Maiden Voyage

[Abbeysdad]

re: http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishin...ad.php?t=20550

Well I left work at 3pm today (1/4 day vacation), came home, hooked her up and towed her the 8 miles or so to Cayuga lake. I stopped off on the way and topped off the gas tank with about 12 gallons. The launch at the park was busier than I expected. A fella came in right behind me. I got out, told him I was a total newbie and he should go ahead of me. He said "that's okay, I'm waiting for my son anyway - you go ahead and I'll give you a hand". My backup skills were pitiful - I know the right moves, but I cut the turn too much and don't straighten out soon enuff (need to make smaller adjustments) - I had to pull forward and go back again too many times! Probably entertaining for some. Finally got her in the water and the girls held the ropes as I cranked her out and she floated free. I tied her off, shook the fellas hand and thanked him fer helping me and parked the rig. I Came back and she didn't want to start right away. I was starting to think maybe I shouldn't have parked the trailer! Then she started up and I was surprised how quiet the 90HP Mecury was. We slowly made our way out the channel to the lake. I trimmed her down all the way and gave her some gas. She didn't seem to have much power. I pushed her some more and I wasn't liking the motor sound - it was like she wasn't getting an even gas flow. The girls were in the back but the bow seemed heavy and I don't know if it was plowing, but it just wasn't getting up on plane. I was thinking there was some issue with the engine and it was gonna have to go back to the dealer.
I was complaining to my wife about the engine trouble (doh) and Abbey started crying "I wanna go back".... It took a lot of convincing to calm her down, but she finally did.
I was also thinking that I had no idea when this engine had last run and maybe it needed to have the cobwebs blown out. After a bit we stopped about mid lake and I reluctanly turned it off, fearing it just might not restart. Abbey and I fished a little with no success at all - we were in about 289 feet of water. After awhile we stopped fishing and had dinner (subs that my wife had picked up earlier). After we were finished, we settled back in and I started her up. Almost to my surprise, it started right up! So I gave her a little gas and decided I should play with the trim some. While still going slow...I trimmed her up some, the bow came up a bit and she seemed to run smoother. I trimmed her up some more and finally stopped at a curious dark line on the trim gauge that I suspect is there for a reason. We were moving throught the water much better now, bow higher and the motor sounded fine. I headed north and went for a couple of miles - she felt good, although 37MPH was about the top speed - I might have been able to get a bit more, but Abbey asked if we could slow down some. I was reluctant to trim above the dark line on the trim gauge I mentioned.
I was thinking that this boat with a 90HP OB should be able to do 45mph at least...but then we're regular (okay, a little heavy [I weigh 250]) people and there was a full tank of gas. Anyway, it was running well enough so it seemed pointless to whine to the dealer just yet. So after a bit we headed back in.
As we got into the channel, I guess I wa son the wrong side, didn't have it trimmed up enuff and and felt some ugly chug - I quickly shifted to neutral and trimmed up, then manuvered pretty well to the dock. I tied her off, then got the rig. It was pitiful, but better than before! Now I have an EZ Loader trailer and I suppose I could drive the boat up on the trailer...but call me chicken, I backed the trailer in and moved her on by hand. After some manuvering, I finally pulled her out of the water. After I did, I realized that some how she slid back so I cranked and the girls pushed from the rear to get her back close to the winch stop. Rear straps on, wiring plugged in, feet soakin wet...ready to go "dad, I have to go to the bathroom". Fortunately Myers Park is very nice and the girls went off to the rest room.
I inspected some very minor propeller ding damage - spit and sputtered at my rookie mistake, but it's very minor - good thing I was going so slow in there and reacted quick enough to lessen the oops.
Got back home and put her in the yard, unhooked, lowered the OB, covered... When I pulled the plug, I was surprised how much water came out - 3-5 gallons I'd guess. At first I was thinking, I wasn't taking on water, where did this come from - then it hit me...they delivered this and it was very wet - I hadn't pulled the plug, so the water was in there all along.
As fer trailering - well, my AWD Rendezvous (6 cylinder) did okay. She's rated to tow 3500 and this boat, motor and trailer comes in at about 2200. Still I was thinking I might have trouble. I'm sure the AWD gives me some edge pulling up the wet launch ramp.
I'm not gonna be racing up hills, but for the most part, the rig could go faster than I felt I wanted to. It seemed to track well and true behind me (no sway), but you feel the chugging of what's back there.

