If you own a pontoon, you know how much fun it is to cruise the lake and pull into a spot on the bank to spend the day - or night.  We used to do this and would take tents along for sleeping and a camp stove for cooking.  But take a look at these nifty pontoon enclosures!  You can turn your pontoon into a floating tent!  The best part is that a pontoon boat enclosure will protect you from many adverse weather conditions, like the sudden thunderstorms that tend to develop...

[Read the rest of this article...]

Ahh, boating! Skimming over the water with the wind in your hair. What a great way to spend a summer day, especially with family and friends. A carefree atmosphere just made for fun and partying. But the fun on the water should never include drinking. Mixing alcohol and boating can have dire consequences. There is no gentle way to say it.  Being impaired while operating a boat can cost you thousands of dollars, or worse, have a fun day end tragically.  Last year, 2 people lost the...

[Read the rest of this article...]

Changing the prop on your outboard may be the least expensive yet dramatic way to fine tune and customize your boat’s performance for your use.  The goal in prop selection is to determine what propeller style and size will maximize performance for your boat, while allowing your engine to operate in the recommended rpm range. There are plenty of websites with prop calculators that will take the size and weight of your boat, along with your engine, current propeller, and curren...

[Read the rest of this article...]

As a boater you have more than likely pulled up to a boat ramp, ready for an enjoyable day on the water only to find an inconsiderate boater has blocked the entire ramp while loading or unloading their gear. Boat ramp etiquette is a serious issue for many boaters.  We have witnessed fights – which could be called “ramp rage” – that have erupted because someone was being a ‘boat ramp hog’ and tied up the ramp for too long a period. Safe boating classes t...

[Read the rest of this article...]

With ever rising fuel prices and concerns over fuel supplies, boaters are paying attention to the efficiency of their engines now more than ever. Increasing your fuel efficiency saves you time with fewer trips to the fuel dock; saves money through using less fuel; and saves the environment with decreased emissions. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your tank of fuel: 1. Tune your engine and keep the boat bottom clean.   A properly tuned engine not only gets better mile...

[Read the rest of this article...]

The time comes on every aluminum boat when it needs a “face lift”!  You can take it to a dealer and have them refinish the exterior for you but if you’re a do-it-yourself kind of guy with some fairly good skills, you may want to consider painting your boat.  You have to take a slightly different approach in the painting process due to the oxidizing nature of aluminum. The first step is to sand blast the hull to remove any old paint or decals.  Because alumin...

[Read the rest of this article...]

The nights are getting cooler here in the high desert areas of New Mexico and if you own a boat or personal watercraft, it’s time to winterize.  If you missed the Rocky Mountain RV and Marine boat winterization seminar, here’s a recap of the information you need to know.  The time and effort you take now will protect your boat’s performance and help maintain its value.  It will definitely save you money and potential trouble when you go to use your boat next spri...

[Read the rest of this article...]

Your boat’s lower unit is important to service on a regular basis.  Whether you have an I/O or an outboard, there are several items to check regularly to make sure your boat keeps running smoothly. Gear Oil One of the items that can be serviced by you is the lower unit gear oil.  This should be changed at least once a year at the end of the season. Why at the end? Because you don’t want any metal shavings or foreign substances such as water in the oil sitting in the gear ...

[Read the rest of this article...]