|
Rudderham's Captain's Comments
Fish stories
About this time of year
fishermen start telling stories of the near record bass they caught
or heard about being caught during the spring spawn. Invariably the
subject gets to George Perry and his world record large mouth bass
weighing in at 22 pounds, 4 ounces, caught from a small lake off the
Ocmulgee River in Georgia. Fishermen have been chasing this
benchmark since June 2, 1932 when Perry pulled it out of Montgomery
Lake. Breaking this record has been an obsession with some anglers.
It’s kind of like the Holy Grail.
To date the closest fish to the
record have been caught in southern California’s Lake Dixon. One
fish, which is the San Diego County record weighted in at 21 pounds,
11.2 ounces and was caught on May 31, 2003. Then there was another
caught in the same area that was foul hooked and also had a mark or
identifiable spot on its side. Several fishermen have claimed to
have caught this hog. One claimed the fish weighed 23 pounds and
released it. Another claimed 25 pounds and released it because of
the spot on its side.
Now whoever catches the new
record will probably become an instant millionaire, which makes
anyone releasing a fish of that size a little on the daft side. It
brings to mind a quote from Herman Melville’s – “Moby Dick.” “Drink
yea harpooners! Drink and swear … God hunt us all, if we do not hunt
Moby Dick to his death.”
Fishermen become fanatics when
hunting big fish, wives are turned into fishing widows. Lately if
you notice most large fish of the fresh water species are caught in
remote places. That is why I believe the world record bass will be
caught in a southern farm pond that has almost zero fishing
pressure. All the fish do is eat and spawn. Many times in early
morning and evening you can see these big hogs tailing like a
redfish. Throw a spinner bait, or a Rapala floater and you will get
some great action. I’ve seen some 12- to 15-pound bass taken this
way. It’s also inexpensive because you fish from the shore. So get
to be friends with a farm pond owner and catch a big one. Remember,
make sure it’s in a remote area and you’ll be surprised as I was.
Good luck and send Lakeside a photo of the big one.
I.P.S. Pod Drive popular
It was four years ago that
Volvo-Penta introduced the revolutionary I.P.S. drive with a forward
facing propeller which changed the marine propulsion industry. Volvo
celebrated the popularity of the I.P.S. Pod Drive by opening its new
boat integration center in Portsmouth, Va., where it will work with
independent boat builders who are developing new models specifically
for I.P.S. To date, 95 different boat companies have installed I.P.S.
units in 136 different models.
Volvo also surveyed 375 I.P.S.
system owners of which 80 percent expressed satisfaction. Meanwhile
two years later Mercury Marine came out with their pod drive system,
called “Zeus.” They went one better with their stern facing props by
introducing the joy stick, which Volvo followed with their version.
Since Mercury Marine’s parent company is Brunswick Corporation which
also owns Searay and Bayliner boats, expect vessels designed to
accept the Zeus system to also be a power of choice by the consumer.
It looks like these units will be the future of marine propulsion.
They take up less engine room space and are 15 to 20 percent more
economical.
New lake rules in Alabama
A Montgomery County judge upheld
an Alabama law recently that bans boats longer then 26 feet, 11
inches and those that are capable of speeds in excess of 60 mph.
This ban will be enforced on Lake Martin, Lake Weiss, and Lake
Harris. Opponents challenged the ban, but it was upheld.
The opponents fear the ban will
become a state law on all lakes throughout the state. The state
feels that “restricting certain vessels in order to create a
particular atmosphere on a lake is conceptually the same as limiting
18-wheel trucks from traveling through a crowded residential
neighborhood, or not allowing power boats on a bird sanctuary,” the
judge wrote. Alabama Power Company, who owns the majority of the
land surrounding the affective lakes agrees.
Obviously such a law would would
affect houseboats such as we have on lakes Lanier, Allatoona, and
Hartwell. I think Alabama shot itself in the foot on the length
ban. Houseboats are bigger in many ways and are beneficial as
owners pay more taxes, buy more fuel and slip rentals are higher.
I’ll agree on the 60 mph limit, because bass boats and go-fast boats
can run an easy 80 mph and you don’t have to have any education or
license to own or operate one. That’s a recipe for a serious boating
accident. For more information contact:
www.legislature.state.al.us/house/house.html.
Tow rig economy
Today, if you buy a family boat,
it might mean you also have to have a tow rig big enough to pull
your boat and haul your gear. This means an SUV or a pick-up truck.
All, known for towing power, but not economical fuel mileage. After
market products to improve power and economy are now readily
available.
One such product is to replace
your standard air filter with a lifetime K&N filter. They are more
expensive than the throw-away replacement filter but will give you
10 percent more power and better economy. You save in the long run.
K&N has over 500 high-flow kits available so check one out for your
tow rig. Check at 888-686-5787 or
www.autoanything.com.
