Marine Accessories

It sure is funny when you talk to people who have been out fishing all day long and you talk to them and find out that the people who caught fish used a fishfinder and the people who did not use a fishfinder did not even get a bite but they lost a lot of hooks because they were fishing where they thought their would be fish.  If you are a person who like to fish a lot you will have a lot more fun using a fishfinder and catch a lot more fish.

Prepare for the most advanced action towables in history with the new CHARIOT WARBIRD series from SPORTSSTUFF. Their wide wingspans allow you to challenge even the toughest wake, while remaining some of the most stable rides on the water as their high backrests and multiple handles keep you in place. With a simple switch of the innovative dual tow points the CHARIOT WARBIRDS can be towed in the opposite direction, transforming them into a completely different ride. With the addition of the lounge canopy (sold separately) the CHARIOT WARBIRD changes into a shaded, floating lounge. No matter if you are in the mood for action or relaxation, the CHARIOT WARBIRDS have it all for having fun with inflatable water sports.

The summer is the best season to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine, but let’s face it, we all like to bring our cell phones, iPods, and portable media devices with us. There aren’t a whole lot of wall outlets available outdoors, but there is a definite abundance of sunshine. Thus, portable solar panels are a great solution for powering our portable electronics and appliances while we’re enjoying the outdoors. It wouldn’t have been possible to find quality portable solar panels a decade ago, but a technology has become greener, solar energy has become much more efficient. Where a decade ago it would have taken a solar panel the size of an office desk to charge a cell phone, now there are foldable solar panels no larger than a notebook and capable of 12 volt output. Portable solar panels are lightweight and more than ideal for all kinds of summer activities including boating, camping, and backpacking.

As solar energy technology continues to advance, there will be even more solar powered devices that start appearing on the market. In addition, these devices will just continue to become more compact and even more efficient.

The days of Bandit running from heat are long gone, but the usefulness of CB radios has not gone the way of Trans Ams and bell bottom pants. These two-way communications devices still serve a purpose in many arenas today. In fact, they are favored by some for their effectiveness, affordability and ease of use.

There are many ways that individuals and businesses can put CB radios to work in their lives. Some of the more common uses for Citizens’ Band radios today are shown below.

Family use – CB radios are still rather popular among families that want to stay in touch. A base station set up at a home can provide a very reliable and affordable way for two-way communication to occur. When family members are equipped with hand-held CBs while they are out, there’s no need to pay for cell phone minutes to check in.

Business use – Service based companies still often use hand-held CB radios to keep in touch with workers in the field. This alternative can be as reliable and is often more affordable than other two-way communication options today.

Remote location use – In areas where telephones and cell phones are not inclined to work, a CB setup with a base station will. While the CB might not provide for long-distance communication, it can keep people in remote locations in close contact with each other when you are out on the lake a Cobra CB Radio is a must.

Emergency use – CB radios are still very popular devices for emergency use. Many of today’s more popular models come with access to emergency weather stations. CBs are often effective during and after storms with other forms of communication are out.

CB radios might not be as widespread in use as they once were, but they still serve a valuable purpose for those who use them. This reliable form of communication remains affordable and does not come with monthly access fees.

Marine GPS systems have become most boaters’ best friend. Depending on the reasons you need GPS Navigation, they can make it easy to find your way back to shore in unknown waters, navigate at night, and find large fish or avoid debris. History of portable Marine GPS: While it wasn’t that long ago that boaters or mariners consulted star charts and latitude/longitude numbers to figure out their way back to land, Marine GPS navigation changed the need for the inaccurate tracking system that some could not figure out. GPS or global positioning systems came into vogue after the launch of satellites that could send a signal of latitude and longitude locations to figure exactly where anything was back on Earth.

This principal has been used in fishing sonars and marine GPS systems, that use anywhere from 12 to 24 satellites to figure out positioning. Why Using Marine GPS Navigation Systems? The answer is simple, it is more accurate, less hassle than previous methods to find out where you are on the open sea or any body of water for that matter. Also, the most important reason is for safety. Not only can it keep you from getting lost, but you can chart ways around tropical storms at sea, or alternate routes, for whatever reason.

The Future of Marine GPS: These GPS systems continue to get more sophisticated, and come in hand-held models, all the way up to marine GPS navigation lap top computers. Depending on the functions you want, you can find a marine GPS that can do whatever you want it to, when it comes to navigation, topography in foreign water bodies, or take it hiking and camping with you, if it is a hand-held portable marine GPS. Some of the larger cruisers and yachts use it to “auto-pilot” a ship, and navigate back to port in the dark of night. Advice On

Buying a Marine GPS: Be sure and research all of the models and functions for the type of Marine GPS navigation you are going to be doing. In other words, certain factors, like whether it will be for river fishing or ocean adventures can determine the model you need and the number of functions. If you are looking for a fish finder, you may not need an expensive Marine GPS system with all kinds of bells and whistles. Commercial fishermen, for example, would need them to not only get them back to shore, avoid the paths of storms, and find fish, but might need alarms for shallow reefs or other alarms where a normal recreational fisherman might not need these features.

