From the Helm - Dog Days of Summer

This From the Helm is written by Gary Poole one of the owners of Buckeye Marine. Gary is a Master mechanic, Boating Ontario certified sales professional and can most often be found in what staff jokingly refer to as his "outside office" the yellow fork lift tractor or behind the service desk.

Dog Days Of Summer

If ever the term dog days of summer is appropriate it would be right now in the Kawarthas!  Truly one of the hottest driest summers on record, which translates to the perfect conditions for spending time on the water.

Your boat however, may not like the super hot temps as much as you do. You may be experiencing run-on when shutting down your engine.  This occurs when there is too much heat build up in the engine compartment, a very likely event in this current weather trend.  Contemporary boat construction is so plush and tightly fitting in the engine compartment, that fresh air circulation is inhibited.  By simply turning on your blower for a few minutes before shutting the engine down, the problem can be averted. 

You may also notice that different species of algae, weeds and plankton grow profusely in this weather.  Not only can it be unpleasant for swimming it can also impede the smooth running of your boat if allowed to grow on its hull.  Algae on the hull can restrict the speed by up to 25%.  To keep unwanted algae growth in check find a local sand bar or shallow spot and wipe off the boat, no chemicals necessary.  If you keep the hull waxed or bottom coated the less likely algae growth will occur.  The smoother the bottom surface of the boat the more efficiently it will run.

So with a little proactive maintenance these hot weather boating predicaments can be avoided and you will be able to spend those dog days on the water with not a worry!

P.S. Even with these hot weather issues, boating when its warm is way better than when there’s snow!

Wakesurfing!

Wakesurfing is the new hotness in watersports. Using the wake of an inboard ski boat you can surf all day effortlessly enjoying family fun for all ages. Wakesurfing is a low impact watersport, an inboard or v-drive boat traveling at 10mph creates enough wake that with a wakesurf board you can surf 5-20 feet behind the boat without a rope. The falls don't hurt and you don't have to worry about not being able to make it to work on time because you are too sore. To get up on a wakesurfer is just like getting up on a wakeboard minus the bindings, because the surface area on the wake surfer is so large often getting up is less straining than a wakeboard or wakeskate. Typically when getting up on a wakesurfer you use a much shorter rope than wakeboarding, as all the action takes place right behind the boat. I like to use a specialized wakesurf rope because they are thicker, and have better grip. Once you are up and riding you can continue to hold onto the rope and explore the wake slashing and turning as you get more comfortable and able to keep slack in the rope you can think about throwing the rope back into the boat and let gravity do its job. There is nothing more fun than seeing the faces of passing boaters as you amaze them by surfing the wake with no rope. Wakesurfing is quickly gaining in popularity because anyone can do it, you don't need to be riding in glassy water and its fun social nature. So next time you are out in your inboard ski boat and you can't find that calm spot for riding bust out a wakesurfer and find out what all the hype is about, I guarantee you that once you give it a try you will be hooked for life. 

Buckeye is excited to be on the forefront of wakesurfing in Ontario hosting last years big day out Ontario's first multi-division wakesurf tournament with over 40 participants we found it to be an overwhelming success! This year we are making it bigger and better with a brand new location and plenty more action both on and off the water. The 2012 Buckeye's Big Day Out will be moving to downtown Fenelon Falls at Garnet Graham Park an awesome venue close to both town and the lake beautiful vistas of Cameron lake and tons of space for activities. Including live music, food, volleyball tournament, rock climbing wall,  stand up paddle board demos, wakesurfing demos, professional waterski show and of course the main event the wakesurf contest! The contest is open to all ages and abilities so come on out if you have just started, or you are the next Kelly Slater come on out because behind a Mastercraft from Buckeye Marine the surf is always up!

Dining by Boat

Why not take a mundane dinner date and turn it into a memorable evening? Next time you are at the cottage thinking about going out for dinner leave the grocery getter in the driveway and drive to your dinner in style on the boat. Dining by water is a great way to get to your meal, open air and cool lake breeze will get you in the mood for food and forget about taking a big party in two cars pile in your whole party and socialize not only at the restaurant but also on the way there and back. By taking the boat you take your dining experience and turn it into an adventure, we are lucky to have so many great options in our area no matter what you have in mind for a night out elegant or casual. Sit down or take out breakfast lunch or dinner, I guarantee you that the food will taste better if you get there on a boat.

The Kawartha's have tons of great eating options accessible by boat weather it be the incredible Jerk Caribbean flavours of the Boathouse in Fenelon Falls or the plethora of options right at the locks in fenelon ranging from the awesome patio at The Lakehouse, the great pub food at Dockside or if you want a quick bite Slices and Scoops are all looking at the locks. Walk up the main street and find a wide selection from The Cow and Sow, the Captians Table, The Fallsview, and many more.

