Headhunter

I think this thread has run it's course... thanks for the advice. Bill, PM me if I can help. HH

Well, your Dad certainly knows how to dress properly for a fish! Great shirt he has there! He would fit in with our group quite well! Great pics by the way and I can't think of a better way to spend time! Thanks for sharing! HH

I had no interest in the rear burner and tried to make a change, but Napoleon had package deals and the rear burner came with the unit. I looked at the Joe Brian, but there were a few things that I didn't like, for instance the one year warranty on the main seal and the fact that it is made in China. The other challenge was need desire to have a side burner. Combine the cost of the Joe and a side burner and a unit for it to sit on and we were getting well outta my budget. HH

Well, I broke down and bought the Napoleon Prestige yesterday, will have it on Friday. thanks to everyone who chimed in, i appreciate everyone's input. Bill, if there is anything, other than my side burner you would like to salvage parts from my VC, let me know. HH

Well, as usual, I will be the fly in the ointment. I currently have 60lb braid on my pickereye jiggin rod! Long story short, I was in a bind and was offered the line as I didn't have anything with me at the time. It's been on my reel for two years!!!! So far, I can't say that it has cost me any fish as I seem to be able to catch them as much as anyone else in the boat! Works great at straightening out the hook when it gets jammed in a rock, I don't think I have lost a jig in two years! LOL Disadvantage for sure is fishing deep water and getting too much line drag. As long as it casts well enough, I think you'll be fine and maybe even happy knowing that you have the added security of the heavy line, should you hook into a brute. HH

Sure Bill! Bring you swim trunks! I'm sure I can find Chicken wieners on sale somewhere!!! LOL Nothing but the best for my buds!!!! HH

I checked out the Lynx at BBQ world. Obviously very nice units, however they are beyond my means. I suppose I could sell a child, but my wife seems pretty attached to them. I wonder what a kidney goes for on the black market? The Napoleon I am looking at is all stainless... HH

I grill probably 150 times a year! I cook virtually everything I can on my grill and some things you probably shouldn't... I just don't get a sense from either the BBQs or the sales people that I am going to have my new unit for as long as my VC (14 years). I cook more chicken wings than Hooters!!!!!! Ok, slight exaggeration, but if I had a dollar for every pound of wings that have hit my grill in the last 14 years, I'd have enough to buy a commercial grade BBQ with ease! HH Edit to add- I'd BBQ Froot Loops if they didn't fall through the grill...

Thanks everyone for chiming in, I do appreciate it! I just got back from BBQ World in Whitby.... interesting place, but in reality, they have a fairly limited selection; Napoleon, Weber, Broil King and then stuff north of 5K. They also have a number of charcoal units of various size and configuration. After seeing what's there and the pricing attached to some of the stuff, I am now leaning back towards a gas grill vs EGG etc... I need a side burner as I refuse to heat my house in the summer with my stove. Combine the costs associated with the BGE or any of the other similar units, I am getting close to 3K for what I would want - too much money for this boy! I looked at both Weber and Broil King - if forced, I would get the Broil King as the Weber feels like a toy to me. That all said, the winner so far, is the Napoleon Prestige 5. Big enough for my needs, has the infra-red side burner, rotisserie that I don't want/need and can run charcoal as well. My biggest challenge in truth, is that the bar has been set pretty darn high, with my current unit. Bought in 2003, I have not had one thing go wrong, until recently. I have expectations that my next unit "should" last that long, probably unrealistic. Thanks to all who suggested getting a cheapo unit, but that makes no sense to me as I use my BBQ way too much to be dealing with the usual nonsense that comes with ownership of a cheapo... buy new H burners every year etc... HH

Thanks everyone for chiming in. the hunt continues... And by way of clarification, I stated earlier in this thread that my brother's egg would reach 900 degrees, I was wrong. 6-700 is more realistic. Sorry about that! HH PS... Bitsmith, you wanna buy a used phone? LOL

I paid more for my BBQ, than I did for my stove! I'll update the thread as I progress. I plan on hitting BBQ World in Whitby in the next couple of days https://www.barbecueworld.com/to get a better idea of what I want/need and pricing. Web sites are good for narrowing things down, but I'm a hands on guy and I need to touch them if you know what I mean!LOL HH

