Jonny

Yeah, really good find! But grammar awareness rears it's ugly head. The video says "Make Tim Horton proud", not "Make Tim Horton's proud".

I think you're using a figure of speech but just a caution there, for those who don't know. Make sure your seller, if USA-based, sends parcels by US Postal Service (USPS). If your seller ships by FedEx or one of the other carriers, you will get nailed bigtime for the fee they charge for cross-border customs clearance. Through regular mail there is no such charge, just possibly a $5 handling charge from Canada Post --- although I have virtually never seen them charge it.

My apologies right from the word go if something like this has been done before. Like I said once before to that criticism, some of us haven't been around as long as others. --- Women sometimes take a bad rap for not being as practical as we men are, but it's not always true. My wife fishes with an old Pflueger spinning reel I bought her about 35 years ago. It doesn't even have a model number or model name on it, dark grey, black spool, pretty nondescript. It casts well, it cranks smoothly, the drag is good, she's caught many fish on it, a few big ones. I don't even know if it's got any ball bearings in it --- I would assume so because it's that smooth. The rod she uses is not quite that old - medium-priced fibreglass/graphite with a synthetic handle, ceramic eyes. She loves to fish and she's my main fishing partner. I suggested to her the other day that she needs a new spinning reel. (I didn't mention a rod --- best to fight one battle at a time.) She said, in that tone that tells me the issue is not open for debate, "Mine works just fine. I don't want a new reel." And you know, really she's right. Which brings me to my main point. Although we fishermen love to spend money on new toys, and debate the pro's and con's of the latest bells and whistles, I'll bet any one of us could put together a serviceable rod and reel combination (new - but maybe on sale) that will work well and give years of service for under $100. Not to say that you might not have more than one combo for different types of fishing, but I'd bet each one could be under $100 and give you everything you need. The technique and the fish sense is up to the individual. Even though I basically believe that, I still spend too much money on gear.

That is metric. About 80/100ths to you. All the important stuff in Canada is still measured in pounds and feet - fish, lumber, etc. - no kidding. But we've kinda lost the battle against kilometers and litres and degrees Celsius.

I've been buying from ebay for years, and throughout that time I've used Paypal with nary a problem. I used MO's a few times early on and they were a huge hassle, and time-consuming. The way I see it: It's free to the buyer (the seller pays a fee). I can choose whether to use debit or credit. The seller can invoice me directly and adjust shipping etc. as per emails. I can pay for a purchase with only about a minute or two of my time taken up. The seller never sees my credit card number. The shipping of my purchase is immediate. It's almost too simple and too easy to spend money, that's the only problem! Here are my two latest purchases, bought yesterday. If the norm appplies, I'll have them by mid-week. You'd have a hard time prying me away from ebay and Paypal...

That's 5.7966666 months of the year in the boat every day! Prove it! J/K Seriously though you do have to have a thick skin when posting on any internet board - this one is no exception. I've seen some posts that looked fine but somebody finds something controversial. I might have even been guilty myself, but nah, it's OK when I do it.

There's something to be said for reserving judgement. He was admonished early on to post something useful, and he tried. That's a point in his favour. I think the responses that have to do with picking apart spelling and grammar are a bit out of line. I'm a stickler for them (that's why you'll often see my posts edited) but I know we're not all like that. My advice to him would be not to try to defend himself by posting claims that he can't prove, just try to keep posting useful contributions and it might all work itself out. You have to admit he's got some pluck. I think what he has to realize that there are some pretty knowledgeable guys here who will pick apart something suspect pretty fast. I wouldn't be surprised if he disappears pretty quickly (and to be frank the situation is to a significant extent of his own making) but I hope he sticks around. --- EDIT - I went to put a link to this topic on the other thread so he wouldn't miss it, but it was closed. This topic may suffer the same fate. Might be a good thing, I'm not sure.

Maybe I don't understand prop pitch. I'm not being facetious, it's quite possible I don't. Here's my understanding... Coarser pitch means each blade takes a bigger bite out of the water, so it pushes more water --- harder to do, so the motor has to work harder and the RPM's would be lower. But the boat should go faster if the motor isn't overloaded. So ideally a prop should be set to as coarse a pitch as the motor can handle. So a prop that makes the boat go faster would actually not be able to over-rev the motor. Does that sound right, or am I out in left field? (I have a feeling I might be WAY out there!)

