Firstmate Controls

With the enhancement of marine technology, owning a boat and dock has never been so easy.  Firstmate Controls  is sharing with you just a few of our favorite  marine electronic devices  you need to install to ensure your boat and dock are secure, your time on the water is enjoyable, and your worries are minimal - check them out! Marine Stereo System Install a waterproof marine grade stereo system to your boat and dock to get the party started! There are several options for marine approved stereo systems loaded with features such as built-in bluetooth, AM/FM radio, USB drive readers, auxiliary jacks and much more to make listening to music on the water easy. From dock to boat to dock again, the fun doesn't have to stop when you come off the water if you've got a marine stereo system installed in both your boat and dock. Remote Dock Lighting Imagine you're out on the lake at night and you forgot to turn your dock lights on for your arrival. Well no more wo...

When it comes to keeping your boat, lift and dock safe, you want the best boat lift remote control system on the market!  Firstmate Controls  has some featured products that you'll love. We make shopping for dock accessories and  remote control systems  easy. We don't just have remote control systems, we also carry parts for servicing systems as well.  Check out our website  for more products that we have in stock. Manual Boxes Features: Full Port Valves  Handle Stops Standard Remote Features: Emergency Handles  Remote Controlled  Safety Valve Drivers Generation 3 Pro Features:  Faster Operation  Even Easier to Use  Emergency Handles  Remote Controlled  Safety Valve Drivers  Smart Controls  Lift Monitoring  Programmable Positions  Remote Lighting Option from Key Fob: Dock Lights, Ambient or Cove Theatre Lighting   *Features included on all Firstmate Systems...

This year, the annual Overland Park Boat Show will be taking place on January 4-7 at the Overland Park Convention Center. You can bet Firstmate Controls will be there showcasing our state of the art boat lift remote control systems ! Don't miss the opportunity to check out an abundance of boats and boating accessories from all over the state. The Annual Overland Park Boat Show is brought to you by the Lake of the Ozarks Marine Dealers Association. All attending vendors have one common goal in mind: to promote fun on the Lake! This event showcases products like cruisers, runabouts, performance boats, tritoons, ski boats, personal watercrafts, docks, lifts and all boating accessories etc. in the Marine & Boat industry. Event Information Presented By: Overland Park Convention Center Dates: January 4, 2018 - January 7, 2018 Location: Overland Park Convention Center Address: 6000 College Blvd. Time: Thursday: 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm Friday: Noon - 10:00 pm Saturday: 10:00 am -...

‘Tis the season to make New Year’s resolutions! But if you've ever attempted to make a resolution in the past, you may have noticed that most resolutions relate to changing bad habits or attempting to change negative aspects of your life. As boaters who know the importance of living happy, Firstmate Controls thinks it’s time to put a more positive spin onto this time honored tradition and create a list built to bring out the positive aspects of your life. Check out our list of New Year's resolutions you'll actually WANT to keep! Spend More Quality Time with Family and Friends Consider the amount of time you spend at work every week. Now consider the amount of time you get to spend with your family and friends. Is there a healthy balance? Probably not. By the time we get home from work, most of us are too exhausted to give our family and friends the full attention that we'd like to give. We always say we'll make up for that time by planning a vacation or weeken...

Got a family member who's hard to shop for? Don't struggle finding ideas this year for Christmas gifts for the boat enthusiast in your life. The answer really is very simple. Firstmate Controls has some featured marine equipment products that they'll love! We make shopping for dock accessories and  remote control systems  easy. We don't just have remote control systems, we also carry parts for servicing systems as well. Check out our website for more products that we have in stock for the boat enthusiast in your life! Manual Boxes Features: Full Port Valves  Handle Stops Standard Remote Features: Emergency Handles  Remote Controlled  Safety Valve Drivers Generation 3 Pro Features:  Faster Operation  Even Easier to Use  Emergency Handles  Remote Controlled  Safety Valve Drivers  Smart Controls  Lift Monitoring  Programmable Positions  Remote Lighting Option from ...

One of the great perks of  buying a boat lift remote control system  from  Firstmate Controls  is the awesome user support that you get. Not only do we have a user friendly support request option online, but we provide instructional videos and printable user guides on our website as well - and if that's not enough, you can always just pick up the phone and call us! We believe that to provide excellent customer service you have to also provide easy user support in ways that consumers best understand it. That's why we have several different methods of instructional and troubleshooting support options available on our website. Here are some of the ways  Firstmate Controls  quickly assists you with your questions, installations, and troubleshooting issues. Firstmate Controls Product Information  Overview Firstmate Controls provides information about each system we manufacture so making a selection is quick and easy. You can quickly view all of th...

Did you know it's National Fishing Month? This year, National Fishing Month goes from July 22nd through August 29th, not that we needed another reason to head out on the water to partake in one of our favorite pastimes. There's nothing quite as relaxing, enjoyable, and at times as exhilarating as fishing. From enjoying the peacefulness of being on the water, to bonding with friends, to catching a monster of a fish you can gloat about to all of your buddies, there's nothing quite like the sport of fishing.  Firstmate Controls  has some helpful hints to make sure your fishing experience is memorable and will be a great story to be told for a lifetime! Let's take a look: Do Some Research Before just taking out on the water with random bait and tackle that you've accumulated over the years, be sure to do some research on the fish you're aiming to catch. With heavy boat traffic and hot temperatures of the "dog days" of Summer, fishing conditions ma...

