It's the political season, and that means it is time for polls – but at Mad Mariner, we care about boaters, not voters.

The first-ever Mad Mariner Poll debuts today, a unique effort to cut through the dockside chatter and industry marketing and ask boaters directly about the issues that matter to them. The result is a trove of new information on how we use our boats.

Mad Mariner welcomes Luhrs Group, makers of Luhrs, Mainship, Silverton and Hunter sailboats, as our latest advertiser. And their promotion just may cause a stir.

Mad Mariner’s Nautical News feed can now be read on your mobile phone, part of an ongoing effort to make all of Mad Mariner’s content available to readers via mobile devices.

To read it, simply point your phone’s browser to the following address:

http://mobile.madmariner.com

Mad Mariner launched a weekly series today that is designed to teach readers how to make the most of mobile phone technology aboard your boat.

The Going Mobile Series will address how to buy a phone, choose a mobile plan, install amplification and choose applications to help navigate, obtain information on weather, tides and currents and do many other things once relegated to a full-size computer.

The series will be enhanced by Mad Mariner's Mobile Technology Forum, which allows you to contact the authors directly to ask questions about your boat and your mobile phone, obtaining information that can solve problems quickly.

Thom Dammrich, the president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, will be joining Mad Mariner as a blogger beginning today.

The NMMA is a trade association representing the recreational boating industry. The association’s 1,600 members produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in the United States, and Thom has been at the helm since 1999.

That makes Thom an insider, and we editors want to hear what he has to say.

Buying for Father's Day is never easy. But it's better when Dad is a boat geek – at least you can lean on Mad Mariner's Fathers Day Gift Guide.

In an attempt to make things easier, the editors here got together, scoured the waterfront and found six special items in prices from $50 to $200 that go above and beyond the standard fare. From the custom t-shirts to the waterproof floating binoculars, there's some cool stuff here – and most of it is discounted.

Father's Day is this coming Sunday. You have a few days left. Check it out. 

Mad Mariner's editors are always looking for ways to get more consumer information into the magazine. We all spend a lot of time and money equipping our boats, and a little unbiased help selecting products is always welcome. Equally important, many of us like to read about the latest gear and gadgets, even if we are not in a position to buy. So when we met Tim Flanagan, the Managing Editor of the Navagear blog, we knew we were onto something.

We here at Mad Mariner are always looking to deliver stories in new ways. Everybody takes their news differently – whether that's on our site, on Facebook, through an RSS reader or some other channel – and we try to accommodate as much as we can. That's why Mad Mariner is now up on Twitter.

Edson Marine, Mad Mariner's latest advertiser, is now sponsoring the weekly High Score Contest on The Docking Game. Winners each week will receive Edson products, such as a PowerKnob for your steering wheel or a One-Step Boarding Step for sailboats.

Mad Mariner is proud to announce the addition of boat reviews to the website, launching a library of 50 reviews today that will continue to grow in the weeks ahead.

Mad Mariner's reviews are honest, independent appraisals that include a bevy of tools designed to help evauate a vessel. From photos, video and documentation to up-to-the-minute price listings, our goal is to arm boaters with the information needed to make sound decisions.