You can also help do your part by researching The Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program (MRRP) to get educated about the impact improperly disposed monofilament fishing line has on our marine life and our environment as a whole. If you don’t know of a recycling station near you then check your local shop or look online.

Also, to maintain the proper functioning of your 2-cycle Evinrude engine try Evinrude XD100 oil to maximize efficiency and get the most boating for your buck.

Whether it’s mineral based or synthetic, oil is used as a lubricant in almost all engines. But oil is capable of causing significant damage to the environment. In fact, even a few drops of oil can contaminate enough water to supply the average person for an entire year. It’s most important for boat owners to be extra careful with their outboard motors and marine engines. When even a little bit of oil escapes into the water, it becomes a danger for humans and the environment. Marine creatures are quite sensitive to oil, and should even a small amount of boat motor oil escape into the water, it can be fatal to various organisms that live near the surface.

Boat owners need to check their outboard motors or marine engines on a regular basis for leaks, and also ensure that the proper safety precautions are being observed. In addition to the impact on the environment, an oil leak can result in quite a hefty fine for the boat owner, even if the leak was unbeknownst. Ensuring boat motor oil is secure saves the environment and can save a lot of money.

Since 1976, Lake Constance, which sits on the boarder between Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, did not allow two-stroke engines on the lake. Then in 2006, lake officials cleared the Evinrude E-Tec engine for use on Lake Constance. The Evinrude E-Tec is the first and only two-stroke engine to pass the multitude of standards for environmental safety on the lake. Evinrude’s Vice President of public affairs said the recognition of the Evinrude E-Tec was an outstanding achievement.

Evinrude has dedicated itself to creating the latest in two-stroke outboard technology with their high quality E-Tec engines and Evinrude outboard oil. The Evinrude E-Tec engine was also recognized in 2005 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its design. The E-Tec was presented with the Clean Air Technology Excellence award, and was the first ever outboard engine to receive the award.

For times when there isn’t a dock present, it’s nice to have a dinghy to avoid swimming or wading to shore. Rowing out to your boat in your dinghy can be exhausting, and there’s nothing worse than having to row to shore after day of boating. Whether for leaving shore or heading into shore, it’s great to have an outboard motor for your dinghy. Though you will want an outboard motor sized to fit an inflatable craft, maintenance for smaller outboard motors doesn’t differ from your standard boat model. Evinrude outboard motors are great for smaller craft as they’re easy to maintain; you just need to check the Evinrude outboard oil levels every so often, and change the oil filter and spark plugs.

When using your dinghy, ensure your outboard motor is secured to the craft, and that it is submerged correctly in the water. If your dinghy happens to deflate a little, the outboard motor can change levels in the water.

Oil spills are harmful aquatic wildlife and plants, and through permeable surfaces, can enter underground streams and reservoirs and effect drinking water. It is essential to avoid oil spills and provide immediate containment should a spill occur. If a small amount of marine engine oil should be spilled while filling the tank, or as backsplash out of the fuel intake, an oil absorbent sweep is great way to clean up surface spills. The sweep is drawn over the water’s surface to absorb the sheen of oil, and works well for smaller spills.

For pre-emptive protection from an oil spill, remember to change your oil filter often, and also a bilge boom can act to soak up and absorb gas and oil spills before entering the water.

If all the used oil from people in the United States alone who changed their own oil were re-used and recycled, there would be enough motor oil from that population alone to power 50 million automobiles each year. The used oil from just one oil change can contaminate 1 million gallons of fresh water-a year’s supply of drinking water for fifty people.

During normal use of marine engine oil, impurities such as dirt, toxic chemicals, and heavy metal scrapings can mix in with the oil, causing it not to perform as well as it once did. Used oil must be replaced periodically to help machines run their smoothest. Used motor oil is slow to degrade, adheres to everything from bird feathers to beach sand, and is a major contaminant in waterways and is a potential pollutant of drinking water sources. On average, 4 million people reuse motor oil for other equipment or take it to a facility with recycling capabilities. Used motor oil from automobiles, motorcycles, farm equipment, and landscaping equipment, as well as boats, can be recycled. Recycled used motor oil can be reinvented as new oil, processed into fuel oils, and serve as raw materials for the petroleum industry. One gallon of used motor oil produces the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil can.

The oil filter will need to be changed every time the outboard motor oil is changed. Be sure and place a couple of rags or absorbent pads under the filter cap to collect potential oil or debris. Try to loosen the cap, using the appropriate wrench. You may have to clean the filter cap with an absorbent pad; if this doesn’t work, get a screwdriver and hammer and tap the screwdriver tip down into the cap, rotating the existing oil filter until it loosens enough to be removed.
Before you replace the old oil filter with a new one, dip your finger into the old oil and rub a bead of oil around the edge of the new oil filter’s gasket o-ring, which will ease the future removal of the new filter when it needs to be replaced with the next oil change. If you will be boating in a hot climate that stays above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, use 25W-40 motor oil; in a cooler climate, use a 10W-30. Screw the new oil filter into position. Tighten the new oil filter by hand, ensuring it is snug with an additional ¾ to 1 full turn. Once the oil filter is in place and the drain plug is secured tightly, remove the plug for the fill and add the new oil using a funnel. Check your manufacturer’s manual for specifications regarding the amount of oil to use. Finally, check your dipstick to make sure there is enough oil. For environmental purposes, please dispose of discarded outboard engine oil at an approved hazardous materials collection center. Happy boating!

What is oxygenated fuel? Oxygenated fuel contains oxygen as part of its chemical makeup. The purpose of fuel oxygenation is often to reduce carbon monoxide levels created while the fuel burns. Usually oxygenates come in the form of gasoline additives, such as alcohol.

Some boaters are concerned with the possibility than an oxygenated fuel can harm their motor and interfere with the performance of their outboard motor oil. Outboard motors can generally tolerate up to 10% alcohol content in fuels, which is the maximum amount allowed by the United States.

There are currently no regulations demanding the disposal of two-stroke outboard motors, which are still acceptable in all but a very few situations. Some of these motors are over 25 years old and still running smoothly, but their overall fan base is dwindling due to environmental concerns. The real issue is not with all two-stroke motors, but with the older models that are not directly oil- or fuel-injected, where the outboard motor oil and fuel are mixed in a can prior to use.

The easiest way to do it is to check your local phone book. You can also check your county or city’s website to find locations. If none of those resources work out, you could also consult an auto mechanic, as they would know where to recycle your oil.