aplumma

The maritime laws and requirements over 18ft are different at least here down here in the South. A distress flag is good to 18ft but flare devices are needed over 18ft. The rating of loaded weights and insurance should all be considered before up grading. I have a glass Ranger and a Xpress aluminum jet boat. Don't kid yourself you can put a hole in an aluminum boat. The Xpress is a .100 gauge boat which is 5052 aluminum and I was running a set of rapids and popped a hole in the back lots of water in a 2" hole. A Nerf football jammed in the hole got me back ot the dock and a quick welding made it whole again. The big difference between the two in my eyes is the Ranger rides on a pad and has very little of the boat in the water so it rides smoother than the aluminum boat. The aluminum boat is designed to draft 4 " on plane with a larger wet surface so you will feel the waves more. I installed a suspension seat in the Xpress which takes all but the most brutal jarring. I have 4 boats all of them are designed for different types of water which we have available within a hours from where I live so pick the water you fish the most and match the boat to that water.

Art

I fished open water Sunday.lol

Art

Down South here a gill net has length and hole size limits. The netter has to have a license and the start and end buoy has to have your Social Security number burned into the float as well as a name.address if you are going to be over 150 yards away from it. The net must be checked within 24 hours of each set. They are pretty strict and I get checked once or twice a year while netting gizzard shad for bait,

Art

Be very careful with those big units, years ago we would have an outside firm bring a big 550 volt unit into the plant to clean the scale off chemical tanks, well the hose broke and the kid in the tank took over a hundred stitches to close up his leg, cut worse than a knife.

No doubt they have the ability to mess you up. The jet from the tip is enough to cut and burn you. I have welding gloves and full clothing with face shield to wear while using it. It is great for stripping car frames and such making sand blasting much easier and less time consuming. The heat can be moderated from off to 230 degrees and different tips to make the pressure controllable. An auto detailer bought the unit and it kept blowing off paint from the cars because he was didn't know how to adjust it. I adjusted it for him and when the burner stopped working he sold it to me for $100.00. I replaced the electrodes and replaced the fuel filter and it works like a champ.

Art

This post has turned unfriendly the rules have been stated we all got to air our opinions it is now time to move on and accept the decision that has been made. Like it or not it is the path that this board has taken. Some will leave and some will return each member will make their own decision. The owners of the board have accepted the possibilities of either direction and are fine with it. I look forward to talking to all of the people who stay and I hope to welcome the new members who have lurked because they didn't like the ugly undertones of the political threads. For the few who don't like this decision you can use the chat feature to have group discussions on how to better the world politically or go to a site that is political and not aimed at making friends, sharing their lives and most importantly Fishing in one of the greatest fisheries in the world.

Art

this is the unit I have it is a 220 volt diesel fired 2500 psi steam or hot water pressure washer. While not as portable it really degreases and cleans like a banshee. I has the cat pump which is easily rebuildable and parts are available.

Art

Thanks I know we have a few tiers on board hope they get a shot at it if they need it.

Art

In Virginia we do not get safe ice on anything except shallow ponds. In Michigan we could go ice fishing. We get enough ice to make it at times impossible to launch boats at most places. The thing that stops us is mainly the damage that water would do if you didn't winterize the boat after each outing from dec to mar. I could go down to the river and shore fish with no issues right now. We also could get 36 inches of snow in the next two months in one storm. I had the motorcycle out today to warm it up to change the oil go figure.

Art

Here is an excerpt that I sent to a member who wants to be here but feels we have lost a good part of the board.

When all 4 of the owners decided no more non fishing political threads we are not going to go back on it. You do still have the option of getting a group together and using chat for your political debates. It is not moderated but we expect it to be used with respect towards each other.. This is not because of the recent complaints though this is a long time coming. I have tried to head it off a few times before and every one ignored my warning. I have tried to moderate them but I got no help from the boards members. People kept going past the rules. if this is the thing that crashes the board then so it will be. I spend 70% of my time on issues generated by the political issues and only 30% for everything else. We are known for having a broad range of topics that we discuss and we are proud of this but how many times can we have people pissing on each other before it makes a mockery of what we want? There are lots of political site that you can rip into each other out there they are concerned about the click rate so they let people do what they want. This site is not about how many members we have or how many times our ads pop up.This board has always been about family and community we all got busy and let it turn into something that lost its direction. If we lose people who are here only for the political debates then it is not really a loss. Think back to what this board was when it started a group of us would meet in chat for hours and shoot the bull now it is no more. We would all plan trips to each others lake and go fishing with our friends. We had so much love for each other that we had G2Gs with fishing tournaments and a crazy trophy that meant everything to win.We have lost all of this now I am constantly putting out fires and the fun of coming here is lost. I have a shimmering light though and instead of just saying uncle and shutting down the board we decided to try to get back to a place where it is a joy to visit and be a part of. Look at the content of the board and really read the posts about family and how happy we are for a birth and a high point of peoples lives. Now read a political thread it is nothing but arguments and name calling how is that a high point of the board?

