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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

1995 Boston - Used Boat

1995 Boston - Used Boat




For More Info : 1995 Boston - Used Boat
South Portland, Maine


AN EXCELLENT 24 FOOT 1995 BOSTON WHALER POWERBOAT!!! Includes a FIBERGLASS Hull and an Outboard Gas Engine with 200 Hours, 225 Horsepower, a Fuel Capacity of 200 Gallons, and a Max Speed of 42. Features include a Fish Finder, Live Well, Bimini Top, Consol Cover, Rod Holders, and TWO Captains Chairs. Cabin includes a Freezer and a Grey Water Tank.

Monday, June 25, 2007

2005 Gambler - Used Boat

2005 Gambler - Used Boat




For More Info : 2005 Gambler - Used Boat
Newberry, Florida


A GREAT 21 FOOT 2005 GAMBLER BASS BOAT!!! Includes a FIBERGLASS Hull and Keel, and a Mercury 250 Outboard Gas Engine with 110 Hours, 250 Horsepower, a Fuel Capacity of 45 Gallons, a Cruise Speed of 60, and a Max Speed of 82. Features include a GPS System, TWO Live Wells, a Trailer, Boat Cover, CD STEREO SYSTEM, 109 Pound Thrust Motor Guide Trolling Motor, and a Fish Finder.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Buying a Used Boat

- Used Boat Buying Checklist


- Used boat: Bargain or boondoggle?

Used boat: Bargain or boondoggle?

Used boat: Bargain or boondoggle?

Outdoors column by Jerry Gerardi

Summer is boating time. Trouble is, new boats cost big bucks. No problem, just get yourself a pre-owned one.

But be careful before you plunk down your cash. There are some pitfalls you must avoid.

To help you avoid those pitfalls when you finally do find the love of your life, here are a few tips obtained from experts in the boat- and motor-repair business (and a few blunders by yours truly). Heed the advice and you can save yourself a lot of money and heartache.

When you examine a boat, take your time and be methodical. Start at one end and carefully check it out as you circle the craft. A good plan would be to start at the stern and end there.

Look for cracks in the transom. Small, hairline splits in the gelcoat (that's the smooth outer layer of fiberglass that has the color in it) might hide more serious problems. The wood in the transom might have split, causing the glass to crack.

Another transom problem is where holes left by old mountings were not properly plugged, or where there are bubbles in the fiberglass. They could be letting water in that will eventually rot the wood. If there is rotted wood in the transom, it must be repaired or replaced. The wood in the transom is what provides strength to support the motor in an outboard and the out-drive in an inboard/outboard.

For small sections of rotted wood, a product called Git Rot works well. Poured on the rotted wood, it results in a repair stronger than the original wood. More extensive rot is trouble and difficult to repair.

Be sure to check out her bottom. Look for more cracks, bubbles or actual holes.

Old patches should be tested for soundness and her keel thumped with a knuckle or rubber mallet. If you hear a hollow sound, chances are fiberglass has separated from the wood keel. This could result in the glass cracking under stress.

Repairing the problem can be tricky. Better let someone with a lot of fiberglass experience check it out.

Also be sure to look at the steering cable or cables. There should be no cuts or cracks in the outer covering.

Minor repairs can be made with tape and WD 40 or CRC. Spray the area with a saturating coat of a marine penetrating lube like CRC or LPS. Wipe away the excess from around the bare spot or crack and tape it over tightly with a weatherproof tape. The object is to keep moisture out and stop existing corrosion. Serious cracks must be replaced.

Check the steering head (the part where the cable attaches and the steering wheel mounts) for looseness.

Turn the steering wheel and look for excessive slop or play. This could indicate simply loose mounting bolts or, worse case, worn gears. Uncorrected, you might find yourself zigging when you want to be zagging. Bummer. It's a repair you can do yourself.

