TIPS AND TRICKS

[bomar76]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

I do the towel thing too.....I keep at least 4 clean white terry towels and a bottle of spray citrus cleaner in the truck to wipe down the boat as soon as I pull it out of the water and around to the load up area. Do the outdrive and trailer too. It doesn't take 10 minutes while it is wet and man does it look good for the trip home. No scum line, no soot marks on transom, no water spots.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Berkley Fireline in 4, 8, and 10lb. test works great for dental floss..........

 

[sloopy]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Get rollers

 

[ballpienhammer]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Never use WD40 on fishing reels. It will eventually get on your line and bait. Fish don't like the flavor!

 

[ED21]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

What a simple thing to do. Just wipe the boat when you haul before the scum dries. I just put a chamois & towel in the locker. <br />Thanks

 

[ED21]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Here's a simple thing I do. I leave a bar of soap or hand soap squirt bottle in the splash well. It come in handy for cleaning up & it's always there.<br />I've never had one bounce out of the well yet.

 

[snohomishbaddawg]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

as far as wd-40 on fishing reels and gear, here in the northwest some guys swear that a little wd-40 on thier flasher and spoons works great as an attractant for salmon and steelhead!<br />Guess fisherman will try about anything!

 

[LubeDude]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

I hate to admit to using it, but Salmon love WD-40!!!

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

I've had better luck using WD-40 on salmon lures than any other scent. Can't imagine Pennsylvania fish are that much different, are they?<br />I keep my boat in the (fresh) water most of the year. When I pull it out, there's a nice layer of moss & algae on the bottom, so I immediatly hie myself over to a car wash and spray the gunk off carefully (so as not to also spray off the bottom paint). First, I soak the bunks with dish soap & Tide mixture: the dish soap helps the boat slide onto the bunks and the Tide helps kill the moss underneath.<br />Plastic tie on the steering wheel/remember the plug, huh? Gee, now I know why there are 8 ties on there now....

 

[SeaDawg]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

WD-40 works in the DE bay too, it either helps or makes no difference, tried it since 1985.<br /><br />I also put the wear strips on aluminum ducking style boats, they work so well you have to leave the winch cable attached when launching the boat. All of my small boat fishing friends now use them. In fact, when I replaced my bunks (they rotted because the carpet held the saltwater moisture), I just attached the strips to the tops of the new salt treated boards and they work fine. I've used the "glyde" strips since 1992 on two different boats. Can't say how they would work on fiberglas though, I would want a roller trailer for fiberglas anyway, unless the mfg. does not recommend it (like Carolina Skiff).<br /><br />Here's another trick - if you have access to hot (110 to 130 degree) water (I have a sink in my garage), wash your boat with it, and you will hardly need to scrub it, even with saltwater use. It save me about 30 minutes a fishing trip, and I don't even use my pressure washer any more. Hit your rods and reels with it, and they will look a lot better too. I have cheap (and expensive) setups from 1985 that look like new, that are used in saltwater 2 to 4 times a month.

 

[rabijunco3]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Do not forget the battery level needs to be checked, unless it is a "maintenance free" type. Use only distilled water that you can easily dispense off an old IV bag or "new" enema bag. <br /><br />Use only distilled water to mix your coolant or you will clog the passages with the minerals in the water.<br /><br />Beware of DEET containing bug repellents. It will react with vinyl and plastics. Also, PABA containing sunscreens will eat the gelcoat.<br /><br />Aerokroil spray lubricant is awesome. Buy it from Cabela's. Great on anything.<br /><br />Change your old light bulb trailer lights for the LED type. Since I did that, no more ?@#$ time wasted with a tester and contact kit.<br /><br />Here in the marshes of LA we use a "spear" anchor. Made of an aluminum rod with a shackle on one end, tip on the other. Just throw it in when fishing the shallows and forget about pulling half the bottom up next time. A whole lot easier on the back too. I have used it even in 5-6 ft of water, as long as the bottom is soft.<br /><br />Buy oil of spearmint or similar at the drugstore. Use it to deodorize coolers, etc.

