I finally launched my boat this morning. It was calling for rain later on and I took the opportunity to get the boat in the water. I just couldn't stand another weekend with the boat sitting idle in my driveway.
I'll tell ya, I was a bunch of nerves. With all that's happened to me in the past, with the trailer flying off the hitch, and almost being run over by my own boat in my own driveway; I was thinking "what's next?!?!?"
I ended up launching at Flying Pt since all the parking spaces were full at Otter Pt. I launched the boat with some minor hiccups. After I got the boat in the water the motor wouldn't start right away. I guess not running it a few weeks made it harder to crank. I pulled the cord without much luck, then I turned the key and started right up. Whew! I found out later that the motor will not go in reverse. It probably would've came in handy loading the boat back on the trailer. The other thing I found that didn't work is the livewells. The well on the starboard side fills up but the other one doesn't. In addition, I found that the wells don't automatically fill. The only way to get water in them is to use the aerator pump. If the pump stops, the well drains. I guess I would have to plug up the drain, but then if I keep the aerator going it is going to overflow. Hmmmm.... I'm probably going to have to redesign this. As it is, the livewells are too small for largemouth anyway. So I had been thinking of getting another livewell from Fishmate Pro. This is probably the way to go.
Anyway, I rode around the Bush for about an hour and got to a blistering 25 mph at wide open throttle. The motor was pulsing like there wasn't enough fuel getting to it, but it seemed to get less and less as the motor was running. But it was a blast riding on the water!
I've got to figure out how to load the boat better. I missed the rollers on the trailer. Because I couldn't back up I couldn't have another go at it. Thankfully, the boaters behind me helped out. I'm going to try to get the reverse fixed on the motor. I know it worked before when I first tested the motor, so I hope it isn't something too complicated to fix. Sorry, no pics. As I said, I was too nervous.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
The boat is just standing by to launch. I'm beginning to realize that this boat may not get any use. I've been trying to find 3 to 4 hours to launch and enjoy the boat. I just don't have the time to devote to boating. I do weddings on the weekends, wife works weekends, bass tournaments once a month, the weather has to agree, etc. Also considering to use the boat primarily for crabbing. But I'm thinking that maybe I should sell the boat since it would probably be used only a few times a year.
I think I really hurt myself while working on the boat. I was trying to install boat cleats to tie off the boat. I had to make like a contortionist to put the nuts and washers on inside the boat. I had to lay sideways with my ribs on a ledge. Now my side hurts real bad. I don't think I fractured any ribs, but I probably bruised the muscle pretty bad. I hurts like hell when I cough, or take a deep breath.
My computer died after 6 years of hard use. This economy is killing me. I can't seem to get a loan, refinance, or get credit for anything. I settled on a Compaq from Best Buy since they were at least offering 6 month financing. I tried to get a sweet deal from HP, but they wouldn't give me financing since I've got too much debt.
A good part of my time now is thinking about the River Ratz website. I had worked out some ideas to make it easier to add stuff and navigate, but now its pretty much gone unless I could put the hard drive in another computer. I tried to trade the drive on the Compaq but it has proprietary connections. I should be able to recreate what I lost without too much time.
We had our July River Ratz tournament on the Bush yesterday. I have GOT to learn how to pitch/flip...WELL! Every tournament I've done the boater was fishing the docks and under trees. Yesterday, the only fish caught on the boat that I was on was caught by flipping. I was just outside with my spinning rod and I think I figured it out. I can't seem to figure out how to flip with a baitcaster effectively. There is just too much resistance on the spool for the lure to go very far. But people do it.
I think I really hurt myself while working on the boat. I was trying to install boat cleats to tie off the boat. I had to make like a contortionist to put the nuts and washers on inside the boat. I had to lay sideways with my ribs on a ledge. Now my side hurts real bad. I don't think I fractured any ribs, but I probably bruised the muscle pretty bad. I hurts like hell when I cough, or take a deep breath.
My computer died after 6 years of hard use. This economy is killing me. I can't seem to get a loan, refinance, or get credit for anything. I settled on a Compaq from Best Buy since they were at least offering 6 month financing. I tried to get a sweet deal from HP, but they wouldn't give me financing since I've got too much debt.
A good part of my time now is thinking about the River Ratz website. I had worked out some ideas to make it easier to add stuff and navigate, but now its pretty much gone unless I could put the hard drive in another computer. I tried to trade the drive on the Compaq but it has proprietary connections. I should be able to recreate what I lost without too much time.
We had our July River Ratz tournament on the Bush yesterday. I have GOT to learn how to pitch/flip...WELL! Every tournament I've done the boater was fishing the docks and under trees. Yesterday, the only fish caught on the boat that I was on was caught by flipping. I was just outside with my spinning rod and I think I figured it out. I can't seem to figure out how to flip with a baitcaster effectively. There is just too much resistance on the spool for the lure to go very far. But people do it.
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