New 2011 Stingray 208LR A Great Muskoka Bowrider

First impressions for this new Stingray 208LR bowrider is that perhaps this boat is one of the finest best designed 20' bow riders for Muskoka, Haliburton or the Kawarthas.  Stingray already recogized for best in class performance with their patented Z Plane hull technology.  Added to that now is style and comfort for up to 8 adults with big water preformance with the benefit of  reduced fuel consumption.  Stingay Boats have up until now had a style that incorporates a fuel efficient more pointed bow area.  The somewhat narrower bow seating area than say a Four Winns or Monterey Boat was designed to reduce the bow wave created during the hull pushing through the water under load.

The new 208LR advances Stingray's exclusive Z Plane hull technology to a new level and now provides that larger bow seating area may families enjoy.  As an additional benefit Stingay has improved the now starboard rear entry allowing for easy walk through transom boarding comfort.  Stingray continues to utilize 36 oz. Prefix coated vinyls which represents a level of quality similar to Cobalt.  Stingray Boats unlike many boat manufacturers designs and builds all of their upholstery with the stitching detail surpassing many of its competitors.  Also new for 2011 Stingay Boats will factory install a high quality tailored wake board package.  The large moulded extended swim platform has cup holders a nice touch with the included wet storage area for ropes.  The extended swim platform makes a great watersports jump off area.

Now lets talk performance!  Our test boat 208LR Stingray bowrider was equipped with 4.3L V6 220 HP Mercruiser engine package with an Alpha drive and a three blade aluminum propeller.  Stingray has for many years achieved superior performance with less horsepower saving you considerable fuel and operating costs.  The new Stingray 208LR continues this trend with impressive speeds to 55 MPH with just 220 HP.  Normally with a full 20' bow rider competitive brands to achieve this level of performance require a 5.0L MPI 260 HP engine package.  The 208LR has quick on plane acceleration in just 3.2 seconds.

The Stingray 208LR bow rider is available now for spring delivery ready for Muskoka or many family adventures throughout Ontario fine waterways.   Suggested pricing of just under $37,000 is a steal!

Pontoon Boats Alternative Family Boating with Lots of Upside

The pontoon boat choices in  Muskoka and the market in general have been limited.  The stodgy old two log pontoon with a small four stroke engine was considered a old fogies boat.  New pontoon design technological advances have definitely changed the game!   You can still cruise the shorelines at 10 to 20 kilometers or race the wind with your hair on fire!  Your family can tube, wakeboard, cruise, fish and party on some really slick high performance pontoons market ready right now .  Available colours, graphic packages and interior layouts can really offer eye popping appeal.

The thinking was the old pontoon boat was for quiet waters and slow quiet boating down the shorelines.  The old pontoon boat was ideal for the older folks to board as pontoons floors are generally at the same height as most docks and pontoons are extremely stable.   No having to climb over the upholstery or step down awkwardly into the interior. 

Boaters in Muskoka have been buying the available family bow riders from Stingray Boats, Four Winns Boats and Monterey Boats along with some other recognized brands for a couple of decades. The bow rider does many family activities well but bow riders do have some drawbacks.  One of the biggest issues are seating in that passengers are placed in fixed seating positions with the changing of seating positions not being necessarily the easiest chore when underway and fishing.  The ever popular sundeck package on a bow rider which is the number on seating choice does also cause some restrictive access to the swim platform.  The major boat companies have tried to address this issue through rear entry configurations.  The bow rider interior does not work well for fishing as the seating positioning is all wrong.  Lack of floor space in the cockpit and bow areas also is a problem as well as all that nice upholstery.

What was needed was a re think of the pontoon log.  First came the three log system which did decrease problems with bow diving but the three log system still could not get a pontoon onto plane and therefore not great performance qualities. Next came attempts to get the pontoon boat up and out the water using traditional lifting strakes and modified running surfaces.  Better but still not there and did not handle well. Back to the drawing boards.

