Bass Fishing Boats: Advice For The First Time Buyer

Bass fishing is a great past time that many people, both young and old enjoy. Once you get the taste of bass fishing, you might decide that you want to venture into buying your first bass fishing boat. This is truly an exciting experience, so it is best that you get some advice, being a first time buyer of a bass fishing boat.



One of the first things you want to make sure you have when you go to get your new boat is the right kind of vehicle for towing the boat. There are many vehicles that are just not made for towing something behind them. When you have your boat fully loaded with your gear as well as gas and attach it to your trailer, you can expect to be towing over 3500 lbs. behind your vehicle. You need to be sure to get a car or truck that can take that kind of load and pull it up a mountain or a hill.



When deciding on what size of a boat to get you will want to consider the size of the body of water that you will be fishing in. In larger bodies of water it is best to go with a boat that is at least 19 feet long where as if you are going to be fishing in a smaller body of water then you can go with a smaller outboard motor on a smaller boat. You can also choose which material your boat is made out of. Bass boats are generally made from aluminum or fiberglass. Each type of material has its good points as well as its bad points. For instance, if you were going to be doing most of your fishing in a small lake then you may want to go with the aluminum boat.



You may want to go with a fiberglass boat if you want a smoother ride on larger bodies of water. Fiberglass is generally more expensive then aluminum but not in all cases. The fiberglass boats are sturdier than the aluminum and they will not be blown around with the wind as much. Before making your choice, be sure to way all the options and check the pros and cons of each type to make the best educated decision.



You can buy either a new or used boat but again, there are pros and cons associated with both. Used boats seem to hold their value much longer but you have to keep in mind that outboard motors are generally short lived. If you decide to buy a used boat then you want to check out the motor properly before you use it. Another advantage to buying a used boat is the price. You can get a good deal for a used boat if you look around but keep in mind that you get what you pay for. If you get the boat at a cheap price you may have to be prepared to do some “fixing up” on the boat.



If you decide to go with a new boat then you will have the pleasure of getting a warranty with it. You will not have to worry about working on it and you can just get right to fishing. You will also most likely have more boats to choose from than when you are looking for a used one. No matter which way you decide to go, be sure to check out the vessel thoroughly, so that you know what you are buying.



About the Author: William Scott contributes bass fishing advice to BassFishingAdvice.com, a site dedicated to helping people learn about bass fishing boats .

Basketball Can Make Your Kids Smarter

Yes, folks, that’s right, playing basketball can actually make your kids smarter. No need for long study sessions, expensive tutors or academic camps. Just send them out to the court and worry no more.



When they play basketball, kids learn teamwork. They learn to collaborate on a goal, and how to play their part. This makes them smarter. They will then be able to go to school and organize a cooperative group that will come up with the best Native American project that ever was. Knowing how to work together, able to appreciate the aspects of give and take that is present on the basketball court allows them to work well with the other kids in their classes.



Playing basketball improves a kid’s hand-eye coordination. This in turn stimulates the brain, causing it to work harder and to thus work better. Improved skills of any kind lead to greater brain power, and thus your child will be smarter.



Being able to assess what’s going on around him or her on the court will help them make similar judgments in life. Paying attention to the other guy and knowing how to respond is another skill that, once mastered, will make your child smarter. If they can compare themselves to others, to analyze what the other kids are doing and to improve on that in their own lives, your kids will be smarter. They’ll be savvy and more able to think on their feet.



No kid likes to be told what to do, but a kid who can listen to a coach’s guidance will be more able to learn from others. Hearing what the coach has to say and being able to follow his or her suggestions makes your kids more open to constructive criticism, a must if one is to improve oneself. Being able to learn from the guidance of someone else is a huge benefit. This really helps a kid get smarter – they’re more willing to learn from someone else like a teacher, parent, or even older sibling.



