Lightning strikes!
(posted 9/17/07)
Thanks to an almost direct lightning hit our entire phone system and roadrunner system both had the "smoke let out" of them. It has taken almost a week to get the smoke back in. We apologize for the almost complete lack of communication during that time.

Eriksen Marine now has a complete brand new phone system and as a result some of our prompts have changed. Those have been the same for almost ten years and I know most of you are used to them. Here is a quick reference for the new ones.

email address' are
jerry@eriksenmarine.com
cory@eriksenmarine.com
clyde@eriksenmarine.com
grant@eriksenmarine.com
jennifer@eriksenmarine.com

The Shamrock
(posted 7/11/07)

The Shamrock went on its first test run with the new engine yesterday. It ran great and made really good speed but the exhaust system was not up to the flow of the new engine and it blew out. So we upgraded it with some stuff we had around the shop. It's a 'Hot Rod" now... It has dual group 27 batteries, a PSS shaft seal and three bilge pumps. I plan to also add solar chargers to the T-top (one for each battery- the bilge pumps are also separately wired to each battery). With such redundancy, hopefully it won't try to sink every time we have one of those famous Texas turd floaters. It looks very cool and it sound like a boat should. Definitely "Eriksen Marine style"

click images for larger view

BOATPIX.COM
I am sure most of you have seen that low flying white helicopter that swoops down low and chases boats around the lake from time to time. Well, it is not a madman it is the BOATPIX.COM guys! You have heard me before talking about how nice it is to have a picture of your boat up in your office so you can "enjoy" it even while you are at work. Well, these guys take that to a whole new level. Here is how it works. If the BOATPIX.COM guys see you out there on the lake looking "photogenic" (don't forget to smile.) They swoop down and take some high resolution digital pictures of your boat from low altitude. Usually they will wave at you to let you know that they "got you". The cool thing is that they can get right down over you even while you are running at full speed. That makes for a picture that could go on the cover of a magazine! So if they get you, how do you get the pictures? Here is how it works. Just go to their website "boatpix.com" (there is a direct link at the bottom of the eriksenmarine.com website also), and tell them what kind of boat you were in, what your location was, and the date and time. They will ask you for a credit card number. When they find your pictures, they will make large super high quality prints and mail them to you. There is no charge unless you decide to keep them. If you don't like them just send them back. A price sheet comes with the package. If you only want some of them, just return the unwanted pictures and you are only charged for the ones you keep. You can also buy them as digital files. I can tell you, I just got four of my boat and the quality is unbelievable. I had to have them! If you see that white chopper that says "boatpix.com" on the tail, make yourself seen. It is the coolest thing ever!

Warranties with a catch
(Posted 08/06)

One of the main reasons people buy a new boat is so that any problems that it may have will be covered by its "warranty".

We are all familiar with a new car that is under warranty and any problems that it may have will be quickly fixed by the nearest dealer. There is usually a dealer within just a few miles of wherever you are and oftentimes they even have a loaner car program. Once again the automotive industry has set the bar very high and the marine industry is several years behind.

One thing that most people do not realize is that boats and their engines actually have separate warranties. For example, a Cobalt boat can only have warranty work done by the Cobalt dealer, but its Volvo engine can be repaired under warranty by any Volvo dealer. Eriksen marine is an authorized warranty station for both Mercury and Volvo. Warranty repairs to those engines can be done right here by us, but if a seat breaks or a cabinet door fails to close, that must be fixed by the dealer for that brand of boat. Now here is the sticky part. As the owner of the boat, you are responsible for transportation of the boat to the dealer for repair. If you did not buy a trailer or you have a larger boat this becomes problematic. Some dealers will come out to the lake to make small repairs at not charge to keep their CSI (customer satisfaction index) rating up but they are not reimbursed by the manufacturer for doing so. Boat builders make carrying the line/brand contingent on a high CSI, but they often do not pay the dealer to do the things neccessary to take proper care of the customer. Some dealers are better at this than others. Choosing your dealer can be just as important as choosing your boat.

