There probably isn't anything more frustrating for a boat owner than waiting for the day when it's time to hit the water and finding out the engine is sputtering, the trim unit isn't working right, or the bellows need replacing. Worse, your craft may not get you back to the dock at the end of the day.

"Let's face it, we only have so many days in the North to enjoy our boats, so we need to leave as little to chance as possible when it comes to using them," Quoss said. "Usually you've invested a substantial amount in your boat, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to put repair and maintenance off to the day that you want to use it.

"Usually things don't get cheaper, unless you take advantage of the off season."

Quoss said boat owners may want to call the company to get quotes on work before they store their watercraft for the winter. Van's Sport Center employs several certified mechanics year round to perform anything from minor tune-ups or a major overhauls of boat engines, as well as owning its own warehouse of new and used sterndrive and outboard motor parts.

Marinas, other repair shops and do-it-yourselfers can access the inventory of about 500,000 new and used parts at Van's Sport Center by going online and conducting a search for the item using some basic information. Van's Sport Center has parts from all the top name brands in the marine industry such as Mercury, Johnson, Evinrude, OMC, Yamaha, Suzuki, Tohatsu, Nissan, Honda, MerCruiser, Chrysler, and Force.