Ben

My first concern would be an 18' Stratos with a 130 hp V-4 motor. Stratos does not make a light boat, a 2.0L V-4 is not going to have a whole lot of torque to get it up and going with two people, full well, plenty of gas and your gear. For that size boat, I would try to find one with a V-6 150. It will be much more enjoyable to drive. When it comes to hole shot and getting a boat up and going with a load, there is just no substitute for cu in's. and the V-6 has a whole bunch more of them things, even if it is only 20 more hp, those extra cu in's make a whole bunch of difference. On the 17' - 18' boats, I would stick to the max rated HP because they are just too much boat for anything smaller than a 150. My Stratos, 285 Pro (18.5') dry hull weight is 1440 pounds, it's only rated for a 175 and was a lead sled with a 150 on it. That's still a lot of money for that boat with a V-4 because that V-4 motor has a very low value if I was sold just as a used motor, which means you are gonna be paying over $4000 for the boat and trailer. When you test a boat, you needed three people in it, livewell full, make sure all the batteries were in it. THe reason I say three people, that would add the weight, a tank of gas and gear would add. These things make a hellava difference in the way a boat performs versus one almost empty on gas, dry livewells and no gear, especially if you were in it by yourself.

Was you using a pump or squeez tubes? The pump makes less mess if your not used to messing with the tubes. You can buy the pump at WalMart for about $10. Also, be sure you put the top screw back in and snug it after filling and before remover the tube/pump from the bottom. You did fill it from the bottom didn't you, because the proper way is to pump/squeez it into the bottom hole until it comes out the top. Putting the top screw back in first keeps it from getting air and won't let it run out the bottom so fast when you're trying to put the bottom plug in. I usually don't loose over a table spoon full when I change mine.

Life of the battery is based on use and type batter. A deep cycle battery designed to last for 400 charge cycles when it's run down to 20% and then charged, will only last about 250 cycles if run down to 10% cabacity. At the same time if it's only run down to 75% and recharged it may last 1000 cycles. The type battery has a lot to do with it. Most run of the mill deep cycle TM batteries use a composite lead plate that's only intended to live 3 - 4 years. AGM batteries should last 4 -5 years but many of the spiral wounds claim to be good for 5 - 6 years, but I've never seen one last longer than 3 in the load handler power jacks I work on. These are used in much more extreme conditions than almost any bass could ever put them through. I work a lot with the spiral wounds because they can be layed on their sides for a more compact unit plus they never suppose need maintenance but I have never liked them. Very expensive to replace four of them at a pop and won't last as long as golf cart batteries in the same application.

Yes, Most dealers will carry those in stock, the upper and lower shafts. Depending on how bad it's bent as to where you can straighten it or not, sometimes if it's just a small bow, I will remove it, stick it in the fork of a tree and straighten it, but that only works if it has a slight bow, not really bent. You will also want to check the upper tube, it's a good chance it's bent also. To replace it, the head has to come off, disconnect all the wires coming through the shaft. There is a set screw in the top of the gear, remove the setscrew and screw the gear off. Sometimes the gear can be hard to screw off if they overtighten the setscrew and jam the threads. Once you get the gear off, the lower shaft will slide out, be carefull though, if the bearing carrier has much wear, all the ball bearings will go everywhere. Once you get it out, you will need a stong strap wrinch to screw it out of the motor, a pipe wrench if you don't mind a few teeth marks in the shaft, a rag between the jaws helps but usually it will still leave teeth marks. Hold the wires, when screwing it on and off, sometimes it will twist them badly and may break one off in the motor. Us a good pipe joint compound on the motor end to seal the shaft when replacing it. If you have to replace the upper shaft, the new tube most likely will not have the holes drilled so a transfer punch will be needed, or at least a big help. If it has pop rivets, they are a pain to get out. I usually grind the ends off inside the shaft and knock them back that way. Trying to take the heads off and going that way usually ruins the plastic housing. Put your new upper shaft in the plastic housing and punch one hole and drill it. Use screws to put it back together and insert one screw to hold it in place, then do the other two.

There are two types of those breakers, one auto reset, one that has a little button that pops out the end you have to press to reset, you probably have the auto reset. Any dealer that has a descent parts dept. should have the circuit breakers, but I think yoiu will find 40 - 45 amp to be a lot more common. I think 50 is going a little over kill, I don't claim to be a TM expert but just don't know of too many TM's that would draw 50 amps. 50 amps @ 24v is only about two hours run time on max with two good 115 AH batteries, plus most of the bow connectors are only rated for 35 - 40 amps. I run 45 amp on my 72 lb motor quide with no problems.

