vernon

I like the way you think. Done.

Man, I love it when you speak common sense in ways that even I can understand it! It flat makes my head hurt to read or listen to some of the conversations about motors, props, rpm's, hole shot, lift, top end, etc. However and since my Z521 and G2 does all three of the things you've outlined here about as perfectly as I could ever imagine I think I'll quit thinking about it now. Heck, I might even take a nap......

So how does this jive with Johnny blowing up all non-Mercury sales and service at both Bass Pro and Cabela's? To the uninformed and naive (me) it would seem as if he's painting himself into a corner here as are all of the other Mercury exclusive dealers. Does this mean that Evinrude and Yamaha might actually win out in this deal? Signed, Dazed and confused in KC

That's what I would have recommended. Yeah, right...........

Batteries have befuddled me for several eternities now no matter if it be outboard batteries, trolling motor batteries, tow vehicle batteries or, most recently, golf cart batteries. And, every single time I've suspected a battery that is under warranty of failing and take it somewhere to be load tested I have gotten the exact same answer - "It tests just fine." - only to take it home and have it still not work properly so I replace 'em out of my own pocket. Just last week and after two years of arguing I finally convinced the place where I bought my golf cart to test my batteries for the THIRD time because they flat out didn't perform anywhere near what they were supposed to. FINALLY the guy says that, "Yeah, two of the six are pretty much dead." and they replaced them under the remaining warranty. Unfortunately, I know about as much about batteries as I do everything else in life so I'm pretty much at their mercy. Heck, I've been trying to figure out how to use the $80 voltmeter sitting on my workbench for about ten years now and still can't so much as tell if flashlight batteries are good or not until the light goes out! Thanks, Wrench for this little tutorial - I don't know if it will help somebody as lost as I am but it can't hurt! And I sure never knew that operating an electric motor with dying batteries would damage to the device. Good stuff.

I tend to agree with Wrench (scarily, most always and on most anything) and only wish that I had started thinking for myself regarding Evinrude many years ago. I had become so indoctrinated with the Mercury cool aid that I couldn't see the forrest for the trees. For over thirty years whenever I was shopping for a new boat I would ask the dealer about Evinrude and would immediately be met with a reaction as though I'd insulted their great grandmother's very heritage. Evinrude was junk, unserviceable and don't bring that crap anywhere near my precious Mercury's! In fact, a Ranger dealership in Sedalia once told me that they didn't allow Evinrude's on their lot and that they would appreciate it if I didn't bring my existing Ranger with its nasty old Yamaha back again. I thought they were joking but they were not. The guy said that they would be happy to sell me a new Ranger with a Merc but would not so much as make me an offer on a trade for my Ranger with a Yamaha because they would never be able to sell it (at any price) and that no one within 500 miles would service it. And to think that Evinrude was even worse! I was shocked but I guess I at least somewhat believed it and bought only Merc's after that - although certainly not from them. Two years ago, I bought my current Z521 and insisted on a G2. Again, I was told that I was crazy, that resale would be zip and I'd be lucky to find service anywhere within a days drive. Nonetheless, after 63 years on this earth I had finally learned to spend my money on what I want and bought the boat with a G2 from Cablea's in Kansas City. Alas, in January I was informed that upon purchasing Cabela's, Mr. Morris had torn up the contract with Evinrude and that they would no longer be able to provide service for my Evinrude and that I would now have to take it to Smithville - nearly an hour away when Cabela's is ten minutes from my house. Russian conspiracy theory? I don't know how Evinrude has even managed to stay in business when considering this Mercury dominance/monopoly attitude that's so prevalent among boat dealers but I'm beyond satisfied with my G2 and it is BY FAR the best outboard I've ever owned. Obviously, I can't speak from experience regrading the older Evinrudes but I can speak from experience when recommending that after doing your due diligence that you think for yourself and don't listen to all the anti Evinrude propaganda!

Thanks to both of you and whenever possible, club 'em anyways!

