I have boated for over 25 years, mainly on the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri.  My boating life started when I visited a friend whose parents had a cabin and a boat.  I'd go down for the week-end, and we'd spend the time riding on his boat.  At an early age, I "took note" of things to do and not to do on the boat.  My friend's dad, Hamm, was very strict on how to tie the boat to the dock and the proper knot to use on the cleat when docking.  That was my job--to make sure we were tied up correctly, and I definitely took notes on how, when, and where to do my job.

Hamm also taught us about fenders.  He was always telling us when to put the fenders out and when to bring them in.  To this day I "take note" of how boaters use their fenders.  It has been my observation that there are a lot of boaters that leave their fenders out all of the time. I see pontoon boats with their fenders dangling over the side of the boat running up and down the lake.  I don't know why this bothers me, but it does.  I would like to share part of a quote that I saved from West Marine's catalog several years ago.  Read it and see if you agree:

      "What to look for: 'Can we speak frankly?  Fenders protect your boat and that can be a good thing, except that every one of us risks ridicule every boating weekend for one reason.  Never, never operate  your boat more than a boat length away from your slip with your fenders over the side.  This is like wearing a Kick Me sign on your boat's transom.  This is a sign of a landlubber, a neophyte, a novice.  Blue-blooded yachtspersons have been kicked out of posh yacht clubs for much less."  West Marine 1995 Master Catalog

Now, I don't know if I agree with the severity of all of this statement, but it sure is something to think about.  The quote certainly made an impression on me!  Please feel free to comment; we would love to hear from you!

I’ve been boating now for over 25 years and the boat always had a motor behind it.  I like the sound of a motor when I’m on a boat.  This last month that all changed.

My daughter is into sail boating.  She keeps talking about how great sail boating is. She has sailed the British Virgin Islands, Florida, and San Diego so she has some pretty good experience with sailing.  She popped the question to me a few months ago—would I like to go sailing?  As a family we have gone camping to Colorado the last couple of years which I truly enjoyed.  With little time to think, I said yes.  To my surprise she rented a 35 foot sailboat on Lake Superior.  We would sail around the Apostle Islands off of northern Wisconsin.  Being from the Midwest and wanting to get out of this awful heat, I agreed.

The first day out with sunny skies I was impressed with how she managed the sail and headed toward the Apostle Islands.  With little warning the weather changed. Rain, wind, with the water white capping I wondered what I was doing.  Where was that sound of an engine that I had grown accustomed to.  My daughter was working the main sail; her husband was at the wheel.  With 40 knot winds the sailboat was heeling and I was hanging on for dear life.  I was truly impressed with how they managed that boat—reefing the main sail (sail half up), steering the boat even though the rudder was almost impossible to turn. 

The next day the weather was better so they opened the front sail (jib).  The way they both worked the jib and main sail was amazing.  The power of the wind and the way we plowed through the water was strangely quiet.  No sound of a motor but we were going 4-5 knots.  The third day the weather was sunny and warm.  The only problem was that there was hardly any wind.  This was totally different than the first 2 days.  Watching my daughter and son-in-law working the jib from one side of the boat to the other (tacking) allowed us to sail with almost no wind.  When there was wind, we were against it (upwind)—the no go zone.  They patiently managed to pull 1-2 knots against the wind.

I have to admit I enjoyed this kind of boating--the sheer power of the wind—the sound of the boat going through the water—with no motor.  I guess you are never too old to enjoy a new experience.  And, by the way, I was able to try a new fender I designed especially for sailboats. 

I’ve been boating for over 30 years. I always knew protection for my boat was needed when tied to a dock. This was a major concern at the Lake of the Ozarks because of the rough water. I thought a boat fender was the same as a boat bumper. When I started my own company manufacturing bass boat fenders for Ranger bass boats and others, I called them bumpers. After all these years I have learned a fender is a protection device for a boat; a bumper is something that provides protection for a boat but is fastened to the dock.  

Just goes to show you that you are never too old to learn something new. 

We are very pleased to announce that we have launched our very first website!  We created this website for the purpose of providing you, the bass boat enthusiast, with information on how to protect your boat using AKUA Boat Fenders.  We will also be using our blog to discuss various boating, fishing, and many other topics.  In fact, if you have any ideas, please contact us or comment on our blog posts.  We would love to hear from you!

If you would like to purchase AKUA boat fenders, please proceed to our product page for product details and purchasing information.

You can also view a short promotional video of our product in action on the home page of our website.

Thanks again, and we look forward to hearing from you!