Anyone who has been to a lake or the beach knows that there is a lot of garbage floating around in the water and ending up on shore. Most of this garbage is dumped by mindless or careless boaters and campers who do not understand the impact their actions can have on the environment.     Garbage in the water looks bad, and can cause problems for both wildlife and for boaters. A significant number of b...

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Bayliner Boats and Trophy Sportfishing Boats have launched a new boat discount program in partnership with USAA, a leading financial services provider that serves members of the U.S. military and their families. Just in time for the upcoming boating season, USAA members are now eligible for savings of up to $1,500 on select Bayliner and Trophy models.  “This partnership with USAA gives Bayliner and Trophy dealers an outstanding opportunity to reach a huge audience of potential cust...

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No one can accuse Mercury of rushing its latest outboard — a non-supercharged 150 hp four-stroke — to market. After five years in development and $25 million in research and tooling costs, Mercury unveiled the 150 FourStroke. Heck, the three-piece cowling alone took 19 months to perfect. All Mercury tried to do was to be better in every metric than its competition and make the engine as simple, light and maintenance friendly as possible.   Its 3.0 liters of displacement are th...

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Just as there are social norms you’re expected to know on land, you’ve got to know certain basic rules of boating etiquette if you’re going to be spending any time at all on the water. While it may feel like you’re the captain of your nautical domain, remember that a little consideration for your fellow boater can go a long way toward avoiding any misunderstandings or conflicts. You are responsible for your own wake and any damage done by it. If you’ve caused bo...

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Mercury Marine's new 150-horsepower FourStroke outboard received a prestigious innovation award this week at the International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Louisville, Ky. The 150 FourStroke, which will be available to consumers in December, was recognized by judges for its excellent fuel efficiency, light weight and performance, according to a news release Wednesday from Mercury Marine. The 150-horsepower engine is designed as the "ultimate outboard" for many boat types, ...

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Today, I’d like to talk to you about finding fish, specifically the electronics we use to find fish. Many of you have read about the new side imaging and down-imaging structure scan options on fish finders. But just reading about them doesn’t really do these systems justice. I have a dash mounted 798c  SI Humminbird on my NITRO Z-7 and I have only good things to say about it. TV and magazines that advertise these systems show that the screen is almost camera like, showing you e...

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Each year several hundred Americans lose their lives in boating accidents, nearly all of which could have been avoided with a few basic precautions. Remember, that most fatal boating accidents occur in boats 26' feet and under. Some tips to stay safe--   1. Wear a life vest. If you feel funny wearing the cheap, bulky day-glow orange PFDs, then spend $100 or so on the automatically inflating type vests that blend in with your clothes. They are USCG approved.   2. Make sure the condi...

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The Boat Owners Association of The United States has five hard questions you need to ask your boat’s insurance agent before your summer boating season begins. Their answers could let you know how worthwhile or worthless your current policy is:   1. Does your insurance company expect you to pay salvage costs that should be paid by them? Most people say the main the reason they buy insurance is to cover the “big things.” The most common types of catastrophic insurance clai...

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If you think that life jackets have to be bulky, uncomfortable or hot to wear, the winners of the “Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition” will prove you wrong. The BoatUS Foundation and Underwriter's Laboratory recently announced the winners of their 2011 competition, and you may be surprised at how much the inventive designs break new ground. The Competition, which began last year and was open to anyone, asked a simple question: Can you build a better life jacket? Of the ori...

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Is a $50,000 price tag keeping you from taking your child or a grand child fishing? Maybe you want to start fishing in your local tournaments but the idea of spending so much on a boat has you second-guessing the idea? Nitro Z-6 Overhead   There are many of options available to get you on the water and if you’re looking for an inexpensive fiberglass bass boat, you just can’t beat the Z-6. This NITRO Z-6 is 17’6” long with a beam of 90”.  Beam is...

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20’9” of pure fishing domination! This is what I envision when I think about NITRO’S flagship model the Z-9. The Z-9 is every tournament anglers dream, its big, roomy and fast. What more can you ask for? How about a choice of more than 70 different options, from electronics to power poles you can build this boat to fit your exact needs. Best of all you can choose your own color and color combinations so you will have that one of a kind bass boat!    Nitro Z-9...

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NAVIONICS APP WINS 2011 NMMA INNOVATION AWARD User Generated Content Community Layer Recognized in Consumer Safety Equipment Category WAREHAM, Massachusetts – Navionics, the world leader in electronic navigation charts, has been honored with the prestigious Innovation Award at the 70th Annual Miami International Boat Show by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI) panel of judges for its latest iPhone and iPad App with its revolut...

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Let me start of by introducing myself.  My name is Travis Roberts; I have been at Rocky Mountain RV and Marine for the last 8 years or so.  My father and I are the proud owners of a Tracker Marine 2010 Nitro Z-7, powered by a Mercury 200 Optimax Pro XS.  We fish local New Mexico bass club tournaments along with fun fishing with our families and friends. In this blog series I hope to let everyone know about new innovations throughout the Tracker Marine NITRO line, as well as why ...

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