Time for "Green" Tournaments

[musky_man]

I was looking at how the size of boats and motors has increased over the years. I recall walking along Gerogian Bay years ago with my dad (maybe 1961-62) and we were looking at the "large " boats ... large in those days was 60 horsepower. Anyway, I think the whole thing has gotten way out of hand. Do we really need 300HP boats to go fishing - or even 100 for that matter. I am certainly not going to be judge and jury as to what one "needs" but in saying all of this, would it not make sense that as custodians of the great outdoors we rethink what it is we really need to do what we love.

 

So - that led me to the idea of a green tournament. All participants could bring whatever boat/motor combo they wanted, but they would only get so many gallons of gas/day and when it ran out, they were done. Makes sense to me. Perhaps even limit speed too, except in times of emergency, like getting off the water for bad storm. Perhaps add bonus weight for gas remaining at the end of the tournament.

 

Anyone else have any ideas on how we could "green" tournaments? I think this needs to be talked about -- I am not going to be amused when the boat that is screaming past me to catch a largemouth bass, in say 2019, has 900 HP and is going 200KPH... and trust me they will if some sanity does not prevail!

Edited April 20, 2009 by musky_man

[BassAsin]

i bet running 10 gallons of gas through a new 100HP motor puts less emissions into the air then half that much gas burnt in a 1970 9.9 motors have come a long way to be "green"

 

if the case of gas remaining is bonus in the tourny i'll be fishing with my boat tied to the dock all day!

 

 

Sounds fun!

[BillM]

Aren't some of these new big HP engines getting great mileage when they aren't WFO compared to the old oil burners of the past?

 

Just because it has 300hp doesn't mean you need to use it all at once

[musky_man]

Bill,

 

No doubt some of the new 300HP are getting better mileage -- but not as good as the equivalent 100HP new motors -- and that is part of the issue. The fuel saving that would have been realized in cars due to better design over the lat 30 years, have all but been lost as they keep getting bigger.

 

It isn't just about saving gas, I have to believe that in some ecosystems (smaller ones) these things are doing some damage just due to their shear power. And safety is another issue (and probably another topic) but where I fish, in some parts of the water, there is not a lot of space and I have seen some clowns going what I would guess is 100KPH, and darn near hitting others. I don't think you can "green" stupidity, but I'd love to try!

 

Let me ask you the question in another way -- how big is too big in your mind? 500HP ... 700? I never thought when I was walking along that beach in 1962 that we would ever see engines of 300HP ... tht's 5 times bigger than the biggest (at 60HP) 40 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aren't some of these new big HP engines getting great mileage when they aren't WFO compared to the old oil burners of the past?

 

Just because it has 300hp doesn't mean you need to use it all at once

[kickingfrog]

Interesting points. Engines are getting more efficient, however the tournaments have an Formula 1 race feel to them. Meaning, it's not about the angler but the technology he has purchased or been sponsored by.

 

Tournaments are about money. Big purses for the anglers, product placement for the sponsors etc. The engine makers, and the boats they push, are big players behind that money, might be a tough go.

[danbouck]

It's the same as cars. Do we really need to have 300HP in our cars? If I had the money I would have a 300 horse motor on the back of my boat and I would have 500HP in my tow vehicle. I believe in tourneys you want the power to get to the other side of the lake as fast as you can so you have more time to fish.

 

But right now I'm happy with my fuel efficient 50HP four stroke.

[nancur373]

Just because it has 300hp doesn't mean you need to use it all at once

 

Yeah. Just use 150 on the way out and the other 150 on the way back...lol

[irishfield]

Sorry Mark.. I guess I can no longer offer to take you musky fishing!! Guess we could run the 9.9......

[Terry]

you would sure hurt a lot of guys who have spend big big bucks on the big boats and motors for Tournaments

 

it wasn't that long ago that B.A.S.S. and most others had a 150hp limit

going back would be a hard thing to do

[Greencoachdog]

I got yer "green" right here!!! *grabs crotch*... I pay damn good money to have my garbage hauled to a dump that has an EPA approved liner installed... garbage includes but not limited to: aluminum drink cans, plastic products, and used motor oil!!! If someone wants me to recycle these products, they can can come to my house and pay me for them!!!... I'll be damned if someone is going to profit from my waste!!!

 

My F250 gets 10 mpg towing my boat thru the Appalachians, that shoulodn't be any skin off of your nose.. because I'm paying for it!!!

