fishnkamp

For me I would rather have the Yamaha. Their small engines run nice. I used to fish a lake that had a 20 hp max restriction. The most favored engines on the lake were Honda and Yamaha.

CrustyMono Take a few minutes and read through this topic that Kris, my friend, covered the steps he wen through to build his present electric only boat. He also has an old Ranger he is going to restore and run on larger waters. http://www.baybass.com/forum/index.php?topic=925.0

Did you get a chance to read Bryans piece? He really shares a wealth of knowledge on what to look for and what to look out for.

I would start with the transom mount first. I would run two batteries so I would have tons of run time.

Never allow pressure treated wood to be in contact with the aluminum. Ask Kris. He has a complete super long post on here about his "next reservoir rig. He spent all summer sealing a ton of little pin holes and other issues caused by someone who did just that. He just finally created a terrific boat. Instead of 2x4 pressure treated wood for supports he used that plastic wood called Azek wood. It turned out great.

Way2slow I am confused. I suggested he determine if the problem exist at the engine connection or at the helm unit. If it is at the engine I would look to repair that connection, otherwise it is most likely in the helm unit. Since he says it was that way from new I suspect it is the culprit. West Marine and others sell SeaStar replacement units for as low as $75 . The most expensive kit, which has the anti feedback and tilt steering, was around $300. How is that not finding the root of the problem and repairing what is know to be a problem. rather than spending a lot of time and money throwing parts at it? Hydraulic steering is great, I have had it on two of my boats with larger outboards, but if I could replace a defective helm unit for less than $200 I would save my money. The least costly hydraulic system is over $700 and some run well over $1200. Most of the helm new units have their own "quick connect" style of connecting the cable so older ones may not work with them. That is why the kits include a new cable as well I consider a dual cable system to be a waste of money since he would have to also modify the engine to accept it. I would upgrade to a hydraulic system instead, but it will cost at least double or more than he would spend on a good mechanical system like the ones Tracker is using on its new boats. OP maybe it is worth going to Bass Pro and sit in one of the new Tracker boats. I think you will see they do not have that kind of slop. The factory is most likely using either SeaStar or Teleflex since they make most of the equipment found on today's new boats.

I own one of Ike delays series 6'4" baitcasters for jerkbaits and topwaters. Just like the spinning rod review the rod feels great in your hand, the components are of good quality and the balance is nice with my Diawa Tatula Type R on it. The rod is much like most 6'8" split grip rods but the handle is a bit shorter to allow you to do the proper cadence twitch without hitting your arm every time you jerk the rod. They did a real nice job on it. The balance between tip and backbone means when you lay into the fish the rod does the work but it is still soft enough of the tip you do not have to worry about pulling out the treble hooks from the bass's mouth.

what tires size is on there now. There are trailers for boats that long that use 8",10" 12" and 13" diameter tires. If you can not read the sticker on the trailer then try to read the sidewall of the tires. You will need to purchase "trailer" tires which are very different than passenger tires. I am sure you have a trailer supply place somewhere near you but you can go to their website to research what you need. Match the diameter, size ratio and load rating. For instance my trailer for my 17 1?2 foot Lowe uses Loadstar trailer tires in a ST175/80DX13 load range C. I can go with the same tire in a load range D if I can find them but not a load range B. The B load range will not support enough weight to be safe. Check out Eastern Marine's website here:http://www.easternmarine.com/ You can order from them but it maybe possible to get them from a supplier closer to you. Another great supplier is to call The Tire Rack. They will help you get the right tire and will ship them to your home. A lot of the time an RV dealer and boat and utility trailer dealer can get them as well.

Take a look at the point the steering cable mounts to the engine. Have someone rock the steering wheel for you. If there is no slop at the outboard connection then your helm unit has the slop. The more cost effective and easier solution would be to replace the helm unit. That much slop is not normal and could be a sign that trouble is coming around the corner. Possibly the manufacturer and model number is still on the unit. If so I would contact them and see what unit will fit and give you better service. Better yet West Marine offers kits from $75 to $250 that will replace the entire helm unit and cable. You could even choose the unit with anti feedback technology and tilt steering. That kit which included a new cable was less than $300. No matter which hydraulic system you choose they are going to cost at least $700. Baystar is the model for up to 150 outboards and that is what it costs.

