Southern Ski Boats Co. – RIP

Southern Ski Boats has officially closed. We had a great run from 2003 until 2010 but, after the recession hit us hard in 2008 we’ve been unable to recover.

We would like to thank everyone we’ve worked with over the years, our customers and our manufacturers. MB Sports builds one of the highest quality Wakeboarding Boats in the industry, EPIC Wakeboats has the largest wake in the industry and a solid quality product also.

We’ve worked hard to make everyones boat ownership experience great. To continue that tradition, we looked hard at other boat dealers to see who should service our customers when we were gone. In lieu of not finding satisfaction in this area – we’ve decided to work with Jamie Clifton and his brother to provide all MB, Epic, and Chris Craft services required. Many of you already know Jamie from his work as head mechanic at Southern Ski Boats. No one in Virginia knows these boats better – or can take care of our customers better than Jamie.

If you have any service needs, give Jamie a call at 804-896-4612. You can also reach him at the Southern Ski Boats Facebook site.

To all our customers out there – it has been a pleasure…
Southern Ski Boats Co.

Last weekend the Virginia Tech Wakeboard Team travelled to Cincinnati, Ohio to compete in the third stop of Empire Wake’s Collegiate Wake Series. The team took first place and qualified for the CWS Nationals in April.  With the strong performance in Cincinnati, VT Wake will be going to Nationals in Austin, Texas with a very high seed. This will also boost VT Wake in the national rankings.

This is the first time that the Virginia Tech Wakeboard team has qualified for nationals in both the Collegiate Wake Series and the Alt Games National Championships. With wins in regional qualifiers in both series, Virginia Tech has high hopes for the spring.

This weekend we didn’t spend our time at just the competition site.  The team alsospent a day at the newest cable park in the country, Wake Nation. The team spent a whole day riding cable, grinding sliders, and hitting kickers at Wake Nation. The team was working hard competing and learning new tricks at the cable park. It showed in the increased appetite of the team as another highlight of the trip was the twelve person team nearly beat the world record for most fast food consumed in a single weekend. The Virginia Tech Wakeboard team has now visited every Chipotle in the Fairfield, OH area.

This is the last competition that the Virginia Tech Wakeboard Team will attend this calendar year. With tournaments starting back up in the spring time, the team will ride as long as weather permits and hopefully stomp some new tricks before the winter off-season rolls around.

Josh Settlage – VT Wakeboarding President

(The VT Wakeboard team is sponsored by Southern Ski Boats & EPIC Wake Boats)

The Southern Ski Boats Co. is proud to announce the opening of its full Auto-Body shop. The same folks who fix the fiberglass, gel coat, and paint on your boats have expanded their operation to include all paint, bodywork, and insurance repair for your cars & trucks.

Owner Lora Bouchard remarked “We’ve been working towards this goal since last November – almost a full year now. It is great to finally get approval from the City of Petersburg to open this new center up for business. Our boat cliental is very particular about the paint and bodywork that we do on their boats. Taking these same skills to autos is a natural progression. Especially since our body shop personal have previous experience in both boats and cars.”

Southern Ski Boats is a full service boat dealership – selling EPIC and MB Sports Wakeboard boats. They have a full service mechanical center and a full service fiberglass/boat restoration center. With the addition of the auto body shop – they can fix and restore any toy or project you have.

For examples of their work – or to contact them for you’re next project, go to the ‘body shop’ section on their website:  Southern Ski Boats Body Shop

This past weekend the VT Wakeboard team travelled to Gainesville, GA to compete in the second stop for the Empire Wake Collegiate Wakeboard Series. We sent a small crew towing our awesome EPIC 23V provided by EPIC and Southern Ski Boats of Richmond, Va.

Our initial plan was to ride Friday when we arrived and show off the boat during the competition, and we certainly got our money’s worth. Right after the beginner class had ridden, the tow boat for the competition ran into engine problems that prevented it from towing the rest of the competition. We jumped at this opportunity and had our EPIC in the water before the director of the competition could find us and ask us if we would be willing to pull the event.

With reporters from Alliance Wakeboard Mag, Empire Wake, and riders from 8 schools looking on, our shiny white EPIC with “VT Wake-Pulled by Epic” branded on the hull drove out of the marina and made a bee line for the competition site. We loaded up the judges, threw the line to the first rider, and never had a problem the rest of the day.

We pulled the competition for about 8 hours (women, intermediate, advanced, open, and wake skaters) on less than 2/3 of a tank of fuel.

The common theme of the day was how blown away all the riders were by the enormous wake (when we told people they were riding with no ballast they didn’t believe us). The Epic shredded through some choppy wake at certain points of the day, but that didn’t stop the riders from going huge and laying down some “epic” sets.

What could have turned out to be a dismal day ending with a cancelled tournament ended up to be outstanding and tons of fun for the riders, spectators, and event workers. We were absolutely stoked to be able to promote our club and sponsors in front of such an awesome crowd of riders and high profile personnel. VT Wake made a big impression Saturday but we couldn’t have done it without the awesome support of EPIC and Southern Ski Boats.

