Do Yourself a Favor, Service Your Boat

We all love boating on Lake Norman. There are so many places to go and things to do. Last weekend, we did our last LKN Leaf Cruse and as I had promised myself I would, I had our boat serviced for the year. Please don't think that winterizing is the same thing as servicing. Servicing is more than just some fuel stablizer and draining the block. 

We have a 2004 Bennington pontoon with a 115 HP 4-Stroke Yamaha. I love the fact that it starts quickly and has given me no trouble. However, I believe the key to a good boating experience, meaning no engine trouble, is maintenance and care (also, education and safety but that is another post). As I have mentioned in the past, we currently keep our boat at Westport, on the West Shore of LKN. For those who travel Hwy 16 to Denver, you may have noticed that Westport closed their boat sales lot BUT the Marina, Dry Storage, and Service Department are all still very much open. 

So, regardless of where you have it done or if you do it yourself, please have your engine serviced and if you have an outboard, don't forget the water pump and impeller. Take it from someone who has been stranded on the lake, it is a much cheaper and less stressful to KNOW your boat is ready rather than hoping your boat is ready for some fun. 

Happy fall boating, y'all!