Heavy Weight Oil

“Popular Mechanics” is a publication I often peruse online and in print. I recently came across an article that asked the question, “Is there really any benefit or downside to using heavier-weight oils in summer months and lighter-weight oils in winter?” This is an old wives tale, so to speak, that refers to car maintenance.

Before recent improvements to motor oil, there was only one viscosity. Oil would thin out in the summer heat, so it was necessary to use heavier weighted oils. Nowadays we have multi-viscosity oils, so there isn’t a need to use weighted oils with the changing seasons. The same technology is used in outboard motor oil, like my preference, Yamalube 2 cycle oil.

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Boating in Tennessee

I can personally testify to the quality of boating in Tennessee. My brother-in-law and his family live in Lexington, Kentucky, and we often trailer his boat and go down to Tennessee. He goes there so often that he has a good relationship with a local shop owner who gives him a deal on outboard oil.

On our frequent trips to Tennessee we’ve spent time exploring the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers. Those rivers run through the four biggest cities in the state, so you get a pretty good lay of the land and culture. Plus, with 32 major reservoirs and 300 marine events each year, you get to meet up with a lot of other boating enthusiasts and trade stories.

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ATV

This past weekend I got quite a shock. My teenage son, who just finished his first year of college, rode up to our lake house on an ATV. He’s an adult and he earns his own money working part time during the school year, so I can’t exactly tell him what to do with his own money.

He showed the ATV off to me, my wife, and his little sister. It looked all right at first glance, but I told him I wanted to take a closer look at its guts. He grinned and said, “No problem, dad. I already have some Yamalube in there to keep it greased.”

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East Coast Storm

A buddy of mine lives in the Mid-Atlantic region, near Washington D.C. A week or so ago they had a massive freak storm. The storm, according to my friend, came out of nowhere and lasted only an hour. That was long enough to do a lot of damage.

Over a million homes in his area lost power and it didn’t get restored for nearly a week. Trees were down all over the place so it took a while for the electric company to get in there and fix things up. The roof of my friend’s shed blew halfway off, but, he said the strangest thing happened – even though the roof was gone his Yamaha outboard oil was still standing neatly in rows just as he had stored them!

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Boating in Wisconsin

The next best boat to resident ratio is found in Wisconsin. For every Cheesehead there are nine boats. Every county has at least four lakes, with Vilas county having an impressive 1,327 (yes, you read that number correctly).

Even during the cold winters there are boat-able locations. One popular destination is the 600-acre Lake Columbia just north of Madison. Warm water from a power plant flows into the lake so it doesn’t freeze over. You don’t have to winterize your boat if you go there; just top off your outboard motor oil and you’re good to go for year round fishing.

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Golf Carts

About ten miles away from our lake house is a country club. It has a pretty decent back nine. A friend of mine, who happens to be a member, invited me to an early tee time a few days ago.

We had a blast shooting the breeze while we played a leisurely game. We even got to ride around in golf carts. As we were turning in our golf carts, I noticed one of the attendants struggling to get one of the carts going. I offered to take a look at the motor for him. All it needed was a little Yamaha oil and a bit of fuel to get going again.

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Playing Chicken

My daughter is grounded for the rest of the week up here at the lake house. She thought it would be fun to play chicken using our PWC. She and a friend went speeding toward each other until finally one of them peeled off.

A PWC is a powerful machine. She and her friend could have really hurt themselves! My daughter thinks I’m being unreasonable with the grounding, but I wouldn’t be a good parent if I didn’t punish her for such reckless behavior. I’m going to have to add on some more chores, too, now that I think about it. Maybe I’ll have her pay me back for the Yamaha 2W oil she burned while playing her dangerous game.

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Minnesota Boating

According to Boating Life magazine, there is one lake for every 424 Minnesotans. There is also one boat registered for every six Minnesotans, which is a statistic no other state can most. Most access to water is free with ramps open 24 hours a day (oh how I wish that were true where I live!).

The state government is also working to make Lake Superior shore more accessible. Makes sense for a state that’s mission statement reads: “It is the policy of this state, which is blessed with an abundance of water, to promote its full use and enjoyment by all of the people.” With a welcoming statement like that, how can you not want to grab your boat trailer and some OptiMax oil and set out for Minnesota?

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Proper Boat Storage

I’ve often written on this blog about the importance of winterizing your motor boats. It occurred to me last night that I have written enough about proper storage the rest of the year. Even during the busy boating season, you can’t just leave your boat out.

At the end of every run you should clean your boat. Wipe down the seats, handles, and coverings so that the salt water doesn’t damage them. Putting a tarp over the boat so rainwater doesn’t get in is a good practice to keep, too. When you’re done securing your boat, make sure that your Yamaha 2S oil is secured as well.

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Yamaha Separating Filter

Every Yamaha motor needs a 10-micron fuel and water separating filter. Because the filter is so essential, it needs to be checked for signs of wear and tear every three to six months. This month formula corresponds to approximately 50 to 100 hours of outboard use.

The filter is not only important during the summer months; it is also an important piece of the winterization process. Without a functioning separating filter the outboard can suffer damage when not in use. Next time you replace your Yamaha 2M oil, remember to take a peek at the separating filter, too.

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Best Boating States

Researching places to boat in Florida got me thinking about boating in other states. Every state can boast a few premium fishing holes, but which states are truly boater friendly. I took a look online at an article reprinted from Boating Life magazine to get some ideas.

For instance, did you know that Michigan has one million registered boats? Every resident is no more than 85 miles from one of the four Great Lakes and no more than six miles from a lake or river. There are 1300 government-run public access sites with indexed maps. Sales on Mercury premium plus must be through the roof with all that access to prime boating water.

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Checklist for Trip

Before I leave for any trip, I always make an extensive packing list. My standard packing list covers clothing, toiletries, and accessories for an extended weekend trip. Then, I have my packing list for outdoor trips, specifically fishing trips.

The detailed list includes: tackle box, tackle, lures, rods, reels, and fishing line, among other items. Then I have another list to cover items I need for my boat. Number one on that list is Mercury outboard oil. Yes, I’m sure I can get engine oil at a tackle shop, but I really don’t want to risk them not carrying my brand. I’m particular in that way.

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