Trailer Boats articles from April 2001

Trailer Boats archives from April 2001

LOADED QUESTION.
April 1, 2001... What is the best technique for loading my boat on the trailer? This is a question we receive regularly from newcomers to boating, and our answer tends to focus on trailer positioning. The biggest mistake is backing the trailer in too...

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS.
April 1, 2001... OMC NEWS David Bornstein South Windsor, Connecticut I am concerned that your magazine has not addressed the 0MC financial problems. As a boater, I am deeply concerned over the availability of parts and service. This is a serious issue...

KAWASAKI'S "SMART STEERING" MAY IMPROVE PWC SAFEFY.
April 1, 2001... Critics of personal watercraft (PWC) safety often point to a major shortcoming of these jetdrive craft: Back off the throttle in an emergency, and you lose the ability to maneuver. Kawasaki's "Smart Steering" system -- now available on two...

SKIPPER'S CHALLENGE.
April 1, 2001... You request a Vessel Safety Check from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron. Your 12-gallon auxiliary fuel tank causes you to fail because it is not: (a) grounded, (b) well secured, (c) vented, or (d) any of the above. For the...

TERM OF THE MONTH.
April 1, 2001... "Bight" No, it's not how much memory your computer has. Bight is a loop of rope or line, between the end and standing part, in which a knot is formed. It may also refer to a sweeping bay.

FAMILIAR CORD.
April 1, 2001... Campers call them tie-downs. Bikers and thrill seekers call them bungee cords. Boaters call them shock cords. Whatever you call them, it would take an entire book to list the many uses for the off-the-shelf variety. I'm a great fan of the very...

DIGITAL CALLING.
April 1, 2001... Go into a store and buy a new fixed-mount VHF marine radio and it may have a feature that's new to you. It is called Digital Selective Calling -- DSC for short. What the heck is DSC, you ask? Combining satellite and digital technology, DSC...

DRAINED BATTERIES.
April 1, 2001... I have an emergency bail-out pack aboard my Sea Ray, and inside is a waterproof, submersible VHF handheld radio. I just checked everything, and the rechargeable batteries in the VHF (which were fully charged six months ago) are dead as a...

FISH POWER.
April 1, 2001... The popular center console fishing boat comes in a variety of outboard and inboard engine configurations. Each has its merits and drawbacks, some of which are not apparent. Take outboards, for instance. You might have the choice of single...

DIESEL DAYS.
April 1, 2001... Ever since Trailer Boats was founded in 1971, I have had a keen interest in diesel engines. On numerous occasions since that time, I predicted that diesel power would some day become very popular among trailer boaters. OK, I know the magazine...

SKIBOAT EVOLUTION.
April 1, 2001... Manufacturers of tournament-style, mid-engine skiboats are constantly striving to improve their products. I find that builders often make one or two major changes -- as well as a handful of small refinements -- in each boat every year. In 2001,...

CHECKMATE CONVINCOR 270BR.
April 1, 2001... Let's face it. Hot looking, go-fast boats aren't particularly versatile; it seems that the sleeker the boat, the less likely it will perform well as a family runabout, day-tripper or watersports towboat. Fortunately, Checkmate's Convincor 270BR...

SEA-DOO.
April 1, 2001... UTOPIA 185 They don't call it the Utopia for nothing. Sea-Doo's sassy, new 18-foot, 3-inch-long sportjet delivers a little slice of heaven courtesy of its potent, 210 hp Mercury M2 Jet Drive that lets you carve up the lake like a teenager...

BAYLINER 195 CAPRI.
April 1, 2001... Delivering big value in family runabouts is how the Capri concept got started 20 years ago, and Bayliner's new 195 Capri takes the tradition to new heights. With a fresh look inside and out, the most exciting development is an APS III hull that...

Dock Master.
April 1, 2001... Maxum's new thruster system is purported to make docking easier than ever. We test these claims on a deluxe 24-footer Bow and stern thrusters are not new. They have been used on ships and large pleasure boats for years. We haven't seen them...

CORROSION Combat.
April 1, 2001... Here is a 12-step program for winning the war against a boater's worst enemy -- corrosion I was mildly surprised when one of my marina neighbors, who is not noted as a big fan of maintenance, dropped by to borrow a box wrench. His...

Crossing the Linp.
April 1, 2001... The growing number of V-drive wakeboard boats is blurring the Distinction between skiboats and runabouts This year, Ski Centurion -- a well-established skiboat builder -- changed its name. It dropped the prefix "Ski." While seemingly...

Paddler's Pad.
April 1, 2001... Site of a mysterious monster and top-secret sub testing, Idaho's Lake Pend Oreille is also a boater's paradise For a half century, reports have persisted that a large, prehistoric monster resides in the deep, dark waters of Lake Pend...

Impact REPORT.
April 1, 2001... MirroCraft's innovative new Dual Impact 1845 XL quickly converts from skiing to fishing -- and back again -- with practicality and style For a late-summer weekday afternoon, it was busy at the popular Midwest impoundment, and boaters were...

Soft Approach.
April 1, 2001... GMC's new Sierra [C.sup.3] all-wheel-drive pickup achieves the near impossible -- combining an 8700-pound tow rating with a soft non-towing ride Traditionally, trailer boaters with heavy rigs have been relegated to towing with heavy-duty...

