Trailer Boats articles from April 2000

Trailer Boats archives from April 2000

GET USED TO IT.
April 1, 2000... Car dealers learned the concept long ago: To sell a new car, you have to help the buyer get rid of the old car. This gave rise to the concept of "trade-ins," an easy way for buyers to unload old vehicles and move up to new ones. In the process,...

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS.
April 1, 2000... LOST IN THE VORTEC In the February 2000 "Tow Vehicle of the Year" article, you made mention of a new larger engine on tap from Chevrolet as a replacement for the 7.4L big-block V-8. You wrote that more info could be found under "Towing...

DODGE DEBUTS HI-PERF DURANGO.
April 1, 2000... Dodge is introducing the first of many high-performance vehicles with the 4WD Durango R/T -- a 5.9L V-8-powered sport-utility vehicle (SUV) that develops 250 hp and 345 pound-feet of torque. This makes the Durango R/T one of the most powerful...

SEA-DOO EXPANDS SAFETY DEMOS.
April 1, 2000... Sea-Doo has expanded its Demo Days program to include stops in 42 cities between April and July. Last year, Demo Days were staged in 30 cities. For 2000, a trio of fully equipped teams will be touring the U.S. to conduct on-the-water safety...

SKIPPER'S CHALLENGE.
April 1, 2000... On a river, which vessel has the right of way: (A) the upbound boat, or (B) the downbound boat? For the answer, turn to page 141. Skipper's Challenge questions and answers are reproduced exclusively in Trailer Boats Magazine. You will find...

WATCH THE PROS COMPETE.
April 1, 2000... More than 100 athletes from the U.S. and 15 foreign countries will traverse North America this summer, competing at eight U.S. Pro Water Ski & Wakeboard Tour stops. By tour's end, competitors will have split $500,000 in cash prizes. At...

A SAFER PLACE.
April 1, 2000... "Safety? Oh, yeah. I've got all that U.S. Coast Guard stuff here somewhere. What about it?" It's easy to put the subject of safety out of sight and Out of mind once you've met the U.S. Coast Guard or local safety equipment requirements....

RED FLAGS.
April 1, 2000... To the beginning boater, veterans often seem to have developed a sixth sense when it comes to detecting trouble. On the road or on the water, it seems that experienced trailerboaters are able to avoid most [while the really bad stuff most...

FRIED BATTERIES.
April 1, 2000... How many recharges can someone expect from GPS rechargeable battery packs? My handheld GPS is not even a year old, and although I constantly leave it on charge, the batteries barely last more than an hour or so. They used to go all day. ...

CRUISER CONCERNS.
April 1, 2000... Few people buying a trailerable cruiser expect to use it for voyaging in open waters where they might be exposed to the worst that Mother Nature can dish out. But even in typically placid waters, it's possible to get in trouble if the weather...

TWO-STROKE OF GENIUS.
April 1, 2000... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements for cleaner-burning outboard engines by the model-year 2006 have spurred some novel developments in two-stroke technology. Most of the advances have resulted in a significant increase...

DEFINING FEATURES.
April 1, 2000... The term "skiboat" has a fairly generic meaning among casual boaters. After all, you can waterski behind just about any boat, can't you? Among diehard waterski enthusiasts, however, skiboats are in a distinct, proud and growing class. Besides...

GRADY-WHITE 247 ADVANCE.
April 1, 2000... Sure, Grady-White's 247 Advance is loaded with the right stuff to please dedicated anglers -- but that doesn't mean this 24-foot, 9-inch-long by 81/2-foot-wide center console lacks "creature features" to make day-tripping comfortable. Twin...

MARIAH 268.
April 1, 2000... What do you get when you cross Mariah quality with a 27-foot, 5-inch-long mid-cabin model? One heckuva nice cruiser, that's what. Throw in the opulence of the Z Package ($4695), and you've really loaded 'er up with goodies such as an analog...

