Soft Bottom Roll-Up Inflatable Boat

I’ve recently been researching inflatable boats to use as ship-to-shore tenders. A top priority for me is ease of transport rather than speed. For that reason, a soft bottom roll-up inflatable boat was recommended to me.

It is supposedly compact and lightweight. No special equipment or trailers are needed; in fact, the whole boat rolls up into a bag that holds everything needed. The particular boat I’m looking at, by Mercury Marine, seats three people, has slat floorboards for stability, and an ABS-coated transom. A two stroke engine that takes Marine engine oil can be attached to the rear of the boat to easily take me out to where my larger boat is docked.

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Additional Serial Number Information

There was some clamoring about the post from yesterday that I didn’t give enough cipher information. Let me back track and explain a bit more about the driveshaft length letters in an Evinrude motor’s serial number. The letter L corresponds to a 17-inch driveshaft, Y to a 19-inch driveshaft, X to a 20-inch driveshaft, and Z to a 22-inch driveshaft.

To know what year your motor was produced, remember the word “introduces.” The letter I=1, N=2, T=3, R=4, O=5, D=6, U=7, C=8, E=9, and S=0. Therefore if that part of the motor’s serial number says CE, which means the motor was made in 1989. Maybe you can use this information to enlighten your mechanic next time you pick up Johnson outboard oil.

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Interpreting Evinrude Outboard Serial Numbers

Have you ever wondered what the serial numbers on your outboard engine represent? Let’s start with the first digit. Most likely you see an E or a J. These stand for Evinrude and Johnson, respectively. If you see a different letter, it may mean that your engine was not built for the American market.

The next group of digits will be a series of two or three numbers; these indicate horsepower. Two or three letters will come next and identify the motor’s trim. Next comes a single letter either L, Y, X or Z, each of which corresponds to a driveshaft length. Finally you’ll see two letters indicating the year a model was built. There may be one more letter, but this only has significance to the manufacturer and not the consumer. Pair this with the knowledge you learned yesterday about Evinrude XD50 oil and you’ll know far more than a lot of recreational boaters.

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Response to FAQs

Every now and then I like to respond to some frequently asked question. A common question asked is: What oil should be used with a two-stroke engine? In terms of an Evinrude engine, Evinrude XD100 oil, XD30, and XD50 are recommended for models made after 1993.

Another question that is frequently posed is: What is the proper fuel to oil ratio for my motor? Generally speaking, motors made before 1958 require 20:1, motors made between 1959 and 1963 use 24:1, and motors from 1964 to the present use 50:1. Racing boats require a 25:1 ratio, as do new engine break-ins.

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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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New Johnson Propeller

I’m in the market for a new propeller for my Johnson outboard motorboat. Johnson as an independent brand has not existed for many years; they are currently owned by Evinrude. Though Evinrude stopped producing new Johnson models, the company still carries parts for Johnson motorboats.

I’ve got my eye on an aluminum three blade, standard rotation propeller. The one I’m looking at is die cast with aluminum alloy for greater strength. It has also has baked on corrosion resistant paint. I’ll have to do a bit more research before I make my purchase, but I think that between the propeller and some Evinrude Johnson 2 stroke outboard oil my outboard should be up and running in no time.

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Winter in Florida

As I’ve mentioned several times before, I have family in Miami and Naples, Florida. After the windy weather passed in Seattle, where I spent the holiday, I gave my family members a call to wish them a Merry Christmas. When I told them about the wind and power outages in the Northwest, they laughed and said, “You should have come to Florida!”

My uncle told me that it was in the upper 70s. He and my aunt were still wearing shorts and flip-flops! My uncle was even contemplating going to the store to pick up some Evinrude E-Tec to take out his watercrafts for a spin. Like I wrote yesterday, next year I will definitely be in Florida for Christmas, preferably gone fishin’.

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Windy Winter Weather

Over the holidays I spent time with my family in the Seattle area. The surrounding area is technically a temperate rain forest, meaning it doesn’t get too hot or too cold and they get lots of rainfall. The Seattle area also doesn’t get a lot of snow, so there was no white Christmas for us.

We did, however, have a windy Christmas. The wind gusts were so forceful that the power got knocked out. It was pretty chilly so we went to the movies for some warmth and light while the power was being restored to the neighborhood. Next year I think I’ll spend Christmas in Florida where I can take my boat out, filled with Evinrude 2 cycle oil XD100, and not worry about the cold.

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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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