Fishing Rhino

After a day's fishing, time to load the boat. I ran the boat onto the beach, then headed for my truck and trailer to back it down the ramp. I thought about telling the fellow fishing with me to stay with the boat while I got the truck, but thought it might be insulting to him, so I didn't. Bad mistake, by someone with more years than I care to think about, around boats. As I was backing the trailer down the ramp, I saw my buddy headed to his vehicle with some of his gear, and my boat drifting away from the beach. Thankfully there was no wind assisting the glide that was caused by him stepping off the boat which pushed the boat away from the shore. Off with my watch, the cell phone, my keys, wallet, glasses, shirt and shoes. My buddy offered to go for the swim, but since he doesn't know how to run the boat, that would have been futile, though I appreciated the offer. I swam the hundred and fifty feet or so to the boat. How does a nearly seventy year old man get aboard without a boarding ladder? This is where forethought paid off. I had pondered about what to do should I find myself in the water, needing to get aboard the boat. I swam to the starboard side of the stern. I grabbed the stern then with my right hand, I grabbed the assembly where the steering cables hook up to the motor. After getting a good grip, I found the cavitation plate with my foot, and voila, I was able to get myself sprawled on the rear deck. From there it was easy to work myself completely onto the deck. Start the motor, beach the boat, finish backing the trailer into the water, load the boat and head for home, none the worse for the wear. Lesson one: Take nothing for granted. Give instructions no matter how obvious they might seem. Lesson two: Plan ahead. Think about what you would do in various situations, with what you have available to you. I gave some thought about getting from the water to the boat without a ladder, should I find myself in the drink, and it paid off.

What is interesting is that politicians make all sorts of promises, have all sorts of plans to reinvigorate these towns/cities when the foundation upon which they were built has crumbled. Once in a rare while an area may be reborn, but in most cases, they are a lost cause. The ghost towns of the Old West bear silent testimony to this fact. In our area, the once thriving cities of Fall River, New Bedford, Brockton, Lawrence, Lowell and Haverhill are faded shells of their former glory. Brockton has never recovered from the departure of the shoe manufacturing companies, and the others plus some not mentioned from the departure of the textile mills which began 70 - 80 years ago. Sadly, it doesn't seem to take long for those who move into "projects", as they are called around here, built for low income families to turn them into slums. I recall reading recently that Detroit is now considering spending what small moneys are available for neighborhood improvement in the "better" communities rather than the run down sections of town. They hope to make them more attractive, and thus encourage a "better class" of folks to move into the city. They are literally giving up on the run down areas. I doubt that will work. Housing doesn't attract folks. Good jobs and opportunity draws people. Until they can, if possible, draw businesses into Detroit, housing in and of itself is nearly useless. The truth is, that if Detroit does manage to attract business, it will do so at the expense of communities elsewhere, hurting those communities.

Nice, nice rig. Looks like it came off the showroom floor. Enjoy!

It's about an hour and ten minutes for me. I take 195 to Providence, get onto 95 north for a couple of miles to 146 north. Went there a couple of weeks ago so that time is accurate. Grundle get the other non-boaters to hook up in a car pool. Chances are you'll be taking 495, and could probably beg a ride from Tate or Gramps. Both are just a short jog off 495.

Two down, one (maybe more) to go this year. If we have one later, we can call it the Frostbite Gathering. We've settled on the location, Webster Lake (Lake Chaubunagungamog or Manchaugagog) in Webster, MA. Time to be determined by consensus. It will be in October. The sooner the better. The days are getting shorter, and cooler. So, keeping that in mind, let's hear it from all to pick the date.

Use marine grade silicone. Put a good bead on the flange of the through hull fitting, then tighten until you see it start to ooze around the edges of the flange. Let it sit for 24 hours, then tighten it. The silicone should set within 24 hours, making a nearly indestructible silicone gasket which when tightened makes an excellent watertight assembly. Do the same with the nut that goes on the threads. The one concern is the wet wood. Is it exposed, so it can dry out after the fitting is installed? If not, you may have a problem. It would take months for the plywood to dry with the fitting removed. You could try some heat on the transom to force the moisture out. A halogen work light, at a safe distance would heat the transom around the hole quite well. Don't put it too close. Get the transom so it's just hot enough so you can leave your hand on it for a few seconds before it gets uncomfortable. A few hours of heating might drive out the moisture. It depends on how deeply it wicked into the wood. If you do this, do it outdoors away from buildings. Just in case. While I am a great devotee of 3M 5200, I don't recommend it for this type of job. The stuff is nearly indestructible, and should you need to remove the fitting for any reason, you'll have to cut and grind it off.