As you travel down towards Bobcaygeon you can make a trip into the town of Lindsay where you can pull up at the locks and walk to Kent street which offers a wide assortment of different restaurants and maybe even a movie! On Skugog the town of Port Perry has public mooring so that you can access the wide array of restaurants in downtown Port Perry.  If you are in the mood for some fine dining Eganridge Resort and Spa on Sturgeon lake offers free daytime dockage to anyone using the facilities for dining, golfing or the spa.

Bobcaygeon has a wide variety of options and is accessible from both Pigeon and Sturgeon lake. From the locks you can walk down the main street and access Take out and sit down chicken and ribs at Embers right by the locks if you are trying something quick from their take out section I highly recommend the Gooda burger a must try for burger enthusiasts! Further up the street is Wok on the Lake serving some of the areas best Chinese food they have a clean fresh layout and never disappoint when you are hungry for Chinese. Across the street is The Kawartha Coffee Company's new location serving the best coffee in town as well as freshly made sandwiches and salads a must for anyone who needs their traditional latte fix. Lock 32 Pub is a Bobcaygeon must, this little treasure never disappoints with North American Pub food and arguably the best fries in town. Savory's offers over 50 loose leaf teas, lunch and desserts are to die for as well as a wide arrangement of specialty coffees in this fresh and friendly lunch and breakfast spot. 72 Bolton is a great place to enjoy a cold beverage, watch the game and relax on their massive open air patio serving a wide arrangement of pub food and salads for lunch and dinner. Donella is an incredible option for Italian cuisine serving both traditional and new style Italian food their pastas never disappoint I especially love the gnocchi. Just for the Halibut is the furthest from the locks but more than worth the walk sitting on King Street (5min walk from the locks) Just for the Halibut is a staple restaurant in Bobcaygeon serving seafood and continental fare, their namesake Halibut and fries are the best I have ever had and I've yet to hear different from any of the guests that I have taken there (including a British traditionalist). They now feature 7 draft beers from Ontario local microbrews be sure to make it to this one at least once this season. On pigeon lake at the bottom side of the locks is The Water's Edge with its own dock it is the most boat accessible restaurant in town and has a beautiful vista of the boats going through the locks, and a select menu of fine dining food, their deserts and pastries are second to none and when eating at The Water's Edge you should never pass up the dessert menu.


The next stop on the way down the Trent, is the Buckhorn lock in the small town of Buckhorn there are two great on the water locations  the first being Main Street Landing right on the lock with available dockage Mainstreet is a great place to sit with friends and enjoy the lazy movement of boats through the locks. The other is the iconic Cody Inn which never disappoints for its Chinese food a mainstay of dining on the Trent.

Stoney and Clear lake have a great variety of options Irwin Inn has excellent fine dining with docks available right at the inn. Viamede resort has three restaurants to choose from The Boathouse for casual dining, the Inn at Mt Julian offers incredible 100 mile diet food with all of its delicacies being grown, or raised on site, and the Dining room offering a steak house style menu that is always changing giving you reason to come back again and again. Traveling further down Stoney into Clear lake there are great options at the locks in Young's Point. The Old Mill is a staple offering the best wings (Tuesday night wing night) with a great patio overlooking the lake. Across the bridge is the Old Bridge Inn which has incredible food in a beautiful atmosphere overlooking lock 27 and the old bridge.

These are only a few of the incredible dining options that boating the Kawartha lakes has to offer so get out there and see for yourself, because when you dine by water getting there is more than half of the adventure!

Roots Provincial Wakeboard Series

Spring is here and for all our wakeboard followers this means only one thing, the return of The Roots provincial wakeboard series! We are happy to announce that we have again partnered with the WSWO and the Roots to host the Sharpley’s stop in Haliburton. With an incredible site and the beautiful village of Haliburton we are excited to be involved again! So make sure that you put July 21 on your calendar because like all Roots events it will be an awesome time showcasing the best riding the province has to offer.

The Roots Kicks off with the Boardsports open June 9 with the first ever cable stop following on the 10th on Summerski Lake in Newmarket. The Roots is an awesome series designed to encourage fun and competition around the province with stops in Newmarket, Sarnia, Haliburton, Orangeville, and Provincial Championships in Huntsville. Riders are divided into age and ability encouraging a fun competitive atmosphere without feeling daunted or out gunned. Each stop is provided with unique prizes and gift bags, with great products being featured and camps and schools featured to get you to the next level of riding. Wakeboard contests are a great way to meet other boarders, see where you stack up or just sit back and watch the Roots provides something special for the whole family so check out rootswakeboarding.com and get all the details to get out to some contests this summer!   

