Saturday, October 29, 2016

Kansas Right to Fish & Hunt on Ballot In November

If you already completed advanced voting, you may have been surprised to find a proposed amendment regarding the right to hunt and fish in Kansas. This proprosal is taking people by surprise as there has been little talk of it since the main topic of conversation is the presidential election. So what's this proposal all about? What does a yes vote mean? What does a no vote mean? I'll try to sort it all out below.
mercury 9.9 fishing
The November 8th, 2016 ballot in Kansas contains a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would give Kansas residents the constitutional right to hunt and fish. As it stands now, it is not a constitutional right.  Currently there are 19 other states that declare the right to fish and hunt as a constitutional right. The NRA is the force behind the passage of this amendment and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism supports this amendment. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is the governing body enforcing fishing, hunting and trapping regulations.
The intention is to look toward the future to protect fishing and hunting from extremists who may be looking to outlaw hunting and fishing entirely. If passed, current regulations will not change. Licenses will still need to be obtained, seasons observed and property boundaries and safety rules respected. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism will continue to regulate fishing, hunting and trapping in Kansas.
So bottom line, a "yes" vote will add the right to hunt, fish and trap to the Kansas Constitution thus further protecting the ability to do so. No regulations change.
A "no" vote will defeat the amendment. Nothing will change about hunting and fishing rights for now.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Duck Season!

Duck Boat Mercury Outboard
Judging by the huge quantity of duck boats we have in our repair shop for tune ups right now, it seems that duck season is upon us.

To be sure your first duck hunting trip this year goes smoothly, we highly suggest your outboard motor is running in top shape.  The first order of business is to tune up your motor.  There are many steps involved in tuning up your motor the first of which is to decide if you are going to do it yourself or leave it to the professionals.  If you are leaving it to the professionals, get your boat into the shop asap to insure your motor is running smoothly. Trusted Kansas City boat repair shops will have a lot of winterizations to do at this time of year so don't put this off until the last minute.

If you are doing an outboard motor tune up yourself, your first order of business is to pull out your boat owners manual.  If you can't locate your owners manual, call our come down to our store in Kansas City to get one. Once you have your owners manual, check guidelines for recommended procedures, lubes, oils and replacement parts.  Failure to use manufacturer required brands can void your warranty and may cause you further headaches down the road.

Start with a visual inspection of your motor starting at the bottom.  Look for signs of leaking lubricant that may run down the propeller.   This could be a signal that seals have gone bad.  If this may be the case, bring your boat in for service. Next check the propeller for signs of damage.  Cracks in the blades by the hub, large chips or bent blades call for repair or replacement of your prop.Duck Boat Mercury Outboard 25 on water

As you move up the motor, check and fix missing or loose screws, nuts or bolts on the lower unit.  Lubricate the grease fittings at the transom bracket, swivel bracket and transom clamp screw as directed in your owner's manual. The throttle control should be inspected and lubricated per your manual.

Next up is to replace the spark plugs and fuel filter. Then it's on to the lower unit. Check your owner's manual for the recommended frequency of lubricant changes for your outboard motor's lower unit. Begin by removing the unit's top and bottom fill plugs and allow the lube to drain into a container of your choice. Replace the lubricant with the manufacturer recommended product by filling lubricant into the bottom fill hole until lubricant reaches the top fill hole. Once filled, replace the top plug, remove the applicator nozzle and replace the bottom plug then wipe clean.

Last but not least, get all your hunting gear out.  Clean, inspect and replace as necessary then get out there and have fun.

As promised, here are some helpful Kansas and Missouri duck hunting links:

http://www.whenisduckseason.com/state.php?st=KS
http://kswildlife.org/ww/kansas-duck-season
http://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/When-to-Hunt/Migratory-Birds

Friday, October 7, 2016

Winterization Service Options

Winterize with Mercury and Quick Silver ProductsWinterizing your motor before the first hard freeze is extremely important to prevent expensive damage come spring time.  A cracked block as a result of freezing will cost thousands of dollars not to mention missed time out on the lake next spring while you wait for your motor to be repaired.  Spend the time and the money to have one of our certified technicians properly winterize your boat before it's too late.

As more and more boats arrive to our shop for winterization, it seems appropriate to review the service options from US Boatworks.  We offer three levels of winterization service to meet everyone's needs.  Feel free to review your options before you come in with your boat.  We are happy to answer all questions you may have regarding our winterizing process & look forward to seeing you soon.
Man in snow with outboard motor
Don't wait too long to winterize your outboard motor!
The BASIC service includes the following:
  • Stabilize fuel
  • Fog engine
  • Drain and refill block with anti-freeze
  • Check engine oil
  • Check gear oil
The STANDARD service includes the same as the basic service above plus the engine oil & gear lube is changed:
  • Stabilize fuel
  • Fog engine
  • Drain and refill block with anti-freeze
  • Check engine oil
  • Check gear oil
  • Change engine oil
  • Change gear lube
The DELUXE service includes all the items in the above standard service plus we pull the outdrive to inspect for wear, inspect bellows, grease u joints, check alignment and grease the bearing.
  • Stabilize fuel
  • Fog engine
  • Drain and refill block with anti-freeze
  • Check engine oil
  • Check gear oil
  • Change engine oil
  • Change gear lube
  • Pull the outdrive & inspect for wear, inspect bellows, grease u joints, check alignment and grease the bearing.