If you bought a new boat from a company that has no local dealer, your warranty is almost worthless. Sometimes an out of town dealer will ask us to do their warranty work for them. This is difficult to do. We have no factory support, no dealer agreement. Estimates and approvals have to go through multiple channels which adds time to the repair. Parts have to make multiple stops which makes them take longer and nobody really knows if anyone is going to get paid for the repair so there are issues about releasing the boat etc. I am about to the point where I just don’t want to do that kind of work anymore. Warranty work should really only be done when there is a dealer agreement in place to back it up. The generator companies are also some of the worst. We have sold brand new generators and then had to wait months to get reimbursed for warranty work done on those same generators. We take care of it right away so the customer doesn’t have to wait but there is a limit to how many times you can do that before you just stop selling those generators.

Then we have "extended warranties". These are really nothing more than a supplemental insurance policy on your engine. If you read the policy on one of those plans you will find that that there are hundreds of "exclusions". These are items that are not covered. These companies know what the high failure rate items are and "lo and behold", they are "excluded". The aftermarket warranties are the worst about this. Many boat builder-extended warranties are simply aftermarket warranties with the builder’s name at the top. We have actually had good results with the Volvo and Mercruiser warranties. They are basically a continuation of the original warranty that came with the engine when it was new. Warranty claims can be filed online and there is no waiting/arguing process that delays repair work. Also, a Mercury or Volvo dealer can release the boat to the customer without having to worry about getting stiffed on the bill.

If your extended warranty is "aftermarket" we require that the customer pay for the repair when they take possession of the boat and the warranty company reimburses the customer. These aftermarket warranties are often thrown in as closing tools by new boat dealers. They have a high retail price but actually cost the dealer very little. If there is a $2,000.00 gap in the negotiations of a boat deal the dealer can throw in a "$2,000.00 warranty" that really only cost them a couple hundred dollars. Then when the boat breaks and the warranty doesn’t cover it the repair shop gets to deal with the angry customer.

In conclusion, our recommendation is to by a boat that has a reputable, local dealer and stick to extended warranties that are provided directly by the engine manufacturer.

Gearing up
(posted 4/06)
As the boats on Lake Travis keep getting bigger and bigger we have to continuously upgrade our equipment to be able to handle them safely and efficiently.

STRANDED!!
(posted 3/06)
EVER GET STRANDED ON THE LAKE? There are two types of boaters. Boaters who already have been stranded on the lake and boaters who are going to be stranded on the lake.

We are just at the beginning of the season and we have already had three boats stuck out on the lake with overheated engines. Those of you who already know us, know that our mantra is "maintenance, maintenance, maintenance". Those who do it are less likely to be tying that rope to the front of their boat. But even then things can still happen. Eriksen Marine is not in the business of towing boats. During the summer we have a little joke that every Saturday at 4:30 in the afternoon we get "the call". "I am in Devil’s cove and my battery is dead" or "I am in front of Lakeway and my boat just overheated" In the past we have referred those folks to Lake Tow (694-6945) who have always done a great job bringing folks in who have broken down. This would be a handy number to have in your cell phone.

Now you also have another option. Coastal boaters are probably already familiar with Sea Tow. This is a boat towing service that works by the hour $150.00+ or by the membership. The membership is an outstanding deal. You pay a one time fee and it covers you all year long.

Under the ownership of Paul Arcediano, Sea Tow Central Texas, which opened March 1^st, operates out of Emerald Point Marina in Austin, TX.

With over 20 years experience in the marine assistance industry, Sea Tow provides members with numerous benefits that offer "Peace of Mind on the Water"™. Priced at $149 per year, the Gold Card membership covers every vessel registered to, or owned by, the member and includes unlimited FREE service area towing (to home port, transient dock, or dock to dock), covered ungroundings, fuel drops, jump starts and prop disentanglements. The Sea Tow Lake Card, designed specifically for those who boat on a single, specific body of water, is $119 annually.

Since we have seen the need for s service like this we are selling the memberships in our parts department. You can buy one over the phone and we can leave the kit in your boat if you like. Or, you can also buy one online from the link at the bottom of the home page on our website www.eriksenmarine.com

We buy insurance for peace of mind. We maintain our boats for peace of mind. For less than $150.00 + tax we feel that the Sea Tow membership completes the package nicely.

