Al Wolbach

I would also consider what impact towing, at near max capacity, will have on a vehicle after several years vs say towing at 50 per cent capacity. May shorten the life of the vehicle?

I have never tried this but I have been told to climb onto the outboard and use the power trim to raise you out of the water then play monkey into the boat. Can't say for sure, lol. Of course this would only work if you have power trim.

I had a friend with a Grumman and it held up to years of abuse. Was a very good boat and the trailer was good also...

Good video, great fish!!!

I suspect you have trailer tires that are just old. There is a code on the tires that will tell you the date of manufacture but I do not know the code. After tires reach a certain age they can actually come apart internally and create a wobbling motion that only gets worse unless you slow down, and then only for a short time. Replacing the tires will of course fix the problem if I am correct. Ask the tire outfit to tell you the age of the tires they are removing. If my memory serves me correctly any tire over 5/6 years can be suspect.

True, but you are never to old to learn and discover. Visiting these old camps is a great idea and your sons will never forget. Be sure to take pictures so your sons can share with their sons.....

Here you go. However, the regs for fishing, change a lot depending on where you fish such as in the park, Gatlinburg city, Sevier county, Pigeon Forge etc. You can only use barbless hooks in one area, no artificial bait in one area, no treble hooks in one area. Better check as the fines could ruin a short fishing trip, especially in the park, it is federal.

Your best bet for that area is trout fishing but the regulations are complicated(barbless hooks, artificial only, etc). If you are driving in on I-40 you will take exit 407 to Pigeon Forge. There is a Bass Pro Shop at that exit and if you go to the fishing dept they will show you on a map where to fish and the regulations. There are some bass waters in the area but I do not know them. You can also get a license at BPS and any necessary hardware.

I keep my 98 Champion in the garage and it still looks great. My pontoon boat is another matter. It is stored on the trailer during the winter months here in Tennessee. The first couple of years of covered storage the interior was mildewed pretty bad and required hours of cleaning before we could use it. A few years ago I placed a 10 inch oscillating fan under the cover and just let it run on low for the entire winter, although I did check it occasionally. The interior still had some mildew but very minor compared to the winter storage without the fan. Bottom line is the fan works on a vented pontoon boat cover, not sure on a bass boat, but I would sure give it a try....

nice!!!

If you ever find SeaFoam at that price buy all they have in stock, lol

I did this about 25 years ago. I purchased 2 styrofoam blocks(approx 2'x2'x6') at a salvage store to remove a 17' Procraft. I jacked up the boat with a floor jack and placed the blocks under the boat then pulled the trailer out from under the boat. I did it with the motor attached, just trimmed up. Although this sounds a little scary now, I do not recall any problems and I did it alone in my garage. The styrofoam I used were frequently being used for boat docks and archery shooters for targets and not very expensive. I too, was refurbishing a trailer. As I remember, the boat sat that way for about two weeks...Reloaded the boat the reverse way but with help...

Too cool. Great job Evan

I use a product called "Greased Lighting" that I buy at Sams Club. It's just a multi purpose cleaner(like Simple Green) that comes in a pump spray bottle. I usually take the boats to a car wash and spray down the area then hit it with soap/water from the car wash. Try to avoid hitting battery chargers or other electrics with to much spray. Usually cost me about $20 in tokens because I do the carpet and entire boat. Rinsing is the hard part but it cleans pretty well. Btw, it takes a long time to dry.....

I really don't think you would forget more than a few times, lol. Put it back on the trailer or go swimming..

Don't think the draft would be a problem at all. The average depth of Lake Okeechobee is only 6-8ft, most is less, and you see these boats frequently. I have spoken with several owners and all have said they love their boats. One other feature of these boats is the aluminum trailers. Trailers are often taken for granted but if you keep a boat for years the trailer will become an issue at some point and the best time to address this is at purchase time rather than repair/replace time. If I were in the market for a boat to keep for 20 years this boat would certainly be looked at very hard.

Big O boats are built around Lake Okeechobee area have a great reputation and a faithful following. I have no experience with custom boats but have been aware of these boats for years. I would not be afraid of a custom boat after some research. The "Big O" boats are pretty expensive but you generally get watch you pay for. They may be the best rough water bass boat made...

I have a 1998 Champion with a 225 Yamaha that I purchased new in 98. It still looks great and the Yamaha performs flawlessly. I did replace the seats about 5 years ago. The biggest problem with boats is the sun. Will damage anything over time so keeping a boat in a garage or under cover when not in use is your best bet on longevity. For your outboard it is maintenance....

I use Mobile 1 in 5Qt containers from WalMart(about $26-28) and and Yamaha filter(about $20) from dealership in a 115HP Yamaha 4 stroke. Your right it is closer to $50.

I change to oil in my 4 stroke Yamaha for about $40 and that includes synthetic oil and yamaha filter. If you have any mechanical ability, it only takes a few minutes.

Sooner or later a hook is going to find a new home.......

A man that I worked with at BPS had the same issues with his, not sure if he ever got it fixed. Good advice in this post....

Good news! God Bless.......Al

If the cushions were wet and could slide around they could short out your battery, however dry and immobile you are fine for storage.

I just checked the weights at the web sites, Yamaha 175 SHO is 480lbs and the Mercury 175 Pro XS is 431lbs so the difference is more than I thought, but I would still go Yamaha. The 175 Verado was listed at 510lbs.