Dockline Blog

If you’re a camping enthusiast, you likely have defined yourself as a car camper or a backpacker. Depending on your interests and your family’s needs, you might prioritize convenience and creature comforts – or a more rugged style of overnight ...

Of all the critical parts of a boat, few are more important – or more overlooked – than the humble bilge pump. Not only does it get rid of the small quantities of water that get inside the hull from ...

The endless adventure and flexibility delivered by a trailerable boat are awesome. You can fish or cruise virtually any waters within driving distance, just as long as the weather and the bite are right. But boat trailers also come with ...

Ask a boater to list everything they periodically service and chances are their trailer hitch would come last. Or else it wouldn’t even make the list. The fact is that your trailer hitch doesn’t need much attention, but it does ...

Today’s outboards are modern marvels, borne of precision engineering and generations of innovation. They’re quiet, dependable and efficient, and they’re purpose-built to help people enjoy hassle-free days on the water for years. They do have a common bond with the ...

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 ...

Before you get on the water, you must get to the water. Unless you store your boat at the marina, you’ll need a suitable tow vehicle. Just don’t overlook the hitch. Many people – especially those who have never towed ...

The owner of any brand new Mercury outboard motor will find it hard to resist the temptation to immediately drop the throttle and feel the sensation of smooth, unrelenting power. With a new motor, however, it will pay to walk ...

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 ...