A picture is worth a thousand………………….
(posted 2/06)
Have you ever had one of those days where everything just seems to go wrong no matter what you do? I had one of those today.

BOAT SHOWS!!
(posted 1/06)
Nope, I am not talking about that new boat sales frenzy that is in the auditorium every January. I am talking about movies with boats! Nothing gets the old boat fever boiling in the middle of winter like a great movie with lots of "boat action". Here are some of my favorites.

1. 1.  My latest favorite is "IN TO THE BLUE". Two words. Jessica. Alba. Wow…….. Oh yea, and there is lots of boating in a really nice 50’ express cruiser in the Caymans. I had to get out on the water right away after watching this one. Now if I could only get my girlfriend to wear that same blue bikini Jessica wore………..
2. "THE BOATNIKS" This is an old Disney film from "Herbie and the Love Bug" era. It is a comedy that takes place in Marina Del Ray, the largest marina in the world. As old and corny as this movie is, it is still funny and I guarantee you will recognize some of your dock neighbors in it.
3. "DOVE" This is the true story of a 16yr old kid from California (Robin Lee Graham) who embarked to sail around the world alone in a 24ft sailboat! This was in the late seventies with no GPS or even Loran. The movie re-creates his journey with some amazing sailing and storm scenes. I saw this movie when I was fifteen years old and still remember it vividly. West Marine used to sell the movie in their stores. Maybe they still do.
4. "WATERWORLD" Critics shredded this movie but I thought it was great. Like "MAD MAX" on the water. My favorite part was the "smokers" a gang of gas guzzling bandits that worship Joe Hazelwood (captain of the ill fated Exxon Valdez) like he is a god.
5. "PERFECT STORM" Another true high seas adventure. The special effects are very believable in this one.
6. "DEAD CALM" for the "terror and suspense" crowd.
7. "DAS BOOT" with due respect for "Hunt for Red October" DAS BOOT is the ultimate submarine movie. A German U-boat movie by Germans, starring Germans, in German. Of course an English version is available at the video store. How would you like to be in your twenties and be handed a 200ft Diesel electric submarine to command and be sent out to sea? These guys were just kids being sent to their death. Those U-Boats were awesome machines!
8. Any "JAMES BOND" movie. They all have great boat action. If fact, at the New York boat show this year they are displaying the original boats featured in some of the 007 films.
9. "CAPTAIN RON" It’s a family show. There is one scene where the half drunk captain comes blasting into a crowded marina scaring the hell out of everybody and slides the boat into a parking spot so perfectly the whole place goes silent.
10. "WHITE SQUALL" This is a true story about a young captain and his wife who run an old sailing ship as a sort of training camp for boys. A real adventure. When they hit the mother of all storms there are some shots taken from below the waterline that will blow your mind. One in particular, I will never forget. If you have a big screen at home, this is a must see!

I sure many more could be added to this list. If you see a really good one, let me know what it is and I will be scouring the video store!

Grant Eriksen

BOATS ARE FROM MARS, CARS ARE FROM VENUS
(posted 10/05)
If you are an adult in America, you have probably purchased at least one or more likely, several cars. Maybe used cars when in college etc, and new ones as you get older and more established. When it comes time to buy a boat, it is only natural to draw upon those experiences to make your boat buying decision.

When the fixing breaks down
(posted 2/23/05)
Sometimes things just don’t go like they are supposed to. The Eriksen Marine service department is in the business of fixing things when they go wrong and doing maintenance to reduce the odds of something going wrong. At the risk of sounding like Abbot and Costello, let me take this one step further. Something goes wrong. While fixing what went wrong, something goes wrong with the fixing.

Contrary to popular belief most repair shops are honest. It is natural to be suspect of repairers. The amount of techno-jargon needed to describe a problem and a fix to a customer often leaves the customer unclear on what you are really doing. Often, they just throw their hands up in the air and say "just fix it". Under these conditions it is understandable that the customer is left wondering if he is being taken advantage of.

