Life is Better on the Water — Issue #11
Life is Better on the Water
Issue #11 — by Better Boat
Somewhere between the guy who filled a building with vintage outboard motors and the app promising to dock your boat from your phone, this issue lands on a quietly interesting question: how much of what you love about boating is the doing of it, and how much are you willing to hand off. That tension runs through more of these stories than you might expect.
This Week in Boating
The Guy Who Built a Museum Just for Outboard Motors
Bob Grubb, known online as Mercguy, has put together a collection of vintage outboard engines at a place called Outboard Heaven Museum. That name is doing a lot of work, but for anyone who has ever fallen down a rabbit hole of old Mercury specs, it probably delivers. Details on location and hours are not yet available.
Read more at Boating Magazine →
AI App Claims to Give You Full Docking Control From Your Phone
Docking anxiety is the leading cause of sweaty palms in recreational boating, and ezDrive.ai is betting your phone can fix that. The app promises hands-on control for maneuvering, trailering, and anchoring from a single interface. No word yet on whether it also handles the spouse yelling instructions from the bow.
Read more at Power and Motoryacht →
The Small Rituals That Make Every Boat Day Better
Some boaters check the weather three times before leaving the dock. Others have a specific order for starting the engine, stowing gear, and casting off. Turns out those quirky little routines are not just habit. They cut mistakes, calm nerves, and make the whole day run smoother. Find the one that works for your boat and stick with it.
Read more at Power and Motoryacht →
Is Modern Sonar Making Anglers Too Good at Catching Fish?
Better sonar tech is turning average anglers into fish-finding machines, and some experts are asking whether that efficiency is starting to outpace what the fishery can handle. The debate is real: forward-facing sonar lets you watch a fish, target it, and catch it in ways that were impossible a decade ago. More gear, fewer fish left for later is a trade-off worth thinking about before the regulations think about it for you.
Read more at Salt Water Sportsman →
How to Get Rust Stains Off Your Boat for Good
Rust stains on fiberglass and vinyl look terrible, and they spread fast if you ignore them. The fix depends on the surface: fiberglass needs an oxalic-based cleaner, vinyl needs something gentler, and bare metal needs treatment before the stain is the least of your problems. Better Boat Rubbing Compound handles oxidized surfaces once the rust is gone and keeps the gelcoat from looking like it lost a fight.
Read more at Better Boat →
Hawaii Winter Brings Humpbacks, Minkes, and Seabirds to the Same Waters You Might Be Boating In
If you are running a boat in Hawaiian waters this winter, you are sharing the ocean with humpback and minke whales that only show up during the cold months. NOAA researchers spent a winter season documenting which species appear, when, and where. For anyone planning a Hawaii trip on the water, knowing the seasonal patterns helps you find wildlife without stumbling into a whale at cruise speed.
Read more at US Harbors →
Featured Boat
Highfield's ADV9 Wants to Be Your Next Overnight Adventure Rig
Most inflatables are day-trip boats. The 2026 Highfield ADV9 is trying to change that. It packs a deep cockpit and a real cabin into an RIB platform aimed at overnight cruising, which is not something you see every day in this category. If you have been waiting for an inflatable that does not kick you off the water at sunset, this one is worth a look.
Read more at Boating Magazine →
Gone Fishing
529-Pound Swordfish Sets First-Ever State Record in Maine Waters
Maine just got its first swordfish state record, and the fish weighed 529 pounds. That is not a typo. Swordfish are rarely targeted in Maine waters, which makes this catch the kind of story that rewrites what people think is possible up there. Someone is going to need a bigger wall.
Read more at On The Water →
What Your Boat Really Needs
Anchor Anxiety Dampener
A subtle below-deck vibration module that activates the moment you drop anchor, delivering a calming frequency shown to reduce the overwhelming certainty that your anchor is not actually holding. The system runs on a 9-volt battery and is rated for up to 11 hours of continuous existential reassurance.
Overheard at the Marina
I have lost four pairs of sunglasses to that lake. At this point I'm not dropping them, I'm tithing.
Better Boat Pick
Boat and RV Winterizing Kit
$59.99
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