 

I do my part for the environment by not dumping my used motor oil in the lake and I always flick my lit cigarette butts out the window! *the controlled burn helps the Quail,'Possum, and Armadillo populations doncha yanno, and the filters make a darn fine mulch!!!*

 

I'm sooo sick of the word "green" this earth is a helluva lot cleaner that it was 30 nyrs ago!... thank you very much!!!

Edited April 20, 2009 by GCD

[musky_man]

Wayne,

 

I knew this would be a touchy subject -- hence the reason I brought it up! As I said, I am not going to be judge and jury ... the point was to generate discussion and see what others thought.

 

I do not have the answer and the "answer" will no doubt change from decide to decade ... but I do feel, as someone pointed out above, it has become more about technology and sponsorship and less about the fishing. Would people really feel deprived if they were limited to, say, 30 MPH and 20 imperial gallons of gas/day? Hell, I've caught bigger and more musky then most on this board and generally use less that 3-4 gallons/day, if that. I have to believe that all these hot shot tournament guys and gals can better me with a 100HP motor and 20 gallons of gas/day.

 

Now I am sure I have really stoked the fire!

[musky_man]

GCD,

 

 

<<My F250 gets 10 mpg towing my boat thru the Appalachians, that shoulodn't be any skin off of your nose.. because I'm paying for it!!!

>>

 

What if you could look into the future and the Spirit of the fishing future were to visit you and say, "GCD, you have a choice, decrease your usage and your grand kids will be able to fish too with a motor, or keep doing what you are doing and they'll be out of luck ... except may using oars or the Minn Kota? Are you still the only one paying for it now?

 

Would that make a difference? Probably just made you madder ... afterall ... it is your God given right and you earned it - right?

 

As I said, this is a very touchy subject and I appreciate that 90% of this board right now would love to tell me where to go and how to get there:)

 

That's okay ... I am looking for a good discussion and I am hoping I am going to get it. I don't have the answers and I am not saying I wouldn't buy a boat with tons of horses ... I got to thinking about it because I am looking now and really asking myself what do I really need ... suppose I could row the damn boat, but I assure you that's not going to happen.

 

How much bigger than 300HP do you think they will get?

[nancur373]

I got yer "green" right here!!! *grabs crotch*... I pay damn good money to have my garbage hauled to a dump that has an EPA approved liner installed... garbage includes but not limited to: aluminum drink cans, plastic products, and used motor oil!!! If someone wants me to recycle these products, they can can come to my house and pay me for them!!!... I'll be damned if someone is going to profit from my waste!!!

 

My F250 gets 10 mpg towing my boat thru the Appalachians, that shoulodn't be any skin off of your nose.. because I'm paying for it!!!

 

I do my part for the environment by not dumping my used motor oil in the lake and I always flick my lit cigarette butts out the window! *the controlled burn helps the Quail,'Possum, and Armadillo populations doncha yanno, and the filters make a darn fine mulch!!!*

 

I'm sooo sick of the word "green" this earth is a helluva lot cleaner that it was 30 nyrs ago!... thank you very much!!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzoPTtTfcrA

[BassAsin]

Sorry Mark.. I guess I can no longer offer to take you musky fishing!! Guess we could run the 9.9......

thats ok! Take me Take me! hahah nice lookin rig!

[2 tone z71]

whatever turns your crank really ,if your happy with a canoe so be it ,if ya wanna fish with a 9.9 or 20 hp and it puts a smile on your face awesome ,Me personaly when conditions allow I like to move,Merc has been making engines with well over 300hp for yrs just cause it dont say it on the decal dont mean squat with that company,OMC built 300 V8 outboards back in the 80s 90s ,Yamaha makes a 350 Fourstroke,I dont think where gonna see much bigger hp outboards as the bass type boat market cant handle much more than whats being bolted on currently,the boss has twin 200 Etecs HO on the 26 ft workboat fun to ride yeah but damm im paid by the hour

[Greencoachdog]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzoPTtTfcrA

 

Dats me!!!...

 

 

 

 

... and if we wanted your frozen wasteland we come up there and take it away from you!!!

 

 

... how do you like the name "New Michigan"???

[irishfield]

thats ok! Take me Take me! hahah nice lookin rig!

 

You know where to find me Matt.. if you can pry yourself away from them female firefighters this summer!

