Trailer Boats articles from September 2000

Trailer Boats archives from September 2000

GET THE HOOK.
September 1, 2000... Executive Editor Ron Eldridge and I are both certifiable anchor fanatics. I have seen photos of Bidridge's boat -- a 22-foot Winner -- at Lake Mead, Nevada, with no less than four "hooks" deployed in various directions, all this to guard...

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS.
September 1, 2000... COMPASS CORRECTION I read your July 2000 article about hiring a compass adjuster ("Swing Time"). I own a 16-foot bowrider with a Ritchie Explorer compass. I'm located on the Maine coast and often boat in the fog. Here's how I checked my...

CHIPMUNK-PROOF YOUR BOAT.
September 1, 2000... After Labor Day, many boaters put away their craft. If you are winterizing early, think about covering the through-hub exhaust of your outboard to protect against (drum roll, please)... chipmunks. We're not kidding. According to reader...

CHEVY AVALANCHE.
September 1, 2000... We recently had the exclusive opportunity to tow a boat with the 2002 Chevy Avalanche -- a new 1/2-ton four-wheel drive (4WD) sport-utility/pickup hybrid with a unique bed expander that extends into the cab. While not a full test, we towed...

ONLINE SOURCE OF USED BAYLINERS.
September 1, 2000... A new dot corn is specializing in listing used Bayliners for sale. UsedBayliners.com launched in June, and promises to make it fast and easy to find the used Bayliner of your dreams. The site can also help you sell your old Bayliner, which will...

BETTER [H.sub.2]O SYSTEMS.
September 1, 2000... There was a time when the luxury of having a freshwater system was reserved for cabin cruisers and yachts. Now these systems are standard on boats as small as 22 feet, and available as options on many smaller ones. Even simple, cold-water-only...

AVOID A SHELLACKING.
September 1, 2000... The date stands out in my mind as clearly as if it were yesterday. It was Memorial Day, I was a teenager, and it was the first time I had been entrusted to launch and use the family boat without parental supervision. With my girlfriend...

ELECTRONICS Q&A.
September 1, 2000... WHIP IT I trailer regularly down to Baja California. I am getting a small SGC single-sideband (SSB) radio for safety, but no way will my 21-footer accommodate that big 20-foot SSB antenna. Doesn't someone make a smaller SSB antenna? ...

FROM SEA TO CE.
September 1, 2000... Before long, you might be seeing a little symbol with the letters "CE" on some boats. It stands for "Community European" and must be on all boats offered for sale in any of the 15 European countries comprising the newly formed European...

NEW YAMAHA OUTBOARDS.
September 1, 2000... This is the time of year when engine manufacturers show us their latest developments for the next season. In the outboard field, Yamaha Marine Group of Kennesaw, Georgia (800/526-6650), has already tipped its hand in this highly competitive and...

POWERED FLIGHT.
September 1, 2000... The newest event in competition waterskiing is ski flying, a variant of traditional jumping. The sport is stealing everyone's attention. What's more, two new powerplants -- one by Indmar of Millington, Tennessee, and one by PCM of Little...

HYDRA-SPORTS SEAHORSE 212.
September 1, 2000... Fishing performance and value were the driving parameters in the creation of HydraSports' new Seahorse 212 center console. Thanks to the broad stance of an 8-foot, 9-inch beam, and a modified-V hull with 18 degrees of transom deadrise, this 20...

LOGIC RIOT 12.
September 1, 2000... If your idea of a fun little "blast-about" includes such concepts as indestructible and practically zero maintenance, then take a gander at Logic's Riot 12. Perfect for kids of all ages, this 12-foot-long by 5-foot, 4-inch-wide craft can take...

CRESTLINER 2485 LSi.
September 1, 2000... Responding to consumer demand, Crestliner has added sterndrives to its popular pontoon boat lineup for 2001, and leading the way is the flagship 2485 LSi. This new 24x8 1/2-footer is available with your choice of Volvo Penta or MerCruiser...

Step Ahead.
September 1, 2000... With the new 2350 LSC cuddy, Regal is intent on staying one step ahead of the competition. It was a hot, muggy and overcast day in Pompano Beach, Florida. The skies threatened to open up, but I kept my fingers crossed that the rain would...

AMERICAN METAL.
September 1, 2000... Once considered the lowliest of boats, aluminum fishing craft have truly come of age. Here are 15 shining examples At one time viewed as "beater" boats for anglers of the upper Midwest, aluminum fishing boats are now found plying waters...

Which Hook when?
September 1, 2000... How do you know which anchor to buy? Here are scouting reports on some popular and not-so-popular styles We live in a high-tech world capable of putting men on the moon and cracking the human genome. Yet we still can't find a way to anchor...

