Book excerpt: Includes information on the following topics: Do's and don'ts when buying a boat ; Two little known tools surveyors use to determine a boat's age and condition ; Three surprising reasons why marinas require the insurance they do ; How you can still get a boat loan even if your credit score is less than 720 ; How a commercial emergency signaling technology has saved more than 25,000 lives since 1982 and is now available for pleasure boaters ; What to do when you get caught in a bad storm or heavy weather ; Why customizing your electrical and instrument panels makes sense ; How Digital Selective Calling and the Automated Identification System saves lives in a Search and Rescue operation ; The advantages and disadvantages of having a multihull craft over a monohull ; Three powerful strategies you can use to best prepare your boat for rentals ; What's changed to take sailing from an amateur sport to top of the game earning a decent living--publisher.