ScarabChris

Here in South Florida most properties don't have the space for a steel garage to hold a 38' rig. Not to mention most cities or communities will not allow it. And if you live on the water the reason is to have the convienence of the boat being ready to go. So a storage garage would defeat that purpose anyway. So what do we do? Well these days you shoule have a GPS tracking device in your boat so that if it moves from its spot you get a phone call, email, text or all of the above. Then from your phone or computer you can instantly locate the boat and alert the police. These systems work, I have one. I also live on the water with my boat docked right out back. I have a thick cable lock securing the boat to the dock. But the bottom line is that if they want it they will get it....even if its in a steel garage. The thieves don't usually just cruise the berbs looking for boats. They spot them out on the water, at marinas or on the road. Then they either tail the boat to see where its kept or they record the registration numbers and do a trace to see who owns it and his address. The crooks also cruise boating and fishing forums like this and others where people that are proud of their boats post pictures of them. And believe it or not most people don't blur out the registration numbers or tag numbers of the trailer and thats how the boat is located. Yes...its tough and expensive to own a "target boat" down here, but its all worth it. Especially if I can actually catch some dirt bag trying to steal my boat. He will leave in a body bag or an ambulance.

So did the guy decline the $300 tow and just get lucky that you happen to be there to tow him in? Because let me tell you.......if I were stuck on the water at night with no sign of help even $3000 would be worth the tow.

Yeah there is a nice ad on the back of this months Boating mag. It looks like a sweet boat. I wish I had the $450K to buy it.

Welcome aboard Tom. Looking forward to knocking back a few in Bimini with you and Springer next year.

I like the idea of the chlorine tabs in the strainer but that wouldn't help the problem I am having because the section of pipe with the growth is before the strainer. On another note. For the first time my boat bottom was loaded with barnicles. My boat is bottom painted and where my dock is the water is mostly fresh and I have never had a barnicle or muscle or anything grow on the bottom. But last Saturday I ran the boat and couldn't get more than 5000 RPMs out of the engines. I thought engine problem or something. But when we got to the local sand bar I jumped in to find that the entire bottom of my boat was loaded with barnicles. The boat has been in the water at this location for 6 years and never any growth, now all of a sudden there is growth. Granted my boat was due for a bottom recoat but I have let the paint wear away much more than it is now and never any growth. I think the water is different this summer than in the past 5 summers. Maybe the water is warmer and/or saltier.

I would agree with your entire statement. I heard that these zebra muscles are becoming a real problem. They weren't native to the US but were carried in from other countries on the bottom of ships. Now they are infesting our fresh and brackish waters.

http://sz0121.wc.mail.comcast.net/service/...t=2#265,1,Slide 1

Yeah there is a strainer/scoop on the hull bottom and there is an inline strainer with a very fine screen. But they didn't get sucked in, they grew in there. They were also all in the strainer and in the pump inlet too.

So for a while now I couldn't seem to get much pressure out of the AC circulation pump. I racked my brains going through the system but found no obvious problems. Today I decided to cut the pipe out between the thru hull seacock where the pump pulls raw water and the pump and this is what I found. I would never have looked at this first because I just re-piped the system about 7 months ago when I put in a new pump and strainer. Needless to say its flowing like crazy now. This time I put a quick disconnect at the pump and the seacock so I can pull that section of pipe out to clean it. Damn Zebra muscles..

Sorry to hear about your buddy Wiley. I have had to put a couple of dogs and cats down over the years and its never easy. And I know how those dogs are, my father has a yellow lab and hes a sweetheart.

Amazing, wonder why Teleflex treated me so bad over a bad helm pump. The level of customer service I recieved was a -10

I have Good Year Eagle GSE 285/50/20 on 20" X 10" rims. The stance on my Chevy Silverado is tough, it handles like a sports car. I also lowered the rear end 2". That wheel and tire package isn't cheap though. The tires alone are pushing $900.00.

Yeah I'm going to do it. I have a guy working me up an estimate now.

Ok so my upholstery is reaching the end of its usable life....while looking decent anyway. Curently its all white with blue trim (cord). When it was new and even for the first year or so it looked great. But over time it just starts to look dingy and no matter how much you scrub it it never looks as white. So this time around I was thinking of doing it in some color similar to the Concept boat pictured below. I was thinking a light grey with blue cording. I think it would look sharp and easy to keep clean...or at least easy to make it look clean. I know the downside, it will be hot in the sun. But I have an answer for that too....good! That will keep the bare butts and backs with tanning oil and sun screen off of it. Thats what destroyed it anyway. Opinions?

Eight years ago and it seems like yesterday. Lets remember all those lost on September 11, 2001

You mean.....like a bunny rabbit with a pancake on his head? Come on man....that video is funny as hell and it was made for that purpose, to make people laugh.

Holy crap, thats a pro if I have ever seen one. I see the real key here, the knife is no joke. Large wide blade instead of the traditional long thin blade. And razor freakin sharp. He is also skipping a step, pulling the skin off. But I'm sure that would only add 3 seconds to his routine. LOL

Man!......sign of the current times. Can you imagine if they canceled the Ft Lauderdale show?

Hey David, I got the camera today and its great, very easy to use and nice and small just as you described. We are already using it and even my wife can work it...LOL. Thanks for all the help you provided, it made the desision process very easy for me and the price was right. Thanks again! If anyone needs a camcorder give DJWILLIAMS a shout. I highly recomend him. Who needs that rat race at Best Buy? I believe he deals in all types of audio and video equipment.

Until high tide. Yeah thats a lot of crap in such a small boat. probably sunk due to a not working bilge pump.

LOL....you know he has a few Rolex's and Breitlings too. A friend of mine has an Invicta......though I didn't know it until yeaterday. He wore it out on his boat and I ran into him at the local sand bar. His is the all "gold" submariner type. I held it in my hand and it seems like a solid watch. But it didn't have much weight to it for its size. My two tone Rolex submariner is a smaller watch in size but weight almost twice as much.

Agreed....not to mention a better top end due to the added HP. They will also be much quieter, almsot silent compared to the Merc EFIs, no smoke and no shaking. Actually its apples to oranges.

Not at the moment but there is rumor that Merc will have a 400 Verado and Yamaha will have a 400 V8. But the way the economy is it might be a while before we see them hit the market.

I have learned that those "power protection plans" from Best Buy, Circuit City, ect are worthless. Its just one last way for them to get an extra 50 bucks out of you. They will ALWAYS try to wiggle out of replacing the product. I always tell them to stick that "power protection plan" where the sun doesn't shine. Thenagain I haven't bought anything from those big electronics retailers in years. I always go online to do my research and purchasing. This way I can avoid the sales hole trying to make commission by selling me every little thing.

I think two 16 GB cards will be a good start. I can always order more as I need them.