Fantod

I have a relatively new Alumnacraft 14' and got a Minn Kota motor & marine battery from the dealer. I've been charging the battery with my trickle charger, but that takes forever and I know it's not the best method. I was going to upgrade to a Schumacher 1200A - http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SC-1200A-CA-SpeedCharge-Maintainer/dp/B000BQSIWK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top I was reading the instructions online, and found the following: 1. Attach at least a 24-inch-long, 6-gauge (AWG), insulated battery cable to NEGATIVE (NEG, N or -) battery post. 2. Position yourself as far away from the battery as possible, and then connect the black (NEGATIVE) output clamp to the free end of the cable. Do not face the battery when making the final connection. Really? Does anyone really do this? I understand the whole saftey concern....but is there really that much risk of a fume leak and spark from a 21st century battery? Just wondering if everyone really does this, or if the consensus is just slapping the negative clamp on the negative terminal? I'm not concerned about the money of buying extra cabling and such. Just wondering if it's worth the hassle and necessary? All opinions welcomed! Thanks.

Thanks everyone. I was lucky and the simplest 2" drop was a perfect fit. Will probably buy a lock set for both the hitch & trailer coupling. Took the boat out yesterday. It was wonderful. And I managed to break the driver's side tail light on the trailer while pulling the boat out. I guess that's why those things are so cheap, huh?

I'm picking up a jon boat/trailer at the end of the week (W00T!) and I need a ball mount. I've got a Trailblazer with a 2" receiver. Swung by a local O'Reilly's yesterday and was a bit overwhelmed by all the different types/brands. Is there an advantage/disadvantage to buying a combo kit with the ball already bolted down to the shank? Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Reese-Towpower-21536-Towing-Starter/dp/B0016C3STQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413380150&sr=8-1&keywords=ball+hitch I've read some reviews about the bolts being cranked so hard they were near impossible to remove. But is there ever a reason to remove the ball? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Thanks everyone for your input. Went to a decent outfitter and tried them out. The bail on the President was the deciding factor for me. It just felt smoother, and a lot more solid than the rest. Now, I just have to wait for these torrential downpours of the eastern N.C. summer to stop!!!

I'm looking to buy my first "step up" or "big boy" spinning reel. Grew up using Zebco 404's (who didn't?). Graduated to spinning reels later on. Have always used entry level/beginner/combo sets. Well, now I'm ready to move up to something more "adult." I don't a multi-hundred dollar reel. I'm thinking something in the $60-$70 range at the most. Money isn't a huge factor, but it's going to take some convincing for me to shell out a C note for a fishing reel. It's going to be used for bass fishing out of my canoe on local ponds & lakes, and will be going on a 7' medium Ugly Stik GX2. I've looked in the local stores, but they're all blister packed or boxed, and there's no way to try them out. My hands aren't overly big, but I don't want something thwacking me in the knuckles while I'm reeling. What I'm looking for the most is durability, dependability, and fun. I guess it's a "set it and forget it" kind of thing. I don't want something that I'm constantly fiddling with and adjusting. Possible contenders include: Shimano Sedona Pflueger President Quantum Q-Vex If there are any better reels in the price range, or if there are opinions of the three I've listed, please share them. And yes, eventually I'm getting a baitcast reel. One step at a time! All opinions are welcomed, and thanks in advance!

Grew up fishing as a kid. Watched Bill Dance & Roland Martin relgiously on Saturday afternoons. Would pour through catalogs, dreaming about having a tackle box full of lures, owning my own baitcast reel, a bass boat, et. al. Then puberty set in: started playing the bass guitar (that's bass with a LONG "a!"), went to college, traipsed through life, got married, got divorced, and have landed in my early 40's. After drifting about the last few months without a hobby, had a dream where I was fishing and it was a great dream. I got out an old Ugly Stick combo I bought at Wally world a few years back, bought my new girlfriend a simple Zebco starter setup, picked up some crickets and hit the ponds. We had a GREAT time, which was the most important thing. Now I'm at a point in life when I can actually afford all those things I dreamt about as a kid. Not going to buy everything (like a bass boat) but plan to buy a couple of better rods & reels, as well as a decently stacked tackle box. I do have a canoe, but adding a trolling motor to it creates a giant headache in N.C. (have to get it titled if it has a motor?) so I'm keeping it simple for now. Will have lots of questions of getting a real "big boy" rod & reel setup, but will put those in the right forums. Looking forward to hearing some helpful answers, meeting some new folks, and making some new friends. Thanks all, Tim