Evinrude oil | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 16

Keep It Clean


Part of properly winterizing a boat is giving it a thorough cleaning. I’ve used the same brand for several years now, but lately it hasn’t been doing the trick. I’m not sure if the formula has changed, I just know that it doesn’t work.

When I went to purchase some Evinrude XD 50 oil, I decided to take a look at what other cleaning products are on the market. After browsing through several brands, I chose to go with Evinrude Johnson Marine Cleaner. It worked wonders on the hull, convertible top, and vinyl upholstery. Even tough exhaust stains wiped away easily. I believe that I have found my new go-to to cleaner.

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Happy New Year

As we do every year, the family went down to the lake on New Year’s Eve. It was a bit nippy, but we made a campfire and toasted marshmallows for s’mores. The kids go back to school tomorrow, so it was a nice way to close out their winter vacation.

When it got close to midnight we set off fireworks on the shore (perfectly legal in our county with the proper permits). We sang a few songs and shared our resolutions for 2012. My son’s resolution surprised me the most; he wants to spend more time with me working on our boats. Not many teenagers want to go shopping for Evinrude XD 100 oil with their dad when there are videogames to be played! I sincerely hope that he’s serious about his resolution.

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Kneeboarding

I’ve gotten a few questions from people about kneeboarding, which I mentioned in yesterday’s post. The most frequently asked question is: “What the heck is kneeboarding?” Simply put, kneeboarding is an aquatic sport where the rider is towed along behind a boat, much like in wakeboarding and water skiing.

The board is shaped similarly to an oversized kickboard with Velcro straps. You start lying down on your stomach on the board with your hands holding onto the handle of the tow rope. As the boat picks up speed you hoist yourself onto your knees and pull the Velcro straps over your thighs. This keeps the board attached to you as you attempt to catch air. I remember it being a ton of fun as a little kid. You should definitely check out some kneeboards next time you pick up Evinrude outboard oil.

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Water Skiing

It’s been a long time since I last water skied. As a little kid I would love to go out knee-boarding (it’s similar to wakeboarding, only you kneel on the board instead of standing up) and water skiing on the river near our home. Fishing became more interesting to me in my adult years.

My daughter has now expressed interest in learning how to water ski, so I suppose it’s time to dig out my old skis and give her a few lessons. I’ll need to pick up a new tow rope and clips because I don’t trust that my old ones are safe. Next time I purchase some Evinrude oil I’ll select a new tow rope.

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Entrepreneurial Teenagers

Who said all teenagers are lazy? Down at the marina this summer two young men from the area ran their own boat maintenance business. They did everything from cleaning to painting to minor engine work.

Though I prefer to maintain my own boat, I did give them a chance to earn some cash by changing by outboard motor oil. It turns out that they bought bulk outboard motor oil during the winter to help offset their costs during the summer months. By the time the summer was over the two young men had made a tidy profit.

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Easy Oil Spill Solutions

If you’re like me and you take care of all your own boat maintenance, every once in a while you’ll have a spill. Cleaning up an oil spill is much simpler than most people think. In fact, you probably have most of the items you need right in your own home.

Baking soda, for instance, is a natural cleaning agent that soaks up oil. It also absorbs odors extremely well. Baby powder is effective, too. For larger spills, like a leaky bulk oil container, use cat litter. The litter comes in bigger bags so you can spread it more easily over a wide area.

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Fishing in Arkansas, Part I

My favorite uncle was an Army brat who grew up on base in Arkansas. Though he now lives on the East Coast, he often travels back to Arkansas to visit family and childhood friends. When he’s out there, he likes to take advantage of the excellent fishing.

His favorite places to fish for walleye include Bull Shoals, Norfork lakes, Eleven Point, and Lake Greeson. To date, the world-record walleye weighed in at 22 pounds, 11 ounces, and was caught in Greers Ferry Lake in March 1982. Perhaps I’ll get to join my uncle on his next trip. I may not be an expert fisherman, but at least I know how to check to make sure the level of XD1 Evinrude ETec outboard motor oil.

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What’s in a Name?

The best part of purchasing a new boat is getting to pick out a name. Some people are sentimental and name their boats after a spouse or child. I think that’s a great idea, but I lean toward funny or clever names.

When I walk down to the marina I keep an eye out for funny boat names. Friends also send me links to boats with clever names like “Vitamin Sea” and “Playbuoy.” A great party boat name is “Cirrhosis of the River.” Sometimes I’ll strike up a conversation with the boat owner’s while they’re changing their Evinrude XD50 oil. Boat owners with cleverly named ships tend to be pretty friendly and easy going.

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No Cruise Ships For Me

I’ll let you in on a secret: I love boating, but I loathe cruise ships. Don’t get me wrong, I have been on many a gorgeous cruise ship with fantastic décor, food, and entertainment – not to mention exotic destinations. What I dislike is the seasickness that accompanies such trips.

I’ve spent my whole life on the water in kayaks, canoes, motor boats, and sailboats. That’s why I was so startled the first time I went on a cruise ship and experienced sea sickness. Even though there are drugs and patches that take the edge off, I much prefer to steer my own smaller boat. I get more satisfaction and zero sickness in my own craft. I also take pride in knowing that I’ve maintained my boat with Evinrude XD100 oil.

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Best Light Show in Town

The cooler weather is making me nostalgic for summer. This past Independence Day was quite spectacular. Per tradition, the whole family stayed at my grandparents’ home on Long Beach Island. From the rooftop deck, we had the best view in town of the fireworks.

We could see the mainland’s fireworks show to one side and then simply swiveled our chairs to see the island’s fireworks display. Best of all, when it got really dark around, we watched the fireworks display over Atlantic City. The famed casino town goes all out, which is probably why all the boats cruised up the inter-coastal before nightfall to get a good spot to see the show. I’m betting a hefty chunk of those boat owners used Evinrude XD 50 oil in their engines.

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Putting in a Bulkhead

In addition to putting in a dock, my grandparents also decided to put in a bulkhead. A bulkhead is essentially a retaining wall that helps prevent erosion caused by wave action. Getting a permit to build a bulkhead can be tricky because there are some drawbacks to the environment in terms of redistribution of sand and eel grass. The township did grant a permit, but my grandparents had to sacrifice more of their land than they originally wanted to.

Our friendly neighbor recommended an experienced contractor who had put in our neighbor’s bulkhead years before. The man and his crew did an excellent job; the bulkhead has weathered many storms without damage. Our neighbor has been very helpful; first with the Evinrude XD 100 oil recommendation and then with the bulkhead contractor contact information.

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Building a Dock

, NJ has been my family’s summer vacation destination for decades. My grandparents went there so much that they ended up buying a beach home. As the family grew, they sold the first beach house and bought a larger home so all the children and grandchildren could stay together under one roof. The second home happened to be a bay front property, which made it easier to take boats out.

To accommodate the boats, a dock needed to be built. Technically, the water and small island in front of the home belonged to our neighbor, so we had to get permission to build the dock on the neighbor’s property. Fortunately, the neighbor did not mind, so long as he could occasionally use the dock for his own boat. The neighbor even recommended Evinrude outboard oil to us to make sure our boats always ran smoothly.

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