The "correct" answer to that depends on a bunch of factors. What is your budget? What type of water do you fish. How good are your ramps on the waters you fish. Are the waters you wish to fish big enough that you encounter "Rough" water. Your budget is one thing only you can answer. Here are some things to consider. If you intend to fish smaller bodies of water, launch on less improved ramps, or fish in stump infested waters then I would consider a tin boat in the 17.5 to 19 foot range. If you fish or want to fish larger bodies of water where the water can really get rough then fiberglass makes sense. There are a bunch of nice tin boats to consider. Ranger, Tracker, Lowe, AlumaCraft, Crestliner, Express, Polar Kraft, and a bunch more make really nice tin boats. I have owned 11 boats in the last 40 years. If I fished mostly fast running rocky rivers I would want a mod v jon boat perhaps with a tiller outboard. If, like now, I fish mostly larger lakes I like a bigger aluminum bass boat. I have even owned a 20 foot fiberglass with a 200 hp outboard, but the cost got too high and I went back to aluminum. An 18 foot aluminum bass boat with a 75 to 115 can fit a lot of people's needs. Then, to make it a great fishing platform go with a 24 volt bow mount trolling motor, an onboard charger, and good modern electronics on both the front deck and at the console. This is a just a bit of what I would consider when you begin looking for your next craft. Here is an example of a nice aluminum bass boat with a modern outboard (which is very important as many of your lakes in California are going to restrictions on outboard emissions). It has a very nice list of options and is obviously in good shape visually. The owner is asking almost $9000 and it is only 16.5 feet long http://santamaria.craigslist.org/boa/5782967882.html Here is an example of what is available in fiberglass for the same kind of money. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/boa/5794833648.html Obviously this would require better ramps to launch at. It would also require a much larger tow vehicle and will be much more expensive to operate and tow long distances. It will however give you the benefit of a better rough water ride and have much more storage, not to mention it will run a heck of alot faster. Take your time and look around at a bunch of boats before you spend any money. By the way I do not want to make you think you need to spend $9000 to get a fishable boat, this is just an example of what is available in your area for the same amount of cash and yet how different your options were. Take a look here at this final one for a lot less money ( I realize it is not close to you but is another example of what you could look for as an option. It is still in California so it is still priced in your market place. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/boa/5788128639.html Here is a couple of pics of my current boat. I bought it new and installed a small used outboard engine on it, due to my choice of fishing a small hp restricted lake. I moved over to the Chesapeake Bay ( here in MD.) so I replaced the used 25 hp outboard with a used 75 hp outboard. The boat is a very wide bodied Lowe Stinger 170. It has a ton of storage for tackle, rods, and boating supplies etc. It rides fairly smoothly except on the rough tidal waters. Once a year we visit some BIG Tennessee lakes and there the boat is terrific. It runs close to 33 mph has all the electronics I need and fishes just as well as my big fiberglass boat, but much cheaper to run. Here is a picture of my boat as it is now and one how it was with the smaller engine. I have both a regular front fishing seat and a longer post and butt seat and use both depending on if I want to sit or stand to fish. Most time I am standing and using the butt seat. I sit when I fish in rough water. These are just a few things to think about, I hope I helped. I am going to share with you what i think is the best article I have ever read on the subject of buying a used boat. A friend, and one of the best anglers I have ever met, wrote it .At the time he was selling one Ranger boat and searching for his dream Range boat. This is not a two second read. As Bryan always says, get a glass of your favorite beverage, find a comfy chair and go for a ride with him. Realize upfront his favorite boats of all time are Rangers built back in the 90's, however all of his info is spot on no matter what you are looking to buy in a used rig. Please, let me know what you think after you read Brian's article. Everyone I have ever shared it with enjoyed it, but most came back with a few questions that pertained to their own search. Enjoy! http://www.baybass.com/node/200

If any of you Shimano guys are interested I just listed a Chronarch 200E7 ( 7-1 gear ratio) for sale on the Flea Market forum. Check here if you are looking for one.

