— From the helm
Marine intelligence, boating tips, and d3kOS updates from Skipper Don.
Every boat project has a turning point. For me, it came on Black Friday. I’d been limping along with a 1990s Lowrance fish finder — the kind of unit that belongs in a museum more than on Lake Erie. It showed a boat icon floating on blue nothingness. No detail, no charts, no real situational […]
When the boat is wrapped up for winter and the snow is falling, that’s when the ideas start flowing. I’ve spent decades in IT, helping companies digitize and disrupt, so of course I can’t help but look at my 1994 Monterey and think: how do I bring her into the digital age? The first step […]
I’ve spent my career helping businesses go through digital transformation—taking clunky, electronic and paper‑driven processes and turning them into sleek, connected systems. So when I look at my own boat, I can’t help but see the same opportunity staring back at me. Don’t get me wrong, I love my boat. But it’s not my dream […]
September 2025. The fish were practically volunteering for the frying pan. Four‑hour limit, perfect skies, and the kind of calm water that makes you think you’re in a tourism commercial.Naturally, I pointed the bow home, cranked the throttle, and let the heavy metal blast through the speakers. Because everyone knows horsepower increases by at least […]
Boating on the Great Lakes is incredible. Big water. Big waves. Big confidence. And for some reason, we all believe our indoor‑only electronics will survive out here just because the water isn’t salty. Spoiler: fresh water is still fully committed to ruining your gear. It just does it politely, like a Canadian storm. Boats don’t […]
Boaters are an optimistic species. We believe we can dock perfectly on the first try, that the weather will “probably hold,” and that our delicate, indoor‑only electronics will somehow survive in a floating saltwater sauna powered by vibration and regret. But before we get too far, let’s talk about the one thing that kills this […]
Picture this: You’re easing your boat into a foggy harbour at midnight. The water is calm, the dock lights are faint, and your wallet is already whimpering in anticipation of “marine electronics shopping.” You know you need a way to see what your human eyes can’t—but which gadget is the right fit? Radar: The Bat’s […]
I was watching an episode of Waterways the other night, expecting the usual mix of serene drone shots and polite interviews. Instead, I nearly spilled my coffee when they showcased a night vision system that streams directly to your onboard screen. Night vision! On a boat! Suddenly my trusty spotlight felt like a candle in […]
Not every boat gets tucked away in a heated warehouse for the winter. Mine certainly doesn’t. For those of us who store outdoors, winterizing isn’t optional — it’s survival. Shrink wrap, antifreeze, and a checklist become your best friends. Why Winterizing Matters A boat isn’t just fibreglass and an engine. It’s a small floating house […]
When I bought my boat, the listing proudly declared: “As Seen on TV.” I prayed it wasn’t one of those late-night infomercials—“Buy now and we’ll throw in a set of steak knives!” Thankfully, it wasn’t. Instead, my boat, Our Time, had been made famous by Water Ways with Steve Bull. Yes, that show. The one […]
