Fishing Rhino

Those small screw holes will not weaken the hull structure. But, you do want to fill the old holes. Here's what I'd do. Make a wood peg that will slide snugly into the hole. Measure the depth of the hole and make the peg slightly shorter than that depth. Using a marine epoxy, work or inject the epoxy into the hole. You want enought so that the peg will force some to ooze out. Insert the peg, and using a nail set or something similar, install the wood plug until it is slightly recessed. Clean the excess epoxy that oozes out with acetone or lacquer thinner. Then put a drop of epoxy into the recess. You will want it to have a slight bump, not a hollow. Put a square piece of packing tape over the drop, and use a bondo spreader to press the tape down. Leave it for the cure time of the epoxy. Remove the tape and if done right, you should have a smooth watertight surface. If needed, you can buff that area, then apply a coat of wax. Done right, it will be permanent.

Plugging the holes might not work. Maybe there is a reason those holes were drilled, such as those compartments leaking at the top. If they filled with water, that weight would upset the handling of the boat, its balance, and the way it sits in the water. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the/a previous owner got rid of that weight by just drilling holes in them, looking for a quick easy fix, while disregarding the safety issue that results. If, and it's a big if, the compartments have no watertight integrity, you might look into the expanding foam that is put into boats' flotation chambers. Be sure the foam will not absorb water before doing this. Best to check with someone who has expertise in this. Try googling boat flotation compartments and boat flotation foam. You should find plenty of "how to" articles.

The problem with them hyping every hurricane, blizzard or whatever all out of proportion is that many, like me, get tired of them crying wolf. They obviously do not know the precise track and power of the storm in the future. It's the "cry wolf" syndrome. The constant drumbeat of "the sky is falling" turns folks off to their message. Why can't they simply say the storm has the potential to do this or that, provide an overly broad area that the storm may impact, and tell folks to prepare for the worst. Have the mandatory evacuations, and whatever other, better safe than sorry, preparations are appropriate to the potential of any storm. The weather channels tell folks to stay away from the beaches and waterfront so they don't get swept out into the sea and unecessarily put emergency responders at risk when they get into trouble. Why don't these folks heed their own dire warnings? The station themselves and their broadcasting crews on jetties, boardwalks or on the beach to report on the storm. Right now, a broadcaster is criticizing those who are walking around sightseeing, yet he's in that very place where he says they should not be.

RJ Heim, the weatherman on NBC 10 just said we are probably experiencing the strongest winds we'll have right now, 20 to 40 mph with some higher gusts in the 50mph range. We did make preparations. All loose stuff in the yard was tucked away in the garage. Got the gas jugs filled and treated it with fuel stabilizer. Hooked up the generator and started it. The most serious problem from the storm will be the surge along the ocean front, not so much from the wind.

The hurricane warning that southern New England had been under has been downgraded to a tropical storm warning.

Far north New England? I live on the south coast of New England, and hurricanes do hit here. The famous hurricane of '38, Hurricanes Carol, Edna, Hazel and Bob all hit the bullseye of the area in which I live. My "pontification" had nothing to do with making preparations or evacuating coastal areas. It had to do exclusively with the forecast strength of the storm. I did not tell anyone to ignore the warnings or to stay put if they are on the track of the storm. The only time "worry" accomplishes anything is when it motivates someone to take action. Worried about the storm? Get your body out of its way. Try commercial fishing or farming. You learn to accept, and deal with what Mother Nature tosses in your face.

There may be a method to their madness. Better to err on the high side. Evacuations are still in order for those along the coast, even if the storm is less intense than forecast. Then again, "crying wolf" fosters a tendency to disregard dire warnings.

OOOPS! Just saw this tidbit about Irene. "The storm cannot master its own strength." Dr. Simon Atkins CEO, Advanced Forecasting Corporation [AFC] Dr. Simon Atkins CEO, Advanced Forecasting Corporation [AFC] August 26, 2011 The hype over Hurricane Irene is overblown, predicts the CEO of Advanced Forecasting Corporation. "North of Delaware, most hurricane force winds will very likely be gusts, not sustained winds." o The demise of Irene has already begun. There is no visible eye. The storm intensity is down to 99 mph. This would be a low-end category 2 or a strong category 1 storm, while 36 hours ago some predicted a catastrophic category 4 storm. Air Force Reserve aircraft have found that Irene's eyewall has collapsed, and the central pressure has risen -- rising pressure means a weakening storm. o The reduction in storm intensity likely confirms that this storm is not going to be as monstrous as it has been publicly forecast to be. o Yes, it will be windy. However, north of Delaware most hurricane force winds will very likely be gusts, not sustained winds

Not to worry. The forecasts are greatly exaggerated. I doubt we'll see gusts that reach hurricane force by the time it reaches New England and New York. I told my wife this two days ago, and she asked me what I based it on. Gut instinct and decades of watching these things come and go. But mostly it's the hype of the weather guys who make a living of blowing things out of proportion. Remember when the tsunami was going to hit Hawaiia? Folks evacuated the coastline and all the networks had extensive, on the scene coverage. The tidal flats were supposed to go dry as the water preceding the tidal wave flowed to the sea. Then the ocean was to crash spectacularly onto the shore. All that resulted was a ripple. It was a joke.

Ever fish a pond that has no turtles? My favorite pond is loaded with box/sun turtles and snapping turtles. If the turtles disappeared, I'd be very concerned as to the cause. If a pond cannot support turtles, I'm not sure it could support fish. Each has its place in the ecosystem, and the healthy balance thereof.

