2UNREEL

Great job on the tow, we all need help from time to time. Sounds like you were fishing Allegan Dam for a minute.

Hopefully the 2UNREEL will be in full effect next weekend mechanically dependent.

Spoke too soon, looks like I will be pulling the motor next weekend to change the coupler maybe I will catch you all at the next outing.

Hopefully the 2UNREEL will be in full effect next weekend mechanically dependent.

Sounds like you guys had a BLAST!!

Sweet looking boat. I love the sea rays and its going to be a nice one when your done. That's an awesome name I googled it

Nice work guys! Jarod has the Steelhead down now

Wishin I had twins yesterday. I am partial to Sea Rays so good luck, I think you'll like it. It's fun to rig a virgin fishing boat.

Nice job Randy

Coast Guard Aux and Tow Boat US are not in the water in South Haven yet. I was at the mercy of other fisherman. I was exhausting all my resources to help a fellow sportsmen out before having to call 911 and have St. Joe coast guard haul me in.

I'm glad you found help on the pond. Replacing the outdrive is expensive but easy. I look at mechanical problems like this. Better the machine, than you or me.

You have that right Frank. Conditions change in a heartbeat on Lake Michigan and you never know what can happen. There is no worse feeling than being stranded and trying to figure out how your going to get out of it. If I was taking on any water I would have been screwed the 2 hours that I was at drift trying to raise help. I will drop anything anywhere to help someone in distress. I have been involved in boating my whole life and seen body bags on swim platforms come in the channel. All over a minor mechanical malfunction gone horribly wrong. I never want to see that again.

This is what happens when your outdrive upper gear case blows when your running on plane. The chunk missing from the housing was laying in the bellows and could have been a disaster. The castle nut ring thing should be screwed on the housing versus blown over the yoke on the u-joint. I am sure the gears are a pile of mush. At least for myself I did not do any wrenching on this part of the outdrive, that was done last spring a Fenville Marine. You just never know when this stuff is gonna blow. New outdrive is on order...

Captain(Jeff) and crew of the Silver King out of South Haven are an outstanding bunch of guys. My upper gear case gears on my outdrive blew out on our way to do some fishing 5 mi south of south haven today. They pulled their lines and without hesitation pulled us in to the public launch. This time of the year its not easy finding a tow boat let along another boat out on the big pond. Thank you air horn and vhf for hailing our rescuers. I am in forever debt to those guys.

2UNEEL with be out there tomorrow. We are going to run south out of South Haven and shut down at the Palisades and run south. We may wind up in St. Joe but we should be in radio range. Good luck all I know I will need it early spring is not my strong point.

Here are a few things to consider when taking people fishing with you. Many people loose sight of some of the dangers during a sport like salmon fishing. Please add to this list as I will not cover everything.

1. Train EVERYBODY on board how to:

- use the Radio channel 16. It will call the coast guard or anyone near to assist you.

- Location of all the life jackets and how to use them. Recommend they wear one. Make sure they all fit.

- Basic functions of how to operate the boat. forward, neutral and reverse

- Read the Longitude and Latitude on the GPS. This is key to get help in a hurry.

- Where the fire extinguishers and flares are located

2. Drive the fact in everyone's head that people are more important than fishing gear and NO ONE is going overboard. Everyone looks out for everyone. Grab them just because. I would rather get my shirt ripped off my back cause someone thought I was going over than having someone watch me flip over the transom. I saved my father from going over the back with 3 lures deep in his hand. He was trying to untangle them and a cannon ball got caught in a gill net. People on board watched it happen. I reacted and saved him by his ankles, it haunts me to this day.

3. Carry a leatherman, knife, clippers or something in your pocket to cut lines / wires fast. You never know when you will need them and you will find it very handy. Anything beyond a couple of twists in the line I cut and retie.

4. Watch the weather. Sometimes the best weatherman is you. Many many websites will show forecasts, take a look before you go and you may be able to save yourself from getting caught by a heavy front. Assume the worst and don't try to outrun a front cumming at you for 5 more min of fishing. Run into port and if it clears head back out.

5. Put gas in the boat. Its expensive but better than finding yourself 20 miles out with steelhead flying and no gas to get home. Some VHF radios may not have the range to call for help and cell service is spotty. Also waves can pick up fast and you might find yourself burning LOTS o Fuel to get back to port.

Great thread.

..my throttle linkage on my boat has been properly adjusted so i see no reason to run a kicker now.

That's great to hear Don...... I knew we could get your boat set up to get rid of that kicker. It has been bugging me all winter.

Nice Steel...we'll look forward to your return after your surgery good luck

Nice shake down Joe...Looks like you have a couple happy campers!

Nice Job guys way to tame those Ho's

Welcome back, thanks for Sharing

10-15min from your dock to the bridge. River is no wake and people will let you know it.

nice logo....looking good

Thanks guys

I usually buy the tools for the job and then I will have them for the next time. Sometimes its more convenient to borrow one for a quick minute. I have a pretty good collection now. In this case I decided to buy all the equipment. The more I work on my outdrive the more I realize I will need to maintain it very regularly if I want to keep fishing. I am sure that there will be guys on here that will need to borrow them and I am always willing to lend them out. That is just one of those things sportsmen do, help the fellow sportsmen.

Thanks for the offer Randy, I work in Portage so that would not be a problem. I have everything I need now for attachments except the slide hammer. My old man is letting me have his. I will drop you a line if that falls through otherwise I should be good to go....Thanks

I am able to get the center bearing out however the last owner never drove the bearing assembly in far enough. I ordered a tool last night to do that. I may try and pull the whole assembly to change the grease seal while I am at it.....I just need a slide hammer puller.....anyone??