, floating sparks can quickly catch a tent on fire.
• Never leave a campfire unattended, this also applies to your camp stove.
• Bring your camping first aid kit, always check and replace missing items, also check expiration dates of any medications.
• Bring proper clothing, in some areas the temperature can drop drastically at night. Plan for the terrain your camping in…do you need hiking boots or is tennis shoes more appropriate.
• Bring cots or air mattresses, the ground even inside a tent is hard and cold and lack of sleep will put a real damper on a camping trip.
• Store matches in waterproof container or bring a storm proof lighter.
• Bring flashlights and extra batteries.
• Bring camping tools such as shovel, rake, leatherman multi tool, foldable saw, axe, etc.
• Make your first nights meal simple, whether it is pre-cooked from home or maybe sandwiches.
• Block ice lasts longer than in a cooler than ice cubes, frozen milk jugs work great too.
• Don’t leave food out, latch coolers when not using so not to attract wild animals.
• Do not feed wild animals.
• Don’t store food inside your tent.
• For heaven sakes don’t forget the can opener, I am not going to tell you how many times I forgot that one : – )

We have other tent camping tips that might be helpful to you, check them out too! You are welcome to share with us you camping or safety tips that you have learned through knowledge and experience.

Happy and Safe Camping!

There are so Many Camping Tents to Choose From.

If you are going camping for the first time and want to get the right tent for you, the selections out there can be overwhelming. There are all kinds of shapes and sizes and styles like a cabin tent or dome tent and backpacking tent not to mention family tents. So how do you pick the right tent?

First of all, what kind of camping would you like to do? Lets take backpacking for instance, how many people are going to sleep in the tent. Most backpacking tents are for 1 to 4 people, unlike car camping, backpackers use their tent to sleep in only, the rest of the time is usually hiking and exploring new places. Packing a tent in a backpack to carry on your back for miles at a time, weight will be a big consideration, the lighter the better I say. More than likely, because of the weight, the smaller the tent the better just enough room to sleep in. Which brings up the close sleeping quarters, make sure you pick a tent with plenty of ventilation. Most popular backpacking tents are dome tent style, there is also  A-frame styles too.

Car Camping is the most popular type of camping for people that like to camp with friends or families. If this type of camping interests you, first determine how many people you want to sleep in the tent, this will help you decide what size tent you will need. With family camping it is important to understand that elbow room is essential. If you under-size the tent you and your family members will be tripping over each other and probably trampling on your sleeping bags as you get in and out of the tent. Plan on at the very least 30 to 32 square feet per person. Example, if I have 4 people in my party I am going to look for a tent that sleeps 6 to 8 people. The more days you camp out you might want to increase that square footage. The family tents are popular in the dome tent style and the cabin tent styles.

Some of the larger camping tents like the cabin tent are known for their tent walls being more vertical which enables you to have more usable floor space, this means, if you like using a camping cot this is the tent for you, cots will fit close to the tent wall giving you extra space to move around inside the tent and to enter and exit the tent easily. The large dome tents have angled walls making it impossible to get a camping cot next to the tent wall therefore, you loose floor space. In dome tents you will want to sleep on air mattresses or camping mats to get closer to the tent walls so that you can have some floor space.

Most camping tents used by campers today are 3 season tents, this means the tent can be used during the spring, summer and fall seasons. If you are thinking of camping during the winter season you will need to look at a 4 season tent. The 4 season tent is made up of heavier materials and will stand up better in extreme cold and snowy conditions. The 4 season tent can be used year around, although it can be a little warm in the summer, unlike the 3 season tent which can only be used during moderate temperatures.

You could always borrow a tent from a friend or family member your first time out to get an idea of size and the style of a tent before you actually buy one yourself. When you are selecting your first tent just use common sense, ask yourself how many people are going to sleep in the tent, am I going to use cots, air mattresses or camping mats, what season am I camping in the most. Don’t stress, you’ll make the right decision. Have fun and happy camping!

A lot of us have heard about using guy-lines but, aren’t really sure how to use them or the best way to place them to be effective. Protect your tent from high winds and storms by following some simple guidelines. I personally like the guidelines and illustrations presented by Eureka Tents, these are the guidelines I follow and I would like to share them with you.

When high winds or storms are predicted, do not count on staking alone to keep your tent secure. Depending on the model, your tent rainfly has built-in loops or rings at optimal guyout locations. It’s important to put in the extra time guying out your tent. Correctly done, it can save your tent during harsh weather.

1. Attach parachute cord to the loop/rings and stake them in the ground three or four feet from the edge of the tent. If staked too close to the tent, wind can cause an upward pull that could dislodge the tent stakes.
2. Make sure that the top rainfly is securely attached to the framework underneath. Ties, hook and loop closures, or dog-bones and elastic loops are typical fasteners sewn to the underside of the fly for this purpose.

If your tent does not have loops or rings for guy outs, attach guy lines 1/3 or 1/2 of the way up the framework on the main sidewalls. This enables the guy line to support the lower section of the pole, while the upper pole can flex the side of the guyout. This will prevent all movement except toward the anchor. The idea is to get the guy lines to work together through opposition. See illustrations below:

A Quick Tasty Camping Meal

I got excited when I first tried the Madras Lentils by Tasty Bite, not only because it tastes great but that I could take this product camping with me for a quick hot meal. I wanted to share this tasty little product with my readers because, I don’t know about you but I’m always looking for quick and delicious foods to take camping.