Florida Fling.
September 1, 2000... Planning to trailer your boat down I-95 to sunny Florida this fall or winter? If so, here are important tips for a trouble-free trip The time is 1 a.m. My wife Terry and 6-year-old son, John are sleeping soundly. My teenage daughter,...

Jack of All Trades.
September 1, 2000... Ebbtide's New Mystique 2300 Funcruiser dual console can handle virtually any recreational boating assignment with ease Like automobiles, many boats are design-specific, in that they are made for a particular use. If you want to ski a slalom...

Savings Plan.
September 1, 2000... Rapair's innovative new Gear Smart monitor can save your gearcase Many owners of outboard and sterndrive powered craft -- perhaps even you -- have experienced lower unit failure due to water ingestion, worn bearings or broken gears. Until...

Strong 'Burban.
September 1, 2000... We re-test the popular new Suburban 1500 to see how it performs under a maximum towing load Chevrolet did it right. It designed a family SUV with real towing capacity when it introduced the downsized model year 2000 Suburban 1500. It rides...

New Recruits.
September 1, 2000... I cannot count the number of adults I've met who have said: "Gee, I wish I would have had a dad or grandpa who would have taken me fishing when I was a kid." So, no more could'a, would'a, should'a. Let's take a kid fishing. Not only is it...

HALLETT 245 STEP-V.
September 1, 2000... This step-hull design from Hallett offers the exciting action of a custom-built California-style boat with cushy seating in the cockpit and open bow, as well as in the mid-cabin cuddy postioned between the cockpit and bow playpen. The hand-laid...

SONIC JET VORTEX.
September 1, 2000... Sonic Jet is known for its innovative designs in jet pump-powered watercraft, offering a number of commercial products such as the Fire Rescue Jet (a '99 model can be seen in "Jet Travel," Trailer Boats, June 2000), as well as recreational...

HARBERCRAFT 2175 XS SPIRIT.
September 1, 2000... Built with typical Northwestern river-running boat appeal, this gutsy yet graceful craft is the next generation of boat styling and technology from the folks at Harbercraft. The 2175 XS Spirit is a jet-powered boat targeted at river-boating...

CARRERA 257 EFFECT X OPEN BOW.
September 1, 2000... A performance-oriented stepped tunnel hull, roomy cockpit, bow playpen, and the top-notch quality of a SoCal custom boat are just a few of the desirable elements of Carrera's 257 Effect X Open Bow. This 25-foot, 7-inch-long boat has a beam of 8...

Switch Hitter.
September 1, 2000... This trailerable and affordable hybrid appeals to powerboaters and sailors alike Don't panic at the sight of sailboat photos gracing the pages of this magazine. We haven't lost sight of the fact that relationships between powerboaters and...

WORLD WAKEBOARDING CHAMPIONSHIPS SLATED FOR CALIFORNIA'S LAKE ELSINORE.
September 1, 2000... For the first time ever, a California venue will host the World Wakeboarding Championships, as the third and final stop of the Van's Triple Crown of Wakeboarding comes to SoCal's Lake Elsinore on October 5-8. Located about an hour's drive east...

LAKE POWELL AND CALIFORNIA DELTA CLEAN-UPS FUNDED.
September 1, 2000... Two grassroots efforts organized by Western boaters rank among 11 projects nationally to receive funding from the Boat/U.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. This year, Clean Water Grants totaling $11,163 were awarded to help...

BEAVER STATE BOATERS ENJOY LAKE INFORMATION ONLINE.
September 1, 2000... Billed as Oregon's "ultimate boating resource," BoatEscape.com offers Beaver State boaters a wealth of free information about the state's rivers, lakes, marinas, campgrounds and boating-related businesses. Best of all, the site's comprehensive...

CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL ON TAP IN VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND.
September 1, 2000... Labor Day weekend and Victoria, British Columbia, are synonymous with the Colonist Classic Boat Festival, in which up to 100 classic powerboats and sailboats parade through Victoria's inner harbor. One of the most scenic events of the weekend...

AT-RISK YOUTHS HELP IMPROVE LAUNCH RAMPS AND BOATING FACILITIES THROUGHOUT OREGON.
September 1, 2000... In a cooperative effort with the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (OYCC), the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) has awarded challenge grants that aid at-risk youths through skills learned while performing construction and improvement projects at...

WASHINGTON BOATERS GETTING DOWNRIGHT CRABBY.
September 1, 2000... Crabby boaters are nothing new... just ask anyone who's been around a skipper before his or her cup of morning joe. Washington authorities have a different spin, however: They're hoping that boaters will get downright crabby about the threat...

