Fishing Rhino

You should have a "standpipe" in your live well. The top of the should be at the level you want to maintain. It should also be of sufficient diameter so its capacity to drain exceeds the output of the pump. That your pump will not function when the boat is on plane is because the intake for the pump is not underwater. Since you have only one pump with one function, consider getting a twelve volt aerator. Here's a photo to give you an idea how to set it up. You can also install a valve that will direct the flow of water to the aerating manifold, or to a discharge hose to pump out the well. Image from this site: http://www.memphisnet.net/product/3426/aerators_livewell_fishsaver

You are absolutely correct. It's often cheaper in the long run.

Punishment or penance?

Nice! Very nice. I'm gonna let you guide on the next road trip.

"the only reasoning i can think of is that the pump is inside the bilge, at a position lower than the water line... so water pressure would force water inside the pump, even with an empty bilge.... is that right?? so i need to remove the hose i have going to the water inlet, and connect the pump directly?? i had thought i could raise the pump but that didnt make sense to me... am i right??" Yes, you are correct. Understand there can be several configurations to fill, recirculate and aerate, depending on the system in your boat. Some have two pumps, one to fill, and another for recirculating and aerating. I searched for some diagrams to show how they are plumbed but didn't find anything satisfactory. It might be better to have a pro do the job. The time and aggravation of getting the plumbing correctly set up might have you tearing your hair out.

The livewell pump is below the water level, as is the intake, except when up on plane. A livewell pump, and a bilge pump are basically the same. The only difference is the base. A bilge pump base acts as a strainer, and some even have a secondary strainer within the base. A livewell pump does not have a slotted or perforated base. Because it is below the water level, it does not need priming. There will be water around the impeller when the boat is at rest, or idling along. You can readily see the difference in the two types of pumps, made by the same company. Bilge pump Live well or wash down pump

The answer to your question is no. An engine is nothing more than an air pump. The power it produces is limited only by the amount of air it can take in, or get forced in by superchargers or blowers. Unless the butterflies are wide open, airflow is restricted. The math won't work out perfectly, but, if your air inlet is only 90 percent open, the motor will only generate 90 percent of its maximum power. Thus, your 150 hp engine produces only 135 horsepower. There has to be some adjustment which will allow the throttle to open fully. Further, did the boat do 63 with as much weight as you have in it. Did it do 63 with a full tank of gas, or a nearly empty tank? Do you have the motor trimmed the same as when it did 63? There are a whole lot of factors which affect boat speed. Two boats can weigh the same, be the same hull and have the same power, yet one can run away from the other because of setup or weight distribution. You titled this thread "Prop?". Did you change the prop?

I'd never fill a live well with bilgewater. It can contain many harmful contaminants, and may have very low oxygen levels. You need a screened intake (through hull fitting) connected to a pump which draws water from the lake/pond/river for the live well. It's the same water in which the fish have been living. The intake is a through hull fitting so be very carefull to get everything connected properly, with two clamps at every connection below the water line. Double clamp any others that are not readily accessible. I'd double clamp them all. But that's just me. If you have a problem with one that's readily accessible, you can fix it, should problems arise. All stainless steel aren't that expensive. Make sure you get all stainless. On some, the band is stainless, but the screw which tightens or loosens is ferrous metal and will rust badly enough that you cannot turn it with a screwdriver. Been there, done that.

I'm not sure about the plastic. It does not seem to do well spanning gaps longer than 16 inches. At least the older stuff (decking planks) I've seen, sags and warps worse than wood ever thought of doing. Most plastics get "soft"/flexible as temps rise. In the hot sun, while you are on the water, will it maintain its shape? I'm sorry I don't have the answers to the above questions, but I'd try to get them before switching to the old tried and true wood bunks.

Check all your battery connections for corrosion and make sure they are tight. Do the same at the starter. Either you have a starter problem, or a faulty connection in the wiring that powers the starter. That's assuming the battery is OK.

