Fishing Rhino

Get a decent VHF radio to communicate with boats in your area. There are two main channels which you can use to contact other boats in your vicinity, or to hail the Coast Guard. It is the designated channel for hailing other boats or to put in a distress call to the Coast Guard. Once you contact another boat via channel 16 you should switch to another channel for further communications. Channel 9 is generally used by commercial navigation traffic. It is used for hailing and for conversation. In this area channel 6 is generally used for conversation, but it can get crowded. Check with someone in your areal, and they can tell you what channels are used. It is an important tool for safety and navigation. Learn and know the rules of the "road" and learn what buoy colors and types of buoys indicate. Remember, in busy waters, the big boys, (freighters, cargo vessels, tugs, etc., cannot maneuver quickly so stay well clear of their course. You can hail them. You are not likely to know the names of those vessels, but you can call them using a description of where they are and where they are headed. For example. This is -------- calling the southbound freighter in the vicinity of buoy 6 in Buzzards Bay. I can assure you they will appreciate it. I lobstered for well over twenty years in Buzzards Bay, most of it in the steamer channel. On foggy days with next to zero visibility, when I'd see a large vessel headed in my direction on the radar screen, I'd call them, telling them what I was doing and then asked them if I was in their line of travel. If I was, I'd go to a set of gear that would take me out of harms way, and provide peace of mind for the other skipper. Generally I had the radar set on the six mile range which provided ample time to get out of their way. Like most other things in life, communication can be critical. A safe boating course should cover all these things.

Here's mine. I have an eye splice which slips over the step in the winch stand. The clip is stainless steel, available at Home Depot and other hardware stores. I think it was about seven dollars. I coil up the line then use the bungees to keep the line secure to the stand. The clip is always attached to the bow eye. I disconnected it for the sake of the photo.

I use a much longer rope. And, I back the trailer in slowly until it floats, then I just pull forward, with the boat at rest in the water. The boat is sitting still with no momentum. The rope is long enough so the trailer has no part of it in or above the water. With the trailer clear of the water, I can then pull the boat onto the ramp by hand. Don't do this without some type of keel guard on the bow of your boat. Concrete and gel coat are not compatible. One other thing. Use a polyester rope or something similar that doesn't have a lot of stretch. Nylon is like having the boat on a slingshot. The line will stretch quite a bit to get the boat moving. Once it does start to move, there is a lot of energy stored in the line which will shoot the boat forward. I have found that you cannot have too long a line, within reason. But it is possible to have a line that is too short.

I could be mistaken. It's happened once or twice before, but I don't think the thermostat has to open before the telltale starts peeing. My Optimax, and those of my friends have a steady stream which shows the pump is working within a few seconds of initial starting. Seems to me that would be about right for the pump to fill all the cavities between the pump and the telltale outlet.

Big enough to handle my gear with room to spare, and provide easy access to regularly used baits, foul weather gear, and the first aid kit. Something that is stable and doesn't feel like it wants to tip over when a beefy buddy or I make sudden movements. The fastest I've seen on my GPS was 62.8 mph. I rarely push it past 45 mph, so I'm good with the outboard. The only options on the boat are, trailer brakes, retractable tie downs, and a custom cover. In six years, I haven't wanted more. That must mean I own my dream boat.

Hey Dogbone, Unless something happens to slow my recovery, I should be close to ready when I get back from Daytona. I'm off the crutches and about done with the boot, though the doc wants me to wear the boot when I'm in the crowds at the races. I can walk without a limp whether I'm wearing the boot or not. I'll let you play guide when I get back, and have a follow up with the doc. You can school me on some early season Cape fishing.

I'll second that motion. You are trying to save a few bucks doing a simple job. A simple job, which if not done correctly can fry your engine, or cost you many days that you could be fishing.

Went to Algiers to see the floats being built. I'd go again, but I'd avoid Mardi Gras. I'm not a party person. Everyone should see it once. Go back? That's up to the individual. Here's an interesting article from a "home boy". https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/new-orleans/things-you-have-to-explain-to-out-of-towners-about-new-orleans-thrillist-new-orleans

Oooops. Bad mistake. It was not a gift for my wife. It was a present FROM my wife.

Went to Nawlins in '91. It was a birthday present for my wife. We had a great time but it wasn't Mardis Gras time. The place was jumping then. Can't imagine what it would be like for all the festivities. Daytime or nighttime, there was always plenty to do. Went to Brennan's for breakfast and had their Bananas Foster for desert. We also went to dinner at the Commanders Palace. The food was great at all the places where we dined.

