Operation Dry Water

Imagine this, a warm day, the sun glistening off the water, and a power boat at hand. Now that sounds like a fun day on the water, but adding alcohol to the mix can turn a fun day into a tragic day. That is why Operation Dry Water was established. Operation Dry Water is a national boating under the influence (BUI) awareness and enforcement campaign. This years campaign runs this weekend June 28-30.

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), working with the states, the U.S. Coast Guard and other partner agencies, coordinate the event each year. Are you wondering what you can do to participate during Operation Dry Water (ODW)?  You can start by taking the pledge to never boat under the influence. After taking the pledge, boaters will receive a sticker that can be placed on their boat, car, etc. which will signify that the boater is a supporter of ODW and an advocate for responsible boating. As a boater, we ask that you support the efforts of the USCG, NASBLA, and local law enforcement by educating friends and families about Operation Dry Water and the dangerous of BUI. Most importantly we ask that you live by the pledge and never Boat Under the Influence! 

Participating Law Enforcement agencies are asked to increase BUI enforcement during the targeted weekend. This can be done by focusing on a particular body of water, by increasing patrols in several locations, by conducting BUI checkpoints in one or more locations or through a combination of these activities. Agencies are also asked to work with their local media to make the public aware of the event and the hazards of Boating Under the Influence of alcohol and drugs. Make sure to willingly comply to the requests made by participating agencies to continue to enjoy your time on the water safely.

17% of boating fatalities are a direct result of alcohol. Use Operation Dry Water this weekend to help spread the word that alcohol and boating do not mix.

Ronix Pro Rider Coming to Marine Specialty!

Hopefully, you've heard the news by now. But if not...



We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting a Ronix pro rider for a demo on Tuesday, June 18th! This will be a great experience for all of us to see an awesome professional wakeboarder, Adam Errington, do his thing on WIlson Lake. 

But it gets even better: the first 25 people to sign up will be able to join the rider on the boat, get tips and tricks, and ask questions. Don't you want the inside scoop from a Ronix pro? So here's the deal: call us ASAP to sign up. We'll need your name, email and phone number so we can stay in touch about details for the day. Please note that this demo day goes from 9am to 4pm, so please plan to be here at 8am so we can figure out where to ride based on the weather conditions.

There wil be a $25 cost per person to help cover the rider's travel expenses. In addition, we'll be serving a hamburgers and brats for lunch. Finally, we'll have incentives on bindings, boards and wake skates!

If you don't get a spot, not to worry: we'll have other boats available so you can watch (it just won't be as up close and personal). In addition, our pro shop will be fully stocked with Ronix gear - boards, life jackets and much more. It will be a great day to get great Ronix gear and knowledge!

So make sure to register your spot as soon as possible - they are filling up quickly. Looking forward to seeing you out on the lake on June 18th!

A Whole New Language

Ever since we put our wakeboards on sale, it's all we can think about. Wakeboarding, that is. We just can't wait for the air and the water to warm up just enough so we can jump in, plane off and go. Are you a wakeboarder? If you answered yes, chances are you already know that there's a different sort of language wakeboarders use to describe thigs. If you answered no, we suggest you learn a bit about this language in preparation for the wakeboarding season (because everyone should at least try it!):



Bone it out: to straighten a limb

Butt check: to hit the water with your behind while completing a trick, recovering and continuing

Case the wake: landing directly on top of the wake

Eye-opener: falling so fast you don’t have time to close your eyes

Landing blind: landing with your back to the boat and the rope handle behind you

Load the line: build tension on the wakeboard rope to increase your “pop” when you jump

Stomp the landing: landing a trick cleanly

Wake to wake: jumping off the first wake, then landing on the downside of the other



Are there other wakeboarding terms you use or have heard used frequently? Which is your favorite?

Welcome to Our Blog!

Welcome to the new Marine Specialty blog! We'll be posting about once a month. This blog will serve to educate you on boating techniques, supplies, plans and so much more.





But first, let's educate you on us! We are Marine Specialty, LLC, a locally owned business in Wilson, Kansas, with over 15 years of experience in the water sport business. We sell Lowe Boats and Liquid Force and Ronix wake boards, and have been a Mercury Marine dealer for 12 years. We've got a full time certified mechanic on duty who has been certified for over 15 years. We work on all makes and models of boats and engines. We recently moved to our new location where we built a bigger shop and a massive showroom to put our new boat inventory. We also have a huge outside dry storage for boats and campers of any size. We carry all the boating accessories you will need to go out and play or boat on the water.



So now that you know about us, we want to know something about you: what sorts of things would you like us to write about? Are there tips and tricks you'd like us to share? Current events you want us to explore? Our ears are open!



Here's to lots of blogging!