Trailer Boats articles from August 2002

Trailer Boats archives from August 2002

Creating monsters. (On Plane).
August 1, 2002... Sometimes your own life sneaks up from behind and bites you in the butt. Such was the case when my youngest son, age 19, announced with both excitement and trepidation that he had purchased a used 17-foot boat. I guess he subscribes to...

Color for less. (Letters to the Editors).
August 1, 2002... We read the June 2002 Electronics Q&A column with much interest, especially the question entitled "Color My World." Gordon West's answer was well thought out, as he described the advantages of using color radar. He mentioned that some high-end...

Take a chill pill. (Letters to the Editors).
August 1, 2002... OK, now I've seen it all. In the June issue, Pete Henderson of Auburn, Alabama, wrote that he's upset that you printed the Over the Transom photo in the April issue with those cute kids on the boat without life jackets. Pete, take a chill pill...

Parent responds. (Letters to the Editors).
August 1, 2002... I'd like to thank the editors for replying in the June issue to Pete Henderson's letter regarding the April Over the Transom photo. I shot the photo and feel compelled to supply some facts that relate to it. First and ftremost, we were tied to...

Copious cleats. (Letters to the Editors).
August 1, 2002... Dan Armitage's June Back to Basics column ("Learning the Ropes") was very informative. As Armitage points out, one of the most basic tasks a boater should know is how to properly secure a boat to a dock. However, I must take issue with the...

Credit check. (Letters to the Editors).
August 1, 2002... In June's Boat Improvement column, we neglected to provide photo credits for two shots, one of a bucket seat and another of a pedestal base. These were provided courtesy of Garelick Corp. of St. Paul Park, Minnesota (651/459-9795;...

Park Service may restrict boating on Mead and Mohave. (Dock Talk).
August 1, 2002... So far, the environmental movement to ban personal watercraft (PWCs) has not augured well for general boaters, either. A case in point: The National Park Service is now considering restrictions not only on PWCs, but on all power boats in...

Kids who boat are healthier, says industry group. (Dock Talk).
August 1, 2002... The recreational boating industry has discovered another reason for you to buy a boat -- as if you needed one. A survey sponsored by the National Marine Manufacturers Association indicates that children who boat are healthier, both physically...

New Navigator has 8300-pound rating. (Dock Talk).
August 1, 2002... We recently had the opportunity to test drive preproduction models of the redesigned 2003 Lincoln Navigator powered by the 300 hp, four-valve, 5.4L V-8 engine, and have some good news for trailer boaters interested in a full-size luxury...

Looking for a launch ramp? Find one online. (Dock Talk).
August 1, 2002... Now there is an online source for locating launch ramps anywhere in the country. Boat/US is offering the free service on its website, boatus.com. Click on "Looking for a Boat Ramp" and select the name of the county. The database contains...

Skipper's challenge. (Dock Talk).
August 1, 2002... In a small boat without a boarding ladder, the best place to climb back aboard after taking a swim is: (a) the port gunwale, (b) the starboard gunwale, (c) the stern or (d) the bow. For the answer, turn to page 90. Paraphrased from...

Think stainless. (Boat Improvement).
August 1, 2002... The boat stored next to mine at the marina this summer is an old scow that hasn't had a lick of maintenance in years. The faded "For Sale" sign duct-taped to its hull matches the boat's generally shabby appearance, but what stands out most are...

Long hauls. (Back to Basics).
August 1, 2002... The long Labor Day weekend represents the last I chance of the season for many trailer boaters to embark on a long-distance trip. Yet, just because you've towed to and from local waterways every weekend since Memorial Day without mishaps, it...

Electronics Q&A.
August 1, 2002... WAAS IN THE FUTURE? I am adding a new GPS chartplotter system aboard, and the marine electronics dealer is trying to sell me a low-frequency differential beacon receiver (DBR), claiming that the new WAAS correction signals are only a...

New pressures. (Propulsion).
August 1, 2002... Many boaters and marine industry people believe that the days of the two-stroke engine are numbered. Yet, Yamaha Marine doesn't think so. For 2003, the Kennesaw, Georgia-based company is introducing big HPDI (High Pressure Direct Injection)...

Tara's tips. (Ski Locker).
August 1, 2002... Tennis has Venus Williams, figure skating has Sarah Hughes, and wakeboarding has Tara Hamilton. Energetic, 20-year-old Hamilton began her wakeboarding career in 1996. These were the early days for women riders. At 14 years of age, she...

Sun Tracker Party Barge 22 Tritoon. (Launch Ramp).
August 1, 2002... Don't double your fun, triple it. That's the fiesta loving, "let the good times roll" mentality of Sun Tracker's Party Barge 22 Tritoon Regency. Also offered in a 25-foot f1avor, these new pontoon boats are built with a third "log" down the...

