2017 Blast on the Beach Wrap Up

We love when we’re able to get to know our customers and our community better. This past Saturday’s annual Blast on the Beach event is no exception. The town of Hamburg puts on a day long party at Hamburg Beach and invites us to be a part of that, doing demo rides on our WaveRunners. We take pre-registrations and have a lot of sign ups during the day of people who get curious as to what we’re doing.

This Saturday’s weather was a little rough, with a pretty stiff wind hitting the beach all day. That didn’t stop people from riding. We were filled up on ride slots from noon until five, with kids and adults alike loving the opportunity to hit the water for some splashes and fun.

Our favorite part of this event is seeing the faces of each kid after they get to go out on a ride with their parent or with one of our staff members. Their eyes are lit up and they have huge smiles on their faces and inevitably ask if they can go again!

If you didn’t get a chance to ride with us on Saturday, don’t worry – we do personal test drives! To schedule, call us at 716-649-1090 or go to our website and fill out a request here.

Come to Appolson’s Beach Party!

We are happy to once again be part of the Hamburg Town Beach annual party. The Blast on the Beach is being held on July 29^th this year, just twelve days away! It’s always a fun time for us to spend the day outside, and who doesn’t love the beach in July?

Last year’s event was a huge success. We filled up all of our pre-registration slots before the event and were able to stay out on the water a little longer with all the walk ups.

We had a lot of adults and kids who got to experience the water in a brand new way Saturday.

 

We are once again taking pre-registration sign-ups for this event. Each pre-registrant will get a voucher for a free hot dog lunch at Longboards as well as be able to pick what part of the day they want their time slot in. If you are planning on signing your little one up, please keep in mind it is required they have an adult parent or guardian with them at all times for supervision.

If you are interested in signing up for the Blast on the Beach, please go to http://bit.ly/2017BlastontheBeach and sign up by noon on July 27^th. We will call all registrants with their exact time slot on Friday, July 28^th.

Watercraft Safety

Now that we’ve hit July, I think we can safely say that summer is here and we’re happy to be out on the water! New riders and seasoned riders alike may not be aware of all the regulations in New York State regarding personal watercraft usage. It is required that each rider (whether driver or passenger) wears a life jacket. The PWC must have:

• an engine cut-off lanyard,
• a sound producing device (like a whistle),
• a visual distress signal (like a safety flag), and
• a fire extinguisher (on waters under the US Coast Guard jurisdiction.)

It is recommended, though not required, that each rider has footwear, eyewear (goggles or sunglasses), a wet suit, and gloves.

In New York, it is required that all owners and operators successfully complete a boating safety course and operators must be at least 14 years old. Operation is, of course, not allowed between sunset and sunrise. Neither is weaving through congested traffic, jumping the wake of another watercraft, playing chicken, or using your vehicle within 500 feet of a bathing beach or swim area. If you happen to be renting a personal watercraft, you must be at least 16 years old and prove it with photo ID. You must also be able to show correct operating procedures, proper use of the safety equipment, and must have proof of completion of the boating safety course.

Some best practices when out on the water include not operating too close to shore, docks, marinas, fisherman, or launching areas, not disturbing wildlife or operating in environmentally sensitive areas, and not forcing larger watercraft like boats or shipping vessels to move unnecessarily. If you have a passenger on the back of your PWC, practice a little extra caution as they can lose their grip on you, fall off (or be ejected), and get injured.

Once you have all these practices and measures in place, you’re set to get out on the water!

Choosing Your WaveRunner

After the last two summers of hot weather lasting long into the fall, you want to get out on the water and feel the spray of our local lakes as you speed across them. You may need to upgrade your current watercraft or get your very first and you’re not sure what the best choice is. The Yamaha WaveRunner line up just turned the big 3-0 last year and it’s still as strong as ever. Whether you just want to cruise or take the family tubing, there’s a machine for every activity and every budget.

The EX Series is brand new for Yamaha this year. It’s tailored for the more budget conscious purchaser, as well as the first time buyer. These crafts still pack a fun and playful watercraft experience into their lightweight SMC hull. You can have up to three people on the craft and there’s even a tow hook on the back. The EX, EX Sport, and EX Deluxe all retail for less than $9,000.

Taking a step up, the VX Series is consistently our best sellers, year in and year out. The high-end style and technology at a reasonable price makes them hard to resist. The VX and VX Deluxe are great machines for those who are still price conscious but want a little more luxury. The VX Cruiser offers a stadium style seat that gives everyone their own space. The VX Limited is the best bang for your buck – literally. It includes all the accessories you need to have for a fun summer with the family and friends. Need a little more power? The VX Cruiser HO puts you there faster.

The FX Series offers impressive performance and luxury features while also being the longest and most stable personal watercraft in the industry. The FX HO and Cruiser HO offer the same size engine while the Cruiser gives you that stadium style seating. Looking for even more power? Step on up to the FX SVHO and Cruiser SVHO! These PWCs offer a supercharged experience for those who like to push the speed limit. New this season, is the FX Limited SVHO. It has the same power as the FX SVHO with the same outrageous number of accessories as the VX Limited to give you a complete WaveRunner experience.

Back this year for the first time in over a decade is the GP series. Last seen in 2003, the GP was a powerhouse on the race circuit but was left behind as manufacturers moved from a two-stroke to a four-stroke engine. The GP1800 has been winning races around the world since it was released this model year. Sharp turning, a supercharged SVHO engine, and an extra light NanoXcel2 hull put this craft head and shoulders above the rest.