You love spending time on the water, and enjoy entertaining guests on both your boat and dock. When enjoying a fun-filled day on the water with friends and family, an accident on the dock is the last thing anyone wants to deal with. Common sense and proper precautions will help ensure a safe summer on the water. Firstmate Controls has 5 simple tips to ensure proper dock safety and maintenance to help prevent dock mishaps. 1. Have Your Dock Inspected With the natural elements that a dock is constantly under, any number of problems and malfunctions can occur. So, an important step in maintaining a dock is to ensure proper installation and maintenance of electrical equipment on docks and on boats. Have a professional electrician inspect all of the electrical systems on or near the water and bring them up to code, and periodically check the dock cables for frays or breaks and replace any worn out or damaged cables. 2. Keep Your Dock Clear of Debris If you allow your dock to become...

These days everyone is trying to conserve money, and we don't blame them. We do the same, but in our own little ways. We're of course not going to forego our favorite pastime activity just to save a few dollars, but we do have some suggestions on how to prevent spending money unnecessarily by preserving the life of your boat engine. Take a look at the four habits Firstmate Controls recommends getting into to make your boat engine last longer. Run Your Engine Regularly Letting your boat sit all year long without being run is good for your engine. Oil drains away from internal components and back into the pan, but running the engine every so often, even when you don’t have a chance to really use it, helps keep things in working order. Running the engine also gets the gas moving so it won’t just sit inside your fuel system and create varnish. It's also not a bad idea to run fuel stabilizer all summer long — not just during winter storage — to keep the fuel from getting ...

Boating is a favorite pastime for many people. And if you are lucky enough to have a boat to hit the rivers and lakes in Missouri, you know what we mean. There is no better feeling than spending a day out on the water with friends and family. Naturally, if you have children you will want to include them in your on-the-water fun. This week, Firstmate Controls offers some tips to make boating fun and safe when children are present: WEARING LIFE JACKETS Even the best swimmers should still practice safe boating by wearing a life jacket. Since you never know what could happen at any given moment, it's best to wear a life jacket at all times to avoid drowning. Your child’s life jacket should fit snugly and have a collar that will turn the child face up if he/she enters the water. Choose a jacket or vest that has a handle on it and is brightly colored for high visibility. By getting your child used to wearing their life jacket regularly while on the boat, they will be less likel...

We've got another spectacular holiday weekend coming up, which means boaters will be coming out in force to celebrate! We want all who go out to celebrate this Fourth of July on the water to take boating safety seriously. This week, Firstmate Controls will be focusing on sharing ways to stay safe in rough water conditions. Take a look: Check your Vessel Thoroughly Before heading out on the water, it's important to make sure your boat systems are functioning properly. Make sure your gas tank is full, and that you know where your nearest fuel stations are located. Make sure your battery is holding charge as it should. Check the navigation system and lights to make sure they're working. Be a Defensive Driver There will be a lot of boats on the water, and unfortunately, not all of those boat operators will be giving their full attention to their surroundings. It is your responsibility to keep an eye on other boaters and your surroundings and to act accordingly to ensu...

The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day to get out on the water! But what to do once you're there? Sure, you could just idle your way downstream and enjoy soaking up the sun. But when there's so many other activities you could be doing instead, why wouldn't you take advantage of the opportunity? Firstmate Controls has some great boating activities for you to try out - check them out! Spend the Afternoon Fishing You already know how the fishing is at your normal go-to spot. Spend the day visiting different fishing spots, or you can simply drop anchor at a new spot to see what you can catch. You never know, you may stumble upon a sweet spot and catch some of the biggest fish you've ever caught! But even if you don't come home with anything, the day is not wasted when you get to spend time on the water casting a line. Get Adventurous with Water Sports Going out on the boat doesn't have to mean just sitting on the boat. There are plenty of adventu...

This summer get out and enjoy one of life's favorite pleasures, fishing! There's nothing quite as relaxing, enjoyable, and at times as exhilarating as fishing. From enjoying the peacefulness of being on the water, to bonding with friends, to catching a monster of a fish you can gloat about to all of your buddies, there's nothing quite like the sport of fishing.  Firstmate Controls has some helpful hints to make sure your fishing experience is memorable and will be a great story to be told for a lifetime! Let's take a look: Do Some Research Before just taking out on the water with random bait and tackle that you've accumulated over the years, be sure to do some research on the fish you're aiming to catch. Going out with catfish bait when you're hoping to reel in some large mouth bass isn't going to get you very far. By researching, you'll find that buzz-bait and live bait are most attractive to large mouth bass. Also, you need to know when ...

This summer you'll likely spend much of your free time out on the water, and we think that's fantastic! But how much work do you generally put into making your day on the water epic or keeping your boat and dock safe while you're not around to tend to it? With the enhancement of marine technology, your answer could be very little - meaning you're enjoying your boat more than fretting over it. Firstmate Controls has come up with a list of MUST-HAVE  marine electronic devices you need to install to ensure your boat and dock are secure, your time on the water is enjoyable, and your worries are minimal - check them out! Marine Stereo System Install a waterproof marine grade stereo system to your boat and dock to get the party started! There are several options for marine approved stereo systems loaded with features such as built-in bluetooth, AM/FM radio, USB drive readers, auxiliary jacks and much more to make listening to music on the water easy. From dock to bo...