Funny Finds: Sail Now

It’s no question that the London Boat Show is talk of the town this week. It’s not as much fun, however, for the boat lovers that can’t be there.

However, there’s not use feeling like a lowly landlubber, as we’ve got a great Funny Find to cheer you up.

Introducing Sail Now – a great curation of everything from sailing jokes to a ‘live aboard simulator’. As well as capturing everything that’s great about dry humour, Sail Now also promotes Safety in Sailing, and offers great tips on everything from spotting cloud types to tying different knots. Talk about multitasking!

If you require further convincing, here are a few samples of the ‘Jokes’ page, which masquerades as a list of definitions.

Sailing – The fine art of getting wet and becoming ill, while going nowhere slowly at great expense (equivalent to standing in a cold shower, fully clothed, throwing up, and tearing up $100 bills, while a bunch of other people watch you).

Crew – Heavy, stationary objects used on shipboard to hold down charts, anchor cushions in place and dampen sudden movements of the boom.

Bottom paint – What you get when the cockpit seats have just been painted.

Port – A fine wine, always stowed on the left side of the boat.

Swell – A wave that's just great.

You can laugh away to the rest of the list by clicking here.

Feeling better now? We certainly hope so!

Have you seen something you can’t help but share? Let us know by tweeting @Aquacote with the hashtag #FunnyFinds.

Keep It Simple

In a world where possessions and aspirations are king, simplicity is profusely underrated.

You’ll know better than any that nothing quite beats the simple pleasure of being alone at sea with a clear sky and an equally clear head. Should you saturate the boat with passengers and unnecessary equipment, your thoughts also begin to clog and underperform.

It’s coming up to one week after the turn of the New Year and, typically speaking, many of us are probably occupied with resolutions to ‘better ourselves’. As fun as it may be to criticise ourselves for not fitting into last year’s wetsuit, or for ‘forgetting’ that you promised to clear out the garden shed, self-punishment isn’t the answer.

One resolution that’s both realistic and rewarding is to make things easy for yourself. By removing the unnecessary from our lives, we are forced to dedicate our attention to the things that actually matter.

To really make things easy, it’s always best to start small.

Take your boat, for example. For maximum enjoyment, you want to spend as little time as possible on maintenance. We want to make it really simple for you. We care like that.

Maintaining your propeller can be an arduous task. When antifouling, you don’t want to spend all that sanding, mixing, and application time, just to dive down six months later to find a small town’s worth of barnacles on the blades.

Propcote doesn’t want that either.

With one simple application, you won’t need to worry for the rest of the season. The formula’s non-stick technology means even the toughest of barnacles will slip off with the push of one finger. Simply grab a squeegee and reveal the mirror-finish you admired on the first day of application.

Now doesn’t that sound better? We certainly think so.

For more information, visit our website, or tweet us @Aquacote.

Resources on 4 Special Species – ‘That’s so 2013’

In many ways, 2013 has brought with it a number of milestones of open-mindedness. From the accepted decision to allow gay marriage, to a major cosmetics brand dedicated to a ‘Self-Esteem Project’, the year has championed care and equality in the UK. So much so, that particularly creative or emotional  displays have been welcomed with the maxim that they are ‘so 2013’.

Carrying on this affectionate trend in 2014, the 3^rdWorld Conference on Marine Biodiversity will be held in Qingdao, China. At the last conference, held in Aberdeen in 2011, the conference parties agreed with the IUCN that 30% of the world’s oceans should be protected areas. The current level is under 3%.

The UK accommodates just 4 of the many endangered marine species. Getting to know these 4 species is the first step to getting on-trend with mindful marine habits.

One – North Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
As they are endangered, fishing and sale of the species is illegal. Authorities are so vigilant on this, that even when a Torquay fisherman caught a 300lb Bluefin tuna, worth a reported £500,000, and the sale was prohibited.The Marine Management Organisation suggests that tuna accidentally caught as by-catch should be released alive and unharmed back into the oceans.

Two – Leatherback Turtle

The UK is particularly important to this species, which is also critically endangered. Its declining numbers in the south Pacific are offset a very small amount by their increase in more northern regions. In springtime they have been spotted just off UK shores, attracted by flourishing groups of jellyfish.

Three – White-clawed Crayfish

The biggest threat to our native crayfish is the invasion of non-endemic species, which can take over their habitats and compromise their ability to survive. As part of our national natural heritage, trapping crayfish for food is illegal in many British areas. Check for guidelines and information here.

Four – Angel Shark

Described comprehensively by the Shark Trust here, the angel shark (aka monkfish) is an endangered species protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Killing, injuring, possessing, or trading the sharks is highly illegal. EU authorities have produced the ‘Shark Action Plan’ to cover these needs.

With these resources, you’re already well on your way to carrying on the craze for caring. Conservation’s never been so chic.