Watch out for that...DOH!....rock...

Lured In · 12-02-2003, 12:11 PM

I am probably alone on this, but is anyone else even a little anal rententive about dinging or scratching (unnecessarily) their boat?

While out duck hunting this weekend, we decided to use my 'baby'(19' NR Sporster) to help get all the guys and gear to our secret duck hunting spot, along with our usual duck boat. Keep in mind this is nearly a 4 year old boat that I darn near wipe down with a diaper when cleaning her up.

On the way into the beach under the cover of darkness, we noticed the water level was down a couple feet over the last trip. I switched over to the kicker and am slowly (maybe 3mph) sliding into the beach. My buddy is in the bow, keeping lookout, when..."ROCK!"...thud...scrape...

We slide off the rock which is only sticking out of the water about one half inch. Needless to say my gut was somewhere around my knees. I know guys who bang their boats doing 15-20+mph up the rivers, but this was MY boat.

All in all the ding is small and the scratch looks like I hit a rock. No big deal, but I just hate seeing it. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Everytime I scratch it or ding it, I can't help but think..."there goes another 1K in resale value."

Anybody else have trouble swallowing dings in their boat?

danger · 12-02-2003, 12:15 PM

Two options, ding it or keep it in the garage. Why are you worried about selling it if you love it that much? The boat is a tool to have fun and satisfaction, not the satisfaction itself. Enjoy the boat, but enjoy the things done in it more. Heck, if it has a few scratches then ya know it has had a sucessful career.

Dan(ger)

fishbait · 12-02-2003, 12:22 PM

2 rules.

1. Fishing boats that get used get dings and scratches.

2. You cant change rule number 1

Tilla · 12-02-2003, 12:25 PM

At least it's not diaper rash.

Carpe piscis · 12-02-2003, 12:27 PM

Ditto what Danger said.
The boat is a vehicle for experience, not a substitute.

Nevertheless, yeah it stil kinda sucks.

CATCH AND EAT · 12-02-2003, 12:29 PM

Tilla

:grin: A boat that gets used gets dings. Either that or it does sit in the garage and collects empty boxes, dust and so forth. Probably does'nt catch fish either.

12-02-2003, 12:32 PM

The first one always hurts. From then on it's not that bad.

blacktail519 · 12-02-2003, 12:45 PM

I tell ya what,
I was very anal about my boat as well, But I think we all are when we first purchase it.I was terrible, It was to the point with me, that my buddies refused to go out fishing with me. They said they would wait awhile, and let me put some dings and scratches in it first, so they wouldnt feel responsible.I think they got sick of me constantly moaning and groaning, watch this watch that, keep this clean and that clean. Thats when the fun ended. So now i have owned My 20'intruder for about 8 months And and the worrying has somewhat subsided, But i still take care of my boat, wich we all should . IT is a huge investment when you spend the money for a new aluminum boat these days.(who wouldnt be protective) So to answer your question= Yes I think there is a little worrieness in us all.
Enjoy the boat, And more importantly enjoy the time you spend with others aboard it. Take care!

hookumhi · 12-02-2003, 01:13 PM

I'm with ya brother it hurts but that's what insurance is for and it doesn't bug ya as bad next time. remember wax on wax off

Miss B Haven · 12-02-2003, 01:17 PM

I guess this is why I sold my "new" boat and bought an older, pre-dinged model. I don't have to take credit for any of them! :grin:

Bring on the Tuna Blood, the Dock Marks, the Diesel Soot, the Bait Scales and Boot Marks!

Lets fish- cleaning is for Winter! Ooops... I guess it is Winter huh? :shocked:

FishingDude · 12-02-2003, 03:19 PM

Speaking of hitting rocks my buddy did a face plant on one and chipped a tooth while fishing for trout in montana on one of the back streams. We teased him about it all trip. It didn't do much to his face other than chipping a tooth and scratching up his chin. We caught lots of nice trout.

I hate rocks. Especially while fishing. [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]

Twitchs_Tackle · 12-02-2003, 03:55 PM

Put a few more dings and $1k scratches in it and let me know when you want to sell! :grin:

lost_sailor · 12-02-2003, 03:59 PM

WOOD !

scratch it, fix it, paint it, scratch it. Repeat as needed.

DF · 12-02-2003, 04:06 PM

Yes, the first big one always hurts, and after awhile you get used to it. Just give her a good waxin a couple times a year and keep it shiny..and you wont notice the scratches. :shocked:

cosmo · 12-02-2003, 04:15 PM

I have a friend with a 12 year old mint condition drift boat

--not a mark in it--

Only problem being there haven't been any fish in it either :shocked:

porter · 12-02-2003, 04:18 PM

I was out looking at a guys new boat. I had to tell him that I liked mine better. He thought I was crazy and asked why. I told him that my boat already had dents and scratches. Some of the boats out there are beautiful but I would hate to be the one operating it.

