donmac

I have a Native Slayer Propel 10 and used the putty method. Quick and easy install. Used an arm on another boat and prefer the putty. One less thing to have to muck with setting it up to fish and nothing in the way.

Johnson made a 28hp for years, the owner may have misspoke.

Nice day on nice clear roads = no cover. If it is raining and the roads are even marginally dirty the boat can get nasty - especially when it stops raining and you pass trucks or they pass you.. Late winter/early spring with salt on the roads - definitely cover.... I had permanent pits on the interior of one boat after a winter trip from NH to FL.

I've had a bunch of aluminum boats, including 3 Lunds. I have also had 3 glass bass boats (Rangers). Many people comment that they downsize boats to something that it is easier to manage by themselves. I've never quite understood that - unless you are talking about using very shallow ramps. If you are using ramps where you can float your boat off - the glass boat is just as easy to launch as an aluminum boat. And if you can float your boat off you should be able to drive that glass boat on your drive-on trailer in about 5 seconds and step off. With the right adjustments and accessories aluminum boat trailers can be made almost as easy to use - but wind and current can be a much bigger pain when loading an aluminum boat. IMO the only advantage an aluminum boat has in the "ability to manage with one person" department is that you can nose it up on a rocky shore with less worries than a glass boat. The primary advantage of an aluminum boat is that it can be used in much smaller water with shallow ramps (which is why I'm using a Lund to fish from these days), is cheaper to run, and cheaper to tow. In the multi-species department, deep-v's often have an advantage. Trolling is often easier in a deep-v - especially if your bass boat has a 200hp and no way to hang anything else on the transom. I replaced one of my Rangers with a Lund because I was spending a fair amount of time trolling for salmon and trout, so I wanted a smaller motor to troll with, and was doing some striper fishing and didn't wanted to dunk my RangerTrail in the salt. But bass tournaments were not quite as much fun in the Lund due the boat being much slower and less stable on the water. As stated above, the deep-v does make it a much bigger pain to use in the wind and the lighter weight means they get bounced around a lot more than a glass boat. (That may not be the case with the big heavy 20'+ pro-v series.) I brought my kids up bouncing between Rangers and Lunds, and I don't necessarily agree that one is safer than the other. Make them wear life jackets. Sure, they are less likely to fall out of a deep-V when fishing in calm waters, but if the water is rough and you need to get off quick when real danger is present, then a heavy stable glass boat is the safer option in my experience. I like both and having been bouncing back and forth between them for 20 years.

I went with a Ranger fish and ski back in 99. It was a great boat for the family, for about 10 years, at which point we needed something bigger for days on the water with family and friends. If you want your family to spend time on the water with you, don't try to have them make due with a pure bass boat. I had a Ranger 392 prior to my Reata. Make them comfy and you'll make a lifetime of memories with them on the water.

If you do not plan on trailering it make sure you lift it before you buy it. All 12' semi-v's are not created equal. Some are light-weight car-toppers under 100lbs. Thin, narrow and shallow. Others are 200lb+ heavier gauge, wider and deeper. Most 12fters you find lying around without trailers are car-toppers. A Lund WC-12 or Princecraft Ungava will also have a split rear bench. Both are highly desirable but will want to be trailered.

If by 'bass boat' you mean you are prepared to buy a full size fiberglass rig, I think you'd be fine. I would not hesitate to take 3 young men fishing on a full-size boat. 2 on the front deck and 2 on the back, no big deal. I raised 2 boys and have brought them both and a friend from time to time. And, not knowing your boys, but having raised a couple of fisherman myself, I suspect the odds are low that all three will want to, or be able to, go together all the time for the foreseeable future. As the years go by you might even be alone on that boat from time to time. The multi-species boats mentioned are fine, but I suspect you'd be better off with more deck space. When I had a multi-species Lund everyone wanted to be on the front deck while bass fishing. As far as ratings go, all 3 of my Rangers have been rated for 5-6 people - and my Lunds and other tin boats were similar.