After this uneasy beginning he pays the bill, picks up his boat and what was supposed to be fixed isn’t. This is when the true colors of the repair shop will be visible. Will they stand behind their work?

Mistakes happen. If these boats were perfect there would be no need for repair shops or warranties to start with. When you fix something that has already broken once, the repair needs to be as good as, or better than the original. When it is not done correctly the can of worms opens. A good shop will recognize that a mistake was made, apologize for it and correct it right away. Sometimes this does not happen and the provider of substandard service follows up with substandard customer service, excuses, denials, etc. Never the less, if this happens to you the best course of action is to give the repair facility that made the mistake the opportunity to make it right. Most shops will. We have had customers come our way with "substandard" work that was done elsewhere. (from different places) We recommended that they return to the shop that did that work and have it corrected there. I assured them that the shops would stand behind their work. Some of these customers responded by saying "I don’t think they can fix it right". Now what do you do? Pay someone else to do the job again, or take it back to the folks who couldn’t or didn’t get it right the first time. Those are your choices.

The time to think about this is when you choose who is going to work on your boat. Price-wise we are all about the same. Number one question is about integrity, but number two is about ability. What is your favorite repair facility capable of doing? If the job gets big, can they handle it? If they blow up your engine, will they fess up and fix it? Can they afford to fix it? You could always take them to court but who wins then? Your boat is still broken and you are both spending the money that could fix it on attorneys.

Boating is supposed to be fun, not a big pain or stress. All boats break. All shops are capable of making a mistake while repairing it (including us). Choose a repair shop that has an honest reputation and the ability to correctly do whatever may come up during the course of the repair. The lake is small community. Ask people about their experiences with different shops. Look at their facilities to see what they can handle. Then you can make a good decision at the beginning.

By the way, if you want to know what Eriksen Marine is capable of, check out the "special projects" page on our website. www.eriksenmarine.com This is a showcase of what we are capable of doing. Sometimes we just like to show off. Don’t you?

TRADE HER IN ON A NEW ONE?
While boats are not typically looked at as "an investment opportunity",  a quick scan of the price tags on the new boats at the boat show "gives one pause".
    Suddenly the boat you currently own can feel like it is worth more. As a boat gets older it is supposed to depreciate. However, at the same time replacement cost of that boat keeps going up.  If you take good care of your boat cosmetically and mechanically it really should hold its value over the long term. If you wait about twenty years, you can probably sell it for what is cost brand new.

SERVICE REMINDERS

1. 1.     The parade of lights is Dec. 3rd. It might be a good idea to test run your generator or have it serviced. Low oil level or a weak impeller will cause it to shut down in the middle of the parade and could blow your chances of winning one of those coveted trophies!
2. 2.     Yes, it does freeze in Austin Texas. If you are not going to be using your boat until spring, have it professionally winterized so you don’t have expensive problems next summer. Have a reputable shop with a building and a storefront do this job. You don’t want to be trying to find "some guy in pickup" when you discover that your block is freeze cracked.
3. Key fobs and flyers are cheap. Your risk is much lower when dealing with a company that has invested their future in establishing a facility, and equipping themselves to properly service your boat. This type of place looks at you as a long term customer not just a way to make this week’s car payment.
4. Bottom job time is also here. It takes an average of ten days to do a complete bottom job. Your boat’s antifouling paint should be renewed every two to three years. Also, most insurance companies are requiring that you have your boat periodically surveyed. You can to this at the same time, while the boat is out. Our bottom job prices have not changed in six years. Material and labor costs have both gone up. This will be the last winter that we will do them at these prices. If you can I would get it done this winter to save some money and be ahead of the game.
5. We know that you are busy and don’t have time for phone tag. Make your service request online at www.eriksenmarine.com or e-mail grant@eriksenmarine.com 