At the end of the day I was pleased to find that the table we had set up with brochures for EPIC, Southern Ski Boats, and stickers for VT Wake had been all but completely cleaned out. Many people had never seen an EPIC in person before and I had many people asking me about it all night.

VT Wake made a strong showing in Atlanta, and not only did we place high enough to put us at 8th in the nation, but we made some great friends and met tons of people in the sport of wakeboarding that we will keep in touch with for a long time.

The Virginia Tech Wakeboard Team is traveling to Cincinnati, OH this weekend for the third stop in the CWS. The team hopes to place first and take the top spot away from our good friends at FSU.
Wish us luck!
Josh Settlage-VT Wakeboarding President

Photos are property of www.JKellerPhotography.com

We’ve been in winterization mode for the past two weeks here at Southern Ski Boats.  One thing I’ve noticed this year that is different from previous years is the whole Ethanol Issue.

It is best to store your boat over the winter with as little fuel (as reasonable) in the tank.  DO NOT FILL YOUR TANK FOR WINTER STORAGE. This flies in the face of the way we’ve been winterizing boats over the past 50 years.  In the past – one would always fill the tank to eliminate condensation in the tank.  Because of this, many of our customers are showing up to get their service with full tanks of gas.

Another difference many folks don’t realize is the gasoline stabilizer used with Ethanol blended gasoline is different from the gasoline stabilizer used in the past.  Ethanol needs different chemicals to stabilize correctly.  Only use a stabilizer made for Marine and Ethanol blended gasoline applications.

Below are a few additional facts each boater needs to know about the new Ethanol blended fuels:

As many of you already know – the Gasoline that is distributed throughout the world today contains ethanol.

Ethanol has several characteristics that can create problems in marine fuel systems.  It acts as a solvent (especially against fiberglass tanks) and it attracts and holds water (rusting steel tanks).  The additional water, varnish, foreign particles, sludge, and gums that are created or freed by the ethanol can enter or form in the fuel system.  These can clog fuel filters and damage fuel system components (pumps, injectors, carburetors).

Our current marine engines from the major manufacturers (Volvo, Mercruiser, Indmar, PCM, Yamaha and others) and all configurations (Outboard, Inboard, Inboard/Outboard) can only handle up to 10% Ethanol content.  (Do not ever put E15, E20, Flex-Fuel or any gasoline with more than 10% Ethanol in your boat).

If you have any other questions – give me a call at the shop, Jamie  804-524-0600   Southern Ski Boats Co.

Winterization Time is Here!!!  We are scheduling remote services for our customers’ favorite lakes and rivers.  So far the plan is as follows:  Oct. 17th and Nov 7th I’ll be at Lake Gaston, Oct. 24th and Nov 14th I’ll be at Lake Anna.

We will be scheduling other days depending on demand.

This should take a lot of the hassle out of having to bring your boat somewhere.  Next on the scheduling list will be our local rivers like the Chick and Upper James, then we will start rotating back through the Lakes again.  Give us a call ASAP to reserve a spot.   Jamie  804-524-0600      Southern Ski Boats Co.

Types

1. Different kinds of boats are steered by various means. A tiller-steered boat is operated on an outboard motor with the steering mechanism attached directly to the motor and the propellers. A large powerboat with an inboard motor is steered like a car by way of a steering wheel that is attached to a rudder. A sailboat is steered with a wheel as well, but utilizes the sails and the rudder to move in different directions. Various designs are incorporated into the three basic steering designs to provide even more options for steering.

Hydraulics

2. Power tiller steering is manufactured by Engine Steer and utilizes a hydraulic component that replaces the throttle on outboard motors and adds two inches to the tiller handle, providing easier operation that doesn’t strain the driver and allows for more maneuverability. By moving the tiller handle in the direction that you want to boat to go in, electrically powered hydraulics move the propellers in the direction turned. The tiller locks in place to free the driver for fishing or other activities when no turning is required. Other steering operations include hydraulics attached to the cables that make steering easier on large vessels.

Rudders

3. The steering wheel of a powerboat is connected to the rudder by a series of cables. When the wheel is turned, the rudder moves and water rushes off the sides of the submerged rudder to direct the movement of the boat. Even if an engine quits, a moving boat can be steered using a rudder. It’s the motion of the boat that causes the pressure. Rudders are controlled on sailboats through a steering wheel as well. Because of the sails however, the wheels must be turned in the opposite direction to where you want to turn. On a powerboat, if you want to turn right, you move the wheel to the right, just like in a car. On a sailboat, if you want to turn right, you turn the wheel to the left and allow the wind to work with the rudder to propel you in the direction you desire.

Jet Drives

4. A jet drive is like an internal propeller. It pulls in water and air and pushes the water out to turn the boat. By releasing the jet drive on the port, or left side, of the boat, you can turn the watercraft in that direction. Jet drives are primarily used on small, fast boats. Jet drives are used on larger boats in conjunction with cable and hydraulic steering units to add extra power to the steering capabilities when needed. Jet drives can only be used for forward movement and turns. Bow thrusters can add momentum when backing up into docks or other small areas as required.