Reel Fun Fish'n · 12-02-2003, 04:48 PM

I was going to say the 1st is the worst...
But I know how you feel Lured In.
The virgin trip on my new baby last June I had my future son-inlaw with me, he said he could lift the anchor over the bow. well you guessed it the weenie arm :grin: couldn't so now the bow needs some touch up on the paint, but it will get done when I'am over the ding shock....

but thats why we buy aluminum boats to use them isn't it....

riverraider · 12-02-2003, 05:25 PM

They're referred to: (in no particular order)

beauty marks
marks of experience
battle-scars
charecter flaws

spare link · 12-02-2003, 06:02 PM

HOPE IT IS OK

Lured In · 12-02-2003, 06:06 PM

Tilla... :tongue: :tongue: ....

Oh trust me, it has a several "beauty" marks on it. I was just looking for someone to sulk with. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] :grin:

Woody · 12-02-2003, 06:08 PM

Try seeing the first scratch in a WOOD boat that you just spent the winter building, OUCH. Keta's right though, the first one's the hardest.

dampainter · 12-02-2003, 06:19 PM

think of it as a battle scar...

Silver Hilton · 12-02-2003, 06:58 PM

I'm sympathetic. A bit.

But my first thought was, sounds to me more like the reason I own a metal boat. :grin: If you were driving a bayliner, you'd have been gutted.

Little Dipper · 12-02-2003, 07:02 PM

That does hurt and I'll bet you couldnt wait to get it back on the trailer to check it out.Look at it this way it will still hurt the second time.

ps: how was the hunting

Plum Crazy · 12-02-2003, 07:10 PM

I'm with ya 100%. [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] I fish at least 3 times a week and never get use to the sound of my boat hitting the rocks. I work to hard to get my toys and Toy or Tool I'd rather it still float 20 years from now. It's always a great feeling when people on the boatlaunch say NICE boat. Especially after NICE fish. I feel your pain. :grin:
Don't let them get ya down.

I still wipe mine down with the care of a Sports Car. Yes fishing is a disease and nobody can help me. :tongue:

Fire

[ 12-02-2003, 08:11 PM: Message edited by: FIRE IN THE HOLE ]

fishrunner · 12-03-2003, 05:34 AM

I can relate..............I most recently related with an $8,000 dollar hole in the bottom of mine.
Fishrunner

cully · 12-03-2003, 06:06 AM

Ouch...putting in the drifter last week at a ramp that has a powerful pull from the get go unless you hold the boat back after shoving it off the trailor...yep, you guess it. The pull of the river caught the transom and spun it sideways right into a huge boulder and whack.. I could not look until i got home. A 50 cent size piece is now missing form the gunnel of my wood drifter. Dumb me knew this ramp well. Well enough that I should not have let my friend holding the bow rope as we shoved the boat off. He lost tension of the boat and rope and the only thing i could say was let it hit. I've only been at it ( drifting) for 2 years. But the one thing that seems to play out when things seemed to go wrong is that I've included someone else. As the captin of the ship I need to assert myself more when knowing better. But as Woody said, wood boats take to being fixed pretty well. I do know how mix epoxy with a filler. Another thing, the more dings it seems to get the more fish it has had in the boat.

Uglygreen · 12-03-2003, 06:09 AM

I dont have this problem - I paid $800 for my drift boat and $500 for my sled (well a little more considering the new $7000 Yahama 4 stroke I bought for the $500 hull). Knew I was going to hit rocks cause I like to do silly things like float the Clack in the middle of summer and hit the Wilson in late spring at less than 3 feet.

To coin a term used by Wildhawg - I consider all my boats "fish assault vehicles".

Pretty boats catch less fish - Bring on the rocks baby! :grin:

[ 12-03-2003, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: Uglygreen ]

Tilla · 12-03-2003, 08:23 AM

It seems that everyone else is more concerned about the scratches on my boat than I am. This is just part of what to expect when you are X-treme sidedrifting. :shocked:

Nuttinbutnet · 12-03-2003, 01:02 PM

"Don't worry boys, she ain't leaking. KEEP FISHING!" :grin:

Wet_Willy · 12-03-2003, 11:39 PM

I tell you what...I'd rather follow a pretty shiny boat downstream than a beat up dulled one.

More times than not, when I've found myself behind a fishing vacuum, they've been in a well used drift boat, with plenty of marks on it...