Musings on being a new boat owner: A Cautionary Tale

[YpsiBass]

Not sure that this is going to have any resemblance of coherent thought. Mostly it's just stuff that's been on my mind since last year up until now.  No matter how prepared you think you are to own a boat, you're not.

As you all know, I've replaced my lower unit.  Once because I didn't adequately research a new lake I was on.  A second time because I didn't take my boat to a reputable service center.  A few lessons that I learned from that:

1. If you're fishing a new lake, find out as much as you can about potential hazards.  Stumps, subsurface rock piles, shallow areas. Get waypoints of these hazards and take however much time it takes to program them into your GPS.  Trust me, it's worth doing it.
2. If you have to take your boat in for service, take it somewhere other people have had good service at. Don't pick some place out of the phone book at random. There are TONS of people on this website whose opinions you should value and take advantage of.
3. Don't go into panic mode if something breaks. Everyone has had their boat in for service on something. Everyone.  Don't be afraid to ask.

No matter how much money you think you need to have when you first buy a boat, double it.  Lots of things to buy to make a boat seaworthy. Flares, life jackets, lights, fuel additive, oil, batteries, the list is practically endless. I'm still buying things I need for the boat.

Even if you're buying the boat from someone you know, make sure and have it inspected first. Get a compression test done.  Maybe something is broken that the owner doesn't know about and it will cost you money to get it fixed afterwards.

Even if you've done something right a hundred times, double check it the 101st.  Make a checklist for things to do before putting the boat into the water. Make another one for after you get in and you've started the motor.

Have spares of things. Fuses, trolling motors or parts, wheel bearings.  I used to make fun of other boat owners for what I saw as hoarding.  Now I know better.

Even if mechanical things are not your strong suit, learn.  People on here are more than willing to impart their knowledge to you so that you don't make mistakes. Sometimes making mistakes is the best way to learn.  Don't be afraid to make mistakes while doing them.  Just about everything can be fixed with a replacement part. Or more money.

Don't get discouraged.  I'm on my third lower unit, about to replace a trolling motor the second time, and it's still entirely worth it because when you're on the boat and everything is working, there's no better feeling.  I have as much fun fishing by myself, learning new water, trying new techniques, or learning how to do some new mechanical related thing as I do seeing guests I've taken fishing catch a big fish.

Thanks to everyone on GLBass.com that's helped me along the way. Too many people to name.  I'm still boating, still learning, and not discouraged.  It's always something, but everyone has the same problems.

[bob o]

well said

[Waterfoul]

Glad you're not discouraged!

When you go look at a boat for the first time, take an experienced boater with you.  Often times they will notice something you overlooked.  I've done this many times for friends... and everyone likes a road trip to look at boats!!   

[djkimmel]

Nice article on being a boat owner I think.

[21XDC]

Rick... I feel for you. You have broke more stuff in 1 year than I have in 32.. 

I hope that you have learned 32 years worth of boating in a short time and things go smooth the next 32 years.   

[YpsiBass]

I keep replaying in my head, in slow motion, the trolling motor violently ripping off my front deck and falling into the water yesterday.  When I get side imaging on my boat I'm going to go looking for it.

[Firefighter Jeff]

   Most excellent post Rick.  You are going to help a lot of people out.  So true about the knowledge and help on this forum.  It might be posted elsewhere but this is the first I have heard about your trolling motor. Rough water ??

[Waterfoul]

   Most excellent post Rick.  You are going to help a lot of people out.  So true about the knowledge and help on this forum.  It might be posted elsewhere but this is the first I have heard about your trolling motor. Rough water ??

Yeah, what happened to your trolling motor?

[djkimmel]

He put the boat on plane but forgot to pull the trolling motor up... who hasn't done that a time or two absent-mindedly, or when in a hurry...? I've lucked out and just got wet a few times. I've seen people running on plane with their motor down not knowing it until they've bent it or took a good jolt anyway. I always try to warn them somehow.

[LAPORTE]

Nice job Rick. If you need any help installing a new TM just give me a call. I should be caught up on the garage project very soon.

Or we can do it in the spring... its all good.


Don

[Team houston]

Good read Rick, good information.

[YpsiBass]

One of the pieces of metal holding the TM on was broken already, I just finished the job.

[peterman9000]

Looking at it in a positive way, that's a testament to how strong the hull is...

[bob620]

Rick,I got lazy one day fishing for Muskie and going from one spot to the next.I didn't put the tie down for my terrova on.And I came out of the Middle channel and hit a big wake from a plowing tuna boat and  snapped the bottom half of the motor completely off.Them motors were not cheap.So I went home and the wife asks me how I liked the new motor.I said I did,t like it all,in fact I said I came home to get the Fortrex.I told her I can save part of the day and go back to the lake.I got the upper part of the motor[terrova]when a friend of my son stops to visit. My wife says to him can you help Bob bring the Fortrex up from the basement.So he goes down with me and I tell him I can get it,and he grabs it off the table and he smashes the head of the motor into the wall and the head is all over the floor. You talk about a bad day.shoot happens!If I come home with nothing broke or scratched or what ever I had a good day.Catching fish frosting on the cake.    bob620 

[YpsiBass]

If I come home with nothing broke or scratched or what ever I had a good day.Catching fish frosting on the cake.

Exactly this

[Mojo]

These musings are not always amusing

[motocross269]

The pros on Lake st clair were running between drifts with their Trolling motors still down...they would just plane way up..I guess if you get TMs for free or a drastic discount you can do that...

It would be nice if the Auto Trolling motor that stowed itself got a better following...Maybe it burns up too much battery juice or isn't reliable...It would be great to have the "Stow" button at the dash with a warning light...

Boats are expensive...(Break out another thousand)...  My boat costs me around 2 thousand a year before I even start it up for the season...Insurance, Storage, Winterization, Basic Maintenance, etc etc...

[djkimmel]

Yeah. I had the electric trolling motor bracket. I loved it but it would sometimes take a crap at the sometimes the worst possible moments and the back was to release all tension (not always easy in some places - think Saginaw Bay in the wind...) and then there was nothing holding it down so I would have to strap the beejeezus out of it! I loved it when it work. I could 'trim' up and leave it that way in shallow water! And deploy it from the dash as I was coming in to a spot. Loved it when it worked. Hated it a few times. A few key times.

[TheFishinPollock]

I had mine go in the water after hitting a giant boat wake on the rim canal on the big O once. It was stowed but the locking mechnizem failed.   The jolt of slamming back into the water at 55 mph bent the daylights out of the bracket.

[YpsiBass]

I had mine go in the water after hitting a giant boat wake on the rim canal on the big O once. It was stowed but the locking mechnizem failed.   The jolt of slamming back into the water at 55 mph bent the daylights out of the bracket.

O.o