Misty IV

I have a tandem axle trailer for the boat and was wondering if anyone does or suggests rotating the tires similar to you would with your car or truck. The trailer sees maybe a total of 800 miles a year. It gets towed 6hrs to the lake in the spring, 6hrs home to PA in the fall, and just the 10 mile trips to the launch during the season. The tires aren't wearing oddly and there is nothing peculiar forcing me to ask the question. Just curious if anyone does this or if it is a recommended practice for tandems. Thanks.

There is a chance the software may be out of date and needs to be updated. I had a similar issue a few years back with my GPS unit. It worked fine the first season, but the second season at first power-up, it couldn't connect or find any satellites. Ended up the software was outdated. I had to send the unit in to have the software loaded, but they had it back to me in a week.

I'll also say long-shaft is the way to go. I have a short-shaft on my Islander which does very well when the lake is calm & up to about 1' rollers. Anything above that and the prop does come out of the water momentarily when the bow noses down and the stern is up.

Try to also use a cleaning cloth or towel that will not scratch the vinyl, too.

I'll also vote for Port Lodge in Pulaksi. I stayed there awhile back and the rooms were very nice & comfortable. Plenty of parking, too.

Thanks for all the relpies and various input. I wouldn't be solely purchasing an aircard just for tracking the weather while on the boat. It is something I would use on a day to day basis for work and down-time at the lakehouse when I cannot get out on the boat because of weather. The kids have been bugging me to do something so they can go to their favorite websites and to be able to check their mail while we're up for the weekend. I've thought about the various conditions I'd encounter while on the water while trying to decide if this is something I want to do (ie. sun, damp conditions, getting banged around, etc). I realize that NOAA and the USCG give advance warning of approaching severe weather. I'm the kind of guy who likes visual aids. I like to see where the storm is, how fast it's moving, and whether it is coming directly at me or if it's going to pass me by. So many times, I've seen it getting dark west of Oswego, heard that a storm is approaching, and pack it up to run in, only to get back to the launch and realize the storm completely missed us. I don't know. Maybe I'm asking for too much. I'd love to have a full-bore radar on the boat, but as a weekend warrior, I (and the misses) cannot justify the cost, and we're looking for a way to see the storms and bad weather visually. I thought with all the options on the web available dealing with weather, the laptop may be an easy way to do it, since I already own one and would just have to buy the aircard. Still in the decision process here. But, please keep thoughts and ideas coming. Thanks!

Mark, Excellent info. Thanks for the reply. When the Sirius weather came out, I was really interested in getting it, but then felt I may never get the full usage out of it, being a weekend-only fisherman. I kinda put the whole thought process on the back burner over the winter, but with the 2009 season underway, the idea appeared again. My brother has a Sprint broadband card for his work-issued laptop, and he uses it all the time. One of the modems I'm considering has the capability of storing data, too, and thought this may be an added benefit on the water. Thanks again for the reply and info. Definitely the type of input I'm looking for.

I fish Mexico Bay, Nine Mile & Oswego areas. I have the advantage of being able to look out my front window to see what the lake is doing, but, I agree that those forecasts aren't always accurate. I was up 2 weekends ago to open the house for the season, and, while Saturday's forecast was right on, Sunday's was nowhere close to being accurate. Nearshore was calling for light winds of 5mph or less with waves under 1 foot. Hmmm, where did those 15mph winds and 2-3's come from?

This is something I've been pondering about and finally decided to throw it out there for comment. I also posted this on another fishing website, looking for input, but most of the replies were from fishermen on Lake Michigan - need input from Lake Ontario. As a weekend warrior fisherman, a full-bore radar system for my boat is out of the question right now. I'd like to have the capability to monitor the weather while out on the water with visual aids, in addition to how I currently monitor via the VHF radio. I've looked into the Sirius weather system as an add-on to my current Sirius subscription, but came up with another idea. Has anyone taken their laptop computer out on the water and used it to keep track of weather? Obviously, I'd need a broadband modem to access the web while offshore, but this is something I could use at the house, as well. I use WeatherBug a lot, but open to other weather monitoring websites. I have a Sprint phone and was considering getting the Sprint card, but I know Verizon, AT&T and others have broadband cards out there, too. The monthly rate for the broadband service is kinda pricey, but I'd be using the card for more than just trips on the water. It'd get its use elsewhere, for sure. Anyone tried this and what type of results have you had? Looking for good and bad. My Sprint phone has good reception up to around 10 miles offshore before it starts getting sporadic signal so guessing a broadband card would be about the same. Thanks for any input!

I typically trailer from the house to the launch and launch to house with the top up on my 221 Islander. It's only a 5 mile ride and I usually don't go over 45mph. The top has held up for that short duration. However, when I tow the boat over the highway, I always lower the bimini and remove the side windows. I saw a bimini get destroyed once when a guy was towing his boat down I-81. The top was wobbling all around and finally, the canvas gave up the fight. Felt sorry for the guy.