The problems of lift and handling have been solved and in a major way.  Manitou Pontoons has perhaps the best pontoon performance system a patented design called SHP (sport handling package).  A unique center pontoon construction utilizing a special larger center pontoon with pontoon lifting technology and nose cone designs.  The results have been spectacular!    Unbelievable hole shots, speeds that have not been previously available and these pontoons handle and turn.  Another benefit is that now we have a pontoon that is rough water capable opening up new water bodies to pontooning.   Add to that available swim platforms, wakeboard towers, sound systems, ski pylons and that open space...wow!  I had the opportunity just a short time ago to try a Manitou 22 Xplode with a 250 Mercury Optimax.  Top end speed was a blistering 57 MPH and this boat turned so hard it would throw you out of your seat!  Instantaneous on plane performance.

I will be doing some additional testing this fall and let you know more about this exciting technological pontoon design  breakthrough.

More Boat Storage...Facts and Fiction Continued

Shrink wrap boat storage in Huntsville Muskoka.  This is the third article on boat storage facts and fiction.  The first two articles have discussed in detail some of the concerns of shrink wrap type storage and processes. This article we will complete our discussion on winter wrap storage.  The assumption now is that the boat to be shrink wrapped stored is an 18' bow rider very common in Muskoka and Lake of Bays areas.  Just what is the right procedures?  Just what is the right procedure here in Muskoka?  Engine winterizing will be covered in a separate article later and we are assuming that a certified marine mechanic has winterized the engine before wrapping.  What should happen now and what should I check has been done?

In a professional situation, the 18' bow rider after winterization will be carefully either trailered or lifted into the shop for assessment before wrap.  The marina should be looking how dry the overall boat is with particular emphasis on storage areas.  A complete visual examination of all the storage areas, bilge, ski lockers, bow storage areas for clothing, towels, food, snacks and garbage.  These should all be removed and bagged for customer pickup at a later date.  We want the boat placed in controlled situation to limit confined moisture in high biological growth areas.  These areas are low ventilation zones, corners, seat cushion seams and undersides and carpets. Where possible the storage compartments should be blocked open during the storage period.  A good quality marine mould preventative agent should be applied as well to all of these restricted area before the wrap is applied.  Huntsville Marine uses a 3M product.  Lysol would not be considered adequate for the task as most other household products.  A very important step is the boat canvas.  If the canvas will be stored within the boat, all boat canvas must be handled correctly including drying if required and treatment with biological guard agents.  The tops should then be folded correctly and placed for storage in the cockpit area not in one of the storage lockers. Make sure all plastic windows are dry as possible and only soft folds with no corner folds on the clear portions.

A discussion must occur with the customer as to where the boat will be stored at the time the work order was detailed out with the boat owner.  We are going to assume that the customer is going to store the boat on his own property which is only a short distance away.  A frame to support the  plastic film must be built in  the interior of the 18' boat with sufficient height to allow for a steep slope.  This slope will allow the soon to appear snow to slide off and not build up on the protective wrap,  Normally two (2) to three (3) six foot poles are utilized with a wide base placed on the end of the pole that is place against the cockpit floor.  Next a top pole must be placed and connected across the support poles to complete the peak support.  Shrink wrap comes in a number of colours and thicknesses.  Huntsville Marine prefers blue as it tends to have superior snow shedding that the common white.  A minimum of 7 mil and 8 is recommended when available for the additional strenght and tear resistance provided.   At Huntsville Marine although it is more expensive we utilize a majority of 8 mil blue wrap.

The step that is often missed or not done to reduce costs is shielding of hull, windshield and wakeboard tower areas that will be indirect contact with the wrap.  A number of specialized material are commercially available for this task.  With out this step marking and chaffing can occur.  Huntsville Marine has a new wakeboard boat in last winter for storage inside this time that had been stored the previous year at a local competitive marina with significant chaffing damage all over the exterior finished surfaces of the tower.  First mistake was having a new boat wrapped and the second was buying wrap services strictly on price coupled with not knowing what to ask for.  The chaffing damage could not be removed. Under warp is extremely important for boats transported over distances.  One of the last important steps is proper venting.  A number of commercial venting options are available to limit moisture buildup under the warp.  More is better!

With the boat properly shrink wrapped the boat is transported under 80 kilometers per hour or less to the chosen storage location.  If possible the bow should face to the west as this aids in reducing snow load.  Stay out of long grass areas, away from nut and pine trees or other such area where the problem creatures live and will come to play on the warmer winter days.   Monitor the boat throughout the winter for snow loads especially if the nasty freezing rain arrives!  For additional information go to www.huntsvillemarine.com and view our section under service on Professional Boat Storage.  You may also email us at huntsmar@vianet.on.ca.

Boat Storage Facts and Fiction

Boat storage facts and fiction.  Boat Storage in Muskoka and Lake of Bays, Ontario..what is the preferred method?  In my last article I send some time discussing boat storage with particular emphasis on shrink wrap storage and some of our customer coversations regarding this subject.  The subject of boat storage in general is quite complex and too large for just one or two articles.  I will be doing a series of article covering most aspects of the boat storage subject including inside storage and shrink wrap storage, proper winterization procedures, engine winterization and fall maintenance, hull washing,  biological problems, storage locations and hull maintenance.

In my last article I mentioned that I am with our experience here at the marina here in Huntsville we are a strong proponent of inside storage for all boats regardless of type and age.  Huntsville Marine has pioneered some of the shrink wrap procedures as we were a test centre for the new shrink warp proceedures back in the early 80's.  Literally we have provided shrink wrap services to 1000's of customers and are contiuing to offer this service today.  Shrink wrap was brought to the market by the plastic film manufacturers to increase their product offerings and generate additional business opportunities for themselves.  Marina's in general initially liked this product as it provided the opportunity for the marina to store a customers boat without incurring the cost of providing the proper building to house the boat over the winter months.  Initially the plastic film was cheap and transporting the waste plastic to landfill while labour intensive was not too expensive.  In those days the green movement was non existent and both the boat owner and marina utilizing shrink wrap products were not concerned with the tons of plastic wrap going to landfill each and every year.

Boat Storage processes changed over time as issues came forward with UV radiation deterioration problems associated with wrap came forward as well as mould issues.  More and more effort and emphasis was placed on ventelation and UV protective agents were added to the films.  The small engine repair shops became involved offering this service as the level of expertise in just appling the covering is limited they felt.  Boat owners looking to save afew dollars started to see their boats stored in fields, farmlands, backyards and beside highways or just about anywhere there was available open ground.  The major marinas knew of the assocated problems with boat wrap and many took steps to try and reduce these problems.  This was  refected in higher per foot charges for the major marina's in the storage business as they were providing a surperior service with more detail to the wrap procedure.  The cheap storage places...well that is another story...as the unhappy just moved up the road to the next place....you get what you pay for. 

Here we are in 2010 and still utilizing wrap processes.   While proceedures from the standpont of avaialble knowledge has improved...we still have problems associated with shrink wrap use if people are being honest.  One of the other major concerns with wrap film is the enviromental cost.  Shrink warp is made from oil based/natural gas base stocks.  The raw materials in themselves are transported over great distances to the manufacturer of the resins, then to the film maker, then to the distributor and then to the user.  Wraps are applied using propane torches.  this process creates a large substantial footprint!  The waste film and the utilized film are then recycled hopefully after use which involves more transportation and processing.  At the end of the day far too much of it ends up in landfill.  Lets be clear...shrink wrap is not environmental friendly or sound! 

If you spend a few minutes of your time and visit our website http://www.huntsvillemarine.com/  look under the service heading you will be able to access storage information not coverd here under Huntsville Marine Professional Boat Storage.  Huntsville Marine continues to offer shrink wrap service and will for the next couple of years.  It is our stated goal to be essentially out of this service by 2014.  We are highly recomending proper professional inside storage for all boats.  At least if you decide you want shrink wrap we will do best practices only!  If you choose to use the discounters and small engine repair shops...good luck!

