What The Tracker Brand Has To Offer

In 1978, Bass Pro Shops' founder Johnny Morris revolutionized the boating industry when he introduced the first fully rigged boat, motor and trailer package on the market. More than 30 years later, that tradition of excellence and innovation is found in every model in the Tracker Marine Group lineup. 

Whether you're searching for your first fishing boat or upgrading the family fun boat, rest assured your boat is crafted to provide you and your family years of quality experiences on the water. Explore what our brands have to offer through the links below.

Click here to learn more about Tracker Boats.

Click here to learn more about Sun Tracker Pontoons.

Click here to learn more about Nitro Bass Boats.

Click here to learn more about Tahoe Boats.

Click here to learn more about Mako Boats.

Now that you've had a chance to see what the Tracker brand has to offer, how can we help you get on the water? Whether you're looking for your next fishing boat, runabout, or pontoon, we can help!

What Are The Different Types of Personal Flotation Devices?

So you've decided to purchase a new personal flotation device or PFD for short. Now is the confusing part, which PFD is right for you. Well it all depends on the type of activity you plan on wearing it for. There are five categories PFD’s and we have them all listed below so you can decide which type is right for you.

Type I: Offshore Life Jackets are made for rough, open, or remote waters. They are bulky and have the most buoyancy because if you are in need of help and stuck in the above-mentioned type of waters, it may be awhile before rescue can get to you. These come in bright colors and are designed to turn most unconscious people face up in the water.

Type II: Near-Shore Vests are made for calm inland waters. These are bulky but not nearly as much as the Type I life jackets. These are designed to turn some unconscious people face up but not all because of the chance of a fast rescue.

Type III: Flotation Aids are made for most paddlers. They offer more movement and comfort because of the chance of a fast rescue. These life jackets are made so that paddlers can put themselves in a face-up position, but may have to tilt their head back to avoid being face down in the water.

Type IV: Throwable Devices are cushions or ring buoys that are made to be thrown out to someone that’s in trouble. It can also be used as a backup to a PFD. These are not designed for non-swimmers, for use in rough waters, or someone that is unconscious.

Type V: Special-Use Devices are made for specific activities. In order to be acceptable by the USCG, they must always be used for the activity specified on the label.

We're Part of a Network

Do you know we have a network program? We sure do. We're part of Classic City Marinas' Network Program. Our customers are welcome to use the marina facilities of any of our affiliate marinas.

For example, you live in Eatonton, Georgia, have your boat here with us, but you're a HUGE Clemson Tiger fan and want to spend fall weekends in Clemson, SC - guess what? You're more than welcome to reserve a temporary slip (subject to availability of course) at Clemson Marina at no additional cost to you. How about that?

The Classic City Marinas' Network include Clemson Marina, Crooked Creek Marina, Thurmond Marina, Bone Island Grill, and Sinclair Marina (that's us!). With the purchase of a boat, you are automatically given FREE membership in Bone Island Grill (B.I.G.) Royalty for Loyalty program. This includes perks like $25 off your next visit to the B.I.G., free entree during your birthday month, free t-shirt after your tenth visit, plus earn free stuff the more you visit any of our B.I.G. restaurants.

Still have questions, feel free to contact us for more information.

Boating Accidents: An Infographic

If you're a visual person, do we have a great infographic for you.

We just found this from gadling.com, and while it was posted 3 years ago, a lot of the data is still relevant. Sure, specific numbers change over time, but overall boating safety trends remain the same. Check it out:

                    (Photo Credit: Boat Insurance)

So what do these numbers say? Well, first thing's first: the number of boating accidents generally decreased throughout the 2000's. This is great news! 

But then comes the not-so-great news. Georgia doesn't rate so well on the boating accident death rates, with 7.5-10 deaths per 100,000 registered boats in 2008. In general, 9 out of 10 people who died in a boating accident in 2008 were not wearing a life jacket. Isn't that crazy?! Let's draw a quick conclusion from that: wearing your life jacket can save your life in a boating accident. So wear one.

There is lots of other interesting data on this infographic, but we'd like to next point your attention to causes of boating deaths. The top causes? Alcohol use, weather and hazardous waters, and passenger and skier behavior, respectively. What can we get from this? Well, don't drink and boat. Georgia is more committed to this with their new boating laws, which is great. Take drinking and boating just as seriously as you take drinking and driving. Next, keep an eye on the weather. Watch the skies and listen to weather forecasts. No need to be out on the water when the weather takes a turn for the worse - it's not worth losing your boat or your life. Finally, keep tabs on your passengers. Don't permit dangerous behaviors while they're on your boat or when you're towing them on skis or a tube. Keep all limbs inside the boat while it's moving. Wear life jackets. Generally speaking, be seated while the boat is in motion. Encouraging safe behaviors as the boat captain might just save someone's life.

What do you think about these numbers? Have you experienced or witness any events that lend some truth to this data?

