Tuesday, July 15, 2014

One of the best days of my life, or why I sold my boat

Everyone knows the old saying "the two best days in a boat owners life are the day he bought it and the day he sold it". I bought my latest boat a couple of years ago. Great boat with a 50hp 4 cycle. It was boat number six for me. It will be last. Right, last until I buy another... 

It got great mileage on the water, around 15mpg. Rode nice, drew little water, and was easy to handle. That's the good stuff.
Why I sold it came down to a couple of factors: 12mpg towing mileage and ease of fishing. Launching and retrieving it was a little hassle, but not too bad. Only had to climb in and out 3 or 4 times each way.

What really did it for me was what it took to fish out of it:
  • Get to the fishing area, drop the anchor or trolling motor
  • Catch a fish
  • Land the fish, usually on the floor of the boat
  • Bend over, unhook the fish
  • Open the ice chest, put the fish in
  • Stand back up, cast
  • Repeat
  • Tides or current changing, pull anchor, move boat either by trolling motor or motor
  • Set anchor
  • Fish some more

Not a really big deal, but hey I'm old!

Kayak fishing:
  • Hook up trailer to my VW diesel, 40mpg towing
  • Launch kayak, usually off side of the road - Slayer has a wheel on the back
  • Paddle 10 - 150 feet
  • Maybe stab the stake out pole, maybe not
  • Cast, catch fish
  • Land in between legs
  • Turn around, put fish in bag
  • Repeat
  • Pull stake out pole, move 10-150 feet
  • Fish some more


I would come home from a boat trip completely exhausted. Kayak trips are much more relaxing for me.

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