Practicing the sport of basketball, if applied to other aspects of your child’s life can help make them smarter as well. Not having a problem with practicing on the court will most mean that they’ll be more amenable to practicing other things like piano lessons or spelling words. While no one likes to practice all the time, smart people know that it’s the only way to improve. We can’t all be experts the first time we try something, and learning this while on the court makes our kids smarter. Eventually they’ll figure out that they have to practice in other areas of their lives in order to improve and succeed.



In short, playing basketball can make your kid smarter. Practice, listening to the coach, paying attention to what others are doing, and playing on a team will help your kid increase his or her brain power. It’s a given.



Basketball hoops and goals. Click below for a wide selection of outdoor and indoor basketball hoops and goals.



About the Author: Shop basketball hoops and basketball goals at this neat basketball hoop store. Find portable and in ground basketball hoops.

Latest Golf Instruction Books

You have read the all the latest golf instruction books by Stan Utley, Dave Pelz, Fred Shoemaker, etc on different putting theories in an attempt to improve your putting stroke. You have been working and working on your putting motion and you think your it has improved. You are just looking for a way to challenge yourself in your practice. Here are some ideas:



• Take Notes - Keep track of your practice sessions by using The Ultimate Golf Journal or your own notebook. It is also important to keep track of your putting statistics to find out where you need the most practice. To improve your putting you must keep track of the results from your rounds of golf and to improve even faster, keep the statistics from your putting practice sessions as well.



• Take the hole away - Stroke multiple putts to the fringe. With the goal being, to stop the ball where the putting green means the green’s collar. Again, it is very important that you hold your finish for three seconds. When a player has trouble with their lag putting, it is typically due to the putter re-coiling at the end of the putting motion. Stroke putts from different distances to improve your lag putts. This putting drill works on the speed of your putts.



• Keep track of your misses – If you are missing the putting cup more to one side or another, the face of your putter is either opened or closed at impact. You can fix this by putting balls from just two feet from the hole on the practice putting green. In addition, hold your finish for three seconds. The good news is you really have to hit a poor putt to miss from this distance and more importantly you will bee able to see the line of the putt you hit. If your putting line does not improve, look into purchasing a laser pointer that will easily attach to your putter. Most are inexpensive and will give you instant positive feedback.



• Compete against a friend – There is no end to what could happen with this idea. I like playing the game pullback. Pick the amount of holes you are going to play ( I suggest nine hole increments). In this version, we will play nine holes. Decide who will go first. This person will pick a hole and stroke a putt at the determined target. If made, it is one stroke. If it is not made, you must pull it further away from the hole by a putter length and putt again until the ball is holed.



Use this article along with the techniques that you have gained from your reading of Stan Utley, Dave Pelz, Fred Shoemaker, etc. to improve your putting stroke motion. Choose the technique that you think will suit you the best and go to work on the putting green with that information. With just a little work your putting will improve and then get ready to watch your scores get better and better.



About the Author: Latest Golf Instruction Books can be found at www.virtualgolfswing.com.

New York City Marathon Magnificent

Inspiring performances on November 4, 2007 contributed to a classic New York City Marathon. Run on a crisp autumn Sunday, a record 39,085 runners took their positions on Staten Island.

The NYC Marathon began in 1970, a result of the vision of the New York Road Runners, who continue to stage it. The initial race was contained to Central Park. This evolved into the present course, which runs through the five boroughs of New York. There's a buzz throughout these locations each year in the weeks leading up to the event.

This year's race saw Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain emerge as the winner in the women's division. Martin Lel of Kenya was the men's winner. Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland won the women's wheeler division; Kurt Fearnley of Australia won the men's wheeler race for the second year in a row.

Paula Radcliffe's story is particularly noteworthy. She lives in Monaco and on January 17 of this year she gave birth to a baby girl there at the Princess Grace Hospital. Less than ten months later, Radcliffe, 33, crossed the finish line in New York as victor in this race. A late race explosion of energy propelled her ahead of Gete Wami of Ethiopia. Wami had taken the lead earlier from Radcliffe. Radcliffe's winning time clocked in at 2 hours, 23 minutes, and 9 seconds.

