Fishing Rhino

I was just out in the garage, so I checked out the Z-8. Actually, the rail tops, rod lockers, front compartment cockpit and rear deck are all a single molded piece of fiberglass composite. Regarding the rod lockers, it's not the innards, it's just the top where the lid attaches that is fiberglass. The innards are lined with carpet, so I cannot quickly determine the construction of the walls. The only fasteners are for the lids, the seats, the console, and maybe a few other parts and pieces. But the major component (cockpit, decking and front storage locker, is a single piece.

Ahem. Let's not get into a peeing contest about smarts. Show your elders a little respect, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

I had an '09 Nitro Z-7 which I traded in on an '11 Z-8. The Z-8 is finished much nicer that the 7. The front storage locker in the 09 was plywood tabbed in place with fiberglass. The locker on the 11 is molded fiberglass with the same metalflake finish as the top of the hull. The "rigging area" where the batteries, charger, and oil reservoir are located is also a nicely molded and finished white fiberglass unit. On the Z-7 the cockpit was screwed together in places, primarily where the front of the seats joined with the deck of the cockpit. The entire cockpit on the Z-8 is basically a molded tub which is dropped into place. I guess the question I have for you is that if the boat had the gouges from the shipping straps, why did you accept it in that condition? I had some issues with my Z-7 and the Z-9 trailers. I didn't like the wires passing through the frame of the trailer without grommets or some type of chaffing gear to protect the insulation from wearing off at the edges of the metal holes creating a short. I took care of the problem myself on both trailers. A couple of bucks and less than a half hour of labor corrected those problems. All in all, I still feel I got good value for my money. Have you contacted the home office of Tracker Marine about your problems? Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the service I've received from the Tracker Marine in Foxboro, MA.

Good fences make for good neighbors, or so the saying goes. Unless you toss your debris over them onto your neighbor's property. Funny story.

I got the swing arm mount in the first pictures at West Marine. The mount in the last photo was purchased at Bass Pro. I preferred the mount in the last photo, but the console on the red boat does not have the surface that sweeps back. It is pretty much straight across the panel to the side of the boat. The photo is deceiving. There is plenty of clearance between the wheel and the display. The advantage of the ball type of clamp is that you have more adjustments available to tilt it away from the steering wheel. The swing arm only pivots at the mounting bracket and the middle of the arm. But, the swing arm is stronger. Had no trouble with the unit moving on the ball mount even when the boat was pounding through a chop. I got the swing arm because neither BPS, nor West Marine had the two inch ball mount and would not have them in time for the Road Trip to Guntersville. Initially, I would have preferred the ball mount, but now, having had both, it's toss a coin. They work equally well.

I'm assuming you are referring to the raising/lowering cable. Yes, mine broke on my Z8 with only a few months use. The one on my Z7 broke when it had been used approximately one year. Both broke where they passed through the pivoting plastic guide. When I looked closely, both have a casting ridge that gradually gnaws the line, 'til it breaks. Use a fine, round file and smooth the radius on the guide over which the line passes. Then use a very fine abrasive paper like emery cloth to finish smoothing the radius. When that's done spray it, and the line with silicone spray to reduce friction.

I remember both, and that's "SIR" to you.

If the console is the same as the other models of Nitro, this bracket should serve you well. It's a Ram Swing Arm mount. I used the ball mount on my first Nitro and it worked perfectly. But I could not mount it the same on my new one. Here's the first mount. Either way, make sure the unit is well inside the rub rails to prevent it from hitting pilings or other dock components.

I had a 2009 Z7, and a couple of screws in the cockpit would back out. However, they were not stripped. I put marine silicone sealant in the hole, snugged down the screw and let the sealant set up. No more problem. Because yours are stripped, you'll need to go to a larger size screw. It's critical to use the proper size drill. Too large and the screw is easy to strip. Too small, and you can crack the gel coat, and possibly the composite. You'll have to do a little trial and error. Start out with a smaller drill bit that will not let you install the screw using normal force on the driver. Drill a clearance hole through the outer piece that will allow the screw to be inserted without screwing it in. You can use a piece of scrap wood to find the correct size screw. Start with a small bit, and gradually enlarge the test hole until the screw can slide in without turning it. Then go down three screw sizes, and drill through the inner piece. Chances are you will not be able to screw it in. Keep in mind, a screw is a wedge, so do not force it. Increase the size of that hole until you can tighten the screw without forcing it. Remove the screw, fill the hole with marine grade silicone sealant, and reinstall the screw. Do not over tighten or you may strip the hole. Allow the sealant to set up overnight and you should be good to go. You should not have to make this repair, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do. There is an easier, cheat fix, that may not last, but it's worth a shot. Get some round toothpicks. Insert a toothpick into a stripped hole to half of its length, along with silicone sealant, and screw them together. If the hole is badly stripped, it may take a couple of toothpicks. Partially insert the screw until it is snug, then use a utility knife or something similar and trim off the toothpick(s) flush with the surface, and finish tightening the screw After the screw head contacts the outer piece of the assembly, tighten it just a tweak more, and you should be done. Let it set. If you're lucky, the "fix" could last several years. It's worth a try.

