rob v

so jacking a trailer like this is bad for it ?

Great work - and very timely !!

I just got mine from angling outfitter. His price was as good as anywhere I looked - including the states. But call first - it sounds like he sells quite a few. Until this weekend though the SAIL folks were covering the taxes - and while their price was a bit higher than AO the tax savings was significant. With that said I was able to strike a deal with AO that included the mounting bracket which after I were to account for gas made AO very competitive for me.

i think you can tent at golden beach cottages.

Yes , please.

installation is simple. Change the filter in the fall each year - if there's water in it you don't want it freezing over the winter. And the nice thing about the unit I purchased it has a couple of outlets - so I was able to tie in my 4 stroke kicker to the main tank fuel supply (vs carrying another fuel tank).

hey - when it's time to do mine I'll give you a call - do you work by the hour or the job ?? Nice job

thanks guys - some good info to consider. the vhf hand helds are another option I suppose - but you're using public channels on them I think (?) but is would expect they'd have better range. anyways - thanks again.

Anyone have much experience with these radios? I've been thinking about getting a pair - one for the boat - the other for the cottage - to try and keep in touch. I understand their range tends to be limited when islands etc get in the way. Are there some units that work better than others ? Are they worth the cost (looks like a decent pair runs about $90-$100). Might be good for keeping two vehicles traveling together in touch with each other also (esp if cell reception is poor/non-existant)?

I bought my 1750 used a few years back - its a 2003 with a 115 optimax. I'm very happy with the boat and its performance. A few small issues with livewell and bildge pumps - but I think that had something to do with the previous owner. I would agree with the recommendation to upgrade the trolling motor though - i have 55# unit on mine and while it will move the boat in calm conditions - if there's any wind to speak of its not much good. I'm in the process of upgrading mine right now to an 80# unit.

Thanks guys - that's kinda what I thought. Better to be too long than too short !!

Hope to close the deal on an upgraded bow mount soon - looking at the Terrova. One of the reasons (plus extra power) I'm doing this is to increase the shaft length from my current unit. A 54" unit would likley do it but I'm thinking I might just go 60" as the extra cost is nominal. The only negatives to a longer shaft that I can think of would be the possibilty of grounding it in shallow water if you didn't properly adjust it and the extra length across the bow when its stowed. Are there any other negatives that I'm over-looking to have a longer vs shorter shaft ?

to me it depends on what the original understanding was. was it your idea to take it easy on him for costs or was it his. was the arrangement not to share costs a temporary measure ? if he left the rod with you in exchange for costs or he made a commitment to pay his share but didn't than i think you're in the right. If not than i don't think you should be keeping his stuff. most importantly do you want to fish with this guy again? doesn't sound like it.

does anyone have an internet link to this episode ? sounds like it would be fun to watch !!

buy'em both !! sounds like you could mull this for quite a while. both units sound like great choices. but like a few here have said - the bigger motor is always nice to have in reserve !! As kids get older things like tubing and skiing start to sound like a lot of fun and the extra hp might help then !! and I'm not sure how much gas you'd save with the smaller unit

sad news. rejoice and charish the time you had together. Deepest sympathies

i think it would also depend on how long you intend to keep the house. if you're leaving in a year or two you may want to look at something more economical. if you intend to stay for an extended period than invest in quality

Yes the Terrova looks like a nice unit - and a big step up from the power-drive

thanks scugog - some good info - currently the unit i have in the bow is a garmin - and i have no idea what size cable it has compared to the rest. Good to know there are options though - I thought it was outta the question until I saw your post. Maybe the pedal problem is a bit exaggerated though ? I do like the "set it and leave it" feature because most of my fishing would not be in heavy cover. I understand heavy cover (slop/timber/weeds etc) is where the cable steer excel's ?

two things i'm concerned about with the power steering units 1) its difficult/not possible to attach a sonar transducer = you need to purchase the universal sonar = more bucks 2) it sounds like the steering pedals / pads can't take much wear and tear and have to be replaced often. can anyone comment on either of these issues ?

Not sure if this is kosher or not - but I came across this site recently. some pretty useful info/videos on setting up your boat, electonics etc. http://www.walleyeworkshop.com/ I don't think this is competition to this site (but if it is just take this down).

And jiggle it a bit !!

25 years or so ago when my son was born i decided i'd probably make enough mistakes trying to raise he and later his sister. one of the things i did NOT want to do was give them any reason to smoke. fell off the wagon once or twice since then but for most of those 25 years i was cigarette free! now I can't stand the smell of it !! After 10 years of sucking on those damn things it sure is nice to be free of them !! and i'm very happy to say that neither of my kids can stand the site of a cigarette !! congratulations to all of you on quitting !!

thanks for sharing ! so... what's your #1 walleye lure thru the ice ?

I do a bit of everything. I do some sm bass fishing and when I can I like to chase eyes - but most of that happens in the great lakes and I have a 7.5 hp kicker for that. the reason I'd like to upgrade - I hope to spend a bit more time in the northern lakes fishing eyes, bass etc and working structure etc. Up until now my northern fishing opportunities have been limited duwe to lack of time. This summer I have a drive to trip booked on O'Sullivan lake that I am very much looking forward to and I want to make sure I'm properly equipped. From the time I bought my boat I knew the existing electric that was on it (same as the one I have now) wasn't what i wanted but budget constraints and the general lack of need put that conversion off. I have a 1750 crestliner fishhawk and it currently has a maxxum 55 that isn't quite enough to move the boat the way I'd like it to. Frankly I like the idea Roy talks about - i.e. the hand control (perhaps using the minn kota handle extensions I know you can get for them) but one that's designed for bow mount. I've never really enjoyed/mastered the foot control - mostly due to lack of practice I think. I came across an opportuntity to buy the power drive V2 (used - 2 yrs old, 70 lbs, 24 volt)and the guy's asking $500 - which makes it tempting