Best thing since sliced bread. I wouldn't have a boat trailer without a self lubeing bearing cap. I've run Bearing Buddies for many years (since they first came out), but you also need the keep the covers on them. I changed over to a brand called Red Eye about four years ago and like them better than BB's, no where near as messy. You don't want to use your normal thick wheel bearing greases in them, it won't go through the outer bearing, therefore not doing anything for the inner bearing, You pack your wheel bearings different when using them also, you want to completely fill the bearing area and the hub so when you push the outer bearing in, it pushes grease out, then put you BB on and add enough to preload the spring, and give them a shot of grease after each trip until it they get where they will maintain a small spring tension. I usaually clean/pack mine and check the trailer brakes every spring, however I've got one trailer that hardly ever gets towed over 10 miles a trip and I've gone two without packing them. As for the Brand name lube, I'm not picky, it's usaually a QS or Valvolin, but stay with the one you use until youi pack them again, DON'T mix greases and get two or three tubes, you will use one just packing the bearings.

Don't know much about the Optima but the last time I checked they were only about 150 min reserve. You're right, if they don't give the AH capacity, the reserve is all you have to go by, that's how long the battery will run a 25 amp load. A good group 27/31 deep cycle will 200 - 230 min's reserve. As a Battery, the Trojan SCS 225 is about as good as your gonna get in a lead acid batttery. Have never tried Diehards because never cared much for their car batteries. The big yellow Walley World Maxx's are about as cheap as your gonna get, but good luck finding something that tells what the AH or reserve capacity it to rate them against another battery. I've never been able come up with that. I have been running them for several years now and have always had good luck with them but since I quit tournament fishing years ago and don't fish all day anymore, I don't place the demands my batteries I once did. For many years, if I wasn't a Trojan, it wasn't hooked to my TM. They meet my needs last about three years, (I take care of mine) and at less than $60 each, they are cheap. I've never had but one to fail in less than three years and with four boats (11 batteries) I've bought more than a few over the past several years.

The standard recommended charge rate is at a rate that's equal to approx 10% of it's amp hour (AH) capacity. It is recommended that the battery is equalized after about every 5 uses if you use one of the old automatic chargers that just charges it and cuts off at the end of the charge cycle. I usually find this is not necessary if using a good quality Smart charger that drops into a float mode of approx 13.3VDC at the end of the cycle. Smart chargers charge the battery faster and much safer than your old style chargers that will fry a battery if left on too long. They can actually be charged at a much higher rate but only until they reach 80% charge and then it has to be cut back to a much lower rate, but you should never excede 25% of it's rated AH capacity. Also, you should NEVER completly discharge a deep cycle battery, taking them down below a 20% charge level will damage the battery. It's just about as bad to completely discharge one as it is to overcharge one.

Been bass fishing heavy since the early 60's. Living in Georgia, I've had the oppertunity to fish what were some the best lakes in the country in their time and enough private ponds to make giant lake. I could not even begin to count the big bass I've caught. 14-3 is the biggest I've ever boated, but have hung a few that looked a right smart larger than that one, one 10 minutes after catching that one. Don't have a clue how many I've caught, but I can tell you how many I've hung on the wall, NONE. It takes a whole bunch of small bass to lay the eggs one eight pound bass will lay. Plus, the reason it's so hard to catch really big bass now is the gene poll has just about been depleted. Small bass make small bass, big bass have to potential to make big bass. Talk about mounting the next world record, for me that would never happen. I would make absolutely every effort possible to keep that fish alive, even to the point of trying to give it CPR. I would also be trying to get ahold of the DNR fish biologist to meet me at the lake with it as soon as possible. That fishes worth would be unmeasurable in many more ways than just the money for the royalties you would get out of being the one that caught it. It's eggs alone each year would be tremedous boost to the big fish poplulation, SOOooo, put it on the wall, NO WAY IN HELL!!!

Pull the end out of the motor, mix 50% brake fluid and 50% transmission fluid, hold the motor in up as high as you can with the rod fully extended, slowly let this mixture run into the cable. It's easier if you have two people, after you get some in it work the steering a few time, leaving the rod extended and pour a little more in, do this several times. This will usually loosen them, but as mentioned, depending on how bad the cables rusted inside as to whether you're creating a bigger problem or not. A badly rusted stran can break and jam the cable completely, while driving the boat, not a good experience. Usually better to pay the $130 or so for a new one, double that is dual cable steering. Oh, by the way, most of the time you have to take the motor off the boat to get the cable out so be sure you use plenty of Marine RTV around the bolts on both sides of the transome.

Wow, a kid, fishing from a kayak, don't think I would want to try that one. I think private ponds and bream fishing is the best way to start one off. After you determine if they enjoy it or not, then mix a little bass fishing with the bream fishing. Like it has been said, if the fish aren't bitting steadily, they get bored real quick. Doesn't matter what size, they enjoy the heck out of it if they are only catching little two finger bream, just so they don't have to go too long without a bite. As they go more and more, they get more patient when they're not biting and willing to wait longer for a bite. My 9 year old granddauther loves bass fishing but if the bite gets too slow, she will lay down in the boat and take a nap or sit there and play with the fish in the livewell, if there are any. After a while, she'll get up and go back to casting again. If she's catching a few bass, it's hard to get her to want to go, even when I've had enough, she'll stay with them all day and night. Plus, when I hook one, I give her the rod and let her reel it in also, unless we both have fish on.

