Old Ironmaker

I tell everyone that will listen " Get older but don't get old." Getting old sucks. When I was working out in the gym up to 5 days a week and lugging a Staff bag around for 18 holes on the course the other 2 days I knew I would always be fit. Nope. When I start to snivel I think about all the little Angels at the Children's Hospital.

I haven't had to get my feet wet in years, drive the boat on the trailer if permitted. If the ramp is soft material it is frowned upon.

Excellent, I'm jealous. I spent the best day in weeks in the ER.

There is an oldtimer out here that has a 17' Prince Craft that re rigged to a 115 4 stroke from a 90 Evinrude 2 stroke this spring. He bought the boat new in 2000 after his wife died. He has never once winterized the boat, not once. He is in his mid 70's now. Fishes solo 90% of the time.

nThey may have had some help from the OPP. Why would any charges be a waste? Those fined for helmet infractions may have had prior warnings that go on the record.

How do you know when you are in Canada Eh? When a Fishing site has 160 pages, not posts, on the NHL season and not a single post on the CFL let alone the NFL. When I was a kid CHML radio Hamilton had a 1/2 hour radio show on Hamilton High School Football during the week. Now they hardly cover the CFL. It is what it is. I always wonder how many Canadian kids play Hockey vs. full contact Football today? Millions to thousands?

Somehow site working for me now. Our Fall Largemouth spot was a very small Upper NY State Lake. The west end of the lake was an escarpment that has a limestone cliff face that drop straight down 30 feet under water. There was a ledge about 3 feet done. The fish were either on this ledge or below it where it undercut back 3'. We called it Bassassin's ledge. If they weren't there they weren't anywhere. We did use live frogs back then though. When you only have 1 weekend to fish before you retire you use what works. My American Uncle and Cousin were die hard hardware guys and to them using live bait was sacrilegious, the operative word here is "were." \

Darwin Award finalist. Those idiot weather guys standing out in the storm, every network, are always warning viewers over 3000 miles away to take cover and where the shelters are because electricity is out in a 60 mile radius.

I generally replaced most Mepps wire hooks with a better quality. Yes Mepps are a thinner gauge hook sand more pliable I found. I checked first the weight and profile to match as close as possible. It didn't seem to work any less. Everything from Panfish to my 1st Musky on a # 5 Mepps. Black Fury is my favorite.

I also got an adapter for my smaller Mariner 15HP(Merc built) from Proctors in Simcoe. The problem I have is the tube is too short to get all the gear lube out.

All great suggestions, and in my experience with Bucket Mouths over the last 40 years every sorry site problems if anyone sees this please ask blue to email me JD

One of our guys, whoorahh Handlebars Mike. A charter with Mike on LSC is on my bucket list.

Suicide by Police Boat? The guy had serious mental problems to play chicken with 2 boats almost twice it's size. He wasn't trying to flee, he was trying to drown. I am impressed with the speed and agility of tose 2 big boats. There is a saying in Boxing. " A good bigger man will always beat a great smaller man."

Check compression by taking out 1 plug at a time. Equal compression above 100 pounds per square inch (PSI) is great. But just a single compression test doesn't determine a good engine. A good start yes. You need to also check the bottom end for metal fatigue. Best is to drain the bottom end gear lube and check for metal filings and or a milky consistency which indicates water in the gear lube. The upper vent plug is magnetic on 90% of outboards (OB) and inboard outboards (IO). Filings may be stuck on the plug, not good. Marine engines running while on a water line in a driveway is not under load. It might just sound fine but running any boat under load in the water is the best test. A marine mechanic will charge you around 100 bucks to do this and more before you buy. If a seller isn't willing to tow the boat or have a mechanic go to the boat I would run away from the deal. The best thing this mechanically challenged former Steel worker did was to take a small engine repair course. It has saved me a few grand in paying Marine dealers to do simple tasks over the years such as simple compression tests, maintenance and winterizing. " "You don't know what ya don't know till' ya do." JD circa 1954

I use a battery powered sawzall from Homeless Despot that came with 2 other tools, Ryobi. But it isn't something a self respecting Landscaper would have. I bought some 10" or longer blades designed to trim brush. A weed whacker is just that, a weed wacker. Edit: Rent a Bushhog with tractor once a year for a weekend. You will clear more brush in an hour that will take a weed whacker all day to do and save your back holding a weed wacker all day long. Plus using a tractor and bush hog is fun.

There are Natural Gas powered gennies available. The neighbour has one, Genac comes to mind. Not cheap. Has all the bells and whistles. Comes on automatically when there is a power loss and gives you a text when it happens. We should have one. Only think about it when power is off. We are fortunate to have NG. When there is a loss power the NG fireplace comes on automatically so at least we wont freeze and can cook, but the water line to the cistern will freeze solid eventually if cold enough. Then I use a bucket. Happened once in 20 years during winter.

Yes I agree 100% Garnet, 100%. Those that work hard at it, are diligent, research the company (like flying across the country to visit the plant) generally these are the ones that are successful in an ever changing market. I'm the touchy feely type of investor. Burned 1 too many times by a slickster including a Ponzy scheme when I was desperate and greedy, stupid too. I will never get over that dough head move. Don't get greedy. It happens. See my by line below.