Lets Talk About Boat Storage...Fact and Fiction

Boat storage facts and fiction! Just what should I do or have to do to properly protect my marine investment?  I see all these signs for boat storage...just what is the difference or what questions should I ask?
I have been away from the blog for a short period as I finally had my left shoulder surgery completed in Collingwood.  Great hospital...unbelievably busy with some very friendly staff.  I have been back to work for a few days and have involved in a number of detailed conversations with both prospects and existing boat storage customers.  With the middle of September here and the leaves starting to display fall colours it is time to talk about boat storage for the family marine investment. 
Here is the question.  My family has invested 30,000 in a recreational boat...how can I or how should I store this investment over the winter months?  My boat is located in the Huntsville Lake of Bays area in Muskoka.  Add to this that human nature is to seek the lowest cost to achieve winter storage.
The very first question I get asked is how much per foot or just how much.  This assumes and it is a huge assumption that all boat storage is the same.  Inside is inside and shrink wrap is shrink wrap is the assumption.  This is somewhat expected as most boat owners do not know what should be done, what is required and perhaps the real question what is the right process for the area the boat will be stored in?  Take note of the last statement...what is right for the type of boat and the geographic area it will be stored in. 
A person can drive from Toronto north to Huntsville and see a number of road signs all for shrink wrap storage on display particularly around Orillia.  One says $15.99 per foot. one says $15.00 per foot another says Best Price Wrap, sings for storage at every marina you pass....sign....sign...everywhere a sign...breaking my mind....I think that was a song by The Electric Light Orchestra!  So confusing and so little real information...price...price...price...no meat...no information...get me in the door...it is all the same...right!  You would have to pay me to store my marine investment 50' max off Highway 11 in plastic warp with a million tons of salt and brine about to be blasted onto the Highway 11 over the next 6 months.  It is a fact that salt and aluminum or steel is a no go and canvas forget it, vinyl well maybe for a short period ...lets just say it is not an ideal situation!  Huntsville Marine is on Highway 60 which utilizes brine these days to clear the roads.  At Huntsville Marine all boats are pulled a minimum of 250' of the highway and aluminum products are a miminimum of 400' or taken to our storage location which is 1500 feet from the highway.  In Huntsville one of our local major marinas shrink wraps essentially 90 percent of his storage boats.  One of their storage locations is on very busy main street, the other place utilized is a grassy field right beside Highway 11 and the third is a back country field.  Are you asking what is being done for your hard earned money?
A typical boat storage situation is to pull out the Yellow Pages and start calling all and everyone in the area and ask how much?  A new boat owner called this week and asked about shrink wrap.  He had talked with at least 6 other storage places and everyone had quoted shrink wrap storage with no explanation of what and why this was being offered.  My first question to him was how old was the boat?  "He said brand new!"  I asked why are you considering putting your new $30K plus investment in a plastic cocoon?  "This is what everyone has offerred me with the follow up question...why are they doing that?"  Very simple I said!  The boat storage facilities required for proper and preferred inside boat storage in Muskoka are expensive and these gentlemen did not want to make the investment or do not have the required capital to make this investment or the land to build these facilities.  Any back yard mechanic or small motor repair shop can tell the inquiring boater I am in the boat storage business with shrink warp.  I will take your money and just stick your boat in a field and both of us hope for the best in the spring!  Then he says "I have seen shrink wrap boats all over the place in grassy fields.  Any problem with grass?"   Nothing serious along as you like mice and you are comfortable with essentially no one to monitor the boat over the winter months!  "What should I do?"  Place the boat in inside storage with someone who is qualified to do the right service in a properly designed building monitored throughout the winter months.  "This will cost more!"  Absolutely and it should...but you get what you pay for short and long term!  Did you buy the cheapest boat you could find or did you investigate value for your money?
This conversation continued for a while.  I stated that Huntsville Marine does offer shrink wrap storage and service.  In fact Huntsville Marine was one of the original test centers for this product back in the early 80's.  We have more experience that any other facility in Muskoka with this product and perhaps in Ontario as a whole.  Still....Huntsville Marines stated goal is to be essentially out of the shrink wrap storage option in the next 5 years or less.  Why 5 years?  We now have 50,000 square feet of inside storage space and we need to double this...this takes time.  That will be expensive he adds.  Yes but the fact remains that there are two main reasons why shrink wrap is not where you want to be.