Stainless is the only way to go. A little better top speed and better hole will be noticed. I think I would go with a better prop than Cabela's or BPS. I would go with one the merc props, probably a four blade for your setup. They will probably give you much better performance than those off brand things. The only time I would run an aluminum prop is if I had to run places with lots of rocks or other stuff I was constantly banging. The aluminum is much easier on the LU and the pocket book when you tear them up. As for the pitch, what rpm are your turning now and what is the factory recommended max rpm. You want a prop that will let the motor turn near the max rpm with your normal load. If you normally fish with two people, that's with both in the boat, livewell full, plenty of gas and your gear. Firgure about 300 - 400 rpm per prop size for adjusting from what your prop is now. A good parts guy at the dealership can assist you greatly on what prop.

Loyal to a brand, NO. I do only buy Shimano and Ambassador reels, simply because they have served me well for many years and feel with them, you get the best reel for the money. Not saying they are any better than anyone elses, just they have always met my needs and have had no reason to change. On most other products I usually buy the original and not the rip offs. I buy GYCB Senko's, not those wanna be's etc. I buy cranks for size, color, sound/or lack of it and action, but again, I buy the name brands, not the cheap copies. Spinner baits, I've got a half dozen or so different brands I buy, depending what action I want and how I'm gonna be fishing it. Plastics, I throw a lot of GYCB's, Zoom's, Culprit's and Creme's, with a few other specialty baits mixed in. Again, just depends on what I looking for in the bait.

Can't say anything about him buying his boat at 16. I bought my first Brand New boat when I was 16. It was a 14' Glass Master with a 65 hp Merc. I paid $1,427 for it then, that would about the same as his $10K now. Oh! I had $600 and the bank loaned me the balance of the money without my parents signature. Helps when you live in a small town and the bank presidents knows you real well, I was dating his daughter. Besides, if you had a 16 year old son, would you rather he be spending his time on the lake fishing in his bass boat, or running the roads in his new pickup truck. Kind of a no brainer to me.

Look on the side of the tires, it gives the max inflation pressure but I think 60 might be too much. I think most 12" tires run about 45. Even if they say 60, if your boat is fairly light, I would still only run 45 to keep from eating the center out of the tire. Just don't want to get too low on pressure or it will make the tire overheat and blow.

Nice boat but, aaahhhh, son, you need to get that thing out and go to using it, it's much too neat and organized. You need all the rods piled into one locker, all on top of each other and that other locker needs to be stuffed with everything but the kitchen sink, well maybe that too if you think it might be needed sometime. And that bait storage area, what's with that, need more holders cramed in there with extra spools of line and them what won't fit stuffed in the extra rod locker. Make that sucker look like it's a fishing boat.

Actually, unplugging and plugging them may be when he's blowing the adapter. If this is done when any of the lights are on, the voltage spike created during the connect/disconnect can be great enough to blow the diodes in those store bought harnesses. Some of those things only run 50 PIV diodes and the spike can be a couple of times that if there's a bad ground.

Not sure what you're talking about freezing. If there's water inside the gearcase, it has problems and needs repaired. If your'e talking about trapped water, make sure when you pull the boat out of the water, you trim the motor back down at the ramp until all water drains out of the power head and LU. I fish year round. During the winter, if it's freezing when I pull my boat out of the water, I pull back in my parking spot after loading the boat. I trim the motor all the way down, remove the drain plug and make sure the live well drains are open. I sit there a few minutes until everything has stopped draining, trim the motor back up and head to the house. When I get home, I always park the boat with the motor trimed all the way down.

