Choose Certified Outboard Oil for Your Boat

When it comes to taking great care of your boat, it’s often easy to overlook the health of your engine. Things like your hull and your interior are easy to see at a moment’s glance; you can tell whether they are in need of care and attention or if they’re holding up well to the demands you place on them throughout the season. The engine, however, is conveniently encased in a plastic cover that can often conceal serious problems. Once you get your engine open, you may also find that there are parts of it you don’t know how to maintenance yourself. Obviously, consulting a professional is the best way to keep your motor in great shape. On a daily basis, though, the outboard oil that you choose is going to make a huge difference in the overall performance and general and health and wellness of your motor. Not sure what kind to invest in? We recommend using Yamaha, Mercury or Evinrude oil, but no matter what brand you choose it should match the needs of your engine and be certified by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

What does being certified mean? The National marine Manufacturers Association, or NMMA, decided years ago that boat motors, like car engines, needed a high standard of oil lubrication in order to run well and that boat owners deserved to know which brands and types of oils were meeting those standards. Now, boat owners can look for the certification of TC-W3 for 2-cylinder motor oil and FC-W for 4-stroke and buy with confidence knowing that the oil will meet their needs. The NMMA has two objectives when determining their standards for certification. First, they want to make sure that the oil meets you needs, meaning that the oil has all the qualities that will help your engine last longer with less maintenance. And second, they want to ensure that they are helping to reduce the emissions that your motor and motors like it are putting into the atmosphere.

So if you like the idea of only putting quality oil into your motor, look for the certification! Not only will you be extending the life of your engine and saving yourself time and money with costly repairs and overhauls, you will be contributing to the lowering of emissions on the water. That means that the air you breathe with be less smoky and more delightful to breath while you’re enjoying your time on your boat.