HURRICANE SUNDECK 217.
April 1, 2000... Packed with amenities that will make everyone's time on the water more fun, the high-stepping SunDeck 217 is the latest offering in Godfrey's Hurricane deck boat series. Built on an 8 1/2-foot beam, this 20-foot, 10inch-long deep-V offers easy...

Knot Smart.
April 1, 2000... Here are easy ways to learn the six knots every boater should know When people find out that I know a lot of knots, there is one question that I can always count on them to ask. No, it doesn't have to do with securing your boat to the dock....

Fear of Flying.
April 1, 2000... It's not pretty when the unlimited hydroplane Miss Pontiac "blows over" at 190 mph. Miraculously, driver Greg Hopp is still in one piece. Here's his harrowing tale As soon as I feel the back of the boat pass the front, I remember...

Original Formula.
April 1, 2000... Formula has coupled overnighting capability and daycruising amenities with a trademark hull design to create a true original The Formula name has a rich and proud heritage. Built by Thunderbird. Products of Decatur, Indiana, this V bottom...

Air Apparent.
April 1, 2000... Florida's free spirits are alive and well and running airboats in the swamp 'Look at' em come!" exclaimed a grinning Dave Johnson in a drawl developed so far south of the Mason-Dixon line that I had trouble understanding what the heck he...

MEMORY COURSE.
April 1, 2000... Our tech editor puts Yamaha's new 115 hp EFI four-stroke through its paces. But it was a day of fishing that made the engine memorable There is nothing better than a hard day of fishing and boating to learn how well an engine performs. And...

FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
April 1, 2000... This year, skiboat builders are offering more models and styles than ever before This summer, every take's a boat show. With 18 skiboat manufacturers offering more than 100 models for waterskiing, you can pick a boat that fits just about...

Hub of Innovation.
April 1, 2000... Solas propellers incorporate an innovative, cost-effective design that lets boaters easily replace spun hubs Solas is a Taiwan company that has been around for 15 years. In this country, the company is best known for the stainless steel...

The Invisible Antenna.
April 1, 2000... Tired of your VHF antenna interfering with the boat's aesthetics and your onboard activities? Here's an easy fix Sunlight and water, whether fresh or salt, are enemies of your VHF radio system. Most small boat owners can install the radio...

Self-Taught Surveyor.
April 1, 2000... Here are 10 tips for evaluating used boats on the spot As you round a corner with your nose deep in a street map, your wife stops in mid-sentence while reciting the scribbled directions to a boat-seller's abode. Following her glum stare,...

Is the Price Right?
April 1, 2000... Determining the market value of a used boat is not easy, but there are a number of pricing sources at your disposal You can't afford a new boat, so you start looking for a used one. You see a boat you want in the classifieds, yet you have...

Cashing Out.
April 1, 2000... Before you can buy another boat, you have to get rid of your present craft. These tips can help you sell it for top dollar You've probably been harboring a mild sense of guilt while looking at other boats because your present boat has...

First Call.
April 1, 2000... So you're in the market for a new boat -- or at least a boat that's new to you, if not fresh from the showroom floor. You've cleared it with the family and discussed what everyone expects of the craft. You've set a budget for the buy, and have...

Stopping Power Part 2.
April 1, 2000... In our ongoing boat trailer research project, we compare drum brakes to disc brakes and get surprising results Beginning with its formal introduction in the September 1999 issue, the Trailer Boats Magazine project trailer has been the...

Four Score.
April 1, 2000... Dodge's roomy four-door Dakota now features a 4.71 V-8 and new automatic transmission, plus a 6100-pound tow rating The new Dodge Dakota Quad Cab isn't what you would call your average truck. It's not really a sport-utility vehicle (SUV),...

Canvas Creations.
April 1, 2000... With the right tools and knowledge, making your own canvas boat cover is easy Here are two things I have learned about making canvas covers and other items for my boat. First, it isn't as hard as it looks. Second, it isn't as easy as it...