Marine GPS navigation systems have gotten to be almost a requirement for all types of water navigation, and finding a marine GPS unit is easy at retailers, but especially online, where the choices are unlimited. As more manufacturers have gotten into the GPS systems, even cell phones are GPS capable now. It’s all a matter of the number of functions you need for what you are going to be doing, when it comes to marine GPS navigation.

The Transducer and Cone Angles

The Transducer is attached to your fishfinder with a small cable. It turns the electrical signal from the transmitter on your fishfinder, turns it into sonar or a sound wave and beams it out in the shape of a cone. The cone angle is simply the wideness of coverage in the water. The wider the cone angle – the greater the coverage. Fishfinder cone angles vary from model to model so be sure to have a good look at all the features on the model you are considering.

Transducers are usually mounted in the water on the trolling motor and away from engines and obstructions. Select a transducer that suits your unique situation – specifically when it comes to installations. Some models have higher frequencies that provide superior resolution, different cone angles and so on. One thing to pay close attention to is that your frequency is the same as your sonar measured in KHZ.

Types of Installations

The way your unit is installed in your boat is something you’ll want to pay close attention to as well. Transom Mount transducers usually associated with stern-drive and outboard powered boats. Other types are mounted through the hull and as rule needs to be a high frequency model still others are mounted on your electric trolling motor.  All types of Tranducers can be found on most web seites under marine accessories.

[edit] Steps

1. Wash your boat regularly. And if you boat in saltwater, rinse your boat thoroughly with fresh water after every outing to remove salt residue.
2. Use soaps and use boat cleaners made just for boats to protect your boat’s finish.
3. Change your boat’s oil regularly. Four-stroke outboards, inboards and stern drive boats require regular oil changes. The frequency will vary by model, but a good rule of thumb is to change the oil every 100 hours of operation or at least once a year.
4. Check the propeller as part of your pre-launch routine (If you have an outboard or stern drive boat). Use a deep well socket to make sure the propeller nut is secure.
5. Remove the propeller several times during the season to make sure discarded fishing line hasn’t become wrapped around the propeller shaft. If it has, have your dealer inspect the gear-case, because fishing line can cause gear-case leaks and gear-case service is not a do-it-yourself job.
6. While you have the propeller off, inspect it for nicks, dents and other signs of damage. It’s OK if your prop is massing paint, but send it out for repairs if you find signs of impact. The smallest dent can cause your boat to lose 10% of performance and will burn more fuel than normal.
7. Put a liberal amount of waterproof grease on the propeller shaft and re-install the propeller and hardware in the same order that you took them off, and tighten the propeller nut to the manufacturers specifications.

If you’re shopping for trim tabs, chances are you’re wondering about the differences between the two major types on the market – hydraulic and electric. 

Bennett Marine manufactures Bennett Trim Tabs the leading hydraulic system and Lenco Marine currently makes the most recognized electromechanical system. What most people don’t know is that electric trim tabs are not new but have been around for many years. In fact, Bennett Marine originally manufactured an electromechanical system. But in the best interest of the boater, Bennett changed to hydraulic due to its many advantages.

Separating Fact from Fiction
We encourage you to ask your fellow boaters and check out the boating forums online. (Such as some of these recommended forums to the left.) To help you get started in your research, here is a side-by-side comparison on the key differences between both systems:

Hydraulic:
The motor for the whole trim tab system, the Hydraulic Power Unit, is installed inside the boat in a dry environment.

Hydraulic actuators do not rely on a seal where the shaft enters the cylinder body. Instead the seal is made on the piston face inside the cylinder where no marine growth can occur. Even if a barnacle grows on the shaft, it will not cause a leak.

If a seal on a hydraulic actuator should break, its replacement cost is about $1.00 compared to the cost of replacing an entire electric actuator.

Electric:
By placing the electric motor underwater inside the actuators, the electromechanical system is prone to failure. Electromechanical actuators rely on shaft O-rings to maintain the watertight integrity of the system.

Sand, grit or marine growth on the actuator will cut the O-ring seal letting water into the system. When the shaft of the electromechanical actuator is extended out of the cylinder body, it creates a vacuum inside the actuator. When a vacuum is pulled underwater the result is inevitably water being sucked in to fill the void. Once water enters the actuator, the boat will need to be taken out of the water and the actuator replaced.

Batteries aren’t necessarily a commodity that consumers want to spend their money on-they just want their gadgets, vehicles, and boats to start without having to worry about how. That’s why when it comes to buying marine battery chargers, or any batteries for that matter, most consumers prefer to chose the least expensive option possible and save the extra cash for something a little more exciting. But does buying the cheaper battery actually cost more money? The claim in the industry is that though AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) and Gel batteries cost more than their wet-cell counterparts, they actually save money in the long run. Consumers are justified in wondering why they should spend more on expensive AGM and Gel marine batteries. In a world of creative marketing, we’ve all learned that a higher price doesn’t necessarily mean a better value. In order to find out, I checked with battery experts, not manufactures, to find out if AGM and Gel marine batteries were really worth the higher initial price.

