nauti_me

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1993-Tiara-3600-Open-102115352

Gawd....why did I even look.........now my boat is crap....

Cheers...Jake

Great post Jim. I am gonna give the new release a try. I have jammed my weights as far forward as possible, but still doesn't pull the way it should with a 300 copper. Never thought of stacking the weights on each other. Better balance for sure.

Thanks....Jake

There is a pic of 2 of my boards and one of Greg's all pulling the exact same setup 200ft of 60lb copper and a clean spoon.

Any hints as to how you tweak these 44's? I have just started using a 44 with a 300 copper, and cannot seem to get them to pull too hard to the side either. If I slow right down its not so bad, but sometimes I like to run a little faster, then they just fall behind the boat.

I have been using big boards for 20yrs for the high lines but thought I would give the inlines a try with the new copper rig for deeper stuff.

Any hints, muchly appreciated...

Thanks.....

What auto pilot are you using? Is it still mechanical with power assist steering?

Thanks...Jake

Nice rig Don......looks well loved. Will make someone very happy....

These Aj's make great fishing platforms....

Cheers...Jake

Love..em...first thing I do is smash all the lights...)

Question for the Electronic Gurus....

I am looking at a used Raymarine Smart Pilot S1 (E12180) that is currently being used on a sailboat with a wheel pilot drive. Could this course computer be used together with an Octopus Remote Drive? All the Raymarine components are there, Fluxgate, Computer, RF reciever, remote and the wheel drive. The rudder reference can be installed into the drive unit.

I am just not sure if this course computer would run this drive. Any thoughts?

Thanks...Jake

89 270 Amberjack

Twin Alphas

Power Assist Steering

I grew up on a farm so I am used to sleeping with noise the SPX5R sounds like a litter of pigs squeaking and squealing LOL. It will bug you some days but when you fighting fish at the back of the boat and don't have to keep yelling at the driver it is pretty nice LOL. It actually works pretty good with the bags out as they allow me to keep the motor pushing a bit harder and the bags help keep it in line.

No matter what if I had the money my boat would have Hyd steering and a GHP10.

I hear ya regarding boat control with the bags out. With my previous boat I would deploy the bags anytime it got a bit breezy to keep speed down, then bumping up the throttle would improve handling greatly. With the AJ, I've yet to deploy the bags. Running on one engine gets me below laketrout speed, so I have to bump throttle anyways. Handles like a dream. When it gets real snotty fire both engines and no problemo.

Squealing pigs.....too funny...I grew up on farm also and heard way to many squealing pigs...LOL....that was a long time ago. Don't want my boat sounding like that...LOL.

Cheers...Jake

after installing hyd helm and slave cylinder in back with twins we often just remove the power steering completely if its one eng we just leave it on because its less labor

the 2.1L pump and above you dont need the power steering

but this will increase you steering effort when not using the auto pilot

not bad though !

this eliminates the trolling on one motor all the time

and on the 888 mercruiser will actually be a lot easier to steer

after you have a good auto pilot you will be amazed how little you will use the steering wheel to steer you boat

it will steer the boat better than we can and you will seldom use the steering wheel on open water docking and in the marina

Thanks for the reply. Great info... I think I am going to talk to a few marina's and see what I'd be looking at dollar wise to convert to hydro. Then my options are pretty much unlimited as to what system I can use.

Maniac...thanks for the info regarding the SPX. I don't think I could take the constant noice of the unit, and by sounds it might be at the top of its limit with the 270AJ.

Cheers...Jake

How much stiffer does the SPX make your steering when not using the AP? And I would guess that the Octopus remote drive would do the same thing as in making the steering stiffer when AP is not engaged. My steering is very smooth and tight right now which makes steering with non power steering engine running very easy. I am thinking that a mechanical drive system might make it too stiff to steer this now.

There has to have been a ton of AJ's running with AP's over the years. What system did everyone use? Any AJ or previous AJ owners have any thoughts?

Propnut...what is involved to converting to hydraulic? Have you done many? I am up here in Ontario(just north of Toronto) and don't know anyone that would do this. Also don't know any good installers for AP around here either.

I was just at the Toronto Boat show last weekend, and was told by Raymarine rep that AP basically would not work in my boat for what I wanted to do with it. Actually said no AP would work for trolling less than 3mph. I find this hard to believe because at least 95% of all Charter boats run some sort of AP. Wasn't impressed.

Cheers...Jake

all auto pilots have limitations but any thing using a cable struggles at less than 3mph

Would this also be true for a power assist system as in the steering system on early gen Amberjack? Reason I ask, as I am in the market for an AP system for my 89 AJ which has power assist mechanical steering. Cable back to the ram. I have twin 4.3 mercruisers alpha1's. I have been looking at the octopus drives and garmin ghp12 or simrad ap24.

Thanks...Jake

all auto pilots have limitations but any thing using a cable struggles at less than 3mph

Would this also be true for a power assist system as in the steering system on early gen Amberjack? Reason I ask, as I am in the market for an AP system for my 89 AJ which has power assist mechanical steering. Cable back to the ram. I have twin 4.3 mercruisers alpha1's. I have been looking at the octopus drives and Garmin ghp12 or Simrad ap24.

Thanks...Jake

My previous boat was 23ft with an 8'6" beam and powered by an i/o and was rigged with 4 riggers w/ 4' arms. Lots of times I only ran three riggers with the center rigger straight down the shoot. Never had a problem. I always keep the boat moving when hooked up and would swing the shoot rigger to one side or the other depending on which side was hooked up. Net fish straight off the back.

BTW that shoot rigger accounts for 75% of my fish......

Cheers...Jake

Great picture. I'm hoping my 1 yr old grandson will take to fishing/boating like Hunter is.

ps: nice AJ.

Cheers...Jake

Thanks for the welcome guys.

Yes Georgian Bay is actually the east arm of Lake Huron. Sometimes called the sixth great lake. We don't have the big monster salmon like Lake 'O' has but we still have salmon swimming around.

A few years back we had a world class salmon fishery in our area, with average size fish well into the teens and twenties were a common occurrence. Fish into the thirties were being caught as well, but due to the alewife population collapse of a few years ago we have lost the majority our once great fishery. Fish were fewer and farther between, smaller in size and not very healthy looking. They were starving. Stocking has been cutback due to predator prey being badly out of balance.

Good news this year is that the majority of fish caught this season have been healthier looking which in my mind means that they are adapting to the change and finding food in other than their traditional locations. They are finding the smelt and stickleback to feed on. Also a lot of the fish, not all, show no fin clips so they are probably be wild fish. From reports around the bay in our area (Christian Island-Collingwood) the catch numbers have been up this season and we are hoping that this will be the trend for next year as well. Also promising reports of good numbers of salmon entering the rivers to do their thing. Maybe this is what our new salmon fishery will be? Only time will tell.

Not monsters but tasty fish.

Cheers...Jake

A big wave to all from Georgian Bay.

Happy to have found this site as there seems to be some turmoil on that other one.

Cheers...Jake