The men's race had no lack of drama itself. Martin Lel battled step for step with Abderrahim Goumri well in to the last stage in Central Park. Lel's strong finishing power led him to a 12-second win over the Moroccan. His first-place winning time was 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 4 seconds.

In the women's wheeler division, Edith Hunkeler, 35, broke her previous record for the course in a time of 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 38 seconds. It was a wonderful comeback for her; having severely crushed her leg in a racing accident in 2006.

Kurt Fearnley, 26, won the men's wheeler race in a time of 1 hour, 33 minutes, and 58 seconds. He broke the course record in New York City in 2006.
The New York City Marathon was not without heartfelt emotion and disappointment this year. Aside from the struggles every competitor faces and the fact that some entrants do not finish there were other concerns.

A day earlier, in New York, the U.S runner Ryan Shay, 28, collapsed and died at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Men's Marathon. This resonated with the runners as they learned of this tragedy in their running fraternity.

Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa could not race in the wheelers division. He had the misfortune of having his chair not arrive on the flight to New York. The world record- holder watched the race from the sidelines instead of participating.

Marathons, in general, are a test of the human spirit. To run 26.2 miles and have enough kick at the end to fight off a competitor is an accomplishment. In the case of the New York City Marathon, it's an even greater accomplishment. The prestige and surrounding hype contribute to its ability to play on the runners' emotions. Add to that the high-caliber athleticism of the contestants and you have a dramatic script already in place. Once the players take the field, an intriguing story develops every year.

In a race that ends in beautiful Central Park the electricity is apparent. That's why it captures the imagination of runners worldwide. In 2006, 93,000 plus applications came in for the race - much more than the slots available.

This year's race was no exception with throngs lining the streets. The weather cooperated as did the staff and volunteers of the New York Road Runners.

From Staten Island, through Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx and then to the thrilling finish in Manhattan, the marathon continues to inspire.

Runners worldwide, as well as 2 million spectators and estimated 315 million television viewers look forward every year to autumn in New York and the November running of the New York Marathon.

More information about Monaco can be found at YourMonaco.com The information about Monaco includes flights to and from NYC plus today's weather in Monaco

What NHL Autographed Memorabilia You Can Find and Get

The National Hockey League is home to heroes and warriors aplenty. With each swerve and drive of the puck through the ice, sticks clash, players dash, and tempers fly. With each score, a player is hailed as a savior and hero. With each miss of the goalkeeper, groans and screams can be heard for miles. Such is the appeal of hockey, whether it is watched in its full glory live, or on television, where viewers can alternate between tearing their hair out and jumping out of their seats.

Hockey, whether played on the grass or on the ice, has legions of fans and viewers. These same fans and viewers are poised to cheer any player on, whether he is the neighborhood hero or Wayne Gretzky himself. They are likewise interested, sometimes even obsessed with finding NHL autographed memorabilia at low prices.

If you are interested in hockey, or if you are new to the game and are planning to collect NHL autographed memorabilia, start inquiring at your local collector’s stores on what NHL autographed memorabilia are available, or what NHL autographed memorabilia you can afford. There are also many online sites where you can buy, auction, or trade NHL autographed memorabilia. Beware of such sites, however: like many other trading sites, there are lurkers and predators aplenty that can promise you wares without sending them to you, or promise to pay you for your NHL autographed memorabilia but do not do so.

Here are a few examples of NHL autographed memorabilia that you can avail of online. Although this list is by no means complete, it can give you a good idea of what most websites will offer. Prices will differ depending on the age of the NHL autographed memorabilia, who signed it, and the quality of the signed merchandise.