​The NF place has been decided a long time ago and the simple reason is we do not want a separate place for people to argue/disrespect each other that is easily accessible to members and non members. The chat feature is for members only. and you have to log in so no more I accidently arrived in a thread that offends me.

Hopefully if you really think about it you will find that the political threads are just not fitting in here.

i will miss you if you leave but it is a choice you have to make and one that will have no penalties because your account will be waiting for you if or when you come back.

Art

The people who want the drama of the political threads will not like this rule. There are other sites that welcome people tearing into each other, this is not one of them. If the limitation on this one topic meaning it must be fishing related makes the site boring or no longer fun I'm sorry. We run this site transparently we give you as much info. as we can on what and why we are doing it. The site is run to promote community, harmony, respect and friendships.

Some people think a separate place on the forum is needed for political threads and the reason it does not happen is it would be against the mission of the board. If you are looking for friends or an answer to a question you can trust it will not be during or over a political thread.

As far as the sheep comment I have never though of people who follow the rules as sheep. A sheep will get trapped in a 3 sided box rather than turn around or back up and regroup. He does not have the ability to change with the environment around him.

Thanks

Art

As pointed out this thread is closed. I was trying to let it run it's course but I am as again Damned if I do and Damned if I don't.

Art

Based on the new rules shouldn't this thread be locked? I am on a few forums and along with the other topic headings such as Classifieds etc. there is a heading " Anything but ________" An option perhaps. If you don't wish to participate don't open the heading, too simple? Unlike some I enjoy the political threads here. Not because of the politics but there is an eclectic bunch of folks here and I enjoy reading other points of view from the opposite end of mine. Today was a very historic point in history. I dared not start a thread wishing those neighbours, friends and allies to the south my best wishes, it may have been deemed political or would become political.

 

A few have made the Mods lock any thread of a political nature for the many that participate without making personal attacks on others and for those few like Weeds that don't like it. Typical of the greasy wheels getting the entire tube of grease. Not fair I say but fair doesn't often count these days. I am sure that more went on behind the scenes that members are not privy to. Be careful OFC management, many have left and less have joined. As was pointed out fishing post views are far less than the non fishing hits. I think it is hits that advertisers want that drive your business. My personal opinion only.

I dare say that a few more will leave but there departure will not be mourned. When we lose the people who want to be here in a polite and helpful community then we will be going down the wrong path. I do not understand why people think that this site is driven by money it has minimum ads with no pop ups, The refresh pages are very generous in size, everything is free even the Classifieds and you are not even asked for donations? We have been here for many years to provide a place for people to talk and meet others in a family type of atmosphere free of a lot of the crapola other sites have. We hope that everyone can move forward with this decision and stay as a member however if you leave your account will be waiting for you when you come back.

Thanks

Art

Please read the pinned item at the top of discussions as to the new rule on political threads.

Thanks

OFC OWNERS

It has to do with an unlimited growing season and loads of food in the Southern areas of Louisiana. I remember as a kid fishing the Bayou with a cane pole and a beetle spin dipping it between the tree roots in the water. We had a beat up old john boat with my Uncle Gayle pointing out places to dip in and he would say. "If I was a fish I would be rite chair".

Art

Sorry, but You sound somewhatlike a politician Art Lots of talk, no action. Not being personal here, but you've threatened to shut down political posts countless times before, yet continually allow the "same usual suspects" to carry on without consequence.

 

Currently the most popular threads* as of today's front page (my version) are:

Politics: http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=83690

Politics: http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/indeyx.php?showtopic=83724

Fishing: http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=83528

Fishing: http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=83694

*not inclusive of hockey,movies/tv, music videos & pictures of random food

 

Politics = 230 replies, 4651 views

Fishing = 130 replies, 4732 views

 

Despite clear rules about political threads and most importantly, the general memberships clear & loud disdain for this garbage;

It's my opinion that OFC management will never ban this political trash as its obvious that click counts, not fishing, keep this forum funded.

With the exception of municipal politics/bylaws impacting fisherman directly, you want find any OFC garbage on these sites;

http://www.lakesimcoemessageboard.com/forums/

http://www.spoonpullers.com/forums/index.php

 

As mentioned in previous posts here, many members including myself, have migrated elsewhere. You can find most of us on the two fishing forums above.

