Fishing Rhino

You make a good point. They'd need to have a brain to damage it.

Only you Redline.

Hootie, either this carving stuff is easy, or you have a gift for it. I'm guessing the latter.

Yes, it does. Canoe, jon, kayak, plastic pontoon type can all access the big pond. Some guys do it with smaller, beater, bass boats. The water got so low last season that it was a chore even with a smaller boat. I'd hang up more than once even in my canoe. Most of the regulars quit going there because it was near impossible to negotiate the channel.

Minnkota or Motorguide, choose your poison. I have both, a Motorguide on the bow of my bass boat, and a Minkota on the stern of my canoe. I have replaced the speed control on the Minnkota three times, but it gets a lot of use/abuse. Apparently they do not like running at top speed for extended intervals, and when I move from one spot to the next, it's hammer down. It's only 13 bucks for the speed control unit and I've had the Minnkota since 2009. Eight years and a lot of use. That's about three years out of a 13 dollars piece. I can live with that. The steering cable has pulled out of the rack part of the steering mechanism. I fixed it by pulling the cable out of the rack, then drilling through the section where the cable goes. I threaded the hole for a set screw. Jammed that baby in, no more problem. However it was under warrantee so I got a new one. After two years, it did the same thing as the first. I fixed it the same way, and it has been fine for four years now. One thing you should consider is the bolt pattern for mounting it. Chances are the Motorguide will fit a new one. But, you'll have to check to be sure. It's not likely to be compatible with a Minnkota, and may require drilling a different pattern to receive the Minnkota. Not a big deal, but something to think about. If you have a choice between the digital and the standard unit, go with the digital. It's worth the extra cost. Batteries will last longer, and the speed control is infinitely variable. The control knob may have numbers printed on it, but that's for you to be able to return to the same setting. For some reason, t h i r t e e n (13) is blocked by the site and three asterisks are substituted.

Google Motorguide dealers to find one in your area. Depending, you may be just as well off replacing it. The time it will take you to have it looked at and then to repair it. It does sound like the speed control unit is the problem. It could also be a poor connection, or a broken wire. Check that first, then go from there.

The brain damage is worth it only if it takes these people out of the gene pool. Even if these "events" are rigged, you know there are some people out there who will try this stuff at home. Upon further reflection, if it takes them out of the gene pool too, they are doing society a favor.

Boats of identical weight, without regard to shape, will displace the exact same amount/volume/mass/weight of water. It takes a ton of displaced water to support a boat that weighs a ton. They have a higher load capacity because they have higher sides. The higher sides make it more difficult for water to slop over the sides into the boat, making it less likely to swamp when weather conditions deteriorate. "In sailing and boating, a vessel's freeboard[1] is the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level, measured at the lowest point of sheer where water can enter the boat or ship. In commercial vessels, the latter criterion measured relative to the ship's load line, regardless of deck arrangements, is the mandated and regulated meaning.[2] In yachts, a low freeboard is often found on racing boats, for weight reduction and therefore increased speed. A higher freeboard will give more room in the cabin, but will increase weight and may compromise speed. A higher freeboard also helps weather waves and reduce the likelihood of being washed over by full water waves on the weather deck. A low-freeboard boat is susceptible to taking in water in rough seas. Freighter ships and warships use high freeboard designs to increase internal volume which also allows them to satisfy IMO damage stability regulations due to increased reserved buoyancy." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeboard_(nautical)

I'm thankful I have the EZ Lube system on my trailer. It is slick. Jack up one end of an axle/wheel. Pull the grease cap. Plug on a grease gun. Spin the wheel slowly and pump the gun. The grease travels through the axle, coming out between the inner seal and the inner bearing. As you pump, it forces the old grease out through the bearings, coming out the end of the shaft. Continue until there is very little or no old grease exiting the end of the axle. Use a plastic spoon to scoop away the old grease as it appears. Replace grease cap. Lower the end of the axle. Repeat on the other bearings. Done.

There's an easy solution to that problem. Get rid of the fish finder.

The deep "V" will give you a better ride, but, the boat will move around more in the wind because the sides are higher. All boats are compromises. A bass boat is a specialized rig. It is built for fishing efficiency not comfort. They have low sides to reduce the impact of the wind when fishing. The low sides may also allow the wake of another boat to slop over the stern. You are more likely to fall over the side of a bass boat because you are basically on a flat platform with no depth other than in the cockpit. Anything that is optimally built for one specific purpose is not likely to be good at other things. Only you can decide what is best for you.

