Here's a quick review of battery types available for your boat. Whether your just looking to extend the time between charges to keep your bilge pump running or intend to go hybrid and use some combination of internal combustion and electricity to propel your boat, you'll find this primer helpful.

Flooded Electrolyte: The basic battery we all know. Cells composed of lead or antimony plates submerged in an acid bath.

An electric windlass is one of those items that seem like a luxury, but quickly becomes a necessity once you strain your back while weighing anchor. I regularly anchor 80 to 120 feet of water to fish deep wrecks and reefs, and I couldn’t do it without a windlass.

If our March 2012 Weekend Workbook on windlasses has you thinking about one, know this: You will have to decide between a horizontal or vertical model. Here are some pluses and minuses of each.

Ask Formula Boats president, Scott Porter about the company's Factory Regional Showrooms and he'll tell you they are a success. Formula currently has three such locations: Freeport, New York; St. Petersburg, Florida and Decatur, Indiana--at the company's plant and headquarters. And he intimated that they are looking at more locations, perhaps with an eye on the Pacific Northwest.

Day One pounding the docks at the 2011 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show revealed more new boat model debuts than I've seen in the last three or four major shows combined. Your interest on the showroom floor, and commitment to the world's greatest sport has flushed many a builder with the confidence needed to devote money and resources to new product development. The boat show excitement is back.