There is so much to learn about cruising, your boat, and its systems. But I’ll bet you never thought about what has become an essential skill in order to find the information you need: effective Google techniques. If you’re not extremely confident in your ability to find just the piece of info you need, you might want to up your Google skills before heading out. Listen in for some simple tips for effective online searching.
Links:
20 Tips to Use Google More Efficiently
Prefer to Read? Take a look at The Cruisers Best Friend: Google
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Paula Biles says
There are 2 great ways to search Google using images:
1) Type your ‘item’ into google (e.g. Yanmar panel). On the results page, click IMAGES at the top. On the image results page, use the suggestion buttons to narrow down more quickly than scrolling through all the image results.
2) Use one of your photos as the source for what to look for. It only works from the IMAGE SEARCH screen. • Type your ‘item’ in the SEARCH bar and look for the camera icon. Click on it and follow instructions for using your own pic or another found on the internet.
This is MUCH easier than it looks like when put into written instructions. It is EXTREMELY useful for important things like engine panels, but also for identifying birds, flowers, and unidentified gizmos. I use it often to get ideas for “humorous quotes” to write on gift cards. TRY IT, YOU’LL LIKE IT!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Thanks! Love it.