Fishn Technishn

Blue Axela, you say 2000 -2004? My Sylvan is 2007! They must have bought a whole load of them and are trying to use them up!! Just got a call from West Marine GTA saying they can get one Special Order at $185 .....and it's gonna take 6-8 WEEKS!!!!! FT

Thanks to all, for the assistance. Mo, the one I am looking for is the swivl-eze 2 3/8 series see link. I would really prefer the tallest one I can get as my son is 6'4" and I am a little less. We don't really sit at the front just usually stand & want one to basically lean against. Although once in a while my wife decides SHE wants the front & she MAY sit down. LOL http://www.attwoodmarine.com/products/prod...eating+Hardware I will keep looking Thanks FT

Blue Axela, Yeah what a croc! Cabelas only has up to the 23" power pedestal and I want the 32-36" one!! Maybe I will have to make my own!! Let me know how you make out. FT

Man, am totally bummed out! Called my local dealer looking for a "stand up pedestal" for the front of the new boat. It is the Swivl-eze 2 3/8" type post with a push button to lock/unlock at the bottom. The one I got quoted on goes to approx 36" Guess how much they quoted me???? $217.00 no seat....just the power pedestal!!! I guess I will be standing WITHOUT the post!! Why is this one more than double all the others? Can anyone shed some light on this one? Anyone got one laying around or a "Good Guy" connection? Anyone else run into this? Thanks, FT

My personal fave is the Excalibur(now Heddon) "Spittin' Image" in Shad colour. Have caught MANY bass, Musky, Walleye and my PB bluegill( was the size of a large dinner plate!!) Only problem with them is you have to watch for seagulls Ospreys etc as they think they are real! FT

I just got a new Fuel filter/water separator and wanted to know the best way/place to install it. Also do I put the Primer bulb BEFORE the filter or AFTER and WHY? Yeah, I know! I am gonna feel really stupid after this, but sometimes the obvious is NOT the right answer!! Thanks, FT

A BIG thank you to all. I wish it was longer but I will try to see if I can get to at least some of the suggestions! LEW, You certainly cut a fine figure in the uniform!! I can only imagine the tales you have to tell!! Thanks again FT

I am off tomorrow to Scotland & Ireland for a week. Never been! Any suggestions as to something/anything I won't want to miss? Won't have time to go fishing!DANG!!!! Daughter is graduating form University over there and I want to be there for that, but will have a little bit of time I'm sure. Is there any great fishing store I could visit in the Glasgowor Edinburgh areas? Am REALLY excited to see some REAL castles etc and maybe a few PINTS as well. LOL Any assistance will be gratefully accepted. Thanks FT

Charlie Wray on Fishful Thinking. Lots of info & no Bull FT

OK I have narrowed down the kinds of kickers I want to look at. What is the BEST way to mount it? Am I better to get a long shaft motor and mount it directly to the transom? Or is it better to mount it on a Kicker Bracket. WHY? What are the advantages/disadvantages? I'm totally in unknown waters on this one!! FT

Polliwog, most 9.9's & 15's share the same tech specs/blocks etc. Normally the only difference is a Carb/restrictor plate/cam. Don't want to exclude a good deal just because I said I wanted a "9.9". If you have a 15 instead of a 9.9 you just need to use that much less to get'r done. Most 9.9's today are a pretty hot commodity, 15 might be easier to locate, that's all? Don't want to limit my options. FT

Thanks so far for all of the replies/help. I want a motor big enough that it will get me back to the dock if I have a problem with the main motor( wife not a good swimmer!!!)and weight won't be a problem, I have been in the exact same set up as mine with a 15 Honda ....that's what started this whole thing! Wife liked how smooth/ quiet it trolled. Anybody got any leads on a Merc/Yammy/Honda 9.9 or 15 to fit the bill? I will go NEW if I can't find the right deal but thought I would look around first. Any thoughts on going across the border to Michigan etc?? THANKS again FT

What part of Stoney do you want? I also have some scanned maps I can send BUT they are LARGE files. The ones Zamboni has will work well, but if you want I can send you mine....some are zoomed(mostly the Clear lake end) FT

If you look back in the posts, you will see that I also had the same type of questions. I bought a Guest charger(5 + 5), installed it under my driver side console. LOVE IT! I just plug it in and no worries. I even installed an outlet in the garage above the boat and plug it in when it is inside to keep the battery up to full on "float" mode. I just have one 12 volt to run my trolling motor and my charger was one that is able to double up the outputs so I get 10 amps at the start and then it trickles down. I used to drag the charger in/out with me all the time....it really is a pain in the arse! I like this much better and my research tells me that I should be able to extend the life of the battery. The old one in previous boat was 9 years or so old!! Maybe I will get 10-12 out of this one! Do your research and get what you NEED not what looks good. FT

