You've decided you want to learn how to sail. Now you just need to choose a boat to learn how to sail in. There are a lot of choices, and several things you need to consider. There are several different kinds of sailboats to choose from. There are wet and dry beginner sailboats. There are also more advanced kinds such as catamaran sailboats, and there are cabin sailboats as well.

On Wet Beginner Sailboats, you can expect to get wet most of the time. You sit on the deck or on the floor. These boats are easier to manage so they are good for beginners. On Dry Beginner Sailboats, you will stay dry most of the time (in good weather). You sit on a seat or on the gunwhale. These boats make you feel relatively safe so they are good for beginners too. On Cabin Sailboats, you definitely stay dry. They can have a small cuddy for storage or a full size cabin for staying overnight in.

It is best for beginners to have a small simple boat. They require a lot less responsibility than bigger boats, and can be just as much fun. It is easier to learn the basics when there are fewer lines and sails. Small boats also have the advantage of being more responsive in light winds. Once you have learned the basics on small boats, you can apply the skills you've acquired to any size of boat.

You will want to begin on a boat that is rigged with one mast and one sail, since that will make it easier to focus on learning the fundamentals of sailing. A number of small boats are designed to perform well with just one sail.

You will also want a conventional single-hulled boat. Multihulled boats, such as catamarans and trimarans can be a bit too much for learners as they are more high performance boats. You will want to get a boat with a fiberglass hull. A fiberglass hull requires less maintenance than a wooden hull, and it is lightweight and fairly easy to repair.

You will want to buy a boat that is at least 12' for two adults, or at least 10' for two children. Make sure your boat is big enough for two people.

You will want a boat with a centerboard or daggerboard keel. Centerboard or daggerboard designed boats allow you to sail in shallow water. When you are sailing with the wind behind you, these keels can be pulled up for better performance. Leeboard keels will do the same thing, but they are more fussy because you have to change them with each tack

Sailing can be a lot of fun, when you have chosen the right boat for you. When you are beginning it is best to get a boat that is small (but big enough for two people) and simple (with one mast and one sail and a fiberglass hull) so that you can concentrate on learning the fundamentals of sailing. A small boat like this is more responsive in light winds. You will want a boat with a centerboard or daggerboard keel because they are less fussy than leeboard keels. Find the right boat and you will have many enjoyable sailing adventures. Have fun.

I am a firm believer that women can do just as much as men and my wife is living proof of that statement. Being in the military for twenty years I was required to be away from my family for months at a time and as such my wife quickly learned to do many of the usual tasks around the home that are traditionally reserved for the man of the house. In fact the personal joke for many years was to refer to her as "Ms Villa" when something needed to be repaired at home. She has even gone as far as changing out an engine on a small rally car which we once had in Spain.

Ham radio should be no different than any other task for although one usually imagines the activity of radio communications as being a male dominated game it is slowly being taken over by the YL's of America. YL is short for young ladies of which all women are addressed in ham radio regardless of their ages. It is the same as calling all the male radio operators OM or old men.

Most ham radio organizations welcome women with open arms and are more than willing to assist them in any way possible towards obtaining their technician or higher license. An interesting point that was made to me in this regards was that the normal high female voice makes it much easier to understand and read a radio transmission than it would be for the usual male voice. That characteristic is especially vital when emergency radio communications is necessary and errors can not be tolerated. During the good weather days women are taking to the airwaves and chatting to their male counterparts about local or long distance road conditions and the various community events which are taking place in their part of the nation. However when a disaster strikes and the storm clouds are on the horizon these same women are busy sending out emergency communications via airwaves.

Dawn Moss is just such a woman. When her home was threatened by rising flood waters, Dawn rushed her pets and children to a safe location and quickly made her way to her local CERT center where she transferred radio traffic for a continuous 36 hours. These messages were of an emergency nature such as direct requests for help and various rescue coordination transmissions.

Ms. Moss is not alone in her pursuit of the ham radio hobby. More and more women are learning the operations of the radios, obtaining the necessary license and joining their communities Amateur Radio Emergency Services. The number of these female members has been increasing over the years and to this day their numbers range as high as 30 percent in some areas. There are more women involved today because they need only study some basic electronics and possess a willingness to give back to their community.

I personally am planning to get my YL interested in the program as well, for I feel it would be of great benefit in a retreat to have the wife trained in radio use as well. If this sounds like something you and your wife may be interested in you could conduct an internet search of your area for ham radio clubs. They are all over the nation.

