craigdritchie

A few years ago I walked away from what most would consider a dream job. Factors that influenced that decision: 1. Burnout. I was just plain tired of doing what I had been doing, and it was no longer rewarding. 2. Advancement opportunity. I went from a smaller company with little chance of further advancement to a much larger company with more room for long-term growth. 3. Money. I had an opportunity for a significant pay increase right from the get-go. What I gave up: 1. I lost a bit of personal flexibility when I accepted those Golden Handcuffs that HH mentioned above. 2. I had to accept a much longer commute. 3. Being in a position where I could do my job on autopilot, and went to being the "new guy" and being continually questioned and tested. 4. I used to just wear jeans and a t-shirt, now I wear business attire or a suit. "Wardrobe" remains an expense. Trade-offs: 1. Benefits. I gave up some real beauties, but gained other, new ones that are even more attractive. 2. Gained an opportunity to take on new responsibilities, although that required me going back to school for a couple of years. At the end of the day I'm very glad I made the move. Switching to the larger company was a lateral move, but it opened a door. I gained some experience and trust, then advanced to a better position than I started at. I went back to university (nights and weekends) for a couple of years, which opened the door to another, better position (still in the same company) and I have moved up the totem pole again since. Don't change jobs because one will pay you a bit more for doing the same thing. Change jobs because of what the position can allow you to achieve five years or 10 years down the road.

Thanks Live2fish85, thanks Twocoda TJ - walleye! walleye! walleye!

Thanks Bill

Outdoor Canada magazine has a new contest - answer four simple questions and you could win a bunch of Rapala stuff. Click here for more.

Ah yes, another month, and another vehicle recall. You would think that at some point, one of these guys would figure out it's cheaper to build the vehicle right in the first place. The latest - Ford is recalling nearly 1.2 million 2004 to 2006 F150 pickups for faulty air bags. Click here to read all about it.

My actual office isn't all that impressive - think stuffy closet with a desk and a phone and you pretty much have the idea. Good thing I don't spend very much time in it. I work in magazine publishing, so the majority of the real work I do happens somewhere else. For example, I attend 15 to 20 different boat shows each year, all over the world. This one is in Germany. Sounds great, but for me, it's another day at work. My job is a mix of business development, schmoozing, and I still do some writing. I enjoy writing about boats, and one part of my job is test-driving and writing about new models as they come out. This is a new Skeeter, still parked in the slip at Yamaha's secret testing facility in rural Alabama. Even outside on a rainy day, it has that new car smell. I would love it if this was my full time office. Maybe one day. Speaking of new car smell, I also sometimes write about automotive stuff. Last year I got visit Hankook Tire Company's R&D centre in Korea. They let us spend an hour or so trying out high performance tires on their test track. That was a pretty fun day at the office. Unfortunately, they didn't let me keep the car. My primary "other" office these days is an airplane seat. It's best to write things while the experience is still fresh in your mind, and before you head off someplace else and forget all the details. This picture was taken while flying through a typhoon on a trans-Pacific flight. Note the 702 mph ground speed, while flying into a 149 mph head wind! Almost supersonic in a 777! Like any other job, it has its ups and downs. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm a pretty lucky guy.

Chance - I would like to see the actual numbers too, but obviously that isn't going to happen for either of us. Sadly, I don't sense that the owners are interested in either investing in building the farm system, or throwing significantly more money at the pro-level club. They seem perfectly happy with maintaining the present situation, and that's what I find most frustrating.

