Tie up your boat like an old, salty mariner!

Actually, it’s not that hard. The average trailer-boater will be tying up using cleats (whether on the boat or the dock) and a rope with a loop in one end, which is the way ropes are typically sold. As such, there are really only two knots to learn. The first is how to tie, or "make a line fast", to a cleat with a loop in the end of the rope. The second is how to tie to a cleat without a loop in the end of the rope.

With a loop in the end of the rope, it really doesn’t get any simpler. Take the loop and pinch it closed. Next, pass the loop through the open hole in the middle of the cleat - the "base". Pull the loop through the base just far enough to open up the loop and hook it around the ends - the "horns". Finally, pull it tight and...you're done!

Without a loop, there’s a few more steps but it is still quite easy. Since the rope that you would buy is only going to have a loop in one end, it might be good to know this way, as well! You’ll need about two feet of rope to do this, so leave yourself some slack. Wrap the end of the rope around one horn, then the other. Depending on your perspective, the rope should look like either a "U" or an upside down "U" going around the cleat. Next, wrap the rope "over and around" one horn, then "over and around" the other horn. Lastly, you’re going to go back around the first horn, but add a twist. Flip the rope under itself as you hook it around that horn to "lock it off". Pull the free end tight and your done.


So, to make it a little easier, here are two videos for your enjoyment!

Better yet, stop by the store and I’ll be more than happy to show you in person! Mastering these basic knots - and teaching them to others in your "boating clan" - can make your time on the water that much more enjoyable.

By the way, a scrap 1-foot piece of wood with a cheap cleat screwed onto it can make for an easy way to practice at home and teach the kids before going on the water!

Where do people boat in Allentown, PA?

So often we hear this question asked. To many it is a surprise that we have been here in Allentown since 1936 - Over 72 Years! But where's the blue-green water and snow white beaches? Well, for that experience you may have to go elsewhere. However, this area is great for many different boating experiences. For instance, pack a picnic lunch and tow your boat to Belzville State Park Lake one weekend and follow it up with a road trip (boat in tow of course) to the Delaware River for sightseeing around Philadelphia on the next weekend. Or maybe another daytrip could be to New York Harbor and get a perspective of Manhattan that you have never had before. Others may find the northern Chesapeake Bay with all its wonders the preferred destination. Lake Wallenpaupack, Northeast Pennsylvania’s largest lake, has over 52 miles of shoreline to explore. Blue Marsh lake near Reading, PA is another excellent choice for skiing, tubing, or beach the boat on shore and have a picnic lunch – lakeside of course. The point is this - you can do so much in so many different places with a boat. And this area has lots to offer all within a short hour and half drive from Allentown. Day trips with smaller boats are fun, easy, and relatively inexpensive.

If the idea of trailering does not appeal to you, don’t feel left out of the fun. Make the boat your destination for an extended stay on the water. There are plenty of places to keep your boat in the water within a short drive. You could have your very own water front condo in a boat. Many in this area keep their boats at the Jersey Shore, on the Chesapeake Bay, Raystown Lake in Pennsylvania, and there are even some, like myself, that keep their boats in beautiful places like the Finger Lakes of New York. Imagine yourself being gently rocked to sleep at night and waking the next morning to a hot cup of coffee in hand with the view of a beautiful sunrise over the water. Wow, how about that?

So what destinations lay ahead today? Use your imagination. The choices are yours. And this is the perfect place to explore them all – IN A BOAT.

Ted Shelson
Sales Manager
Peters Marine Service, Inc.

Dark, Windy, and Cold Blue Marsh Lake...

Just in case anyone was curious Blue Marsh Lake is still there. When I was there it was dark, windy, and very cold. But there was no ice on the lake. Swimming was not on my agenda!

I'm going boating in February!

That’s it! I’m heading out to Blue Marsh Lake tonight. I’ve had enough of waiting for spring to get here. Tonight after work I’m going to take my ice pick from home and go boating.

Ok, I’m not really going to go boating. I have a meeting tonight out at Blue Marsh Lake in Reading. But I will be so close to the Lake I am going to go down to the ramp and check it out. Yes it will be dark, cold, and deserted, but just to get close to the water will do me good. It has been too long since I have gone boating. This past October was the last time I relaxed out on the lake. So as I stand on the lakeshore tonight I will remember all of the fun my family and I had here last year. I will remember swimming, cruising, tubing, skiing, attempting to wakeboard, and (as my daughter says it) “Soaking up the sun”. That’s her favorite song. Then I will begin to look forward to this season. My wife and I will begin planning those lazy days on the lake. So if you are at home and waiting for the warm days to arrive you should know you are not alone. I am sure there are other souls like me staring out a window or on a cold lakeshore waiting patiently for the first warm day of spring. Hurry up Mother Nature!

For more information on Blue Marsh Lake click here..

See you on the water,

Bobby

Why do we go boating....

Top Reasons for Boating. Over a dozen studies have shown that being with family and friends, relaxing and being outdoors and close to nature are the primary reasons people spend time on the water. A family doesn't have to spend a fortune on a theme park vacation to have an experience that everyone will enjoy. Boating is about Family. Work. School. Music lessons. Sports practice. Ever feel like your family is being pulled in a million different directions? Bring them back together on a boat. Time spent on a boat is quality time. Whether you're fishing, swimming, tubing or just cruising along taking in the scenery, you're having fun together. You're not waiting in long lines, under the hot sun, bickering about what ride to go on next. Out on the water there are no distractions. You can focus on each other. You can have conversations. Share stories. Laugh. Reconnect and create memories that will last a lifetime. Life really is better on a boat. Boating Lets You Relax. It's hard not to relax when you're on a boat. Out on the water there are no faxes. No computers. No interruptions. There is the open water. The fresh air. The sun warming your face. And a sense of freedom and adventure you can't find anywhere else. Whether looking for blissful, deadline-free days or pulse-quickening adventures, you can find them on a boat. After all, you're the captain. The only rules are the ones that you make. And you're free to break those. With a boat, great getaways are just a weekend away. You may be just a few miles from home, but it feels like you're a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine. Go boating—and find the freedom to be your best. You'll never catch your limit of funOn a boat, you'll never catch your limit of fun. There are always new places to explore. Bigger fish to catch. Friends to be found. And new memories to be made. Reeling in the big one, catching a wave off the board or just taking in the scenery, after a full day of fun on the water, it's easy to remember why it's called the "Great Outdoors".

Spring is just around the corner... Lets get ready for a great boating season!

Bobby