According to the international rules of the "road", all seafaring vessels are supposed to maintain "moderate speed" in thick weather, but this rule is variously interpreted and often disregarded. The international rules also prescribe various fog signals, which vessels must make by whistle, foghorn or bell, according to circumstances. In coastal waters foggy weather increases the danger of running aground as well as causing collisions. The waters are well charted, and frequent soundings help the navigator find his way, and he is further aided by fog signals on shore, in the shape of sirens, whistles, bells (including submarine bells) and nowadays, above land, by so-called radio beacons. Acoustic fog signals of all kinds (submarine excepted) are famous for the varying distances at which they can be heard. A signal audible under certain circumstances at a distance of ten miles will, on occasions, be entirely inaudible at two; or, again, there will be certain zones or regions within a mile or two of the signal where no sound can be heard, while the signal is distinctly heard at much greater distances. These eccentricities are probably not due so much to the fog itself as to eddies and other movements of the atmosphere.

According to a well-known publication of the British Meteorological Office, "seamen's weather" includes only three elements of great practical importance-wind, fog, and floating ice. The last of these pertains as much to hydrography as to meteorology, but its prevalence depends upon weather conditions and also exercises a great influence upon the weather of the world, through its effects upon barometric pressure and winds. Ice is more dangerous to steamers than to sailing vessels, on account of the greater speed of the former; and the tragic loss of the Titanic, through collision with an iceberg on Aprill 15, 1912, proved that no vessel is big enough to be safe from it. Fortunately the vigilance of the International Ice Patrol, maintained by the United States Coast Guard, has made the North Atlantic steamship routes fairly safe from the grim menace described in Longfellow's well-known lines- "Southward with fleet of ice Sailed the corsair Death"

Two other outstanding factors in marine meteorology require mention here. The navigator reads his barometer regularly, not because the pressure of the atmosphere affects his well being in any direct way, but because its fluctuations afford a clue to coming storms and shifts of wind. The state of the sea-by which is meant the smoothness or roughness of its surface-is generally classed as a weather feature, because it is mainly dependent on wind. The seaman distinguishes between waves of two kinds. Those set up by the wind blowing at the time and place of observation are called "sea," while waves due to a distant storm or to one that has recently occurred in the vicinity of the ship are called "swell."

It is an easy process to find the radio stations of your choice over the internet. Generally there are directories of all the stations from which you can choose of your choice and style to music. It is a very simple process. You can type the words, in any search engine on your computer and you will get the list. There are different categories of the radio stations given in the directories on different sites and you can choose according to your choice. On some sites a search engine is given for you to make it easier for you to choose the radio station.

Every country has internet radio stations. So, you have limitless choice to choose. Once you choose the internet radio station you may listen to your favorite songs by streaming it on your computer. It is needed as some stations to work for windows media player, real player or winamp. Some sites also offer live music that you can listen directly and some have video. Even different categories of songs are also given that may help you to choose the songs of your choice. Shoutcast.com is a great resource as well.

You can also search for radio stations particular to your city or rock music. You will get a list and choose it as per your wish. Online radio stations offer you different choices. It is not just listening to the music of your choice but it is much more than this. You just have to click a button and see how many options are open for you. With the advancement in the technology it has become very easy and convenient for music lovers to find the music of their choice in a second and enjoy their day. Some sites also offer free download of the songs that you can download on your computer and listen later when you require so that you do not have to open the site again and again and waste your time. So, your favorite music is just a click away.

If you want to have the ultimate control, try Pandora or Slacker. These sites let you create the perfect mix.

After the invention the of iPods and MP3 players, regular old radio seemed to be lost totally in the sands of times. Recently, though, there have been a few major changes in the radio, which may bring radios into fashion again. In fact, the major upgrades which have been included in the latest model of the C. Crane radio is innovative and way beyond comparison. These radios are really very handy if you do not have a mounting desk for MP3 players in your car. They look like a normal radio with one tiny receptor and one small LCD with a woofer at its side.

And yet their internal mechanics have improved over time as of yet they are offering us much more than the mere Fm frequencies. With their radio kit specially the newer model launched, you will get FM, AM, Internet radio, weather forecast and also TV audio.

These radios have various other controllers which really help in improvising the signal. For The volume there is the sound knob, plus an additional bass and treble knob, And then you have the tuning knob of course. There are other buttons too to select the desired radio function.

These radios come with a 6 watt woofer so the volume wont be a problem even when you are driving or out in the woods for a picnic. The design is nothing to be proud of. It is a simplistic and normal design. These radios are available in black color only.

The inner mechanics include a twin coil ferrite antenna which as claimed by the company really helps in getting better signal reception. These have a great battery life too.

The company claims that this radio has a battery life of over 30 hours on AA batteries and 175 hours over D batteries. They come to us with one year warranty, which is a small time compared to today's standards. But if you want yourself a portable music station and wan to keep in touch with the current music trends this device is just for you. Reception is pretty good in house and also while on the road.

The Battery life and added speakers give us an extra advantage plus if you want to listen through headphones there is a stereo 3. 5mm jack included at the side of it. Additional features included in newer models are the radio alarm clock which will be helpful only if you doze off to sleep while on long trips. So buy it if you like to pamper yourself with a lot of quality music, and listen to The US TOP charts while driving on a long journey.

