BAD day out of SC

Bad day of fishing is better than the Best day of work!!  (NOT!!!!)

Who ever dreamed up that bumper sticker never had a day like today.  We (Fred) launched early started run for the west side of the hole a qtr past 4am.  Our plan was early on, early off.  However, just past the mile bouy, the engine slows down, smoke bellows and I kill the motor.  

Appears to be over heated.  Really sucks to watch the rest of the boats head out and pass you (us) as the engine cools.  After  a while, we head in,  but it over heats again.  We decide to fish for butts while we are waiting, but this is like reliving the SC Derby all over again.

Bottom line, we make it back  to SC, only to get a rectal exam from the US Coast guard.  They ran the boat reg and both our ID’s in their database.  Took about 20 minutes to complete.  Finally get out the road and head off to a B-Day party dead tired.

What a bummer to not even wet a line for salmon.  On the way home from the party, a family friend calls to pick up some fish.  He fished Wed and Thurs for quick limits (12 fish and 14 fish), running their berthed boat from Moss to fish Monterey on the troll.  Said the party boats were on top of each other and hammering them as well, but on the mooch.  Funny, not a word on Coastside about this south bay bite, which is still on.  Every one and their mother is talking Soquel Hole, but that’s the second rate bite.

The real bummer was that I traded next Saturday’s rockfish trip for this one!  Oh well that’s how it goes.
PS, today's weather was fantastic.

Stuart

Sorry to hear about your motor problems.  It's yet another reminder why I prefer my kayaks over the aluminum boat I use to have.  I got rid of that piece of junk.  The motor was so unreliable.  I got stranded in the bay more than once.

Sorry Bro-nothing more frustrating than a "fun" day that goes sour.  

I totally agree with Chuck.  From our site...

Yes you could buy a used aluminum or inflatable boat for around for the price of the ultimate yak, but there won’t be anything ultimate about that boat. In fact, chances are good that you’ll be forking out a lot more money to keep that boat on the water.

Heck we used to have a BEAUTIFUL new 18 foot AL, and as nice as it was, it always needed something. If the boat didn't need love the trailer did.  The maint. and the 1.5 hour wash down took all of the fun out of it for me.  I miss it sometimes, but I greatly prefer the yak thing now a days.

When I'm rich enough to own a boat with a maintenance crew, then I'm all over it. Meanwhile, I can barely get around to patching my leaky yak. I can't even keep my lawn mower running!

hehehe!

We own a nice 19' fisher fishing boat but it seems like it is never ready to go out.  Always something that needs to be done to it.  That frustration is one of the things that lead me to get a yak.  Now I go fishing a lot more!

Damn... what a day!!! Stuie and I have had some crappy adventures together over the years but this one... whew. We haven't had a day like this one in a long time. We'll be able to laugh about down the road but now, DAMN!!! The cake topper were these a-holes laughing at us while they motored out to the fishing grounds. Insult to injury... you bet. Talk about brutal. Oh well, what can you do??? Except, hit them hard the next time out. Unlike Stuie, I WILL be out there next weekend. So, I'll be seeing you guys on the water. I got to put this memory behind me.

I agree the boat is a Pain in the A$$.  The cleaning, towing, launch lines and gas all suck big time.  But I'm a fishing Hoe , and will go to where the fish are.  Boat, kayak, spearfish or ???.  Any way, any how!!  (except kayak Ano).

Anyhoo, it will be interesting how much this thing will cost.  I'm not going to try to figure out where this impeller goes (assuming that's it).  I'll let the pros have at it on this one and cringe when I hand over the card.  I suspect that since this boat was stored in Truckee for several years, the cold temps may have made this part brittle faster, giving it a shorter than avg lifespan.

Fred,
I gave the little lady the long version and she felt sorry for us.  Can't believe it, but I'm going this Sat.  I'm so bummed/pissed over our trip, that WE might have to forgo rockfish for Salmon.  Then again, I talked to Sonny today and his bro fished Sat and today "around 20 miles" south of HMB for limits.  Might be possible to do a salmon/cod trip out of the "Hollow" or some where thereabouts.  Need to find out how deep/how far offshore they got em.

Pray for weather.  

Stuart

you have the honda 15hp right? My little 8.8 is a breeze to work on. Let me know if you need some help.

-Brian

Brian,
Yup, its a Honda 15, 4 stroke.

I appreciate the offer to crack it open.  Normally I'd jump on your offer, but a couple things are holding me back.  I'm not 100% sure what's wrong, and given my hectic family life at home, it would be very difficult to allocate time to work on it.

For now, it will sit on the sidelines.  

Take care,
Stuart