Protect Your Investments with DuraSafe Locks

This season I have been using a few different products from DuraSafe. All them are locks designed to offer protection for different parts of my boat. I have been using the E-Lock/ Swivel Mount Lock that locks my Lowrance to the bracket and also to my RAM Mount. The other product is a really simple one, the universal coupler lock that keeps my trailer connected to my hitch and at the same time adds theft protection when the trailer is and isn't connected to my truck.

The DuraSafe E-Lock/ Swivel Mount Lock retails for $49.95 if you buy them as a combo, but they can be purchased seperately, or together in a set. One cool thing about getting them at the same time is they will have the same key, which is really nice. The swivel mount comes in three sizes and they had one that was big enough to fit my RAM Mount which is one of the biggest ones they make.

The E-Lock

Swivel Mount Lock

I have not had any issues with this system and love the added security it provides if I am leaving the boat unattended for even a few minutes. I still bring my electronics inside when I am done fishing so I can clean and store them, but it's nice to know I could keep them outside and not worry about it. Also, think of the times when you are driving with your boat and have to stop to get gas or food, or even the times when your boat is tied up to a dock when you are weigh your fish or retrieve your trailer, all of those times are chances for theft. You can be assured that your expensive electronics are safe.

Pros: Peace of mind, ease of use, simplicity, and security.

Cons: Key requires one more step if you need to adjust your electronics direction or tension

The DuraSafe Universal Coupler Lock is a very simple product, basically a lock with a rod that fits right through the trailer coupler. In the past, I had a standard pin that fit through the hole, but it was easily removed and could possibly come out while driving. The wire it was connected to also began to wear and was no longer attached to the trailer. It still worked, but I needed something better. Now, I lock this lock any time my trailer is connected and also when it is being stored. For $9.99, you can't beat it.

A simple idea...that works

Pros: Peace of mind, ease of use, simplicity, and security, PRICE.

Cons: Possibly durability. Too soon to tell however.

Overall I am very pleased with the DuraSafe products, the value and protection they provide. 

Holiday Gift Guide: Day 1 - Lock-n-Haul

Starting today, every day until Christmas I am going to tell you about a product that is worthy of your hard earned dollars.  These items have been used and approved by myself throughout the year.  Whether you are looking for a gift for someone or to treat yourself, these products are among the best on the market.

Day 1: Lock-n-Haul

You may have seen Lock-n-Haul mentioned before (see here), but I can't say enough good things about this universal transom saver.  It is built to last and very easy to use; two important factors I think about before making a purchase.

The benefit of having a transom saver like this instead of the traditional versions can be summed up into two major reasons in my opinion, the smaller size and the security it provides.  Since the Lock-n-Haul is so light and compact, I just put it in my back storage compartment.  It's also really secure once you add it to your transom, your engine will not move up and down or side to side.

They retail for just under $60 and are built to last.  I plan to keep mine for my next boat as well.  They fit pretty much any engine on the market, so chances are it will fit yours.  If you want to see if it will fit, find out here.

Win a WindStorm Semi-Custom Boat Cover from Discount Boat Cover!

Winter is right around the corner and one of the best ways to protect your boat is with a quality cover.  Even when it's not cold, the cover is a crucial part of keeping your boat lookin' good.  The team at discountboatcover.com contacted me and wanted to let me give away a Semi-Custom cover because you all are so great.  This fully trailerable premium Semi-Custom Boat Cover is the most durable cover on the market.

WindStorm is made to withstand the harshest elements and is rated #1 in customer satisfaction. Available in 12 colors: charcoal, white, silver, khaki, black, red, royal, teal, navy, hunter, yellow, and burgundy. Semi-Custom fit, marine-grade fabric, shock cord, rugged loop tie downs, marine-grade double stitching, solution-dyed, Durapel rain finish, speed tested, industry’s best 5-year warranty. Also comes with a FREE matching motor cover and a set of 12 Wake brand straps.

For more info check, check out www.discountboatcover.com.

Even if you don't win the cover, All readers can use the coupon code SWEEPS15 for 15% off of their order at www.discountboatcover.com.