Triumph 170 Bass. (Launch Ramp).
August 1, 2002... Small. Tough. Agile. Able to take a lickin' and keep on sticking those bass. These are all apt descriptions of the new Triumph 170 Bass. Stretching nearly 6 1/2 feet in beam and just under 17 feet in length, this all-but-indestructible design...

Whittley Voyager 580. (Launch Ramp).
August 1, 2002... If you're looking for a nifty little weekender, Wittley's Voyager 580 will put an international spin on your adventures, as this import from Down Under capitalizes on the Australian's penchant for squeezing big features into small packages....

Decked Out: today's deck boats are waterborne SUVs that bring together the best of performance and practicality. (TBM Buyer's Guide).
August 1, 2002... Deck boats and the sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) that tow them have a lot more in common than the tow ball that links them. Both provide a balanced level of sport and functionality. In doing so, both have reached unprecedented acceptance among...

Four-by-four: we run a quartet of four-stroke PWCs side-by-side to see who's quickest. (Four-Stroke PWC Shoot-out).
August 1, 2002... This is the biggest year in personal watercraft (PWCs) since sit-down-style craft hit the market 15 years ago. Three manufacturers -- Honda, Sea-Doo Yamaha -- have unveiled PWCs with four-stroke engines. All told, there are four new models. ...

River dance: join us as we boat and camp along the lower Colorado River. (TBM Destination).
August 1, 2002... Join us as we boat and camp along the lower Colorado River Sounds of water splashing against the fiberglass hull beat out a rhythm. The refreshing feel of the wind blew across our faces, while a flight of birds settled in a riverside thatch...

Social animal: the redesigned four winns Funship 264 lives up to its name. (Boat Test).
August 1, 2002... Big bowriders and deck boats are hot these days, and that should make Four Winns' new Funship 264 one of the hottest models on the market. This boat combines some of the best and most luxurious features from both types of craft. Though the...

Trail mix part 1: today, there are more choices in boat trailers and components than ever. Here's our guide to sorting them out.
August 1, 2002... Harken back to the early '50s... Trailer boating was in is in-fancy and most boat trailers had single axles with itty-bitty tires. And that was OK, since most trailer boats were small and light. Moving forward in time, trailer boats have...

Double take: Caravelle's sterndrive-powered 230 walkaround is equally adept at saltwater fishing and family cruising. (Trial Run).
August 1, 2002... Americus, Georgia, is best known as the home of former President Jimmy Carter, but it is also the home of Caravelle Powerboats, a manufacturer of family and fishing boats for 35 years. Building on the popularity of its 23-foot walkaround...

Posh power: exceptional towing power, a sikly-smooth ride and abundant creature comforts highlight the 2002 Cadillac Escalade. (TBM Tow Test).
August 1, 2002... Rating as Tested: 8000 lbs. Moments after I stomped on the gas pedal, my driving partner during this tow test, Executive Editor Steve Quinlan, looked across the center console and shouted, "Whoa!" One word was all he needed. I understood....

Tech letters.
August 1, 2002... I have a 2000 Sea Ray 230 bowrider with a MerCruiser 5.7L EFI and stainless steel prop. At 2800 rpm I hear a distinct humming noise, similar to a tuning fork sound, that continues until I reach 3000 rpm. Unfortunately, 2800 rpm is a great...

Tow car.
August 1, 2002... RANCHERO LOCO I am puzzled by all the fuss people make over towing. I have a 222 Chris-Craft Stinger that weighs 5560 pounds and has a trailer tongue weight of about 175 pounds. I pull this boat with a '79 Ford Ranchero powered by a 351...

Afi knife/pliers holder keeps tools at your fingertips. (Gotta Have It).
August 1, 2002... An angler should not only know where his pliers and knives are at all times but have them readily accessible. AFI's new Model 67607 knire/pilers holder keeps the tools you use most at your fingertips. Made of UV resistant, high-strength...

Combo nav/search light makes niht move safer. (Gotta Have It).
August 1, 2002... For those who appreciate things that make life easier, there's Golight's new Model 2110 light. It is a bow-mounted, remote-control combination spotlight/navigation light, featuring a Cr5 Pentabeam 400,000 candlepower lamp. It can also be used...

Airmar's transom 'ducers pump out 1000 watts. (Gotta Have It).
August 1, 2002... The new TM256 and the TM260 1-kilowatt transom-mount transducers that come from Airmar are a trailer boater's dream. Said to deliver the highest performance ever from a transom-mount transducer -- equal to that of commercial-grade through-hulls...