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Mercury Report
E-15 in boats
Who doesn’t love summer? Especially at more northern latitudes, boating enthusiasts like you have waited through a long winter and fickle spring weather to finally see better boating conditions. As the temperature climbs, boaters are eager to feel the cool spray as they cruise across the waves.
Thp>is summer in the U.S., however, boaters should be extra careful as they prepare for their outings on the water. If you don’t pay close attention, a change in fuel availability could pose a risk to your boat’s engine and some of its warranty coverages.E15 gasoline blend, a significant threat to boat engines, is usually restricted from sale during the summer months. This year, however, it will be available all year long at gas pumps across the U.S.
E15 gasoline contains 15% ethanol derived from corn and, sometimes, other grains or sugars. Because of its heightened evaporative properties when the weather is sunny and hot, E15 gasoline contributes more significantly toward the development of summertime smog than petroleum-only and lower-ethanol fuels. Consequently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2011 banned the sale of E15 during the summer.
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BoatUS Report
Engine Cut-off Switch
National Safe Boating Week arrives May 21–27 with an annual reminder for boaters to champion recreational boating safety all summer long. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water suggests that boat owners need to know about three recent U.S. Coast Guard regulations that have changed, what’s needed to be carried aboard, and how a vessel is to be operated at higher speeds.
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Fire extinguishers: As of April 20, the USCG enacted a regulation allowing them enforce fire extinguishers having a 12-year expiration date from the date of manufacture. Additionally, while the new regulation does not change the type, quantity, or requirement for Coast Guard-approved fire extinguishers aboard, it does specify the minimum Underwriter Laboratory (UL) classification of extinguishers to be carried aboard certain vessels — depending on the boat’s model year.
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Mercury Report
Bass boat navigating rough water
If you enjoy being on the water as a recreational angler or boater, sooner or later you will find yourself in rough water conditions. Even with some of the best weather and wind apps at our fingertips, there will be times when the wind blows a little harder (or perhaps from a different direction) than was forecasted. That smooth, glassy surface that graced the waterway in the morning might become a little “sporty” when it’s time to return home in the afternoon.
Mercury Pro Team member Mark Zona, host of “Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show,” knows the feeling. As a Michigan native, Zona grew up fishing the Great Lakes, so he knows a thing or two about running rough water.