Tasty Bite refers to this product as an entree but, I like it as a meal. I like to crumble Tostitos Scoops in my Madras Lentils I think they go great together. To me, the Madras Lentils tastes a little like chili, you’ll have to try it for yourself and see what you think. Whether you’re camping, hiking, hunting or even kayaking, for a quick hot meal, just put Madras Lentils in a pan and heat it up on your camp stove, canister stove or liquid fuel stove and enjoy! I hope you enjoy this product as much as I do.

I am a huge fan of saving money when I go camping so I like to fill several plastic jugs with water and freeze them, you can use 1 gallon or even half gallon size jugs. The neat thing is they stay frozen longer than bag ice and as the ice melts you will have extra drinking water. If you are going to be camping for longer than a few days the extra drinking water will definitely come in handy.

Have camping tips you would like to share, just fill out the comment box, we’ll take a look, if your tip is approved we will post it with your name included.

Family Camping at its Best!

The Copper Canyon 1312 is one of Eureka’s most popular family camping tents. The 1312 is a cabin style tent that sleeps 8 people and its vertical walls offer maximum interior floor space that is ideal for use with cots. The floor space is 13′ x 12′ but has more area than a 14′ x 10′ tent because the vertical walls make the tent so spacious. The 1312 can be one large room or use the removable divider curtain to make two rooms. Parents can sleep in one room and kids in the other or, sleep in one room and store your gear in the other. Bring along friends and have your own private room, the possibilities are endless!

Eureka! uses StormShield cloth in its large family tents because it withstands longer periods of exposure to UV rays, and it has excellent tear strength and waterproofness. Durability has not been over looked by Eureka! You expect long term durability for you money and who could blame you, the Copper Canyon 1312 is designed for heavy traffic and years of quality family camping.

My fondest memories are sitting around a campfire, trying to stay warm, telling campfire stories or being told stories by friends and family. Just staring into the bright red coals with the flames flickering around them is so relaxing to me. With that said lets talk about building a fire.

Pick out a spot in the open away from dried grass, brush, trees and other campers. Don’t build a fire close to your tent, sparks from the fire will fly up in the air if there is a breeze, it could catch your tent on fire. Set up a fire ring, if one is not provided where you are camping, then you can make one out of large rocks. The fire ring will hold the ashes, contain the fire, to keep it from spreading to far out on the ground. I like to bring along my own cut wood, just encase the area I am camping in is scarce for firewood.

To start a fire you will some small tender like-loose bark, small sticks, pine needles, dry leaves, newspaper or anything that will catch fire easily. After you have a small fire going, start gradually adding larger sticks of wood. A folding saw or axe works great for cutting some of the larger sticks. As your fire gets larger and hotter you can add large cuts of wood. There is no certain way you need to place the larger cuts of wood on the fire as long as you have air flow from hot coals to the top of the fire this will keep the large pieces burning. Keep adding wood until you have achieved a nice controllable size campfire.

Raging, blazing campfires are not safe and could cause flying embers to set a neighboring tent or camper on fire or even start a forest fire.

Building a campfire is common sense, once you have built your first campfire you will be well on your way to becoming an expert fire builder. Use common sense, be aware of your surroundings and be safe.

Share with us, your experience building your first campfire.

Camp stoves need to be cleaned regularly to keep them working properly. There is nothing more disappointing than wanting to cook a meal and your camp stove won’t light or the burners are so plugged up it takes forever to cook anything.

Wipe out your camp stove with warm water and dishwashing soap or a foaming stove cleaner to clean splattered grease and food debris; dry thoroughly after rinsing to prevent rusting. For heavy grease build up or boil over you will want to disassemble the burners to deep clean them, an old toothbrush works great for cleaning camp stove burners that are plugged from a boil over. If you get water in the manifold make sure you dry it thoroughly rust will prevent the fuel from flowing to the burner properly. You will want to lubricate the pump cup or any parts that get lubricated with a machine oil 2 times a year. Store your camp stove in a sealed plastic bag when you are not using it, this will keep your stove dry, clean from dust and crawly critters. Take care of your camp stove and it will take care of you when you need it the most.

Hammock Camping is Great Fun!

What a way to enjoy the outdoors! I can’t imagine a better way to relax, than to kick back in a hammock stretched out over a stream, listening to the sounds of the water moving moving over the rocks below me or the sounds of a breeze moving thru the trees above me. The great thing about hammock camping is, the hammocks are lightweight to carry and pack down small. A single wide ENO hammock will pack down to the size of a softball, a double hammock will pack down to the sized of a grapefruit. Backpackers love the hammocks as another option to packing a tent simply because of the lightweight and small size. Most popular hammocks today weigh around 12 to 22 ozs. and are made from a high strength nylon that will support 250 to 400 lbs. of body weight. There are hammocks made from cotton, like the Roatan Hammock that will weigh over 3 lbs. and support 450 lbs. of body weight. Hammocks come in an array of fun colors! Hammocks are versatile and can be used in the backyard, for camping, on a boat, on a deck or anywhere your imagination leads you. Give hammock camping a try, venture out, create new experiences! Happy Camping!