Sarah Hood

There are three primary types of boat engines: outboard, inboard, and sterndrive motors. A fourth and much more portable type, the trolling motor, will not be discussed in this article. With so many different boat and engine types, you may not be surprised to learn that there are a wide variety of propellers that can …

Your propeller is one of the most damage-prone parts of your boat. Think about it. Propellers are usually small, and their position underneath the boat makes them subject to debris entanglement, impact damage, and grounding What’s more, repeated exposure to different water conditions can eventually wear down the metals used to construct propellers. If you’re …

You’re enjoying a nice day out on the water when suddenly, your outboard motor begins producing a ton of smoke. Or, maybe you haven’t even made it out there yet–as you fire up your motor for the first time, it produces so much smoke that you decide you had better not take it out today. …

If you’re in the market for a new outboard motor, you will have several factors to take into consideration. You’ll want to make sure the outboard is the right size for your boat, constructed of high-quality materials, and made by a dependable brand. Another thing you might want to think about is how much noise …

There are a lot of things to think about before you hit the water. If your boat has an outboard motor, or you’re planning to have one installed, one of these considerations is how deep that motor should be in the water. If the motor is raised to high or lowered too deep, you may …

If you’re looking to buy a new outboard motor for your boat, you may be scratching your head at the prices. Sure, everything is expensive these days, but you never expected a boat motor to cost quite so much! So now, you may be wondering: why are outboard motors so expensive? Great question! In this …

You’ve identified damage to your outboard motor’s lower unit, and you’re wondering if it’s possible to still hit the lake this weekend. Or maybe you’ve just purchased a used outboard and the lower unit is missing. Or perhaps you haven’t yet installed a newly-purchased outboard and you’re wondering if you can run it without the …

You just bought a new deep cycle battery to power your trolling motor or boat accessories. After a long day on the water, you need to recharge it. How do you do that? Specifically, what amperage should you set the charger at? What amperage is recommended for deep cycle batteries, and how long will each …

If you’ve been boating for any amount of time, you probably know to expect the unexpected. One of the problems you may run into is an outboard motor that won’t start. There may be any number of reasons for this failure, but most likely you have a dead battery or a damaged starter. If one …

You just bought a brand new outboard motor. Perhaps you’re hoping to save a little money by not using a battery with it. Or, perhaps your battery failed and you’re wondering if it’s okay to run the outboard without a battery. Will the motor even run? Will attempting to run it without a battery cause …

Your outboard motor needs a new battery. You’re looking at all the different options available and you begin to realize: choosing a battery isn’t as simple as you thought. There are so many different types and sizes, but which one will work best for your motor? It’s important to choose a battery with enough cold …

So you’re out on the water, enjoying a nice, relaxing day of fishing when BAM! Your outboard motor backfires. Not only will a backfiring engine scare all the fish away, but it could be a sign of various underlying problems.  So, you may be wondering: what causes an outboard motor to backfire? And what should …

You just got a new inflatable kayak and you’re ready to hit the water. Maybe you’d like to take videos of your adventures to share with friends and family. You have a GoPro camera that would be perfect for this. Only problem: how do you mount a GoPro on an inflatable kayak? Luckily, there are …

Outdoor Master’s Whale SUP air pump is a small, portable pump that can be used for everything from SUPs to inflatable boats to air mattresses.  The pump can be set to automatically fill your inflatable to the desired PSI and will turn off when it reaches that level of inflation. It is simple to use …

If you’re planning to spend a lot of time in your kayak, you’re probably going to want something to hold your drinks. And while there are plenty of cup holders available for rigid kayaks, what about inflatable kayaks? With inflatable kayaks, you can’t simply drill holes in the kayak’s sides to mount your cup holder. …

You just bought a new outboard motor for your boat. You’re ready to head out to the lake and start testing it out. Just one question: how do you get it there safely? Of course, you could install it on your boat and transport it, boat and all, to the lake. But if your boat …

You’re finally going to do it. You’ve spent years dreaming about taking a kayak camping trip, and you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and get out there this weekend. But before you go, you want to make sure you’re prepared. You know you’ll need a lot of gear, and packing it all on your …

You’ve got a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) and you’re looking for a battery to start your engine or power your onboard electronics. But how do you know which battery is the right battery? Whether you’re new to marine batteries or don’t know which one to choose for your RIB, you’ve come to the right place. …

There are plenty of guides that cover how to inflate an inflatable kayak; but what about when it comes time to deflate and pack away your boat? Maybe you’re just getting back from your first time out on the water and you’re wondering what to do next. Or maybe your kayak molded the last time …

If you’ve been boating or fishing for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about the different kinds of marine batteries out there. You may have heard that AGM and gel batteries are some of the best types of marine batteries you can buy.  But what are AGM and gel batteries? Are they the same …