Yep, I couldn't agree more. Included in what I had taken was a bunch of lures that had belonged to my dad. I didn't really use them much - in fact, most of them not at all but they always kind of gave me a sense that a part of him was still along with me in the boat. In fact, I always keep a tube of the old original Pringle potato chips in the boat for that same reason. Dad thought that Pringle's were more important than hooks and line! But, now that stuff is gone for forever and for what? A quick buck? I just hope whoever stole our stuff actually needed it that much more than you and I did.

As someone who can literally "feel your pain" I'm beyond sorry to hear that. About 90% of ALL my lures and terminal tackle was stolen a little over four years ago and I still can't believe how difficult it was to try and get it replaced. In fact, I've still not even come close to putting Humpty Dumpty all the way back together again and doubt that I ever really will. Thanks to many of the great guys on this forum I was able to solicit some pretty valuable advice on how to go about starting the process but at least a couple times every year I still find myself looking for something in the boat that just ain't there anymore. About fifteen years ago I had my golf bag stolen and at first felt the same angst. However, thanks to the insurance coverage, it turned out to be no big deal and I actually was able to upgrade all my stuff in a way I wouldn't have been able to afford to otherwise. Losing years worth of fishing tackle is no where near the same deal - especially when you're talking about a bunch of near vintage, collector item type stuff like in your case. Abkeenan's correct in that rods and reels are more like golf clubs and can be pretty easily replaced whereas all that other stuff is gone forever and can virtually never be duplicated. Good luck buddy and a pox on all the thieves houses.

If I didn't already know what the Darwin Award was I'd say that that's just plain stupid. Yankees fan that doesn't speak English though so there's that.........

Problem is they're soon to be if not already outnumbered.

And time is money so just get some new ones ordered already. Heck, by my whacko reasoning you'll actually save money by simply buying more so get it out of the thinking stage and buy, buy, buy...... You'll be glad you did. Or at least I will.

Deal Schmeel. I typed in "Iovino Zoner" to see what this was all about and Tackle Warehouse naturally was the first site to pop up and then, of course, things started moving way too fast for me to even know what was happening much less control. When I'm on a mission from God (or in this case Bo) I can't be bothered with the additional time and effort required to bargain shop! I am not a smart man Jenny. But I know what fishing is.

Those guys were on the verge of building a plant about fifteen miles from our house until a pretty significant community uprising drove them to Tennessee. As I understand it, the city "leaders" in Tonganoxie had struck up a sweetheart deal with them (under the cover of darkness of course) and when it became public the locals went nuts. Thankfully. Unfortunately, Tyson can afford to pay a couple of 2 million dollar fines every day of the week for forever and not even notice that its gone. Great "Americans" that they are and all. Hopefully the long term effects of this the Monett event can somehow be mitigated to the greatest extent possible.

Well, great. There went eighty bucks in the blink of any eye........

Champ and Donna graciously shared some information about these heads with me a couple of years ago (I think it was a couple of years but I already forgot if I had coffee or not this morning so who knows?) and I absolutely love 'em. In fact, they're all I've used since. And seein's how all my stuff got stolen not too long before that, they're all I've got in the boat now so the selection process is just the way I like it. In other words, should I use the bigger one or the littler one? Perfect for my semi-senile self! Thanks again guys!

Oh yeah. Now I remember. A few oldies although certainly not goodies from all too recent years.

Looks like that exaggerated forecast wasn't so crazy after all I guess. Hope everybody's OK and damage is minimal.

What's gonna happen when the spring rains get started?

I’m SO lucky that now I’m getting ads for Rosegal hoodies! Whatever those are. Maybe I’ll pick up a couple!

Tru dat! But fishins’ gettin’ closer.

Aw for cryin' out loud - how am I ever supposed to remember all of that now too? Fishins' getttin' to be as hard as golf!

All I know is that if the Ned bite is dead then I'm dead too! Without Ned my so called "fishing" trips would quickly become not much more than boat rides and golf. Might just have to sell the 'ol Ranger and get me one of those big posterior cabin cruisers and a couple jet skis! On second thought, Lord, take me now - I no longer have reason to live........

Whoopsie!

And you just started? Wow. Can't wait to see how you do with a little "experience"!