Winterizing Your Boat Trailer
Just as we take precautions to winterize our boat by changing the mercury oil, using a gasoline treatment to clean the tank, and greasing the propeller, it’s also important to winterize your boat trailer. The first step you should take is to prevent the buildup of rust, especially if your trailer and boat are stored outside. For rust protection, you’ll want to coat your trailer at least once every few years with rust prevention paint. It’s also important to re-grease the wheels on your trailer to avoid them from freezing and becoming immovable over the winter. If possible, drape your boat cover over the boat trailer as well, as preventing water runoff will help to maintain its condition.
With the proper precautions, you’ll be ready and rearing to go once the weather grows warmer; you’ll be out on the lake or the ocean before everyone else!
While ATVs have become commonplace now, they have only been in the market for a relatively short amount of time. Introduced in the 1970s, all terrain vehicles (better known as ATVs) were at first met with a high incidence of injury. But this was largely attributed to improper use by the riders. To increase the level of safety, the norm was changed from three wheels to four wheels. Regardless of the number of wheels, an ATV can be described as any vehicle with low pressure tires, handlebars for steering, and a seat that must be straddled by the rider.
I can’t think of anything that reminds me more of summer than cruising around the lake on a fishing boat with my dad. He owned a beautiful Eagle 190, one of many G-3 boats in the Yamaha line. Before hitting the lake every year, we would set aside a day to do some basic tune-ups and maintenance, like flushing the engine and replacing the 
Whether you are an avid boater or just occasionally go out for recreation, it is important to understand the basics of boat maintenance. While the task of performing repairs on your craft may seem daunting, most preventative measures and basic maintenance is easy for anyone with a set of tools. By taking a little time to inspect your boat after every outing, you can avoid having to dole out big bucks later.
As most people can deduce, the most important aspect of achieving longevity from your watercraft is proper maintenance. Not only will this add years to the life of your boat, but it will also improve the performance when it’s in use. How you care for your boat will largely depend on where you keep it, whether that is tied to the dock or safely ashore.
In a perfect world, we would all be able to afford precisely what our hearts desire. There wouldn’t be much diversity in the boating world, as we’d all be cruising past each other in top-of-the line boats with high-end outboard motors attached to the transom. Just think of all the luxury and convenience we would experience on a daily basis. Unfortunately, we would also miss out on many of the great stories that make boating so much fun. Old, well-worn boats have a certain character that their new counterparts lack. To an extent, the same could be said for outboards themselves.
For most fishermen and fans of recreational water sports, a boat represents one of the most serious investments in one’s life. It generally comes down to a house, a car, and then a boat – in that order. So, assuming your boat is the third biggest financial investment in your life, doesn’t it deserve the sort of time and energy you put into your other prized possessions? After all, your home might be remodeled, repainted or at least cleaned each spring. And you wouldn’t think of driving your car much more than 3,000 miles without an oil change, would you?
Now that winter is on the way and likely to stay in parts of America for the next several months, many boaters enter a planning stage. Since they cannot get out on the lake to go fishing or just to cruise around aimlessly, a number of thoughts begin to enter their heads. Foremost among these is the question of whether to buy a new boat. Every spring like clockwork, thousands of people show up at marinas and dealerships ready to make such a purchase.
Since their introduction in the early 1900s, outboard motors have revolutionized the way in which we think about boating. Prior to that, boaters and fishermen were largely dependent on the direction of wind or – for those who felt like using oars – brute force. Outboards have taken the focus of our attentions of locomotion, allowing us to think about catching fish or just enjoy the scenery.