Anglers and recreational boaters are quick to adapt to new boating technology.

Electric trolling motors, depth- finders and live-wells have become standard equipment for many in recent years.

So, what's new on the horizon?

Mark Gaska, general manager of the M. W. Marine boat dealership in Hales Corners, said there were several new innovations, modern conveniences and labor- saving devices available this year. And attending a boat show is a great way to shop and compare these items.

Some of the more interesting items include:

Cordless bow-mounted electric trolling motors.

Anyone who uses a foot pedal to operate a trolling motor knows the frustrations of dealing with awkward wires or cables that connect the pedal to the motor.

With the new motors, Gaska said: "There is a radio transmitter in the foot pedal that sends a signal to the trolling motor. You can operate the motor inside the boat, or any place within 100 feet of the unit, without having a wire or a cable to trip over."

One side benefit of the cordless trolling motor is that a guy who forgot to tie his boat to the pier will actually be able to bring it back before it drifts beyond 100 feet away.

What if another guy with a transmitter comes within 100 feet of your boat?

"There are 6,500 different codes," Gaska said. "If the guy in the next boat has one, you're not going to operate each other's trolling motor."

The cordless trolling motors are manufactured by MotorGuide, of Starkville, Miss., and are available in models with 37 to 50 pounds of thrust. They sell for about $500 to $800, depending on the power and shaft length.

Trailer hub lubrication systems that never need to be changed.

For those who use boat trailers, disassembling the trailer hubs to clean the wheel bearings and repack them in grease is a necessary rite of fall. Failure to perform this annual maintenance can result in rusted wheel bearings and, ultimately, a highway breakdown with costly repairs.

"This new system eliminates the need for the annual maintenance," Gaska said.

The system has a special seal and sleave that slips over the back of the trailer axle and a plastic cap filled with a new lubricant that replaces the hub cap.

"The synthetic lubricant is water-absorbing, so there will be no rust or deterioration of the wheel bearings," he said.

The Liqua-Lube Complete Hub Lubrication System is manufactured by Liqua-Lube, of Lake Mills, Wis. It costs $75 for a do-it-yourself kit or $125 to have one installed.

Environmentally friendly four- cycle outboards.

Responding to the US Environmental Protection Agency's announced plans to cut pollution from exhaust emissions from new marine engines by up to 75% by the year 2007, outboard manufacturers have come out with cleaner-burning four-cycle outboards.

"The EPA is finally coming down on the outboard industry to eliminate hydrocarbons in the water and air," Gaska said.

In traditional two-cycle outboards, oil is mixed with the gas in the gas tank. But four-cycle outboards have a separate oil crankcase, like an automobile engine.

As a result, Gaska said: "Four-cycle outboards burn cleaner, quieter and more efficiently. They get almost 50% better fuel efficiency."

Mariner, Mercury, Yamaha, Johnson and Evinrude have all come out with at least one model of four-cycle outboard, and Honda has a line of them ranging from 2 to 50 horsepower.

The new outboards are more expensive.

"A four-cycle outboard costs 20% to 30% more than a comparable two-cycle outboard," Gaska said.

A 9.9-horsepower Mariner outboard sells for about $1,500 for a two-cycle compared with $1,850 for a four-cycle.

Cartridge system replacement motors for live-well and bilge pumps.

Electric motors that run live- wells and bilge pumps tend to burn out after several years of use.

Removing the entire assembly to replace the motor is a time- consuming job that often costs about $100, Gaska said.

"The cartridge system eliminates the need to remove the entire assembly," Gaska said. "The motor cartridge is easy and convenient to replace. A lot of guys will be able to do it themselves."

The cartridge systems are manufactured by Mayfair Marine, of Schiller Park, Ill. They sell for $32 for live-well systems and $16 for bilge pump systems.

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