It turns out that people who spend an awful lot of thinking about batteries all came to same conclusion; that overall, the AGM and Gel marine batteries are more cost effective over time than wet cell acid marine batteries. Many noted that the dollar value of that cost savings depends on quite a few factors, including how often boaters use their boats, percentage of time cruising, etc, but for regular boat users, the lifetime cost of AGM and Gel marine batteries is considerably less than that of a wet cell battery.

The other significant benefit of both AGM and Gel marine batteries is that they are maintenance free, which means no checking fluid levels, no adding water, no worrying about the fact that if you don’t do these things, you could force your battery into early retirement. Also because AGM and Gel marine batteries are sealed, there’s no corrosion and are spill-proof. They have a slower discharge rate than wet cell marine batteries, more discharge current, and lower deep discharge failure.

In the case of marine batteries, it seems that spending more now really does pay off in the end. Wet cell marine batteries generally sell in the $55 range, Gel marine batteries start at around $85, and AGM’s start in the hundreds and go up from there. But what about all the other accessories for my boat that I’d rather spend money on now?

I suppose I understand where the battery experts are coming from. Though I avoided rechargeable batteries for my home electronics for years because of the price, once I made the switch, I felt pretty smart about not having to run out the store to buy batteries or be unexpectedly stuck with electronics that didn’t work. Now when I see people using alkaline batteries, I’m constantly tossing in my 2 cents about the value of spending more for longer lasting batteries.

In the end, whether or not AGM or Gel marine batteries is a justifiable choice really depends on the boat owner. Yes, you’ll get your money back over the batteries lifetime. But if you’ve been stuck on a boat with no power, spent time cleaning corrosion off terminals, or destroyed a battery by forgetting to maintenance it, the choosing AGM or Gel marine batteries is probably a no-brainer.

Article Source: http://www.articlemanual.com

To some, choosing the right boat propeller can seem like a job for a marine service center. Anything that has to do with the backend of the boat can be a scary thing. Despite popular belief, choosing the correct propeller for a particular boat and motor is actually a fairly simple thing to do, once you understand what a propeller really is.

First think of propeller as a gear, whether it be on a car or even a bicycle. The lower the gear, faster hole shot, more power, but revolutions are much faster so at a point you can only turn that gear so fast until you over rev the engine (or you legs). Now think of your car stuck in only 5th or 6th gear, very slow out of the hole, little torque, but eventually it will catch up with itself so you can cruise to a good speed.

The same basic concept applies to propellers, except with a prop you are committed to only one “gear”. So what to do now? Find the prop size that will give the best overall performance. Sound difficult? It’s really not.

Your engine has a recommended wide open throttle rpm range. Let take an example of an18′ boat with a 125 hp engine with a rpm range of 4500-5500. In most cases you purchase a boat with some sort of propeller on it. Let’s say this motor has a 21 pitch prop on it and at wide open throttle under a normal boat load, the engine turns 4900 rpms. Well it’s in the range so it’s the correct prop, right? Well yes and no. For the health and longevity of the engine it’s okay, but for overall performance, you want to run a propeller near the top of the range. Well how do you change the size to get that?

Remember this rule of thumb: For every 2″ of propeller pitch, rpm’s will change approximately 400 rpm’s. As you drop in pitch, rpm’s increase, and as you go up in pitch, rpm’s decrease. So if we want to raise our rpm’s we should choose a lower pitch prop. Following the rule, going down to a 19 pitch should raise our rpm’s to about 5300. That would help the hole shot and also gain us some more speed.

As you follow the rule of thumb, remember that sometimes rules are meant to be broken. This is not an iron clad rule, sometimes varying 2″ of pitch will only change rpm’s by 200. Switching prop brands or manufacturer, it can sometimes throw off the rule too, their is little difference between stainless steel boat propellers and aluminum boat propellers.

At this point the most important thing to understand is that less pitch means more rpm’s, more pitch means less rpms. For your boat to perform at its peak, you need to run at the upper end of your engine’s recommended rpm range. That’s it. Once you’re there and still want more speed, handling, lift, etc, that’s when choosing the right propeller brand comes into play.

Here’s a simple adjustment you can make to improvement performance under varying boatloads: If you normally run with one other person on board, use that boatload as your measurement when determining your wide open throttle rpm’s. But if you sometimes load the boat with 2-5 more people or try pulling a water skier or tube, get another prop 2″ of pitch lower than your normal prop. It will compensate for added weight and drag and make a huge improvement on performance in these circumstances. But remember to keep an eye on you rpm’s when running a lower pitch for these circumstances.

Most props have the size marked somewhere on the prop, either on the barrel, on the blades, or in the front or back of the propeller. Use that pitch that you’re currently running as your starting point. If it’s already running correctly then that pitch is your pitch.