Life is Better on the Water

Issue #3 by Better Boat

This week: smarter safety checks, better boat connectivity, a 22-foot wake boat with serious punch, the story behind Johnson outboards, and a reminder that the oldest fishing traditions still hold up.

Jon Boat Mods That Actually Make the Thing Worth Owning

A bare jon boat is basically a floating sheet of aluminum with ambition. Add a proper deck, built-in storage, real seating, and some wiring and you have a fishing machine that punches above its price tag. Better Boat Grip Tape is worth adding to any new deck surface so you are not sliding around on a dewy morning at 5am.

The 6 Pre-Departure Safety Checks Most Boaters Skip (And They Take 2 Minutes)

Every boater has a launch routine. Most of those routines skip the checks that actually matter. Six quick safety steps before you leave the dock can keep a bad day from becoming a Coast Guard call. Two minutes at the dock beats two hours waiting for a tow.

Automatic or Manual Inflatable PFD: Which One Should You Actually Be Wearing?

Most boaters buy an inflatable PFD and never think about it again, which is fine until it matters. Automatic inflatables deploy on water contact, great if you go overboard unconscious. Manual ones require you to pull a cord, which sounds simple until you are disoriented and sinking. The right choice depends on where you boat and how often you end up in the water on purpose (kayakers and paddlers, that means you).

How to Get the Most Out of Starlink on Your Boat

Starlink has changed what offshore internet looks like, but a bad install can kill the whole thing. Placement, obstructions, and mount angle matter more than most people expect. Get those details right and you have reliable connectivity miles from shore. Get them wrong and you have an expensive Frisbee on your hardtop.

The Family Story Behind One of Outboarding's Most Famous Names

Before Johnson became a household name on the back of millions of boats, there were two brothers with a garage, an idea, and a whole lot of stubbornness. The Johnson outboard changed recreational boating in America, and the origin story is the kind of thing most people never think to ask about. Turns out the name on your motor has a better backstory than the motor itself.

The Boat Industry Is Going Green. Here Is What That Actually Means for Buyers.

Electric motors, cleaner hulls, and greener manufacturing are no longer just trade show buzzwords. The marine industry is shifting, and the changes are starting to show up in showrooms. Whether that matters to you depends on how long you plan to keep your next boat.

MasterCraft Squeezes a Lot of Wake Boat Into 22 Feet With the 2026 X22

MasterCraft's 2026 X22 is making a case that you do not need a 24-foot beast to get serious performance on the water. At 22 feet, it turns heads at the dock and apparently backs it up once you are moving. Full specs and test details are still thin, but the early read is that this one punches well above its size.

Striped Bass Fishing Has Been an American Obsession for Over 175 Years

Striped bass fishing with rod and reel has been a thing in this country since before the Civil War. That is a long time to chase one fish, which tells you something about how good the chase must be. If you have never targeted stripers, you are missing out on one of the oldest traditions in American recreational fishing.

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by Better Boat