Enjoy the Charm of the Great Lakes
Published: Thursday, November 3, 2011 7:00 am
By: Megan Straw, Loadmaster Trailer Company Ltd.
The beginning of this October was such a treat: amazing weather perfect for the “last hoorah” of boating. Our dock mates rarely actually use their boat; rather they live on it on the weekends in the summer and keep it at the dock. When we came back from boating on October 9th, he told us years ago, he remembers he used to wait until there was snow on his boat to have it pulled, because he could not fathom the idea of missing a nice day on his boat. As an avid boater, when you know the nice days are ticking away, you latch on even tighter.
This past weekend: Oct 7-9th, the weather was amazing and our family went boating three out of four perfect weather days. Owning a family business that is busiest this time of year, it is so difficult to get out of the office in time but we could not resist. Being a Great Lakes boater means having a limited boating season so you really soak up your chances to get on the lake!
I have noticed our local hotels have been booked from Wed-Sunday this fall and it appears a lot of the weekly rental units in our condo association have been filled as well. It is so incredibly promising to hear that the fishing has been good and people are still using their boats! Even in the winter months, many people take refuge on the lakes enjoying ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating etc. Without the lakes as our backyard and playground, we would be lost.
The unsettling thing is seeing all the algae in the water and how it is escalating. The water around our dock looks like pea soup it is so thick. Together, we need to find a way to bond together to protect our water and our lakes; to ensure our love and tradition of family boating and exploring can continue! The algae needs to be regulated, otherwise it is going to affect our marine life which will, obviously, hurt the fishing industry and tourism so many Great Lakes towns rely on.
Try to make the best of your winter, even without exploring the charm of the Great Lakes. Take some time this winter to give your boat a little extra love: check the batteries and safety gear on board, your flares and kits to make sure they are not expired. It never hurts to do an electronics check to ensure everything is still wired properly to prevent any issues come spring time. Similarly, be sure to do your winter check on your boat trailer. The winter is a good time to do a thorough check on the frame strength, bunking security, bearing inspection, brake pad inspection, tire wear, etc. Get your boat and trailer ready so, come an EARLY SPRING (fingers crossed), you are ready to get back on the Great Lakes!
Happy Winter, Everyone!
Megan Straw
Marketing Director of Loadmaster Trailer Co. LTD
www.loadmastertrailerco.com; 800-258-6115
[email protected]
