Next step in fixing up the old boat!

[Alaskageek]

Howdy All!   Hope you're finding time and open launches with some nice weather sprinkled in to get out and enjoy the water.  Hope to be joining you all soon..... staying at least 6 ft away!!

Got the boat back from LSK in Lebanon  last Saturday.  Then quickly "redneck" mounted by new Humminbird Helix 7 and launched outta Wheatland  to see how she was running and get out for a bit.  

Got about 100 yards from the launch and opened her up, only to have the motor bog out........ couldn't get up on step.  Powered down, did a quick check and tried again = same thing.  Also noticed the water flow out the side of the motor, which is normally a steady stream, look more like a guy with a swollen prostrate trying to pee.  Opened up the motor and determined LSK had neglected to put a hose clamp where it was needed.  Looked in my toolbox, but no clamp small enough for the hose.  Hose would stay on at idle or just a little above, but anymore than that, it would pop off.  

Figured I was just going to be slowly trolling around anyway, not going too far from the launch, mainly playing with the Helix, plus wanted to see if the original issue I took the motor in for, sputtering/dying at idle throttle in gear, had been fixed.   Well....... it sorta was.......  it would stay running at idle speed in gear, but it was rough, rough.  She spits and sputters and shutters but doesn't die, so I guess they sorta fixed it.   

To say I'm a little disappointed in LSK is an understatement, especially after the $400 bill.   Would not recommend them and will be looking for another shop that services Honda outboards for this winters maintenance.  

Helix 7 was everything I have been dreaming about for years!  Definitely going to take some time to get it tuned in , as well as get some experience interpreting DI, SI and sonar images, after working off an 8bit piece of crap for so long. Also think my "redneck' mount of the transducer needs some work as I seem to be getting quite a bit of interference, but plan to remount it all as I' working on the deck overhaul.   Even on a three hour trip just around Wheatland, it has opened up a whole new view of the lake, that I had only been guessing about!  Never found any big schools of fish, but did run over a few dozen big balls of bait fish, and found some single fish.  Biggest concentration of game fish I found was just outside of Galmey Cove on the dock side in about 40 fow, hanging about 25 ft down.  

Came off the lake, found a small clamp and clamped the hose the LSK had forgotten to.  Have pulled the boat under cover, and started to remove things outta it.  Have all the supplies ordered for the deck overhaul and cleaning.  Hope to knock that out in a week or two.... maybe even less if work lets me start working from home.  Hope to have it done and back on the water before Turkey season and crappie spawn sets off.

Stay safe and get out on the water or in the woods or both!!!

 

[MOPanfisher]

Things happen, I would have called Wayne the Wizard and bet that he would have been on the way from.Lebanon with a clamp, apology and cold drink as apology.  They are good people.  Wish I could get out and splash around.

[Ranger520vx]

Glad you're getting it all worked out. I've managed to get out a few times and catch a few bass in the last week. Those fish in  the channel of Galmey cove you were seeing are there all year long .