Smokey Engine

604066900_8b06be5115_oI like to say that I am a loyal individual.  I’ve been with my wife for over twenty years,  I’ve supported my teams for my entire life it seems like, and I only use one brand of underwear.  My parents are the same way which explains why I am also.  They taught me that if something or someone never does me wrong, then it’s safe to stick with it until you need to do otherwise.

I’ve had my boat for the better part of ten years.  I like to take it out fishing on the weekends and enjoy some quiet time with myself or with some friends and family.  I’ve been using once specific brand of oil on my outboard engine and it hasn’t given me a problem until recently.  My engine has been more smoky than usual lately.  A friend of my suggested that I try some Mercury 2 Cycle Oil and see if it does anything different.  The result was the same so I guess it’s time to take the engine to a mechanic to see what is wrong with it.

Did you like this? Share it:

Some Good Advice

boat-shoes-8I have a hard time trusting mechanics in general.  I always think that they are scheming to get more money out of me.  Whenever I take my car into the garage for something, I end up getting something totally unrelated worked on as well because they deemed that it was necessary.  It always costs me whenever I see a mechanic which makes me weary whenever they give me some advice.

I asked a local mechanic about which oil I should use on my outboard engine.  I told him that I usually use Mercury Optimax Oil but I was thinking of using something else.  He told me that as long as I stick to one brand, I should be fine.  If the oil I was using wasn’t causing me any problems, then there was no need to change it.  I was surprised he didn’t try to up-sell me and make me buy the most expensive brand of oil out there.  I was thankful of the truthful answer he gave me.  Why can’t more mechanics be like him?

Did you like this? Share it:

Useful Friends

P1010532I like asking my friend for advice about most things because he’s a self-proclaimed “know-it-all.”  He’s an expert on home repair, he knows who was the last player to hit fifty homeruns, and he knows which brand of television has the best to offer.  He saves me a lot of time and research that I don’t want to do.  He can be a bit annoying some times but he does come in handy most times.

We went out on my boat this weekend to do some fishing.  He noticed that my outboard engine was making some weird noises.  He suggested that I change my Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil.  It’s a good thing he reminded me because it’s been a few months since I did that.  He then proceeded to tell me which bait was best to use to catch fish and the proper way to reel in a big catch as if it was my first time fishing.  It’s a good thing his positives outweigh his negatives otherwise I would have stopped being friends with him a long time ago.

Did you like this? Share it:

Doing It Myself

imagesI recently bought a used Yamaha Waverunner online from a reputable dealer.  Things were going well until I had to change the oil.  I always like to take care of my own things and do any kind of repairs or maintenance myself so of course I would change my own oil.  It can’t be that hard.  I’ve been changing my car’s oil myself since I was old enough to drive.  My dad taught me how to do it and he also taught me to do things myself if I am able to.

I don’t know which specific kind of oil or oils to buy for my Waverunner so I did some research online about which oil is best.  There is no specific Waverunner oil that is sold but Yamaha suggests using its brand of oil on the engine.  Of course they would say that because I would imagine that they want people to buy more of their product.  The engine itself is versatile enough to take in most oils but just to make sure, I’m going to stick with the Yamaha brand.  I was reading through online forums and most people suggested that the Yamaha brand would be the safer choice.  I don’t want any future engine problems caused by mixing different oils together.

Did you like this? Share it:

Forgetting Something

dockingI like to consider myself a responsible guy but others may view me as somewhat forgetful.  I don’t do it on purpose, it just happens sometimes.  When I go grocery shopping, I would forget at least three things on my list.  When I would buy popcorn at the movies, I would sometimes forget to buy a soda to go with it.  I’m working harder to be more conscious of what I have to do so I won’t be so forgetful.

Yesterday afternoon, my wife sent me to the store to pick up a couple of cans of tomato paste for her spaghetti sauce.  I got into my car and went straight to the store with the goal of purchasing only what she needed.  On my way to the canned goods aisle, I passed across the automotive section.  On a display, I saw that the Yamaha outboard oil filters are on sale.  I love bargains so I picked up three and made my way to the registers.  As I was about to pay, my phone rang and it was my wife reminding me to pick up the two cans of tomato paste that she needed.  I was somewhat embarrassed but thankful that my wife knows me as well as she does.

Did you like this? Share it:

Full Day

joupdogdadI enjoy running errands on my days off.  I feel like I am accomplishing a lot of little things that look good when crossed off of my “to do” list.  There are bigger tasks I need to do that would require more time, but I like to get the little things out of the way so I can focus all of my attention on that bigger task.

