1.5 hour drive to one of my favorite lakes - boat wouldn't start at the ramp *sigh*

Frustrating morning here! Battery is new but have a bad ground I believe.

Looked for the obvious stuff but don't have time to track it down properly (the wiring done on the boat is a mess, original shop I purchased from did everything about as bad as you can).
Hauling it into my new shop this afternoon (boat still under warranty).

Looking on the bright side though, it's so cold right now the ice in the cooler will probably still be usable for a week so might still get to use it.

Hope everyone else is having a better day on the water!

My last trip to the lake I found out one of my trolling motor batteries was bad. No use trying to fish. I feel your pain.

:yikes:dono:donoWhite Flag Icon

Continuous maintenance and monitoring of all a boat's components is required for reliable use. Tough to take the drive only to find out at the launch or worst 15-20 miles away after launching that you have a problem. After I make a repair, re-rig something, even replace the wheel bearings I start with the launch here in my backyard, then as close as Diamondhead, next would be to the Pearl river (20min away) before even a hour drive. Once I followed 2 guys to Ross Barnett with my Class A before I got the camper. It was foggy that morning but when I could see their hubs finally smoke was pouring out of both boats, both sides. I called ahead, gave them the bad news, then had to sit on the side of the road with both their boats, one truck, keeping a eye on the equipment till they drove to Jackson to buy new hubs. Lost so much time the daylight departure was wasted time. I ask the guy who was staying with me did he check the hubs the day before we left as I suggested and his response was "I shook them". Many of you have bought "New" boats only to find problems on the first use. Manufacturers do not launch a boat after building, run it around for 30 minutes, test all systems for proper function, etc it becomes the dealers problem to fix the less than desirable manufacturing thoroughness. :twocents

I drove two hours to a lake I always wanted to fish. I went to put the drain plug in and they plastic female end simply crumbled in my hands. Drove all the way home and stopped by Bass Pro Shops to get a brass female and male drain plug kit. I was so defeated that I just simply went home.

My buddie's boat has been sitting for over a year, he puts non ethanol gas in it. Y'all think it'll start next time out? He got a down rigger put on for stripers out of Kerr and got a new trolling motor to put on but had to figure out a mount and just hasn't returned to it

I used to do some check list stuff when I ran a boat….
You might make you a check list , it helped me greatly…..
Nothing more frustrating than getting to the water and no go ….
For sure …

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

I used to do some check list stuff when I ran a boat….
You might make you a check list , it helped me greatly…..
Nothing more frustrating than getting to the water and no go ….
For sure …

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Ketchn I actually do this too! Even have a little laminated checklist I used to do before I ever turned my engine on (with the "put plug in" crossed out now that I have a pontoon boat).

Growing up in Alaska and roaming all over I got used to having to keep extra everythings with me to fix stuff. Even have an extra battery and plenty of tools on board my boat. This thing has been a mess though since I got it. A bit over a year old and has been in the shop three times for different issues. Must have got one built on a Friday!

My boat was an upgrade over a 40 year old bass tracker with the original motor. I knew that one inside and out and had replaced forward gear, clutch, and a bunch of other components over the years. With the new one - I just use the warranty and go fish with my brother when it has an issue.

*For anyone in North Louisiana, tomorrow is brush pile building day on Lake Claiborne. If you show up at the public ramp there's a ton of unused christmas trees waiting to build out spots with. LDWF will be out there also helping and you can mark wherever they put stuff as a little bonus.

I have a couple of things that I need to catch up on but I’m pretty anal about keeping it up. If I fix something I don’t skimp on anything. My younger days when I had no funds taught me well the bad lessons. Extra plugs, extra stern plug, and a mental check system that starts at the house. I can’t have folks help, it interferes with me making sure and my OCD wont stand it. Gotta start all over. Even hardware is stainless and all wire is tinned marine wire because I go salty. It pays off in the end.

Nothing like boat troubles, just got mine back from shop, been in there for at least a month and boy does the fishing change in a month period. If your gonna catch them on a consistent basis you gotta stay with them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Danny Lang

Nothing like boat troubles, just got mine back from shop, been in there for at least a month and boy does the fishing change in a month period. If your gonna catch them on a consistent basis you gotta stay with them.

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This is true. It's one of the reasons I kept my little 2 man bass boat when buying a bigger rig. I can always fish the shallows during the spawn and the bridge pilings any other time of year if the big boat is down. It has a little 5hp Mercury but 95% of the time I only use the trolling motor and Garmin Stryker.

I wish I would of kept my old boat, was moving from Virginia to Georgia and didn’t have another driver to pull extra truck and boat, so I sold both before I moved.

I don't have anything new but I got spares so something is taking me fishing when I'm ready. Always work to keep old stuff up but the overall cost is lower. Still being through and honest with ones' self when surveying the condition of your vessel is priceless. I never leave the dock if there is a remote chance I will need a jump, if there is a water leak anywhere, the amount of fuel on board is in question, etc. Sounds harsh but I have only been towed twice in my life. Broke a driveshaft in a 25in Looper 225 Evinrude, turned out to be a factory design defect and blew the 90 degree gears out of a Mercruiser 888 Stern Drive, just junk iron.

Had that happen one day. I launched anyway and dropped the trolling motor. Ended up having one of the best fishing days I have ever had.

I had an old 135 HP Johnson that hated to crank in cold weather. I'd run it the day before, but unless it caught early and run right off the bat, it would just suck the cranking battery down. I ended up getting a set of welding leads and would boost the cranking battery off the truck. Once she started, she'd run all day. But if she wouldn't fire, I might as well just go on home.

Jim

New boat with the wiring a mess.
Bet I can guess the brand, even if you don’t say. Just saying!!!


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