Trailer Boats articles from April 2002

Trailer Boats archives from April 2002

Answer man. (On Plane).
April 1, 2002... Although I began reading Trailer Boats in the mid-1970s, it was not until I bought a 16 1/2-foot center console in 1979 that I began to focus on the magazine's towing coverage. Ironically, this was also the year that Trailer Boats launched Tow...

Watered down. (Letters to the Editors).
April 1, 2002... After reading Jim Barron's MerCruiser MX 6.2L MPI vs. Volvo Penta 5.7L GXi comparison test ("Horse Race," February 2002), I felt compelled to voice my disappointment. The watered-down conclusions were way out of line. By the writer's own...

Thanks, Ken. (Letters to the Editors).
April 1, 2002... When I read that Ken Hankinson's January Designer's Viewpoint ("Staying Trim") would be his last, I felt compelled to write. I have enjoyed each and every column of his for the last 16 years, and I thank Ken for sharing his expertise. It has...

Youthful influence. (Letters to the Editors).
April 1, 2002... With regards to your February On Plane ("Whack vs. Phat"), I agree with every-thing the author's sons and their Gen-X sidekicks pointed out. Yet I disagree with his "realization" that in 10 years these boys may become boatbuyers. They are...

Run the blower. (Letters to the Editors).
April 1, 2002... I read Trailer Boats and love it. In the February 2002 issue, there was a booklet entitled Your Guide to Towing. I found it very informative, but it bothered me that you missed a vital step in the "Safety Checklist" in Chapter 7. You...

Chauffeur service. (Letters to the Editors).
April 1, 2002... Regarding Leslie J. Miller's letter in the February Prop Wash ("Woman at the Wheel") about your covers depicting men driving and scantily clad women riding along, it all depends on your outlook. I was visiting a boat-owning female friend and...

Tohatsu specs. (Letters to the Editors).
April 1, 2002... In the Tohatsu outboard listings in our "Propulsion Guide 2002" February), we inadvertently ran Nissan pricing in the Tohatsu chart. Also, a number of other specs were accidentally picked up from the 2001 chart. We apologize for any...

Get the kid a lifejacket that fits. (Dock Talk).
April 1, 2002... With youngsters, clothes rarely wear out, because kids usually outgrow everything first. Well, the same is true of children's lifejackets, except that when this item is too small a child's safety is at stake. That's why Bayliner Boats,...

Marine industry may begin certifying four-stroke oils. (Dock Talk).
April 1, 2002... When it comes to two-stroke oils, the marine industry has a long-established system for certifying these lubricants for use in outboards and personal watercraft (PWCs). Yet so far, there is no system for certifying oils for four-stroke marine...

New Ford Expedition boasts 8900-pound tow rating. (Dock Talk).
April 1, 2002... Ford's redesigned 2003 Expedition will soon be arriving at dealers, along with good and bad news for trailer boaters. On the good-news side, the popular sport-ute's maximum towing capacity has been boosted to 8900 pounds, a 700-pound...

Pitching. (Term of the Month).
April 1, 2002... No, it's not a boat dealer's sales spiel. Pitching refers to a boat's vertical motion while under way as the bow rises and falls.

Stop! thief! (Boat Improvement).
April 1, 2002... There is a particularly well-fed seagull who "owns" a piling down the river from where I launch. He doesn't fish. He doesn't forage. He simply waits until some bird comes up with a desirable morsel, then swoops down and snatches it. There are...

Scouting new waters. (Back to Basics).
April 1, 2002... As we chugged up the Allegheny Divide, it quickly dawned on me that our tow vehicle was woefully underpowered. How was I supposed to know that Maryland had such steep grades... or mountains, for that matter? By scouting ahead, that's how....

Electronics Q&A.
April 1, 2002... AND THE FISH IS... At a recent boat show, a representative from a prominent depth sounder manufacturer told me that its color LCD fishfinder can identify a species of fish. I almost laughed in his face. How can they promise this? ...

Fly-by-wire. (Propulsion).
April 1, 2002... Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Mercury Marine's expansive manufacturing facilities in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and I was given a brief glimpse of some upcoming products. At the heart of many new Mercury engines -- outboards and...

Warm and wild. (Ski Locker).
April 1, 2002... The calendar says April, and that means the ice is melting from northern lakes and rivers. It also means it's time to get ready for another season of fun behind a boat and towrope. A bunch of new products will keep you warm and safe this...

Kawasaki Jet Ski 1200 STX-R. (Launch Ramp).
April 1, 2002... Who let this tiger out of its cage? Ready to spring on unsuspecting waterways with its race-inspired hull, the new Jet Ski 1200 STX-R combines a smooth and stable ride with the precise cornering of a big cat. A deep keel with long inner strakes...

Boston Whaler 270 Outrage. (Launch Ramp).
April 1, 2002... The winds of change are a'blowing at Boston Whaler, which sets sail this year with a sleeker and more stylized look in its new 270 Outrage. Brandishing lines more reminiscent of the 210 Outrage (also new) than other Whaler center consoles, this...

Bayliner 2159 Rendezvous. (Launch Ramp).
April 1, 2002... "More fun than water-loving monkeys should be allowed" sums up Bayliner's hot new 2159 Rendezvous. Packing barrels of room that let you haul around all of your friends and toys, this 21x8 1/2-foot deck boat delivers the power you demand for...

Taste of Europe: Monterey's new 268S bowrider is a mix of Mediterranean salad and American hotdog. (Boat Test).
April 1, 2002... Monterey's new 268 SuperSport looks as if it would be right at home zooming along the sun-drenched beaches of Cannes or jetting about in waters off Genoa. It may be built in the U.S. but this boat definitely has a European influence, much of it...