Check out the gorillapod http://joby.com/gorillapod/original/ Small and light weight - easily wraps to windshield, steering wheel, just about anything...

Assuming it is a boat of reasonable size and horsepower, those U-bolts on your transom are designed to pull stuff - as well help tie the boat down while trailering. Most standard bridals are designed to attach to those hooks - that's what most boaters use - bass boat or not. It's only ski, or fish and ski, boats that have ski poles. Do not use the seat hole. If you want to add a pole than get a pole that requires another hole in the rear deck and mounts through to a plate on the bottom of the boat - but you really don't need this unless you are accomplished skiers/boarders and are trying to get some air (wake boards like air.) But starting out with a standard bridal that most of the boats out there use is fine - there's no magic here. I brought my kids up tubing/skiing/boarding behind all sorts of boats. Of course accidents can happen, but tubing is great fun for kids.

I didn't know Pepto-Bismol sponsored a boat. I'd be proud of my old and ugly brown Ranger parked next to that awful thing.

Thanks - I realize that one species has nothing to do what the other, but as you suggested, fishing techniques can be identical. I'm new to the area so I wasn't sure if common sense applied to how the area was managed. Sounds like it does. Thanks

Is it legal to catch and release largemouth in areas of the Chesapeake Bay that are 'closed' to striper fishing? I launch out of Stemmers Run and that area is now closed to striper fishing until June, I believe. If so, what is the protocol if you accidentally catch a striper? Remove the hook while it is in the water? Hope to hear from someone that actually fishes it, rather than someone guessing.

At each gas stop grab the top of each tire and push it in and out to check how much play there is. Also touch the hubs and feel how hot they are. If play is dramatically increasing or one is hotter than the other, these are early warning signs of bearing trouble.

Can you even buy a carbureted or EFI big block these days? Most, if not all, are direct injected or four-strokes. The old carb'd motors do suck up a lot of fuel and smoke. I had a 200 merc on a 20' Ranger in the early 90's and, at WOT, I could literally watch my fuel gauge go down. I just picked an old Ranger with a similar 150 - I haven't seen it suck up the fuel too bad yet since I'm keeping the rpm's under 4k for now, until my confidence is greater in the motor. But the old blackmax isn't any where near as smooth as the efi. I have a 200 merc efi on another Ranger and that motor has been good on fuel and rock solid since day one. I started using Cabela's low smoke oil 5 or so years ago and the sucker doesn't even smoke much any more. It is a great motor. Optimax had just recently come up when I ordered that boat and I was advised to go with EFI over Optimax since the new Optis on the pro circuit were blowing heads left and right - Mercury hadn't gotten the injection timing down 100% yet. They're obviously fine now. My next big motor will very likely be a four-stroke.

What type of seats are you referring to? If you are referring to generic fold-down seats, then yes, you can likely find replacements cheaper than the cost to reupholster them. If you are referring to upholstered bench seats common in bass boats, then it is often cheaper to swap them out with generics or have them reupholstered rather than buying new seats skins from the manufacturers. If you're considering replacing a bench check out http://www.boatingseats.com/scripts/bassboatchoice.asp I (with help from my wife) just reupholstered the bench seat bottoms of a Ranger for cheap money. I considered it a temporary measure because I didn't want to buy new seats until I was sure the motor was 100%. I just took the seats apart re-wrapped the bottoms with marine grade vinyl that matched the color. They didn't come out too bad. I might leave them that way for awhile, even though the motor is running well.

And hopefully the last. - Conditions did not warrant it in my opinion, nor his (he's 21, has spent his entire life (literally) around boats, has fished tournaments, etc) - It is not required by law - It was not during a tournament where it was required by regulations FWIW, it was no where near WOT. We were probably going under 30mph. It was the first time we were running an old boat we setup and we're keeping the rpms down until we know the motor better. Unless conditions warrant it or I'm in a tournament, I do not wear a jacket. If we're going to be running at high speeds (conditions), we'd likely have vests on - but that'd be our choice since it is not required by law.