Yes, playoff games would earn the team a lot of money, and yes, a Stanley Cup win would represent enormous business in merchandise alone. No one argues that. But one thing you learn in Business 101 is that there are two sides to any profit opportunity. Investing to develop a winning team also represents a certain level of risk, and one that the owners do not appear to be willing to take. It isn't just the cost of signing some marquis players and maybe paying a salary cap penalty. You're looking at the cost of investing in the farm system, investing in better coaching at the minor league levels, investing in scouting, and building depth throughout the franchise over a span of five, six, maybe eight years. You're talking tens of millions of dollars with absolutely no guarantee that the team will go on to actually win anything. It's a gamble, and investors don't like to gamble. They prefer to maximize the return on their investment while minimizing risk. Leaf owners are already making very nice profits as it is. Their attitude is, why risk a fortune when you don't have to? I agree with FishGreg - nothing will change as long as people continue to buy jerseys and hats and keep shoveling money into the organization, basically rewarding them for doing nothing.

LEAFS!!! LEAFS!!! LEAFS!!! THIS IS THE YEAR!!!!! Oh wait ......

Unfortunately, the power required to generate enough electricity to recharge that battery overnight still represents a pretty large carbon footprint, whether the electricity comes from a coal-fired power plant or a nuke plant. There's no free lunch. Having said that, electric motors will continue to develop. I got to drive an electric ski boat a few weeks ago when I was at the Miami boat show. It was an 18-foot fibreglass Ski Nautique, with a power system designed by a company from Quebec. It had no problem getting on plane, and actually did 40 mph on a GPS - fastest I've ever been in an electric boat by far. Battery life wasn't the best, but hey, it's a start. Edit: Here's a link to a YouTube video of the boat I drove.

I'd also be inclined to take a pass. But if you're still seriously thinking about it, hire a certified marine surveyor go over it with a fine tooth comb before you sign on the dotted line. If there are issues, the surveyor will find them. And if they miss something, they will typically cover the repair bill. 20 year old bass boat .... I would almost guarantee they will find things.

Been east many times. Lots to see, it just depends on your tastes and what it is you want to do. Bay of Fundy is huge. Best place to take it all in is probably Hopewell Rocks, about halfway up the NB side. The tides really are unbelievable there, and there's a good RV park right at the rocks so yo can hang. A little farther south is the town of Alma, NB, at the entrance to Fundy National Park. Park is great (watch for moose on the roads) and there's a restaurant/hotel in Alma with awesome seafood. Tides there are pretty amazing too - when the tide goes out all the boats in the harbour basically sit on bottom. There's a creek at Alma with brook trout in it. Most of the creeks in east NB have brookies, for that matter, and several have salmon, but LOTS of closures and special regs to protect the Atlantics. Check the regs before you fish anywhere - they'e pretty serious about protecting those fish. You can usually catch mackerel and other fish from the piers (on Cleos) and that's just a lot less hassle. Cabot Trail is awesome - something everyone must see at one point in their life. You can fish the Margaree River for salmon and brookies. Lots of huge hills, so driving an RV will be an adventure, to put it mildly. Make bloody sure you have good brakes, because there are some sheer drops and really long, steep grades. Lots of moose there, tons of grouse, and you're pretty much guaranteed to see whales if you go whale watching along the north coast. Only problem is, it's often foggy so you could go and not see as much as you would like. Cabot Trail is like that - you take your chances with the weather any time you visit. Peggy's Cove is great if you're a big fan of tour buses full of Japanese with video cameras. Otherwise, it's pretty over-rated. Think Niagara Falls on a summer weekend. It's pretty if you can see past the tour groups, but it's a five minute stop, max. IMHO, it's just not worth the 45 - 50 minute drive from Halifax since there are literally hundreds of other scenic little coves that look exactly like it all through the Maritimes. Peggy's Cove is pretty, but not exactly unique. You didn't mention PEI, and it's probably the best spot of all. Forget the Anne of Green Gables tourist crap in Cavendish, and instead check out the west end of the Island, the east end around Montague, or the north part around Rustico. It's absolutely gorgeous and the seafood is the best you'll ever have - period. You can rent kayaks in a lot of spots (and jig for all kinds of bottom fish), and they still do tuna charters in many ports along the north coast. Expensive, but you have an honest shot at a fish the size of your sofa. The Gaspe Peninsula in eastern Quebec is also absolutely gorgeous. The people are great, food's great, great facilities for the camper and lots of brookies and even a few salmon in the rivers. The Restigouche River, right on the NB - Quebec border, still gets the largest Atlantics on the east coast. That should get you started. Feel free to PM if you want more info.

