Repair your boat trailer with the right parts for safety and wear

It was dicey there for a minute! An emergency boat trailer repair consisted of rope, duct tape and a two-by-four. But now that the boat is back on the water, it's time to repair this retro-fitted boat trailer with the right parts for safety and longtime wear.

Watch Capt. Ed Sabatini discuss which parts are the right parts to keep this boat trailer in its best condition in the elements. He'll be building a new bow stop, resetting and recovering the bunks and more. Repair list includes hot-dipped galvanized U bolts, bunk carpet, pressure-treated two-by-fours, and stainless steel fasteners and screws.

Need a trailer or a boat repaired? Capt. Ed has the know-how you need. It may be time you to hitch to his trailer!

Make money from your refurbished boat

Captain Ed and his team at Bob's Discount Marine Supply in DeLand are making repairs to a 17-foot POLAR Flats Skiff. The owner is repairing the vessel to sell. With only 20 hours of labor and $200 in parts, the boat will double in value.

Watch Captain Ed discuss here what repairs will bring in the money -- from new rub rails to hull buffing -- and see the tricks that can earn you cash for your boat, or ensure your continued enjoyment of the vessel for years to come.

Beat the heat with marine accessories

Check out our wide variety of ladders,
platforms, binini tops, and polarized eyewear
at Bob's Discount Marine Supply
on Spring Garden Avenue.

Even though summer’s drawing to an end, we still have some hot months ahead of us and plenty of time for fun in the sun. Now’s a good time to stock up on “beat the heat” boating accessories at Bob's Discount Marine Supply.

The Florida sun is hard on your eyes, so make sure you protect them with sunglasses. You can’t beat polarized lenses for outdoor performance because they block the intense glare that’s reflected off water. I recommend Costa Del Mar and Calcutta sunglasses because they’re durable and offer a wide range of styles from edgy to classic. If you can afford $150 for a pair of sunglasses, go for the Costas. If not, buy a pair of Calcuttas, which run from $20 to $30. We have both brands in stock year-round.

Florida is no place to be driving topless. For $200 to $300, you can protect yourself from the sun and rain with a bimini top. Aluminum tubing is standard, and the covers come in dozens of colors and materials. Most bimini tops can be collapsed and stored when you’re not using them so you might want to add a storage boot for under $50. Looking for something less pricey than a bimini? Consider a boatbrella for $50. What we don't carry in-store, we can order from our suppliers, and still pass the savings on to you! We order from our suppliers for next-day delivery, and there's no shipping costs!

Cool off with a new swim platform and ladder. These items are maintenance-free and easy to assemble. Look for stainless steel tubing and polyethylene platforms that won’t bleach, fade or crack. Depending on your taste, you can expect to spend $122 to $230. Ladders are helpful for swimming, skiing, diving and emergencies. We have all kinds of ladders – boarding ladders, diving ladders, inflatable ladders, and even telescoping ladders that extend easily into the water. They range from $40 to $250, with the diving ladders on the high end.

It's still hot out there, friends. Let us help you beat the heat. Give us a call at (386) 738-3701 or stop by today!

-- Captain Ed

Boat Propellers: Does yours need some TLC?

Hi friends,

When's the last time you took a look at your boat's propeller? Did you run into something that could have damaged it last time you were out? Is it possibly so worn it doesn't work like it should?

In this brief video, I'm talking to you about how to know when your prop should be replaced; the process is amazingly simple. Having the best prop you can on your vessel will help ensure its highest functioning.

We send props out all the time for maintenance, repair and sometimes...replacement. Call me to learn more: 386-738-3701.

Thanks and see you soon,
Captain Ed

Extend your boat's life with a propertly fitted custom cover

Today we’re talking about custom boat covers. This Fourwinds is about four years old. It was garage kept until recently, but now is stored on a lake dock. The tenting, thanks in part to interior structures, keep the water from pooling on this handmade cover, and will help keep this boat in its best possible condition. All-stainless steel fasteners, a few snaps and high-quality fabric are essential to this project.

At Bob’s Discount Marine Supply in DeLand, we built the interior structure out of sturdy PVC, and it’s fully collapsible and storable. We order covers that are handmade locally for a perfect custom fit.

Extend the life of your boat with a custom cover. Call us today for an estimate and let’s keep your boat in its best condition in and out of the water.

– Captain Ed

Street Gas vs. Your Boat's Engine: Guess Who's Winning

Check out this recent video with Captain Ed Sabatini. He's been working on a 2007 Mercury engine with fuel-related problems: hard-starting, rough-riding and occassionally, stalling.