Rounding out the performance race crafts are the VXR and SuperJet. The VXR combines fun and race styling for a day on the water that’ll leave you with a smile. The SuperJet is the only stand up watercraft in the Yamaha line up and for closed course competition only.

No matter what WaveRunner you choose, your summer is certain to be full of laughs and good times. The spectacular Western New York waterways are waiting for you to join us out in the waves!

Summerizing Your Watercraft

With just one week until Memorial Day, it’s getting to be the time of year that most of the country considers summer. Even though it’s been a chilly and wet May so far, we were blessed to have a long, hot, and dry riding season last year and we’re hoping for the same this season! While we provide summerization at our service shop, we understand some people like to take the wrench to their own machines too.

When you’re getting ready to ride your machine for the first time in over six months, the first thing you want to do is check your battery. If you remember from our winterize blog, we recommend having your battery on a battery tender over the winter. Check out the voltage, the charge, the state of health of the battery, and the battery fluid level. If your battery doesn’t check out well in these categories, it’s probably for the best to purchase a new one. The start of the season is also a good time to check out the condition of your spark plugs and replace any that are black or oil fouled. These are a couple easy things to do to ensure a fun and uninterrupted start to the riding season.

Check your water separator if one is installed. Then put your battery back in the craft and hook the craft up to a water hose. Run it for about 5-10 minutes. Give the machine a good look over for any loose clamps or hardware. Inspect the steering nozzle and prop for any damage. Wash your machine to get the dust off and put your cover on to keep it clean for your next ride!

We also perform a trailer inspection when we do our summerizations here at our service shop. If you’re doing this yourself, make sure to check all lights are working. You may need an assistant to help out on this one for brake and signal lights especially. Check the tire condition and pressure. If they’ve lost a little air, inflate to the correct PSI and keep an eye on any leaks in the tires. Finally, make sure the lug nuts are properly torqued and grease the wheel hubs. Be sure to check the wheel bearings for smooth operation.

You’re ready to rock and roll for the season out on our beautiful waterways! If you need to do an in-season oil change, we can help you out in our service department or parts department with our full stock of oil and filters. Remember to follow all local laws, marine warnings, and make sure you and your passengers always wear a proper fitting life vest. Have fun on the water and make sure to see us if you need anything this summer.

Winterizing Your Watercraft

With Halloween on Monday, it’s getting to be the time of year that people decide to put their watercraft to bed. We were blessed to have a long, hot, and dry riding season this year and our machines need some TLC before they get to take that long winter’s nap. While we provide winterization at our service shop, we understand some people like to take the wrench to their own machines too. Here are some tips to ensure the long life of your watercraft.

We recommend storing your craft with gas in the tank (the fuller the better) in order to reduce the risk of condensation forming. You should add fuel stabilizer to the tank. If you have a four stroke, add fuel injector cleaner. On a two stroke, check the water/fuel separator and note if there is any water.

If you have a four stroke, lightly fog the motor through the intake track. If you have a Sea Doo, you will need to check to see if it requires antifreeze to cooling loop.

If you have a fuel valve, turn the fuel valve to the off position. After 5-10 minutes, remove the air box cover and spray fogging oil into the carburetors with the engine running. Then you should test multiple throttle positions, from idle to half throttle or until it stalls, meaning the fuel is out of the carburetors. Shut off the motor and reinstall the air box cover. If you have a Sea Doo, you will need to check to see if it requires antifreeze to cooling loop.

Start the craft, turn on water, and let the craft run for 5-10 minutes. After you’re done, it is crucial to turn the water off before you turn the engine off.

All crafts will need to have their battery removed, detaching the negative terminal first. Store your batter in a non-freezing environment. We recommend partially charging your battery a few times throughout winter to keep from prematurely killing your battery.

Next you’ll need to clean your watercraft thoroughly. This will get harmful algae and dirt off before it can do serious damage to your hull. Degrease and steam clean the interior of the craft, while washing the outside of your craft with warm water and soap. Thoroughly rinse and dry your craft. Ensure that your remove all water from the interior of the craft. Spray the interior with a silicone-based spray and lube the steering cable, choke, and throttle. Make sure you’ve reinstalled all bolts or other parts that you removed. Nothing is worse than getting a job done and seeing a mystery part sitting on the bench!

Finally, cover your watercraft to keep unwanted pests out and keep it clean. If you lack a space for storage, we do have space we rent out at our storage facility. You will need to do separate maintenance when you get ready to ride in the spring. We can help you out with that or check this blog for tips!

Boating Etiquette 101

This week we’re introducing a new installment on our blog: Watercraft Etiquette 101! These are quick tips, stories, and courtesies that novice riders, and maybe even those with more experience, should know so that everyone can get out and enjoy their watercrafts together on the open sea.

Last weekend on our first Jetski Demo Ride of the season a customer of ours, first-time jetskiier Katy, did something that most  jetskiiers have probably done once or twice before. She had just finished riding and decided to park her jetskis at a dock while her and her family went to get some ice cream. As a first-timer she was unaware that parking jetskis is not the same as parking a regular boat. We kindly explained to her that if she had left her jetskis parked at the boat dock, boaters anxious to get out on the water wouldn’t have been able to launch and then gave her an anchor and showed her how to properly park her jetskis in the water.

The moral of this week’s Watercraft 101 is make sure you’re aware of the rules for launching and parking jetskis! It’s easy to forget that jetskis do not follow the same docking rules as boats, and when you want to get ice cream you have to park your jetski in the right place.