Bass & Walleye Boats articles from August 2006

Bass & Walleye Boats archives from August 2006

Quality time.(Holeshot)
August 1, 2006... A friend and co-worker's recent, unexpected loss of his mother, and my unexpected loss of my uncle the same week, really took me aback. Both had been in good health for their ages. My friend was fortunate enough to have had dinner with his mom...

Spinning our wheels.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... I truly enjoy your magazine. A lot of the articles have helped me tremendously over the years. The "Wheels of Destiny" article (April) was very informative, but I would liked to have known the engine height for each prop and the rpm on top end....

Powerful Furuno.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... Thank you for the review of the Furuno FCV620 in the June issue (Fishfinder Test). It's always good to get hands-on reviews of our products to ensure they are working as well as our customers expect them to. There is one minor correction that I...

Prop nut torque.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... In regard to the letter "How Tight to Tighten" in your May Shop Talk, you stated that Mercury increased its prop nut torque spec from 55 to 105 ft/lbs. After contacting several Mercury dealers in my area--none of which had heard about this nor...

Drag towing.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... You recently described that gas mileage on a pickup truck is better when having the tailgate in the closed position (Fast Lane, May). Also, gas mileage is better when using a tonneau cover. I'm wondering what happens to the gas mileage when the...

Keep it pure.(Backwash)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... I belong to an 800-member rod and gun club in Oklahoma and I did my own poll. Of the 650 members responding to the question as to whether bay boats should be covered in BWB magazine 92 percent voted No! I realize we are considered a backward...

Backup lite.(handheld global positioning systems)
August 1, 2006... Handheld GPS units can go where no bracket-mounted unit has gone before, and can do almost any chore a larger unit could handle during the trek. These pocket navigators are the Swiss Army Knives of GPS navigation, ready to take on a variety of...

Where are all the old outboards?(Seat Time)
August 1, 2006... I grew up in northwestern New Jersey and moved to upstate New York with my folks when I was a teenager. There I worked in both fresh and saltwater marine environments throughout the years, and have seen firsthand what happens to outboards when...

Boaters will pay to play despite high gas prices.(Around the Dock)
August 1, 2006... In this time of dauntingly high gas prices, how loyal are you to your passion for boating? A recent survey by Nationwide Mutual Insurance reported that high gas prices won't keep boaters off of the water this summer, but they won't be running...

Is your electrical system up to snuff?(repairing a boat)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... If you haven't done it already, now's the time. Give your boat's electrical system a pre-launch tune-up by taking these eight steps, then repeat the tune-up a year from now. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Inspect the battery(ies) -- Check...

Kids All-American Fishing Team accepting applications.(Around the Dock)
August 1, 2006... Applications are being accepted for the Kids All-American Fishing Team, a youth angler ambassador program that selects six kids ages eight to 14 and awards scholarships and prizes. The deadline to submit an application is July 14. The...

Snake trailing: Cobra Marine's MC 600Ci; The company's latest color GPS navigator is easy to use and install.(global positioning systems antenna)(Product/service evaluation)
August 1, 2006... Many anglers have used Cobra CB radios, radar detectors and other automotive electronics without realizing the company also has a marine product line. Cobra Marine's (773/889-3087; cobra.com) latest introductions include the MC 600Ci, a color...

Electronic Specialties' Fuse Buddy: repairing electrical problems is a non-issue using this handheld digital ammeter.
August 1, 2006... Late-model cars and trucks, along with outboard engines, use color-coded blade fuses instead of the traditional glass tubular style. Troubleshooting electrical circuits equipped with this new type of fuse is awkward, as the multimeter probes...

Four-stroke oil provides rust protection.(marine lubricant from Pennzoil Co.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... With four-stroke outboards becoming more and more popular, Pennzoil Marine (800/468-8397; pennzoil.com) has expanded its line of marine lubricants to include the Pennzoil Marine Premium Outboard 4-Cycle 10W-30 marine motor oil ($2.99 for...

Engine stabilizer plate helps slow-speed performance.
August 1, 2006... Bob's Machine Shop's (813/247-7040; bobsmachine.com) redesigned True Tracker Stabilizer Plate ($39.95) includes a patented rudder-fin design that helps prevent your boat from wandering side to side during low-speed operation or while trolling....

Lightweight shirt has UPF 50+ rating and is quick drying.(Finders Keepers)
August 1, 2006... Sunscreen is an essential part of your arsenal when you're fishing. Add a piece of sunblock clothing to your must-have list such as Simms' (866/585-3570; simmsfishing.com) Superlight Fishing Shirt ($89.95). Made of 100 percent polyester, the...