- NHL jerseys are the most commonly traded, sold, and bought items online. Signed and autographed by the players themselves, such jerseys become gems to collectors. If you are able to avail yourself of such a jersey, do not simply stash it away or keep it in a box. Frame it, not only to display the signature, but to preserve the autograph and jersey as well.

- NHL hats and caps are also attractive, as they can be used at games to proudly display the autograph of a fan’s favorite player. If you are able to buy autographed hats and caps, do not wear them too often unless you are in an air-conditioned stadium. Acidity and moisture can wear away cap quality and can damage the ink used to sign the autograph. Keep such hats and caps in a glass display box, along with some dehydrating salts, to protect them from humidity.

- Many other autographed NHL memorabilia can come in the forms of photographs, posters, and books. Take care of such memorabilia by either storing them in glass cases, or covering them with protective plastic. Keep any paper away from heat, acidity, and humidity, as these can easily destroy them. Photographs should also be kept away from direct sunlight, as these can cause photographs and the inks used to sign the autograph to fade.

- Hockey pucks and sticks are also available online, and, once signed by hockey players, can become so precious, their owners will refuse to use them to play any amateur game. Such autographed memorabilia should also be kept in glass cases, and should be free form moisture, since humidity can damage puck and stick materials.

- Made of stronger material, signed NHL helmets can withstand humidity, but the ink used to sign the helmet can melt away or fade. Store autographed NHL helmets in glass cases or cardboard boxes, and keep them away from acids or water.

For more information about authentic autographed sports memorabilia and collectibles, visit www.sportscollectionz.com . Read articles from contributing writers in our blog site at sportscollectionz.wordpress.com

The Secrets of Balance Climbing

Balance climbing is used to climb rock formations. As a climber you must study the route you are to travel, to ensure that you have chosen the best route and have the proper equipment. Before setting out, you should mentally climb the route you have chosen to anticipate future events or incidents.

The proper technique of balance climbing involves the following: v Eyes. As a climber, you must observe the entire route selected to climb. Use your eyes to climb the pitch. You should identify handholds and footholds, possible belay positions, alternate routes, rest spots, and a route for down climbing or descending. You must use your eyes continuously to look for subsequent handholds and footholds, and rest positions. As well as to continue planning and revision of the route. v Body Position. As you move and climb, your body must be in balance; that is, your weight must be centred over your feet. Use your hands mainly for balance, and support you body weight with your legs.

If you lean in toward a rock, your feet will not hold well; you must keep your body out and away from the rock to counter the gravitational pull of the body. With your body in balance, move with a slow, rhythmic motion. If possible try to maintain three points of contact with the rock, such as two hands and one foot.

Avoid a spreadeagle position, since you must stretch too far and cannot let go without falling. When you reach a position of security try to rest, since tensed muscles tire quickly. Allow for circulation by keeping your arms as low as possible, and while you relax,take the opportunity to plan your next move.

When selecting handholds, you should keep your hands about waist-to-shoulder level. This allows you the desired upright, balanced position as well as resting your arms. It is better to use small, intermediate holds rather than stretching and clinging to widely separated holds. Handholds may susequently become footholds. Your arms or legs should not be crossed, nor should you use your knees or elbows as handholds or footholds.

There is an acronym that will help you remember the proper procedures during balance climbing. CASHWORTH.

C - Conserve energy.
A - Always test holds.
S - Stand upright on flexed joints.
H - Hands kept low; handholds should be waist-to-shoulder high.
W - Watch your feet.
O - On three points of contact; avoid using knees and elbows; avoid awkward, out of balance positions.
R - Rhythmic movement.
T - Think and plan ahead.
H - Heels kept lower than toes, and pointed inwards.

Learn this and you will be one step ahead of the game.

Chris Haycock is an information publisher, one of whose many hobbies is climbing. With recurring knee problems, including one replacement, making it no longer possible to physically climb, he spends a lot of time researching resources to help other climbers. For details of one amazing resource, go to www.climbingknowledge.com