You are correct I am walking a thin line here. I do need to bring to light a few things. I have been sending P.M.s to a few and have made some headway on posting behavior. I am trying not to ban anyone or mod Qing anyone either. If you think it is about the click count it really isn't. There are months that we either just make bills or in some cases go negative because, we do not fill the site up with pop ups and ads all over the place. The click count became irrelevant a few years back when Google cut the payouts by 60% meaning if it wasn't for the small 3x3 sponsors we would not have to worry about anything except turning out the lights. I also think that we can still be a place for both the old and the new members to be friends with toleration from everyone.

Art

A sub category would still be something that needs to monitored. people would post stuff in general discussion no matter how many times we chop up the site. Worse yet I will still get the same number of P.M.s about he said she said in nature. We keep them in the same section so we can see them at a glance. We also do not wish to encourage inflammatory threads. i have been very liberal on letting things run there course but it seems people want to make this a political site and it isn't. We are working on what the new cut off point is for them. The owners are tired of getting hollered at for running a thread to long and running a thread to short if we get hollered at no matter what we do we will choose the easiest path. You all as members have the responsibility to treat the other members with utmost respect at all times the rules are a good guideline. We are not babysitters we are here to organize a place for everyone to feel comfortable and talk about your outdoors life. We could be hardasses and use the ban button but in 4 years I have yet to use it. I as well as the other owners are happy that this site is here it is a memorial to how we met as well as a place where we can talk to our old and new friends.

The cure in my opinion is to state your facts in a thread and then listen to the replies. It is not a place to argue, insult or belittle someone into seeing your point. All of the political threads have one thing in common and that is people can't accept someone else's views and that is the reason they are an endangered species. You will find a dozen sites that will let you tear into each other on any subject you want so if that is what you are looking for to get thru the winter then feel free to join one and then once it is out of your system then come here and share a story with your friends here. This site is run in the old fashion way we are about respect, helpfulness and friendship it is what we started with and what we see as our future.

Thanks for reading this

Art

If you head far enough South you will find these.

Art

We are working on the political threads. i am hoping that people can be nice and talk to each other as adults. We are faced with winternet right now and once we can fish again the political threads seem to dwindle. We try very hard not to say No completely on any topic but if it keeps getting out of hand then we will ban them and hope everyone understands.

In the mean time lets go fishing for bacon.

Thanks

Art

I added to the post saying he might have changed.

 

Art my statements were not as much opinion as fact, first hand experience. I don't see where it was a personal attack on Don Cherry or O' Leary. I am probably wrong. The statements Arlene Dickinson made are what I would call a personal attack. Statements where because of the public forum she spoke in her personal opinion may be deemed legally damaging to his reputation. PM me and explain to where I was out of line. Or share it here, that way we can all see what you deem a personal attack. I need to re read my post closely.

 

Heck you might not even be referring to me, I can be so defensive. When we were kids and a Cop stopped us we would say "we didn't do it" Do what?

It is your guilty conscious speaking I am in this case not referring to you. lol. I rarely name names and if I have an issue with a poster I talk to them in P.M. Most cases what I say in a post is to keep the pot from boiling over.

Art

Stp with the attacks we are really close to locking this down unless we become civil again.

Art

Seriously, if a member starts to bash trump and american politics the thread gets shut down. Not so much with the candian politics. I get enough garbage about the butthat O'leary from regular news and I sure as you know what do not need to read trash on OFC regarding Canadian politics., Come on Art where is your axe???

I do not follow Canadian politics I rely on the Canadian Moderators to police them for content I can only lock them when rules are broken or if I get 3 reports or P.M.s I have counted yours as the first one. Remember at the bottom of the post is a report button feel free to use it. It is how we are alerted the next time we check in and read.

Art

Lets keep this civil please facts are needed and personal attacks are not acceptable.

Thanks

Art

What the heck is area 51??

http://www.livescience.com/23514-area-51.html

It is a place where the U.S. tested our prototype aircrafts but was at one point in history denied that it even existed. The mist around the legend is in the link.

Art

We actually do not ever get safe ice here. The best I have seen is pond skating. We do get ice that forms near the shore and will break off in sheets and damage docks on the river. We put a triangle of steel on the upriver side of docks to break up and redirect the sheets of ice in the spring. It is just enough to keep you off the water but not enough to fish thru. As we speak we have clear water and can launch a boat on any of our water right now.

Art

Every time I read about the govt. screwing us over just increases my resolve to move out of this country when I retire.

I have a spot picked out that is warm, friendly and most importantly overrun with giant hungry fish.

And as a bonus you can live well on $2K a month.

I figure on my pension, OAS, CPP etc I will be able to live like a king!!!!

OH, and gas is 1/2 the price or less!!!

Gotta fill up the offshore center console!!!!

come on down Florida is calling.

Art