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I've used the spray "brake cleaner" successfully. Don't know if it's any less "fumy", but I am pretty sure it's just a flammable as Ronsonol. I believe some folks also use Simple Green 50/50 with warm water to degrease. This would be a much more fragrent and less dangerous option for sure. Good luck!

Try Cabelas. Here is the info for the order I made 12/04. Item #: 01-0157 Eagle PD-WBK Transducer @ $42.99 each Good luck!

I think I would locate a suitable motor or boat/motor combo before I would start cutting on the boat. JMHO here...Good luck.

The TR-20 is a great fishing boat. You might expand your search to the 2001 and up TR-20's as they are rated for 225HP. Mine is a 2002 w/225 Merc. Opti. It fishes and handles great and will run well into the 70's. Be advised that you will have to master high performance boat driving to get the last 5-10 percent of top end. Good luck with your search.

Now that you've got the 'gill's concentrated, if you'll just let me know where that dock is located, I'll gladly skip a tube around it and try to give any bass nearby some excersize. NICE country up there!!

The 225 Pro XS is ~$1300 over a regular 225 Opti. Both are 3 liter DFI engines that run on 87 octane fuel. Depending on the rig expect 1 to 3 MPH gain with the XS. BTW, reliability is fine with either choice. Good luck with your choice.

Minn Kota Maxxum 80# would be my choice.

If you don't use your kill switch you are not only endangering yourself if you get tossed. Your rig doesn't particularly care if you are behind the wheel or not. It keeps going. WEAR YOUR KILL SWITCH. How hard is it??!!

The hot foot is NOT a toy. It is, IMO, a valuable piece of safety equipment second only to the kill switch. Add blinker trim to your list as well. Keeping two hands on the wheel is a GOOD thing. Even with hydraulic steering, it is impossible to make avoidance maneuvers at speed with one hand while trying to grab the throttle and trim with the other.

Take someone with you that knows boats when you go to look at the rig. Check the Coast Guard rating plate for max HP rating and avoid any rig that is under powered. Check the hull for stress cracks, dings or holes. Pay CLOSE attention to the transom area. Have someone pull up on the foot of the motor while you look for flexing in the transom. While your back there make sure the steering is not too tight or too loose. Make sure all electronics, guages, switches, lights, pumps, etc. work. Have the motor compression and LU pressure tested by a GOOD tech. Plan on having to have the engine tuned and the water pump and LU grease changed. The engine service could run $200-400. Do not over look the condition of the trailer and tires. You will probably have to service the bearings at the very least. Take all this into consideration and adjust your offer accordingly. Good luck with your search.

I fish docks a lot. My bait of choice about 95% of the time is a tube in a natural color rigged with a 1/8 oz. insert head. I use the BPS tubes and WalMart heads. Both are cheap and you will lose some. I will also skip a floating worm and 4" Senko. I present these with a 7' medium All Star and Symetre 4000 with 10 P-Line Fluoroclear. All that being said, I think getting your lure back under the dock is the main thing. Concentrate on the pilings and don't overlook the back side of the dock. The lures mentioned above work for me, but what you're using should get you bit, especially this time of year. Keep putting it in there, watch your line, and be ready to jerk!

I don't think Vision is in business any more. That's probably explains the lack of info. If I were looking for a used rig, I would be looking for one of the major brands currently in business - Triton, Ranger, Bass Cat; Skeeter, Statos, Champion, etc. All of the above make good boats. Good luck with your search.

Dual Pro LS3100's if the budget can stand it. Group 31 Delco Voyagers next choice. Good luck!

My .02 here. I'd find one to try before I spent the $150. I did buy a automatic SOS. A manual is useless if you are incapacitated. For me it just wasn't a good solution for these reasons. Even the auto model takes some time to inflate. Neither model will inflate fully in cold temps - like now. I didn't like the way if rubbed around my neck especially when wearing anything without a collar. I also had concerns about how well it would stay on, and the lack of protection it provided if you got tossed at speed. There are a bunch of vest styles out there. After some "research" I wound up replacing my old vest with a Stearns from Walmart for about $30. I'm selling the SOS. Do what you think is best for you. None of them are any good if they're laying on the seat. Good Luck!

Go here http://www.weather.com/weather/local/ type in your zip code. The result is current weather conditions with radar for your area. Book mark the URL and check before you leave for the lake. Always take a rain suit!

Good job, guy!!

Some type of eye protection is a must whether you are behind a console or not. Can be a helmet, goggles or wrap around sunglasses with a GOOD lanyard. Try hitting a june bug at 70 and see if it don't leave a mark. Could easily loose your eye! Just as important as a vest IMO.