Tech Letters.
April 1, 2000... REPOWER CONCERNS I was able to buy a 1984 Chris-Craft 25-foot Catalina with a MerCruiser sterndrive in it. I knew that the engine was in need of repair, but the rest of the boat was in almost perfect shape. The original 305 Chevrolet block...

TOW CAR.
April 1, 2000... TRAILER SWAY What reduces trailer sway when towing at highway speeds? More tongue weight or less tongue weight? I have been towing a 24-foot cruiser on an EZ-Loader trailer for the past 5 years with a 3/4-ton Dodge van with a 127-inch...

TOOLS FROM LINK ARE A SNAP TO USE.
April 1, 2000... This locking tool system can keep your sockets from slipping off of the wrench in the middle of a job, and it's half the cost of other tool systems. Designed by Pete Roberts, acclaimed as the inventor of the original "quick release" ratchet,...

SEASENSE COMPASS MOUNTS VIRTUALLY ANYWHERE.
April 1, 2000... Boaters are no longer limited to where they can mount a compass an their craft. Unified's SeaSense 3-inch compass can be binnacle or bracket mounted, and the parts come in one package. With the bracket mount, the SeaSense compass con be placed...

SWAGMAN LETS YOU BRING BIKES AND BOAT.
April 1, 2000... The 3 Bike Trailer Towing Rac from Swagman lets your tow vehicle carry up to three bicycles while towing your trailer-boat. The bike rock fits over a standard 2-inch drawbar (minimum 10 inches long), leaving the boll free and clear to accept...

MECURY'S RESCUE PROP CAN SAVE THE DAY.
April 1, 2000... If you're an active boater, you know that the day will come when you knick, bend or break a propeller. Replacement propellers are expensive and heavy. However, Mercury has a spare called the Rescue that can get you home -- then you can go out...

GET A BETFER VIEW WITH CANON'S I.S. BINOCS.
April 1, 2000... With the introduction of two new units, the 15x50 IS All Weather and 18x50 IS All Weather, Canon has expanded to five the number of models in its Image Stabilizer line. The guts of these new IS binoculars is the image stabilizer feature that...

NEW ROTO-EZE DRAWBAR OFFERS EVEN GREATER VERSATILITY WHEN TOWING.
April 1, 2000... We have the Roto-Eze Model AM 5700 (three ball choices -1 7/8, 2 and 2 5/16 inch) in the Trailer Boats shop and it really comes in handy considering the number of different boat trailers our staff shuttles back and forth during any given day....

WAKEBOARD ARCH BOLTS ONTO ALMOST ANY TRAILERBOAT.
April 1, 2000... The Air Tower from Atlantic Towers can be custom fabricated to fit almost any style of boat with a beam of 8 feet or less. And to make the fit easy, all units are shipped complete with the components and instructions far installation. This is a...

DARK LAUNCHING MADE EASIER WITH WESBAR'S HANDY LAUNCH LIGHT FOR BOAT TRAILERS.
April 1, 2000... Launching your boat at dawn or dusk, or even after dark can be a real bother and unsafe, to boot. However, it's often a necessity far those trailerboaters who like to fish or ski. Wesbar's new Launch Light ($15.99 each) can go a long way to...

TELEFLEX BULKHEAD HOSE KIT OFFERS A SANO LOOK.
April 1, 2000... This hose kit for Teleflex NFB SeaStar and SeaStar Pro hydraulic steering systems makes it unnecessary to have four hoses and a through-hull fitting to make the connection from helm pump to splashwell and then on to the cylinder. The new kit...

FURUNO'S GP31 GPS FITS WELL ON SMALL OR LARGE BOATS.
April 1, 2000... Within the GP31's and compact waterproof housing is a 12-parallel-channel GPS receiver that works with a mini-antenna to provide continuous navigation data and vessel position fixing. The information is presented on Furuno's high contrast, 4...