Tips for Good Night Fishing

Have you ever gone night fishing on Lake Sinclair? The quiet of the lake can bring the bass out in droves, and they won't be spooked by other people or boats. Night fishing can be a really cool experience, but one that you need to prepare for differently than a regular old daytime fishing excursion.

• Simplify your gear. You really don't want to be trying to maneuver around a bunch of gear and tripping or knocking things into the lake. Pare down your collection to just a few lures. Put them in a small tackle box that you can keep on the deck of your boat. Decide which couple of rods you're most likely to use, and lay them over to one side, out of the way.
• Pick the right baits. At night, bass can't see so well. And while they can detect movement while hunting for food, they are mostly sight eaters. So bring black or dark patterned bait that produce maximum contrast against the clay bottom or against a starlight surface. Carry some metallic baits that can reflect any ambient light.
  
• Keep accessories on you. If you need any tools (like a hook sharpener, scissors, etc), try to keep it on your belt or around your neck so you can easily grab them instead of searching for them in the dark.
• Keep noise to a minimum. Talking doesn't transmit under water well, so that's fine. But avoid dropping things and banging around, as that sort of noise does transmit under water and will scare your fish away. 
• Follow the laws. Safety is your first priority, so make sure your navigation lights are on and you are aware of your surroundings. Be visible to other boaters, and don't fish in high traffic areas.

There are other night fishing tips in this article as well.

How do you feel about fishing at night?

The Sporty (and Comfy) Tahoe Q5i

"Goodbye, Friday. hello, weekend!"




That's Tahoe's tagline for their Q5i boat, and we couldn't agree with it more. As one of the few runabouts we sell, we hold the Q5i in high esteem for being a fun, versatile boat great for the whole family, and great on Lake Sinclair. This boat, as we say, is 19.5 feet of fun.

Let's start in the back. The boat is equipped with a Mercruiser stern drive, which has enough power for water skiing and other fun water sports. (The boat has a stainless ski tow ring as well.) Above that engine is a best-in-class swim platform, which is larger than many others on boats this size. It's a great place to lounge, sit with friends or jump off of.

Just forward of the swim platform is an aft sundeck, the perfect cushioned spot to catch some rays or just relax on the lake. And what's below that big cushion, you ask? Storage! To get from the sundeck to the swim platform, you simply push in the aft jump seat, which creates a step. Once you're ready to get going again, pull the cushion back out and voila - another cushioned seat! All in all, there is full-width aft seating with an insulated cooler/storage below the port seat and a 36-qt. cooler below middle seat.

The helm features a swivel bucket seat and a nice looking panel with gauges. There's also a passenger swivel bucket seat - and both are adjustable. The passenger gets to play DJ, as the AM/FM radio with MP3 jack is installed right there. 

In the bow, the two lounge seats have storage underneath them. And, what's more, those storage compartments are insulated, so they can double as coolers. There's also a large storage compartment under the floor, which can hold skis and other large pieces of equipment. 

Overall, the boat has a sporty, fun look, comfortable seats and the versatility that any lake boat should provide. Watch the video on the boat here.

What do you think about the Tahoe Q5i?

Why Dry Stack?

Where do you currently store your boat when you're not on the water? On a trailer in your backyard? In your driveway? Both of those places don't exactly allow for your boat to be out of the way. But we have a place, right here at the marina, that's perfect for your boat - it's out of your way and closer to the water. What is this place? Our dry stack storage. 



Now if you've never used dry stack storage before, you might be wondering why on earth it is something you should even consider. So here's a list (and it's not complete!) of reasons to consider dry stack.

1. When you arrive the boat is in the water, cleaned up and ready to go. Seriously. We get your boat down and get it ready for a day on the lake, whether that means we hose it down or gas it up or anything else that needs to be done.
2. When you’re done for the day, just hand us the keys. (We think this is the best benefit of storing here.) You don't have to ruin the end of a perfectly lovely day out on Lake Sinclair with the drudgery of washing your boat down, cleaning everything up and trailering home. When you're done boating, you can just let us take care of those not-so-fun tasks.
3. Discounts. Everyone likes a good discount, right? Our dry stack storage customers are entitled to discounts on service, parts, ship store items and fuel. (Saving on gas?! That benefit alone might make dry stack storage totally worth it for you.

So there you have it. Three compelling (we think) reasons to store your boat here at Sinclair Marina. No more having to trailer your boat and losing valuable time unloading and loading. And this goes for everyone. Even if you have a boathouse on the lake, you'll save time not having to clean and gas up for the weekend. Or maybe you'll save valuable time if you can get to your house quicker by water and leave your car at the marina. Downtown Milledgeville and the grocery store are only minutes from here.

So what do you think? Is dry stack storage a good option for you? Interest is high, so you'll need to reserve a spot soon if you'd like one. Find our rates and the storage request form on our website.

Hope we can find your boat a good home, and save you some time!