Monthly Archives: August 2013

Top Boat Maintenance Resources

When you’re a boat owner, you know it’s important to protect your investment by maintaining your boat. Comprehensive boat maintenance means much more that just cleaning it, however. Especially if you’re a first-time boat owner and you’re looking around the web at boat maintenance tips and articles, it can get overwhelming. There are a lot of articles and tips out there! So, we’ve found 3 of the best resources out there for boat owners concerning taking care of their investments.

Boat Maintenance & Cleaning Tips

Discover Boating: Boat Maintenance Tips & Safety Rules

From a general maintenance overview to a semi-annual checklist and a winterizing section, Discover Boating has a pretty comprehensive section about boat upkeep and maintenance. A part we liked:

You should also remove the propeller several times during the season to make sure discarded fishing line hasn’t become wrapped around the propeller shaft. If it has, have your dealer inspect the gear case, because fishing line can cause gear case leaks and gear case service is NOT a do-it-yourself job.

Bass Pro Shops: Cleaning Your Boat from Top to Bottom

While this article is specifically geared toward simple fishing boats, it can be applied to many larger boats as well. The list is very comprehensive, and tells you how to clean everything from livewells to consoles to the hull and your trailer. Of course, since it’s from Bass Pro Shops, it recommends various Bass Pro Shop cleaning products.  A part we liked:

For graphs or electronic gauges, a water-vinegar solution used in conjunction with a soft cloth will keep them fresh and clean. Wiping in a circular motion on electronic screens can leave grit marks or fine scratches, so pay close attention to work the cloth in one side-to-side direction only.

Boating Magazine: Top Boat Maintenance Tips

We really like this one for the pictures. For instance, it shoes you a pictures\ of rusted fasteners instead of just telling you to replace rusted fasteners. It shows you pictures of various problems, so that you can decide if you should be replacing parts without just guessing. A part we liked:

Batteries must withstand a force of 90 pounds, or twice their weight, without moving more than one inch in any direction, according to the American Boat and Yacht Council. Eschew strap hold-downs in favor of those using threaded rods and locknuts.

National MU-2 Fly-In in Green Bay a Success

On Friday and Saturday, July 26th and 27th, Jet Air Group in Green Bay hosted an MU-2 Fly-In. It was a two-day event where Mitsubishi MU-2 aircraft from all over the US and beyond were on Jet Air Group’s ramp, ready to be touched and toured by visitors. Attendees included owners, operators, and their guests, and the event featured seminars and social events.

Aircraft Marine Insurance President Kevin Gruys was able to attend the event, and get up close and personal with the aircraft. Check out these pictures of him and the MU-2’s!

MU-2 Fly-In  MU-2 Fly-In

MU-2 Fly-In

Boatgating: A New Alternative to Tailgating

Boatgating

As the fall season approaches a little bit quicker than some of us would like. it’s time to start thinking about the best part of fall: football season. If you’re a football fan, you’re familiar with pre-game excitement and get-togethers. Are you a tailgater? Do you have access to a boat? If so, you might just have to try the new craze that’s sweeping the nation: boatgating.

According to Discover Boating, more and more Americans are taking to the water: “Of the 232.3 million adults in the US in 2012, 37.8%, or 88 million, went boating—the largest number on record by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.” So, maybe it’s time for us to all try boatgating!

Discover Boating has created a list of the best stadiums for boatgating in the U.S. Find it here: http://www.discoverboating.com/resources/article.aspx?id=654.