1.  Shrink wrap does not provide the best storage protection package for  your marine investment....period!  Huntsville Marine takes the time when ever possible to dry out the boats before they are cocooned.  Why do we do this?  Because most boats are wet and you are trapping this water inside the plastic for months causing all kinds of unnecessary additional corrosion, mould and biological problems, associated additional wear and tear.  Huntsville Marine places more venting than any other facility I know of.   We also carefully treat the canvas and the interior with mould and biological agents.  No one even asks what happens other than the plastic wrap or what kind of blocking and hull support or interior wrap support is utilized.  I feel that Huntsville marine does perhaps the best shrink wrap procedure in the business and I still tell everyone that proper inside storage is the way to go!   If your boat is 15 years old and you want to save some dough and your boat is over 15 years old...consider shrink warp but put it in inside storage.

Another Sunny Weekend in Muskoka!

Image via Wikipedia

Here we are at the last weekend of August and it is beautiful and hot!  Lots of people out on the lakes enjoying the remaining days of a great and long summer.  this has been perhaps one of the best summers for weather we have had in the last four or five years.

Another busy week here at the marina and we are still making families new boat dreams a reality with some outstanding late summer pricing. Summer does not end here in Huntsville at Labour day!  Over the last five years September weather here has been truly warm and sunny.  sometimes the schedule in September when the kids go back to school gets a little hectic.  Find the time and get back to Muskoka and Huntsville.  It is a little bit less hustle bustle, no lineups and some get boating and fishing weather.  The fishing actual gets better in September when the water temperatures drop a bit as the fish are looking to fatten up for the winter months.

Huntsville Marine is also pleased to announce that we have been awarded the Harris Pontoon Line for Muskoka.  This is another in what has been a year of recognizing for Huntsville Marine for the level of service and commitment to customer satisfaction.  It all started this year with Huntsville Marine being selected as the Best Marina(e) in the Huntsville and Lake of Bays area.  Huntsville Marine was chosen by Stingray Powerboats and then Manitou Pontoons to represent them in this area and beyond.  Now Harris perhaps the most award winning pontoon boat available.  

The Third Weekend of August!

Image by Johan J.Ingles-Le Nobel via Flickr

Well it had to happen sometime!  We have had our first rainy weekend in Muskoka in months.  As I write this it is looking lighter outside and perhaps the drizzle will stop.  Nice picture of an Owl staring at you! I put this in today as my daughter Jaclyn is up from Toronto for the weekend.  Jaclyn says she does not believe Owls exist as she has never seen one in the wild.  I thought I heard one Friday night out past the edge of the backyard but I could not see it.  The bush gets pretty thick quickly and there was not much light to work with.

Interest in new boats continues to be strong especially this week on the Monterey 194FS.  Nice family out of the Lake Simcoe area took delivery of a 2011 194 FS on Friday.  Huntsville Marine has found proud new owners for a large number of these in the last few weeks.  The 194FS is perhaps the best running 19'+ bow rider in big waters available today.  Couples in at the marina on Saturday looking after research  for 194's for Georgian Bay and Lake of Bays.

Interest grows in our new pontoon boat line Manitou. Manitou offers the only rough water capable pontoon on the market today.  Calls coming in form Georgian Bay in the past days for this type of pontoon and asking for Manitou after doing online research.  In the pouring rain a new 20" Oasis by Manitou was delivered down to the Gravenhurst area yesterday.  First of some 500 storage units came in yesterday as well. 

Our late summer maintenance cycle has begun at the marina with the outside getting a much needed new coat of paint and a new look.  Lots on the schedule over the next couple of weeks before boat storage gets serious in mid September.  There will be more on this later.

Pittsburgh Steelers on last night with their second exhibition game against the G men.  We prevailed and Big Ben got to see some action.  Leftwich looked  better than last week and I think Dixon looked the best of the three.  Quarterback controversy coming up on the horizon?  Toronto Blue Jays seem to be getting stronger in August. Lost too many close games earlier in the season to make the playoffs now.  They do seem to have a large problem with Boston.

Eleven days till shoulder surgery if I don't get delayed again!

Image by Alex-Murphy via Flickr

Image by canuckshutterer "Bill" (W.J. Gibson) via Flickr

Image via Wikipedia

Image by elPadawan via Flickr

I included some nice shoots of Muskoka where the sun is shinning.