Do You Know About Boating Safety?

Boating is a fun and enjoyable way to spend your time. It is something that anyone from any background can enjoy. Boating can also be dangerous. Accidents can happen on the water at any time. As long as you remember some of your basic safety rules, you will help to do your part to keep you and other boaters around you safe.


One of the first things to do would be, learn how to swim. If you are going to be in and around water, learning to swim could save your life. Find a buddy who knows how to and spend a day learning how to swim.


After you have learned how to swim, now would be the time to sign up for a boating safety course.  Taking a boating safety course like the one provided by boat-ed.com gives you the opportunity to learn about the water and about boating.


Now you are ready to make your first trip out on the lake. Before you even leave your house, you should check the forecast. The weather can make or break a boating adventure. If they are calling for bad weather, don’t risk it, reschedule your outing.


Once you have the boat loaded up and in the water, there are a few things that you want to make sure you did before you head out. The first, make sure that you developed a float plan and left it with someone on land. Your float plan should consist of things like the registration information for your boat, the names and contact information of all parties on board, and the itinerary for your trip. You will also want to make sure that you follow your pre departure check list. Having the same routine that you follow at each outing is the best way to make sure that no safety rules or regulations have been broken.


Once you have finished your check list, designate an assistant captain. You want to make sure that you are not the only one on board who knows how to operate your boat. Hand out everyone’s life vests and make your way out onto the lake. Always remember to use these simple tips before departing, and you will have a more enjoyable boating experience.

On Board Cooking

When you plan on spending all day on the water, you will need to remember a lot of things before you leave the dock. Is your fuel tank full? Check. Do you have your sunscreen? Check. Do you have food for the day?


Boating is a world of fun but cooking on board your boat could turn into a little bit of a disaster if you didn’t plan right. If you happen to be one of the lucky ones with a galley kitchen or an on board grill, then here are a few tips for you to make your next cooking adventure a little easier.


Thinking small when it comes to cooking on board is the way to go, you are limited on space. You are working with smaller appliances so think appetizer or salad size for what foods you can cook easily on board. Also, be aware of the type of food that you choose. You will be spending a day out in the sun and heat. Steer clear of hot heavy meals. Think light, like picnic style meals.


To keeping things manageable in confined spaces starts before you even step foot on your boat. Food prep is an important step in maintaining order and getting things done faster. Have all your meats precooked, veggies cut up, and salads made up before you leave the house. Also, practicing the habit of clean as you go will go a long way in managing your limited space. Don’t leave all the cleaning up until the end, you will run out of working room before then.


If you have no on board kitchen or grill, then the prep portion is the most important. You will also make use of coolers for your pre made food. If you are tired of having sandwiches all the time, you could try a few of the suggestions that these folks use. Enjoy your day on the water, and let’s go boating.

On The Pontoon

As you know, we are Ohio’s largest pontoon dealer. Why, because pontoon’s are awesome of course. So I figured, let’s take some time to talk all about pontoons. Starting with what is a pontoon. I’m sure that most of you have an understanding but just so everyone is on the same page, a pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float its self as well as all your party goers. It is a flattish boat that relies on its pontoons to keep it afloat.



Pontoons first dropped on the scene in 1954 by a farmer who needed a more stable platform on the lake that he worked along. He strung a couple of barrels together and placed a platform of a piece of wood on top, attached an engine to the back, and there you have it the first pontoon boat.



From there, not much has changed. When you look at the modern pontoons out on Atwood Lake, you notice that the foundation is pretty much exactly what was described in the 1954 version; it has just become a little more put together. Pontoons have grown up from that original foundation to include sides and even a dashboard console.



Depending on the pontoon that you have depends on the features that you will get. Some of the cooler features that I have seen on pontoons are double deck pontoons and some even with a slide coming off the second deck that throws you right into the water. You can get grills and speaker systems put on your pontoon to really make it a boat you want to spend a majority of your time on. This weekend, let’s go and celebrate pontoons by heading out on Atwood Lake. Let’s go pontooning.

Fun For Your Summer

Here at Atwood Lake Boats we like to keep busy. This time of year is by far our busiest. Not only is it busy for us in the office with our day to day of selling boats, servicing your boats. We also like to keep you busy. Our blog this week we are going to take the time to go over what all we have going on for you for the rest of the summer. 

July 20-Float In Movie: Watch a movie under the stars from the comfort of your own boat & enjoy food prepared by The Dock Waterfront Grill. The movie will be held at Atwood Lake Boats-Marina East.

July 27-Pirate Scavenger Hunt: Follow clues and race other boaters/ pirates around the lake in search of treasure and glory. Return to shore and enjoy live entertainment and a caribbean buffet. The hunt begins at Atwood Lake Boats-Marina West.

August 3- Party at the Islands: Enjoy live entertainment on the water at the Annual Party @ the Islands. Party will be held at Boater's Beach Islands on Atwood Lake.

August 17-Float in Movie & Fish Fry: Enjoy fresh fish at the Fish Fry and then watch a movie under the stars from the comfort of your own boat.. The movie will be held at Atwood Lake Boats-Marina East.

August 24-Crab Boil: A good time will be had by all at the Lighthouse Bistro.

August 31-September 1 Labor Day Boat Show: The last boat show of the year offers a look at next years models as well as end of season deals on dealer demos. Also browse through the popular nautical flee market.

September 1-Car Show: Come over, bring your car and enjoy your time at Atwood Lake Boats-Marina West.

September 28- Clambake: Come and enjoy some good food at the Lighthouse Bistro.

