Definitely post up some pics.
First, Johnnyt asked if my boat will go 70 mph. Not quite, more like 63 tops, but that's still plenty fast on the water for me. Even with all of its power (and there's lots of +mods on this engine & jet), the hull design is wide and flat for max stability so it's like you're pushing a dock down the river (maybe a slight exaggeration
). The original intended military use was for roadways (quick bridges) across bodies of water. These hulls were completely bare inside and they would pin two hulls, transom to transom, then place two more alongside those, then two more, and again and again, repeating this as many times as needed until they made it across the other shore. Then they would fasten what would become the flat roadway surface to the top of these hulls. And voila, a bridge was born. You probably have seen these in the old army movies where a bridge gets blown up and they need to build a bridge to make it across, everything from foot soldiers to tanks.
Joey, regarding bathing folks with the roostertail, it's a regular part of my routine. I have a short movie clip of where I nearly blew my 33 yo son off a dock when taking off. Yes, on purpose. The funniest example was a few years ago there were three buddies plus me on board and we were leaving a quiet cove when I throttled up making a gentle turn to starboard and the boys began yelling to me that I just drenched a guy who, I swear, was probably 125 feet away on shore painting on an easel. Completely unintended, I got him good.
That story still comes up every now and then and these guys rib me over wondering whether the guy was painting a watercolor. That he may not have started out with one but he sure finished with one. I did go to apologize, he wasn't happy. :angry:As for turning, as long as you're on throttle, spraying water, you can turn well, however, never as responsive as a boat with a propeller. You do lose steerage without throttle but it's really not a big deal to get used to.
Another unique feature is, all that keeps the hull tracking in the water are a total of 6, 2 inch strakes (ribs) on the underside so, imagine this: I can be doing, say, 50 mph going straight down the lake and then go max throttle and cut the steering wheel all the way to one side and the boat will actually do pirhouettes, spinning and spraying. It's a real sight! :grin:
For me the best attribute is the shallow draft. This boat can go at speed, in just 12" of water allowing me to get into areas that most others can not. Except maybe kayaks.
There is one tidal area where I fish that, depending on the tide, there can be as much as a 10 foot strip of mud and gravel, no water. No problem, just get up some speed, get real close and then shut her down, skim over the dry spot and you're back in business. I do get some interesting looks. :wink:
Enough boat talk.
When you are as good at something as you are, Joey (and Johnny, too), and it has been such a big part of your life, it makes sense that all diversions that may come your way, the good ones and the bad, can distract you for a while but, ultimately, you come back like Jay said, "for the millionth time".
So, I guess, Tight Lines & Good Rolls. :thumbup:
Best,
Brian kc
The pool gods don't want me fishing right now so I brought the boat and motor in for a little TLC. Probably get a water pump replaced while they are checking for compression leaks in the seals. The little screws that hold the lower unit oil in didn't have their needed O-Rings and must have disintegrated (both of them). Or maybe Buffalo Billiards sabotaged them. 1:30 pm the free handicapped one pocket tournament starts so I guess I will be there while the boat is in the repair shop. :embarrassed2:
