Boater DIY's Winter Maintenance

Boater’s Tips for DIY’ers
By Keith Hinze High Tech Marine

Editor note: Keith is a Bayou Vista “Ex-Patriot”, owner of High Tech Marine, a Yamaha/OMC certified technician and has his college degree in Welding Technology. Keith is also owner and operator of EyePaint specializing in custom paint work on boats, fiberglass and gel-coat repair.
High Tech Marine is celebrating our first full year in business and would like to thank everyone in Bayou Vista for all the support and the warm welcome into your great community. High Tech Marine is full of gratitude and we are looking forward to another great year working with all you boaters. To celebrate our first year we are offering again our great fall rate of $65 per hour and no service call charge.

Winter Maintenance

Now that summer has come and gone, boaters should remember that fall is a great time to take care of all the issues you might have been putting off from the summer usage of your boat. Have High Tech Marine come to your boat and check off the maintenance issue from this check list:


It’s easier to maintain than fix. Following simple

maintenance procedures on a regular basis helps

ensure proper operation and maintains the value of your outboard.

• Your boat’s ready when you are. Regular

maintenance helps make sure your boat’s ready

at a moment’s notice.

• Nobody wants a boating hassle. Spending a

relatively small amount of time making sure your

outboard’s in proper condition means hours of

trouble-free enjoyment.

Winterize Check List


Change the lubricant in engine transmission or the outboard lower unit

Apply fogging if called for by manufacturer

Drain the boat's fuel tanks as much as possible

Fill the boat’s fuel tanks completely full

Add biocide and/or stabilizing agents to fuel

Change the fuel filters

Add antifreeze to the engine’s cooling system


Also remember to clean and protect your gelcoat. By cleaning and protecting your gelcoat you also help to protect the integrity of your boat. Special cleaners are recommended. To remove dirt and mild stains, many fiberglass cleaners are available at marine supply stores. There are many types of specialty cleaners, including some with wax to protect the gelcoat.
As always if you have any questions for the Yamaha/OMC certified marine mechanic, feel free to email High Tech Marine at high.techmarine@yahoo.com. Come visit our website at www.hightechmarine.org. See you on the water soon

Bilge Buzz at High Tech Marine

Summer is waning....still have time to to wake board a time or two more.

Boater's Fall Blessing

Tip’s for Boaters @ High Tech Marine
By Keith Hinze

Editor’s note: Keith is a Bayou Vista “Ex-Patriot”, Owner of High Tech Marine, a Yamaha Certified Technician and has his college degree in Welding Technology. He has over 30 years experience in the boating business. He is owner/operator of High Tech Marine a mobile dockside marine repair service. High Tech Marine is proud to start our second successful year in business.

Boater's Blessing
May there always be water under your boat,
May she always be seaworthy, ever afloat,
May the bilge pump be certain to work night and day,
May the compass and charts always show the safe way,
May you find gentle harbor as every day ends,
May you lower your anchor amidst peace and good friends.

True Nautical Terms

Here are some definitions for the nautical terms you will undoubtedly encounter during your life as a boater.

Aboard - A piece of lumber that may be used to repair your boat.

Adrift - A method of moving across the water when nothing on your boat works. You normally do not have a lot of input as to where you are actually going, but you can get there.

Anchor - A mechanical device that is supposed to keep the boat in one place (see dragging). These devices are sometimes used to submerge expensive anchor lines and chain when used without proper termination at both ends of the anchor line.

Astern - A type of look. Your spouse gives you a stern look when you attempt to buy things for your new boat.

Bilge - This is a storage area in the bottom of the boat for all the things you dropped and can’t find. Also a mixing area for water, fuel and head output; making retrieval of said dropped items a real adventure.

Bilge pump - An electrical device designed to remove the charge from your batteries. These devices only operate properly when the boat is not taking on water.

Capsize - They ask you this when you go to buy a hat or baseball cap.


Deck - This is what your spouse will do to you after discovering how much money you have spent on the boat without first obtaining permission.

Dock - A medical professional, not sure why the term shows up in a nautical dictionary.

Head1 - It is the part of your body that sits on top of your neck; you should not be buying a boat unless you already know this. Also useful for storing items like hats, sunglasses and such.

Head2 – The shipboard equivalent of a bathroom.

Heave - A shipboard method for eliminating lunch when seas become rough. This is best done in proximity of a gunwale.

Keys - These items are used for opening locks and lockers aboard your boat, starting the engine and things of that nature. Keys can usually be found in the water beneath your boat. Also a place in Florida.

No Wake Zone - An area of a waterway in which you are prohibited from waking people who may be sleeping.

Overboard - A term describing the final resting-place for anything expensive dropped while on board a boat.