The power steering system on your car operates under high pressure, making leaks a common problem. To find and fix a leak, there are several points you need to inspect between the steering pump and steering gear assembly. On most steering systems, you can follow specific procedures found in this article in order to solve the problem .

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Shop rags
• Flashlight Phillips screwdriver
• Ratchet and socket
• Floor jack
• two jack stands

Step 1

Park your car in a safe place and open the hood. Find the power steering system on your vehicle. The easiest way is to follow the part of the steering column assembly that goes through the firewall (the engine compartment wall on the windshield side of your car). Follow the components connected to the steering column all the way to the wheel assemblies and hoses connected to the power steering pump and reservoir.

Step 2

Clean wet and dirty components around the steering system, using shop rags if the leak source is not readily apparent. Start the engine, rotating the steering wheel all the way from left to right several times to increase system pressure. Turn off the engine and inspect the system from the engine compartment, using a flashlight if necessary. In some cases, you might have to wait one or two days for the leak to reveal itself .

Step 3

Carefully check around the power steering pump, looking for possible cracks. if you find fluid around the pump case, the case is damaged and should be replaced. Some pumps are equipped with internal seals that may be replaced when necessary. Also, look around the reservoir and make sure it is in good condition, since a cracked reservoir needs to be replaced as well.

Step 4

Look around fittings and hoses. A loose fitting might not be able to contain the high pressure in the system. Tighten clamps using a Phillips screwdriver or ratchet and socket, depending on the type of fitting or clamp used in your system. Also, check along the hoses for cuts. If possible, run your fingers along the length of the hose to find hidden wet spots. A hose leaking somewhere along the middle will have to be replaced. If the cut is very close to the end of the hose, you might be able to cut off the damaged part and reconnect the hose to the component.

Step 5

Check metal lines connecting the steering gear assembly to other components. A ruptured metal line needs to be replaced.

Step 6

Inspect around the rubber boots located between the ends of the steering gear assembly and the arms linking the assembly to the wheels. If fluid is leaking at either end, seals at the ends of the steering gear assembly will need to be replaced. If necessary, raise the front end of the vehicle using a floor jack and support it on jack stands. Inspect the steering gear assembly more closely to see if it is in good or bad condition .

Boat steering problems require a systematic approach, whether the problem be a tight steering wheel, a broken or damaged steering cable or a hesitation or “hitch” in the steering.

Boat steering problems should be solved at the earliest opportunity ashore, just like steering problems in the family car need to be fixed before going on a trip.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Isolate the problem location.

Start at one end of the steering system, usually the steering wheel, and work backward through the entire system. As you inspect, you may have to have another person turn the wheel so that you can see the effect on the element of the system being inspected.

Step 2

Determine the nature of the problem.

Is a part broken, bent or missing? If broken, replace it. If bent, can it be repaired? If missing, can it be replaced? The most frequent problems are stiff or frozen steering, problems with steering cables and problems with broken or missing pulleys.

Step 3

Replace, repair or adjust elements as necessary.

Frequently, problems can be solved with a simple bit of maintenance, like lubrication, but more complex problems, like broken pulleys or damaged cable in cable steering, or a damaged or broken pump or ram in hydraulic systems, can be fixed quickly by simply changing out the part that is not operating as it should.

Changing out parts may seem expensive, but is usually more effective than trying to rebuild something that, once repaired, may break again.

Step 4

Test your solutions.

Again, have another person turn the wheel while you watch the results. If the problem persists, return to Step 1. You may have cured one problem, but there may be more than one problem with the steering. Evaluate and repair each separately.

For the boating enthusiast, it’s important to keep the boat in tip-top condition. This, of course, includes your boat motor. An outboard motor can malfunction in several ways. There are some easy things you can look into first as you investigate the problem.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Troubleshoot an outboard motor by first checking the spark plug wires. Make sure each one is connected securely. Also check that your battery is connected to your outboard motor with good, clean connections. Check your battery for a full charge.

Step 2

Consider the power head when you troubleshoot an outboard motor. The power head is a box mounted on the motor. It distributes electricity to the spark plugs. If it’s not operating properly, there will be no fire to your outboard motor. This prevents your outboard motor from starting. You must have a certified outboard mechanic to fix this problem.

Step 3

Check the water flow going through your outboard motor. If your motor is running hot, normally you don’t have enough water flow going through the motor to cool it. This means your pump propeller might be broken. Your pump is located in the lower end of the foot of the motor. It is a round disc with impellers on it which circulate water through the outboard motor.

Step 4

Look at the propeller itself in order to troubleshoot an outboard motor. If you put your motor in gear and your boat doesn’t move, what has usually happened is that you’ve sheared (broken) the pin in your propeller. The shear pin in your propeller keeps your outboard motor from being torn up if you hit a stump or rock or if you run aground. When it is broken, the shaft will turn, but your propeller won’t. This is a safety feature. The pin can be easily replaced with a new one.