Wish I had the skills, the time…and space in the garage…this would be a fun project!
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Boats & Boating
It's been many moons since I ran this boat, but I still have that good ol' Honda kicker!
JD,
I’m getting a 17×54 willie drift boat. Any opinions out there on outboard motors. I will be on the lower Sacramento River mostly. Do you think an 8 HP Merc 4-stroke would be good? A ny help would be appreciated. Thanks, Vince
Vince, I have owned ‘em all and have had zero trouble with Yamaha and Honda. They’re both so stinkin’ reliable it’s stupid! What size you get all depends on what you want to do with it… [click to continue…]
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Sled are great...when they're running properly!
Forget push-up bras, keg cans, iPods and 52-inch flat screens…for my money, outboard jets have to be one of the best inventions of all time. I mean, anything that allows me to blaze 30 mph through 2-inch shallows is definitely on the short list of cool stuff to own.
But on the other hand, there are days when I want unbolt my outboard and use it as an anchor. Talk about an inefficient way to propel one’s self upriver! Outboard jets are about 30 percent less efficient than their prop-driven cousins…and that’s when the stinking thing is brand spankin’ new. After some good use, the output goes down even more.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to help make your outboard jet run like new again. [click to continue…]
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Winter’s here and if you’re one of the many folks who don’t use your boat through the cold months, it’s important to properly winterize it before storing it. Take a little time now to care for your rig so that you’re not that guy who’s stuck on the ramp on opening day next spring, with the cowling off and nowhere to go.
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“Fear No Rock” is Clackacraft’s motto. I recently took a 16SSG (Salmon & Steelhead Guide Model) on a grueling three week test ride during salmon season in a boat-eating stretch of river to see if I would end up a believer…or would I come home with an extreme case of Rockophobia?
Specs
• Centerline Length: 16 feet+
• Bottom Width: 57 inches
• Beam: 83 inches
• Side Height: 23 inches
• Max Capacity: 4 Adults
• Weight: Approx 500 lbs.
Features
• GulfStream® bottom
• Tunnel Hull Technology
• Rolled gunwale edge
• Adjustable front bench passenger seat
• Two Swivel Fold Down Padded Seats
• Molded-In rod storage
• Three sets of raised oarlock positions
• Oarsman’s adjustable rowing bench seat with comfortable tractor seat
• Storage under both benches
• Level floors front and Rear
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Quite contrary to what my wife contends, a guy can’t have too many boats! After all, there’s no one perfect vessel. I mean, you’ve got to have the jet for running shallow rivers…then something that can handle a little chop out on the bay. Well, then, of course you’ll need to have some weather protection when you’re running offshore and then…
See what I mean? Anyway, here’s my current list of 5 boats you just can’t live without…
Maritime 23 Voyager
Okay, so the MSkiff Voyager 23 would be the perfect all-around rig for bay halibut, salmon (when they come back), rockfish, close to home tuna… and would even make a good Lake Tahoe jig boat! I also love the fact that you can duck out of the weather…a very nice feature.
2410 Bay Ranger
Fishing the big waters of the California Delta, I love the idea of being able to move around to distant spots quickly — like I see the guys in the bass boats do. I also like how much deck space and fishing room bass boats have…However, I don’t want to be anywhere near one of those low-sided affairs when the wind kicks up and the tide starts running against it. Luckily, Ranger has come up with the perfect solution: The Bay Boat!
Willie Predator
While all that deep water stuff is great, I still have a tough time finding anything cooler than running up a wild river…going 30 mph in 3 inches of water. And really the only way to do river fishing right is to fish out of a tiller boat like Willie’s 23′ 6″ Predator. It’s nothing but open fishing room!
FishRite
What’s that you say? You can’t decide if you’d rather have a jet for river running or a prop for the lakes and saltwater? Well, the good news is you don’t have to! FishRite’s 21-foot Explorer Outboard Jet/Pro combo is just the ticket! In an hour’s time you can switch out the lower end and transform this thing from an offshore salmon troller to an in-river side-drifter!
Klamath Swimbait Boat
Then, when I don’t feel like burning a bunch of fuel and just want to get out for a quick and easy day of striper or smallmouth fishing, I’d bust this sweet little number…
I know I said these are the 5 boats I can’t live without, but actually, there’s one more that I’d drop ‘em all for…
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John St. John loaded the Remington .12-gauge with 3-inch Magnum No. 2’s and, from 20 feet, pumped two rounds into the port side of the driftboat’s aft quarter. The boat’s tough core absorbed the pellets and not a single one passed through.
Not satisfied, St. John then set the shotgun down and went to work on the boat with a chainsaw. In a few moments of determined cutting, he liberated the aft end of the vessel — just behind the rower’s seat – from the bow section. He then loaded the now two-piece boat onto a trailer and drove it down to the river and hopped aboard. Amazingly, it floated high and dry as if nothing had ever happened.
Was this the work of a maniacal sociopath? A random act of violence? Had the owner of the boat stolen St. John’s girlfriend?
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You think maybe it's time for some new blades??
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