New system gives real-time voltage updates, warns of battery depletion.(Finders Keepers)
August 1, 2006... You can get real-time voltage updates throughout the day with the MoniTroll Battery Monitoring System by CellTec Industries (866/247-6943; celltec.biz). The system is comprised of an internal microcontroller that reacts to variable power use...

Put up or shut up: it's a two-stroke vs. four-stroke showdown among Mercury, Suzuki and Yamaha.(Product/service evaluation)
August 1, 2006... Editor Steve Quinlan and I met with the very accommodating folks from Ranger Boats on Arkansas' Bull Shoals Lake in mid-spring and conducted a shoot-out among 250-horsepower offerings from all of the major players (sans Evinrude, which was...

Cutting edge: new materials, new designs and use of the latest manufacturing technology make for some exciting new props.(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2006... Last year, we put together a comprehensive database of nearly every propeller available for outboard- and sterndrive-powered boats. This prop chart is pretty big, and covers most applications that use a 4 1/4- or 4 3/4-inch gearcase (roughly 75...

Trusty steed: paired with a Suzuki DF175, Blazer's 190 Pro V delivers solid, reliable performance.(Cover story)
August 1, 2006... With more and more companies in the boatbuilding industry falling into the hands of giant conglomerates--and bean counters having a major say in the products produced--we tend to forget most of the big-name boatbuilding companies were started...

The history of bass boats, Part 2: our interviews with the men who shaped bass boat history continue in this second of a four-part series.(Rick Pierce and Ron Pierce)(Interview)
August 1, 2006... Without a doubt, organized tournament bass fishing had the greatest impact on the evolution of bass boats. In particular, the formation of the Bass Anglers Tournament Society (B.A.S.S.) started a chain reaction of innovations such as livewells,...

Fuel for thought: we install a FloScan fuel-management system on a center console project boat to monitor fuel flow and gauge precisely what we have in reserve.
August 1, 2006... Boat fuel gauges are notoriously inaccurate, yet there's still no excuse for running out of fuel or having to guess whether you have enough left in reserve to hit one last spot before heading for the barn. After all, this is the 21st Century....

Heavy mettle: Crestliner's new 1850 Fish Hawk SC is a tribute to the way boats should be built.
August 1, 2006... With so many great boats on the market today--especially in the realm of aluminum watercraft built specifically for serious freshwater anglers--I find myself looking at the little stuff to learn if the manufacturer "sweats the details," so to...

Carolina crossover: this Evinrude-powered 23-foot Sea Chaser center console broadens fishing opportunities.
August 1, 2006... You could clearly see a few "bones" cruising through the foot-deep shallows not 30 yards off the port side when our guide finally got our heads pointing in the right direction. I didn't hesitate. A flick of the wrist dropped a lively...

Filter fodder.(Shop Talk)
August 1, 2006... I have a Yamaha 130 outboard whose fuel is filtered through a Racor outboard filter with the translucent plastic bowl. Recently, I've had to clean the idle jets in the carburetors frequently due to clogging by a fine particulate, and, on my...

Stale fuel.(Shop Talk)
August 1, 2006... I received your April issue and, of course, devoured it the same day. Great magazine--even though I am not into performance boating. In the letter "Two-Carb Diet" (Shop Talk), the reader reveals the trouble he's having with his Mercury engine....

Faster, faster.(2000 Mercury 225 EFI)
August 1, 2006... I just upgraded my 2000 Sprint 221 Pro from a 1996 carb'ed Mercury 200 to a 2000 Mercury 225 EFI. In trying to get the proper setup, I feel that I had the motor mounted too low. I ran five different props with a full tournament load, full...

Expensive wall ornaments?(Shop Talk)
August 1, 2006... A friend of mine put me in touch with a Mercury factory prop expert who recommended a Trophy for my particular 250 hp outboard. I sweated blood on the first test because I now owned a prop with an excellent top end and a terrible holeshot. The...

Ol' yeller.(Hot Rigs)
August 1, 2006... Buying a boat on a budget can be a challenge, but David Shepherd played his cards right. He found something that would satisfy him, serve him well during the local bass tournament circuit, and please his entire family when it's time to enjoy...

Signs of the times.(A Jones for Boats)
August 1, 2006... "Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind. Do this! Don't do that! Can't you read the sign?" --Chorus of "Signs," Five Man Electrical Band, circa 1970 While these lyrics once echoed the angst of another...