Port – This is what you drink when you are on the boat. Also the left side of the boat, also a place where boats congregate.

Rock - These are devices used to remove rudders from boats. Also what your boat does just after you fill all your glasses to the brim with port.

Topsides – The part of the boat that is not in the water. Also what you should not be caught looking at if you are a married male.
Wave – A unique feature of water that enables it to gain entry into your boat.

That is all for this month. Hope someone gets a grin out of the nautical terms that were shared with me. As always, call 832.385.970 if you have any boating questions and I will do my best to answer your questions. September is our $65 per our special rate for residents of Bayou Vista and Omega bay with no call out charge which is up to $100.00 value. See you on the lake.

Green Parrots? Storm a coming into the Gulf of Mexico?

Still time to get your boat ready for the last past of the summer....call 832 385 9970................we get to you fast........by water or by truck.

$65 hourly special is back for Bayou Vista and Omega Bay

End of summer special! High Tech Marine Mobile $65 hourly special is back! Yamaha Certified Tech.


High Tech Marine Mobile repair service brings back the $65 hourly rate only for Bayou Vista and Omega Bay customers. Call 832 385.9970 to schedule or email us at high.techmarine@yahoo.com. Still have not gotten your boat fixed? End of summer problem? Free gear oil change to our 500th customer! Visit our website at High Tech Marine Website

Bayou Vista Message Board

See High Tech Marine's advertisement at Lots of interesting things on the message board. Check it out.

It is a day in Spanish Grant

On my way to service the west end of Galveston Island...both Sea Isle and Spanish Grant.

Custom Fiberglass Work by Eye Paint

Labor Day is just another Mirage

Labor Day is just about a Mirage

Ethanol issues Preventative measures

Ethanol issues Preventative measures

Preventative maintenance is the best way to ward off damage. Use a fuel additive and change your filter every 100 gallons. Check for the presence of water in the fuel tank. If any is found, remove all water and dry the tank completely.

Use a good quality 10 micron water separating fuel filter and carry several spare cartridges for it. Check for the presence of water in the fuel tank. If any is found, remove all water and dry the tank completely.

Use a good quality 10 micron water separating fuel filter and carry several spare cartridges for it. Check for the presence of water in the fuel tank. If any is found, remove all water and dry the tank completely.

Check fuel system for contaminants and clogging and replace your fuel filter often.
Fuel filters should be replaced at least every 50 -100 hours.

Evinrude - Johnson 2 + 4 fuel conditioner will stabilize fuel, inhibit corrosion and absorb moisture (water) without adding alcohol to the fuel. Add fuel conditioner at every gas fill-up.

__________________
Any day on the water is a great day! Keith Hinze, High Tech Marine Owner/Yamaha Certified Technician

Find High Tech Marine on Facebook

Mirage at Sunset

Perfect time for a run around the lake

Captian Heezy and First Mate Sheezy

Lawsuit over Ethanol Fuel

                    The effects of ethanol on your boat motor  

                                         Simply put, ethanol is an excellent SOLVENT (dissolves plastic, rubber, fiberglass and more), and unlike MTBE (the current gas additive), ethanol will ABSORB WATER, which can cause serious problems to many marine gas engines (inboards and outboards).This most interesting topic is about the ethanol that is in all the gasoline and fuel that all boaters use and the potential damaging effects that ethanol can have on boat engines as ethanol attracts water and moisture. Add that problem with the humidity that we all live in here on the Gulf coast and we have double trouble. The ethanol draws in the humidity and can foul the fuel which equals engine problems and certainly effects top end   performance.  The 10 micron fuel filter needs to be changed every 100 gallons and some type of marine stabilizer added with every fill-up. The following information is shared from an unknown internet source.

Read what the National Marine Manufacturers Association recommends in this article on the current Lawsuit over Ethanol Fuel and its effects on your motor.  “The characteristics of ethanol, even when blended in ratios of as little as 10 percent, are: Attracts and absorbs moisture from the air. Boaters will likely face more fuel contamination issues from water absorbed through their fuel tank vents. Dissolves some solid materials (and can loosen any corrosion), varnish or cause oxidation in steel and aluminum tanks - commonly found in fuel tanks, thereby contaminating the fuel. Ethanol has been known to dissolve components of the fuel system itself. Modern fuel hoses are made to withstand the effects of ethanol exposure. Can react chemically with MTBE fuel blends, causing additional contamination. Fuel blends using as much as 10 percent ethanol are appropriate for use in all of Yamaha's current outboard models. Yamaha does not recommend the use of fuels with higher concentrations of ethanol (E85, which contains 85 percent ethanol) or any other fuel blend that contains more than 10 percent ethanol.”