PWCs SEE SAR DUTY IN ALASKA'S COOK INLET.
September 1, 2000... A loaner program offered by Polaris is placing Anchorage, Alaska, search and rescue (SAR) personnel aboard personal watercraft (more commonly known as PWCs). Polaris' Virage TX and Ficht-equipped Genesis FF1 models are being used by the...

FUNDING UP FOR CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF BOATING.
September 1, 2000... California Governor Gray Davis has approved a $92.3 million budget for the California Department of Boating and Waterways. The new budget -- the department's largest ever -- includes $10 million from the state's General Fund for coastal erosion...

FREE LAKES GUIDE AVAILABLE.
September 1, 2000... Responsible for creating more than 300 recreation and camping areas -- including such massively popular national recreations areas as Lake Powell and Lake Mead -- the Bureau of Reclamation provides outdoor opportunities at hundreds of lakes...

IT'S SHOW TIME IN OAKLAND.
September 1, 2000... Oakland's Jack London Square will host the 29th Annual Northern California Fall Boat Show, which runs the weekend of September 16-17, and again from September 20-24. Last year's event proved so popular with exhibitors that display space was...

BIOCIDAL ALGAE THREATENS CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS.
September 1, 2000... A destructive mutant algae believed to have been developed as an aquarium plant by German biologists, and subsequently leaked into the Mediterranean, has turned up along the California coast. Capable of regenerating and spreading via scraps...

FORTY-YEAR-OLD SPEED RECORD SHATTERED IN SEATTLE.
September 1, 2000... Smashing a record that has stood for nearly 40 years, driver Russ Wicks piloted the Miss Freei unlimited hydroplane across Seattle's Lake Washington at an average speed of 205.494 mph. Wicks' June 15 run surpasses the 200.419 mph benchmark set...

Tech Letters.
September 1, 2000... SHIFT PROBLEM I have a 1996 Stingray with a 5.7L Mer-Cruiser and Alpha 1 drive. As I was getting it ready to take out for the first time after a recent service, I discovered that the engine stalls every time I put the boat into reverse. I...

TOW CAR.
September 1, 2000... GOOD NEIGHBOR My next-door neighbor is a new RVer. He has the problem and question I am posing to you. He owns a 1998 Dodge 3500 dually pickup powered by the 5.9L turbo-diesel, and tows a Holiday Rambler travel trailer that weighs about...

LOOK GOOD AND PROTECT YOUR EYES WITH THE LIDO.
September 1, 2000... New to Serengeti's H2Optix line is the Lido, a full-wrap frame with tapered side shields that provide total protection, while allowing for optimal peripheral vision. All of the lenses in the H2Optix line are polarized polycarbonate in either...

SMART TABS FOR SMALL BOATS.
September 1, 2000... Trim tabs have often been shown to increase performance, fuel economy, and safety. Now, Nauticus Inc. has developed Smart Tabs - self-adjusting trim tabs made especially for 10- to 20-foot boats -- making the same benefits available for less...

STORE MORE POWER WITH THE STOWAWAY POWERCYCLER FROM GNB TECHNOLOGIES.
September 1, 2000... GNB Technologies has released a new marine battery called the Stowaway PowerCycler. This is a sealed, absorbent glass mat (AGM), multi-purpose battery that the manufacturer claims offers the most powerful combination of deep cycle and cranking...

OPTIMIZE YOUR FUEL/AIR MIXTURE WITH MAXFLOW.
September 1, 2000... When airflow through an engine is changed, the air/fuel ratio changes, too, generally causing a lean condition, if you own a 454/502 MPI MerCruiser Magnum engine there was no way to adjust the ratio -- until now. Vortech Engineering has...

BUSHNELL BINOCULARS MAINTAIN A CLEAR VIEW.
September 1, 2000... Ever lose the view because your binoculars became fogged? That won't happen if you get a pair of binoculars from the new [H.sub.2]O line from Bushnell Sports Optics. These binocs are not only fogproof, they're waterproof, too. Available in...

KEEP YOUR BOW MAR FREE.
September 1, 2000... Are you tired of scrubbing the marks left on your boat's hull by the trailer's bow stop or roller, or worry about the damage it might be doing while you're bouncing down the road? So did Rick Higgins of Huntington, Texas-based Higgins Marine...

ENJOY A HOT SHOWER ANY TIME.
September 1, 2000... Almost everyone would welcome a hot shower after swimming, diving or skiing in cold water. With an Aquatik 1-S Series shower and wash-down system from Heater Craft, everyone can have one. The 1-S Series uses the boat's engine as a source for...

TBM SEA TRIAL.
September 1, 2000... Show me a boat with canvas, and I'll show you an owner who's frustrated by at least one snap that just won't close. Relax, amigo. It's a basic law of boating. Due to the natural forces of expansion, contraction and shrinkage, canvas shade tops,...