Trip tricks: A few storage tricks and a bit of planning can turn a good cruise into a great one.
April 1, 2002... One of the great pleasures of owning a boat is loading it up and taking off on a trip -- whether it's an overnighter, a long weekend or a serious cruise. The destination may be one that can only be reached by boat or may simply offer a water...

Missouri homecoming: Returning to boat on Stockton Lake after 25 years, the author proves that you can go back home. (TBM Destination).
April 1, 2002... After a 25-year absence, revisiting Stockton Lake in my home state of Missouri reminded me why the Ozarks are called the "Heartland." The people of the lake region were as friendly and unassuming as I remembered. Stockton Lake was accessible...

Command central: We staked out the top fishing spots from Florida to Puget Sound to bring you this year's hottest saltwater fishing boats. (Buyer's Guide: 15 Great Center Consoles).
April 1, 2002... Once upon a time, center consoles epitomized the no-nonsense saltwater fishing boat. And while that's still true, as you'll see in our guide to 15 of this year's best and brightest models, builders have taken the next evolutionary step by...

Battery wise: Picking the right 12-volt batteries will help keep the pleasure in pleasure-boating. (Guide to Marine Batteries).
April 1, 2002... Most boaters don't think about their hatteries until that moment when turning a key or throwing a switch results in nothing more than the motion itself. Then they curse their misfortune of having a battery fail and vow to right whatever wrongs...

Junior partner: Jeep's diminutive new Liberty packs respectable towing power. (TBM Tow Test).
April 1, 2002... The newest member of the legendary Jeep brand is the all-new Liberty. It has all of the characteristic Jeep ID tags, such as the round headlights, seven-slot vertical grille, short front and rear overhangs, and an upright profile. Yet, like its...

Cat tales: Pro Sports' 22-foot cat delivers tremendous range from Suzuki's 1-4 four-strokes. But can a pair of DF90s beat twin DF115s? The answer may surprise you. (Engine Test).
April 1, 2002... All right. All right. Her cockpit and bridge deck aren't as large as we'd like, but on the whole, the ProKat 2200 Walkaround is so capable it's easy to overlook these shortcomings. It's like the mole on Cindy Crawford's cheek. Not her best...

Summit meeting: Tracker's new Tahoe 234 sets a high standard for midsize deck boats. (Trial Run).
April 1, 2002... When you hear the name Tracker, your first thought is probably of fishing boats. That would be a fair assumption, as the company has made a name for itself in the angling-craft arena, and continues to add to that tradition with new...

Plumb good: An aging fuel line can restrict flow and also create an extreme danger. Here's how to install fresh hoses. (TBM How-To).
April 1, 2002... The smell of raw gasoline was unmistakable, but where was the leak coming from? That was the dilemma I faced a few months after purchasing a used Winner 2280 walkaround. The ominous odor wasn't present when I sea-trialed the boat; nor was it a...

Tech Letters.
April 1, 2002... PROP SLIP or CLUTCH SLIP? I have a 1996 Rinker 236 Captiva with a MerCruiser 7.4L and a Bravo 1 sterndrive. I struck an object in the lake and destroyed my upper gear case and gimble housing. After having this repaired, I now suffer from a...

Tow car.
April 1, 2002... COP CARS FOR TOWING I read the letter in the August 2001 issue about "Cop Car Rating," and thought I'd provide some input. I've had several police-car tow vehicles over the last 15 years and found them to be very worthy tow vehicles. I'll...

Flashlight for a new age. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... How many times have you reached for your flashlight only to discover that the batteries were dead? Here's a new twist on that age-old dilemma: The NightStar flashlight from Weems & Plath operates without batteries. Instead, when shaken gently,...

Personalize your hitch. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... You're out on the water every chance you get. So what better way to proclaim your enthusiasm than by decorating your tow vehicle with a colorful hitch cover from Wes Products? Made of high-quality steel that's been powdercoated to provide a...

Smooth out those fender lines, skipper. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... Here's one less thing to stub your toe on. Marine Hardware's trick new fender cleat can be pulled up when needed or collapsed into a streamlined shape when not in use. The brightly polished stainless steel cleats measure 3 1/2 inches in length,...

Ahoy there, swabbie. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... When you've got to swab the decks, there's nothing like a good mop -- and with Shurhold Industries' Cotton or Rayon String Mops you can have your boat sparkling from stem to stem in no time flat. These oversized mops are designed to absorb more...

New Nordskog Gauge monitors tranny temp. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... Trailer boaters demand a lot from their tow vehicles. But how do you know everything is copacetic with your transmission? The Nordskog Performance Street Series LED Digital Transmission Temperature Gauge can warn of problems such as high fluid...

Staying alive with Cole Hersee's Saf-T-Stop. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... Do you ever have nightmares about falling off your boat and having it keep on going without you? The new Saf-T-Stop from Cole Hersee will make sure those fears never materialize. The sturdy, plasticized toggle is sealed against weather, and...

Capture precious underwater memories. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... How many times have you been diving or snorkeling in especially clear water with abundant marine life and wished you had a camera? Stop torturing yourself. The fully automatic Reefmaster CL Underwater Camera ($140) features a waterproof, clear...

Dialing for colors with Si-Tex sounder. (Gotta have it).
April 1, 2002... Based on its best-selling CRT depthfinder, Si-Tex has debuted a color LCD version that delivers the many advantages of liquid-crystal technology. More compact and power-efficient than its predecessor, the new CVS-106L also features more robust...