How are you starting your BGE? HH

Thanks Dara, i have been down the cheap BBQ road. MY VC cost me over 2K 14 years ago. Doing the math, that equals about $150.00 /year for a fantastic BBQ that NEVER let me down. Heck, I could put a pound of bacon on the grills and it would not flame up! I am hoping for a similar experience as I have had with my VC. Heck, I'll take a decade of solid use, if I can find the right tool. I BBQ about 150 times a year, cooking everything you typically grill and everything else from cakes to lasagna. It's important to me that I have a good BBQ that I can and will rely on. HH

I have looked at Blaze, they seem really nice. Problem I am having though is that I can't seem to find a local dealer? HH

smellybox, that is not the experience I have heard from my brother. He has had his Egg for years. He uses an electric charcoal starter and he tells me 15 minutes is all it takes to get it up to temp. That's pretty much what my VC takes to get to operating temperature. I should have mentioned in my OP that I will not consider Weber as to my mind, they are way over priced for what you get. Lucas F, I will have a look at green mountain grills and thanks for the suggestion. Brian, Napoleon has been on my radar for a while now, but friends who have them, bought in the last decade or so, have had problems to the point of requiring a full re-build. I would like to avoid that. Keep 'em coming folks, I really do appreciate all input - except Weber!LOL HH

Yah Bill, I bought mine when they were first available in Canada. It weighs a ton! The burners look like the day I brought it home, the "body" or frame if you will has deteriorated to the point I am concerned it will just fall over one day soon! What has pushed me to entertain a new grill? One of the valves for the main burners has frozen. My guess would be grime from cleaning the grill has finally gotten into the valve stem and jammed it up. I do entertain a lot, with numbers of people ranging from 10 to 75! My brother, using his Egg, cooked 50lbs of pulled pork on his egg and brought it to a party we had. He also makes his own bacon on it. I have some interest in smoking, but it is not my main concern. Also, my brother uses his egg year round, uses an electric charcoal starter and tells me he can get up to 900F in 15 minutes. That's pretty quick. My biggest issue with the Egg, is a lack of a side burner. I know I can build a system, inclusive of the egg and side burner, but that leads me to a further expense and a construction project to integrate both into one package. So, that's why I am looking at both gas and charcoal. Friends with the high end Napoleon are getting less than a decade out of their BBQ's, maybe I am spoiled! HH

Hi All, Well, my long time cooking companion, my Vermont Castings BBQ is finally starting to give up on me. I bought it a some expense back in 2003. It has served me well and owes me nothing at this point. I am a BBQ kind of guy, and will BBQ all year round, unless and until the outside temp gets below -15C. I am looking for suggestions on what to look at to replace my VC. Price range is in and around the $2K CAD range. I am open to either natural gas or charcoal. My brother has a Big Green Egg and honestly, that is direction I am leaning towards. That said, I am open to suggestions and hoping to get a cross section of advice, based on the international flavour of this site. (see what I did there!LOL). Thanks for you time... HH

There's a bait shop on 69, just north of the hwy 69 bridge over the French. If I recall correctly, just past the Hartley Bay road, on the east side of the hwy. Sorry, can't recall the name of the store. It's in the basement of the owners home. I also think that the store at the Key River and 69 sells bait. HH

Shane, Cliff would bring his guitar and amp and I would bring my bass and amp a few years ago. We haven't done it recently as neither of us want to play Brown Eyed Girl anymore! LMAO! HH

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder Chris! And you hit the nail right on the head. My search is constant, seeking the ugliest most offensive shirt I can find... I am getting close! LOL Thanks for doing the report Cliff! HH

Glad I got the eaves cleaned out as the 2nd T-storm of the afternoon just rolled through... HH

They are worth every penny YOU spend Cliff! LOL HH

I hope you were at the bank getting $$$ for the steaks! LMAO! HH

Well that was quite the light show last night here in Scarborough! As I was watching it from the upstairs bedroom, I noticed that my upper eaves was pouring over onto the lower eaves, so guess who's gonna be on his roof in an hour? Waiting for it to dry a bit before I make the climb. Looks like we have yet another afternoon with potential storms. Oh, and I had to take a full three inches of water out of my pool this morning! Can't believe how much rain we've had of late! HH

What Cliff said! Polish the resume and get looking for a better gig. Stay employed and find a different job. You ware viewed as far more employable while you are working, then when you are not. Jsut be sure that the next company you work for offers what you are seeking as you don't want to be seen as a job hopper. RE the resume - don't just talk about your roles and or functions, talk about your accomplishments. things that you did that helped save the company you are working for; time, process and money. If you can quantify that for a future employer, they will recognize that you can provide value to them. HH