I'd like to say HEY to all you salty dogs. Also want to say thanks for all the great fishing tips and info you've shared over the last year or so that I've been hanging around.
I never did the story thang when I first joined ifish so here's a little schpeel about me and how I got hooked on boating followed by an addiction to the salt.
Like many, I got addicted to fishing, and all that goes with it, when I was a wee child. In order to keep me happy, dad bought a little car topper to go fish in places like Tahkenitch and Siltcoos. He hated fishing but loved to camp so it worked out OK even though we had no clue about how to catch fish other than perch.
Well, that little car topper over the years was too much work for dad and I became an adolescent, so he saw the need for a little easier entertainment.
Enter the 18 ft Seaswirl. I think this was the most popular boat in the world at that time (late 70's). Wow, got to the fishing spots faster but still no real clue about fishing. Then came the girls and waterskiing and all those other teenage distractions... but that story is for a different discusion board. :blush:
Met a friend at the end of high school who liked to fish and I still fish with him today, 30 years later.
The first boat we fished out of was a home made pram made by a long deceased inlaw of his. It fit in the back of a Chevy Luv pickup, just to give you some scale. We went to all the lakes in this thing, but with two 190lb fisherman, an outboard, and enough gear to stock BiMart, well you can guess how much freeboard we had. Yes, there are some hilarious stories there!
Finally I was working and got my own 12' car-topper with a 5hp. That thing went everywhere, except I never had the kahonies to actually cross a bar, even after staring at the Tillamook bar for hours. Obviously, this boat wouldn't do the job if I had to stay inside.
On to the 15" Glastron tri-hull, I think this was the most popular boat in the world at that time (late 80's). Wow, stable, fast, lots of fishing space and oh how my back hurts when I take it for a ride on that wind chop. Can anyone guess how many gallons the open bow of a boat like that can take in one scoop? :shocked: Neither could I, so back inside I went, only to sneak out on the glassiest of days.
Now with a pretty good job and a pretty new wife, down to the Staff Jennings In-Water Boat Show we go. I fall in love with a new 1991 20' Trophy WA, and I can even afford it with the biggest motor that they can put on it, a 150HP Force outboard. (here is the point in my story where the eerie music starts to play in the background... oh yeah, and enter the mechanics).
Well, after three recalls, a new hydraulic lift, a new power head (finally replaced by Brunswick even though 2 of the 5 cylinders still didn't have water in them), over 8 months in the shop, and too many fishing trips out of Hammond starting the 150 with a rope, only to return on the 15hp kicker, it was time to try something else. To repower a 1.5 year old boat was way too much$$$ [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img] So, after the power head replacement the Trophy was off to the want ads. BTW, if anyone wants my opinion of Staff Jennings I would be happy to share. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]
Aluminum had caught my fancy at the boat shows so on the next one I went with a 93 19' NorthRiver jet, 350 inboard. WooHoo what fun! Great boat real fast excellent fish catching machine and oh how my back hurts when I take it for a ride on that wind chop. The rough ride could be overlooked however, cuz this thing was just plain FUN
and it caught fish! And yes I was finally out on the ocean and knew I would get back. That is, as long as stayed within 10 miles or so. Oh my, did that 40 gals. of premium disappear quickly!
After 10 years in that tin can it was now time to upgrade. I never put that jet into whitewater, I wonder how many others would say the same after owning a one? I did love the boat, the aluminum became my preference and NorthRiver decided to actually pay attention to the importance of service after all these years, so back I go.
Last summer I designed what I think is the perfect boat for me. 21' NR Seahawk (vee hull) with 225hp and 8hp Yami's on a bracket. Fish finder, dual GPS and Dual VHF (see, I've been paying attention), and radar for which I still need to mount the radome.
Soooo, here I am, ready to become a Salty Dog!!!
I've been following some of your advice and soon want to follow some of you out on longer excursions like to the pile or the ranch. Eventually, I'm gonna be a tuna newbie and then do it myself when I figure out all the gear and rigging and find a nice enough day.
I'm going to try and make it to the Lucky Lab this week and buy some of you folks a beer for all the info you've shared with all of us wannabe's. Hope to see you there
Regards, Rick
NorthRiverRick
Another pup? Holy saltwater Batman!
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