Sailing and Camping

1. Which stove is the most environmental friendly camp stove for your trip?
2. Where are you planning to camp?
3. How many people are you cooking for?
4. How are going to get to the camp site?

The most environmentally friendly stove is the propane stove that can be hooked up to a refillable propane tank. This option is mainly only available when camping at a campsite. Most of the stoves that use a 16oz. propane bottle can be hooked up to the refillable propane tanks with the aid of adapters and / or stands.

Several backpack stoves are able that burn liquefied gas fuels such as butane, propane, isobutane, or blends of these fuels. These fuels burn clean and work well at above freezing temperatures. When the temperature nears the boiling point of the fuel used it ability to vaporize minimizes and it becomes ineffective.

• Propane boiling point: -43° F (-40°C),
• Butane boiling point: 31° F (0.5°C),
• Isobutane boiling point: 11° F (-12°C).

These fuels can also be difficult to find and also expensive. These backpack stoves although environmentally friendly when burning use a gas canister that needs to be disposed of properly if gas is lift in them they can be classified as a hazardous waste.

Another type of camp/backpack stove uses liquid petroleum fuels that are pressurized in a bottle or tank. These kinds of camp stoves works well even in extreme cold and are quite environmentally friendly if the proper fuel is used and handled correctly. If the wrong fuel is used they can be toxic to you as well as the environment.

Alcohol camp stoves are environmentally friendly but require alcohol that is 91% pure or greater... the higher the better. One drawback is alcohol is it burns cooler and takes longer to cook requiring greater amounts of fuel to be needed.

The small single burner backpack stoves work well for one or two people are light and can be used at campgrounds as well as hiking or backpacking. The larger signal burner camp stoves and the multi burner camp stoves are heavier. They are not designed for hiking or backpacking.

If you can drive to your camp use the larger stoves. If backpacking or hiking use the small signal burner stoves. Use the proper fuel for your camp stove, take into consideration the time of year and expected temperatures'. Always follow manufactures safety instructions on the use of your camp stove.

1. Take care of your boat and the sails. Wash the sails with mild soap and water after sailing. Keep them out of the sun and fold the sail neatly when dry. Clean your boat to avoid transferring possible invasive plant or shellfish species to other sailing locations.

2. Check the weather, wind and tide before you go sailing. Start watching the weather a week before you go out. Record wind, type of clouds and how each weather type encountered impacts your sailing.

3. Be prepared for emergencies. Keep your life jackets (PFDs) in good condition and have one for each person on the boat. Make sure you have first aid supplies in a waterproof box.

4. If you are just learning to sail, start with a smaller sized boat with one sail and practice sailing in calm water where there are not a lot of people.

5. Practice capsizing your boat. Think of this like the fire drills you did in school.

6. Develop your sailing vocabulary. From weather terminology to vocabulary specific to sailing, the better you know this, the easier it will be to communicate with your crew. Learn proper sailing etiquette.

7. Practice adjusting the sails to take advantage of the different wind conditions.

8. Do not overestimate your abilities. Do not sail in rough water unless you know what you are doing. You could wind up in trouble. Make sure someone on land knows your plans before you go out sailing.

9. Watch out for the boom. You don't want to get hit in the head or possibly thrown overboard. Make sure your crew and passengers are aware of when the boom is going to swing.

10. Watch for other boats and keep control of your own boat by making sure you are sailing at a safe speed.