Written By Paul MacIver

The story of boats is as old as the human civilization. There's reference of a boat "Noah's ark" in the Bible. Noah's ark was the boat built by the Biblical character Noah to save his family and animals from the Flood. Gondolas were the traditionally used boats in Venice.

Today, a boat is considered as one of the major tools of watercraft. A boat is a small vessel for traveling on water. It comprises of one or more buoyancy structures called hulls, and some system of propulsion such as a screw, oars, paddles, a setting pole, a sail, paddlewheels or a water jet.

The front of a boat is called the bow or prow and the rear of the boat is called the stern. The right side is starboard and the left side is port. The boat toilet is called the 'heads'.

A boat with a housing compartment is called a houseboat or barge. A pontoon boat is a flat-bottomed boat that serves as a dock or as a floating structure to support a bridge. The pontoon boat is also known as a party boat. It is constructed of round tubes (called sponsons) that are attached to the outside, bottom edge of a large flat deck. It has a safety railing that surrounds the deck from all sides. The helm station is placed either in the middle of the deck or off to one side. Pontoon boats may be furnished with lawn furniture, and some deluxe pontoon boats may have upholstered seating, a dinette table, a roof, a cooler, and maybe even a head (toilet).

A recreational boat is used for water sporting activities or other recreational purposes.

Boat Maintenance:

People fond of water sports or water adventures keep their own boats. Taking good care of one's boat is very important. Good care and maintenance enhances the life of a boat and saves a lot of money also.

The following are some boat care tips:

- The boat engine should be flushed each time after it's used in salt water.
- The underneath of the boat should be washed to prevent salt buildup.
- The entire boat should be washed using soap and water, after every single use.
- A non-skid cleaner should be used to scrub the deck.
- The boat should be completely dried after washing.
- The boat should be covered properly with a boat cover.
- The boat should be waxed every few months to protect the finish from stains and UV damage.
- Boat parts and accessories should be checked regularly, and defective parts should be replaced.

A boat cover is a very important accessory. When your boat is not in use, a cover will keep it protected from harsh weather and wearing. People use various boat covers and boat tops to protect their boats. Custom boat covers, bimini tops and canvas boat covers are some quite commonly used covers.

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Paul MacIver writes articles on a variety of topics. Visit Boat Covers Online (http://www.boat-covers-online.info/) to read more about boats (http://www.information-spring.info/?cat=3), boating accessories, and Boat Covers (http://www.about-boat-covers.info/). You may freely reprint this article as long as this resource box is included and all links are intact.