I asked where you live so I could see if you had something like Trailer Parts Superstore like we have down here in Delaware. I do not see a boating/trailer supply store similar in Maine. If you have not taken care of this by now and need a good option check out this link in Delaware and see what shipping would be. http://www.easternmarine.com/ Another great option is to order the exact sixe from Tire rack. i checked and two tires can be shipped to your home address for about $33. That means that 2 tires with shipping from them would be about $150. Just a couple of options. If you did already get your tire situation settled good luck on the tournament.

I have one, it is a delay series 6'4" designed for jerkbaits. It really is the same as most 6'8 rods but has a little shorter split grip so you can jerk the rod without hitting your arm. I have fished it a bunch this spring and really liked it a lot. No complaints here. It is matched up with a Diawa tatula and fishes great.

Where do you live?

Take a look at the Dobyns FR 735C for $110. Another great rod is an Irod Genesis II IRG 754F it is called Fred's Magic stick. All of the Genesis II rods are lightweight, well balanced, and have good components.. These go for $149. Both of these two rods will fill the bill well if they fit in your budget. Dobyns has basically the same spec rod in each of their different model lines depending upon your budget. As you go up in their model lines the rods get nicer and get better components but all of them feel reel good in your hand. My personal favorite is their Sierra series.

So far I have changed 6 reels to Tatula, Tatula Type Rs and 1 Exceller. Over the last three years I have fished them hard in tidal water for bass and stripers with many big blue and channel cats thrown in. I also fish deep clear lakes in Tennessee for largies, Kentucky spots and huge smallies, l am curious for those that did not like their Tatulas what did you dislike? Was it that you always fish Shimano's. I can see Lews owners finding the larger bodied Tats not as comfortable. If you are used to Lew's smaller frames I think the Tatula CT would fill the bill. I am about to get rid of one Chronarch and several other reels to add a total of 5 more Diawas. These things are workhorses. Personally I fished the Chronarch for two years and found it overpriced and overrated.

If you are talking about the boat I showed you last night, it had a low floor. Do not install a raised deck on any boat less than a 48 inch bottom and expect it to be stable. Your center of gravity will make it unstable.

Especially since the lake is right next to the warehouse they store the used boats in. They can just splash it with one of their tractors.

When you call tell them that you would really like to splash it out back in their lake so you can see for yourself how stable it is. It would be on my agenda if I was looking to upgrade. Also you might be able to trade in the 10 footer to help with the price if that fits in your plans. They will do all of the title work for you also. Good Luck. Getting to them is easy they are located on route 22 off 81 not far from the 83 81 interchange. They sorta hide in a neighborhood very close to where Gander Mountain used to have their store.

Is this anything that might work. If so I am sure they can work a deal out for you. Keep in mind it is an older boat and I have not seen it yet. It is a 14 footer with a floor and seats. It includes a 9.9 hp Merc, a transom trolling motor, and a 5 hp outboard that you could sell or trade for a ued depth finder or other items. If it would help I would be happy to make a call to Lakeside for you. http://www.lakesidemarinepa.com/index.php?view=inventory&viewid=701

Yes just what is your total budget right now?

If you call Lakeside Marine ask for Barb and tell her Bob Rampolla sent you. She runs the place and we have done business since around 1980 when she just worked there for her dad I believe. She will treat you well. Several of my friends including Kris 9 a member on here have done business there. he actually purchased 2 boats from them.

This is a more money but Lakeside Marine in Harrisburg PA is selling a brand new trailer capable of carrying a 14 foot boat for $729. which seems to be a good deal for a brand new one

It all depends on the rod maker. Some rods marked hvy are closer to a med hv an vice versa. The $150 budget opens you up to some really nice rods. The Tatulas are nice but check out a Dobyns Fury FR 734C. It is exactly what you asked for. It is 7'3" hvy 1/4 to 1 ounce and it retails for $109. Take a look at two rods from Irod. the first is the Irod Genesis II IRG744C, the next suggestion is the Irod Genesis II "Fred's Magic Stick" IRG 754. I know some friends on another board that love these two rods. My wife and I own three Irods and love them. These sell for $149 from TW.

This is simple go call any nearby tackle shop. Ask them who they use for rod repairs. They will know of someone, in fact I did this for a member here on the board about 6 months ago. Turned out there was a shop 20 minutes from him. One of the store employees does repairs right in that shop. It cost less than $20 and that included the new guide. Go get it repaired and fish on.