 

It's a great thought Mark... don't know what the answer is. 275 pushes my 22' 10" boat nicely... it's no speed demon @ 52MPH WOT...comfortable 4100 RPM cruise is 40 MPH. Our 1988 26' Tempest (identical to a searay) with full birth/head/kitchen had a 5.7 Merc Cruiser in it... it did 43 MPH and we water skiied behind it even. As many have said.. the newer technology is much cleaner. My 275 Verado burns less fuel for similar speeds than my 2004 Johnson 2 stroke 115HP did and without the oil smoke.....heck that thing burnt more fuel idling/trolling than my Verado does at 30 MPH. The old '76 9.8 Merc in the boat house is MUCH less "green" than my 275.

Edited April 20, 2009 by irishfield

[Mike the Pike]

In 2019 the price of gas may make us choose smaller .Who knows what the future holds.

 

On a fishing trip in 2004 there was someone in our group who had a 10hp Evinrude from 1962 everyday it was sucking more gas than my 50hp Honda.Believe me the bugs were not biting him those old motors sure let out alot of smoke.It did run well that old Evinrude.

 

If I could afford 300hp I sure wouldn't mind when one has to go 20 plus miles to fish on some days.

 

GCD made a good point we sure have come along way things have cleaned up compared to 30yrs ago.

 

BTW there is a green tournament every year someone on this board has a kayak tournament .

 

Just do a search it should turn up.can't get greener than that.

 

 

[BillM]

The one thing I like about Wayne's Verado is the fact that you need to look at the rpm gauge to figure out if it's running.

 

Silent engine, pretty cool...

[kickingfrog]

The one thing I like about Wayne's Verado is the fact that you need to look at the rpm gauge to figure out if it's running.

 

Silent engine, pretty cool...

 

Ya, no worries about having a conversation with someone over the noise of a 2 stroke, and then getting back to the shore only to find out they could hear EVERY word.

[Dara]

Aren't some of these new big HP engines getting great mileage when they aren't WFO compared to the old oil burners of the past?

 

Just because it has 300hp doesn't mean you need to use it all at once

 

 

Ummm...Yes, you do, thats why you have it

 

It's the same as cars. Do we really need to have 300HP in our cars? If I had the money I would have a 300 horse motor on the back of my boat and I would have 500HP in my tow vehicle. I believe in tourneys you want the power to get to the other side of the lake as fast as you can so you have more time to fish.

 

But right now I'm happy with my fuel efficient 50HP four stroke.

 

My tow vehicle is 400HP, and I use that all at once too

[bigfish1965]

I don't think have varied classes is a bad idea....Under 125hp, under 60hp and Open.

I bet the people on Rice Lake would rather see a bunch of 90's and 125's running around during the tournies. Plus it does become a keep up with the jonses thing, make it a bit more level..about the fishing and not the boat.

[tonka-toy]

Dats me!!!...

 

 

 

 

... and if we wanted your frozen wasteland we come up there and take it away from you!!!

 

 

... how do you like the name "New Michigan"???

...just come and visit, it's so much easier and less expensive.

[OhioFisherman]

Our bass club had limited areas for some tournaments, we fished a number of them on back bays of Lake Erie here in Ohio. All the bays had access to Lake Erie so it prevented the guy with the fastest boat to have an advantage over slower boats. You were not allowed to go out or past a certain point and enter the main lake. You had to fish, not run.

 

In my mind money has in some ways corrupted the sport, kind of like an arms race. You do have to remember it`s all about them money, some came up with the idea to make money. If they don`t follow the path the sponsers want followed no or limited revenue. Obviously Merc or whomever makes more money selling a 250HP than a 60 HP motor, a 20 bassboat brings them more revenue than a 17 footer.

 

Another sad part of it is it takes a lot of people out of the competition, they can`t afford to compete with the big boys and have to become spectators, which I feel is the wrong direction for the sport. The idea should be to get people to fish, not watch other people do it.

 

Sort of lucky here in Ohio I guess, some smaller 1000 acre or so city water supply reserviors that are electric motor only, some lakes with a low horsepower limit, like 10 hp so there are a variety of options at least for bass.

 

Guess it just depends on what you call fun.

[nancur373]

Dats me!!!...

 

 

 

 

... and if we wanted your frozen wasteland we come up there and take it away from you!!!

 

 

... how do you like the name "New Michigan"???

 

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