Check out the bling
The condition of chrome trim is an indicator of the shape of the metal it plates. Pits and corrosion could mean the metal underneath is not in the best of condition. Ski bars, bow eyes, and tow rings are especially vulnerable. They undergo severe stress. If you find surface damage or corrosion, look closer.

Engine condition is just as important as hull condition. For starters, check the propeller. It should not be broken, chipped or bent severely. A slightly bent prop isn't too bad, since it usually can be straightened. Minor chips in the blades can be filed down. However, heavily damaged propellers will need reconditioning (at moderate expense).

The skeg on the bottom of an outboard motor shouldn't be bent or broken. A damaged or bent skeg can have a bad effect on a boat's steering, especially on high-horsepower engines.

Pull the plug on the lower unit to check for leaks. Only oil should come out. Water mixed with the oil (often coming out as a milky liquid) indicates the seals are leaking and need to be replaced. Water in the lower unit can result in rusted gears and bearings. Fishing line wrapped behind the propeller is the most common cause of seal leaks.

Pull the prop, as they sometimes get corroded onto the shaft and must be removed with a torch. That's expensive, since you'll need to replace the entire prop.

Overall corrosion on the motor can be an indicator of the care it has had. If there's a lot of rust and corrosion on the outside, chances are there's a lot on the inside too.

Look for corrosion in the electrical system, especially the connections. Check for a green powder on connectors and cables. If you spot any, be ready to repair or replace the part.

Finally, get her motor running. The basic step of running the engine is often skipped by buyers blinded by the gleam of the dream boat they just found. Don't fall for the old “dead battery” line. It could prove costly. Also be aware that very old motors are tough to fix. Only a few shops will repair them.

Listen for knocks, clanks, scrapes or any other unusual noise. Make sure the water pump is working and the water that comes out is not too hot to touch.

Shift the gears. Gear changing should be smooth and quiet. A failure here could just be a maladjusted shift cable or bad gears that will cost big bucks.

If you're looking at an outboard motor, grasp the engine cover, rock and twist it firmly and look for movement in the motor. That would indicate bad motor mounts (a real pain to fix).

Also, check accessories such as lights, power trim and tilt, baitwell and bilge pumps, etc. You don't want surprises later.

A test drive is important
If everything checks out, and you're serious about buying the boat, try it in the water. Running the engine with a garden hose isn't the same as running under a load. A test run also lets you see if there's a handling or power problem.

Don't forget to check the trailer. Look for excessive rust that might be weakening the frame. Light rust can be chipped, scraped and the trailer painted with a rust-preventive paint or a cold-galvanizing spray. Rusty springs are a given, but easily replaced.

Wheel bearings should turn smoothly, with little noise. Rims must not be rusted to the hubs. Tire and rim condition should be checked, and while you're at it, try the lights.

If you aren't sure about checking out a boat yourself, most marine repair services will do it for you. And by having a pro check it, you can get an accurate estimate of any costs for repairs. Present this information to the person selling and you just might get a break on the price.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

No Boat Trailer Needed: Amphibious Car Coming in 2009

No Boat Trailer Needed: Amphibious Car Coming in 2009






German company Gibbs plans to bring two new amphibious vehicles to the U.S. in 2009. A sports car that can reach 30 mph (knots?) in the water called Aquada, and an ATV that doubles as a personal watercraft called the Quadski will lead the first wave — we know, bad pun — of models.

Gibbs has been testing the Miata-esque looking Aquada in Michigan where the company hopes to base its North American operations. No dealer network or prices were given, but selling these two at motorcycle, ATV and boat dealers makes the most sense. How much would you pay for your own Aquada?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Fishing trip to Alaska taken just for the halibut

Fishing trip to Alaska taken just for the halibut

By JULI PROBASCO-SOWERS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER




Homer, Alaska - The short, fat, fishing rod bowed against the weight of the 121-pound halibut.

The angler pulled on the rod then reeled in line - reeling and repeating, again and again.

