Ta-Who? Half the time this is the typical response I seem to get when I mention the Tohatsu line of motors to a customer looking to repower. Just because you may not have heard of them before or seen an advertisement for them on your Saturday morning fishing programs doesn't mean that they aren't one of the big dogs in the outboard game. In fact they are one of the larger manufacturers and make quite a few motors for some of the other outboard manufacturers in the industry. With all of the Tohatsu outboards that we sell, and we sell a lot of them, the MFS40AETL and the MFS50AETL would have to be the most popular models. Heres why.
No matter how much you may want to, you cant stay out on your boat forever. Sooner or later you have to head back to the dock and face reality. But when you tie your boat off for the day are you taking the necessary precautions to protect your boat and your dock from any possible damage? The best protection you can use when tying off to any structure would be the use of fenders, or bumpers if you have to call them that. If you are not using fenders, then your just letting your boat thrash against the dock or pilings. This not only can cause damage to your boat, but what ever structure you are tied to as well. In this article I will go over the types of fenders, recommended sizes, and proper ways of hanging them in various situations.
Tagged Under
LIGHTER. STRONGER. SMARTER.
For the 2017 season, Yamaha completely redesigned their F25 to be the best 25hp outboard on the water. Weighing in at only 126 pounds, the new light weight and compact Yamaha F25 is not only a whopping 25% less than the previous Yamaha models weigh, but it is also the lightest 25hp outboard on the market. That being said, it has a number of different boating applications that it can be used for. From jon boats and inflatables, to deep V fishing boats. All of these styles of boats can now benefit from the F25 which has the best power to weight ratio of any 25hp on the water.
The brand new power head design of the F25 features two cylinders which have two valves per cylinder and a single overhead cam. This design helps keep the weight of the motor down while not sacrificing any of the power. Also new to Yamaha's F25 line is the addition of the Electronic Fuel Injection System. The Multi Point EFI provides greater fuel efficiency as well as minimal starting effort in any condition that you may encounter on the water. To add to that, the Fuel Injection System on this motor operates with out a battery. No battery means even less weight needed in your boat.
When your on the hunt for a new outboard this spring, I would suggest giving Vans Sport Center a look. We have a large inventory of new outboard motors from all of the top brand names in the outboard industry. Having such a large inventory allows us to stock our showroom with a diverse variety of motors for our customers to have side-by-side comparions of the different brands and models offered. We find this benefitial for the customers who may not know exactly which motor they are looking to purchase. What really sets us part from other dealers would have to be the fact that we have an impressive used outboard motor inventroy as well. So whether your looking to start fresh or just upgrade to something a little newer, Vans Sport Center has the motor for you.
Tagged UnderWhether you run the same lake all season long or adventure out to explore new bodies of water, you should always be cautious about seen or unseen hazards wherever you go. Even if you know the lake like the back of your hand and have run the same area year after year without incident, conditions can change and new hazards can emerge that you may not typically have to worry about. Those routes that were normally your safe passage to the other side of the lake can become a danger zone due to variables such as unseasonably low water levels or high water and fast currents. These things can bring on potential threats that can cause major damage to your lower unit or even the hull of your boat.
Tagged UnderIts the beginning of a new boating season here in Michigan and you have had it with your outboard. Its loud, guzzles gas, costly to repair, and simply just outdated. You're done with the headaches so you decide to repower your boat with newer technology, possibly making that move to a four stroke. You would like to save some money by going with a used outboard, but buying new isn't out of the question. You're just sure you want a dependable motor that starts right up and runs the rest of the day. Either route you take Vans Sport Center has the inventory and experience to help you get what suites your needs.
You know Van’s Sport Center for our selection of outboard motors, marine parts and accessories. But we’ve gotten to know many of you for your fish stories when you drop by our Grand Rapids store. Frankly, we’ve heard too many of your “One That Got Away” stories. So we decided to help you do something about that.
Van's Sport Center is now carrying a but essential tackle selection for a number of reasons besides helping you catch the Big One. First, and probably most obvious, we deal with a variety of boaters and fishermen who swing through the shop on a regular basis for service, new and used outboard purchases, marine parts, and other boat accessories. We hope that by having some basic tackle here we can supply them with the ability to "one stop shop" on their way to the lake or river.
Secondly, the area on the Northwest side of Grand Rapids is missing a tackle shop with the closing and moving of tackle shops in the area.
Lastly, Van's doesn't intend on carrying a huge variety of tackle like some of the larger stores in the Greater Grand Rapids Area. Instead, we hope to stock the items that anglers need or can't find consistently at other stores. Some of the big box tackle stores don't carry the smaller brands that we stock, and if they do, they seem to be missing specific items that anglers actually need. In the long run we hope that our selection of quality items and consistency of stock will even attract some tackle customers who don't currently use us for boating needs.
Currently we are carrying name brands tackle that include: Yakima, Blackbird/Redwing Tackle, Raven, and Brad's Killer Fish Gear. We are also a dealer for Gary Yamamoto and have access to just about any tackle brand made.
We are not stocking a large quantity of tackle because we’re not trying to become a tackle store. Instead, we are going to focus on the basic needs and most popularly purchased items for our customers who spend time on the water fishing. This may include certain brands of tackle, colors, or sizes, depending on what's "hot" for each season. We look to have those heavily sought after items in stock and ready to go for customers who may need to make a last minute stop on the way to the water. For our river anglers in particular, we aim to keep the terminal tackle items stocked to make us a one stop shop for their needs whether they are regular Van's customers or are from out of town just passing by Alpine Avenue on their way to rivers north or south of Grand Rapids.
Yes, the tackle selection will be available year round. We will stock our shelves according to the fishing seasons with bass, walleye and panfish tackle available in the spring and summer months. During the fall, winter, and earlier spring months we will have a special selection of river tackle for salmon, trout, and steelhead anglers. This is a niche that we want to specialize in for customers who need specific tackle for river fishing that is hard to find elsewhere. We'll stock popular split shot, hooks, floats, line and other terminal tackle, along with plugs (diving body baits), specifically for river fishermen. Both boat anglers and shore anglers will benefit from shopping our selection of river tackle.
With the 6th Street Dam just a few miles away and our location being on the way north and west for many river fishermen, we are in a great location to cater to their needs.
You’re always welcome to stop by Van’s Sport Center on the way back and tell us about the big ones that did NOT get away.
Winterization season. Its a sad time of year for serious boaters and die hard lakers when they come to the realization that they have to prep the boat for the winter months and store it away until spring. To be honest, its not something any boater looks forward to, but if not done you can have some major issues and huge costs on your hands come spring time. If you are like me and winterize your outboard on your own you are going to want to do it by the book. That means treating the fuel system with stabilized gas, changing the gearcase lube, fogging the powerhead and lubricating all of the moving parts. Even if you do all of these things to a T, you can still screw up and make some huge mistakes that will leave you at the dock next season.
Tagged Under