Columns
Hull design dictates propeller type
The design of your boat’s bottom will affect the type of propeller you will need. In the simplest of terms, there are two hull designs: displacement and planing.[…]
The Boat Doctor
Columns
Pitch, slip and cup vital terms for props
Last month’s column just barely scratched the surface as it pertains to propeller technology. In order to better understand propeller designs and their applications it will be necessary to understand the language of propellers.[…]
Columns
Select best prop for your needs
I have been in the boat business for many years. I know and appreciate the technological advances that have occurred in that time, but I do occasionally find myself reminiscing about the simple good-old days.[…]
Columns
Is it cavitation or ventilation?
In a recent e-mail, a reader requested help with what he believes is a cavitation problem. He described his boat as a 1994 16-foot center console with a 1994-model 70-horsepower engine.[…]
Fishing
Give your boat a makeover
In today’s uncertain economic climate, many boat manufacturers and dealers are reporting lower-than-normal new boat sales. I believe I have discovered a new trend. I call it the boat makeover.[…]
Fishing
The Boat Doctor provides valuable information about use of ethanol in boats
I look forward each month to receiving my issue of Soundings Trade Only Magazine. This magazine is full of information and news for and about the marine industry.[…]
Fishing
Avoid pitfalls when rewiring your boat
Accessory wiring in your boat can be a blessing if it is done correctly or an absolute nightmare if not. Wiring is relatively easy, but there are many pitfalls to avoid in order to have a reliable and safe system.[…]
Fishing
Manuals provide flushing directions
I have been writing columns for more years than I care to admit. In all those years, I cannot remember a single column that generated as much reader response as the one I wrote about flushing your engines.[…]
Fishing
Flushing will save you big bucks
I have asked many customers how often they flush out their engines, and the answer is almost always the same. They tell me they flush their engines every time they use them.[…]
Fishing
How do 4-strokes, 2-strokes compare?
I recently received the following e-mail from a reader: “I have a 22-foot bay boat with a 200-hp motor on it. The boat is heavy, but does an honest 52 mph. I want to upgrade to a new 225 hp.[…]
Fishing
Don’t forget winter preparations
As we move into the colder months of the year, you may be questioning whether or not you should winterize your boat. In Louisiana, our winters tend to be mild compared to our neighbors in the northern half of the country.[…]
Fishing
Boating gifts keep on giving
Christmas is just around the corner, and you are probably busy trying to figure out what gifts to get for your many friends and loved ones on your list.[…]
Fishing
Don’t forget the basics of ownership
I don’t think I will ever forget one day when my dad and I were working behind the parts counter at our dealership, Big M Marine. […]
Fishing
You can salvage your submerged boat
It was just a little over three years ago when Louisiana was dealt a horrific one-two blow from Katrina and Rita. […]
Fishing
Time for duck hunters’ wake-up call
Each year when duck season closes in January, most hunters simply park their mud boats and forget about them. We usually have other things such as fishing, cruising and water skiing on our minds.[…]
Fishing
Easy ways to save fortune in fuel
With gasoline prices soaring to all-time highs every other day, I am getting questions about how to stretch the fuel mileage of my customers’ boats.[…]