Get the inside scoop on how to take better care of your boat's engine in this video, and the harm using street gas can caus. Then, make a doctor's appointment for your engine by calling Captain Ed at (386) 738-3701.

Talon: A Shallow - Water Anchor at work

Boat control is everything, especially in shallow water. That's why Minn Kota has developed the ultimate weapon in the battle for boat positioning: Talon. Talon deploys faster, holds stronger and runs quieter thatn the competition, with an arsenel of features that keep you on the fish all day long. Talon makes anchoring easy and automatic, and it's built with the legendary durability, precision and perofrmance of a Minn Kota. -- Minn Kota, 2011

Here's Capt. Ed Sabatini demonstrating Talon after a recent install. This anchor is as user-friendly as it gets!

Ed’s View: Radial vs. Bias Tires on Boat Trailers

Bob’s Discount Marine Supply has had some great customer interest lately in our store’s wheels and tire promotions. The store has had excellent prices on wheels and tires – realmarine saltwater wheels and tires.

People often ask me about putting radial tires on boat trailers. Here’s the deal: Radial tires are for going straight. They don’t have the tolerance for the kind of torque you put on wheels and tires when pulling, loading and unloading a boat on and off a trailer. 

When you back up a trailer, the wheels actually deform. Bias tires have strong sidewalls and carry high pressues. They allow more of a twisting motion and work in tandem together, like when you have six wheels working together in close proximity on a boat trailer.

We've had several reports and personal experience of the entire tread coming off of radial tires (like the 'alligators' you see laying on the side of the road). Sometimes, you’ll see a tire that should be straight and gets more and more crooked as the trailer moves. You’ll tear up the sidewalls of radial tires when towing and moving a boat. Not a great thing, especially if you’re traveling along the 7-mile bridge in the Florida Keys.

It’s almost as costly to replace a wheel as it is to replace a tire and a wheel. Cost is typically $79 to $109 for 13- to 14-inch wheels and tires, hot-dipped galvanized wheels (as opposed to Chinese galvanized, which is akin to gray paint).

Stop in and see our selection. Our prices can’t be beat.

Captain Ed Sabatini

Bob’s Discount Marine Supply

215 S. Spring Garden Avenue

DeLand, Florida

(386) 738-3701


Bob's Discount Marine Supply is your local source for the best deals and the most comprehensive selection of boating accessories and repair for saltwater, flats and freshwater fishing.

About Bob's Discount Marine Supply, DeLand, Florida

Your wife called...she said you can buy anything you want!

At Bob's Discount Marine Supply, Captain Ed Sabatini and staff are the local experts, suppliers and repair technicians for boats and marine supplies throughout Volusia County and beyond. We specialize in repairing, accessorizing and supplying vessels with the parts they need to perform their best, and sharing our boating and fishing expertise to help fishermen and women perform their best on the water.

No matter your fishing preference (flats, saltwater or freshwater) or your experience level, Bob's Discount Marine is your best source for hard-to-find, name-brand and quality parts.

Our inventory of marine supplies includes:

• Marpac marine instruments
• Winch reels
• Minn Kota electric fishing motors
• Watersnake tracers
• Safety equipment
• Fire extinguishers
• Life jackets
• Power poles
• Trolling motors
• Bilge pumps
• Slip-ring anchors
• Danforth anchors
• Teak oil
• Translucent finishes for boats
• Clear plastic restorer and cleaner
• Vinyl cleaner and shampoo
• Protectant
• Milder stain remover
• Salt terminator
• Cleaners and waxes
• Boat wash
• Deck cleaner
• Magic wadding polish
• Hull and bottom cleaner
• Cleaner and disinfectant
• Chains (coated, stainless steel, galvanized)
• Lights
• Dock lines
• Costa del Mar sunglasses

Your boat's electrical system

There are several options for boaters when it comes to lighting up their vessel and surrounding water, and can't-do-without electrical components as well. Here's Capt. Ed Sabatini with more information on boaters' lighting an electrical options.

Selecting a Trolling Motor

There's a lot to consider when selecting a trolling motor for your boat. You may be amazed at the technology available to you, too.

Here's Capt. Ed talking about the different kinds of trolling motors and how to select the best one for what you want to accomplish on the water.

Around the Store



Trolling motors

Trailer hitches and tires

Winches

GPS systems and fishfinders