It’s entirely possible that you might like board games without ever playing one directly related to boats or boating. Yet some of the best board games which have ever been designed involved ships or boats. Some of them are out of print, but if you like board games and boats, it’s well worth seeing if you can find a copy at a flea market, on eBay, or wherever else you can find old games. One of the best things about board games with boats is that you can control an entire squadron of the world’s most expensive ships without needing any boat insurance.

Here are some of the best board games ever made which involve boats or ships:

1. Battleship. This is the one most of you are the most likely to have played. The game is quick, fun, and easy to learn. On top of that, you can sink an entire fleet of battleships, destroyers, submarines, and aircraft carriers without making a single boat insurance payment.

1. Wooden Ships & Iron Men. Put out by war gaming giant Avalon Hill (if you’re not familiar with it, you’re not a true geek), this game spanned the great age of sail from the late 1600s through the late 1800s. Statistics are given for hundreds of actual ships of each of the great maritime nations, and players can recreate famous battles, or develop their own.

1. Axis & Allies. While not strictly a boat oriented game, this classic war game incorporates all facets of World War II, giving games the chance to control battleships, aircraft carriers, submarines, and transport ships along with their land based units.

1. Broadsides & Boarding Parties. This game came out in the same series (Hasbro’s Warmasters series) as Axis & Allies, yet never quite reached the level of popularity. It’s kind of a shame, because this naval game offers some of the best naval action of any game we’re played, focusing on the golden age of the buccaneers.

1. Bermuda Triangle. This one can be tough to find, but it’s fun to play if you do get your hands on a copy. The object of the game is to move your boats and airplanes through the Caribbean’s deadly Bermuda Triangle without becoming lost. Think it’s easy? Think again.

Places
Learn everything you ever wanted to know about boating in Florida or Washington or New England. Sail the San Francisco Bay or the Chesapeake Bay. Ever thought of boating the canals of the U.K or visiting Oz or canoeing in Hawaii? Here’s your chance to plan your trip. Missing the Great Lakes? The North Channel of Lake Huron beckons.

History
Museum websites are treasure troves of historic boating information: make a virtual visit to The Mariners’ Museum in Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in Maryland, the Museum of America and the Sea (Mystic, Connecticut), the New Bedford Whaling Museum (Massachusetts), or the online museum at Seattle’s Center for Wooden Boats. Riverboat Dave is a must-read for anyone interested in riverboat history.

Fascinated by shipwrecks? Take a look at U.K. Wreck Diving, whether you dive wrecks or just like to read about them. Wisconsin’s Great Lakes Shipwrecks is fascinating, as are the resources available at Famous Shipwrecks Worldwide.

Parts, Repair, Salvage
Classic powerboat enthusiasts will appreciate OldBoats anytime they need a part or reliable antique boat information. BoatRepairs offers state-by-state listings for local dealers and repair shops. For DIY folks, DIYBoatOwner is a must-read; there are lots of technical tips on the site as well as promos for their print magazine. Sail on over to Boatbuilding.net or the Boat Doctor forums for more useful instruction. YachtSurvey is another winner, offering readers comprehensive information on boat maintenance and ownership.

Reviews, Comparisons, and Classifieds
Get a boat, peruse listings for boats, or find new and used boats at a variety of sites. If you’re still trying to decide what type of boat to get, BoatTest, Soundings, the buyer’s guide at Boating Life, or We Rate Boats are good places to start.

Navigation
Access the U.S. Naval Oceanography’s astronomical data, or use military nautical calculators. SmallBoatGPS is a user-friendly resource. BoatSafe offers an excellent explanation of navigation (including historical details) for kids; it’s an interesting read for anyone who is new to boat navigation.

Safety/Weather
Life vests are a must. Here’s how to choose a personal flotation device. Check for fair winds before you go at PassageWeather, and make some general predictions about current. If you use Windows, you can also get some free tide prediction software. NOAA’s Tides Online is a critical resource for all boaters. The National Data Buoy Center gives you current current information (that’s a pun, not a typo, people. Ok, moving on.)

Newbies
Learn how to tie a knot. (We’re not talking marriage.) If it’s rainy, here’s more knot tying for you to practice. You can also learn about types of boats, how sails work, and right-of-way rules.

Charters
Even if you don’t own your own boat, we’ve got resources for you. Charter a boat for a dream vacation at Taylor’d Yacht Charters, the Moorings, or Barefoot Yachts.

Armchair Travel
Can’t get out today? Watch some SailTube

Got any other suggestions? We’d love to hear about them in the comments.