Another improvement is to change
the chip in the ignition module. Superchips manufactures chips that
will increase power and efficiency for both gas and diesel tow-rigs,
and from what I read it’s a significant increase. Contact:
www.superships.com or 1-800-501-5615.
Banks Engineering manufacturer’s
kits that will increase horsepower, mid-range performance, and
economy. They have the Dynometer figures and charts on improved
horsepower and economy on the many kits. They have designs
specifically for your type of tow-rig. for instance, a F-250 Ford
four-wheel drive kit price is around $3,000. If you are mechanically
inclined you could most likely install it yourself. The instruction
manual is informative and easy to follow, and technical assistance
is only a phone call away. If you need to take it to a mechanic for
installation, Banks can suggest qualified mechanics across the
country. Not only is there a significant increase in horse power and
torque, but installing it results in better fuel mileage. Check
www.bankspower.com for information or to review a Dynometer
chart of your tow-rig. You might want to check if it will affect
your warranty to see if any non factory installation is prohibited.
These applications can also be used for recreation vehicles.
Boating safety
It’s that time of the year
again, when we should read some safety tips to keep ourselves and
our guests safe while boating.
• Check the weather, be a fair
weather sailor, don’t try and beat storm warnings.
• File a float plan so someone
ashore will know you are on time or overdue.
• Acquaint your guests where
PFDs and safety gear is stowed.
• Have all children on board
wear properly fitting PFDs.
• Teach someone besides yourself
how to monitor V.H.F. channel 16 in case of emergency.
• Plot your cruise ahead of time
and know your way points, also take paper charts just in case.
• Maintain a proper watch.
• Carry a first aid kit and show
guests where it is.
• Try to arrive at your
destination before dark.
• If you are unsure of your
position, stop and sort it out. Don’t waste fuel.
• If cruising the coastline
check your waterway guide for any obstacles you need to avoid. Carry
a handheld water proof VHF radio. They are well worth the $200 cost.
If going offshore have a locator beacon.
• Know your position in case of
emergency.
• When docking have guests stay
seated and have a designated fender and line handler.
• Wear a PFD in foul weather.
• Review the rules of the road.
• Respect no wake zones.
• Use common sense.
• Remember that if you are in
traffic with larger boats and you can’t see the other skipper, then
he can’t see you. There is an old saying “tonnage rules,” or “might
has right.”
Remember that boating should be
a pleasant experience where all aboard are comfortable and safe. If
you get in a situation with a lot of traffic and are not sure what
other boats will do, slow down and stay safe until the traffic
clears. Keep a good maintenance log throughout the season so proper
maintenance will be performed on time. Most of all have fun on the
water, whether it’s cruising, fishing or water sports.
Fun with the stars
If you cruise on a clear night,
most probably you are fascinated by all the stars and constellations
– Big and Little Dipper, Sirius, Orion – but what about the others.
They have star charts, but they are not easy to use, and cost more
than they are worth. So new to the market for people who are curious
about the heavens is a new gizmo call “My Sky Star Tracker,”
nicknamed “Cosmic Charlie.”
It is easy to use. “My Sky”
resembles a small portable drill. Hold the pistol grip, aim its
illuminated sights at a star and pull the trigger. The full-color
LCD screen shows you a close-up image of the star, and a voice in
your ear buds will tell you everything you’d want to know about that
particular heavenly body.
The “My Sky” can also work
backward; pick a star or constellation you want to find and press a
button. On screen, an arrow will lead you to your request, or you
can take the “tour” – an option where “My Sky” will guide you to
objects of interest visible in the sky.
The instrument is made by Meade
(a company of telescope fame); “My Sky” combines a G.P.S. unit with
magnets to register vertical angle and is perfect for family fun
when boating at night. It gets six hours of use from four AA
batteries, and can be updated from the company’s website. The cost
is $299 for this educational astronomy machine, or Buck Rogers Ray
Gun. Visit
www.meade.com/mysky. You might need two of them once everyone
on board learns how to use it.
Babies on board
Protecting babies from injuries
on board is hard to do. When they are asleep they are angels, but
when they wake up they want attention or want to crawl around. For
boating parents with youngsters, a company called BTVco offers Air
Crib, an innovative infant travel bed that goes from storage sack to
inflated min-crib in just a few minutes. Most boaters should be
able to find a 40x32 inch space on board that’s in the shade. It
would be perfect in a salon or stateroom. It weighs under 10 pounds.
This might be just what active parents with infants are looking for.
Price is $99. For more information visit:
www.aircrib.com.
Maintenance advice
If you’re not using your boat as
often this year I would advise adding the “new” Sta-Bil to your fuel
tank. Fuel with ethanol added goes bad very quickly and can do fuel
line and engine damage. So protect your boat’s engine and avoid
repair costs.
Practice safe boating, be
courteous and I’ll see you on the water.
Mike Rudderham is a veteran marine
surveyor with more than 40 years experience in the marine industry.
mike@lakesidenews.com
|