Mike Wearly of Anchorage, Alaska, braced himself against the railing of the Donna Mae, a 28-foot charter fishing boat anchored off Elizabeth Island in southern Cook Inlet, off Kachemak Bay in Alaska, about 35 miles from port in Homer. Keeping his footing was tough between wrestling with the huge fish and the rocking of the boat on the ocean swells.

He caught some nice keepers in the 28- to 35-pound range, but he was waiting for "the big one." It took Wearly more than 30 minutes to reel in the halibut, his arms tiring and sweat standing on his forehead.

I, on the other hand, the landlubber from Iowa, was amazed when I pulled in the first halibut I ever caught, about a 28-pound fish. I quickly realized I should have been lifting weights for several weeks before I went halibut fishing on a vacation with my husband, Tom.

My desire to halibut fish in Alaska was fed in part from seeing photos of fish caught by Iowans. Adding fuel to the desire was an article I wrote in 2004 about Steve Button and wife Donna, former Iowans who live in Palmer, Alaska. I interviewed Steve while he was visiting in the Des Moines area.

During the summer season, Button takes his charter boat to Homer, where he lives on the boat and takes sport anglers into the waters of Kachemak Bay and Lower Cook Inlet.

The thought of catching a big fish was tantalizing as well. The previous biggest fish I caught was a 3-pound largemouth bass on the Cedar River.

After hooking into my first halibut, reeling and pulling up the rod time after time to bring in the fish set a burn into my arms. I kept going, determined to bring the fish to the surface under my own steam.

By the time the halibut was to the boat, I was sweating and pulling off outer layers of fleece and rain gear I had put on at 6:30 a.m. Button hauled the fish on board, and my first halibut was landed.

Halibut action ebbed and flowed through the afternoon, but the 90-minute trip out to where we fished, and the slack times in between halibut bites, were filled with watching wildlife. Mountain goats and their young could be seen on the craggy, steep slopes of the islands.

As we watched the goats, one of the Alaskans fishing on the Donna Mae, Keith Lipse of Big Lake, Alaska, said eagles sometimes swoop and knock the baby goats off the cliffs to provide themselves with dinner.

Tufted puffins, black-and-white birds with orange beaks, bobbed up and down with the ocean swells, just yards from the boat. (I won't detail all the wildlife we saw, but will mention the seagull that made a deposit on my rain gear back at the dock while the fish were being filleted.)

A humpback whale came several hundred yards from the boat, blowing water into the air and diving with its tail out of the water.

Occasionally an angler would catch a different species of fish on the bait of herring - a black bass, a very spiny Irish Lord fish and a ling cod. The large halibut was caught on a red salmon head used as bait.

Seeing the scenery and wildlife is reason enough to go halibut fishing. Besides, my husband and I enjoyed the company of four other people fishing off the Donna Mae, including Lipse; his cousin, LaVonne Phillips of Trabuco Canyon, Calif.; and friends Wearly and Sean Smithson of Anchorage, Alaska.

Only three of us were novice halibut anglers, but we all got some fish. And although this might sound a bit like sour grapes, experienced halibut anglers said the smaller fish caught by Tom and I and others on the boat, in the 30- to 45-pound range, are better eating than the ones weighing over 100 pounds.

About 12 hours after leaving port, we returned with 12 halibut - two each.

Tom and I were tired and sore as we made our way back to our room.

But the next day we headed home with 90 pounds of halibut and more memories than I ever imagined.

Reporter Juli Probasco-Sowers can reached at (515) 284-8134 or jprobasco@dmreg.com

Monday, June 11, 2007

Family's sailboat lost to lightning strike

Family's sailboat lost to lightning strike




The remains of the mast from the Steve family's sailboat, the Skol, lies across the charred dock from where it was struck by lightning.



COEUR D'ALENE -- The effects of Monday's lightning storm are still being felt in Coeur d'Alene, especially in Cougar Bay where the show quickly turned into a raging fire.


A bolt of lightning struck a family sailboat along Lake Coeur d’Alene, sparking a fire that gutted the boat and sent it to a watery grave at the lake’s bottom. Losing the boat for the Steve family was like losing a good friend.