Nice job! Glad you managed to get into a few. I was up opening the house this weekend and had to watch the boats trolling by all day long. Saw a few hook-up right in front of the house which made me jealous. Oh well. Be up in a few weeks with the boat in tow. Hopefully have my shakedown run Memorial Day weekend.

Not exactly sure what you are asking. I have the RC425 GPS/Chartplotter on my boat and it needs the external GPS antenna to do GPS features. Excellent unit.

I agree it's worth the extra time spent to remove all the electronics. I always have and never had to worry about an issue in the spring. My dad once forgot to take out his depthfinder before winter storage - he never forgot again. It was done come spring...or frosted, as mentioned above.

Sounds like a good plan, Red, including all the suggestions above. One thing I would definitely remember to do is ensure the lower unit is down so any water drains out and doesn't have a place to freeze. I place Damp Rid moisture absorbers inside my boat. It collects moisture in a small container and it's large enough to last all winter. West Marine carries them - white container.

Awesome job & great pics! Keep 'em coming!

I agree, Keith. No sense dwelling on those who didn't stop to help out. A lot of the times, the ones who stop are ones who have been in the exact same position before and are trying to repay the favor in some form. At least, that's how I felt when I pulled the Baha in over Labor Day weekend this year.

I've always stored with a full tank and StaBil. I'm going to give the new marine formula StaBil a try this year.

First off, glad everyone is okay and you made it back to port. I had a similar breakdown experience with my old boat about 7 years ago when I was under power, headed back into Mexico Point, about 4 miles out. My outboard started making all kinds of noise and died. I was dead in the water. I hailed for assistance, but nobody answered. I had 3 boats pass by me, but didn't heed my waving arms or jumping up and down. I finally gave up and called onshore to my neighbors. Luckily, one of them still had his boat in the water, which is a 27' Fountain offshore go-fast boat. He came out and towed me back into Mexico Point. It was a funny sight, I am sure. My new boat, an Islander 221, has a kicker as a backup powerplant, should the need arise. I also carry a backup VHF radio and an auxillary 12V battery which can power-up the electronics should something happen to the main battery. The battery is wired into the charging system, but is not a part of the actual electrical system onboard until I throw a switch. I also have a full compliment of distress signals onboard for both daytime and nighttime applications. Some people say I went a little overboard on the gear, but as long as I have been coming up to the Lake and the horror stories I have seen and heard about on the water, I like to be prepared for anything. I had the honor this season of helping out a fellow fisherman who was dead in the water in Mexico Bay. He had a Baha Cruisers, probably 28' long, and his engines both died. He later found out there was water in the fuel. All kinds of boats were passing him by, failing to stop and assist. I pulled alongside him and ended up towing him into the Mexico Point launch. He offered money, but I declined. I asked him in return for towing him in that he repay the favor one day to a fellow boater.

My neighbors at the lakehouse live in Oswego (primary home). When Harborfest comes, they avoid the town if at all possible and stay at the lake. They say it's a mess to get around and just not worth trying to. If I were you, I'd say find another place to launch from until the festivities are over.

I have (2) reels spooled with 20# FF line. All my others are 30# pink Ande. When I was up over the 4th of July weekend, the fleas were HORRIBLE!! I put the FF lines in the water and didn't have a single problem with water fleas. The Ande was loading up with a few, though. I don't use the FF unless I have to. I agree it tends to curl up over time. I re-spool roughly every other year, simply because I don't use it a lot. I have noticed that when I am respooling, the coating on the line leaves residue which wipes off easily. Otherwise, I have no complaints about the FF line. I like it and it works when I need it to.

It's worth a try. Give Beltzville Manor Marine a call. I needed a replacement part for my 2000 Islander 221. When I called Starcraft, they said the part was no longer available. I did some internet searching, and found a few dealers local to me, who all said the same thing. I even contacted the dealer I bought the boat from in upstate NY and they said not available. However, this dealer was very helpful and said the part was still available from the factory. Their phone number is (610) 377-3337 and they're located in Lehighton, PA.

I can't believe he actually thought he'd get away, what with the amount of police and sheriff boats on the water now-a-days. Can't outrun the radio!

It's captains like Bill Ruth that make this sport so enjoyable. He obviously knows his way around the lake and is always more than willing to help out a fellow angler with tips and suggestions. When it comes down to it, he's one of us, too. Glad you had another great summer with him.

I have a 4.3L V-6 with an Alpha One outdrive. My drain plug is on the port side of the engine's oil pan. It's a messy job to change the oil in my case. I've heard that Mercruiser offers a kit which replaces the drain plug with a twist drain and a hose which can be routed to the bilge drain plug hole, allowing you to open the valve and the oil drains through the tube to your bucket or pan outside the boat, keeping the entire job neat. Close the valve and refill the engine with oil until the next change time. The hose just coils up in the bilge until you need it.

I heard last week that by the end of the summer, gas may reach $5/gallon at your roadside gas stations. I can't even begin to calculate what that will equate to at the marinas. This is rediculous!!