Fine Print: 1 winner will be chosen at random.  If the winner of the contest purchases a WindStorm using the 15% off coupon code before winning the contest, they will be refunded for their purchase.  All entrants must leave their e-mail address when entering.  Winner will be contacted by e-mail within 24 hours of contest end.  If winner does not respond within 72 hours, another winner will be chosen.  Winner can choose any color and size WindStorm Semi-Custom Boat Cover up to 24’.Contest runs until October 31st at midnight Pacific time.

To enter: Comment on this blog post with your name and e-mail address.  Also, “like” National Discount Stores on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Entrants. *I will not publish the email address part of your comment, but will submit it to get you on the mailing list for more great deals and news from Discount Boat Cover.

The link to their Facebook page is www.facebook.com/nationaldiscountstores and to our twitter is www.twitter.com/natldiscntstore

Protect Your Boat with a KeelShield

If you want to protect your boat from damage there are numerous ways to do it.  One thing that I now swear by is the KeelShield made by KS Marine Products.  When I got my Legend Alpha 199 last year; I looked around, I asked my friends and I did research online as to what keel protection was the best.  The answer was always the KeelShield. There are other similar products on the market, but for me it came down to the company's reputation, the durability and the quality product.

I gave them a call because I wasn't sure what size I needed for my boat and they were very helpful in recommending both the right size as well as the color that would look best on my boat.  From there, I got the KeelShield and had it installed by my dealer. Looking back and after watching some videos on it, I could have been easily installed it myself, but I was having some work done and had them do everything at once.

Now after months of using it, I know that I made a good choice in getting one.  I have beached my boat on sand, rocks, concrete ramps and everything else I have found and it still looks brand new.

In addition to the quality product, they also have an unmatched warranty "100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee to the original purchaser. A Lifetime Warranty covering adhesion and abrasion wear through." That is unheard of.  Even though you will most likely never need it, it's nice to have that extra piece of mind from your purchase.

You can see my video of some of the reasons I like the KeelShield here.

Scoring for the KeelShield

Price/Value: 4

Prices vary depending on the size you need, but on average you can expect to spend around $180.  Other brands are a little less and some are more. 

Durability: 4

Have not had an issue with it at all for durability.  They have an interesting lab test available on their website from an independent group that proves they last longer.

Performance: 5

Very easy to install and does not affect the performance of the boat.  I have beached my boat everywhere with no problems.

Innovation: 3

They make a great product that is improved on other designs.

Availability: 4

KeelShield.com and numerous online and local stores.

Total Score: 20 - Must Have!

Does Anyone Use Paper Maps Anymore?

With all of the technology in fishing, certain tools to locate bass have become less popular.  One of those is the old school paper map.  I still use them, but not like I used to.  With today's technology, I use my smart phone and the Navionics app, my Lowrance HDS systems with mapping chips and Google Earth.  Like everything else in the world, technology is taking over.

One pro who still relies heavily on paper maps is Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Mark Davis. I just read an article about him and how he uses maps, this is part of what he said:

"What I like about the paper maps, however, is how quickly I can identify and find similar places if I find bass in one particular spot, even while I'm sitting still on the water. Again, the paper map eliminates a lot of searching because I can see the entire lake at once. Every evening after my day of fishing, I spread out my paper map again and look for even more comparisons like this."

You can read the entire article here.  

What are your thoughts?  Do you still use paper maps?

A Boating Safety Checklist

I often get asked what items I keep on my boat, so I decided to make a check list of things I never leave shore without. Besides the required safety equipment like flares, fire extinguisher and whistle, there are a few other items I bring. I like to be prepared for anything just in case and at the same time hope that I never need them.  Thinking ahead and making sure you are ready can save the day or even your life.