Life Jackets Save Lives...Wear one!

So with the long weekend on its way, the weather being hot and sunny and Safe Boating Week just around the corner, there is no better time to remind people that having the proper safety equipment on board your boat is the only way to go!

We all know that traditionally lifejackets and PFDs were bulky, unattractive, uncomfortable and frankly just plain annoying. The great news is that this is no longer the case! While "life jackets" remain more traditional (yes folks there really is a difference between life jackets and PFDs) to retain their ability to "right" an unconscious person, "personal floatation devices" (PFDs) have changed in look, feel and are far more user friendly. PFDs now come in a range of colours and styles to suit all types of on-water activities. 

This new aged PFD is a wonderful step towards a safer boating environment. Wearing a PFD is now something that is easy and fashionable...and best of all...are more apted to wear them and they work much better when you have them on! 

Here are some more helpful tips about life jackets from our boating safety staff that we are asked on a regular basis. Hopefully these tips will help you to safer on the water!

• Life jackets & PFDs must be approved by Transport Canada, Department of Transport, Canadian Coast Guard. If you purchase a life jacket or PFD in the US please note that while you may wear it here it is not approved in Canada and therefore you MUST have a Canadian approved jacket on board as well!
• Life jackets & PFDs must not be altered or repaired. Once they are ripped they are rendered to have lost their certification and we suggest that you discard of them. 
• wash you life jacket with mild soap and warm water and hang to dry.
• Do not expose lifejackets or PFDs to extreme heat, don't use them as a fender or in instances when they can suffer impact.
• While it is mandatory to have 1 properly sized life jacket or PFD on board your boat for each person on board, there is currently no mandatory life jacket wear legislation in Canada for any age of boater. With that said, we strongly recommend wearing them. 
• Wearing your life jacket/PFD is especially important in cold & in-climate weather, for small children & people with limited mobility, when boating alone and in all instances when those on board are uncomfortable around the water.We still urge you to recognize that the safest route is for everyone to wear them while underway.

Hopefully some of these tips will help you when you are out on the water this summer! If you are an advocate of lifejacket safety we urge you to check out http://www.readysetwearit.com/ and get your friends together to inflate your lifejackets on Saturday May 19th as groups from around the world aim to set a world record for life jacket wear.

Boat Insurance Tips Part 1

The following is the first of a series of blog posts that have been provided by our friends at Darling Insurance/Beyond Boat Insurance to help you make the best decisions possible when buying proper insurance coverage for your boat.

Don't Insure Your Boat on Your Home Policy

It's best to buy separate marine insurance, rather than adding your boat to your homeowner's policy. Many homeowners' policies have exclusions or do not cover marine-specific risks, wreck removal, such as salvage work, pollution and environmental damage. If your boat is added to your home policy, a boat claim can affect your home policy. We have all heard stories about how claims on your house can cause rate increases for several years.  It's much better to separate the risk. Put your boat policy with a broker that specializes in marine insurance. Call Darling Insurance/Beyond Boat Insurance to get an insurance package designed by specialists who know marine insurance. 

Darling Insurance is a reliable, professional brokerage that has been helping Buckeye customers for years. Please feel free to contact them for more information at:

David Kennedy, B.A., CIP  

Branch Manager  

7 Main Street, Box 389
Bobcaygeon, ON K0M 1A0
Phone (705) 738-2042 Ext. 285, Fax (705) 738-5909

Darling Insurance & Realty Ltd.

http://www.darlinginsurance.net/

www.beyondboatinsurance.com

April Showers bring out boaters!

Well they say that April showers bring May flowers….they also bring out boaters! For boaters April means that the big splash is just around the corner. As much as we are all excitied to get the boat back in the water there are a few things that you should think about doing before the season is in full swing to help avoid any undue service appointments or fines.

When you are thinking about summarizing your boat use the following check sheet to ensure your boat is in tip top shape for the boating season.

Make sure that you have a proper insurance coverage.

Check over canvas

o   Ensure there are no holes

o   Clean tops & windows – do not use an abrasive cleaner on boat top windows as harsh cleaners will scratch and mark these items.

o   Check waterproofing. Re-waterproof if necessary

o   Check zippers – lubricate if necessary

·      Clean exterior & interior

o   Wipe down upholstery

o   Vaccuum carpet

o   Wax exterior (unless this was done in the fall or over the winter then a wipe down will suffice)

·      Check the condition of the battery

o   Make sure battery terminals are tight

o   If you battery has wingnuts on it should be replaced with locknuts

·      Check the oil level

o   Oil changes and lower unit oil changes should have been done in the fall…however if they weren’t you should have this done

o   When running for the first time lift the engine compartment lid and check to ensure there are no fluid leaks.