You should do better alone. It's not that you're a better fisherman alone, but you don't have to give a thought to another in the boat. No worries about making sure they have access to the better spots too. If you fish a pond with a lot of hangs, Then you will have to go to a bait that's snagged on something twice as often. When they catch a good fish, you may have to stop fishing to control the boat or net the fish. You simply make more casts per hour fishing alone than with someone else, and you can set yourself up for the best casting lines at your target. In spite of that, it's tough to beat fishing with a compatible partner. When the fishing is slow, with two, you can try twice as many different things, so on fussy days, you're more likely to find what they want. And, busting each others' chops is good for a laugh or two.

OK guys, be prepared for tomorrows weather. Mid forties around six with temps gradually warming to the low 60s. Northeasterly winds around 8 mph are forecast for tomorrow. Wear layers to stay comfortable. For me that means a tee shirt, long sleeved turtleneck jersey and a sweat shirt. Better off to err on the warm side. Getting chilly is more uncomfortable than getting a bit too warm, for me anyway. Looking forward to seeing all tomorrow. Here's the hourly Mashpee forecast beginning a 8 a.m. Saturday. http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/USMA0240?begHour=7&begDay=260

Sending a pm.

Won't work in personal messages either. If the party is email enabled, send it to them in an email.

Since nobody seems to complain when the steering is free, I'm going to assume the steering is stiff. Try the simple and cheap stuff first. Disconnect the steering from the motor. Does the motor turn freely on the pivot? If not, it could be as simple as greasing the pivot tube until grease appears at each end. If the motor is ok, turn the steering wheel leaving the cable mechanism disconnected from the motor. If it's still tight, look for any sharp bends in the steering cables. It's possible someone replaced the cables with some that were not the proper length. Any sharp bends will produce a bind, making the steering stiff. If the cables appear to be routed properly, it's possible the problem is in the wheel mechanism. In many cases properly lubricating all components will solve the problem. If they have been dry for a while corrosion is another possibility. Corrosion can be a real stinker, since it like rust swells and eventually seizes completely. That may require disassembly and a good cleanup or replacement. Some wheels used to have a tensioning device to hold the steering in place if you take your hands off the wheel. That was years ago. Today, I don't know. If yours has one, it could be too tight.

I'll bring water, Coke, Sprite, Sunkist Orange soda iced in a cooler. Plenty to go around. I'll be at the park n ride at or before the appointed hour. Gramps, if I don't think of it, remind me on Saturday about the twistlocks. I have them in the boat.

One other suggestion, take a safe boat handling course. The Coast Guard Auxiliary used to conduct them in many places, including inland. Here's one site approved by the Coast Guard. http://www.uspowerboating.com/Home/Courses/Types_of_Courses/Safe_Powerboat_Handling.htm

I'm not from RI but, what's your favorite?

Bummer. I was looking forward to meeting you. We may have one more before the season comes to an end. Maybe the middle of October. I could be talked into a year end get together at someplace, like say, Webster Lake, also known as Lake Chargoggmaunchaugagoggchaubungungamaugg

What Way2slow said about possibly beating it up. In addition to this being a fishing boat, it's going to be a floating classroom for you to learn boat handling, your limits, and the limits of the boat. Always stay within the limits of both. You're going to learn about current and wind drifts, how to berth a boat at a dock, and how to beach it should the need arise. It's why you never see a Mercedes with a "Driving School" sign on the roof. At least I haven't. They are usually smaller, easier to handle vehicles. Keep that in mind when choosing a boat, big enough to be stable and safe, but small enough to handle, or fend off a dock or other obstructions using a paddle or an oar.

Gramps and I went there yesterday. Had a good day. Not big numbers, but a few notable fish. Two smallmouths in the vicinity of four pounds, two largemouth, about the same, and four pickerel that easily topped three pounds. There were other respectable fish caught as well, but nothing to brag about. A few largemouths and smallmouths in the neighborhood of two pounds. A nice neighborhood to be sure, but not a gated community with an owners' association. They were caught on wacky rigged worms on weighted hooks, crankbaits, and a bait that we'll share with you on Saturday. Be sure to bring a rod that you are comfortable casting a bait that might weigh 1/8th ounce including hook. Gramps, Tate and I each have enough to share with whoever fishes in any of our boats. And Diablos, if you show up we can set you up as well. No point in publishing the rig on here since you could get the hooks, but not the baits in time for the get together.

