Motor Oil | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 29

Touring Petaluma

Once we’d put in the obligatory family face time, my wife and I did a lot of exploring in the area surrounding Petaluma. We spent one day boating on a peaceful lake. I rented a two stroke motorboat from a local shop. The owner was so grateful for my business that he offered to make me a deal on Evinrude Johnson 2 stroke outboard oil and have it shipped to the marina for me.

Our next day of exploring we spent the morning admiring the redwood trees at the Armstrong Redwoods Reserve. We saw one tree that was 1400 years old! That kind of history really makes you stop and think. We rounded out our day by taking a drive along the coast. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any whales, but we did see a number of sea lions making themselves comfortable in the sand.

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Ferry To Petaluma

I’m not an avid baseball fan, but I do like to take in a few baseball games over the summer. My wife’s cousin scored some great tickets to the San Francisco vs. Oakland A’s game while we were in town. We were in row seven along the first baseline. The Giants lost the game, but it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had at a major league stadium.

After the game we took the ferry north toward Petaluma where some additional family and friends reside. The ride takes about 45 minutes and is quite pleasant. While my wife chatted with her cousin, I once again found myself chatting with other boaters, in this case, some off-duty crew members. They recommended a few places to check out in Petaluma as well as a hole-in-the-wall shop that has great deals on ringfree plus.

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Extended Vacation

You’re probably wondering why I’ve been so silent on my blog lately. Well, the reason why you haven’t gotten your daily dose of my boating advice is that I’ve been enjoying an extended vacation. My wife and I are getting up there in age and our kids are mostly out of the house, so we used this vacation as a test run for retirement.

Of course, I also used this time to test out a lot of cool boats. I learned a thing or two from the people I met along the way. For instance, I’m now hooked on Mercury premium plus oil. A friend of mine swears by the stuff, and when I took his boat out, it handled like a dream!

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Benefits of Outboard Motor Mount

Today I’ll be writing about the many benefits of using an outboard motor mount. Though motor mounts are not necessary, I find that they provide several benefits in the areas of acceleration, handling, and onboard space. That’s perhaps why some boat companies are incorporating mounts into the hull design of outboard motor boats.

In terms of acceleration, a motor mount moves the motor and propeller away from the hull’s current, thus the propeller can move calm water, which in turn provides greater acceleration and fuel efficiency. An outboard motor mount moves back the boat’s center of gravity, which also provides for faster movement through the water. Finally, the mount frees up space in the hull that would ordinarily be infringed upon. When you’re done looking over bulk outboard motor oil, I highly suggest you pick up an outboard motor mount.

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Pig War

Did you know that the U.S. once had a stand-off with Great Britain over a pig? That’s stretching the truth a little bit, but the only casualty of the Pig War was a pig. Essentially, there was a longstanding border dispute between the U.S. and British Canada regarding the San Juan Islands. Obviously each side sought control over the archipelago.

The U.S. favored the western border of the Haro Strait while the British favored the eastern Rosario Strait. The conflict was not resolved until a pig wandered over to the American side of the island and ate the potatoes of a farmer. The farmer retaliated and killed the pig. The British authorities tried to get involved and arrest the American, but the American settlers called in for back up. Eventually, an international arbiter was called in and ultimately sided with the U.S. Think about that next time you’re loading you boat up with amalie oil to go boating around the San Juan Islands!

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Reducing Outboard Smoke

For a long time I swore by using mineral oil in my outboard motor. Year after year I experienced zero issues with the particular brand of motor oil I used. I’m not sure if the brand changed their formula or if my engine simply succumbed to its age, but the outboard started smoking far more than usual.

To reduce the outboard smoke, a mechanic friend of mine suggested I use synthetic oil outboard motor instead. I was reluctant but eventually did make the switch. Much to my surprise, the synthetic oil did the trick! From that point on I didn’t have any further issues with a smoking outboard.

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Testing Snowmobile Oil

Even though the snow has melted and the sun is starting to peek through the clouds, it is worth re-visiting the proper way to test snowmobile oil. Just as you would with car motor oil, open up the new quart of snowmobile oil and place the dipstick into the container. Remove the dipstick and let small drops of oil fall on a white sheet of paper or a paper towel.

Wipe the dipstick off and dip the stick into the oil tank. Pull out the dipstick and let a few drops of the old oil fall on the paper next to the new oil. Look for discoloration in the old engine oil. If the old oil looks significantly dirty, then you know that it is time for a change.

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Kick Off Party

In two weeks time, my family and I will be having a small spring kick off party. Yes, I realize that spring will already have been around for about a month, but in my experience, you can still get snow in March. Thus, I want to wait until I’m sure that the snowy season has passed us by.

A few family friends will be joining us at a nearby lake for a day of boating and barbecuing. I’m not a big party planner, so my only responsibility will be to get the boat ready by replacing the outboard oil. I’m sure I’ll be suckered into grilling, too, but for now I’m keeping my mouth shut so I don’t get dragged into any more party preparations.

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TCW-3 Amalie Oil

When it comes to maintaining my two-stroke outboard motor, I swear by oil TCW-3 Amalie. For a while I was attached to the Chevron brand. When I could no longer buy Chevron TCW-3 I tried out some other brands.

What I found out is that TCW-3 Amalie oil is pretty consistent across brands. Though I have some brands I favor more than others, all that I have tried have performed well. If you’re looking to try out new two-stroke oil, then I would recommend a TCW-3 Amalie because regardless of brand and price, it will get the job done.

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Taking Advantage of the Weather

The reason I’ve been so anxious to stock up on Mercury oil is I don’t know how much longer we’ll get to enjoy good weather. I suppose I should start by explaining that it has been exceptionally rainy. We’ve finally gotten a small reprieve, so I’m determined to take advantage of the good weather, which may not return again until late June.

This weekend I’m hoping to take a few guests out on my boat. It’s a little cold for water sports, but taking a cruise around the lake will be a pleasant break from the norm. I’ve got my fingers crossed that Mother Nature will cooperate!

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Lightboat Swiftsure

Built in 1904, Swiftsure is one of the oldest lightships in the United States. It is also the only lightship to have its original steam engines. Its journey began in Camden, New Jersey and continued to the tip of South America and back up to the Blunts Reef, California. It was part of a successful rescue mission of 150 passengers whose ship had run aground in a dense fog.

The boat has had other names (it started out as simply Lightship #83) over the years. Its current name refers to the Swiftsure Bank near the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca whish separates WA from Vancouver Island. The Swiftsure is a National Historic Landmark and is currently moored at – you guessed it- Lake Union in Seattle. Yes, my Mercury engine oil purchasing buddies will be hearing about this vessel, too.

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Arthur Foss

In 1989, 100 years after it was built, the Arthur Foss tugboat was declared a National Historic Landmark. It’s no wonder, given the Arthur Foss’ storied past. The little tugboat that could is one of the oldest wooden-hulled tugboats afloat in the U.S.

The Arthur Foss transported barges of gold seeking miners and supplies up the Inside Passage during the Alaska Gold Rush. In 1933 Arthur Foss was in an MGM movie called “Tugboat Annie.” During WWII Arthur Foss was the last vessel to get away before the Battle of Wake Island began. I may have mentioned some of these stories to the guys when I was shopping for Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil.

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