So there it is - my first time out...no fish - low on the learning curve, but learnin a whole boat load of stuff (couldn't resist the pun). I know more about trimming up and need to learn more to get the planing sweet spot. I'm also thinking it'll be much better w/o a belly full of water.

[nofearengineer]

Dad,

Sounds like you had fun, though you took a big risk taking the family out the very first time! Of course, you might have ended up in the doghouse if you hadn't.

As for the 90hp, I wouldn't look for more than 40mph on a good day with more thtan just you in the boat. I have an 18' bass boat with a 115 and 45 is the max. That dark line on your trim gauge is definitely the past owner trying to tell you something that took him a while to learn.

Just take care of her like she's your youngest kid, and you'll be enjoying her for years to come.

[bcklash]

That sounds alot like alot of 1st timers. You did ok.

[MississippiBoy]

Not a bad first trip. And that mark for the trim came in pretty handy. Might as well have a sign that said "Put the trim HERE!"

Before you head out again, I recommend you practice backing that thing in an empty parking lot. Start a good distance away, pick out a particular marked space, and put the trailer there. Do it from different angles/distances too, so you can get used to manuevering that thing from strange angles. It's amazing what 15-20 minutes of this will teach you.

[nofearengineer]

Dad,

Like you, I am pretty new to towing and backing a boat. But after 15-20 times, it starts to get pretty instinctive. I'm not super fast at it yet, but I already have lost the need to "think" about which way to turn the wheel to make the trailer go the way I want it to. Once you hit that point, you'll only be making small adjustments instead of large ones, like you mentioned.

[BigBassin144]

Yeah, it is hard. I've only done it a couple times, but backed it into the garage a lot. It gets much easier. I always pull the plug before we leave too. But it sounds like ya had a pretty good trip.

BB

[Abbeysdad]

Originally Posted by MississippiBoy

Before you head out again, I recommend you practice backing that thing in an empty parking lot....

It's a good idea and I'll try - trouble is I live out in the country and have to haul her 12 miles over hill 'n dale to get to a parking lot and then it likely has to be at night when they're fairly empty. But I do need to seriously consider it - maybe I can scout out a place that's closer.

[MississippiBoy]

Yeah, I was just using a parking lot as an example. You could try your garage, two trees, or just mark 4 corners of a rectangle about the size of a parking space with whatever you can find around the house.

Basically, just get some practice in reverse gear.

[Abbeysdad]

Originally Posted by MississippiBoy

Not a bad first trip. And that mark for the trim came in pretty handy. Might as well have a sign that said "Put the trim HERE!"

I'm not quite sure why the trim gauge is marked that way (like a fuel gauge that's marked at 1/4 tank intervals - only in this case, there is only this single bold line at about the 1/4 trim position (as in 1/4 up from the full down position). Anyway, it seemed to perform pretty well there, but now I'm sorry I didn't take it just a bit further to better understand it...although I've done some book learnin and realize that trim is relative to speed, wind and waves and so you pretty much have to "use the force Luke" and feel the best trim for the best ride.
Sure is a bunch of stuff to learn....Jeez, and I just wanted to hook me a big lake fish! LOL

And then there's my young mentor Al (Al's the guy that goes out in his boat and catches 50 perch to sell to a local resturaunt [on a somewhat regular basis...tells me he can show me on this lake or that where I can catch this fish or that all day if I want!) - he comes in this morning and hears my tale and asks me if the water was clean or dirty...when I say not bad, he tells me maybe the water was in there all along or maybe there's a leak....and then he says, "does your trailer have a spare tire". I say, "Uhm, no". He says, "Better get one...the last thing you wanna do is leave that boat on the side of the road with a flat tire. Oh, and you'll need a special wrench too - lug nuts on a trailer tire aren't the same as the car/truck".
(I see another $100 or so leaving soon!)....earlier in the week he was asking me about my batteries...."do you have a charger?"...uhm, no...better get one....here's what I have.
Jeez, between Al and my wife, I'll never get my head above water (another boating analogy- hehe)

[nofearengineer]

Dad,

Remember the old saying, "a boat is just a hole in the water you throw money into." Man, truer words were never spoken.