From her porch perched above Lake Coeur d'Alene, Liz Steve watches the choppy water below and a now charred dock where her sailboat, the Skol, once called home.


“I never dreamed of anything like that happening,” Liz said.


Lightning turned the dark sky purple Monday night and while she loves storms, she said this one was awful, grabbing her chest thinking she had been hit. She wasn’t hit but a phone call moments later from a neighbor confirmed a lightning strike had happened close by.


“He called up and said ‘Hey Liz you're boat’s on fire,’ I said that's not my boat he said ‘Yes it is, I'm afraid it is,’” Liz said.


“I saw our boat going away, that's what I saw, flames must have been 30-feet high,” family friend Conall Kingrey said.


All that’s left of the Skol is a few scattered, broken pieces. The boat had been in Steve’s family for 30 years and when it sank Monday night so did Liz Steve’s heart. Her kids and grandkids all learned to sail on the boat on Lake Coeur d’Alene and all those trips bring back wonderful memories for her.


Even the Skol is gone, family and friends still find time to laugh about it.


“There's no sense in crying about it, it's not going to bring it back ya know,” Conall said.


And of course there’s always time to figure out who’s to blame.


“Well, I was going to blame her but she said no way. Not going to blame God, taking too much of a chance, I'll say fate,” Conall said.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Park may place restrictions on motorized boats

Park may place restrictions on motorized boats
NBC2 News
Last updated on: 6/5/2007 1:02:11 AM


COLLIER COUNTY: Motorized boating in Everglades National Park could take a hit. The park is creating a new long term plan that could mean many restrictions for motorized boaters. But many people say motorized boating is what they rely on as their main source of income and the restrictions could mean big problems.

For Collier resident Kevin McCole, there's no place like Chokoloskee to go fishing.

"This is heaven on Earth out here," said McCole.

Business owner Kenny Brown says he relies on motor boats and people like McCole to stay in business.

"The likely-hood of another industry is very remote. This industry is historic - the fishing and boating going on here," said Brown.

But the small slice of heaven could change. Everglades National Park is drafting a new long term management plan that includes restrictions on motorized boating.

One of the restrictions goes as far to say that there are to be no motorized boats on water that is less than three feet deep. But that basically means no motorized boating there at all because all of the water is less than three feet deep.

That plan falls under Alternative Plan D which is the strictest. However, there are three others.

Plan A leaves everything as it is now.

Plan B gives up some back country zones to paddle-only areas. But Brown says the back country zone is where the fish are.

"That's some of the best snook fishing on the planet is and we can't give up the back country," said Brown.

Plan C would make some waterway segments off limits to motorized boaters, but boaters say that blocks the gateway to the fishing spots.

"When you look at the alternative, they have no idea how the park is being used for recreational purposes," said McCole.

But a spokeswoman for the Everglades National Park says nothing is set in stone because the plans are preliminary.

The plans also include many positives like building a visitor's center and expanding camping grounds and land-based programs.

They say they'll continue to gather public comments to come up with a plan that everybody can live with - all while protecting the environment.

There will be a public meeting in Everglades City School this Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to discuss the park's long term plans.

Monday, June 4, 2007

2005 MB - Used Boat

2005 MB - Used Boat




For More Info : 2005 MB - Used Boat
Tracy, California


READY FOR SOME SUMMER FUN? CHECK OUT THIS SKI BOAT…..SHOWROOM CONDITION…..It has 330 HP and only 40 hours on the engine…..Holds 45-gallons of fuel, cruises at 40 MPH, and can go 55 MPH…..Features include a fiberglass hull, trailer, boat cover, Bimini top, wakeboard boat, Pro Pass cruise control, swim step, wakeboard boat and a 1600-pound ballast…..It holds eight passengers, has a 4-bladed prop, and a Clarion stereo with HUGE woofers …..Call for more information…..

Boat Resources / Sponsors

Boat Resources / Sponsors