Getting your boat ready for the summer is more than brushing off the cobwebs and swabbing the deck. A little preparation goes a long way in preventing any problems happening when out in the middle of the lake. Powerboatguy has compiled a basic checklist to get that boat ready for another fun summer of boating. 1. Charge the battery 2. Check your fuel filter 3. Re-attach cooling hoses (if you took them out while winterizing your boat) 4. Clean air cleaner 5. Put frost plug back 6. Close any water caulks 7. Check fan belts 8. Check Power steering fluid 9. Check oil level 10. Check hydraulic level 11. If you have one, run tilt trim up and down a few times. 12. If you have “muffs”, attach them. 13. Start a small flow of water. Start your engine and run…Keep Reading
If you love your boat(s!) as much as I do, you probably want them to go faster. Or get up on plane faster. Well, that funny-looking thing stuck on the bottom of your motor is pretty important to how your boat operates. So important, you could write books about it. Well, people already have- my ‘go to’ favorite is “The Propeller Handbook: The Complete Reference for Choosing, Installing, and Understanding Boat Propellers” by Dave Gerr. I just finished my most recent boat construction project- a 13′ 7″ twin-sponson wooden hydroplane from a design penned in the 1960’s. On the back is a 45hp Mercury Classic Fifty (chosen not only for low weight, but also because it’s block is shared with the 44xs motor used in Class D hydro racing- a motor I dream about owning for this boat). I was in the quest for a 45+mph top speed and I…Keep Reading