Life is Better on the Water — Issue #4
Life is Better on the Water
Issue #4 — by Better Boat
The store where you bought your first bilge pump, your backup anchor line, and at least one thing you didn't need but convinced yourself was essential, is in serious financial trouble. West Marine's Chapter 11 filing says less about one retailer and more about how boaters actually shop now, and what fills that gap matters more than most people are giving it credit for.
This Week in Boating
West Marine Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
West Marine, the biggest name in retail marine supplies, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 17th in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. If you have a West Marine near you, now is a good time to pay attention to what happens next. Chapter 11 is reorganization, not liquidation, but the difference between those two words matters a lot when your nearest chandlery is 40 miles away.
Read more at Boating Industry →
NOAA Is Remapping Great Lakes Waters That Have Not Been Charted Since the 1940s
Some charts guiding Great Lakes boaters today are based on surveys done before your grandparents were born. NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson is back in the Great Lakes for the first time since 2022, working to remap western and central waters with modern equipment. Updated charts mean better depth data, fewer surprises, and a lot less white-knuckling over shoals that may or may not still be where the old maps say they are.
Read more at US Harbors →
Stop Tolerating That Wobbly Pontoon Table: A DIY Fix That Actually Works
A pontoon table that rocks every time someone sets a drink down is not a feature. It is a problem. This guide walks you through identifying the right replacement parts, measuring correctly, and installing a setup that stays put. Handle it yourself in an afternoon and stop apologizing for the table every time guests board.
Read more at Better Boat →
Sandbar Etiquette: How Not to Be That Boater
Sandbars in Southwest Florida get crowded fast once spring hits, and the difference between a great afternoon and a ruined one is usually one guy who didn't get the memo. Slow down on approach, give other boats room, and remember that sound carries a lot farther over water than you think. The sandbar belongs to everyone (including the people who got there first).
Read more at Go Boating Florida →
Wake Boaters Have a Lobbying Problem. The WSIA Thinks It Has the Answer.
Wakeboarding and wake surfing have a PR problem: the waves they create stir up sediment, spook wildlife, and annoy shoreline owners, and that has put lawmakers in several states in a mood to regulate. The WSIA's Wake Responsibly project is a pre-emptive move, pushing riders to follow distance and speed guidelines before states make those guidelines mandatory. Self-policing is a lot more fun than a fine.
Read more at Soundings Online →
Free Boating Safety Course Now Available in 15 More States
The BoatUS Foundation just got its free state-approved boating safety course into 15 more states. It covers navigation rules, required safety gear, emergency prep, and environmental basics. If you have been putting off getting certified (or know someone who should be), this is the easiest excuse to stop stalling.
Read more at Boating Industry →Featured Boat
Pathfinder's 2600 TRS Wants to Be Both a Serious Fishing Boat and a Family Cruiser
Boats that try to do everything usually do nothing well. The 2026 Pathfinder 2600 TRS is making that bet anyway, pitching itself as a capable fishing platform that doubles as a family day cruiser. Details on specs and pricing are thin in the overview, but if Pathfinder pulls it off, this could be a genuinely interesting 26-footer for anglers who also have a family with opinions.
Read more at Boating World →Gone Fishing
One Angler, One Small Boat, One 11-Foot Swordfish That Did Not Care
Nobody fishing alone in a small boat had ever caught a swordfish. This guy decided to find out why, hooked an 11-footer, and quickly learned the fish had not read the same articles he had. Fighting a swordfish bigger than most of the boat from a 17-footer with no crew is the kind of story that makes people question their own life choices (in a good way).
Read more at Outdoor Life →What Your Boat Really Needs
Hydraulic Neighbor Blocker
A retractable 14-foot aluminum privacy wall that deploys automatically when another boat pulls into the adjacent slip, blocking all eye contact, conversation, and the possibility of being asked to help with their lines. Available in three finishes: Brushed Indifference, Matte Hostility, and Polished Leave Me Alone.
Overheard at the Marina
Boaters talk about their "happy place" like it's this peaceful, stress-free escape on the water.
Mine is also on the water. I'm just usually under the engine cover, bleeding a little.
Better Boat Pick
