returning to boating or at least floating.

[jonesg]

I haven't been on iboats for at least 10 years, had to sell my boat when we lost a place to park it , storage in Boston was a problem and expensive.

But I retired 3 years ago and moved to Northern Maine, lots of lakes here.
I've been hanging on to a 1959 johnson 10hp, figgered I'll build a skiff, but I came across a 1983 14 foot starcraft tinny in the farmers yard next door and he dropped it off this morning for me. No trailer but I'll just put it on my utility trailer, it fits with the trailer headboard removed, it will be ok locally, no long road trips. Lots of big lakes nearby with landlock and lake trout.
Spent the day rebuilding carb but I hope to be on the water soon checking it out.

I read an article once how a guy had graduated through the 2 footitis until he owned something bigger than he could deal with, the extra costs of maintainance and winterizing took its toll.
He got a tin boat and found he was boating a whole lot and working on boats almost never.
I've experienced that although I only made it to 20 feet, it was enough. One transom job was interesting but sufficient for me.

I notice the cost of some electronics have dropped, the lowrance hook2 4 looks nice for $114..
For now I think I'll just keep it simple.
Nice to be back boating again.

 

[roscoe]

Welcome back, you need something bigger than a Hook4 if your eyes are getting like mine. LOL.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I can not suggest that someody purchase a Lorance depth finder. If you want a unit that looses depth indication at anything above idle speed and can not display accurately if the weeds are above sparce Lorance is the unit for you.

 

[Texasmark]

I thought my boating days were over when I rolled 75 and donated my boat to the local fire-rescue service. After a couple of years I realized I made a mistake. Never left I boats, but last summer I got back into boating. The boat I sold and the used boat I recently bought were both aluminum.....nice maintenance free material. I bought the little Hummingbird 4"color single function display for $99 and really like it. Easier to read than the old black and white Hook 5 I think it was that came with the 17 year old boat.

On the 1959 Johnson 10 hp, engines of that type that spent their days rattling around in the back of somebody's truck, or in their car trunk had a bad habit of damaging the shifting lever. After buying one with such a problem, and couldn't get the parts nor had the mechanical skills to do the repair at the time (a teenager), I always stowed my carry along engines with the tiller handle down. I think that Johnson copper and white or whatever color they called it was one of their prettiest colors. The clamshell cowlings were a real clever design. The 35 hp Javelin was a trophy to be displayed.

 

[jonesg]

I thought my boating days were over when I rolled 75 and donated my boat to the local fire-rescue service. After a couple of years I realized I made a mistake. Never left I boats, but last summer I got back into boating. The boat I sold and the used boat I recently bought were both aluminum.....nice maintenance free material. I bought the little Hummingbird 4"color single function display for $99 and really like it. Easier to read than the old black and white Hook 5 I think it was that came with the 17 year old boat.

On the 1959 Johnson 10 hp, engines of that type that spent their days rattling around in the back of somebody's truck, or in their car trunk had a bad habit of damaging the shifting lever. After buying one with such a problem, and couldn't get the parts nor had the mechanical skills to do the repair at the time (a teenager), I always stowed my carry along engines with the tiller handle down. I think that Johnson copper and white or whatever color they called it was one of their prettiest colors. The clamshell cowlings were a real clever design. The 35 hp Javelin was a trophy to be displayed.

I thought you gonna write you thought better and stole your old boat back.
I don't miss my old heavy glass boat, I miss boating , which I didn't get a chance to do much of.

Those clamshell engine covers are rather art deco , wish mine had that look, but I'll settle for a good runner if possible.
I screwed up every motorbike engine I touched when I was younger, now I read instructions.

I installed new coils, points etc, water pump was missing all its vanes.
Heres a quick video 90 second video I made of my hull sitting on the grass and the carb teardown.
I think the float has got to go but I'll test run it as is for now, no rush , we got 4 inches of snow 2 days ago..
Let me know if you see anything amiss with the carb, I blew it out , seems ok.
https://youtu.be/3CGRGXp6-hg

 

[jonesg]

I can not suggest that someody purchase a Lorance depth finder. If you want a unit that looses depth indication at anything above idle speed and can not display accurately if the weeds are above sparce Lorance is the unit for you.

Considering I fly fish only, don't own a spinning rod, its not likely I'll be getting into electronics, so never mind.