Nice, but will it catch fish?

Mine has never set off the metal detector at airports. I mentioned this to a fellow with one of the wands. He passed his wand over it and it did detect the metal. Then I had to pull up my pants leg and show him the scar from the surgery.

I broke my leg in 1963. I had to have an Eggars plate with four screws "installed" to hold my tibia in alignment so that it would heal at the proper length. The plate is about eight inches long and has slots for the screws, so the broken ends could rub against each other. Broken bones will not heal unless the ends can rub together and cause irritation. Then the bone produces callus which eventually forms into bone. It's not unlike an oyster forming a pearl around a piece of grit or other irritant. I had an oblique fracture. That meant the tibia could have been shorter or longer when it healed, messing up my knee and ankle. Anyway, it has been there for 48 years and has never bothered me. The Xray was scary to look at. Looked like four drywall screws that protruded a good half inch beyond the bone. In the following image, the screws do not protrude. I'll be seventy years old in a couple of weeks and it gives me no problem regardless of weather conditions.

And at night, he plays it like a banjo at a local watering hole.

The Thematic Apperception Test, or TAT, is a projective psychological test. Historically, it has been among the most widely researched, taught, and used of such tests. Its adherents assert that the TAT taps a subject's unconscious to reveal repressed aspects of personality, motives and needs for achievement, power and intimacy, and problem-solving abilities. A random question deserves a random answer. Now, if only that Wikipedia definition had come from Random House it would have been perfect.

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winnah. How on earth did you know that? He was way before your time. I remember seeing him when I was nine or ten years old. He started every broadcast the same way, "Ladies and gentlemen, a good evening to you."

I fish them on an Owner keel weighted hook. Owner has two versions. I use the Yamamoto version. The wire is lighter, and the weight is tapered at both ends, so it slides through the weeds easier. I fish it with a quick tug and release. The rig goes through thick coontail like you wouldn't believe. The sharp tug makes it dart toward the surface, give it slack in a hurry and the weight makes it dart back to the depths and into the weeds. Another sharp tug and amazingly, it shoots out of the weeds and toward the surface, only to dart back toward the bottom the second you give it slack. You should work it in clear water where you can watch the bait until you develop the feel to make it dart like an injured minnow, or one in panic mode, trying to escape. I prefer the above to the version below of the Owner twistlock keel weighted hooks for the fluke.

Ask, and ye shall receive. They already do that for mackerel in salt water.

As an aside, since we are from the same generation, do you remember who the Timex spokesman was when that "lickin,tickin" ad first came out?

Fish oil will leave a slick on the water, just like the petroleum products. So will vegetable oil. I have to think that attractants use a fish oil base since it would be a natural scent to fish that are attracted by scent. Not sure how many fresh water fish other than the bottom feeders like catfish and carp that are attracted to scent. Crawfish are probably attracted to scent much like crabs and lobsters, since at times, they are scavengers.

Why not. No responsibilities, no debt. Better to have tried and failed than to go through the rest of your life wishing you had given it a shot. But, it takes a lot of money to compete professionally until you do well enough to attract sponsors. Having no family responsibilities or debt just ain't gonna cut it unless you have the resources to support the endeavor. Then the question becomes, how much of your resources are you willing to part with to make the attempt? It's definitely not for the faint of heart.

Set up for convenience. Anyone is welcome in state, or out of state.

It's get together eve. Have you all been good little children? Dress warmly. The next get together will probably be called "The Icebreaker". Jigfishn, we'll miss you, but we understand that family obligations come first.

Define "home". Is it just family? Does it spread to neighbors, your community, your state, your country, the world?

I have a friend who goes to Haiti every year for a couple of weeks to help repair/build housing. For those who question why don't we help those here "at home" rather than those outside of the U.S.A., what's the difference? A person in need is a person in need. Isn't the term "fellow man" inclusive of all regardless where they happen to reside? It is good to do good, regardless of where it is done.