So going to a different pitch prop on the same motor won't change your top speed?

The product may be altogether different here than what you sampled from Finland. It pours and drinks like a liqueur... you know, a little thick... and it's quite sweet, although not cloyingly so. We get other high-proof alcohols from abroad - too bad we can't get this one. The taste is something I would really like if it were a straight full-proof flavoured brandy. We can get Bacardi 80% rum (160 proof). We can also get high-proof (54% I think) Austrian Inländer spiced rum at the big Sudbury store... although the real Inländer they drink is 80%. You should try some Inländer if you can. Awesome stuff, even at 54% (I have had both). I wonder, is Drambuie, domestic Scottish Drambuie, higher proofed than what we get in the export variety? That stuff would be awesome at 80% - the Rusty Nails would not only knock your socks off, they'd raise your hair! Here's a link to an interesting discussion about Inländer... http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=57523 My parents (Austrian born) have always told me it was made from sugar beets. Note what one poster says they call liquor stores in CT. Interesting what local customs are! Anyway, I'm taking you pretty far off your topic of Swedish meatballs.

The guy with the "ten-pounder" didn't really do it, but you gotta love how most people hold their fish closer to the camera to make it look bigger. It's gotten so that if someone takes an honest pose their fish looks puny!

That shirt huts my eyes!

On a steep ramp, standard or not, good parking brake or not, I've always had my wife or a partner ready with a wood block when I say to put it behind the wheel. Usually put one on both sides. It's a good idea to keep something in the back of the truck - you often can't find something suitable at a landing. Pieces of split log (triangular cross-section) work well. Big enough so the wheel can't ride over them, and kicked in hard to lessen the chance of them sliding. Before you even back up, you need to check carefully that there isn't an underwater "lip" that your trailer tires can fall off of as you let the trailer into the water. So many lauches are 'broken up" or "unimproved", up north anyway. EDIT - the thing about not launching properly (on gravel anyway) is that you can bugger up the launch for other people, or for yourself the next time. If you tromp on the gas and spin your wheels, you loosen the gravel and dig holes.

Wow that sucks big time. I take it you had to sit tight overnight and wait for somebody to show up? That would be a long, looong night! With both truck and boat in the water, how did you manage to have an emergency kit? Did some stuff float out of the boat or the truck box?

You're right about the LCBO. It's maddening when you can only get certain brands at certain stores, and some not at all. I checked the bottle again and it doesn't say it's brandy, but I guess a brandy base? It's only 21% alcohol.

Now there's a boat! Nice outfit for most fishing. I wouldn't necessarily call it a "starter boat". My grandfather fished from boats like this (and cedar strips) all his life and never wanted more. I've used something similar for most of my fishing, and I still have it and use it. Great report.

I think you can still buy lingonberry (cloudberry) liqueur at the LCBO. I have a bottle called "Lapponia Lakka" and it comes from Finland. As you can see I need to get some more. Mixed with a little brandy it might be just the thing?

Patrick, I mean you no disrespect, but there you've made two statements which you're going to have to support. Both would be quite an accomplishment for a 16 year old, so you can understand that people will be skeptical.

Wow, I've got real junk then. I'll let you know when they fall apart.

Also found this... from an AMSOIL site... All interesting in their own right for the general topic, but I'm still not having much luck addressing the power question.

Also this... http://www.smalloutboards.com/4Stroke.htm

So where are these differences in actual power (either way) between 2 stroke and 4 stroke? Ft/lbs of torque (affecting prop pitch)? RPM's? It should be quantifiable.

The fit and finish on two Okuma baitcaster reels I have are superb, and they check out so far. Time will tell, I guess.

What he said about Halfway Lake, for example, is right on. I've fished there. You might see lots of hooks deep down but you won't get many bites when you see that. A tornado touchdown did mess up the place pretty bad a few years back. If he got any more specific, people would be cranking on him for that. Let's assume he knows what he's talking about and has been willing to share. When I was his age, I knew a hell of a lot about what worked and what didn't on a number of lakes and rivers too.

I imagine Mariko has an easier time of it. I haven't seen her show but I think all she has to do is show up! Somebody else has all the gear and she can look good with minimum fuss, heck even without catching a fish! Not for your serious fisherman, but it's all entertainment, isn't it?