·      Check that the prop nut is tight

·      Check safety equipment is fully operational and in good condition.

o   Flares & Fire extinguishers have an expiration date. Check to make sure they have not expired

o   Change batteries in watertight flashlights

o   Check that all lines are in good working order

o   Ensure lifejackets/PFD’s are free of rips and tears.

o   Make sure your PCOC card is on board

·      Make sure the drain plug is secure

If you stored your boat at Buckeye a number of these items will have been taken care of for you as part of our winter storage service. If you have questions about what items you should take a look at feel free to write a note below or contact our storage department with any questions storage@buckeyemarine.com

Try before you buy

Renting a boat is only a great way to try out boating before you decide to take the plunge it is also a great way to try out a model before you buy OR add a little something fun to your cottage vacation.

Because we understand that boats are rented for a number of different reasons we have a diverse rental fleet to facilitate the needs of many. Fishing, skiing, day cruising, sandbar trips, putting around the cottage and camping are all great activities that are simply better with a boat and we have boats for rent that serve all of these different purposes.

We rent….

Bowrider/Ski boats – these boats are 17’ and are equipped with an outboard engine.  This boat is very versatile allowing you the ability to take junior for a ski, toot around the cottage, head out to the sandbar or set out on a sunset cruise.

Deckboats – With the hull and performance like a bowrider and the comfort and space of a pontoon boat these deckboats give you an option with lots of flexibility. If you are looking to fish, cruise, tube, anchor out or simply hang out at the dock this boat gives what you need to make it happen.

Fish & Ski boats – As is evident by the name fish & ski boats are a multi-functioning machine. With all of the necessary equipment to get into a secret fishing hole and the power to pull a skier out of the hole you end up with the best of both worlds.

Fishing boats – This 15’ boat is not to be confused with that old tinny that grandpa used to take you out on the pond in! This boat is equipped with a depth finder, trolling motor, livewells and more. 

All boats are fully equipped with the necessary safety equipment and are available on trailers so that you can take them to whatever lake you choose.

We also have special booking deals for anyone who books their summer rental in the spring. Book before May 1^st and receive 10% off. Or better still…if you are looking to rent prior to June 1^st or after September 1^st  you will save even more! So there is no better time than now to get out on the water and enjoy life with a boat!

To find out more about renting a boat leave us a note here OR email rentals@buckeyemarine.com

Dogs are boaters too!

Remember that old saying “it’s a dog’s life”?  Well what a life it is when you are a dog on a boat! Boating is one of those activities that you can ultimately share with ALL of the members of your family…even the four legged ones!

If you are a dog owner and a boater but you have never ventured to take your furry friend with you on the water, you should think again! Dogs are great boating companions…and boy do they love it. Everyone has seen a dog with its head stuck out the car window loving the wind flapping through their ears. Now just imagine that same dog on the bow of a boat! Its all paws aboard.

At Buckeye we have a number of furry boater friends as part of our family. They bring their owners to visit the dealership regularly to check out what’s new in doggie accessories. We in fact have a wide variety of boating products made just for dogs. Some of these items include: doggie boarding ladders (very handy if you have a boat with a large freeboard…lets not forget Fido can’t use the onboard head), lifejackets in all sizes and colours, lifering floating play toys, ski handle leashes and doggles (water goggles for dogs). All of these items not only make life easier for the owner not to mention boating dogs love them!

Here is a picture of our friends Wynston & Abby. 

 

These guys LOVE to go boating. In fact they love it so much that their owners have to hide their lifejackets and only bring them out when its time to get onboard. Wynston has been boating since he was a puppy and Abby has grown to love boating as much as she has always loved the water.

Once their lifejackets are on Wynston & Abby know that its boating time. For them this means the wind in their faces, swimming, playing with the floaty ball and spending some uninterrupted time with their owners.  

This is Brody.

Photo credit: Fred Thornhill

Brody is our most famous boating dog. He and his owner were featured in the Toronto Star. They can often be seen out enjoying the water on their Yamaha PWC on Pigeon Lake in Bobcaygeon. Brody always looks fashionable yet comfortable in his doggles and lifejacket. Not all dogs could do what Brody does, sitting so comfortably on the back of this waverunner, but after all of his practice he is now a pro!

Do you take your dogs out on the water with you? If so share your pictures and stories with us here.