Trailer Boats articles from September 2003

Trailer Boats archives from September 2003

Let the moths fly.(On Plane)
September 1, 2003... Step back in time with me for a moment. It is 1979, and I just bought my first new boat--an inexpensive 16 1/2-foot center console with a Mercury 40 hp outboard. I can still see the gleaming gelcoat and shiny painted trailer. I can feel the...

Compelling comparison.(Letters to the Editors)
September 1, 2003... I just want to compliment you on the "Pony Express" article in the July Trailer Boats. It was very well done and should be an asset to folks who may be trying to decide between outboard or sterndrive power. Anyway, this is the type of thing...

Time piece.(Letters to the Editors)
September 1, 2003... Your July Dock Talk article on filling a surplus 2 1/16-inch hole in the dash with a fume detector brought a question to mind: Does anyone make a plain old clock that would fill this size hole? We never think to bring a watch on lake outings....

Boat show backlash.(Letters to the Editors)
September 1, 2003... Regarding Jim Hendricks' July On Plane editorial entitled "Defining Boat Shows," I'm forced to make a few observations. First, selling your 1979 boat, after five years of use, for the same price you paid for it new has less to do with the...

Keel warning.(Letters to the Editors)
September 1, 2003... I read the July article on installing a keel protector ("Point of Contact"). I installed one on my boat because of too many beachings. My keel looked bad, but not as bad as your project boat. I contacted KeelGuard (800/292-9835; keelguard.com)...

Hottest new marine equipment.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... Seven boating products were recognized with Innovation Awards at MAATS (Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show) staged in July in Las Vegas by the Chicago-based National Marine Manufacturers Association. The criteria for the awards included...

Tailgate parties take to the water.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... Think you need a parking lot and tailgate to have a tailgate party? Well, the times they are a changin'. From Labor Day to Thanksgiving, football fans in increasing numbers will be traveling to and from home games in boats. Four pro stadiums...

"Teak surfing" can kill.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... The U.S. Coast Guard is warning boaters about the danger of an extreme sport called "teak surfing"--holding on to a boat's swim platform (traditionally constructed of teak, hence the name) while the vessel is underway, then letting go and body...

Just cruisin': Monterey 208 Sun Island.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... Who would have ever guessed that the look and feel of sexy European sport yachts could surface in a 20 1/2-foot American runabout? Yet, the Euro influence has indeed emerged in Monterey's new 208 Sun Island. While the Euro look has been...

In tow: Ford's new F-150 pick-up.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... We recently spent two days in San Antonio, Texas, driving the all-new 2004 Ford F-150, and we are pleased to report that a truck-look has returned to the 1/2-ton pick-up series. With a maximum towing rating of 9500 pounds, the new F-150...

Question of the month.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... How much influence will the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Customer Satisfaction Survey results have on your next boat- or engine-buying decision? a.) the deciding factor b.) one of the major factors c.) a minor factor d.)...

Winter takes heaviest toll on boats in the sunbelt.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... With winter around the corner, experienced boaters in many northern states have already begun to winterize their boats. Yet, boats in warm-weather states are hit the hardest in winters, according to statistics from BoatU.S. (800/937-3000;...

Getting personal: waterskiing with PWCs.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... When people learn that you have a personal watercraft (PWC), it is surprising how often they ask us, "Can these things pull waterskiers?" The answer is a resounding yes! Not only can modern three- and four-passenger PWCs tow skiers,...

Something's fishy: Angler 220F CC/Twin Cummins MerCruiser diesels.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... Small diesel engines have seldom garnered much attention from the American boating public. With cheap gasoline and relatively inexpensive gasoline sterndrives, it is hard to justify a considerably higher purchase price for diesel power. South...

Electronics: Navman Fuel 2100.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... One of the best ways of knowing how much fuel you have is knowing how much you've burned. The Fuel 2100 gauge from Navman (630/577-9600; navman.com) makes it easy to obtain this information. We recently installed one of these fuel-flow...

Watertoy profile: Prodigy wakeboard.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... CWB of Lynnwood, Washington, has introduced a wakeboard that doesn't lock you into one style of riding. The Prodigy comes in 135cm and 140cm lengths, and lets you tweak the board's riding characteristics by adjusting fin depth. Three fins...

Skipper's challenge.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... A yellow flare offshore indicates: a) a merchant vessel has sunk b) a major oil spill has occurred c) a submarine is about to surface d) a successful test of an out-of-date signal flare Answer: c) a submarine is about to...

Term of the month: mooring snubber.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... No, it's not a rude, condescending dock master. A mooring snubber is a nylon shock absorber used in bad weather or at rough anchorages on boats with all-chain rodes. Paraphrased from Skipper's Challenge ($19.95), a book by Dale L. Lydigsen...

