Started off yesterday by getting bait from David at the dam around 6:15. Then, it was off to Hilton to pick up Rick for a day of cutbaiting. First stop was over close to Sandy Beach where we were marking quite of few fish. However, after sitting for 2 hours, we only had one squealer to show for our patience; so it was time to get in the rods and anchors and move. No problem right? Wrong!
I apparently dropped the front anchor in a brush pile! After I wrestled with it for 20 minutes, we finally got everything back with an outboard assist from Rick. Then we were off looking toward Beaverdam. There we found a great spot but could never get a grab with the back anchor after 45 minutes of trying; so we gave up and went to the other side of the knoll and got anchored well in 27 feet with fish in the area with deep water nearby. Problem is we were anchored too well again. When we got a grab on the back anchor and I started pulling back to the marker buoy with the front rope, I noticed the front rope was wrapped under several limbs. Oh well! I tied off and we fished on for 3 shorts, 3 solid keepers, and 2 cats. Not great, but we did have several good fish wrap us up and 1 screamer that cut the line on something. It was after 11 when got settled there. It took quite a bit of time once again to get the front anchor freed, but persistence paid off.
After 2.5 hours it was time to move on and we ended up at the
mouth of Johns to try downrods. Nothing doing; so we decided to call it a day and head back to Hilton. However, our problems were not over.
When I got rods put away, I started the ob and planed off to 30 mph. Rick asked where all the water was coming from off the bow. We soon noticed I had left the tm down. The motor was still on spotlock and was trying get us back to where I last hit the button. However, the shaft was cracked and I could not stow the troller. Rick called Mark Danc and he told us to idle in and completely break the shaft and fold it back into the bow inside the boat. I got everything on the
Good news is that it all hit you at once, and it was not a tournament. Sorry to hear about the troller. Glad to hear it is not a big repair since I know you are close to maximum fishing time.
As we say in the band business, a bad dress rehearsal makes for a great performance. Hope that holds true for the FV Harcore Xpress this Saturday:smiley:
We all have days like that. Like you said…it could’ve been a lot worse.
I also left my transom mounted trolling motor down during a run from one spot to another. The giveaway for me was the strange hum/vibration I could feel and hear at 35 mph. That little t.m. prop must have been flying! Only damage was a bent pin used for locking the motor down. Somehow the composite shaft wasn’t hurt.
I recently flipped the head 180 on a transom mount TM I had laying around so my son could use it as a bow mount on his boat. I then brought it to Mark to put a longer shaft on it. The price was very reasonable and I had it back in 2 days.
“…completely break the shaft and fold it back into the bow inside the boat”
OUCH!!! I hope I never have to do this but I am happy to have Mark so close to us to get us out of these kind of things!
Sportsman Heritage 229 CC
Yamaha 200 HP
Tidewater 170 CC
Yamaha 115 HP
It was $45 for the 54" shaft and $50 labor. Very reasonable! However, my problems are yet to be over.
When I was driving out to Mark’s on Saturday evening, I did notice a vibration. However, I just chalked it up to bad road. But when I was riding back toward dowtown Chapin:smiley: after hooking the rig back up, it was even worse. I happened to look in the side mirror and noticed the starboard side trailer tire wobbling. I pulled over and tried to tighten the 4 lugs that remained but they were hopelessly stripped out! 1 stud was competely broke off. I decided to take the backroads slowly and ended up limping the rig to my backyard in West Columbia with 1 remaining stud and nut holding the wheel on the hub. I was ready to kiss the ground in the backyard and thanked Jesus for getting me home! The vibration broke the studs loose.
Apparently someone tried to steal my wheel at the dam Saturday and got interrupted. The results could have been disastrous had I hit the interstate. At any rate, Rick and I have a Wednesday evening project to tackle replacing studs and lugs. I’m also going to need a new tire and rim. The hits just keep on coming!
I can so relate, Fogman. Sometimes the world just comes at you with both barrels. Not trying to outdo you, but instead I wanted to share my recent story because “misery loves company”. In the past 30 days I have had a vulture remove my passenger mirror, a deer dent my passenger door, and a scary interstate adventure.
I was coming back from Charleston last Saturday night on I-26 in the middle of nowhere when I too, felt a vibration in my 2500 GMC. I checked my tire pressure monitors and all tires looked good. A few minutes later I had a catastrophic front driver’s side blowout at 70 mph. It tried to take me into the median cable barrier but I was able to wrestle it to the right hand side of the road.
When I went to jack it up I found I was about 2" shy of enough jack. Da*n you independent front suspension! As luck would have it, I didn’t have a block in the truck and not a log or rock anywhere within a 1/4 mile of my truck. A Craftsman socket (!Warning-Don’t try this at home!) on top of the jack saved the day. Changing that tire on the side of the road, just on the other side of a hill, at night, was the scariest thing I’ve ever been involved in. BTW-Apparently no one on the road believes in moving over to give a guy a little courtesy and room. I think my flashers were just drawing them in like a moth to a flame.
After it was all said and done, I consider myself very lucky that all I lost that night was a tire, fender, bumper, door, inner fenderwell, and running board. Seriously, it made a mess of my truck. But I was running empty on that trip so I think I was fortunate because 90% of the time that truck has either a slide in camper in the bed, a trailer in tow, or both. I’m not sure it would have stayed shiny side up under those circumstances. It could could have been much, much worse.
Lessons learned:
Check that your spare jack is tall enough BEFORE you need it-if it isn’t, always carry the appropriate blocks.
I recently flipped the head 180 on a transom mount TM I had laying around so my son could use it as a bow mount on his boat. I then brought it to Mark to put a longer shaft on it. The price was very reasonable and I had it back in 2 days.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
That’s what I need to have done to the trolling motor I got from Lawcrusher. I tried it on the bow & the prop was barely in the water. I’ve got it on the transom now, but would rather it be on the bow. What was the cost on that Tim? So I can start saving my pennies. And do you have Marks’ number?
Also Tim, I still have that mounting plate I made for your sons boat. All I need to do is check the fit, drill holes to match the first mount and weld it up. If it fits ok, it shouldn’t take more than an hour. Let me know.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
Happy Bob,
Definitely get it on the bow if at all possible! It’s worth the extra money/hassle. On one boat I have a transom mounted trolling motor and on the other a bow mount. I spend twice as much time driving the transom mounted motor as the bow mounted. To call it touchy and easy to over-correct would be an understatement. On a windy day it is a nightmare.
Mark’s number at The Crappie Hole is 803-345-5606.
Thanks Bob, my son has the boat back in Mt P, but will be back and forth with it. I’ll call you when I know he is coming up and we’ll figure out a time.
Sgmc, I’m now right there with you on point 4. Had I pulled over Saturday, I may have saved the studs, tire, and rim. However, my mind was on the trolling motor.
My pre-trip checklist is now growing, adding checking lugs at home and at the landing… Getting home yesterday was pretty darn scary indeed!
Happy Bob,
Definitely get it on the bow if at all possible! It’s worth the extra money/hassle. On one boat I have a transom mounted trolling motor and on the other a bow mount. I spend twice as much time driving the transom mounted motor as the bow mounted. To call it touchy and easy to over-correct would be an understatement. On a windy day it is a nightmare.
The best analogy of a transom mounted trolling motor, versus a bow mount is “with a transom mounted trolling motor, it is like pushing a chain!” It is much easier to pull it!