Exactly as above by catpierre. I wouldn't buy a low mileage car from someone that uses it at the track or drags every weekend. I have a saying, "Never buy a snowmachine from someone in the Arctic and never buy a boat from Florida." For anyone looking to buy a watercraft I strongly suggest going to iboats.com. and searching there then asking questions. Search first and if you don't find your answer then ask a specific question. There is a sticky under General Boating that is a great list of things to look for on a used boat/engine. https://forums.iboats.com/forum/general-boating-outdoors-activities/boat-topics-and-questions-not-engine-topics

Anything you work at shouldn't be easy. Yes Real Estate can be a ton of work. I have said it many times, it ain't easy. If you work hard at anything it isn't easy. One of the best quotes " The harder I work the luckier I get." I know many people that dabble in the markets. Many do it because they don't have to get off their asses. I have a relative ready to put all the apples in that single basket and he is convinced this is it, IBM at 25 cnt. A engineering firm that has a ancillary device that improves mileage by 25% is out of Vancouver B.C. It rang an old bell. He's talking 100K for him, another 50K for his 70 something Mom and another 100 his brother is going to invest. I suggest we take a road trip to BC. A few days, see the sights and visit the offices of this company, what's to lose, flights are a few hundred with the new airline West Jet. This is 1991. Long story short, there are no offices, the address is a parking lot. This happens all the time, especially when times are tough. People get really stupid when they are in need.

X2. I got started early, just after my 1st marriage, 79'. My Father in law was a firefighter and got me started in 80. Lost most everything in 81. Got on my feet and again 1990 killed my portfolio and never went back into the market. To some what I lost was chump change. Not for me. I have a few simple tips for new investors. As someone in the working class play, but with no more than 10% of your net wages. Be patient No such thing as going to the dance too late as I have read here about Weed stocks. I was told by Pro's when Gold hit $500.00, forget it, far too late, it's artificially supported. It's what $1300.00 today? Pretend that $$ isn't yours. Ask your investment Pro if any to see his house and his net worth, he knows yours. Know what you are investing in. Is it real or a P.O. box#. Anyone here remember BriEx Gold? The mines never existed, the CEO jumped out of the Helicopter when he was supposed to show the Feds the mines that didn't exist. Talk about lyin' till ya die. Try not to get divorced. Since 90' and a big loss divorce in 90' (6 digits to my former wife and living in a flea bag motel in Hammertown) I have invested in Real Estate and only that. I want to see it, touch it, and smell it. Even keep me dry when it rains and warm when it's cold. Tangible assets. I have done not bad in real estate, took my 25 years and out pension at the plant at 45 and haven't missed any meals since. I had asked one of the guys in my crew, an Italian immigrant that spoke poor English and could hardly read it or wright it. How he was able to buy homes for both of his recently married children and living in cul de sac in Ancaster amongst professionals of all ilk how? Real Estate.

I am glad you enjoyed your trip and the Butler. It is so true that people in the Caribbean are not paid well, at all. However one of the highest paying and most sought after gigs there are working at resorts. A bartender in Cuba can earn more than a medical Dr. It has always made me shake my head when customer service workers including bartenders down there complain about their wages but they all have cell phones and are very well dressed. Maybe because Art tips them 50 bucks USD a day. Many jobs here in Canada don't pay $50.00 US a day.

I had both knees done before you guys were born I bet, when I was 24. The first was a torn ACL, MCL and PCL, basically a dislocated knee. Then it was a 9" zipper on the side of the knee a cast for 6 to 8 weeks. Then a few years latter tore the other knee to rat poop. It changed my life as arthritis set in both knees by the time I was 35. I've been limping for 40 years and they hurt each and everyday and a total of 11 surgeries. I have a bit of advice, do your homework. By homework I mean therapy, do exactly what the therapist says, no less and as important NO MORE. It is just as important to get a good therapist as a good surgeon. What do you call someone that came dead last in their medical class? Doctor. And be very careful with the pain meds unless you want to become an addict. It's easily done. I have been told I needed both replaced 25 years ago. They give out knee replacements these days like candy at Halloween. If I can get out of bed most days I'm OK. At my age I know I can't go through anymore major surgeries, no more.

I have realized I still have my inflatable on driving home from the Marina. I just don't get why some refuse to wear them. You have to think about those left behind. I still have friends that refuse to wear a seatbelt, even after being fined. I just hope Kevins family can get closure, it's very important to get all the answers we can after a tragedy like this. Is an autopsy automatic in a drowning? I think yes but not 100% positive.

We lost Mom just a few weeks ago. She had a full life and left a legacy that will live on for generations. It is tragedies like Kevin loosing his life so young that I grieve for, when it comes to Ma and others that lived well into their 80's I celebrate their lives and the legacies they left. I hear more often these days of young men and women in their early 40's and younger dying from sudden heart failure , stroke and blood clots etc. Can it be the Gen X diets of fast food garbage they have had since old enough to play in the kiddy playroom at MacDonalds. When we were kids we got chips and Pop a few times a year and that's it. If you didn't eat what was on the table you went to bed hungry. Many of my nieces and nephews and friends kids ate anything they wanted anytime they wanted it.

Does anyone know what the weather, wind and water conditions were in that area of Lake O Thursday? We might all learn from this tragedy. No one is immortal and it can happen to anyone here as some are on the water as much as on land. I have to tip my hat to those that do the search and recovery for tragedies like this. As well as EMT, Police and Firefighters. I know Lew was a Firefighter. It must be tough to do that type of work. I know I couldn't do it. Back when I was out of grade 13 you could walk into the Central Police Station or local Fire station and if fit get a job with a good recommendation and pass an aptitude exam. I couldn't do it.