No, I am not talking about the latest "natural male enhancement" product. Eriksen Marine has invested in another large piece of equipment in order to serve you better. We were the first and still the only ones to bring a real traveling boat hoist or "Marine Travelift" to Lake Travis. This is the giant square crane that we use to unload large boats off of transport trucks and off of our trailers for bottom jobs etc. Ever since that machine arrived Eriksen Marine and Emerald Point have become well known as the place to ship your boat to for launching/commissioning etc. Over the years our machine has served us well, lifting boats almost every single day. However, as the years pass the boats keep getting bigger and more expensive. We have been approaching the limits of our machine. (48,000lbs)

This year we decided to take the plunge and get a bigger Travelift. We just took the delivery of the "new(er)" machine and will be putting it together in the next couple of weeks. It is a "Marine Travelift 50AMO". This machine will lift a 100,000lb boat! It is also an ‘open ended" machine. What that means it there is no need to remove antennas, arches, biminis, or hardtops to get the boat under the hoist and lift it. This machine more than doubles the size of boat we can lift and launch.

We also added another big boat haul out trailer to the fleet. Eriksen Marine now has three haul out trucks, five big boat trailers, and now two travelifts!

We have been fortunate to have so many folks trust us with their big and expensive boats we felt the need to upgrade our equipment accordingly and to add redundancy so your boat doesn’t get help up waiting on a broken truck etc.

So, if you have eyes for a 50’+ cruiser bring it on. Our "equipment" is plenty big enough to handle it.

Back to Reality……..
(8/04)

The kids are back in school and there is only one more holiday weekend to go. Things at the lake were definitely at fever pitch again this year. Eriksen Marine is well on its way to a record setting year in both service and sales. Our service department beat its all time record month three months in a row. Not only that but just over halfway through the season we sold more boats than we did all year last year. When you are operating at that kind of pace your resources and personnel are tested to and beyond their limits. If any of you had trouble getting through on the phones or a quick enough response from us, let me assure you we were not goofing off up here, we were all scrambling to keep up.

Now that the kids are back in school the needle can come down out of the red zone and we can go back to providing the more personalized brand of service that we are known for. It is a whole lot easier to return phone calls when the phone rings every ten minutes instead of stops ringing once every ten minutes. The challenge to us is to provide both speedy service and high quality service when it seems that everyone on the lake needs it that same day. If you have ever watched "American Chopper" or "Monster Garage" you have just a taste of what it is like up here in June and July. Heck, those guys are only doing one project at a time. I would like to see them do ten or fifteen at once like we do! Then I would be impressed.

I would like to thank all of our long term customers and our new customers for your patronage and your patience. Even when we are swamped we never forget that of all the shops you can choose from, Eriksen Marine is your choice. A second thank you goes to all the folks who send their work requests in from the website. www.eriksenmarine.com

Accuracy and efficiency both get a boost when we communicate that way. We understand that timing is everything and if your boat is ready two days after your visiting relatives go back home that doesn’t do you much good. We are on a first name basis with every FedEx and U.P.S. driver in the area and we understand that every job is on a deadline. Labor Day weekend is right around the corner so let’s get those messages in here early so we can get you done in time. There goes that phone again, Gotta run!

See you on the lake!

Grant Eriksen

Deep Thoughts from Grant Eriksen………(1/21/04) Why do we buy these darn boats anyway? Do we need them for transportation? Spending $100,000.00 on a cruiser to drive to Jonestown at 15miles per hour and 50 gallons per hour is not exactly the most efficient way to get from point A to point B. Is it to go fast? A 70mph boat is a pretty darn fast boat, but I hit 70 every day driving to and from work.      Is it to have a place to stay on the weekends? A hundred bucks will get you a pretty decent hotel room and you don’t even have to wash the sheets.   Yes, there is a real reason why we do this boating thing and it is something that we often lose sight of in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives.      Due to a recent death in the family, I just went on a long trip down memory lane. I went to my old hometown, saw old school buddies etc, etc. One thing that quickly became apparent is that many of my fondest memories involved boating and being on the water. There is something about being out on the water in a boat that makes the time you spend really stand out from the ordinary. Even when things go wrong it usually still makes for a memorable time. Ever been caught out in a storm on your boat? It’s quite the adventure isn’t it? At the risk of sounding like some cornball boat brochure, I will also say this. If you get the right group of people out there on your boat for the weekend, it can form a unique bond within the group where even years later you all remember "that crazy weekend we all spent out on the lake" and smile. Boats are the perfect vehicles for this kind of experience. All you have to do is load up the family or your "crew" and head out there on the water to see what happens. Loading them up in the Suburban and driving up and down 183 is not likely to feel quite the same.      Summer is right around the corner. Soon it will be time to get on the horn and round everyone up for some serious Texas style boating. Years from now they will all still remember it. Even that guy who never chips in for gas and drinks all your booze will eventually thank you. You have about a month to get ready and spring will be here. I don’t know about you, but I plan on putting some miles (hours) on my boat this summer. I’ll see you out there! If you are taking pictures, make sure you get my good side, eh? One day my grandchildren may be looking at that picture. Grant Eriksen