The Innespace Dolphin

This “boat” is probably the coolest design of the list.  It is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.  With a literal cockpit, this thing can dive underwater, breach, and even do barrel rolls with you inside.  It’s not good for much else, but what else could you need, really?  Just watch the video if you haven’t already seen this thing:

The Personal Hydrofoil

Pretty much the exact opposite of the Dolphin, this personal watercraft gives you the feeling of flight as it raises you up out of the water.  The long shaft puts the propeller and fins deep in the water and as the boat gains momentum it “floats” in the air.  Another one-dimensional boat that looks like insane fun for anyone.  Just wear a helmet.

Worlds fastest Amphibious Car

We could have filled this list with a number of amphibious cars, but most of them are decent cars that make terrible boats…kinda like that futon you had in college.  This car, however, turns into a boat you can race around the lake with pride.  Can you say: chick magnet?  James Bond: eat your heart out.

Water Bird – A (WTF) waterbike…

This is the strangest watercraft on the list by far.  The design is minimal and the motion… awkward.  Definitely a different twist on the human propelled watercraft, my only question is:  What happens when you stop in the middle of the lake?  A li’l help?

Porta-Boat

Who doesn’t want a fold-able boat?  OK, I probably wouldn’t carry anything valuable in this thing, but the versatility of a boat that folds to 4″ is something anyone who doesn’t own a hitch & trailer could use.  Also, this thing looks pretty indestructible… I bet none of the others can float while full of water.

Dippies – Disappearing Propeller Boats

Ok, I know what your thinking: these are pretty much only cool to your grandparents.  They stopped making them in the 50′s for crying out loud!!  But for totally different reasons than the Dolphin, these boats are awesome.  They have a nostalgic-practical-romantic feeling that makes them a classic.  They certainly don’t make them like this anymore, and IMHO, that’s something that should change.

Worlds Largest Pedal Boat

This boat is an instant head turner.  The over-sized wheels make the pedal boat look more like personal paddle-wheeler.  A bit less than practical, this thing looks like it’s more fun than it probably is.  Still, if you saw it pedaling down the lake, your reaction would be to  say one thing: COOL!

Nauticraft Pedal Boats

Pedal boats are a dime a dozen.  There’s a number of unique designs, but none so sleek and sexy as this one from Nauticraft.  Watching the video, too, it looks as though the design is a huge advantage for speed and efficiency for these things.  Especially considering .000001 knots is about as fast as most pedal boats go.

The Craig Cat

I want one.  Plain and simple.  There’s nothing really remarkable about the design that hasn’t been done before, but then again, there’s nothing quite like them.  They look like a lot of fun, truly versatile, and just: COOL.  This could be my next boat purchase…

The Hyde Drift Boat

Drift boats are pretty lame…unless you enjoy river fishing. (I do, but that’s not why this made the list)  Watch the video below to find what looks like the most versatile boat design ever.  Every boat manufacturer should take a hint here.  Movable seats, compartments, shelfs, fishing chairs, and a number of other customizable amenities give this boat almost unlimited layout possibilities.  If only it were more than just a drift boat…

So you’re here at the site, there is a chance that you’re wondering to yourself “Why do I need Boat Insurance?”  There are a million little reasons why you would need boaters and watercraft insurance.  The same reasons that you’d need any other type of insurance from home to renters to travelers… to indemnify yourself in the event of a loss.

When you have a car, it’s easy to see why you need car insurance.  You see or hear about car accidents almost daily.  But boat accidents are few and far between… or at least they appear to be.

As a wonderful and humorous reminder of all that could go wrong with your boat, we present to you a wonderful list of videos of boat accidents and mishaps.  As  you watch, laugh and enjoy please think to yourself “What if this was my boat?”

1. GRAND ENTRANCES/EXITS

This one is a small collection of idiots getting in and out of boats, often unceremoniously.  The boats were fine, the people not so much.

2. RANDOM BOAT INCIDENTS: A PHOTO ESSAY
A nice photo essay of the various situations that you as a boat owner could find yourself in.

3. “I SAID TURN STARBOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“This small sailboat is about to cut in front of a large ferry boat.” Wow Capt. Understatement… no risk of hyperbole here. How about this instead Mr. Narrator… “This small sailboat is about to get royally screwed and owned when it makes the dumbest decision EVER by turning into the path of a behemoth.”

4. ANCHOR’S AWAY!
The title says it all.

5. BASS FISHING BOAT NIGHTMARE
Some of the other entries on this list might seem exotic featuring ferry boats and cruise ships, but this one features a world class idiot on a pretty standard bass boat doing about 70 MPH! Not sure why it’s 5 minutes long. Just go to the 1:25 mark and check out the crash. The slow mo is fantastic, you can see the whole evolution including the moment where his head crashes violently into the boat. This video serves as a reminder that even the weekend boater needs to fully understand the limits of ones watercraft.

