Fishing Rhino

Bummer. It's a law of nature. The longer we live, more bad things will happen to us. But it sure beats the alternative.

It's good practice to turn the "master switch" off when you put your charger on. It separates the cranking battery from all the electronics, and electrical devices to protect them from the charger, should it go haywire. I put my switch under the rear hatch, where it is readily accessible. While it is not necessary, or even recommended for cars, boats are a different story. Why? I don't know. I installed my master switch after a heavy rain forced water into the tilt control at the bow, activating the tilt control for the motor. It's a good thing I wasn't towing the boat. The transom saver dropped from the trailer, and would have been like a vaulting pole when that end hit the road. It also prevents inadvertently draining the battery should one forget to shut everything off. It also prevents someone (see children or mischief makers) from playing with the electrical gizmos.

If it's on the internet, it has to be true.

In my lobstering days, I had the slowest boat in the fleet, but I caught the most lobsters with my old "sled". My sled made 8 knots, or 9 mph. The other guys would do 12 to 15 knots, sometimes faster. Fishing inshore waters, you could not haul gear between sunset and sunrise. I'd leave the dock so I'd get to my gear at sunrise. Yeah, I was the first to leave the dock, and the last to return, but so what? I enjoyed being on the water hauling gear, and when the day was done, we'd have a leisurely ride back to the dock. One of my friends said to me, "You do alright with that old boat." My reply was that the man on the boat is more important than the boat the man is on. He laughed and said, "Ouch." My old boat wasn't pretty, but she had it where it counted, dependability. Would I have preferred a faster boat? Yes, but I would not have wanted to pay what it would cost for that boat. Like tournament fishing, what counts is what you bring to the dock, not what gets you back and forth.

No wake from my 38' lobster boat, leaving the harbor early in the morning. At least 30 years ago.

If aluminum is entry level, what does that make canoes, kayaks, and the small pontoon type plastic boats?

Years ago, don't know how many, Fram had a commercial with a mechanic pulling an engine out of a car because the owner thought he would save a few bucks by not properly maintaining his vehicle. Speaking to the "audience" as he pulled the engine he said, "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij1yDpfZI8Q As you can see, my memory was not quite accurate. The engine had been pulled and was in the process of a rebuild. The "pay me now, or pay me later" in the post brought the commercial to mind. I was wondering if anyone would remember, and for those too young, if they would catch on to what I was saying.

Another thought on the prop. If the motor was run where there are a lot of shallow sand bars, mud flats, etc., it's possible the prop was worn down running over them. When I was a commercial lobsterman, and the river had a good crop of bay scallops, we'd scallop on the days we were not lobstering. The river had a lot of shallow, grassy, mud flats, and we'd grind away at the prop while towing the scallop dredges. I'd go through two or three props (3 blade aluminum) in a few weeks. When they'd get worn to the point where the wood skiff could not get up on plane when it was empty, I'd replace the prop. It's amazing the difference a prop can make.

Let 'em fight to the last man standing, or breathing, no matter how many rounds it takes. That's the way it was when boxing started. No need for judges.

Real fishermen eat grits. Not the instant or quick kind either.

Fram oil filters

Routine maintenance might seem expensive to some. But it's a whole lot cheaper than neglect.

You are correct on both counts, that he already raised the motor five inches, and that the set back only makes the problem worse. So, with that in mind, we are back to weight distribution, a tired motor (not likely if it runs well), or, the wrong prop. Next step. Hook up a tachometer to the engine and see what it turns for rpms, and go from there. If it is over revving, the prop is too small, or has too little pitch. How hard it is to crank by hand does not necessarily relate to a "strong engine". Back in the day, a lot of the 30 to 40 horsepower engines were routinely started with a pull cord. Even larger engines had a flywheel that would accept a pull cord with a knot on the end to start it when the battery was discharged.

The prop is too deep. Even if it is tilted all the way down, you'll still have problems getting it on plane. It's a function of leverage. The longer the lower unit, the more leverage the prop has to raise the bow. Make the shaft long enough and it will flip the boat over backward. You need to raise the motor. There are bolt on devices to do just that. Raising the motor five inches will not only solve your problem, but it will also allow you to run in shallower (is there such a word?) water. The previous post about weight distribution should also be considered.

Premium gasoline doesn't contain ethanol? If it does, what makes it any different than regular grade when it comes to its destructive nature?

Speaking of the Derby, did anyone else notice the girls/ladies carrying a banner advertising the big Mayweather/Pacquiao fight tonight? NBC didn't stay too long with the shot.

Ten dollars more for HD. That ninety dollar price is for standard definition. I definitely have infinitely more places to better spend a "C" note.

She could always call Ron Popeil.

Which brings to mind a question, or two. When you go to a barber, or maybe a "stylist", how do you choose which hair to cut? In the same vein, why don't we call a toothbrush a teethbrush? No politically incorrect jokes about rednecks having one tooth, please.

Raider fears nothing but ladle wielding restaurant owners.

It definitely varies from state to state, but I'd still want a title or some documentation that will allow me to sell the boat to someone who lives in a state that requires a title. I don't know what all is involved in that. Perhaps the certificate of origin will suffice in lieu of a title.

The rule of thumb used to be that the anti-ventilation, once known as the cavitation plate, should be level with the bottom of the boat. However, in this day and age of jack plates, set backs, etc., this old school practice has become obsolete in some cases. However, the old school rule of thumb is still a good starting point. From there you can adjust it up, or down to determine what works best for you. The ideal height will vary depending on load, and load distribution, water depth in the shallows you will be negotiating, etc. All you need to do is to make a jack plate that will raise the motor the difference between the two motors. If your current shaft is five inches longer, raise the motor five inches, and adjust from there.

What you really need is a clear/clean title of the boat, trailer, and possibly the motor as well in order for you to register it in your state. If your state has a sales tax, you will need a bill of sale in order to determine the tax you must pay before it can be registered. Sans a bill of sale, the state will make a determination as to what the taxes should be, and they will usually take the highest blue book value for the year and make of the rig.

It looks like Iaconelli printed his name on it.

I'd go with the four stroke. Much quieter. If you like the sound of power, go with a two stroke. My buddy had an aluminum boat with a four stroke on the back. Except for passing through the air, it was like being in an automobile.