Reduce Your Boat's Fuel Usage

Are you concerned about the efficiency of your boat's engine? Do you want to spend less time fueling up at the dock? We want you to get the most out of your boat's tank of fuel (and we're sure you do too)! So we're sharing some tips to not only help you save time and money on fueling, but also help the environment with decreased emissions.

Tune Your Engine

A properly tuned engine will get better mileage and run better. Plus will have fewer emissions. Make sure to service your engine at least once a year and follow the proper maintenance schedule recommended by your engine manufacturer.

Use The Appropriate Propeller

If your boat is slow "out of the hole" or lacks top-end speed, you might have the wrong propeller. Sometimes using the stock propeller may not be the best choice for your type of boating. By experimenting with different props, you may find one that saves fuel and improves performance. The biggest thing you have to worry about with the pitch in the propeller is to make sure the pitch of the propeller allows the motor to generate or run in its recommended RPM range.

Drain Your Boat of Unnecessary Water

Before leaving the dock, be sure to drain your boat of unnecessary water. The lighter your boat is the better gas mileage you'll get.

Reduce Unnecessary Weight

Carry only the gear you will need for your boating excursion. Clear your decks of clutter and lower canvas tops as they create drag. Even having more than one anchor is not always necessary.

Balance Your Load

By balancing your boat's load, you allow your it to plane quickly. Many boats are stern heavy with passengers, motor, batteries and fuel. Consider asking passengers to move forward when accelerating and getting on plane.

Throttle Back To Cruising Speed After Start

Once you get up on a plane, throttle back slightly and find that speed where your boat is on plane and the motor is running smooth without effort. Your boat will ride smooth and level and will perform at its best once you find this speed.

Keep The Boat In Trim

Using your trim tabs and distributing weight evenly will help move your boat through the water with less effort and less fuel. Make sure engine height is set correctly so that your engine is not too deep in the water creating additional drag. Trim your boat so it runs flat and effortlessly.

Avoid Excess Engine Idling

Even when you are idling in neutral, your boat is consuming fuel. Plus, idling can produce potentially deadly carbon monoxide (CO) fumes.

Use The Proper Fuel To Oil Mix

If you must mix your own fuel, be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Too little or too much oil can harm your engine, affect overall performance and reduce fuel efficiency.

Purchase A Low Emission Fuel Efficient Engine

When looking at a new boat or repowering your existing one, look for an engine that promises better fuel economy and lower emissions.

What other tips could you suggest in lowering fuel usage?

Summer Boating Safety Tips

Summer is in full swing! Warm weather means more people are out enjoying their boat with family and friends. It is important to remember to boat smart and responsibly. Here are some tips to keep everyone in and around your boat safe.

Wear a Life Jacket: Make sure a life jacket is available at all times for every single person aboard. It should fit properly and be stored for easy access. Adult jackets will not work for children. Always test jackets once a year for wear and buoyancy. Toss out the ones that are waterlogged or leaky.

Know The Rules: Knowing the nautical “rules of the road” is extremely important, especially when meeting, crossing or overtaking another boat. Always maintain a safe speed and keep a watchful eye on the waters around you.

Be Aware of Carbon Monoxide: All boat engines produce carbon monoxide which is an odorless, colorless and poisonous gas. Poor cabin ventilation and faulty equipment can contribute to the problem. But did you know that carbon monoxide emissions can even affect you on your boat’s swim platform and other areas near the engine where gases could build up? Be sure to install carbon monoxide detectors on your boat and be aware of the early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (headaches, nausea, weakness and irritated eyes).

Get Your Boat Inspected: Register your boat for a free Vessel Safety Check to ensure it is safe to be on the water. A Vessel Safety Check is performed courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary to verify the presence and condition of all required safety equipment. These free checks can save lives, money, and time.

Take a Boating Safety Course: Register for a boating safety course, they are quick, inexpensive, and effective. You know, you can never be too prepared.

Drive Safe: Designate a sober driver for your boat to ensure everyone stays safe and sober. You do not want to risk the chance of getting a ticket for boating under the influence.

We hope you find these tips useful in keeping you, your family and friends safe on the water. Do you have any other safety tips to add to our list?

We Offer These Services

With summer officially here, you'll want to stay out on the water for as long as possible - right? We think the answer is a definite yes. We want you to enjoy your boating season and not have to worry about your boat breaking down. We offer the following services:

• Yamaha Outboard Service 5 Star Certified & Master Tech
• Mercury Outboard Service Platinum Certified
• Mercruiser Sterndrive Service - Platinum Certified
• Electrical Diagnostics
• Professional Electronics Installation
• Maintenance Plans
• Custom Rigging Options
• Detailing
• Bottom Painting
• Gelcoat Repair
• Pick up & Delivery
• Trailer Maintenance

Let us help you stay out on the water longer. Does your boat need to be serviced? Do you need parts for your boat? We can help you with all your boating needs. How can we help you?