1. Jumper cables - These have saved my day many times.  Plus, you may need to help someone else on the water who has a dead battery.
2. Toilet Paper - This should be an obvious one.  You never know when you'll need it.
3. A good set of batteries - This goes without saying, but you should always have a good dependable marine battery that is fully charged.  There are many good ones on the market, just make sure you buy the best one you can afford.
4. Battery Charger -  I use a charger like this one, but am looking to get a portable jump pack.  Most of the pros carry a battery charger as well as jumper cables, just in case
5. First Aid Kit - A basic supply of band-aids, first-aid cream and Tylenol are always on board.
6. Extra Oil - I carry an extra gallon of oil...just in case.
7. Phone Charger - With today's smart phones and the fact the batteries die so quickly, I always carry my phone charger as well.  The last thing you want is to be in an emergency situation with no way to call for help.
8. Tool Set - I'm not the best with tools, but I know that being on the water without a basic tool set is not smart.  I keep pliers, wrenches and anything else I need to do a quick fix on the water.
9. Rope - I used to carry an anchor, but now I have a Power Pole and don't often fish water deeper than it can reach.  I still bring rope for tying to docks and in case of an emergency where I need to tie to something and leave the boat.
10. Extra sunglasses and a set of clothes -  How many times have you dropped your sunglasses in the water? None?  Well it can happen anytime and there is nothing worse than being on the water without sunglasses, well maybe there is one thing worse: being soaking wet on a cold day.  That is why I also bring an extra set of clothes.

Being prepared can go a long way.  There are more items I bring, but these are the must-haves.  

What's on your list?

Protect Your Engine

There are two products I have been using for my Mercury Pro XS during the past few months that I have really come to appreciate.  Both have been really easy to use and protect my engine as I trailer back and forth to the lake.  The products I am talking about are from a company called Raveling Outdoors and are the M-Y Wedge and Centering Clips.

The M-Y Wedge was something I looked into after using the standard transom saver for a few weeks.  This was a brand new boat, but I could already see the rubber starting to wear on the transom saver.  I did some research and found that many prefer something other than the typical transom saver since they sometimes cause problem with lower units after wear and tear from trailering.

After talking with some of my friends they mentioned getting a transom saver like the M-Y Wedge.  One of my friends had one that was included with his Yamaha when he got the engine new.  In fact, Raveling Outdoors makes them for Yamaha.  This should say something about the quality and effectiveness of the product.

The centering clips are also very easy to use.  You can see in my video below just how easy it is.  They help to prevent the engine from moving side to side on outboards with dual hydraulic steering.  Check them out at M-YWedge.com

Lowrance has done it again

It amazes me every time I see the newest trends in electronics; phones, cameras and computers all continue to get better and better.  Marine electronics are no different and the technology just seems to get more advanced each month.  I am a huge fan of my Lowrance HDS units and everything they are capable of, but they just took it to another level with the new Gen2 units.  

They increased the processing speed and made some features easier to use, but the biggest thing they did was add to an already solid technology with something they call StructureMap, which allows the structure scan images to be integrated with the mapping software.  Now you can actually follow all of those contour lines with structure scan and actually see what it looks like in relation to the map.  This is starting to look more and more like a video game, but I'm all for it.  Check out this video demo to see more of what Gen2 is capable of.  

All I can say is: what's next?

How much do you spend on gas for fishing?

We all know bass boats love burning gas, but just how much does it take to fish an entire season on the Bassmaster Elite Series?  Good thing Biobor EB did the math for us.  They found that anglers spend over $70 a day on boat gas.  That averages out to over $3,000 per angler for a total of over $300,000 for the entire field. Wow.

How much does it take to fill up your tank?  


How much do you typically go through in a day?  

You can read more about their findings below and also get some hints for next year's contest.

During the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series season Hammonds Fuel Additives, Inc., the manufacturers of Biobor EB, the Ethanol Buster, tracked the gas usage of Bradley Roy and Cliff Crochet as part of a fan contest.  Biobor EB reviewed the data and made several observations.

Roy used 918 gallons compared to Crochet’s 730 gallons over 44 official Elite Series practice and competition days each.  Assuming these two young anglers were a fair representation of the Elite field (average of 44.96 days fished), an Elite angler burned an average of 18.73 gallons of gas per day.  Thus, the 100 angler field burned 84,210 gallons of gas over the 8 event season. 

The national average price of gas during the 2011 Elite Season was $3.74.  That worked out to $70.05 of gas per man, per day.  Over the Elite Series season the total cost of boat gas for the Elite anglers was $314,945.

