Roche Harbor

For those of you who love boating and history, you’ll want to check out Roche Harbor. The highlight of the unincorporated community is the Hotel de Haro. The wrap around porches and meticulous gardens invite you to really soak in the impressive views.

Another unique detail of Roche Harbor is the sunset ritual of playing the U.S. and Canadian anthems. Though the island is part of the United States, it sits right on the border and has a history that is linked with the formerly British Canada. Personally, I think it’s an interesting salute to the island’s history. It’s one of the spectacles I look forward to when I break out my boat motor oil for a day at the harbor.

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Deer Harbor

Another region of the San Juan Islands I love to explore by boat is Deer Harbor. The harbor is part of an unincorporated community on Orcas Island. Like the other San Juan Island communities I’ve described, the area is a hotbed for kayaking, whale watching, and fishing. The area is also known for its plentiful Dungeness crab, rock crab, and shrimp.

My wife and I particularly like boating in Moran State Park. The views of Mount Constitution are just tremendous. I would highly recommend breaking out your best outboard motor oil and heading over to Deer Harbor for a weekend of waterfront fun.

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Pig War

Did you know that the U.S. once had a stand-off with Great Britain over a pig? That’s stretching the truth a little bit, but the only casualty of the Pig War was a pig. Essentially, there was a longstanding border dispute between the U.S. and British Canada regarding the San Juan Islands. Obviously each side sought control over the archipelago.

The U.S. favored the western border of the Haro Strait while the British favored the eastern Rosario Strait. The conflict was not resolved until a pig wandered over to the American side of the island and ate the potatoes of a farmer. The farmer retaliated and killed the pig. The British authorities tried to get involved and arrest the American, but the American settlers called in for back up. Eventually, an international arbiter was called in and ultimately sided with the U.S. Think about that next time you’re loading you boat up with amalie oil to go boating around the San Juan Islands!

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Friday Harbor

The county seat of the San Juan Islands is Friday Harbor. It has a rich maritime history and it remains an active commercial fishing port. The downtown area is quite pleasant with a plethora of shops, galleries, and restaurants. While I’m putting 2 stroke oil in my boat, my wife likes to take a walk in the local park or take in a summer series concert.

Kayaking and whale watching are also big in the area. Personally I have spotted the majestic creatures a half dozen times or so. Each sighting still takes my breath away.

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San Juan Islands

Prior to moving to Port Townsend, WA, my aunt and uncle lived on Lopez Island, which is one of the larger islands that make up the archipelago known as the San Juan Islands. For years they had extolled the beauty of the islands and urged me to make the trip up from Seattle. I finally carved some time out of my schedule to go visit the islands.

All I can say is: breathtaking. The islands are truly a wealth of natural beauty and the residents do their utmost to keep it that way. I now take frequent boating trips out to the islands. In fact, I plan on putting some 2 cycle oil  in my boat for an outing this weekend

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Family PWC Models

Did you know that among personal watercrafts, multi-person models sell the best? Even though they are the slowest and least fuel efficient, one, two, three and even four person PWCs sell extremely well. That is because these models have been touted as family-friendly.

When my kids were younger we owned a multi-person PWC. It was great to strap everybody into life vests and take a spin on the water. Once my kids got older, I ditched the multi-person for a single sit-down ride. I’ve saved a lot of money on fuel and Yamalube oil by making the switch.

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Stand-Up and Sit-Down PWC

There are two main types of personal watercrafts: stand-up and sit-down models. Stand-up models tend to be small, single person watercrafts. They also tend to be used for aerial tricks, but can pose problems to professional riders who prefer sit down controls. Overall, stand-up models tend to be cheaper than sit-down models.

Sit-down personal watercrafts gained popularity in the 1980s when the U.S. developed an interest in family-friendly water sports. Sit-down models can seat one to two passengers depending on the model. They are less efficient when it comes to fuel consumption, but they are easier to steer than stand-up models. Yamalube 2W oil can be used for both models to keep the gears operating smoothly.

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Being Safe on PWC

My wife was nervous the first time my kids expressed an interest in personal watercraft. We know some kids who have seriously injured themselves going too fast on the water and losing control. Others have hurt themselves attempting stupid tricks.

We did finally consent to letting the kids’ use our PWC, but they had to prove they were responsible first. They had to demonstrate their knowledge of the machine and its maintenance, including demonstrating how to replace the Yamalube 2W oil. They also had to take a safety course at the marina and pass with a 100 percent. Finally, they had to sign contracts with me and their mother stating that any violations of our rules would result in a lifetime ban from using the PWC. No warnings, no strikes, one mistake and they’re cut off. Thus far my kids have obeyed the rules and stayed safe.

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Benefits of Bulk

I have owned several outboard motor boats over the years. Some years I’ve had overlaps where I suddenly had three boats instead of the usual two on my property. To keep all of them in tip top shape I use Yamalube 2M oil.

After a couple years of buying Yamalube individually, I finally sat down and crunched some numbers. It worked out that buying Yamalube oil in bulk was the better way to go. I saved money and time, plus I rarely have to worry about running out of oil.

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Good Weather & Good Food

This weekend we had unseasonably warm weather. With a little urging from my wife and kids, I got the boat ready with some Yamalube 2M oil, trailered it and headed out to the lake for an afternoon of fun. While my wife and kids took the boat for a spin, I stayed on shore and rustled up some food.

I set up my charcoal grill, got a nice burn going, and went about making my famous hamburgers. I loathe frozen patties and refuse to eat them. My burgers are made with fresh ground beef, chopped onions, eggs, and spices. I shape the patties and then char them to perfection before serving them on a sesame bun. Good weather deserves good food!

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Outboard Motors

Owning a boat can be quite costly. Maintenance supplies and licenses can be a bit much for someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time on the water. If, on the other hand, you’re essentially a fish without gills, then you should invest in the best boat maintenance supplies available.

Best is not automatically synonymous with most expensive. For example, I keep my Yamaha outboard motor well lubricated with Yamalube 2-M oil. It’s not the most expensive stuff on the market, but it is the most effective. Trust me; I’ve tried all the oil brands and I only trust Yamalube to keep my outboard humming along.

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Yamalube Types

The Yamaha Motor Corp. produces a line of regular and synthetic oils under the Yamalube label. In recent years, the Yamalube 2 cycle oil types available include 2R, 2W, 2S and 2M. The Yamalube 2R oil is intended for use with motocross engines, while the 2W is intended for WaveRunners and other sporting boats.

ATVs, golf carts, snowmobiles, and motorcycles can all benefit from the use of Yamalube 2S oil. Yamalube 2M is particularly useful for two-stroke outboard boat motors. If you do not have a two-stroke engine, then I would still advise looking into other Yamaha engine oil for your needs as the brand is incredibly trustworthy.

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