The Longshore Advantage

Are you familiar with the Longshore Advantage? If not, don't worry. We're here to tell you all about it. Customers who buy a boat from us receive all the following benefits:

• On-water Boat Orientation
• Captain's Confidence Training
• Deluxe Coast Guard Package *
• Complimentary Boating 101 Class for the entire family
• Complimentary dock use for the weekend
• Invitation to our Annual Rendezvous *
• Entire boat waxed prior to delivery *
• 125+ point pre-delivery inspection - including on-water testing prior to delivery *
• We have been serving our customers for 15 years and are here to stay!
• Boat registration numbers professionally installed
• One year complimentary membership to Boat US
• Specialized Technicians who log almost 700 hours training annually
• MRAA Certified Dealer
• Yamaha 5 Star Certified
• Mercury Platinum Certified
• Free one year towing insurance *
• Complimentary wash upon completion of service work
• EdgeWater Key Dealer Award 2007
• EdgeWater CSI Award 2007
• Crowline Platinum Dealer 2007

*On all new boats only

How can we help you get on the water?

Tips for Taking Your Dog on the Boat

Is your pup a boating fiend? While many generally assume only retrievers are good boating dogs, we've seen a large variety of pooches out on boats over the years. Bringing your dog can be a fun addition to the day, but they do need a few more accommodations than some of your human guests. So here are our tips for bringing your dog with you on the boat.

• Set your pup up with a life jacket. If your dog knows how to swim, you might find this silly. But remember: humans can swim but still need to wear life jackets! High seas or fatigue can negatively impact your pup's ability to swim, so a life jacket ensures he wont have any issues. In addition, most dog life jackets come with a handle on top, which makes them a great tool for helping to heave your dog back aboard when he is through with swimming. Many pro shops sell life jackets, or you can easily order them online.
• Provide drinking water. Obviously, if you're out on salt water, your pooch won't be able to drink out of the water. But even freshwater can have less than desirable organisms that make drinking from a lake not a super idea either. Bring bottled or tap water and a bowl for your dog so he doesn't get dehydrated - or sick from drinking the wrong kind of water.
• Don't forget the pit stop. You might be able to train your dog to pee in the back of the boat so you can wash it down (if you have an appropriate boat). But really, it's just easier if you stop off somewhere to let your dog do his thing and stretch his legs. Don't forget to pick up after him!
• Watch the fishing lines. Some dogs might not be able to handle watching you fish - the drop of a lure into the water might prove to be too irresistable. So play it by ear. But keep your tackle box out of his reach, and watch the lines around him.

Do you bring your dog out on the boat? What part do they like the best? 

What Causes Boating Accidents?

Next week is National Safe Boating Week, a week we'll spend emphasizing how to boat safely and the importance of doing so. So we know we're a little ahead of the curve writing about it now, but we figured we'd go ahead and set up the week by writing about boating accidents. Not a fun topic, but one that must be understood in order to realize the importance of boating safety measures.

First: how do boating accidents happen?

As you can see, the top 5 types of boating accidents (in 2011) are: collission with a recreational vessel, flooding/swamping, collision with a fixed object, skier mishap and people overboard. Not that surprising, overall. But then take a look at the next list, the top 10 contributing factors to these boating accidents. #1 is operator inattention, something so easily fixable it's scary. When you're operating a boat, make like you are operating a vehicle on the road. There's really hardly any difference, besides the fact that there are no specific lanes to the water (though, of course, there are right of way rules!). Boat operators should never ever casually operate a boat - always pay full attention to your speed, surroundings and other factors. 

In fact, if boaters were to treat boating the same as driving, many of these other contributing factors might not be an issue, like excessive speed, alcohol use and rules of the road/water.

Operator inexperience, though listed as a separate contributor, is actually a factor in many of those listed here. More experienced operators have a better understanding of weather, force of wakes, rules of the road and more. So if you are new boater, not to fear - practice makes perfect, but a boating safety class will put you above many of your fellow boaters. 

Stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter pages all next week to learn other boating safety tips (boating classes is just the tip of the iceberg!).

Trailering Your Boat

More often than not, when we think of boating, we think of the boat. Why not? Getting in a boat in the water is the whole reason all of us are boaters. We are not boaters for the times the boat is out of the water. But, in all honesty, the trailer is probably the second most essential component of boating. If your trailer is out of order, so are your destination boating adventures. And, if your boat lives on its trailer, so are your boating adventures period. So in this post, we'll explore the basics you need to know about trailering a boat.




Taking Care of Your Trailer
The #1 most important thing to maintain on your trailer are the bearings. A bad bearing equals a busted trailer. Remember: your trailer hubs go in the water twice a boating trip, so they might need a little extra love. Pop off a cap every so often with a screwdriver to check the bearings. If they are dry, add a little grease. If you notice your bearings getting hot any time your trailer is in motion, stop immediately. If you don't, your trailer fix will likely turn into a trailer replacement. When you hook the trailer up to your car, have a friend stand back there and watch your lights (make sure to test the brakes and the hazards). The longer your drive with the trailer, the more important this is. We also recommend investing in a spare wheel if your trailer doesn't come with one. Just like with the spare tire in your car, it will make any road trouble a lot more bearable.

Towing Capacity
Your car will be rated for a particular tow capacity, or a certain amount of weight it can stand to pull. Boating Magazine just updated their tow guide, if you need a refresher. Don't, don't, don't push the limits of your car's rating. Overworking your car will only result in expensive engine and/or transmission work. (Trust me on that one. Been there.) Also, make sure you're not comparing your boat's dry weight to your tow capacity. Dry weight refers to the boat's weight without gear and gas, and who trailers a boat without those things? Add a few hundred pounds to the dry weight to give yourself some cushion. Even then, don't push the upper limits of the tow capacity of your vehicle.

Do you have a favorite brand of trailer? How about a maintenance schedule where you check on bearings, lights, etc?