Winter Time
(11/17/03)

     It’s the holiday season. That means it’s time for turkey and stuffing, Christmas tree shopping, winterizing, family get-together’s, bottom jobs, cold winter nights, warm jackets, fiberglass repair, mistletoe, office parties, annual maintenance, relatives coming to visit, eggnog, monthly winter maintenance, decorate the tree, replace impellers, new boat cover, open presents, parade of lights.

     I could go on and on about the Holidays! If for some mysterious reason all this holiday talk makes you want to suddenly call Eriksen Marine to have your boat serviced/repaired at off season prices before the rates go up next year give us a call or shoot us an e-mail!

These two things are always true.

1. It is cheaper to maintain it than repair it.
2. Nobody wants their boat tied up in the shop in middle of summer.

     At Eriksen Marine we do things a little differently than most shops. Even though we are a repair shop, we don’t want your boat to break down. We want our customer’s boats to be well maintained and reliable. While this approach may cheat us out of some of those big, expensive, catastrophic repair jobs I see it like this. Happy customers will bring us more customers. Most of the folks that I see being towed in off the lake are somewhat less than happy. (Trust me. I am the first one they call). I want our customer’s boats to have the rope tied to the back of the boat not the front. While nobody can promise you that your boat will never break down (even brand new boats break down), our mechanics are trained to look for problems while they are small. This takes a little more effort on their part but if we can prevent an engine overheat or and out drive failure we are doing right by our customer.
     When you winterize your boat with us we offer a labor discount on any routine maintenance when done in conjunction with the winterization. Winterize your boat with Eriksen Marine and do the annual maintenance every time and you will spend less money on boat repair every year. You can get it all done right from your computer if you like. I will even send you progress pictures so you can see it happening.
     All I ask is that you send your friends to us too. Just explain to them that it costs twice as much to tie rope to the front of the boat. If they have been on the wrong end of the rope they will know exactly what you are talking about.
     I would also like to thank all of our loyal and long term customers for your business this year and I wish you all a great holiday season!

Grant Eriksen

grant@eriksenmarine.com
www.eriksenmarine
512-266-3493 press 2 and 2 again to skip the phone prompts and go straight to my extension

SOAK IT UP

     This is my favorite time of the year. That 100’ Texas heat dials back just enough to be warm instead of scorching. The water temperature in the lake is a Caribbean-like 86’. We still have long days where boating after work is a spur of the moment option. A little boat ride and an evening swim sure takes the edge of your average work day. On the weekends the lake around the marina no longer feels like the lower deck of IH-35. You can go to restaurants on the lake for a frozen margarita and not feel like you just crashed a Kappa Alpha frat party. Even Devil’s Cove becomes a nice place to hang out and relax without having your boat taken over my uninvited guests.
     In the service department we are no longer scrambling to get as many boats back in the water as we can for the weekend. We can work at a more normal pace. In most cases you can get top notch service with our full attention in a day or two.
     We have two months of this to enjoy before the cold damp winter and early nights make boating a rare occasion. Up north, they are already starting to put their boats away for the season. We are very lucky here in Texas to have this extended season. I don’t know about you, but I plan to soak up as much of it as time allows.

KA BOOM!!