Me and my spelling, should have gone further than the 3rd grade in school, should be sulphation. A good onboard charger that has a float mode when batteries reach full charge will prevent sulphation as long as it stays plugged in while the boat is parked. In float the charger maintains approx 13.303 VDC on the batteries, the ideal storage mode for lead acid batteries, remeber flood cell lead acid batteries are the only ones that give this problem, since they are the only ones that use sulfuric acid and lead. If the charger is one that cuts off and then cuts back on when the battery voltage drops to a certain level, I would from time to time disconnect it and and hook a high frequency charger or maintainer/conditioner to them and leave it for several days. I have a six year old Dual Pro two bank charger in one of my boats. Been to cheap to buy a ProMariner for that one since I don't use it often. I don't use it much and don't get great battery life from the batteries, that's why I bought the high frequency charger. High Frequency, Smart chargers are the way to go if you're looking to buy a little 10 - 15 amp charger. They charge much faster than the old 10 amp transformer chargers and it actually helps the battery to leave the connected, unlike the old chargers that will fry a battery if you leave it connected. I've also got several batteries that have been sittiing for a while I'm gonna try to recover just to experiment. I've got three different ones I'm going to connect my O-scope to and compare the outputs this weekend. I picked up a BatteryMINDer Plus, high frequency 1.3A Maintainer - Conditioner (approx $50) and a Vector 2/6/12 Amp High Frequency Charger (approx $65) at Northern tools today and the Schumacher I ordered should be here. Gonna look a the peak voltages, frequencies and wave shapes to see if theres any difference between them. They also had a Century for $100 but decided not the get that one right now. I'm more interested in the frequency and peak voltage in the float mode (maintenance mode). This is where I would be using them to desulphate a battery, got plenty of all kinds of chargers to charge them. So, to answer your question. If you've had your batteries for several months or more you might be surprised how much a High Frequency charger or High Frequency Maintainer/Conditioner might bring them back to life. Should mention, this is not a one charge deal, it's conditioning them a number of times over several weeks to fully recover them. Going by what the battery folks and other experts are saying, they should be well worth the $50 - $100 investment. Like I said, I'm playing with a couple of different one to see for myself.

Nobody needs an onboard charger, they are strickly convenience. You do need high quality battery chargers though. You can buy a good "Smart Charger" or "Intelligent" charger that will work just as good as any of the onboards and better than some. With a good charger, you hook it to the battery and leave it connected until you get ready to go next time. If you do this with a standard battery charger, you will have some fried batteries when you get ready to go next time. You can buy a good 10 amp Smart Charger for less than $75. The best chargers going now are the new, High Frequency chargers. They will do wonders at rejuvinating batteies that have starting loosing their run time becuase of the sulfication caused by poor charging practices. Schumacher makes a several different ones and I've just ordered their 6 amp model for less the $70 to use on some batteries that need some TLC, and I already have close to $1000 worth of different chargers. There are all types of high frequency devices being made now to remove sulfication, the #1 cause of dead marine batteries.

I would go with LBH, make sure you have a good clean ground connection where the ground wire connects to the trailer frame. Also, check and see if they have the ground side of the vehicle connector connected. Check with an ohm meter, should read less than 1 ohm resistance. The vehicle adapter use diodes to make it so seperate turn and brake lights can adapted into a single turn/brake system used on the trailer, a bad ground will cause higher inverse peak voltages than the diodes are rated for, blowing the diode. If you continue having the problem, take one of the old adapters, get you four, 5 amp 400 PIV diodes and make you one that won't blow. It's very simple to make. The diodes will have a silver band around one end, solder the silver band end of two diodes to the single wire end that goes to the trailer, on the vehicle end, connect the turn wire to one diode and the brake wire to the other, do this for both sides and your ready to go.

When I put my hot rod motor on my Stratos several years ago, it would blow the prop out just as started laying over coming out of the hole. I "temporarily" put an SE Sport 300 on to cure the problem until I could get the prop tuned. Well, the prop was done a couple of months later but 4 1/2 years later I still temporarily running the hyrdrofoil, not because I need it now but because I love the way the boat comes out of the hole with it. I nail the gas and there's almost no bow lift, the boat is up and gone it a matter of seconds. I doubt I would ever run without one. Even if it does look dorkey as hell. If installed, I do recommend retightning the bolts ever so often. I find mine get loose from time to time, plus I have several friends with them and they have the same problem. We all even carry a couple of spares just in case we loose one. Not too sure about one that doesn't bolt one either. The only one I would condsider would be the SE Sport 200/300, depending on size motor you have.

Now would be a great time to look into changing over to hydraulic (SeaStar) steering. YOu will discover it's well worth the extra cost once you start using it'

Deep water stumps sticking up like poles won't hold suspended bass like those with their limbs/braches. However, shallow water stumps left by the loggers and puplwooders or the trees left that were too small for them to mess with when they removed the the timber before they flooded the area never loose their appeal. Clarks hill was backed up in the 50's and many of my best honey holes are places covered with one foot high stumps in 5 - 15 ft of water. They still produce some great fishing. You will loose a lot of worms/lures, but it's well worth it.

14.3 largemouth in 1969 31 lb striper, We don't have smallmouth near me so never caught one Biggest stringer was in Clarks Hill back in the mid 60's, 28 large mouth, between 6.5 and 9.5 lbs, most being 7.5 - 8.5, all along a 200' stretch of riprap in less than two hours. This was me and a friend, don't know who caught the most or biggest but we both claim to have. How many fish have I ever mounted that I've caught, ZERO. Mounted one 8 pounder for my son he caught when he was eight. He has released all big bass since then, including one over 10. How many bass over two pounds have I kept since the early 80's, ZERO.