 

[MajBach]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Over the years I have found myself out on the water needing some small or trivial item that one hardly ever has the need for but is essential that one time. Keeping such items in tackle boxes displaces the tackle and glove compartments end up becoming do disorganized that one never can find what one needs. So I purchased a few Plano platic boxes with adjustable chambers and filled them with all these nick-knacks and keep them in the glove compartmnet or battery compartment. It's not the idea so much as the list you might be able to refer to that is helpful.<br /><br />Save the old mini pump spray bottles from trial size portions of things like Armor all and use them for:<br />Cleaner (Spray - 9)<br />Armour All<br />Bug spray<br />Windex <br />a 120 ml bottle will usually last a season<br /><br />amongst the other items are:<br />Twist ties,<br />Garbage bags,<br />single use wet-naps (from fast food places)<br />Other condaments (same source)<br />Velcro<br />Corks (I use these to plug the inside of the live well overflow tubes to keep the live well dry)<br />Spare light bulbs<br />dental floss<br />fox whistle<br />batteries<br />spark plugs<br />fastener assortment<br />J-cloths<br />Padlock and other spare keys<br />Chapstick<br />matches<br />nail clipper<br />travel size deodorant (very useful)<br />electrical and duck tape (compress the hole)<br />compass<br />knife, wire stripper and electrical connectors<br />sugar and salt<br />bobber<br />q tips<br />mirror<br />pen and scrath pad(use to keep track of what you have used or need but didn't already have)<br />screw driver<br />can opener and plastic utensils<br />asprin<br />playing cards<br />pocket/cheap digital camera ($50)<br />roll up measuring tape<br />mosquito coils<br /><br />All this fits in three 8x12 Plano boxes with room to spare

 

[Solittle]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

For those who have an air compressor - I bought a gadget from Sears that is intended for spraying insecticide to the upper limbs of trees. It has two connections - one for the hose and the other for an air hose. It acts like a pressure cleaner without the super high pressure. I can wash down my 23'er & trailer (salt water imersion) in about 15 minutes.

 

[UpstNYer]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

I posted this somewhere else here, but it continues to be a major life/skeg/bottom paint/time/embarassment saver.<br /><br />Made up a checklist on a 3x5 card and slipped it in a plastic backtag cover. Keep it on a cord that slips over my neck whenever I take boat out. It has the following:<br /><br />PRE-TOW Checklist<br />-Hitch latched and safetied<br />-Safety Chains ON<br />-Lights Plugged in & tested<br />-Motor up and supported<br />-Bumpers stowed<br />-Tie Downs ON<br />-Seats down & secure<br />-Boat unloaded<br />-Plug Out<br />-Jack Retracted<br />-Troller Secure<br />-Chocks Out<br />-Safety Strap ON<br />-Key in pocket<br /><br />PRE-LAUNCH Checklist (before backing down ramp)<br />-Plug IN!!!<br />-Motor Support Out<br />-Motor UP and locked<br />-Tie Downs OFF<br />-Lights Unplugged<br />-Bumpers Out<br />-Boat Loaded<br />-Key in ignition switch<br /><br />PRE-START Checklist<br />-Motor Down<br />-Bulb Squeezed<br />-In Neutral<br /><br />This probably seems silly to most of you, but the closer you get to Social Security eligibility, the more you'll need it.<br />Bob

 

[roscoe]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

ALWAYS stow some tp aboard. I double ziplock bag the stuff, as it is useless if it is wet.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

I've glued a couple of neatly cut squares of indoor/outdoor carpet to cushion my reels from banging around while in thier holders. <br /><br />A couple more carpet squares logically placed to "stick" leaders, lures and hooks conveniently.<br /><br />I use my empty Crown Royal felt sacks to cover my reels from the sun.<br /><br />A good pair of polarized sun glasses.

 

[boater4life]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Carring a "Ditch Bag" aboard is a good tip!

 

[missed_shot]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

I keep a disposable waterproof cameras onboard and extra clothes in a giant ziplock like bag .

 

[jtexas]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Always bump the starter before you get on the ramp. Don't give it any gas or even turn the engine over (don't want to run it dry). But if the starter don't spin you can troubleshoot it on the trailer without blocking the ramp.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: TIPS AND TRICKS

Majbach,<br /><br />Great starter list, very comprehensive. The only thing I would include is a leatherman type tool, extra plugs, emory board and sunscreen. The extra plugs usually get shared with the newbies who practice their sinking drill at the launch ramp.<br /><br />If you can carry one of those portable jump start packages in your truck or boat. I have found a bunch of different uses for mine.<br /><br />Doug