Thank you to all who replied! I am definitely going 4 stroke. Merc, Honda, Yamaha, I haven't made up my mind yet. How do you determine the proper shaft legth?? Any tips? FT

Well, I know it was Mother's Day but she brought it up!! She told me to look for a "kicker" motor for the new boat so "she can troll for Muskies/Walleyes etc" Damn I LOVE that girl!! Anyways, before I lay out the cash for it, I thought I would ask for suggestions 1/ What motor would you reccommend & why? 2/ What's the BEST way to hang it off the transom? Clamp it on/kicker bracket? 3/ Anything I should watch for/ shaft length( how to determine?) This Motor will be gong on my 16' Sylvan with dual console and 75 HP Merc. I would like to be able to troll slow for Walleyes & faster for Muskies. Is a BiGfoot or High Thrust one worth the extra etc etc. Thanks FT

You can also get a little gadget for popping the snap off. I think either BPS or Cabelas has it. The vaseline does work. One person told me to use Chapstick or similar for the domes & zippers on my cover. Easy to store and you can use it in case you get chapped lips!! Not sure which flavour would work best LOL FT

Cabelas!! WOW! I visited my first Cabelas last weekend in Hammond Ind. on the way back from Chicago. What a store!! Definitely better stocked than ANY BassPro I have been in( that's quite a few)> The staff were so helpful that they were ALMOST a pest. Was an expensive bathroom break!! Tons of Musky stuff!!!(LEW). I will be making my annual Father's Day trip to Cabelas this year rather than BPS! I gotta call them and ask where MY catalog is!!! FT

Costco has an "all in one" trailer lock from Master Lock. Keyed alike and comes in a little padded case for $50 . I bought 2 of them late last year on clearance. Works very well but after reading about undoing the ball, I took a ball pein hammer and "modified" the threads, so Nobody is going to undo it ...without a torch or grinder. Looks exactly like this one. http://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/product.asp?prod=319503 I sleep much better at night with this set up. FT

I had a 14 footer for 13 years. When my family outgrew the 14 I went looking for a 16 footer. There are SOOO many 14's out there but most people don't get rid of their 16's. I ended up buying a new one. Second best thing I ever did!! 1st would be marrying my wife(it was HER idea....to get the 16 that is) It is so much more stable and a real joy to fish out of. It is actually shorter in total length than my 14 was because the trailer tongue was so long and this one even has a swing tongue. I actually have so much more room in the garage. Go for the 16. You won't regret it!! FT

Irishfield, Garry2rs, thanks for the tips. Now why didn't I think of that!! I guess that is why I ask all these silly questions, someone here always has the simple answer! Thanks, FT

Irishfield I was thinking of putting it there, but the directions say it has to have air movement around all sides to keep it cool. Does yours get warm under the floor? Thanks for the photo, looks like a nice layout. FT

Okay, the weather is nice now & I got itchy to get the boat out from under wraps!!Feels Great! Question, I now have the onboard battery charger but I am torn on where to mount it. Do I put it under the dash on Driver's side/Passenger side? Or do I mount it under the floor near the Trolling motor battery? I know they generate a fair bit of heat, so I am kind of relectant to mount it under the floor on the bow. Or do I mount it out in the open so I can see what it is doing.....hopefully charging!?? Anyone got some ideas/suggestions ? Thanks, FT

I Live in London(south end) Wouldn't want to move....unless it was in Kawarthas/Haliburtons right on the water. I have been trying to make it to one of the local OFC Swills but seems something has always come up. DANG!! FT

Rob V, I know your pain!! I have been loking for plugs for my 2006 75 Merc Classic. The plugs that came in it new, are NGK BUZHW-2 and Hully Gully quoted me a price of $16.99 EACH These are Surface Gap plugs...kinda neat looking! Well after a little research, these are hi-tech resistor plugs that suppress interference for your radio etc. I don't have a radio, so I did some MORE research and a NON-Resistor version( just drop the Z) is available for .....$5.99 each. I may buy some of these for winterizing & spring startup & then put the others back in. If you need the resistor ones some CTC stores do carry them but the price is not pretty, approx. $27 for TWO, which means if you have a 3 cylinder as I do, you have to buy 4!! Good luck and please let me know if you find a better source. FT