General

The insect world is filled with beauty: colorful butterflies, elegant dragonflies, and cute ladybugs. It’s also home to less beautiful but mostly harmless creatures like ants and crickets. And then there are the wasps. Wasps are just straight-up jerks.

We boaters talk a lot about big pests like raccoons, squirrels, and seagulls and the damage they can cause. Trouble, however, comes in all sizes. 

Nothing says "relaxation" like a hammock. It's surprisingly easy to make your own, too. No sailor knot skills needed! 

Free Shipping Day is coming! On December 14, Great Lakes Skipper will offer up to $50 in FREE shipping! Details below. 

We're all about saving you money, so here are some of our favorite stocking stuffers. Enjoy!

It's late October. The leaves are falling and darkness comes early. It's the perfect time to bundle up and gather around a bonfire on the beach to swap ghost stories. There are many nautical spine-tingling tales, but here's our most recent favorite: the ghostly Palatine Light of Block Island. 

Some folks are lucky to live in kind climates with warm temperatures year round. Here in the upper midwestern USA, we know winter is on the way, but the end of summer doesn't spell the end of boating season. As the leaves and temperatures start to fall, we bundle up and boat on!

Tubing and water skiing are summer fun at its finest. While water skiing and wakeboarding take practice and a certain amount of bravery, riding a towable tube is easy for almost everyone. Like so many other fun things, though, water sports are not without risk. With a little knowledge and some common sense, you and your friends can stay safe while you have fun.

Summer at Great Lakes Skipper is bikini bimini season! Did you know that, as long as the size is right, almost any bimini top can be installed on any boat? Here's how to find your bimini top size, whether your boat is big or

Boating is like vanilla ice cream: it's refreshing and enjoyable just as it is, but adding a little something extra makes it really special. Music is the perfect ingredient for a stellar boating experience. It's never been easier to take your tunes wherever you go, including on the boat; a smartphone or MP3 player lets you carry a whole music library right in your pocket, and boat stereos now come with Bluetooth® capability so you don't even need a cord to connect.

Despite all the jokes revolving around beer-soaked boat rides, boats and booze don't always mix well. Having an alcoholic drink or two is all right if you're not the one at the helm, but even for passengers, overindulgence on the water isn't wise for safety's sake. Alcohol slows down reflexes and can play havoc with your balance. If you choose to drink alcohol while on the boat, please don't drive or operate any watercraft. It's not only dangerous, but also illegal. Don't let a bad decision ruin a good time.