djsmarinelectronics
Well-known member
Now, I am no stranger to boating or fishing. I had an Ebbtide bass boat for about 15 years, 20 years ago, and I have recently decided to get back into fishing. Not know how much fishing I will actually get to do with all my other hobbies I decided to invest a less than modest amount in a boat for starters. I found an 1981 Astroglass 156 on an at least that old Tennessee Trailer with hydraulic brakes and an 80 Mariner for $1600.
Well, first off I had to get rid of the braking system, didn't really need it and Buoymaster assured me I didn't need hydraulic brakes for that small a boat. The trailer was really neglected and had worn out inner bearings on both sides. After beating both brake drums off I jerked out all the brake hardware and replaced all the inner and outer bearings; good to go. I had to add trailer lights to the old trailer and a pair of tires to make it comfortably road worthy.
I had to work on the fuel gauge that didn't work, replaced the fuel sending unit and get that squared away, cleared the line to the speedometer that was plugged up and we were on our way, I thought. I had evidently shorted out a fuse working on the fuel gauge. Now I had no power to the switch and the darn thing wqouldn't even turn over. No fuse block on the boat, had not a clue where to look for a fusible link. It took me two days to find that darn thing and replace the fuse. Ready to go again.
Replaced both batteries, one for the trolling motor and one for the starter. I want everything to be right when I hit the water.
It also has evidently a 1980 model hand steer Minn Kota trolling motor; the one where that has 3 reverse speeds and 5 forward speeds on the handle. The prop actually turns backward when you use reverse! I have never seen one that way.
Anyway I finally gete everything squared away, been working on this thing in my spare time for two weeks. I am going fishing!
I pull my boat with a partially restored 1968 Chevy El Camino. I get in my truck to get going and....nothing, the battery is completely dead, I just drove the thing last week. Luckily I had an old battery that still had some juice and I hooked it up. I back up to the boat, hook up, all lights work, and head out down the road. About three hundred yards at the bottom of the hill I get ready to turn out on Lee Pike and ....nothing, the truck won't pull, nothing but a slipping transmission. Luckily I get it across the street into a closed down store parking lot. No transmission fluid showing on the stick.
I walk back up the hill, to get my company car and drive to get some transmission fluid. About the time I get to my house I see a long streak of transmission fluid all the way out my driveway and down the street, not a good sign. I go anyway, nothing is going to stop me from getting to the lake!
Get back to the Chevy and an inspection shows a rubber transmission line hose clamp has mysteriously loosenend up, how in the world? Sabotage I think, but the wife didn't know I was going fishing!
I tghten the line back up, add a quart of tranny fluid to the old girl and we are off! Leaving the company car at the store, I can get it later, time is a wasting!
I finally get down to the Possum Creek boat ramp, dump the boat in the water, go to troll over to the dock.....no power to the trolling motor. Get out the paddle to get to the dock and think, I will just use the big motor to get me there......no keys in the ignition, still hanging in the garage. Geez, are you kidding me?
Paddle to the dock, tie it up, get in the truck and go back to the house. Luckily I only live a couple miles away. I now have my company car at the store, my boat tied to the dock and I am driving the truck back home with trailer in tow. How did this happen? The whole way home I am trying to figure out what in the world I could have done to the trolling motor. I gete the keys and go back to the boat. As I am getting back in the boat I notice why the trolling motor didn't work. On this boat, there is a button mounted on the front deck that you step on to power the darn thing. I had forgotten about the button, I was thinking you turn the handle and it goes, the thing worked fine the rest of the day.
Okay here we go, get in the cockpit and turn the ignition.....not so fast.....and off we went! The water was like glass, the breeze in my hair, the sun shining down, the smell of the water; I remember now why I liked fishing. It took me so long to get on the water, I only had about an hour and a half to fish. But I was not daunted through all my trials, the desire to catch a fish took me through them all and the good Loord did actually bless me with a fish. The first bass out of my "new to me" boat! Not a big fish mind you, but it made all the effort worth the trouble!
Well, first off I had to get rid of the braking system, didn't really need it and Buoymaster assured me I didn't need hydraulic brakes for that small a boat. The trailer was really neglected and had worn out inner bearings on both sides. After beating both brake drums off I jerked out all the brake hardware and replaced all the inner and outer bearings; good to go. I had to add trailer lights to the old trailer and a pair of tires to make it comfortably road worthy.
I had to work on the fuel gauge that didn't work, replaced the fuel sending unit and get that squared away, cleared the line to the speedometer that was plugged up and we were on our way, I thought. I had evidently shorted out a fuse working on the fuel gauge. Now I had no power to the switch and the darn thing wqouldn't even turn over. No fuse block on the boat, had not a clue where to look for a fusible link. It took me two days to find that darn thing and replace the fuse. Ready to go again.
Replaced both batteries, one for the trolling motor and one for the starter. I want everything to be right when I hit the water.
It also has evidently a 1980 model hand steer Minn Kota trolling motor; the one where that has 3 reverse speeds and 5 forward speeds on the handle. The prop actually turns backward when you use reverse! I have never seen one that way.
Anyway I finally gete everything squared away, been working on this thing in my spare time for two weeks. I am going fishing!
I pull my boat with a partially restored 1968 Chevy El Camino. I get in my truck to get going and....nothing, the battery is completely dead, I just drove the thing last week. Luckily I had an old battery that still had some juice and I hooked it up. I back up to the boat, hook up, all lights work, and head out down the road. About three hundred yards at the bottom of the hill I get ready to turn out on Lee Pike and ....nothing, the truck won't pull, nothing but a slipping transmission. Luckily I get it across the street into a closed down store parking lot. No transmission fluid showing on the stick.
I walk back up the hill, to get my company car and drive to get some transmission fluid. About the time I get to my house I see a long streak of transmission fluid all the way out my driveway and down the street, not a good sign. I go anyway, nothing is going to stop me from getting to the lake!
Get back to the Chevy and an inspection shows a rubber transmission line hose clamp has mysteriously loosenend up, how in the world? Sabotage I think, but the wife didn't know I was going fishing!
I tghten the line back up, add a quart of tranny fluid to the old girl and we are off! Leaving the company car at the store, I can get it later, time is a wasting!
I finally get down to the Possum Creek boat ramp, dump the boat in the water, go to troll over to the dock.....no power to the trolling motor. Get out the paddle to get to the dock and think, I will just use the big motor to get me there......no keys in the ignition, still hanging in the garage. Geez, are you kidding me?
Paddle to the dock, tie it up, get in the truck and go back to the house. Luckily I only live a couple miles away. I now have my company car at the store, my boat tied to the dock and I am driving the truck back home with trailer in tow. How did this happen? The whole way home I am trying to figure out what in the world I could have done to the trolling motor. I gete the keys and go back to the boat. As I am getting back in the boat I notice why the trolling motor didn't work. On this boat, there is a button mounted on the front deck that you step on to power the darn thing. I had forgotten about the button, I was thinking you turn the handle and it goes, the thing worked fine the rest of the day.
Okay here we go, get in the cockpit and turn the ignition.....not so fast.....and off we went! The water was like glass, the breeze in my hair, the sun shining down, the smell of the water; I remember now why I liked fishing. It took me so long to get on the water, I only had about an hour and a half to fish. But I was not daunted through all my trials, the desire to catch a fish took me through them all and the good Loord did actually bless me with a fish. The first bass out of my "new to me" boat! Not a big fish mind you, but it made all the effort worth the trouble!
