Fishing Rhino

That's more than gel coat delaminating. Has the person owned it since it was new? If not, it's possible it was a prior repair job. Some of the laminate separated, and the gel coat went with it. That the bottom was "wavy" indicates that delamination of the composite had taken place. Eventually, when it let go, most likely toward the front, sections of the "blisters" were peeled off by the force of water at speed. I'd guess it started at the clean, transverse crack that broke the roving. Could be a problem with the stringers and bulkheads that provide stiffness to a hull. That could account for the long longitudinal crack at the lower edge of the damaged area.

I use white lithium grease. It's available in a tube, like toothpaste. Use a brush for applying soldering flux, readily available at any hardware store. Use a wire brush to remove all the white corrosion from the aluminum post, then apply a thin film of the lithium grease using the soldering brush. A little goes a long way. It will last longer than WD-40. Be sure to do the seat's post as well, unless you like the sound of a squeaking seat. White lithium grease is available in a spray, but it tends to be messy. It also has to be shaken vigorously to mix the contents completely. The brush allows you to spread the lubricant uniformly.

That last line is key. It will help with everything else, including weight loss. Losing weight will help with the pain, which will allow you to be more active, which will help with losing weight. Keep at it. You'll be a new man before you know it. It's your life. Make the most of it.

Your friend may be wrong. It depends on how much you run the big engine. Everything except your trolling motor runs off the cranking battery. Lights, pumps, electronics, and other accessories are connected to the cranking battery. On smaller bodies of water, you may not run the motor for more than a few minutes. As an example, around here, my engine does not run more than a few minutes on most typical days. I don't run the live wells. I rarely use the running lights. Most of the time, the only drain on the cranking battery is the electronics, and starting the big motor a few times per day. If I don't put the charger on my cranking battery, it will eventually drain down to where it will not crank the motor in two or three weeks. The motor simply does not run long enough to keep the cranking battery charged. The banks on a multi-bank charger are isolated from each other, unless it is hooked up improperly. Helpful hint: Most fish finders can display the voltage of the battery to which they are connected. Pay attention to the voltage when the motor is not running/charging. If it drops during the day, or over a period of time, your main engine is not running enough to keep it charged.

Congrats. Just what the world needs, another Raidinista.

You might have a partially, nearly blocked fuel vent. I've had that happen on my riding mower. Fill it with fuel and it would run well for fifteen minutes or so, then it would become starved for fuel. Loosen the fuel cap and it would run fine again. The vent is in the cap, so it was a simple fix to use a piece of wire to clear the vent hole. I've needed to clear the vent a couple of times over a ten year period. Your vent might let air in, but not fast enough to keep up with the drawdown of fuel when the engine is running. When the boat sits for a period of time, enough air might seep in, which allows the motor to run fine for a while, until a partial vacuum is created in the tank. This restriction will cause a loss of power.

The size of the motor depends on where you plan to fish. Limited horsepower ponds/lakes are commonly limited to less than ten hp. That's why they make 9.9 horsepower motors. If you are not going to fish water with horsepower restrictions, then 25 hp should be sufficient, provided the boat will handle it. There should be a plaque or sticker on the boat that denotes the maximum hp for that hull.

Finish buffing with a "swirl remover". Keep the buffing pad clean, and mist the surface often with clean water, using a spray bottle. Then, use a cleaner glaze to finish the job. Once done, apply a carnauba wax or other finish that has a UV inhibitor, and apply periodically to protect from the sun's rays. The UV rays are what causes oxidation. Buffing compound abrasives "break down" as you use them, becoming finer and finer. Keep the surface misted, but not dripping wet. When the surface hazes over, mist again. The misting cools and lubricates. You want to avoid heat build up, so use a slower speed when buffing, and keep it moving. To finish, use a higher speed, and less pressure. Be sure to keep misting the surface. It will take a while, so be patient, go slowly. You will develop a feel for speed and pressure. Use the buffing compound sparingly, apply light pressure, and keep the buffing pad as flat as possible on the surface. Do not buff using the edge of the pad, as that will produce the worst swirls. The less gel coat you remove, the better. If the finish starts to look worse as you progress, STOP. The gel coat has become too thin to "hide" the laminate beneath.

Don't know about the sunscreen, but I apply it to my nose and the upper part of my cheeks (facial cheeks that is). The rest of me is covered by long sleeve UV shirts or jerseys, a buff and a hat with side curtains, polarized sunglasses, then a pair of Dr. Shade gloves. The clothing can be a bit warm, but it's better than getting sunburned, or getting sunscreen in the eyes. All the articles of clothing are white, or a very light color. Makes a big difference.

Nice job.