OK guys, time for a final check to confirm who's coming. I know Gramp, Tate and I will be there. There's a possibility we might all meet at the Park and Ride lot at exit 2 on route 25. The exit is a 1 and 3/4 miles (approx) past exit 1, which is the junction of 195 and 495. Let's hear from everyone so we are all on the same page.

You guys sound like the lyrics of a song I heard the other day. Singing about his wife/girlfriend. My baby don't deserve to die. My baby should be buried alive.

Your trolling motor battery will run your fishfinder just fine, until......................... Until you run your battery's voltage down with the trolling motor. Before you depend on your trolling motor battery, get a volt meter and test your battery's voltage at the end of one of your longer fishing trips. The other day I ran my battery down to under six volts. Ain't no twelve volt electronic device that will run on six volts. One of the units on my Nitro is extremely voltage sensitive. There can be enough juice in the battery to start the 150 Merc, but the Humminbird 898 is not happy, and will start hunting for the depth, then freeze up. Start the motor, and the sounder comes back to life. Since it is common for me to run the Merc for only a few minutes at a time, the battery gradually is drawn down. I now throw the charger on it after each outing. No more problems with the 898 Fish finders draw very few amps. I have an Eagle Cuda for my canoe. It runs on 8 AA batteries. I can fish four days a week, five to six hours per day, and 8 AA batteries will run it for a month. It depends on how much you draw down the battery with your trolling motor. Like some have suggested, I'd opt for a motorcycle or similar type twelve volt battery. It will operate your fish finder for weeks, even without charging.

Batteries have a finite life and a maximum number of times/cycles they can be used and recharged. To obtain the maximum number of cycles requires proper charging as soon as possible. Leaving batteries partially discharged results in sulfation, which in turn reduces battery life and capacity. Keeping the batteries maintained by charging as soon as possible after use, keeping the batteries clean and maintaining proper electrolyte levels go a long way to getting the most from your battery. The other day after fishing for six hours in a strong wind, the trolling motor was pushing my canoe with less oomph. Voltmeter when I got home showed the battery was just under six volts. Get a good charger which is designed for deep cycle batteries. When the battery is fully charged, it will switch to maintenance mode. A two year battery with little use, but properly maintained may last for four or more years. A four year battery properly maintained, but frequently used may not last two years. The deeper a battery is discharged, more of its life is consumed. There are some battery pros on here who can give you a better explanation.

When I mount anything like this on my boat I use the aircraft type lock nuts with the nylon inserts. By the way, there are many places where you can only use a screw. Be it for transducers, temperature sensors, weather heads, cable/wire clamps, etc., where it would be very difficult if not impossible to use a bolt and nut.

Wood screws are fine for wood. But, the threaded area is tapered, and as soon as it loosens in the slightest, its holding power is severely comporomised. I prefer using stainless steel, pan head, Phillips head, sheet metal screws. Other than at the point, they are not tapered. Should they loosen due to vibration or whatever, they do not lose holding power like wood screws will. When mounting in fiberglass or other plastics, the tapered threads on a wood screw are problematic. Drill a hole large enough for the smaller diameter of the screw can result in stress cracks since the screw acts like a wedge as it is tightened. Drill if to receive the thicker threaded section and the smaller section of the tapered threads provides little holding power. They work well in wood because wood can compress which makes for a very tight connection. You can get them in flat head, or oval head for countersunk, flush mount applications. For mounting brackets, I prefer the oval head, simply because I like the look better.

Is the bottom of the skeg after being dragged still below the lowest point of travel for the tips of the propeller blades? The primary purpose of the skeg, as I understand it is to protect the propeller. Compare it to an undamaged skeg on another motor. If it does need repair, Bass Pro Shop sells these. http://www.basspro.com/Skegshield-Skeg-Guard/product/10200068/-1553021?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT

I'm not familiar with the putty. I'd stick with the liquid. It's pretty thick. What you could do is to put a piece of masking tape over the hole, then punch a hole in the tape. You'll need tweezers or a needle to pull the tape from the hole. Trim it as neatly as possible, and voila, you won't have to worry about getting gunk on the hull.