The summer sun has finally set and its time to start the annual fall chores of pulling the boat out and beaching the dock. Usually this task is an all day event, or in some cases if you have multiple boats and a longer dock, it can be all weekend. But the work doesn't stop there. Once you have all of that finished, don't just rush your boat straight over to the storage site. Get it winterized and prepped for the brutal Michigan winter months ahead. I know it's a pain in the neck to have to deal with after you just did all of that work, but it could save your boating season next year. Or at least the start of it. A boat is an investment and you should protect it, especially with something as easy as getting it winterized.

No matter how much you may want to, you cant stay out on your boat forever. Sooner or later you have to head back to the dock and face reality. But when you tie your boat off for the day are you taking the necessary precautions to protect your boat and your dock from any possible damage? The best protection you can use when tying off to any structure would be the use of fenders, or bumpers if you have to call them that. If you are not using fenders, then your just letting your boat thrash against the dock or pilings. This not only can cause damage to your boat, but what ever structure you are tied to as well. In this article I will go over the types of fenders, recommended sizes, and proper ways of hanging them in various situations.

The sun is setting and your day on the water is coming to an end. You head back to the launch but on the way you come across a boater who is dead in the water. Soon it will be dark and you aren't just going to leave them there stranded to hopefully contact a friend of tow service. The conditions aren't bad, in fact they are fairly calm so you decide to head over. After assessing the situation you decide that helping the other boater is not going to put you or your crew in any danger. Now that you plan on helping the fellow boater out, here are some things to think about while doing your duty as good samaritan.

Our goal at Vans Sport Center is to get you the exact outboard motor you want and at a great price. But with so many different options available across a number of major manufacturers, deciding which one to go with can get a little frustrating. Having to look at each manufacturer one by one, sifting through all of their models, and comparing their pricing. Your looking at 5 or 6 different searches to compare each major manufacturer for a single horsepower. Which means a lot of surfing and screen time to come to a conclusion. Thats why we updated our website so that you can easily browse and compare all of your potential options in one convenient spot.

You have been tossing around the idea of repowering your trusty boat for some time but the same question keeps popping up. Two or four? Which is a good question to have for a number of reasons. But to get to the answer of that question, you should first know the difference between the two motors. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. Once you have a good understanding of them, it really comes down to what motor is the best for your application of use.

If you ask any one of our mechanics here at Vans Sport Center what motor issues they see the most, they will tell you that the majority of service work they have to do on outboards now a days is fuel related. Which right there should tell you that making sure you have good fuel is one of the most important and preventive things you can do. The biggest problem with gas right now is the ethanol that is in it. The other major issue is letting it sit around and go bad. Gas can go bad over time due to water getting in the tank, oxygen, light, and the summer heat. This article will talk about some of the preventive measures you can take to avoid problems related to bad gas.

So your looking to replace your propeller. Maybe you busted it up on some rocks when you were a little too shallow or you feel your a little over pitched for your payload. For what ever reason, your in the market for a new one. But what pitch propeller should you get and what exactly does the pitch of a propeller do to the performance of the motor? I'll tell you.

With all of the public inland lakes in Michigan, you can go just about anywhere in the state and enjoy a great day of fishing. Whether your targeting panfish, walleye, pike, or bass, there is probably a lake nearby that holds those fish. But for someone who may not know many of our lakes or only goes a few times a year, they might have trouble locating the best lake for what they are trying to fish. I mean you can go anywhere and catch fish, but some lakes are way better than others for fishing certain species. Now Im not going to give any of my honey holes away, but I will tell you about some quality inland lakes here in Michigan that have public access. Hopefully this article will give some insight on new lakes for you to check out and what species are most targeted in those waters.