[Abbeysdad]

Okay, I was a little stressed...but this is for real. While we were out on the boat, floating, just finished eating, Abbey said "Dad, what's that over there?". She was pointing off the port side (yep I even know my port form my starboard...stand-on vs. give way - shoot, afore I'm done I'll be a sailor!)
Anyway, 25-50 yards out you could see there was something very large near the surface of the water - couldn't see what it was, just moving a LOT of water (we were in 289 ft of water, in about the middle of the lake, which I believe is about a mile wide). Perhaps several large fish that appeared as one very large mass - I dunno, but it was just a little spooky...
Made me think of when Roy Sheider in jaws said, "we need a bigger boat"!
Now another fella might've fired her up and run over there to get a closer look...but I wasn't him and so I didn't.

[Abbeysdad]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Remember the old saying, "a boat is just a hole in the water you throw money into." Man, truer words were never spoken.

I'll say...bow 'n stern lines, fenders, anchor, rode and anchor line, CG approved fire extinguisher, flares, distress flag, paddle (the one I'll never use), flashlight, extra batteries, 20 amp fuses, first aid kit, trailer hitch...
battery charger, spare trailer tire....Jeez, I'm throwin money away like a drunken sailor (another boating reference - I crack myself up!)

[BigBassin144]

Hey, also, when you come home, back the boat up the driveway. I've found that helps, especially if you have a driveway that turns at all.

BB

[Abbeysdad]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

Hey, also, when you come home, back the boat up the driveway. I've found that helps, especially if you have a driveway that turns at all.
BB

Well that's a good suggestion too...and I don't mean to keep making excuses...but I live on a fairly busy state highway (hill) with traffic coming down the hill at 55+mph. My apron is 20' wide with stone reducing that by several feet on each side. I also have 4' cedar picket right along side on the yard side of the driveway. I need to get much. much, much better and quicker backing up before ever even thinking about backing into my driveway.
I'm gonna see if I can find a parking lot somewhere nearby - the church at the bottom of my hill would have been perfect if they hadn't put a divider down the center of it.

[BigBassin144]

I live away from town, and while the cars are going 55+, they are few and far between. I guess It'd be hard on a very busy street, I didn't think about that. Yeah, a parking lot will work, or any area that's marked off with something. You can pick up some cheap plastic cones (lol, or steal them from a contruction site*) that would work good for marking off and area.

BB

*I am not responsible for any consequences you may face from following my advice. this includes paying bail.

[1FASTLASER]

Abbeys

Sounds like your having a "good time" wit ur bote. That hash mark is as you stated .........a mark from the previous owner that he runs the trim to so he knows where he is at. I wanna let you know to "drive the bote" by FEEL and by the tach. That mark doesnt always mean your back at the same trim angle. Electrical trim gauges and senders are notorious for changing. You will soon know the "feel " of a boat that is running correctly and at the right "trim angle" for the "present water conditions" Rogher water trim under a bit.....smoother trim her up and let her rip.

By the way trailer lugs ARE the same size as vehicle lugs ....a 4 way will have the right size on it.

[Abbeysdad]

Originally Posted by 1FASTLASER

That hash mark is as you stated .........a mark from the previous owner that he runs the trim to so he knows where he is at.

Actually I was referring to the hash mark of the gauge manufacturer (just below where the needle is pointing in this picture). The ride was good there on nearly flat water at the speed I was doing - not sure I'd want more as the bow was high enough so any more would compromise visibility.
But I hear you regarding trim based on different water, wind and speed conditions (been reading up on it). Also have to factor in the hull - this has Glastron's SSV (Super Stable V) hull and so along with wind, waves and speed, hull design and chines all play a role - it's just a lot of stuff to learn being new and all. (I was also nervous about pushing trim to far - as it was, a couple of times I hit some waves a bit harder than I liked (just don't want to push it and do something stupid - just ain't worth it) Besides, I've had a lot of cars over a lot of years and with the exception of the Camaro I had when I was young, foolish and imortal - I have no idea what the top speed of any of them were!!! On the other hand, if I want to take a day trip 20 miles up the lake, it would be nice to take less than a day to do it!

[1FASTLASER]

you might like to know that those faria gauges are oretty accurate bud for being inexpensive.