Working' for a living: Mohave County Sheriff tritoon.(Dock Talk)
September 1, 2003... In addition to modernizing its fully trailerable patrol boat fleet, Arizona's Mohave County Sheriff's Department recently added a pontoon boat to the mix. The department is now armed with 10 boats, eight full-time sworn deputies and 65...

Hole-istic solutions.(Boat Improvements)
September 1, 2003... The first step in getting the boat opened up was to unzip the enclosure's rear curtain, but the zipper would not budge when I pulled on the tab. The second, more forceful yank did not move the zipper either, but the adjacent snap that holds the...

Marine monikers.(Boating Basics)
September 1, 2003... Some boaters invest more time dreaming up a moniker for their vessels than they do in naming their offspring. If you are pondering a boat name, you might appreciate a list compiled by Virginia-based BoatU.S. (800/937-3300; boatus.com). Each...

Alternative thinking.(Propulsion Report)
September 1, 2003... The U.S. Department of Defense recently initiated a single-fuel mandate. As a result, all U.S. Navy vessels must discontinue the transport of gasoline to improve safety (the flash point for gasoline is -44 degrees Fahrenheit) and simplify...

King of the hill: with the introduction of a 250 hp outboard, Suzuki Marine stands alone atop the four-stroke hill ... for now.(Engine Test)
September 1, 2003... For 2004, California-based Suzuki Marine has leapfrogged over its competition in the four-stroke horsepower race. Suzuki's new DF250 is now the most powerful four-stroke outboard, besting both Honda and Yamaha by 25 ponies, and beating...

Joint venture: it's now easier to replace U-joint bearings, thanks to a new, but expensive tool.(TBM How-To)
September 1, 2003... Most sterndrives have one thing in common--U-joints. And if you own a sterndrive long enough, the U-joint bearings will have to be replaced. Located in the rubber bellows between the upper gearcase and transom plate, a U-joint is what...

Power of weather: can weather have an effect on marine engine performance? We clear the air.
September 1, 2003... Does your boat seem to run better some days than others? It just might be the weather. Changes in air temperature, humidity and barometric pressure affect an engine's performance--be it a sterndrive, outboard, jetdrive, inboard, two-stroke...

Stacked deck: with the new 220DR deck boat, Stingray seems to have stacked the cards in its favor.
September 1, 2003... Deck boats are not my cup of tea. Too much like minivans, I guess. Yet, if there was one boat that could change my mind, Stingray's new 220DR could be it. With a full windshield and a simple, wide-open layout, the 220DR offers a world of...

Microchip management: we upgrade, consolidate and relocate the entire electronics system on a 23-foot center console.(TBM How-To)
September 1, 2003... The editors of Trailer Boats are constantly doing projects on their own boats, buddies' boats, and boats on loan to us from manufacturers. We're talking new and old, bare bones and rigged to the hilt. One editor s boat, a 23-foot Key West...

Keep 'em rolling: you should service your trailer wheel bearings annually. Here's how to do it right.(TBM How-To)
September 1, 2003... The subject is as old as trailer boating itself, but keeping wheel bearings properly greased and maintained is a ritual many still forget to perform. The evidence is clear when you find a family sitting dejectedly on a grassy roadside, as Dad...

Prairie pond: at 56,000 acres, Truman Lake in western Missouri is a peaceful and fishy alternative to the more popular Lake of the Ozarks.(TBM Destination)
September 1, 2003... Jack Farley and Deck Savage of Warsaw, Missouri, fish in the shadow of the Harry S Truman Lake Dam. It is a tremendous earthen structure that separates Missouri's second largest lake, Harry S Truman Lake, from the state's largest, Lake of the...

Get smart: Mercury's SmartCraft instruments not only provide a wealth of engine and navigational information, they are super easy to install.(TBM How-To)
September 1, 2003... Today, advanced microprocessing technology controls nearly every function on direct-fuel-injected (DFI) two-stroke outboards. These are truly "smart" engines, a requirement born of complexity and the needs of clean-burning, fuel-efficient...

Tough tech: the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero offers Class III towing ability in a seven-passenger SUV with high-tech off-road capability.(TBM Tow Test)
September 1, 2003... Max. Tow Rating: 5000 lbs. Rating as Tested: 5000 lbs. Now in its 20th year of production, the Mitsubishi Montero has proven to be a ragged sport-utility vehicle (SUV), well suited for off highway explorations. Its racing heritage includes...

