longbow

I had Arneys in Sodus Point put a Garlick on my Pro LIne.  With a couple of mods to it I am pretty happy about it.  It is the heavy duty mount for motors up to 120 lbs.  Mine is an older 2 stroke 9,9 Mercury my brother gave me.  Has a nice big T handle on it so pretty easy to raise and lower.  The only thing I am not sold on is the steering rod set up.  Just not alot of side to side movement to it but for trolling it should be fine.  So to get around that I am thinking just fix the kicker in a fixed position as in straight ahead and using the auto pilot and main motor for a rudder to do so.

Which leads me to this question.  How do you use the auto pilot with the main motor off.  Boat has hydraulic steering too.  thanks

I fish an 89 24.5' Sportfisherman walk around with a salt water transom and a finer blue water fishing boat I have not found.  Tons of fishing room, nice cuddy, and extremely stable cause they are heavy.  Just a great boat imho.  Look fast just sitting there too! So there ya go.  

Ok thanks.  PAM to me smells like fish oil sort of anyways.  Boat has been in the shop for a month and is now ready so will report back about the PAM thing.  thanks

Folks are telling me to use PAM on the lines etc. and it will keep the fleas at bay.  Let  me ask when you say set out at 325' is that behind the boat as in length of line?  thanks

Bought a motor so good to go.  The big things I considered were reliability, having it serviced or being able to have it serviced, close to Hughes(the dealer is minutes away), and something that would match my boat.  Both kind of in age and power.  So went with a 225 Johnson, Ocean Runner, rebuilt from the ground up with a warranty that will more than likely carry me through to the end of the season.  It didn't make sense to me to put a higher end motor on an older boat.  Just not going to get money out of it for what it is worth.  Anyways might be in the water again by next weekend, we'll see.  thanks for all the input

The guy in western PA has so so reviews and I know he was investigated by some states attorney general.  I've talked to him on the phone and they seem like a good deal BUT I know for a fact that if you search the INET about him his reviews are less than stellar.  That is the thing holding me back from doing this.  Rick at PW doesn't have a good opinion of him.  So there ya go.  

Thinking of the going the looper motor route.  What I am looking for is reliability.  The cost of fixing the Opti is astronomical.  And they are sensitive engines and I don't know zip about them.  Carburator engines I know a bit about.  Simple is better I am thinking and like Rick said they run forever.  Not as good on gas but I have kicker now for trolling so running out and trolling back how much gas will ya use?  Plus I basically don't want to spend a ton of money on something that is seasonal use at best.  What I can spend and what I want to spend are two different stories all together.  If I was younger and I was as rabid of a fisherman as some of my friends at Hughes I might think other wise. Another thing to consider is the boat itself.  It is old but in great condition.  I will never  get the return investment out of a high end engine on an older boat as this, where as an older reliable engine and old reliable boat might make more sense if and when I decide to trade it in.  I do know I am tired of looking on line at a myriad of sites for a fix to this.  No simple solution.  thanks 

Nah not cheap for sure.  Don't which way to go, stick with a later used Merc or Evinrude or Yamahopper.  Either way I have about 10g's to play with.  thanks

Well got the news today.  Boat motor is irreparable, or not financially feasible to repair the engine.  Holy crap, I am bummed

Yea have to wait and talk to him and the suspense is killin me!  This has always used marine gas as is my understanding.  I've filled it twice since I bought it and both times filled it with Hughes 91 octane marine fuel.  Worst case I am looking at a new power head I figure and I think the 225's are interchangeable between years.  And from what I have gleaned later as in post 05 power heads are better than the earlier ones.  Don't know why that would be but from what I've read that appears to be the case.  thanks

So my Opti is getting repaired at Power Marine.  Now the owner of PM leaves a mssg on my house phone and emails me to call him to tell me what he has found inside the motor.  Which I assume is not a good thing seeing how's he hasn't called me at all before.  So my question is how much would one be willing to sink into a motor to fix it that is a high end motor like this?  I've no experience with motors such as these.  It was a crate motor that the previous owner put on in 06 but it was an 01 motor and certified via Mercury Marine as being new and unused via  notarized documents.  I'll be honest here and doing research on these Opti's they don't seem all that reliable.But when it was running it would push my Pro Line very very well.  Surprisingly so and it was very quiet.  Trolled excellent too with sea bags and I kid you not.  