Sirius Satellite Radio is more than just music. Some of the 12 million listeners prefer television-like content delivered right to their morning commute to help them stay awake. Whether you need a good laugh from Monty Python, some acerbic criticism from Hannity and Colmes, a world report from Barbara Walters, or the latest traffic and weather updates, Sirius Radio has it all, amid 130 incredible channels.

Political animals, beware! You have many options for heated debate from your Sirius radio satellite. Catch GOP debate recaps on either "Sirius Left" or "Sirius Patriot," including highlights, opinions and analysis. Hannity & Colmes take their show from television to the "Sirius Fox News" station and "Sirius CNN" offers a combination of US and world news.

Both "CNBC" and "Bloomberg Radio" stations offer financial and business news from around the world. For world and international news, choose from eight different stations in multiple languages and a variety of perspectives: International Talk (French), Info Plus (French), The Korean Channel (Korean), CNN En Espanol (Spanish), BBC World News, World Radio Network, Premiere Plus (Canadian News) and CBC Radio One.

Lighter Lifestyle reports and Entertainment are plentiful on Sirius Radio as well. Whether you'd like the latest home decorating tips from Martha Stewart (channel 112), inspirational motivation from Mary O and Deepak Chopra ("Stars" channel 102), or the latest from Maxim Magazine and Cosmo Magazine, you will find it amid the 130 channels it has to offer! Other specialty channels focus on Court TV programming (110) or Gay and Bisexual culture (109), or news and information related to truckers (147).

Perhaps you want to just kick back and laugh. On Channel 104 "Raw Dog," catch Dave Attell, Dane Cook, Jim Breuer, Mojo Nixon and Bob Saget. Channel 103's "Blue Collar Radio" will give you everything from College Football and Nascar to Ralphie May and PJ Walsh. Channel 105 "Laugh Break" is a riot with Jerry Seinfeld, George Carlin, Weird Al, Dane Cook, Bill Cosby and Monty Python.

Channel 106 "The Foxhole" is comedian Jamie Foxx's own station for news-related comedy. Of course, there's always Howard Stern on channels 100 and 101 offering his madcap viewpoints.

Sports Junkies won't miss a game when they sign up for the sports weekly newsletter from it. With radio receivers like The Streamer or The Sportster, they can receive Game Alerts directly from their radio satellite and also pause and rewind for up to 44 minutes of game play! College Sports, Canadian Sports, poker, tennis, soccer or horse racing.

Catch airport delays, pollen reports, smog reports, weather conditions, construction updates, collision reports and sporting event traffic build ups on Sirius Satellite Radio channels 148 - 158. Updated every four minutes, the Traffic and Weather stations service over 20 major metropolitan regions from New York City, Washington DC and Chicago to Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego.

Channel 185 covers coast-to-coast Canadian traffic and weather. Channel 184 gives you a national weather summary from region to region, along with beach reports, boating and golfing conditions, as well as storm watch updates. In extreme cases, this channel also provides life-saving news related to hurricanes, blizzards, mudslides, wild fires and emergency evacuations.

Sirius Satellite Radio was ranked the #1 Fastest Growing Company in 2007 by Deloitte Technology. This is in part due to its growing selection of specialty channels and unique programming, but also because the prices are so fair. For just /month and for as little as for the satellite radio receiver, you can have over 130 channels of music, news and entertainment to suit your every whim!

Winter Remains.... Yesterday we experienced a quick teaser that Spring was on it's way with unseasonably warm temperatures. Today the Northeast has a high wind warning for storm force winds. Spring doesn't officially occur until the Vernal Equinox March 20, 2011 at 11:21pm Eastern Standard Time when on the Northern Hemisphere day and night are approximately of equal length.

A lot of us are fascinated by the weather. It seems like weather is the primary topic of many conversations. Plans are made and canceled because of the weather. Yet we have no control over what mother nature has in store for us.

However, we can be prepared by owning an All Hazards NOAA Public Alert weather radio.

NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration part of the US Department of Commerce. NOAA weather Radio broadcasts (NWR) is a national network of radio stations that continuously broadcast weather and emergency information including all types of hazards including chemical releases, oil spills, Amber and Silver alerts, tornadoes, hurricanes, heavy rains, snow, ice, flooding, etc. 7 days a week 24 hours a day. A NOAA public alert radio has the ability to reach over 95% of the US population with 1000 transmitters which make available broadcasts to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the US Pacific Territories. A special NOAA radio receiver is necessary to have access to these transmissions. Messages broadcast may be life saving. A NOAA Public Alert Radio should be among your emergency preparedness items.

Be Safe Plus LLC advocates being prepared for the unexpected and among others carries a variety of NOAA weather radios with battery backup systems. Be among the first to know about a weather or hazardous situation. Be Safe.