Outboard Motor Oil | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 9

Slip Sliding in the Snow

I read another pithy tagline for inflatable boats, this time for the Sport 340 soft bottom inflatable boat. The tagline read, “Capable. Very Capable.” It’s not quite as catchy as the tagline I mentioned in Monday’s post, but it still made me snicker.

The Sport 340 is described as a boat that can go the distance. It can be used as a fishing, cruising, family fun, or ship-to-shore tender boat. The trick is in the design of the boat: It has a lower center of gravity and high-strength floors with seating for up to five people. Throw an outboard on the back, some Mercury outboard motor oil, and some gasoline and you’ll be good to go.

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Fleet of Inflatable Boats


Boat rentals are a big business during the summertime. The more I learn about inflatable boats the more I’m intrigued by the idea of starting my own rental company. Eventually I could work my way up to an entire fleet of inflatable boats that can be used for fishing or simply cruising.

I’ve already found some sites that offer good deals on inflatable boats, particularly if they are bought in bulk. I imagine I could likewise strike a deal for engines. As far as oil, I already know that I can easily get my hands on Mercury oil 55 gallon drum for not too much money. I think I’ll mull the idea over this winter and decide one way or the other in time for the summer boating season.

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Inflatable Ocean Runner

Sometimes when ad men try to be clever it actually works out. I was reading a review for the Ocean Runner inflatable boat and the tagline read, “Nothing dinghy about it!” Sure it’s a pretty bad pun, but it’s not inaccurate.

The Ocean Runner is an affordable Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB). The sandwich-laminated fiberglass hull has incredible maneuverability and performance. The deck is non-skid, the bow locker is integrated and securable, and it has a spacious interior for seating the whole family. It can also handle a four-stroke engine, lubricated, of course, by Mercury oil.

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Mercury Premium Oil

As those of you who regularly read my blog can tell, I’m a bit of an oil connoisseur. In my many decades of boating I’ve tested a number of products and have come up with a short list of those that really work. At the top of my list is Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil.

I like the Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil for a variety of reasons. First off, the formula exceeds TC-W3 standards. Secondly, I’ve found that its promise of reducing rust and corrosion of internal components is accurate. Finally, using Mercury 2 stroke premium oil provides warranty protection for a number of Mercury manufactured engines.

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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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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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Transporting an Outboard Motor

Today we’re going to touch on proper transportation. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised by the number of boat owners who cause damage to their outboard motors by not transporting them correctly. Driving with the outboard motor loaded to the transom is fine, but if the outboard is in the “up” position with an unsupported lower unit, every bump in the road is concentrated on the bolts of the fiberglass transom.

Now you may be thinking to yourself, “I always transport my motorboat the way you described. If I don’t, the motor will scrape the lake bottom when landing.” True, a tilt may be necessary, but there is no good reason to not right the motor once the boat has been loaded onto the trailer. Once the boat has been loaded, the motor lowered, and the hull cleaned, take the opportunity to check to see if the motor needs to be topped off with the best outboard motor oil.

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Fishing in Arkansas, Part I

My favorite uncle was an Army brat who grew up on base in Arkansas. Though he now lives on the East Coast, he often travels back to Arkansas to visit family and childhood friends. When he’s out there, he likes to take advantage of the excellent fishing.

His favorite places to fish for walleye include Bull Shoals, Norfork lakes, Eleven Point, and Lake Greeson. To date, the world-record walleye weighed in at 22 pounds, 11 ounces, and was caught in Greers Ferry Lake in March 1982. Perhaps I’ll get to join my uncle on his next trip. I may not be an expert fisherman, but at least I know how to check to make sure the level of XD1 Evinrude ETec outboard motor oil.

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Choosing Marine Diesel Engine Oil

Special marine grade oil is needed for diesel marine engines, as they typically carry high loads for extended periods of time. The National Marine Manufacturers Association tests diesel engine oils and gives recommendations based on those tests. The oils tested may be entirely synthetic or partially synthetic.

NMMA-certified oils include: oil TC-W3 amalie, FC-W and FC-W (CAT). TC-W3 is used with two-stroke engines, FC-W with four-stroke engines, and FC-W(CAT) with four-stroke engines that have exhaust treatment catalyst systems. When selecting diesel oil, be sure to consider added characteristics

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Biofuels Debate Rages On

Coming to market soon is a 15 percent blend of ethanol fuel mix. The new blend has outboard marine engine producers up in arms. An engineer from Mercury Marine Corp. was scheduled to testify before a congressional committee last week regarding the damage the new biofuel blend has on outboard engines.

In one of the Department of Energy approved tests, a 200-horsepower outboard engine’s bearings on a piston disintegrated after 300 hours of operation. Meanwhile, the outboard engine using mercury engine oil and fuel mixture did not experience any damage. Supporters of the new blend counter that the tests are statistically irrelevant because so few engines were used. Supporters also claim that the engines tested were not calibrated properly for the new 15 percent ethanol blend.

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