Why not use it in your vehicle? Start with fresh for your outboard in the spring.

And for all you brats, I go back before Lawrence Welk. If they were to bring anything back it would be the old time radio shows, like The Shadow, Suspense, Johnny Dollar (no relation to Johnny Cash), The Squeaking Door, etc. I listened to those every evening. We got our first television, with a ten inch screen, when I was about ten years old, around '51 or '52. Those were the days of Milton Berle, Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca, and the news with John Cameron Swayzee, who was sponsored by Timex, that takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

Not me. I like Peg, even if you don't. If I had my druthers there would be a network that is dedicated solely to Married With Children.

That explains your avatar.

We're not uninsured, but aside from our gap coverage, and prescription insurance, medicare picks up the tab for our health care expenses. Here's part of the problem with these statistics as I understand them, they refer to the cost of health care for treating everyone, including the indigent. They do not deduct what some pay out of pocket. It's the total cost regardless of who foots the bill, or what they might have contributed. Medical expenses, as a rule, soar for everyone at or near the end of one's lifetime. It has nothing to do with merit or lack thereof due to contributions one has made over their lifetime. What isn't shown in those statistics is how much the government recoups from the resources of the individual. For example. My mother passed in 1981, and five or six years later my dad remarried. His wife owned a small home in GA, which remained in her name. She became a resident in a nursing home for the last seven or eight years of her life. She qualified for medicaid while she still held title to the home. The reason was that my dad was considered an "impoverished spouse" and could remain in the home. However, when he went on GA Medicaid, and moved into a nursing home, the government put a lien on her house, which upon her passing they sold to recoup what they could of her nursing home expenses. When the government got the proceeds of the sale, it did not change the statistics. I'm not sure, but I'm making a guesstimate that the costs of my healthcare, should I linger in my dotage will be comparable to the costs of an obese individual, on average. Toss in what I collect in SS, and by living longer, my benefits from SS, plus my health care costs will likely surpass those of the average obese person who passes before they can collect SS or a government pension.

Reformed smokers are often the most obnoxious anti-smoking proponents. Perhaps her weight was due to smoking cessation. A rude public personal tirade deserves a strong rebuke. Should have asked her if she was so fat because she gained weight from conquering the habit, and if that was not the case, what was her excuse?

They can run up a heck of a lot of medical expenses, but so do those who live beyond their three score and ten years. The difference is that in one case the medical expenses can be directly related to lifestyles, while for those like me, it's the natural aging process when the machinery of the body begins to wear out, and malfunction. Alzheimers units are filled with patients/residents whose bodies may be healthy. In other cases, there are those who are totally debilitated, yet their mind still functions well. All of us, who do not drop dead out of the blue, are likely to incur considerable end of life expenses, be it in our forties or our eighties and beyond. My dad lived for ninety plus years. He had relatively few medical expenses until his last five or so years. On top of that, he collected SS benefits for thirty years, give or take. My only point is that solving obesity will not save the money being projected by the pols. I don't know the final average cost of either. Just putting out another point for consideration. Until her retirement two years ago, my wife's profession was a registered nurse working in bedside nursing and administrative positions. Our older daughter works in an ER.

That's my point. Obesity, tobacco, drugs, alcohol misused or abused saves us money in the long run. Those who shorten their lives by their lifestyles are actually doing society a favor. It's peole like me who are truly a drain on our economy. But since Uncle Sam took my "contributions" by the force of law, I'm perfectly happy to drain the system, and celebrate everyone else who does so. May you live long, and prosper as well.

Here's some inspiration for you. Every October, Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI has the Jack O Lantern Spectacular. It is an incredible display. Takes the better part of an hour to walk the pathway through all the pumpkin artistry. It can take longer, depending on how long you linger to admire the handiworks. http://www.bing.com/...lar&FORM=HDRSC2

I was thinking much the same as BKeith. That long run, 45 minutes or so at maximum setting is going to do a tune on any battery. There is not necessarily a direct correlation between speed settings and battery drain. At wide open, the batteries may not last half as long as a half speed setting. It's not because the power draw is not proportional but because the boat speed is not proportional. Let's say your rig will do 6 knots at full power. It may do 4 knots, not 3 knots at half power. It may do 3 knots at quarter power. While it will take you twice as long to reach your destination at quarter power, you are only drawing 1/4 of the amperage to get there. The faster you try to move the boat, the greater the water resistance. It's a matter of efficiency, and distance traveled per unit of power consumed. The above are merely for illustration, and are quite likely not accurate, but it gives you some idea of why batteries can last a full day of fishing, but only a couple of hours when the tm is your primary source of propulsion. I've seen it with my canoe powered by a 12volt, 55 lb thrust Minnkota. I can fish the shoreline of one of my favorite ponds all day on one battery, but if I make a solo run of a mile and a half to the far end, the battery is spent by the time I get back in a half day of fishing. I can fish the shore for a full day and have plenty of zip in the battery when I'm done. It's trying to minimize the time it takes to get to the far end that really drains the battery.