To borrow, and modify a line from the movie JAWS, "You're going to need a bigger boat"

Well now, here's next month's word for you, skuke. Internet search is an amazing thing. I've heard the word used to denote the summer tourists that arrive in town since the 1970s. Never heard it anywhere else. I know you'll like it. Found in the "Urban Dictionary. Turnip, at first glance might not seem to make sense as an antonym, until you realize that Westport is noted for the Westport/Macomber Turnip. Not as well known as the Vidalia Onion, but notable nonetheless. "A Macomber turnip is a local legend in Massachusetts. According to an honorary plaque on Main Road in Westport, Massachusetts, Aiden and Elihu Macomber returned from the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876 with a prized turnip seed in their pockets, which they planted in the fertile fields of their home town. The fruit of these seeds produced Pure Bristol White turnips that were descended from Swedish and Russian rutabagas and soon became famous from Boston to Providence. To this day, the turnip remains a symbol of local pride." 1. Skuke A bird that craps in another bird's nest. Found in Westport, MA, usually in the summer. Tends to migrate to Colorado in the winter. The antonym is Turnip. 2. Skuke Someone from out of town who visits as a tourist and leaves garbage wherever they go. They also think the place they are at belongs to them so they can do whatever they want.

As Popeye is wont to say, "I yam what I yam, and that's all what I yam." I'm the same person, with the same abilities, whether it be alone or with others. However, is the fishing better when alone, that depends. In most cases, you will catch more fish while fishing alone, simply because you can cast to all the prime spots without regard for giving another the same opportunity. On the other hand, when the fishing is tough, and the fish are finicky, two fishermen, casting different baits can cover more water, and glean more info. Then, you can do better with another fisherman. When prospecting, or trying new baits, I prefer to fish alone. Although when fishing unfamiliar water, the above applies because you can try more things.

Looks like the item has been deleted due to a copyright violation. In any case, electronics gizmos are your friends provided you use them properly. When navigating in a thick fog, using your GPS to track your progress, keep this in mind. It only tells you where you are, and where you've been. It does not tell you if there are other boats in your area, or if there is hazardous debris on or just beneath the surface of the water. Travel at a speed that allows you to do so safely within the range of visibility. If you cannot see your hand in front of your face, you need to be idling along, and keep an eye on the depth as well. It should be the same as shown on the chart shown on your display. If there is a discrepancy between what the map says the depth is at your current position, and the depth reading on your unit exercise extreme caution. That's why electronics map makers have the disclaimer that the product should not be used for navigation.

Great advice. My wife and I did it years ago. You can find "boilerplate" wills online that make it as simple as a "fill in the blanks" with names, items, amounts, etc. Lund, we've been there, and done that when our son-in-law passed away a few years ago. Actually, it was our daughter that was saddled with that unpleasant task. Student loans, and other financial obligations, some she was not aware of had to be dealt with. In addition to coping with the loss, she had to deal with the mess he left behind. I don't use the term mess in a perjorative sense. When there is no will, all the loose ends that must be dealt with is a messy task.

The holders are a good idea. I'd say they are a necessity. You definitely want to have something to secure the rods in place that you stow on the side decks. You are tempting Murphy's Law if you just sit them there. Sooner or later, you'll have the unpleasant experience of losing one, or more over the side. You can safely stow two, or maybe four in a pinch beneath the seat, against the side of the boat. Our daughter has one in a small pond behind her home, and I put one on each side with the reel end on the "floor" beneath the seat, and the tip on the foredeck. They take up very little room and, unless you do something disastrous, they cannot fall over the side be cause you accidently brushed something against them. Also easy to access. Reach down, and grab it. That takes care of three rods right there. The one you are using, and the two beneath you. That will still allow you plenty of room for a cooler, tackle box/bag on the bottom of the boat. Anything stowed on the side decks should be secured, or you risk losing it.

It's a filibuster. Talk about a soapbox derby.

The world is changing, and it has left me in its wake. My wife is an "active" member of the facebook community. Actually she's an active member in one of the sub groups, or whatever you call it when there is a group of people who alone have access to their group/club. She signed me up for an account a few years ago, against my wishes. I don't go there, and whenever I receive a facebook notice via email, I delete it instantly. Updates, friend requests, etc., I don't want to spend a minute of my time, let alone minutes, to keep up with and participate in all the facebook goings on. For those who like it, great. It's just not my cup of tea.

Facebook? Really? And I thought you were a maverick, independent, don't go along with the crowd kind of guy.

One of mine is stored upside down on saw horses. The other is suspended upside down from the roof trusses in my garage. It's high enough to allow my pickup to be parked beneath it. I'm not sure about it causing mold where it touches the boat. A cover must be ventilated, or it will trap moisture which promotes the growth of mold in the enclosed area.

Don't make me post that picture again.

That would certainly be a feather in, uhhh make that ON his cap.

Sovereign ruler? Sorry, he just doesn't measure up.

If you store it outside, on a trailer, it will collect leaves, rain, bird droppings, etc. In other words, unless you cover it, you'll have a mess on your hands. It will also be bombarded with uv rays from the sun, which, over time, will do a tune on the plastic. So, if possible, keep it in the shade, upside down, on saw horses. Where you place the saw horses is important, since a plastic hull will tend to distort unless properly supported. A rule of thumb is to place the saw horses about one quarter of the length of the boat from each end. By keeping it upside down, you eliminate debris from collecting inside the hull. But, it won't take long for wasps and other stinging critters long to discover the ideal environment, protected from rain, wind, etc., for building their nests in the overturned hull. As you can see, there are pros and cons for all methods of storing a boat. Pick which is the most convenient for you.

Full of something. That's for sure.