6. HOW NOT TO TOW YOUR BOAT USING AN AIRCRAFT
If you EVER have the fortune of having a disabled boat and a helicopter (including willing pilot) is able to assist you, resist the urge. It could turn out like this. (Ok so it’s not a boat accident, but it’s pretty spectacular).

7. BUT I WASN’T EVEN IN THE BOAT
Sometimes insurance can help you even if you had nothing to do with the crash. Case in point: I’m making the assumption that the driver in this video is NOT the owner of the boat. I say that because I’m guessing that anyone who has ever towed a boat would realize instantaneously that leading a high speed chase while doing so is about as dumb as yelling “I hate Twilight” at an all girls Junior High School.

8. NO, NOT THAT GEORGE BUSH, THE OTHER ONE. I KNOW I THOUGHT IT WAS HIM TOO.
So you find yourself saying “that’ll never happen to me, I’m too smart for that.” Yeah, that’s what George H.W. Bush (the 1st one) said too. It goes to show you that even Yale educated, WWII Hero Pilot, Presidents can have a bad day in a boat.

9. A COLLECTION OF HIGH SPEED CRASHES
No collection would be complete without a, well, collection. Here is a nice consortium of high speed boat crashes for your enjoyment. Enjoy the quality air time and height of some of these crashes.

10. EPIC!
Ok, so I’ve used “owned” and “epic” in this post… sue me. But it really, truly fits here. This is a crash of epic proportions. When I first saw this, I shut it off after the first few seconds, thinking I had seen it all. I was wrong. Please enjoy the video at :50 seconds, where a shipmate exits to an outside p-way and begins to make his way aloft to surmise the damage. “Oh, it’s probably just an antenna…. NOPE, it’s more than the antenna… wow it’s hot out here, I’m just gonna go back inside and call someone.” The subtle and ironic music really makes the video for me.

BONUS VIDEO:

Somewhere in my searches, and more than once, a video popped up in my suggestions in YouTube.  After I saw it a few times I clicked on it,  even thought it was in no way related to Boat’s, Boat Crashes or Boat Insurance.  Nonetheless, it was one of the funniest videos I ever saw.

Naming a boat is an important moment in a boat owner’s life.  It’s much like naming a child, but without the restrictions.  When you name a child, unless you’re Gwyneth Paltrow, you’re kind of relegated to the established cannon of names like Michael or Emily.  But when you’re naming a boat, it becomes something far more personal.

You’ve only got one shot at it.  But what do you want to do with it?  Should it be something witty and fun, or should it be homage to a lost love for family member?  I am certain that there have been many an hour toiled over to the great torment and chagrin of a boat owner… “What do I name my boat?!??!”

In a modest effort to give you a modicum of inspiration, or to perhaps focus the efforts of the proud owners who have yet to name their boats, we’ve provided you with a list of popular boat names.  Some are recent trends of boat names, some are pop culture based, and some are historical references.

THE MOST POPULAR BOAT NAMES OF 2008 – FIELDANDSTREAM.COM

A boat from a movie based off of a Disney ride, that turned into one of the biggest blockbusters ever.

Seas the Day
Summer Daze
Second Chance
Aqua-Holic
Wind Seeker
Dream Weaver
Black Pearl
Hydrotherapy
The Salt Shaker
Sea Quest

This is TOTALLY not the same boat that Bogart and Hepburn hooked up on.

POP CULTURE REFERENCES

Black Pearl – “Pirates of the Caribean”
ORCA – “Jaws”
SS Minnow – “Gilligan’s Island”
The Olive – “Popeye”
Jenny – “Forrest Gump”
Stugots – “The Sopranos”
The Flying Wasp – “Caddyshack”
The Belafonte – “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”
The African Queen

One man, so many boat names.

SONG BASED BOAT NAMES

Shaker of Salt
A Pirate Looks at 40
Son-of-a-son-of-a-sailor – Jimmy Buffet
5 O’Clock Somewhere – Kenny Chesney
Downeaster Alexa – Billy Joel
Edmund Fitzgerald – Gordon Lightfoot

“DEADLIEST CATCH BOAT NAMES”

Deadliest Catch: awesome sailors, awesome boats, awesome boat names

Northwestern
Wizard
Time Bandit
Cornelia Marie
Maverick
Rollo
Farwest Leader
Fierce Allegiance
Early Dawn

"Umm, Captain? Maybe we should do something OTHER than stare at it."

BOAT NAMES IN LITERATURE

The Nautilus – “20,000 Leagues Under  the Sea”
Pequod – “Moby Dick”
Surprise – “Master and Commander”
Red October – “The Hunt for Red October”
Vingalot – “The Silmarillion”

So there you have it.  A nice list of boat names at your disposal.  Take one or make your own, it doesn’t matter.  What matters most is that the name fits the vessel and that you’ve given it with thought and with love.  The best of luck in naming your boat, wishing you fair winds and following seas.