Today, I had to go to the bank to deposit some checks.  Then I decided to get some coffee before heading to the mall to return some pants.  I don’t like waiting on long lines at customer service to return items but it had to be done.  It only took twenty minutes of my time and the customer service representative was nice and polite.  Good customer service can go a long way for a company.  Finally I had to stop at the store to pick up some Mercury engine oil because I was running low.  I spent the rest of the day assembling furniture that my wife bought.

Did you like this? Share it:

Trip To The Mountains

Heli-Skiing-in-the-Purcell-Mountins-BCA few friends and I went up to the mountains for a weekend of snowboarding.  It was our first time going all season and we were excited to finally be getting some runs in.  We usually go snowmobiling too when we make it up to the mountains so we booked a couple of snowmobiles for the following afternoon and we were set.

We picked up the snowmobiles after a morning of solid runs down the mountain.  The rental person told us that one of the snowmobiles has been overheating lately and informed us that he just put in some fresh snowmobile oil into the engine to prevent any problems for us.  It was a fun afternoon.  We raced each other and went down some trails.  Thankfully the snowmobile did not overheat so everything went off without a hitch.

Did you like this? Share it:

The Pelican

percy-the-pelican-kirsten-givingI was doing some maintenance on my boat the other day when I came upon a curious pelican.  I usually see these things floating around in the water, looking for fish to snatch up, but I’ve never had one come onto my boat.  Maybe it smelled some fish I caught earlier in the day or maybe it was just curious about the floating machines we use to navigate through the water.

I know pelicans aren’t usually aggressive unless they feel like they’re being attacked but I saw that this particular pelican was looking to start some trouble.  It began rummaging through my deck; knocking over buckets and sifting through some bags I had laid out.  It got a hold of some outboard motor oil and spilled an entire gallon of it all over the deck.  I’m usually not violent towards animals but I had to do something before this pelican made even more of a mess.  I trapped it in a fishing net and threw it overboard.  At least next time I know not to leave stuff out on my deck.

Did you like this? Share it:

Living In The Past

2874522609_20beb189a4_zI like to debate with my friend about proper boat maintenance techniques and practices.  My friend was brought up to appreciate the virtues of doing things the old way because they are proven and true.  His father was a military man and also a creature of habit.  He would do things one way and if that one way worked, he stuck with it.  That lesson was instilled in my friend and to this day, he refuses to change.

Last Christmas I got him a gallon of Evinrude outboard oil for his outboard engine and he still refuses to use it to this day.  I explained to him about fully synthetic oil and how it differs from conventional oil and he still wouldn’t budge.  He’s funny that way.  All the clocks in his house are still analog clocks because he finds electronic clocks unreliable.  I call him an old man even though he’s still in his thirties.  I tell him to embrace the future every day but he can’t let go of the past.  Next year I should get him something he desperately needs: a HD television and see if he would use it.

Did you like this? Share it:

Cutting Costs

budget-axe-300x177Owning a boat is very rewarding but it’s also very expensive.  Maintenance, dock fees, and insurance are enough to turn a lot of people away from boat ownership.  The feeling I get of being able to go out onto the water whenever I want is enough to counteract the stress and financial strain of owning my own boat.  I’ve been around boats ever since I was a child and there’s nothing I love more than feeling the wind in my hair and the sea spray in my face when I’m out on the water.

I try to take advantage of any sales on boating products and accessories that come my way.  Every little bit helps.  I like to buy used parts from other owners or scrap yards and do all of the work myself.  I also like to buy bulk Mercury Optimax oil because it’s cheaper than just buying it individually.  My boat was given to me by my father and he took very good care of it.  I just do my best to maintain it as well as he did.  He taught me everything I know about boats and I hope to be able to teach my son too someday.

Did you like this? Share it:

Online Shopping

226811-online-shoppingMy wife recently sent me an email with some links to some online deals she found on a kind of necklace she wanted.  I’m the first to admit that I know very little about jewelry.  I don’t know how many carats a good diamond should be but what I do know is that it is expensive.  I was shocked to see how low the price was she showed me.

This got me motivated to shop for a better deal online for things I usually buy.  I found a coupon for a gallon of mercury premium plus and I was ecstatic.  I spent the entire afternoon looking for other discounts online and vowed never to pay full price for anything again.

Did you like this? Share it:

Always Be Prepared

obs-speedalcoholslideA lot of my friends consider me paranoid because I usually always plan for the worst-case scenario whenever we go somewhere.  It was a habit I acquired during my time as a troop scout when I was younger.  Bringing an extra pair of anything seemed like a good idea to me at the time and I guess it stuck with me all the way to adulthood.

On our fishing trips, I usually pack an emergency kit consisting of extra ice, water, fuel and outboard oil.  Most of the time, we never end up using any of these but I always think ahead just in case.  I always end up getting teased by the other guys, but I feel better knowing we’re prepared for just about anything.

Did you like this? Share it: