I have been plagued with problems getting my boat engine to start lately. I was able to use my non-existent mechanical skills to determine it was a fuel problem; not enough gas was getting to the engine. I could pump the primer bulb and she would start and run for a few seconds, then stop. So, I replaced the fuel filter and blew out the fuel line with a little low-pressure air. Then, she started and ran normally.
Okay, it's obvious I am not a mechanic, or even a weekend warrior in that area. So when I can solve a problem by myself, just me and my manual, it's a reason for celebration around here! besides, I just don't have the funds for a good mechanic (or a bad one, either).
The important thing is that the boat starts and runs great now! Bring on the fish!!!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
We have a new addition to our family!
It has been a while since I posted last, but I have been busy!!
My oldest son is a proud owner of a Benelli Super Nova shotgun in 12 gauge. For those not familiar with them, the Super Nova is a pump action that chambers all sizes of 12 gauge shells, from 2.75 inch to 3.5 inch magnums, interchangeably. The gun has a polymer stock and forearm, available in black or camouflage patterns. My son prefers the black as it suits his needs better than a single camo pattern.
We went to a nearby shooting range to try it out. The Super Nova has a recoil-reducing stock design that really works! We tried some Winchester small game loads shooting #6 shot at 1350 fps, as well as a box of light target loads. Recoil was non-existent. The gun was a real pleasure to shoot.
Unfortunately, neither one of us can hit any thing in the air, but we will be checking its pattern very soon. We had to shoot at the skeet range, which was not the best choice for us. Skeet looks like a lot of fun, but only if you can hit something once in a while. Skeet shooters all use a very open choke; of course, all we brought with us was the full choke tube…that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!
We both had a great time shooting that Benelli Super Nova. It was reliable right out of the box, but the chamber felt a little tight to me, as the empties were hard to shuck out. After another good cleaning, it should get easier to cycle. I told my son that when he is away I’ll be happy to look after his gun for him…until I can get one of my own!
My oldest son is a proud owner of a Benelli Super Nova shotgun in 12 gauge. For those not familiar with them, the Super Nova is a pump action that chambers all sizes of 12 gauge shells, from 2.75 inch to 3.5 inch magnums, interchangeably. The gun has a polymer stock and forearm, available in black or camouflage patterns. My son prefers the black as it suits his needs better than a single camo pattern.
We went to a nearby shooting range to try it out. The Super Nova has a recoil-reducing stock design that really works! We tried some Winchester small game loads shooting #6 shot at 1350 fps, as well as a box of light target loads. Recoil was non-existent. The gun was a real pleasure to shoot.
Unfortunately, neither one of us can hit any thing in the air, but we will be checking its pattern very soon. We had to shoot at the skeet range, which was not the best choice for us. Skeet looks like a lot of fun, but only if you can hit something once in a while. Skeet shooters all use a very open choke; of course, all we brought with us was the full choke tube…that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!
We both had a great time shooting that Benelli Super Nova. It was reliable right out of the box, but the chamber felt a little tight to me, as the empties were hard to shuck out. After another good cleaning, it should get easier to cycle. I told my son that when he is away I’ll be happy to look after his gun for him…until I can get one of my own!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Shotguns!!
I LOVE shotguns! Shotguns are, in my humble opinion, the most versatile firearm ever invented. It makes no difference if it is a semi auto, pump, over/under, side-by-side or a single shot…there is no task for a firearm that the shotgun can perform well, if not brilliantly. Having said all that, you would think that I am a pretty good shooter with a shotgun.
You would be wrong. So very, very wrong.
Okay, maybe not that bad. People are an easy mark (I was in law enforcement). If the shotgun has a sighting aid such as a red dot sight or a scope, I can burn up a deer or turkey with the best of them. If the target is on the ground and moving slowly, then I shoot pretty well.
Put me on a trap range, or a skeet field, and it’s just a waste of ammo.
So, that is my new quest, to learn how to hit flying targets with a shotgun with a lot more consistency than I am now. My wife and sons want to learn as well, so I hope to get the entire clan involved. Talk about quality time on a trap range, sporting clays course or a duck blind!!
I bought a clay target thrower so I can practice some in relative privacy. Mainly, the thrower can consistently throw a target the same way hundreds of times, which is what I need until I develop more coordination with my shotgun.
As my son became of legal age, my wife and I accompanied him on a rite of passage, his first purchase of a firearm. He had tried a Benelli Super Nova pump at a recent Ducks Unlimited show and he hit nearly everything they threw for him. So, he saved his paychecks and the after his birthday, he became a legal firearm owner. We all are aching to try it out!!
You would be wrong. So very, very wrong.
Okay, maybe not that bad. People are an easy mark (I was in law enforcement). If the shotgun has a sighting aid such as a red dot sight or a scope, I can burn up a deer or turkey with the best of them. If the target is on the ground and moving slowly, then I shoot pretty well.
Put me on a trap range, or a skeet field, and it’s just a waste of ammo.
So, that is my new quest, to learn how to hit flying targets with a shotgun with a lot more consistency than I am now. My wife and sons want to learn as well, so I hope to get the entire clan involved. Talk about quality time on a trap range, sporting clays course or a duck blind!!
I bought a clay target thrower so I can practice some in relative privacy. Mainly, the thrower can consistently throw a target the same way hundreds of times, which is what I need until I develop more coordination with my shotgun.
As my son became of legal age, my wife and I accompanied him on a rite of passage, his first purchase of a firearm. He had tried a Benelli Super Nova pump at a recent Ducks Unlimited show and he hit nearly everything they threw for him. So, he saved his paychecks and the after his birthday, he became a legal firearm owner. We all are aching to try it out!!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Jobs suck!
There. I said it. I kinda like my job, actually. It more or less pays the bills, but not at over $3.10 a gallon for regular gas. Life would be SO much better if I did not have to work, or if my job was to go hunting and/or fishing. But, I can't catch fish well enough for anyone to pay me to take them fishing, and my hunting skills are not in great demand either.
So, I sit in my little cubicle and write reports and letters...and watch the clock for quitting time to get here so I can go home and work on really important stuff, like getting my boat running properly and shopping for a new shotgun.
Maybe tomorrow I will have something intelligent to write...but I doubt it.
So, I sit in my little cubicle and write reports and letters...and watch the clock for quitting time to get here so I can go home and work on really important stuff, like getting my boat running properly and shopping for a new shotgun.
Maybe tomorrow I will have something intelligent to write...but I doubt it.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Oil prices killing water activities??
Oil prices, including diesel fuel and gasoline, are at record highs in the U.S. The high price of gas for both land vehicles and boats has reduced new boat sales over 40% since last year. Sure, owning a boat is still considered a "luxury"...but who would call a 14 ft. aluminum john boat and a 5 hp kicker a luxury model?
Okay, my boat is a bit bigger than that, but it is nowhere near the large end of the scale. We used about 20 gallons of gas in the boat last year, on 12 outings. My wife does not like to bounce around in the boat, so we keep the speed down. We don't water ski or pull tubes (yet), so we just went from place to place in a couple small lakes chasing fish. I have friends who use over a hundred gallons of gas DAILY in their boats. Needless to say, prices have cut their water time a lot, and the new boat is on hold for now.
I intend to use my boat MORE than I did last year. How can I do that? I plan to be more efficient with my money and my time.
Let's start with the boat. I have replaced the spark plugs and wires, cleaned out the carbs and changed the fuel filter for more reliability and a better running. A two-cycle engine like my boat has runs cleaner when it runs better, so everyone wins. I use less gas, make less pollutants, the boat is more reliable and safer when it is tuned its best.
I plan to change the propeller this year also. Right now the prop is a 24 inch pitch, which is pretty high for my setup. It maximizes top speed and gives a very good cruise speed. The down side is the boat is hard to get on plane, like starting your car on a hill - in 5th gear! it's great once you get moving, but getting going is really tough! Since I rarely run at wide open throttle (WOT), and getting on plane is a real struggle, I am going down to a 21 inch pitch prop, probably a four-blade model. The four-blade has a better reverse response, better handling at all speeds and better acceleration. I will sacrifice a little top speed, that I almost never use. Looks like a win-win situation to me.
Getting to the water takes gas too, so The Tank gets a tuneup also. A new air filter and fresh oil for the engine and transmission are in order. The Tank got new plugs just a few months ago, so they can stay. Tire pressure is a big deal now, as firm tires roll easier that flabby ones. You probably noticed it's about impossible to find a gas station that has a working air hose...so I now have a portable compressor that just plugs in an woo-hoo! Firm tires for both the truck and trailer!
Must not forget the trailer!!! New bearings for the old trailer, repacked every year at a minimum. If finances allow, it will get new tires also. trailer tires need to be kept well-inflated also, or you risk a blowout on the road. Murphy's Law guarantees the blow out will occur as far from help as possible, in a location your cell phone gets no signal and the spare will be flat, too (don't worry because the lug nuts won't come off anyway).
Lesson learned: take care of your stuff!!
Okay, so we have the rig at max efficiency. Now we have to work on being efficient of the other thing we spend a lot of - time. If we have no time to go boating, then we won't go. I know several folks that clearly have more than enough money to go, but have no time - so they say. Some are too busy earning all that dough in the first place, others just are not organized enough.
That would include me!! so, how do families like mine find more time?
Most folks have their time off on weekends and holidays. Okay, so the trick is to make sure nothing else can take over your days off. Looks like we have to make sure that EVERYTHING gets done during the week!
Keep your house clean. Get that laundry finished. Work in your yard after work until its too dark to see. Unless you would rather do it all on Saturday instead of fishing...
Okay, my boat is a bit bigger than that, but it is nowhere near the large end of the scale. We used about 20 gallons of gas in the boat last year, on 12 outings. My wife does not like to bounce around in the boat, so we keep the speed down. We don't water ski or pull tubes (yet), so we just went from place to place in a couple small lakes chasing fish. I have friends who use over a hundred gallons of gas DAILY in their boats. Needless to say, prices have cut their water time a lot, and the new boat is on hold for now.
I intend to use my boat MORE than I did last year. How can I do that? I plan to be more efficient with my money and my time.
Let's start with the boat. I have replaced the spark plugs and wires, cleaned out the carbs and changed the fuel filter for more reliability and a better running. A two-cycle engine like my boat has runs cleaner when it runs better, so everyone wins. I use less gas, make less pollutants, the boat is more reliable and safer when it is tuned its best.
I plan to change the propeller this year also. Right now the prop is a 24 inch pitch, which is pretty high for my setup. It maximizes top speed and gives a very good cruise speed. The down side is the boat is hard to get on plane, like starting your car on a hill - in 5th gear! it's great once you get moving, but getting going is really tough! Since I rarely run at wide open throttle (WOT), and getting on plane is a real struggle, I am going down to a 21 inch pitch prop, probably a four-blade model. The four-blade has a better reverse response, better handling at all speeds and better acceleration. I will sacrifice a little top speed, that I almost never use. Looks like a win-win situation to me.
Getting to the water takes gas too, so The Tank gets a tuneup also. A new air filter and fresh oil for the engine and transmission are in order. The Tank got new plugs just a few months ago, so they can stay. Tire pressure is a big deal now, as firm tires roll easier that flabby ones. You probably noticed it's about impossible to find a gas station that has a working air hose...so I now have a portable compressor that just plugs in an woo-hoo! Firm tires for both the truck and trailer!
Must not forget the trailer!!! New bearings for the old trailer, repacked every year at a minimum. If finances allow, it will get new tires also. trailer tires need to be kept well-inflated also, or you risk a blowout on the road. Murphy's Law guarantees the blow out will occur as far from help as possible, in a location your cell phone gets no signal and the spare will be flat, too (don't worry because the lug nuts won't come off anyway).
Lesson learned: take care of your stuff!!
Okay, so we have the rig at max efficiency. Now we have to work on being efficient of the other thing we spend a lot of - time. If we have no time to go boating, then we won't go. I know several folks that clearly have more than enough money to go, but have no time - so they say. Some are too busy earning all that dough in the first place, others just are not organized enough.
That would include me!! so, how do families like mine find more time?
Most folks have their time off on weekends and holidays. Okay, so the trick is to make sure nothing else can take over your days off. Looks like we have to make sure that EVERYTHING gets done during the week!
Keep your house clean. Get that laundry finished. Work in your yard after work until its too dark to see. Unless you would rather do it all on Saturday instead of fishing...
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