Spring Email from Joel Terbrueggen <joel@motorboatgarage.com>
of Motor Boat Garage
Wed 4/20/2022 Spring 2022
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This newsletter was compiled and distributed by Joel Terbrueggen for Motor Boat Garage. His seasonal newsletters, shared here with permission, are always filled with humor which brings attention to items that should be on every maintenance list for old and new boaters with new and old boats.
I don’t know about anyone else, but this Spring has been forever arriving. I never know what to expect from one morning to another.
However, now that this forever winter is winding down it’s time to put away the winter toys.
And start planning for the upcoming boating season. Obviously one of the first items on the list is to get your boat out of winter storage.
Once it is home you will want to start doing a mechanical check-over.
This may be the year to replace the spark plugs.
But please, do not repurpose your old plugs, just throw them out.
Maybe it is time to change the oil and filter.
Do not forget maintenance on your battery.
Contact Motor Boat Garage for any of these Summarizing Services.
Not just any mechanic is familiar with Marine applications.
We will also check out the running gear for any potential problems that could arise once you are on the water.
You do not want to be in this situation.
Do not forget the trailer. A finely tuned boat is of no value if you can’t get it to the water.
Make sure the tires are in good condition
Check the tire pressure, but we would suggest using an air tank instead of a fire extinguisher.
Not sure what she is going to accomplish here.
However, I have it on good authority that a member of Motor Boat Garage DID use a fire extinguisher on his truck brakes as he made his way home from the Tavares Boat Show a couple weeks ago.
But that is another story.
You want to have a safe boating experience for the whole family.
Be sure your tow vehicle is ready for summer. Make sure it is mechanically sound.
Motor Boat Garage does NOT recommend the use of zip ties for this kind of mechanical repairs.
Be sure to check under the hood for foreign objects.
Finally, especially for you new boat owners, do not be afraid to ask for help from someone that has boat handling experience.
Maybe even consider a boat handling class if you think it is needed.
Docking can be a challenge for the “Newbie”, especially with an inboard.
Here is a little engine FYI that I found in my vast accumulation of mostly useless trivia:
Little-Known Facts About Engines
– James Watt invented the term horsepower as a marketing ploy for his engines. Although many scientists agree his estimates of horsepower were overrated, the term stuck, and his engine led to the first steam engine locomotive in 1804.
– The formula for Horsepower is: 1 HP = power needed to lift 550 lbs. 1 foot in the air in 1 second.
– Real horses actually only produce about .7HP, based on the official calculation for horsepower.
-The highest revving engine inside of a production car is in the 2008 Ariel Atom 500. It reached 10,500 RPM. (This may not be true anymore.)
– The four common types of car engines are Straight, Inline, V and Flat. These refer to the cylinder layouts in the engine.
– The first steam-engine-powered automobile that was capable of transporting humans was created in 1769 by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot. Engines have advanced so much since 1769 that almost anything can serve as oil; even WD-40. Truly, if you’re in a bind and have a gallon of WD-40 nearby – your engine will run for about a half an hour. What happens after that isn’t our fault…
– The four-stroke engine is also named the Otto Cycle, after it’s inventor Nikolaus Otto who invented it in 1867.
– A car engine operates around 190-220 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to boil water. A jet engine operates around 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit which is hot enough to melt gold.
– A gas engine is only 20 percent efficient. Meaning about 80 percent of the gas is lost due to friction, noise, engine functions or exits via the exhaust.
And finally, please contact Motor Boat Garage if your boat is in need of any finish or mechanical work to make it water ready.
In case anyone needs a reminder, we are located at
2764 Highland Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45212
(513) 325-4086