Be careful putting your boat on skim ice. It may break the ice, but that ice will act just like a saw on your hull. Several years ago I was scalloping on the Westport River in late Nov., early Dec. There was a skim ice on the river, but the wooden skiff pushed through it with ease. The ice darn near cut through the one inch planks on the side of the boat in hardly no time. If your vessel rides high in the bow, it might break the ice without it cutting into the hull.

I have some sled heads in my arsenal. I like using them with a lizard. It's a toss up as to which will slide through vegetation better. I have some Rage Lobsters. I'll have to try them on the Sled Head.

Here are some images to show how I rig it.

I fish a very rocky pond near my home. Getting hung up is a common occurrence. Fortunately ninety nine times out of a hundred, I motor past the hang, lift, and the bait comes free. There is one bait that rarely gets hung even in the rockiest bottom. It's a Rage Tail Craw rigged on a keel weighted Owner twist lock hook. They have another similar but heavier hook, and the lead weight is more barrel shaped and a bit closer to the eye, which tends to grab more vegetation. You may prefer the weightless version. Either one fishes very well in rocks and vegetation.

Ain't it the truth.

Every time you find something, it is always the last place you look. It may also be the first place. I stop looking when I find the thing I'm looking for. Doesn't everyone?

What? Not a single shout out for this?

While their prey dies in pieces.

Nice. I'm wondering if there is some type of coating that would prevent the growth on the hull. Maybe pulling it up onto the float a couple of times a month to let the underwater surface dry, would reduce the growth.

Cedar, fir, and cypress would last longer than the typical dimension stock at most lumber yards. Even with them, you want to avoid the sap wood. The core of a tree is not a living organism. It's the outer layer (cambium) that has the tubes that sap travels up and down to bring water and nourishment to the tree. In the image below you can see the difference in the heart wood and the sap wood. The lighter ring is sap wood. The darker is heart wood. The heart wood is actually dead, and its sole purpose it to hold the tree upright. It also has minerals in it that you do not find in sap wood which resist rot and decay. Keep in mind that rot and decay is caused by fungus. It can only grow under specific conditions involving moisture and temperature. Without fungus, the earth would be buried under dead trees. There are also other critters than can eat wood, such as termites and borers. But they are not a problem for bunk boards. It's the fungus that gets them. Which brings us to another point. The fiberglass resin will crack or "alligator" allowing water into the wood every time you launch your boat. However it does restrict the wood's ability to dry out, actually making matters worse. In the olden days of whaling and all wooden ships, they would place salt on the horizontal surfaces of structural timbers. The salt attracts moisture which keeps the wood wet enough to prevent rot.

I have some bad news for you. I work with fiberglass, and coating anything with fiberglass resin is a waste of time. An epoxy resin like Gluvit will flex and withstand the swelling and contraction of wood without cracking or crazing. Gel coats are waterproof, but are meant to be chemically bonded to to the composite, and should be covered with the composite materials before they are fully cured. After that, you end up with a physical bond like glue used to join wood. You've probably seen fiberglass repairs where the repair starts to peel away from the old material after time. That happens because you do not have a chemical bond where the molecules actually link together. Fiberglass composite primarily consists of two components, the resin, and the material (mat and roving) The resin gives the product its shape, the materials give it strength. Another problem is that polyester fiberglass resin is not waterproof. It will absorb moisture unless it is sealed. Polyester resin is the most common type found in hardware stores. Vinylester and epoxy resins are waterproof, though for what you have done, epoxy would be the preferred material. It has a much stronger bond, and withstands vibration and flexing much better than vinylester. Staples puncture the wood allowing water intrusion. I hope you used stainless steel staples. If not, get some to staple the carpeting. You don't need to remove the other staples unless you want to. Not to worry though. Untreated bunks should last several years, unless they have sap wood in them. Heart wood, near the center of the tree is much more durable than wood from the outer edges of a log. If you see any gray colored wood, stay away from it for any exterior applications, such a boat bunks. The gray colored wood is sap wood.

Ask, and ye shall receive.

I thought the poor squirrel had no nuts. But after further examination, he might be holding an acorn. Good job!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/animals/brave-duck-plays-marco-polo-with-huge-tiger/vi-AAlZiEh