There is another side to that coin. While the results of smoking and obesity do add to the national healthcare price tag, living longer does too. At some point, barring dropping dead suddenly, we all will need more health care services in order to maintain life or help maintain a reasonable standard of living. I'm 71, pain free, and reasonably healthy. But as a consequence of aging, I've had two prostate biopsies (both negative), stress tests, sigmoidoscopies and colonoscopies, surgeries for dupuytren's contractures, and torn menisci in my knee. I'm on medication for hypertension, high cholesterol, and enlarged prostate. I also take a fish oil capsule, vitamin pill and glucosamine,chondroitin. I also needed glasses for reading in my forties. I'm a realist, so I know that as long as I live, the list of "problems" will increase. Not only will they increase, but the cost of treating future problems will cost more than treating my current problems. While I doubt it, it's possible I'll need joint replacement surgery, maybe open heart surgery, a prostatectomy, etc. When all is said and done, I may add more to the cost of national healthcare than someone plagued by obesity who has a relatively short life span. One more thing to consider about those who abuse their bodies with whatever substance or lack of activity. Many of them die before they can collect a cent of Social Security, or Medicare benefits. While I, on the other hand am in the process of depleting those "resources". Who, when they assume room temperature has cost more to maintain, one who dies young from obesity or tobacco related illnesses, or someone like me?

Don't know about online, but if you want to keep it "original" a Chevy dealer might be your best source for parts. They won't be the cheapest, but they will be OEM parts. I'm assuming you would prefer not to use "aftermarket" pieces. Salvage yards are another option, and many of the salvage yards have an online network to find the part you are looking for. In some cases however, a used part may end up costing more than new from a dealer. If you know anyone who belongs to a "vintage" car or truck club, they should know where to find original equipment parts.

Most of the severe damage from these type of storms is from the tidal surge. Extremely low barometric pressure accompanying the storm, a full moon which produces greater tidal fluctuations, and water driven by the wind toward the shore produce extremely damaging high tides. This was the case in western Long Island sound. New York city experienced a thirteen foot tidal surge which is a record. It flooded the subways. I saw a photo of the Statue of Liberty with water halfway up its base, and the island it stands on completely under water. Water sweeps buildings off their foundations. The wind, except in the case of tornadoes does not produce this kind of devastation. In the case of healthy trees, they can withstand hurricane force winds with little trouble, unless the ground is soaked from the rain. The soggy ground provides much less support, and trees get uprooted rather than being snapped by the wind.

We're all fine. While we lost a few dead and dying, ant infested trees around the house we didn't lose power, though many sections in town and the surrounding communities did. The wife and I had been at our younger daughter's home in GA for five weeks. She had surgery in September, so we went down to help out around the house while she got back on her feet, and the all clear from her doc to resume normal activities. We left about one-thirty Saturday afternoon, and arrived home on Sunday morning, in time for the excitement on Monday. Thanks for thinking of us. edit: From the time we got on I-40 east from I-75 and then north onto I-81, most of the traffic was countless utility vehicles from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and other states heading toward their staging destinations in the areas most likely to be affected by the storm. Boom trucks, trucks for installing power poles, generators, trucks with miscellaneous equipment, and pickup trucks formed convoys headed to the Northeast. Some of the crews working around our town were from Alabama.

In other words, when everything in your tackle box becomes a topwater lure.

For the money, it's tough to beat a Nitro. I had an 09 Z7. I traded it in last spring for an 11 Z8. The only options on the 8 were retractable tie downs for the stern, a custom Nitro cover, and most importantly trailer brakes on all four wheels. There is a world of difference between the 7 and the 8, though I did like the 7. The 8 has the rapid planing system. The main drawback with the 7 was that it could be sluggish getting up on plane. The 7 was powered by a 150 Merc EFI. The 8 by a 200 hp Optmax Pro XS. Never had a problem with the EFI, but the Opti is much smoother and quieter. The 8 is about 5 mph faster top end. 58 mph vs 62-63 mph. The 8 has hydraulic steering, lighted compartments, larger livewells with pumps for each section, The 8 rides much smoother in a heavy chop. It's much easier to access the batteries, oil reservoir, and battery charger on the 8. Having said all that, if it's too rough to fish in the 7, I don't want to be on the lake with the 8 either. Just for jollies, when I got the 8, I priced a 7 using the build your boat feature on the BPS website. With tandem wheels and brakes for the trailer, 200 hp engine, And some of the other standard features on the 8, the 7 costs more than the 8. If you pay attention, you can get some good deals at Tracker Marine between now and the spring. My 8 was a leftover. They reduced the price by three grand, and tossed in a thousand dollar gift card. That made the 32,000 dollar boat a 28,000 dollar boat. In addition, when you buy a Nitro, you get a VIP rewards card. It gets you 20% off of BPS brand merchandise, and 10% on most everything else. Does not include electronics, or certain brands such as Shimano. Once in a while they have special deals for "preferred" customers.