working on my boat

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I've got my 86 Bass Tracker in the garage and doing some maintenance on it. I replaced the old trolling motor with a new 50 lb thrust Minkota. The original wiring is too small so I have to get some 4 ga. wire and a 60 amp. manual resetting fuse for it. That sucker draws some amps when on high. It takes quite awhile to get all the stuff done but I sure like Bass fishing. For me, it is like being on the range. The only thing I think of is what I am doing at the time. No work, kids, projects. Just fishing or shooting. I like that............... so I cast and load to save money on shooting, fish to save money on food and camp in my RV to save on motel bills..............
I can't figure out why I don't have more money in the bank.

[tomme boy]

Use 6 ga. Thats what all the boats come with. Thats whats in my Ranger. I also like the manual reset breakers. The autos tend to fail at the worst time. Mine has a 24 volt system so it has one on each neg side. Make sure to put it on the (-) side. I think they sell them in the cabelas marine catalog. They call them Ranger style.

[462]

A few years ago, I mounted a 52-pound Motor Guide. Per the instructions, I used 6 gauge wire and a 50-amp breaker. I bought a manual reset from a local West Marine.

We were supposed to go camping and bass fishing the first week in November, but the scheduling didn't work out. Now that our time is ours, we're hoping to do it more often.

One problem we face, though, is the motorhome's gas cost. It's an older Winnebago which gets 7 mpg, the lake we go to is 150-miles away, and today's lowest price for premium gas was $3.75 per gallon. A few months ago it was over $4. Fortunately, we keep the boat in covered storage, near the lake, so we don't have to tow it.

A boat is nothing more than a big hole in the water, into which you are constantly throwing money. I think a motorhome is likewise, except the big hole is in the road.

[P.K.]

A boat is nothing more than a big hole in the water, into which you are constantly throwing money. I think a motorhome is likewise, except the big hole is in the road.

Amen, Canoe and Sleeping bag. Both transportable via one vehicle w/o trailer.

Other amenaties(sp) must be packed with the mentioned canoe. ;-)

[waksupi]

Bring it here next summer, we'll do some pike fishing.

[oldgeezershooter]

The nice thing about Arizona is we can Bass fish all year -round.(Just have to keep the boat indoors or covered so the sun doesn't destroy it.)

[Charlie Two Tracks]

That would be fun waksupi. This years budget is quite small but next January (2013) I hope to retire and have some time to burn.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Nothing like a boat to make shooting seem cheap.

As far a 7 mpg on a motorhome. I've seen a couple that hot rodded the engine a bit. A 70's Winnie with a 440 Chrysler gained a mile per gallon by raising the compression to 9:1 and camming it up to just at a lope. Lots more merge power and more mpgs to boot. All it cost was time and money.

Although 7 sounds bad, it only happens on the road there and back and not while its parked at the lake. It gets pretty cheap if you stay long enough. Fish more.

[Roundnoser]

Two best days in a boat owner's life: The day you buy it, and the day you sell it!

[Charlie Two Tracks]

The lakes I go to are not too far. One is 12 miles away and the other 40. At 9mgp. it isn't too bad. The closer lake costs $45.00 per year for membership and then $7.00 per night to camp with electricity. Not bad at all.