As you can see, we are trying to keep you as busy and involved with us here. Remember that any of these could change or we can have new ones added so make sure to keep checking our event page. Also, if you need any more information about any of these events, please come in or call (330)-735-2323.

How To Drop Anchor

Imagine this, you have just spent a few hours cruising around on your boat with your friends and you find this awesome spot that you would like to go swimming. How are you going to keep your boat from floating away while you are enjoying yourself in the water? An anchor. We will discuss the proper way to drop anchor to keep you, your friends, and your boat safe.

The very first thing to remember when dropping an anchor should be done before you even leave the dock. You need to made sure that you have the appropriate anchor onboard. The type of anchor has little to do with the type of boat and more to do with the condition of the water. If you are going to be in a part of the water with mud and sand, then a pivoting fluke anchor is what you would want. If you are going to be in rocks weeds or even sand the plow anchor would be your best bet.

The next step in preparing to anchor is attaching the anchor to the boat. You will want to have three to six feet of galvanized steel chain attached directly to the anchor (This stands up better to the abrasion of sand, rock or mud then a fully nylon rode.) Then you will want to attach the nylon rope for the remainder of the length that you will need. Not sure how much rode you will need? You will need 5-8 times the depth of the water in length. 5 times for day anchoring, 8 times for night anchoring. 

Finally we can get out and find that perfect spot to drop anchor. A couple of things to keep in mind while picking your perfect spot, make sure that you are not going to be in the way of any traffic. You will also want to find a spot that offers protection from the wind and currents.

Once you find your spot try to get an accurate depth of the water so that you can prepare the length of your rode. Secure the anchor line to the bow of the ship where you would like it to stop. Now, turn your boat so that the bow is facing into the wind or current and pop the engine into neutral. Once the boat has stopped moving, slowly drop your anchor. When your anchor hits the bottom idly reverse with your engine to help and set the anchor.

Now that you have anchored your ship, make sure to take a look at your surrounding. Keep track of the landmarks that you see to ensure that your boat is not drifting. As you can see, anchoring is a simple task as long as you follow these guidelines. Tell us, where are you going to go drop anchor?

Wanted: Used Pontoons & Lady Boaters

It's the busiest time of year for a marina right now, as I am sure you can imagine. We're servicing boats to get them out on the water for summer. We're selling some of the last new boats that will make it on the lake this season. We're opening restaurants, planning events and so much more. But there are two specific things going on right now we want to alert you to: we need used pontoons, and we're hosting another Women Making Waves class.

First, the pontoons: If you're thinking about selling and upgrading to a 2013 model Sweetwater, Sanpan or Aqua Patio pontoon, now's a great time. We need used pontoons! They are our fastest selling inventory, especially this time of year. Interested in learning more? We make it easy: just call any of our sales staff Mon-Sat, 9-5, to get a ballpark quote of how much we can give you for your used pontoon. 



Now on to Women Making Waves. This is a course we hold specifically for the ladies to help them feel comfortable at the helm of the boat. Who says boating is for men?? If you own a boat, or just want to feel more comfortable out on the water, join us on Saturday, June 8 for a day of learning. We'll talk boating laws, boating safety, boating practices and much more. We held this event last year, and it was a huge success. Spaces will be limited, so please reserve your space ahead of time. 

Saturday, June 8 at 9 am
at Atwood Marina West
Call 330.364.4703 to reserve your space

Looking forward to seeing you around, whether it be to sell us your pontoon or to join us for Women Making Waves!

Preparing Your Outboard for Boating Season

You might be mentally ready to spend hours on the water, boating away. But is your boat physically ready? One of the most important parts of getting ready for boating season is checking out your engine. Of course, we would be happy to do it for you here. We do service work on Yamaha, Honda, Nissan, Johnson and Evinrude outboard engines.  We have two factory trained and certified Yamaha and Honda technicians that work full time. 

But if you are the more do-it-yourself type, here are a few basic steps you should take to ensure your outboard is just as ready for spring as you are.

• Drain and refill your fuel tanks. Even if you put marine fuel treatment in your tank last winter, ethanol collects water over the winter. So, dispose of all fuel over a month old.
• Charge your batteries or replace them if they are more than two years old.
• Replace your fuel filters, lower unit lube and spark plugs.
• Check all steering, throttle, and shift cables and connections to make sure they work smoothly.
• Check the operation of the engine "kill switch". Run the motor and pull on the kill switch cord to make sure the engine dies instantly.

Last, of course, check your owners manual or factory service manual for its recommended service. 

After taking a long break (like over the winter), it's important to gradually introduce your outboard into usage again.



For a two stroke engine:
For the first 10 minutes:  Run engine at lowest possible speed, a fast idle in gear is best.  
For the next 50 minutes:  Do not exceed half throttle or 3000 rpm.  Vary engine speed occasionally.  
For the 2nd hour:  Accelerate onto plane then reduce to 3/4 throttle and vary engine speed occasionally.  
For the 3rd through 10th hour:  Avoid operating at full throttle for more than 5 minutes at a time.  Let the engine cool between full throttle runs.  Vary engine speed occasionally.  
After the first 10 hours:  Operate engine normally. 



For a four stroke engine:
For the 1st hour:  Run @ 2,000 rpm or no more than half throttle.  
For the 2nd hour:  Increase speed to put boat on plane but avoid full throttle, then back off throttle while keeping boat at a planing speed.  
For the next 8 hours of operation:  Avoid continuous full throttle for more than 5 minutes at a time.  
After the first 10 hours:  Operate engine normally.

Is your outboard ready for spring?