Condolences.

I have one of these that LL Bean used to sell. This one is better. Mine has spoke wheels and inflatable tires. Aside from the wheels they are identical. It folds up nicely so you can stow it pretty much anywhere, even on a kayak. It rolls easily over grass, dirt, and even sand. It has a kick stand, making it easy to lift the boat onto it. The padded tubes can fold, as can the wheel assembly. It's powder coated, though some reviews said it started rusting quickly. The only rust on mine, which I got in 2008 is the metal wheels. It's sold by Seattle Sports. Cost 150 dollars which includes shipping.

"Seeing as I have broken hand at the current moment, I would prefer not to discuss toilet paper. A bidet would be nice though." "current moment"? You just cannot get away from the electricity thing.

Well, try this one for size, then you can thank the feds for it. My wife had her identity stolen. How? It's really quite simple. Someone paid the buck and a half to the USPS to request my wife's mail be forwarded to an address in NY. It was done on line. No need to prove you are who you say you are. My wife caught it early because I received my statement from Silverscript and she did not receive hers. They always come on the same day. When it didn't arrive the next day, she went to the post office where she was told that her address had been changed, so all the mail that had come for her had gone elsewhere. Think about it for a minute. You get things in the mail with your account numbers to credit cards for one example. It's not only that crooks aren't dumb, it's that organizations we think we can trust are sloppy.

Or.....................................toilet paper.

A glory dory. I love it.

Condolences. When our younger daughter told me she was crying because she was sad. I told her that what would be sadder would be if her grandma's passing didn't make her sad. While she may never have those times with her grandma again, she will always have the memories of their times together. So it is for you with the passing of your friend. God bless.

Sometimes fishermen seem to have a death wish. In my lobstering days, two fishermen are lucky they are still alive. It was in a dense fog on Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. A fisherman had finished hauling his gear and was headed to his home port of New Bedford. He had to cross the shipping channel in the bay. He came upon an east bound tug boat and he cut across the stern a few hundred feet behind the tug. He did not realize that a tug, sounding three blasts on its horn meant he had something in tow. In this case it was a large fuel barge. The towing cable intercepted the crossing vessel capsizing it. For good measure, the tug ran over the capsized vessel, sinking it. Fortunately the captain and his deck hand managed to reach the surface. The captain had been caught several times in the past with short lobsters and egg bearing lobsters. Most of the commercial lobstermen mourned their survival.

That's a lot of weight hanging off/behind the stern of a 17' boat. They probably won't have much of an impact on your top speed but they will affect how well the boat gets up on plane. Don't know what your storage set up is, but if possible shift all the moveable weight toward the bow. If your batteries for the trolling motor are at the back of the boat, moving them forward can compensate for that added weight on the transom. A single battery can weigh more than your power poles. Ideally, when moving batteries forward, they should have their own isolated compartment unless you don't mind the smell of battery fumes, in that compartment, particularly as they get older.

Here's a suggestion. It definitely works. Hootie and the blowfish.

Just for clarification. Remove the extra ooze out before it sets. You should end up with a 1/16th to a 1/8th inch thickness of silicone. If you tighten it too much before it sets, it might end up leaking. What you are doing is making a silicone washer. Once it sets, you can compress it for a watertight assembly.

Oh no!!!!! It's the apocalypse. Lock the barn. Get all the women and children in the storm cellar.

How thick is the hull at the site of the transducer? Here's a simple solution that can easily be undone to install a transducer. Get one of these through hull fittings. They are available in several sizes. To install it, put a 1/4" bead of silicone on the flange. Then snug the fitting against the hull until the silicone starts to ooze around the edges, and let it sit for a day or so until it is thoroughly set. Use a finger to remove, and smooth the excess silicone. Then, once set, you can tighten it down without the silicone oozing out. Once installed, you can cap the threaded end. Those are not pipe threads, but for what you are doing, it will work. Get the appropriate size cap, wrap the threads with Teflon tape, and screw the cap on tightly. Put the boat in the water, and check for leaks. It will be a clean, simple, install, and uninstall.

There is a simple solution. Bidets for the blind. I'd recommend the unit with the highest pressure. http://bidetking.com/best-bidet-seat-for-me