Tired outboard.(Tech Letters)
September 1, 2003... I recently found a completely intact 30 hp Firestone outboard at a public dump. What information do you have on this brand? Ken Denardo Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, Canada This particular outboard was offered through Firestone...

Missing Hondas.(Tech Letters)
September 1, 2003... I own an Aquasport 165 Striper with a 60 hp Johnson turning a stainless 14x17-inch three-blade prop. I use it between Corpus Christi and Port O'Connor on the Texas Gulf Coast, mostly on the inshore tidal flats. I am thinking of switching to a...

Over a barrel.(Tech Letters)
September 1, 2003... I have a 1997 Starcraft 2010 bowrider powered by a MerCruiser 5.7L with an Alpha drive and a 19-inch-pitch Revenge tour-blade stainless prop. I am now considering a four-barrel carburetor. I still have the March 1995 article where you guys...

Power trim problem.(Tech Letters)
September 1, 2003... The power trim and tilt system on my MerCruiser is giving me problems. The unit will trim down, but when trimming up, all I hear is a clicking sound. What's wrong? Tyler Moore De Moines, Iowa There have been wiring changes on the...

Dodge van tranny.(Tow Car)
September 1, 2003... My tow vehicle is a 1992 Dodge Ram 250 van conversion with a 5.2L V-8, four-speed automatic transmission and a 3.54 axle. Although my boat and trailer weighs only 3400 pounds (the van's tow rating is 7800 pounds), I tow over the mountains quite...

Grease is the word.(Tow Car)
September 1, 2003... I heard that the application of a thin film of grease on the tow ball was a good thing to do. A buddy of mine saw me doing it the other day and thought it was nuts. What do you say? Larry Scot Albuquerque, New Mexico A hitchball...

Explorer rating.(Tow Car)
September 1, 2003... I just purchased a 1993 2WD Ford Explorer to use as a tow vehicle. It has the 4.0L V-6 engine, automatic tranny, 3.27:1 gears and the Ford towing package. My boat is a 17 1/2- foot bowrider with a 5.0L engine, 26-gallon fuel tank, and it's on a...

Trailer width.(Tow Car)
September 1, 2003... The towing information you folks publish is great, and I get a lot out of it, but I have a question about how "trailer widths" are defined in the state-by-state towing laws. Does the maximum trailer width allowed include the overhang of the...

Manual vs. auto.(Tow Car)
September 1, 2003... I keep reading that a manual transmission is not as good for towing as an automatic, and that vehicles with auto trannies have higher tow rating. The trucks with the manual trannies are much cheaper. Why is an auto tranny better for towing? ...

Ramp-Mate helps prevent roll-back.(TBM Tested)
September 1, 2003... You're launching the boat on a really steep ramp. You set the parking brake, and put the vehicle in "park." Yet, with that heavy boat exerting its gravitational pull, you wish all the vehicle brakes were applied before stepping out of the track...

New Stow Away Kit makes winterizing easy.(Gotta Have It)
September 1, 2003... For many boaters across the country, it's time to start thinking about off-season storage, and the new Stow Away Kit from Evinrude/Johnson Parts takes most of the thinking out of it. No more checklists, and no more running from dealer to dealer...

Road Warrior tongue jack stands up to salt.(TBM Tested)
September 1, 2003... Unified Marine recently introduced a galvanized, pivoting tongue jack rated for 1500 pounds of tongue weight. It fits frames measuring 3 to 5 inches in width or height. One of three Road Warrior pivot-style models, this beefy jack features an...

Epco's wakeboard holder maximizes cockpit space.(Gotta Have It)
September 1, 2003... Epco has introduced a lightweight aluminum wakeboard holder that can secure two boards or a pair of skis. It's available in five models for a variety of applications. Each is designed to maximize space while eliminating unnecessary tripping...

Schuck cushion hitch smooths out jars and jolts of towing.(TBM Tested)
September 1, 2003... Schuck's 340 cushion drawbar is designed to absorb most of the shock from trailer momentum when starting or stopping. It does so with injection-molded urethane inside the drawbar. In addition, polyethane bearings are used to increase...

Barefoot champ bares his sole in new instruction book.(Gotta Have It)
September 1, 2003... When four time world barefooting champion Ron Scarpa began his competitive career in 1977, barefooting was indeed an extreme sport, and most of the learning was by trial and error. Today, all 'footers can benefit from Ron Scarpa's intimate...

You could win a Four Winns boat.(Over the Transom: photo contest)
September 1, 2003... OVER THE TRANSOM CONTEST RULES Do you have a kooky, weird or hilarious picture involving a boat, launch ramp, marina or anything else around the water? Send it in. If your photo is chosen as one of Trailer Boats' "Over the Transom"...