	10-Micron Fuel Filter The 10-Micron Fuel/Water Separating Filter is for EFI four-stroke, HPDI two-stroke outboards and carbureted engines.
	mini-10™ Fuel Filter The mini-10™ Fuel/Water Separating Filter is designed for smaller motors 115 horsepower and under.

Yamaha recommends boaters take the following steps to mitigate the potential impact of ethanol in motor fuel: Use fuel system components that are compatible with ethanol blends or replace those in use that are not compatible (fiberglass fuel tanks). Avoid co-mingling MTBE and ethanol-blended fuels. Boaters should be advised to use only one supplier for fuel purchases in the months ahead to ensure constancy during the industry changeover period from MTBE to ethanol blends. Install a Yamaha 10-Micron Fuel/Water Separating Filter or a Yamaha mini-10™ Filter (the smaller mini-10™ is designed for smaller boats with engines 115hp and under). Both Yamaha products filter out contaminants and separate water from fuel. Carry spare filter cartridges in the event the filter element becomes clogged with contaminants while the outboard is in use.

All Yamaha products, accessories and parts, including Yamalube lubricants and fuel stabilizers are compatible with fuel blends using up to 10 percent ethanol. So no matter what type of engine you are running on, check your manufacturer’s recommendations to mitigate the potential bad effects of ethanol in motor fuel that will find its way into your engine and possible cause engine harm. Many of our customers are reporting problems from suspected bad gas and we see it every day. Remember also, that when you have found contaminants in your fuel that the entire tank needs to be drained completely taking special care not to miss the few cc’s of fuel under the pick-up. HTM recommends that you have a professional drain your bad fuel for you  to make sure no contaminants remain in what you now believe to be “new and clean” fuel.  Hope you find this as helpful as I did. For more come join us at www.hightechmarine.blogspot.com and chim on in.

He is finally out from under the bilge of that boat!

Finally, he is out from under the bilge of that boat....coming up for air!

Performance Problems??? Change your water fuel separator every 100 gallons..

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High Tech Marine is now working on boats for Carefree Boat Club of Clear Lake, Texas

High Tech Marine is now a marine technician for Carefree Boat Club of Clear Lake, Texas. Carefree Boat Club of Kemah is located on the water in the heart of Kemah, TX. Simply exit I-45 at Highway 96 and follow it down to 146 where you will head north to Kemah. Carefree Boat Club's address is 503 Bradford Ave; Suite A, Kemah, TX 77565.

High Tech Marine is now listed in The Boater's Directory

High Tech Marine is now listed in The Boater's Directory. Look in the classified ad for our 18' Shallow Sport for sale and our ad in the white pages! HMT has also joined ,

High Tech Marine is now listed in The Boaters

One Hot Mess Summer Project Boat

Watch for my next summer restoration boat project. Coming soon.

No job is too heavy to handle for High Tech Marine to handle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VXv1HSxQxQ

My Canadian customer Bill

I have been having a blast this week with Bill from Yukon, Canada. He drove all the way to Texas to pick up the Chris Craft! Been a busy week. The trailer should be built and ready by Friday. The tanks are in and she is ready for the haul to Canada.

Shallow Sport Restoration

Watch for my next restoration project for this Spring.

"Vista Viral" effect.....discount code 10% off parts

My thanks to all the chatter on the BV Message Board.....anyone who mentions the discount code word "Vista" will receive an additional 10% off parts.....now that is a deal.

Bayou Vista Message Board Post Gone Viral

Oops! Did I forget to say my ad went "Bayou Vista Viral" today?

Bayou Vista Fishing Club Monthly Meeting

Going to the Bayou Vista Fishing Club monthly meeting this evening. Come one come all! Extra discounts for members of the BVFC!

Hot Boat My Mirage in Priming Stage of Restoration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIKGrBOm-mw Here we go. Restoration of the Mirage. Priming stage. More to come. There is a lot more at keithhinze on youtube. See you on the water.

My Mirage 18 ft 1990 model Custom Paint Job by EYE-PAINT

Painting and refurbishing a boat in any stage of repair is one of my favorite hobbies. I am also the owner and operator of EYE-Paint as a sub-speciality of High Tech Marine. My most recent project is my own Mirage which runs easily at 100 mph! See you on the lake this summer.

Advertisment in Vista Views in Bayou Vista

The advertisement for High Tech Marine will appear in the February 1st edition of Vista Views which will reach over 900 residents of Bayou Vista. As a former resident of Bayou Vista for almost 10 years I believe it is important to give back to one's community. I would also like to thank the Bayou Vista Fishing Club for its warm welcome. As always, never a service call fee.