Those 84,210 gallons were treatable with just 351 16-ounce bottles of Biobor EB.  The leading ethanol treatment product would require 527 bottles.  When purchased at Academy Sports + Outdoors or West Marine, anglers save over 20% on their fuel treatment costs using Biobor EB.  

In 2012 Biobor EB will again present fans with the opportunity to fish with their pro staff, just as contest winners Justin Lear of Kentucky and Tony Posey of Alabama did in 2011.  The 2012 Biobor EB contest will also feature increased weekly prizes and both anglers will hand out Biobor EB samples to fans.

ABOUT BIOBOR EB AND HAMMOND FUEL ADDITIVES, INC.

Biobor EB is formulated to prevent the separation of ethanol/gasoline fuel blends which helps combat the negative effects of ethanol in fuel tanks and engines, while increasing engine performance, efficiency and fuel stability.  The full line up of Biobor marine fuel additives are just the latest from this American manufacturer, also known for their innovative engineering and product design in the aviation, fuel and water treatment industries.  All Biobor products are available through the Hammonds Fuel Additives international sales distributor network, or for retail purchase at West Marine and Academy Sports + Outdoors and a growing number of retail outlets.  Dealer inquiries are welcome at (800) 582-4224.

Hammonds Fuel Additives, Inc. offers the flagship product Biobor®JF for use as a biocide in diesel and jet fuel. The Biobor Family of Additives includes Biobor JF, Biobor MD (Marine Diesel Performance Additive) and Biobor EB (Ethanol Buster that overcomes the harmful effects of ethanol in gasoline).  www.biobor.com

What's the Big Deal with Ethanol?

Actually it is a pretty big deal. Ethanol is in the news lately as the EPA has approved fuel companies to increase the amount of ethanol in our fuel supply. Currently at 10%, they are raising it to 15%.  This topic came to my attention after reading a news report from TheFishingWire.com this week called "Boaters Opposed to Increased Ethanol".  It talks about a recent survey where the majority of boaters were unaware of this proposed increase.  Count me as one of those who didn't know.

I have heard that ethanol is bad for outboards, but now that I am a boat owner again, this really gets my attention.  Basically ethanol allows for increased absorption of water which can cause severe problems to engines.  I know of some fishermen who have had other issues with ethanol in their fuel lines and have had instances of hoses being cracked after continuous use of gasoline with ethanol.  The result can be damages outboard engines.  Now that the percentage is rising, it will only get worse.  The use of ethanol also means that lower quality gas can be sold because ethanol serves as a boost to the octane rating.  So even with the rising gas prices, we are actually buying a product with a quality level that is artificially increased.

So what can you do?  If you can't find one of the rare gas stations that sells ethanol free gasoline, one easy way is to use a treatment like BIOBOREB which prevents ethanol separation and fuel phasing.  It has other benefits as well and also enhances the performance of gas and stabilizes it during storage.  I won a case of this during their Roy VS. Crochet contest and have been using in my Mercury ProXS from Day 1.
  

Here are some more tips for dealing with ethanol, courtesy of BoatUS:

• Be ready to change fuel filters more often;

• Make sure all your hoses are marked J-1527. Not all hoses are ethanol-compatible.

• Confirm that your boat's fuel tank will handle the newer ethanol. If not, you may need to replace the tank with another material like aluminum.

• If you're leaving your boat sitting for any length of time, fill your boat's tanks to 95% of capacity. That allows room for your fuel to breathe, while limiting the space for potential condensation.

Ethanol is here to stay and we must change how we do things to protect our engines. What do you think about the increase of ethanol?

Keel Shield is now on Facebook

Being the owner of a new boat, I have been taking a much closer look at marine products lately.  One company I really like is KS Marine, manufacturer of the Keel Shield.  I plan to get one of these for my boat since they are a great investment to protect your boat. They also make some other cool things like the SkegShield and BowShield and I am thinking about adding these to my Legend to protect it and keep it looking new.  KS Marine is now on Facebook.  Make sure to "like" them and see what they have to offer.