Newbie boat discussion

[Hodgey1]

Here are pictures of the downrigger installation completed. It ended up being a fun project, kinda wish I had more to do  Thanks to Rhybak for mounting ideas and design help. My final design was to make it so the entire bracket can be removed quick and easy, so I used studs mounted to floor and gunnel, then used knurled jam nuts. I think you'll be able to click on pics to see larger images.

[RHYBAK]

Look Really good

[Hodgey1]

Looks Really good

Thanks! Appreciate the help!

[Greg]

very professional looking mounts!  You should go into business - "look for my down rigger brackets @ Hodgey on Amazon.com" could be your new slogan!!!

[Hodgey1]

very professional looking mounts!  You should go into business - "look for my down rigger brackets @ Hodgey on Amazon.com" could be your new slogan!!!

Thanks Greg, I appreciate the props. Which reminds me.... I had my brackets made at a family friends fabrication shop in the town I live in. The owners son who works in the shop and who made my brackets is a serious musky fisherman and has a side line business making custom rod holders, lures for musky and other fishing related items. Below is a link to his web site and some nice photo's of giant musky

http://www.fatazmusky.com/index.html

[BigChief]

@Hodgey1 I'm jumping in on this post a little late but I had the same sentiment you did about getting a boat. I was deployed for the military all of 2016 and did a lot of daydreaming about getting a boat. Needless to say I bought one before my Kipawa trip for 2017 and loved it.

I went a little different route. I got a fishing pontoon, Misty Harbor 2085 CF. I figured it would be good for fishing but also for family fun. And I have never been so comfortable! Got it brand new with the intent to have it paid off by the time I retire.

With getting it brand new, a little strapped to add a lot of accessories for it yet. Looking at a decent fishfinder for it this year though.

[Hodgey1]

I bought one before my Kipawa trip for 2017 and loved it.

I'd say that was a good move! I was only able to use my new boat in Kipawa for a few days in September last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I gave the pontoon boat a thought, but since my primary goal was to fish Kipawa, trailering was a concern, since I live 500 miles away. The weather here has been beyond awful, I hope to get the boat out of storage this weekend and get her ready for a dip into Lake Erie a time or two before Kipawa. Congrats on taking the plunge!

[Hodgey1]

What are people doing with their personal boat while at Kipawa as far as putting the cover on? How bad is it to allow the boat to get rained on without covering? The reason I ask is, I went up to Alwaki Last week and forgot to bring the cover. Just wondering what people do?

[Greg]

i just let it rain... what can you do... its a boat, it is supposed to get wet. 

Each night we bring in the key items and bags which we would not want to get wet and I have about 10 hand towels which stay in the boat - we brought 4 in each night to keep dry and rain or dew, we use these 4 to wipe down the boat (seats, dash, windshield, etc.) the next morning.

Greg

[Hodgey1]

i just let it rain... what can you do... its a boat, it is supposed to get wet.

That is kinda what I figured, but I thought I'd check and see what was common practice.

[puckster_guy]

 I'm with Greg. Short term ie: for a week. No top. Long term between trips, Top on. It's a pain in the a$$ to constantly put on and remove a couple times a day with a thousand snaps. Just wipe it down and your fine.

[Hodgey1]

While I was at Alwaki, someone else there with a newer Lund snapped his cover on every night and made me feel inadequate and lazy for not having brought my cover. Then I thought about what a pain in the ass it would be, especially having the downriggers installed. My next thought was exactly what Greg said "its a boat"

[Captain Hali]

I'm with the no top group, after a heavy rain I turn on the bilge pump and wipe down with dry towels.

[GregL]

I put my cover on at night, it only takes 5 -10 minutes to snap it on. If it wasn't that easy, I probably wouldn't bother, I never did on my ranger tiller because it didn't have a snap on mooring cover.

[penner]

I am one of the Guys that use to put his cover on every night . Now that I have a different boat I don't bother. One thing I would never do without is an auto bilge pump.