Engines & Parts Reviews

href="http://www.westmarine.com">www.westmarine.com …Read More

Snake Mate by Doyle Marine - a waterproof inspection camera for tough boat jobs. Ok, we’re done with Mother’s Day but now it’s off to an even tougher holiday – Father’s Day.  So forget the cigars and ties and try this handy tool that will save his knuckles and maybe even keep the swearing in check.  Doyle Marine’s Snake Mate is a waterproof borescope inspection camera that you can use to check out those hard to reach places.  Find out what’s happening on the bottom of an engine hose connection where your hands don’t fit or see if the attach point behind the head is really secure.  The Snake Mate is a gun grip instrument with a detachable color monitor so you can see (and record) in tight spaces.  The monitor is a 3.5 TFT-LCD wireless display with a Lithium-Ion battery.  A 2GB SD memory card is included so you can even take the images home and look at them in detail on your PC.  The camera/grip operate on 4 AA alkaline batteries and a 110 charger is included for the viewer.  Extend your viewing reach from 3 feet with the standard shaft to 6 feet with the flexible extension that is also included.  Optional extension shafts can get you up to 30 feet.  The monitor and grip are not waterproof, just the camera and shaft, so be careful how you handle this tool.  The camera and articulating arm are good to a depth of 10 feet.  You can also attach a mirror to the shaft to get another look and then use the included hook or magnet to retrieve lines, wires, nuts or missing parts.  The whole thing comes in a hard plastic case and a manual that’s in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese.  Come on – there’s no excuse to give dad another lame gift.  The Snake Mate retails for $295 which is just a couple ties or good cigars and he’ll actually use this.  Check out the Snake Mate at DoyleMarine.com.  …Read More

href="http://www.valence.com">Valence …Read More

Multiple-outboard open boats are taking anglers farther and faster in search of fish. …Read More

By way of introducing this new video series, let me re-state what will become obvious to you:  I am a writer. And writers may have great ideas for video but viewers will likely suffer a bit while the writer learns to be a filmmaker. And with that ugly excuse for the quality of our first [...] …Read More

Beyond the terrible environmental impact, Gulf boaters have a more personal concern: what effect the oil spill will have on their fiberglass, dacron, and teak. …Read More

Six stories, 30-plus upgrade ideas, and still plenty of time to enter the Boats.com contest by explaining a little about your planned or recently completed boat-enhancement project. …Read More

Preventing diesel and gas spills with the Chadd Padd Here’s a simple answer to a frequent problem –- you can keep diesel and gas from running over into the water with the Chadd Padd, an oil absorbing pad with a hole cut out so you can put the nozzle through at the fuel dock. Developed by a guy actually named Chadd, the Chadd Padd is like a bib for when you’re fueling and it will not only catch any dribs that are headed for the waterway, it’ll keep diesel and gas off your gelcoat too.  The offset, pre-perforated hole remains loosely attached when fueling to catch any extra spill – like a hanging chad, get it? Each 10" x 10" pad is anti-static treated and can hold up to 4.5 oz. of petroleum products.  Made of the same material marinas are required to have for Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) requirements, the pad may save owners fines and the hassle of clean up.  You can also get these in 15” x 20” if you plan on being extra messy.  And of course, you can use them in the bilge like any other absorbing mat. The Chadd Padd can be used repeatedly – until it’s too greasy to work with.  With a perforated, partial hole design, it accommodates most filler ports for refueling or adding oil.  A Chadd Padd retails for $9.95 for a 6-pack, while a roll of 36 pads is $34.95.  If you’re so inclined, you can even order these pads with an imprinted message or logo.  I’m not sure you’ll want to put your boat name on one but you if you own a waterfront restaurant or marina, it’s another way to advertise by providing these pads at the fuel dock free of charge from an optional dispenser.   Sure you could wrap a regular pad around the nozzle and hold it there but here’s a gift for the boater that has everything.  And hey, father’s day is coming and it beats a tie.  Besides, ties don’t absorb much… Check out chaddpadd.com for more information.  …Read More

These investments will make your motor more reliable and more efficient. …Read More

Stand-up personal watercraft (PWC) may soon no longer be for sale to the public due to emissions laws going into effect in 2012. …Read More