Could have .... should have ..... would have .... every year it's a different excuse. Sorry man, but it's the truth. As long as the club is owned and operated by a bunch of bean counters, nothing's going to change. Golf Leafs, Golf!

Agreed. If I was after monster pike, I sure wouldn't be fishing in southern Ontario in June.

The only thing about that article that I question is the five year timeframe. Leafs have sucked since 1967. What the heck is going to change in five years?

Interesting news today as BRP, manufacturer of Evinrude outboards and Sea-Doo boats and PWCs, announced it has been contracted to develop exploration vehicles for future space missions to Mars and the moon. BRP's technology development centre at the University of Sherbrooke has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract to develop the chassis and propulsion system for the rover vehicles. Incredibly cool to think that some development of E-TEC technology could wind up on another planet! I guess guys who think Evinrude's are "out of this world" might really be onto something. More.

Don't know about the fry dispenser (great idea though!!) but ... ahem .... yup, Big Gulp-sized cup holders are indeed becoming standard on just about everything.

The US Coast Guard announced it is adjusting boat occupancy regulations to reflect the fact that the average American has grown bigger and heavier than when the rules were first established nearly 50 years ago. The new standards, which will affect passenger capacity ratings for all boats, take effect December 1. Expect the Canadian Coast Guard to follow suit. Click for more info.

They sent me a couple of rods a few years ago to try out ... a 6'6" spinning rod with a straight cork grip and rings, 8 - 15 lb., and a 6'6" baitcaster, 10 - 20 lb. Nice rods, a bit faster action than I prefer, but everyone's different. They're certainly lightweight. I brought the spinning rod on a Florida trip I did with Mark Kulik, and it worked very well on mangrove snappers and small snook. I have no idea on warranty, because I've had no reason to send either one back.

It's the only way they fit in the ragtop.

Roy - yes, this is how I paid for the Ferrari. By writing about fishing spots!!!

Correct. The Winnipeg store on Ellice Ave. used to be a S.I.R. store. The two new stores (Edmonton and Saskatoon) are brand new builds, and will look like the US stores.

I'd like them to open a store here, but as long as they're willing to ship stuff to my door, I'm a happy boy.

I don't know about your part solo, but it's definitely sour grapes on mine!!!! When I was doing a ton of fly-ins I was always amazed at how many guys would show up without even basic stuff like line and steel leaders. They would arrive in town and spend the afternoon shopping for tackle (and booze). Then, fly out first thing the following morning. It was nuts. I can see the profitability in the western locations even without the fly-in business though. Both Edmonton and Saskatoon are absolutely flush with oil money these days, and most guys there fish and hunt (probably a higher proportion than in southern Ontario). The Edmonton boat show was two weeks ago - you would not believe how many high-end boats they sold there, and by high-end, I mean $50k Pro-Vs and $60k Rangers. Waaaaay more than at Toronto. (Belive it or not, the Edmonton boat show is LARGER than Toronto's). Guys out west have money to spend. Figure that with the comparatively low land values, and yeah, I can see profit in having stores there. That said - I still want a store in Ontario!!!!

Last summer I posted that Cabela's was looking to open retail stores here in Canada. They did open a store in Winnipeg (the former S.I.R. mail order location on Ellice Avenue), then announced a new 70,000 square foot store for Edmonton. Today they announced a third store, this one being built in Saskatoon and set to open in spring 2012. These three locations make a lot of sense for Cabela's, given these cities are the launching off spots for most of the northern fly-in fishing lodges. No "official" word yet of a store in Ontario, but I am told privately it is coming. More info here.