They do make life jackets for babies... The first pic was taken about 18 years ago... Fast forward 18 years... Here's a pic of the 3 year old that was fishing on the back deck. Here's a pic of the baby on the floor of the boat, taken a few years ago. If you have a safe boat they can be taken out on the water safely...

Very nice boat. I seriously considered one last fall for the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding rivers. Only reason I decided against it was because I also frequent some large northern lakes that can get very rough and I was concerned about my back not being able to take the rough ride. That's a great design for bays and rivers though - and it should be able to handle some fairly rough water - although a bit roughly.

I just started fishing the Chesapeake Bay this year and decided to go with a older Ranger on a galvanized trailer. I went with the 373v for the extra floor space for crab traps. I'm not sure I'd like the hard decks of a pure bay boat - but if I was fishing in salt all the time - that'd be the way to go. The normal bassboat carpet is much easier on your feet and knees. I'm going to see how nasty the carpet gets this year and then decide whether I should put a hard surface on mine. Most bay boats also have hand controlled trolling motors, which mine has as well - I haven't got used to that yet - since I have been using a foot controlled motor forever.

Just get a couple drywall buckets, drill a few holes in the bottom, tie them to your transom hooks with about 8' of rope, and drop them in the water. You'll be amazed. I started doing this in the late 80's with a Ranger w/ a 200hp two-stroke carburetored motor. I was amazed how well it did. You can't troll all day, need to clean it out once in awhile - but I've caught a bunch of salmon from bass boats over the years... Of course it works even better with today's fuel injected motors or four-strokes.

It depends entirely on how it was wired. Many boats have automatic bilge pumps with float switch as mentioned above - these are typically on all the time in order to pump out the boat while docked, etc... Just get a wire tester and test the leads going to the pump...

No, you cannot easily swap a big motor with a little motor. The holes will not line up. Depending on local laws you may be able to leave your big motor out of the water or remove the prop and rely on your trolling motor. Most modern bass boats have curved lines and cannot easily accept a bracket for a kicker. I asked Ranger if they could install a kicker on a boat I ordered and they could not do it unless I went with a multi-species boat. If you REALLY need a kicker I'd go with a multi-species hull or an older bass boat hull with a flat transom so it'll accept a kicker bracket.

Just spend a couple hours at a ramp on a busy day. You'll quickly see what to do and what not to do. Some folks are in/out in a minute, others 20 minutes... What is particularly amusing - unless you are behind them - is the amount of people you'll see with drive-on trailers who are apparently afraid to drive their boats on to the trailer... I can't tell you how many guys I have seen waist deep in water trying to pull a boat with a rope onto a drive-on trailer over the years... As said, tying a rope from near the trailer winch to the bow eye should let you launch in seconds.

Bearing Buddies (or similar) combined with proper maintenance (checking often, repacking every year or so, and replacing when necessary) can only help IMO. I think the only reason BB are occasionally associated with failure is that some folks think that because they have BB they do not have to worry about bearings. I picked up a project boat (Ranger on a galvanized trailer) last fall and had an 8+hr drive home. I said 'Thank God' when I saw the Shore Lander trailer had BB. I'd come equipped with a grease gun and was prepared to replace bearings along the way if necessary - but I'm a fan of BB. I have had them on a bunch of trailers over the years. Obviously not in the same league my Ranger Cool Hubs, etc - but IMO they work very well.

Did you say that you have nothing but the charger leads on the trolling motor batteries and the charger lights do not come on - but when you trim the motor up the charger lights come on? That's bizarre since there should be no connection between them... (unless you are running a switchable 24/36 system that uses the cranking battery as the 3rd - but I doubt that is the case) I suggest you double check you connections.. If you haven't done so already, when all is wired properly, it's a good idea to place a piece of tape by each battery terminal (1,2,3,4,5,6...) and mark the corresponding connections with the appropriate number. This helps reduce the chance of mistakes when hooking it all back up.