April 2022
Renting Out Your Boat
Boat owners: you may be sitting on a gold mine in terms of the rental potential of your boat! 

Two trends have collided to make boat rentals take off. First, technology has made it easy to sign up and match renters and owners (thanks to online home rental websites like Airbnb and Vrbo). Second, the pandemic primed the pump. As people sought vacations and travel that were safe, boating ranked high on the list. 

In short order, thousands of boat rental sites have sprung up. Some are based on location, like the Chicago waterfront, while others are regional or national. All versions considered, the global boat rental market is expected to grow from $17.6 billion in 2019 to $23.1 billion by the end of 2025.
Who's On the Water?
Each month OceanGrafix will feature a fellow subscriber—and a bit about their love of boating. This month we introduce…

Gary Worley of Oklahoma

Left: Gary and family take in a view of the Adriatic from the Fortress Spanjola, Hvar, Croatia.

My boat’s name: Jagwater

Type of boat: a Lancer 28-foot sailboat, and numerous 37-foot to 43-foot sailboat rentals 

First boating memory: cruising on an Albatross 33 with my Boy Scout troop

Favorite destination: Canary Islands, Spain

Best boating advice: use your training

How I use paper charts: in advance of my trip. I research the sights I wish to see on the internet and then locate those destinations on my charts, organize my itinerary, and plot my desired course.

Favorite boating story: my first cruise—in Croatia—on a flotilla with my wife, daughter, and grandson. We sailed to different islands, enjoyed great food, and made friends with other boaters. 

Interested in being our featured boater? Email us at news@oceangrafix.com.
Safety at Sea
Understanding sound signals on the water is a step towards becoming a “complete mariner,” says the BoatUS Foundation. Learning the signals below is a good place to start.

  • Passing port to port: one short blast.

  • Passing starboard to starboard: two short blasts.

  • Overtaking on portside: one short blast.

  • Overtaking on starboard: two short blasts.