It seems Opti's are big bucks even used as compared to Johnson's and Yamaha's but I've read that especially Yamaha's are very reliable.  So opinions needed. Granted don't know what is wrong yet but I am assuming the worst.  Now there is a 39' Sportfisherman for sale down at the river for what I consider a reasonable price, I could sell our place at Hughes, my boat etc. and probably pay for this 39 footer!  Just kiddin, sort of.  Crap

Yep you be thinking correct.  Probably didn't word my post correctly.  What kind of bracket I guess to start with.  Does it make any difference because I have an extended transom or not.  Will any bracket that goes down in the water work correctly?  Do I need a special bracket to match the length of the transom etc.etc.  thanks

Went down to my brothers and picked up his kicker motor.  9.9 merc 2 stroke, with the gas line fittings and 6 gal tank.  My boat is currently under repair at Power Marine and since they have the boat I figured I could pay them to put the kicker on.  You know mount it etc.  But they won't do that.  So what do I need to do to do this?  It has a saltwater transom on the boat that hangs back about 2.5' or so from the stern.  thanks

Just a nod of appreciation to Mackeral for towing my boat to Power Marine for me cause I ain't got no truck.  So there ya go!  thanks man

Thanks for info.  Appreciated.  I've a Fish Hawk but it needs a new transducer which will get done with this repair I am doing.  thanks all

Please explain what power loading is.  Is that driving your boat up on your trailer?  I see that done all the time there, and how is that a bad thing?  Also what does it mean 4 on the ball.  How is that measured and with what?  I use my GPS for trolling speed but the speed is over land so is there a calculation for GPS speed vs. the speed of your down rigger ball which is what I assume you mean.  thanks 

I just bought a service manual for the engine so should have that in a few days.  Don't see a problem really with me pulling the head.  Just a few bolts to loosen and the fuel rail to remove.  I have torque wrenches too.  Calling Power Marine though just in case and see what their schedule is.  thanks

Well the threads are hosed.  I have about half the threads left in the hole, the top part of the spark plug hole is smooth, bottom part threads.  Every single other spark plug went in and out excellent, ever the ones under the cowling.  So I am in a dliema, pull the head myself and re-tap, I have done this on my Harley on more than one ocassion, buy a reconditioned head and install it, or take it to Power Marine in Canadagua.  Hopefully they can work on the Optimax engine.  No truck but I have a guy at the Marina that will tow my boat for me or maybe my bro from the southern tier.  

Gonna put a kicker on it.  Should have done it over the winter but just put it off.  Kicker is free too from my bro.  Anyways boat is out of the water and just sitting there.  Crap

So my Optimax crapped the bed on my Sat. at Hughes.   So today pulled the plugs and cleaned them and re-installed them.  However port side first plug the thread is buggered.  I just couldn't get the plug set in correctly to get a bite.  Pulled out my flashlight and the top 3-4 threads are buggered.  Will a chaser fix it? thanks

PS I ain't saying I did it either.  Might have been that way from  the previous owner but I got so pissed when my socket went over the side.  Had that for almost 30 yrs and I kid you not.  Crapola

Big browns are  in close.  That's all I'm saying.  thanks

This is freakin sweet and I kid you not.  Need an HD electraglide?

Ok maybe I don't need a marine mechanic.  Re greased everything on the binnacle mounted remote, yep I said that, and it seems to be staying all linked together.  Still though bought a Teleflex 7600 series remote.  Haven't installed it yet but may this week just so I have peace of mind.  As for all the advice thanks it is appreciated but I'll tell ya to get someone to work on a o.b. is like pulling teeth.  

I've an 89 Pro Line Sport Fisherman with a salt water transom.  Big heavy boat and extremely stable.  Wide open in the back so lots of room for fishing.  Now that I think I have the shifter thing straightened around it was very stable this a.m.  Seas were kind of a rolling chop, small white caps etc, wind out of the NE and truthfully was very comfortable trolling around.  Just me on the boat and it just doesn't get blown around much if at all.  

Actually this chick I work with, her husband is a marine mechanic so maybe I can get some help there.  Yep went to Barretts last year to get oil from them cause they are the only one's that have it.  The other problem is that I can't tow my boat cause I have no truck yet.  Store it at Hughes and Norm just hooks it up in the barn and drops it in for me.  The work around I am going to do tonight after dinner is zip tie it.  Mercury in Fon du Lac said it might work for a good bit.  We'll see.  Simple problem but a difficult resolution.  There is a unit in good working order on ebay that is identical looking to the one I have so might just spring for it.  It's driving me nuts though I'll say that.  thanks

L&M Marina in Wolcott correct?  That is who I called.  Hopefully that's the right one.  I called as I've called more than a few.  So there ya go.