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Category Archives: pontoons

Improve fuel efficiency

Posted on December 11, 2018 by skysmith

How can I improve my boats fuel efficiency?

To help improve the fuel efficiency of any boat make sure to inspect the engine and components, checking to see if they are working at their peak capacity.  That means the air filters or spark arrestors are clean and in good condition. Spark plugs should be cleaned or replaced (if their condition is questionable) and adjusted correctly. Fuel filters and water separators should also clean or replaced along with any worn or damaged hoses, belts, wires or cables.  The better the engine runs the better your fuel efficiency. 

fuel efficiency

It is also very important that you have the correct propeller on your boat.  The wrong propeller can over “rev” your engines burning too much fuel for the speeds and performance achieved.  To much pitch can do the opposite and put too much load on the engine.  Too much load will make the engine work harder than necessary and burn too much fuel for the performance.  Besides reduced fuel economy there is a risk of damage to the engine. 

It is also important to make sure the boat hull is clean and free of barnacles, algae or scum buildup.  Anything that sticks out from the hull surface can reduce the performance of the boat hull and reduce the fuel economy. 

Owners that have access to the exterior of their boat can regularly clean, polish and wax the hulls to reduce drag and increase performance. If your boat spends its life moored, you should have the hull regularly cleaned and refinished with an anti fouling paint.  Depending on the water conditions and your hulls anti fouling protection, this can be a once a every few years or once a year project.

Many companies sell products to reduce growth and build up.  Look for a product that is appropriate for your hull material and gives long life and low cleansing speeds.  If the cleansing speeds are too high, some vessels will never be able to take advantage of the cleaning action while moving.

What ever brand you use, make sure it is suitable for your boat and for the environment.  Look for an anti fouling treatment that last awhile. Cleaning and painting the bottom of any boat is a time consuming job.  The better the material works and the longer it lasts better your fuel economy.

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Posted in boats, Marine, pontoons, Uncategorized | Tags: boating, boats, evinrude, marine, mercury, outboards, pontoons |

U.S. Boat Sales Float Back to the Top, Expected to Surge through 2018

Posted on January 5, 2017 by skysmith
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Boat Sales Float Back to the Top, Expected to Surge through 2018
Critical selling season for uniquely American-made industry kicks off in January with boat shows around the U.S., bringing best deals of the year for buyers
CHICAGO – January 4, 2017 – The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), 

U.S. Recreational Boating by the Numbers
·         Annual U.S. sales of boats, marine products and services totaled $36 billion in 2015 and are expected to climb three percent in 2016 to $37 billion.
  • Annual U.S. retail sales of NEW boats, marine engines and marine accessories totaled $17.4 billion in 2015 and are expected to grow to $19.1 billion in 2016.
  • There were approximately 238,000 NEW power boats sold in 2015. The NMMA expects this number to grow to more than 250,000 in 2016.
  • The recreational boating industry in the U.S. has an annual economic impact of more than $121.5 billion (includes direct, indirect and induced spending), supporting 650,000 direct and indirect American jobs and nearly 35,000 small businesses.
  • Leading the nation in sales of new powerboat, engine, trailer and accessories in 2015 were the following states:
1.       Florida: $2.6 billion, up 11.4 percent from 2014
2.       Texas: $1.4 billion, up 8.2 percent from 2014
3.       Michigan: $842.5 million, up 10.5 percent from 2014
4.       Minnesota: $661.5 million, up 10 percent from 2014
5.       New York: $643.3 million, up 7.6 percent from 2014
6.       North Carolina: $634.6 million, up 9.4 percent from 2014
7.       Wisconsin: $616.5 million, up 10 percent from 2014
8.       California: $576.3 million, up 5.4 percent from 2014
9.       Louisiana: $528.1 million, down 0.3 percent from 2014
10.   Alabama: $512.3 million, up 11.9 percent from 2014
  • It’s not just new boats Americans are buying; there were an estimated 958,000 pre-owned boats (powerboats, personal watercraft, and sailboats) sold in 2015, an increase of 1.9 percent.
  • There were an estimated 12.1 million registered/documented boats in the U.S. in 2015.
  • Ninety-five percent of boats on the water (powerboats, personal watercraft, and sailboats) in the U.S. are small in size at less than 26 feet in length—boats that can be trailered by a vehicle to local waterways.
  • Boating is predominantly “middle-class” with 72 percent of boat owners having a household income of less than $100,000.
  • 95 percent of all Americans live within an hour’s drive of a navigable body of water

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Posted in Boat Insurance, boat safety, Boat shows, boats, boatshows, new boats, pontoon and deckboat magazine, pontoons, Sailboat, specialty insurance, watercraft |

Need an easy winter project for your two toon Pontoon?

Posted on December 22, 2016 by skysmith
Don’t buy a new pontoon, just add a Pontoon Wholesalers Poly 3rdTube Kit 

The installation only takes a few basic tools and a little manual labor to complete.  

Guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when Mike at Pontoon Wholesalers said it would only take about four hours for the job. 

I had my doubts, but in reality it can be installed in a remarkable short amount of time. We planned on a weekend so we would have time to make mistakes and capture the fun and excitement on video, which we did. 

See the video at https://youtu.be/1eGq68LkPI0.  


Also read about the full install on Pontoon and Deckboat’s website.
Pontoon Wholesalers website is www.pontoonwholesalers.com/. 
Check it out. Mike and Troy at Pontoon Wholesalers put together a great package. They are also great people to work with.  It is a good product, easy to install and makes the boat handle very nice adding stability and comfort. And almost looks factory. Now I want a bigger Mercury outboard!

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Posted in Boat Insurance, boat maintenance, boat repair, boating, Mercury outboards Seattle boat show, pontoon boats, pontoons |
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