TOWING CADILLAC STYLE.
April 1, 2001... We've grown used to luxury trucks, but now pickups are going Gucci. It was surprising enough when Lincoln announced its Blackwood pickup. But, believe it or not, Cadillac is also introducing a pickup for 2002 -- the Escalade EXT. Based on GM's...

Separation Anxiety.
April 1, 2001... When it comes to trailer tires, what you don't know can hurt you The subject of tires is hard to escape these days. It seems every TV newscast or daily paper has a story on faulty automobile tires. As a result of negative publicity and a...

Budget Keepers $30 or less.
April 1, 2001... Our editors searched high and low to pick their favorite pocketbook-friendly boating accessories OK -- it's high time for all boaters to 'fess up: We're incurable gadget freaks, constantly on the prowl for accessories to add to our boats....

Fast Fix.
April 1, 2001... Here's a quick and cost-effective way to repair and protect the skeg on an outboard or sterndrive A friend once told me that when it comes to boating, the more mistakes you make the more you'll eventually know -- as long as you learn from...

Tech Letters.
April 1, 2001... BEST JET I will be buying a new boat soon. It will be an 18-foot aluminum boat with a walkthrough windshield. My power choices are between the Mercury 175 Sportjet or 275 hp 305 V-8 with a jet drive. With tightening emissions and noise...

TOW CAR.
April 1, 2001... SINGLE vs. TANDEM I have a 1997 Pro-Line 231 WA hardtop, that weighs approximately 6000 pounds. I am thinking about putting it on an aluminum, tandem-axle trailer. My trailer dealer says that they don't normally go to a tandem-axle...

LEE US KNOW ONLINE.
April 1, 2001... The new and improved Trailer Boats online subscription form lets you easily and instantly change your address if you have moved, or if you simply want the magazine to be sent somewhere else. In addition, you can now renew or pay for your...

Trailer Boats Survey Results:.
April 1, 2001... GENEROSITY ABOUNDS AMONG READERS As a boat owner, do you ask your guests to share expenses for a day of boating? That was the question we asked readers in our February 2001 issue. The survey on our website -- trailerboats.com -- took...

CARGO PROTECTION MADE EASY.
April 1, 2001... Just cut, peel and stick on. With Agri-Cover, Inc.'s new Trailseal you can keep the elements -- rain, snow or dust -- from ruining the gear in the back of your truck. Designed to partner with toppers, lids or tonneau covers, Trailseal is said...

KEEP IT LOOKING GOOD WITH 3M'S ONE-STEP TREATMENT.
April 1, 2001... Any boat requires maintenance to keep it sound, safe and looking good. But if you, like many boaters today, are short on time -- and perhaps energy -- 3M Marine may have at least one solution. Now, with 3M's Fiberglass Restorer and Wax, you can...

ORION AIMS TO KEEP BOATERS SAFE.
April 1, 2001... Orion has recently improved its trademarked orange canister, which houses emergency signaling gear. A new "twist-and-lock" system, combined with an O-ring gasket, is fitted onto the canister opening, creating a watertight seal. This upgrade...

MAKE QUICK CONNECTIONS WITH NEW SHOREPOWER PLUGS.
April 1, 2001... Do you get tired of fumbling around, trying to plug into shorepower, especially in the dark? Fumble no more. Marinco's new, ergonomically designed Contoured Compact Devices feature easy-to-find thumbprint locators to help ensure proper blade...

NEW BOAT KNIVES ARE A CUT ABOVE.
April 1, 2001... Old pocket knife just not cutting it anymore? Kellam Knives announces its sharp, new boat and sailing knives, designed to help you out of dicey situations. Both knives feature a 3-inch, laser-cut stainless steel blade with a shackle slot, liner...

GET WARM AND TOASTY WITH HEATER CRAFT.
April 1, 2001... You've just finished a brisk swim, and now that you're back on deck, you're freezing. You can head goose bumps off at the pass with the new Aquatik 7S Series shower/washdown System from Heater Craft. The system will not only warm you up, but it...

LIVORSI MAKES IT EASY TO JAZZ UP YOUR HELM.
April 1, 2001... Why go with the same old black- or white-rimmed gauges when Livorsi Marine can offer you a rainbow of choices with its Gaffrig "on-gauge" colored rims? The rims, crimped right onto the gauges, can offer a wide range of visual effects when used...

J&L CLEATS LEES YOU HANG 'EM HIGH... OR LOW.
April 1, 2001... When you hang fenders, you want to do it quickly with no messing around to adjust the height. The Ultimate Fender Cleat, from J&L Products, can streamline the process. All you need do is lift and turn the cleat, loop the fender rope around it,...

ROCK ON WITH POLY-PLANAR CORROSION-PROOF SPEAKERS.
April 1, 2001... If you thought large-diameter woofers would not be a viable option on your boat, Poly-Planar has come up with an alternative. Its MS-150 corrosion-proof marine subwoofer is designed to withstand the marine environment, while providing quality...

DRIVE IN COMFORT WITH A FOLD-DOWN CHAIR.
April 1, 2001... If you spend much of your boating time in a sitting position, you want a boat seat that provides comfort. But you probably also want it to be functional and attractive. Now Springfield Marine offers some of its best seating components in a...