I've been an avid fisherman for most of my life, which means I have spent my fair share of time around boats. Being around boats for so long, sometimes I forget that other people may not have had as much practice or know the same tips and tricks I have accumulated over the years. Which is why it can be frustrating for me at times watching someone struggle at the ramp or have no clue what they are doing out on the water. That is exactly what I ran into yesterday at the launch as I was trying to load my boat for my weekly Tuesday night bass fishing league. So today when I got to work, I thought I would take some time and write on the blog to share some boat launching tips in hopes that it will help some novice boater out.
Tagged Under
The summer sun has finally set and its time to start the annual fall chores of pulling the boat out and beaching the dock. Usually this task is an all day event, or in some cases if you have multiple boats and a longer dock, it can be all weekend. But the work doesn't stop there. Once you have all of that finished, don't just rush your boat straight over to the storage site. Get it winterized and prepped for the brutal Michigan winter months ahead. I know it's a pain in the neck to have to deal with after you just did all of that work, but it could save your boating season next year. Or at least the start of it. A boat is an investment and you should protect it, especially with something as easy as getting it winterized.
One of the bigger concerns boat owners have when repowering their rig with a specific brand motor is whether or not there is a certified service center in their location. This is actually a good concern to have when you think about the possibility of any warranty or major service work needing to be done. I have even seen boaters sway to a particular brand based on what their local marina is certified to work on. That kind of limits your options at times but at least someone in your area can work on it. No matter where you are, there is a place in Grand Rapids that is certified to work on your motor no matter what brand you have.
Tagged UnderWith Michigan almost completely surrounded by water its no secret that we have some great fishing oppertunities to be had. Aside from our larger bodies of water such as the Great Lakes or our many inland lakes, Michigan also has multiple river systems that hold a number of different species of fish. These rivers are popular for their Steelhead, Salmon, Trout, Small Mouth Bass, Walleye, and many others. To effectively target these fish you need to be equipt with the right gear such as a flat bottom boat, a jet drive outboard, and a solid anchor winch system. That being said there are many options you can go with in terms of boats and motors, but there is really only one winch system that I would recommend you go with and that's a River Larry.
Tagged UnderWe've posted our first motor review on our YouTube channel and we have started with our most popular outboard - the Tohatsu 50HP! There are a ton of reasons why the Tohatsu 50hp outboard is one of the best selling motors we have, but you will have to head over to our channel to hear all about it. Click the link below!
Please like, subscribe, and share!
Let us know if there's any speciifc motors you're interested in learning more about. This is the first of many.
Fall means a lot of different things for the people here in Michigan, but for Michigan anglers it really only means one thing. They finally get to fish the annual Salmon and Steelhead push as they make their way up our many streams and rivers. To be successful landing these powerful fish not only takes skill but a special set of tools. One of the most important pieces of equipment needed by river anglers would be a flat bottom stacked with a two or four stroke jet drive outboard. Vans Sport Center is a certified dealer for all of the top brand names in the marine industry, we know our jets and what river fisherman demand in a shallow water outboard.
Tagged UnderAlthough Yamaha outboards didn't completely revamp or add a bunch of new motors to thier line-up this year, they did however add a motor that I am sure will be a hit with boaters for the 2019 season. Yamaha says that this hot new motor release should prove to be a great outboard for freshwater fishing boats, bay boats and pontoons as well as represent the only performance 90hp four stroke out there. Thats right, they are extending the VMAX SHO line down to their 90hp engines and we coudn't be more excited.
Tagged UnderAuxiliary motors or kicker motors as they are commonly called, are used for a few different reasons. Fisherman typically use a kicker instead of their main motor when they want to troll for fish at slower speeds while boaters with larger rigs who run farther offshore like to have them as a back up in case their primary motor dies on them. Either way, having a secondary motor is a popular option for a lot of different types of boaters so here are some things to take into consideration when choosing your next kicker.
Tagged Under