The answer cannot be obtained from the scant info given. Why can I no longer fish. Health reasons, finances, fishing banned by the government? Off the top of my head, I'd say play more golf. But, if my health won't let me fish, it's unlikely I could play golf. If it's finances, ditto. The reason I could no longer fish would determine what I'd do to fill the void. Long Mike's dumpster diving has me intrigued, though I think picking deposit bottles/cans from the side of the road has some promise. Maybe I'd sit in a rocking chair and contemplate my navel.

Good luck with whatever you purchase. Since you've never owned a boat before, I'd suggest you take a safe boating course. The Coast Guard has a list of available courses. http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/boating_safety_courses_.aspx

The first question is, why did it lose its charge? Doesn't your motor have a charging system? On bass boats there are usually two sets of batteries one set, for the trolling motor and another battery for starting. The set for the trolling motor can be from one to three batteries depending on the voltage of the trolling motor. The trolling motor batteries are isolated from the starting batteries so that you don't kill the starting batteries by using the trolling motor. It's not uncommon to run down the tm batteries during a long day of fishing, moreso on windy days when the tm gets more use. You'd have a lot of bass boats stranded if they depended upon the same battery/batteries to do both jobs. A starting battery can be run down because not all circuits were turned off after use. Did you search "recharging dead marine batteries"? Here's one result. http://www.ehow.com/how_5749512_recharge-marine-battery.html

Since none of our skills change overnight, the size of the fish caught is more a function of the body of water than the skill of any particular fisherman. My favorite pond yields very large fish for this part of the country. If I fish it three times a week, I can just about be guaranteed there will be a five or six pounder, maybe more, in my catch for that week. It does help that I know the small pond like the back of my hand, but that does not affect my skill. I fish some ponds where three pounders are rare, and I consider boating one an accomplishment, while it's a yawner at home. Braggin' rights are fine, but they should never be the measure of a fisherman's skill. If you and I fish the same pond, and I catch dinks while you catch lunkers, then we can talk about fishing ability/knowlege. I'll guarantee I could take most locals to my honey hole and the average fish they catch would be considerably larger than any other ponds in the area they fish. That one fisherman catches fish larger than another or more of them means very little unless they are fishing the same waters.

Talk about foul hooked. Wonder if it left the fisherman's line all balled up.

And for those who mentioned ear hairs.

Everything goes crazy as you get older. Ever notice old trees start sprouting small branches with leaves from the trunk, as the top of the tree is losing foliage? Well it's the same with humans, but with hair, not foliage. Hair in the ears, and nose. But no one mentioned the most obvious. The eyebrows. They start to grow like horns.

Sun is the enemy of any fiberglass boat. The UV rays will damage the gel coat, so, you should keep it covered. Then, no matter how clean and clear the water may appear, the hull will get coated with gunk, be it living organisms or chemical slime on the surface of the water. That's why there are covered docks with mechanisms that will lift the boat out of the water when not in use. To protect the gel coat from the sun, you should keep the boat covered. Factor in the cost of docking fees, plus the increased maintainance and it makes leaving the boat in the water a bad deal. While not as harsh as a salt water environment, leaving a boat on the water, especially one used infrequently will take its toll on a boat. Why is it worse to leave a boat sitting? Good question. The simple answer is that when it sits unused, bird, insect and other animal droppings sit on the surfaces. A regularly used boat at the very least gets rinsed down by spray, and usually wiped down after each use. Ever see a mobile home that has been sitting in the same place for years with the tree sap, mildew, and who knows what else covering the surface?

A while ago, my onboard, two bank battery charger started with an indicator light issue. At first, a red light indicated the charger was in operation. When the batteies were fully charged, the green light would turn on, and the red light would turn off. OK, simple enough. Then, early this year the green light would come on, but the red light would not turn off. I checked the batteries charged by this unit and they would be 13 plus volts when fully charged. I went fishing Thursday and strong winds necessitated using the tm constantly to hold position. No problem, they endured the eight hours of fishing. Got home, plugged in the charger. The red light came on, but looked dim. Maybe it's my old eyes. Friday morning only the red light was on. OK, I did use a lot of battery on Thursday. This morning, still no green light and the dim red light was on. Unplug the charger, test the batteries, and both were a the usual 13 plus volts. I got a flash light to better see the charging unit. The green light had obviously cooked. Soot flash around the bulb or diode whichever it is. So it appears to be an indicator rather than a charging problem. However, I'm going to replace the charger, and screw it to the garage wall for charging the canoe's trolling motor batteries. Anyway, here are the two I'm currently considering. The price seems reasonable for each. Minn Kota has a good rep, but the other I'm not familiar with. Any input would be appreciated. http://www.basspro.com/Minn-Kota-Digital-Linear-Onboard-Battery-Charger--MK-210D/product/10208924/-1736523?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT http://www.basspro.com/Pro-Charging-Systems-Go-Charge-Recreation-Series-Battery-Chargers/product/10207171/-1594111?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT

I have a seat. Can fish three in a pinch if necessary. And, I can bring my canoe with trolling motor and depthfinder. Fishes two comfortably.

I remember Nesbitts, and Nehi, and Royal Crown Cola.

What's up? I know it's about four weeks away, but it's time to start planning. Who's in? Who's not? Who's on the fence?

Are you a funeral director? Two threads dealing with death?

Do a search, and you'll find you can also run light truck tires on boat trailers. They'll probably be less expensive, and last longer. I've seen some posts that claim they only get ten thousand or so miles out of their trailer tires. I've put over 12,000 on my rig in the past two years and the tires look like new. I'd suggest that if you are experiencing a lot of wear on your tires, take your trailer to a shop where they can make sure the axle is square to the frame and straighten or replace any bent axle components. Tires usually wear because they are scrubbing rather than rolling. On trailers that usually is the result of the wheels toeing in or out. Incorrect camber will wear the inner or outer edges.

http://www.aa-fishing.com/ga/georgia-bass-fishing.html