Dockline Blog

No matter how much you daydream about spending each and every day aboard your boat taking in some incredible adventure, the truth is that most of us aren’t that fortunate. The average boater gets out on the water on weekends ...

It’s no secret that we’re all getting hit a lot harder at the gas pump these days, and it may be some time before we see any real relief. Some might be tempted to boat or fish less to save ...

Need to transport your portable Mercury outboard? Maybe you want to bring it home for the winter to store it in your garage, or perhaps you need to take it to the dealer for some routine maintenance. With a portable ...

From yachts to dinghies, practically every vessel this side of a canoe has an electrical system, and that electrical system is bound to have at least a few fuses in it to protect it. To avoid losing functionality, especially when ...

One of the biggest differences between the boats of today and those of a couple decades ago is the electronics. Many of today’s boats come equipped with GPS, sonar, radar, chartplotters, engine and vessel monitors, sound systems, and the list ...

Your boat trailer likely came with a safety feature you hope never gets used: a spare tire. Like those on your car or truck, your trailer’s tires are at the mercy of whatever road hazard might be present, such as ...

The cam latches that secure the hatches on the storage compartments of many boats are simple, yet awesome pieces of engineering. Exaggeration? Not at all. They hold securely and are fast and easy to open. They perform as intended for ...

Your boat trailer is more than just a way of getting your boat to the water. It’s also an extension of your vehicle when you’re on the road. And as such, it requires working tail lights to ensure that fellow ...

It’s tempting to skip a few boat-cleaning steps after a long, satisfying day on the water, but those in the know will advise against it. Sure, a shower, dinner and the couch are all calling, but you’ll enjoy them all ...

Boat covers are an awesome invention. A good cover will keep leaves from staining the deck and plugging the boat’s drainage system, and it will keep your seats dry and the windshield clean between outings. It’ll also discourage pets and ...

You might not think about the winch on your boat trailer too often, but it’s a vitally important workhorse that gets used every single time you launch or load your boat. Its simple gear-reduction design lets you manually pull a ...

Unless your boat lives in the garage, water spots are inevitable. A Mercury cowl cover can help keep your engine looking clean, but at some point you’ll still need a way to deal with unsightly water spots on the rest ...

It’s no secret that trailering can take its toll on your boat and outboard over time. Bumpy roads, abrupt stops and harmonic vibrations all put stresses on your rig, especially the boat’s transom and the outboard’s tilt/trim system. Trailering with ...

Unpleasant stains in your boat’s carpet can be gone in a flash with the use of just a few household items and a little know-how. A spilled beverage on your boat is pretty much unavoidable, and any liquid with a ...

Often, boat trailers and tow vehicles are not made to go together. The hitch receiver height in tow vehicles can vary by several inches even in stock rigs, and hitches are available in all manner of drops and rises. The ...

No matter how awesome your boat and engine might be, they’re not going anywhere if your battery is lifeless. Before your battery goes into storage, take a few minutes to provide care that will ensure it’s ready to go boating ...

Even if there’s no one else to catch a dock line or manage the winch for you, you can still safely and easily secure the boat to the dock or shore so you can go park your tow vehicle and ...

Hard-water spots on your boat and engine will not make your boat run slower. But they don’t help it either. Hard-water spots are unsightly, annoying and not something you want to see every time you look at your otherwise awesome ...

Every boat trailer is or should be equipped with safety chains – if yours isn’t, talk to your dealer right away to get this rectified. Without safety chains, the failure of any critical part of your trailer tongue or tow ...

Invasive species pose a massive threat to waterways everywhere. The introduction of a non-native species into an environment that is not equipped to keep it in check can result in disastrous and widespread disruptions of the existing food chain. Consequently, ...

The anodes on your outboard engine are just like any other maintenance part: neglecting them may not hurt today, or tomorrow, but you can bet it will most assuredly do damage in the long run. Your engine’s sacrificial anodes (or ...

Even if you’ve been driving for years, pulling a trailer takes a little getting used to. After all, when you hook up a trailer you likely more than double the length you’re used to worrying about, and you’ve added a significant ...

It likely comes as no surprise that you need to wash your boat periodically, though exactly how often is a hotly debated topic. Most saltwater boaters agree that at least a quick scrub and rinse after each use is mandatory, ...

Loading your boat on the trailer and properly securing it after a trip on the water can be a little intimidating, especially when other people are waiting to load or unload their boats. While you want to be expeditious to ...

The Lanyard Stop Switch is a simple but extremely effective on-board safety device designed to shut off a boat’s engine if the operator moves away (as in accidental ejection) from the operator’s position. The Lanyard physically connects the operator to ...

The way you should act at a boat ramp is, in a broad sense, exactly how you should act everywhere. That is, don’t be annoying or discourteous, and don’t hog the resources. The hard part of that is, if you’re ...

With a few simple supplies like docklines and fenders, and following these simple step-by-step instructions, it's easy to look like a pro. Watch the video Docking can be rather stressful for those new to boating, and even veterans can get ...

The bolts that secure your outboard to your boat’s transom endure tremendous stress when the boat is underway and even when the boat is being trailered. Those bolts are critically important, so don’t neglect them. Loose transom bolts can “wallow ...

Your batteries are among the most critical components of your boat. Neglect them, and you do so at your own peril; if they aren’t functioning properly, your boat’s going nowhere under its own power. Fortunately, it takes just a few ...

We all love the water, but the water can be very unkind to our equipment. Your Mercury outboard is built using space-age alloys and coatings to resist rust and corrosion, but it still requires some attention every now and then, ...

One of the key factors in being a successful do-it-yourselfer of any kind is knowing what you can handle and what’s best left to a professional. Fortunately, checking and topping off the power trim fluid on your Mercury outboard is ...

Most boaters know it’s imperative to flush an outboard with freshwater after boating in saltwater or brackish water. Failure to do so can allow corrosion to take hold in your motor’s water passages, compromising your cooling system and shortening the ...

Airline pilots can command dozens of flights every month, sometimes multiple times per day on the same aircraft. And yet they physically and methodically go through a pre-flight checklist every single time. As responsible boaters, we can all take a ...

If you grew up around boats, you might remember your mom, dad or perhaps your grandad wiping down their trusty two-stroke outboard with a dirty shop towel. With all due respect to Pops, times have changed, and there’s a much ...

The weekend is finally here! Time to leave the stress of the weekdays behind and pit your wits against your favorite species of fish, or perhaps just relax and enjoy fresh air, beautiful water and awesome sunshine. However, you first ...

Argh! Fishing line wound around the prop shaft of your outboard is a real drag. If not removed, this jumbled mess could destroy the seals that contain and protect the oil inside your gearcase. Not fixing this problem will result ...

Step 1 Wipe down the cowl with a damp cloth to remove water spots and dirt. Step 2 Using a clean, dry cloth, continue to wipe the cowl removing any dampness. Step 3 Using a clean, dry cloth, apply Cowl ...