     That is a sound you are likely to hear after someone installs automotive parts on your boat motor.
     In last month’s column "Parts is Parts" I promised to explain some of the differences between automotive engine parts and marine engine parts. Yes they do cost more. Here is why.
     We already know that a marine engine operates in a hostile environment, (heat, moisture, extended high rpm, long periods of non-use, full throttle operation on stale fuel, etc. etc.) Your engine compartment is a torture chamber that would make Saddam proud. Aside from all that there is another large difference that many don’t consider.
     A marine engine operates in a relatively closed compartment. There are air vents, but they are small and baffled to keep water out. If the engine in your car develops a fuel leak, the fuel dumps out onto the road where it will most likely evaporate. If the engine in your boat develops a fuel leak it collects in the bilge of your boat where it will stay for a long time. As an extra bonus the fumes stay in there too. This is why gasoline powerboats have an engine compartment blower. We are all running that for four minutes before cranking the engine right?
     The United States Coast Guard has strict requirements and safety standards for fuel and electrical systems on gasoline powerboats. Starters, alternators, distributors, battery chargers, anything electrical that is installed in the engine compartment must be "ignition protected". What this means is that the Coast Guard has tested these items to be sure that they do not emit open sparks when operated. Their automotive counterparts (pun intended) are held to no such standard and can emit open sparks.
     Fuel systems have similar requirements. For example, pressurized fuel lines must be solid steel, not flexible rubber. Fuel pumps must have a separate, clear discharge hose that dumps fuel into the intake of the engine in the event of a diaphragm failure. Carburetors must vent down the intake also so the excess fuel is either consumed by the engine or it floods the engine and shuts it off. If the float sticks in an automotive carburetor it just pours out all over the top of the engine.
     Your auto mechanic buddies and the friendly folks at your local discount auto parts store will have no clue about these things. Don’t take a chance on this stuff just to save a couple of bucks. Not only are you gambling with your own life but the lives of your passengers. Let me assure you there is more to a marine part than a higher price and "Marine" stamped on the box.
     If you would like to read last month’s newsletter or any of the previous ones they can be found on our website www.eriksenmarine.com

Happy boating!

Grant Eriksen
Eriksen Marine
266-3493
www.eriksenmarine.com

"PARTS IS PARTS"

1. Batteries- don’t act surprised if they are dead. Check the water in the cells and slow charge them. While boats can be jump started, batteries don’t go from dead to charged up in thirty minutes. If they are really low, it can take more than a full day of continuous charging for them to recover. Every year we jump start people, then they go out and shut the boat off 30 minutes later. The next call is for a tow. If your batteries are two years old you need new ones. Marine batteries should be replaced every two years, working or not. Another option is to buy a "Jumper Pack". These small, portable jumper boxes that only cost about $60.00 and are very handy to have (even in the trunk of your car)
2. Check the engine oil. If it is low add some. (Straight 40wt) If it is high, the oil may be contaminated with water or fuel. This should be checked out, or at least get the oil changed. Check all other fluids while you are there. If you have a Mercruiser, check the gear lube bottle. If it is low you will get a warning horn out on the lake. Don’t mix brands of fluid in that bottle. We have genuine Mercruiser gear lube in quart bottles available over the counter.
3. Check the blower, bilge pump, and running lights. These things all have a habit of rusting up and failing over the winter. Better to know that they work before you really need them.
4. Start the boat up and let it run for at least 30 minutes in the slip and come up to operating temperature before you take off. Water pump impellers can rot and crack over the winter. When that happens they will oftentimes fail on the initial start up in the spring. It takes a little time before the symptoms of overheating show up. Letting the boat run for a while before you go reduces the chance that you will have a surprise overheat right after you pass the breakwater. Also while it is running in the slip look the engine over to be sure that there are no water leaks coming from hoses, plugs etc.
5. Another reason to let the boat warm up in the slip is to make sure that is idles well. Moisture in gas tank and stale fuel can clog both carburetors and injectors. Combine an engine that stalls out at idle with a half dead battery and you will be calling for a tow.
6. Start out with fresh fuel. Conventional wisdom used to say top off your tanks for winter. That is no longer true. Today’s fuels have been reformulated for low emissions. This fuel starts to turn to varnish after only 90 days. Also the higher alcohol content actually makes it absorb and separate moisture from the air. The best thing to do is to top that tank off with fresh fuel at the start of that first day out. This way you are not pushing that engine to run on stale old gas.

Grant Eriksen

NOW MORE THAN EVER

Strange days indeed. The world is changing dramatically all around us. Who knows what will happen next? Every day we are bombarded with news reports that are designed to keep up glued to our sets. Anthrax, snipers, kidnappings, embezzlement, terrorists, WAR! What a mess.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a place you could go to get away from all that and spend some quality time with your family and friends? Wouldn’t it be nice if even just for a few hours, you could isolate yourself or your group from all of that? Wouldn’t it be nice to go where nobody can find you, turn the music on, pick up a cool one, lay back, relax, and just soak up the sun?

If you are reading this, odds are you already have access to just such a place. Your boat will take you there. It won’t take you to the grocery store. It won’t mow the lawn. It won’t get you to work. In fact these boats are specifically designed not to take you to any of those places. In fact, why did you buy that boat in the first place? I know why, to get away from it all and just have some good old fashioned fun. This is not frivolous. It is a real, psychological, human need. It helps us keep our attitudes adjusted and reminds us why we work so hard in the first place. The positive effects of a great weekend on the lake last long after the weekend is over. Do you have a picture of your boat out on the lake on your desk or in your office? On those days when nothing seems to go right, we could all use a little reminder of good times that we have had in the past and will have again as soon as the sun comes out.

The economy has brought the price of the average boat down, but the value/benefits of boating have gone up. Now, more than ever.

Grant Eriksen

"What we have heeeere is a failure to communicate……."

Grant, 2 and 2 again Sales/Jerry 1 and 1

Clyde/parts 2 

Service message line 2 and 1 Billing/Sheri 3

We are open 9am to 5pm every day but Sunday. If it breaks or need maintenance, you’ve got our number. Have fun out there!

SERVICE TO MAKE A SALE?

"No, I don’t want to fix it right now. I’m selling the boat."

I hear this about ten or fifteen times a year. At Eriksen Marine we service boats but we also sell them. Since we are in both ends of the business, we get to see what happens when a buyer looks at a boat that hasn’t been maintained, or needs repair. One of two things happens.

1. The customer loses interest and moves on to the next boat or,

2. The offer drops by more than the amount required to repair or service the boat

Today’s customers are quite educated. Before most people will make an offer on a boat, they will have a marine survey and/or a mechanical inspection done. They will also request the service history on the boat.

We have service records in our computer system that goes back over four years. This is the report card on how well the boat has been taken care of. Were regular oil changes done? Was the impeller replaced every two years, or did the owner wait until the engine overheated to change it? Was the drive unit pulled and serviced every year?

Maintaining a boat is expensive, but a boat is also an expensive piece of equipment. Every time you have it professionally serviced you are helping preserve the value of your investment. Every boat you own, you will eventually be trying to sell to somebody. When that day comes, how will your boat’s report card read?

What if you are a do it yourselfer and do your own maintenance? My suggestion to you would be to keep a log book of all the maintenance you do and keep it with the boat. This way you have some kind of history that you can give to the surveyor or to the repair shop that is doing the inspection.

What if you just don’t have the cash right now to spend on it? "If I had the money to spend on that I wouldn’t be selling my boat!" The best approach here is to be prepared to adjust your selling price to allow the buyer to pay for the service. Either way you end up paying for it, but at least it will be his cash. The problem with this method is that it drags the buying process out. The buyer gets involved in all the problems that the boat has and all the service that it requires and you take the risk that "buyer’s remorse" sets in before the deal closes. Your sale can vaporize before it completes. This is the risk you take when you leave the repairs up to the buyer.

We understand that sometimes it hurts to see that hard earned cash go towards maintaining a boat that is running just fine. The thing to remember is that one way or another, you will be paying for it anyway. You are a whole lot better off staying current on your maintenance schedule and enjoying the operation of a well maintained and more reliable boat while it is yours. This way whether you are ready to use it or sell it, "She is ready to go!"

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