Checking in/boat update

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Matt
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Checking in/boat update

Post by Matt »

Hey everyone, I've been trying to keep up with the forums once in a while but can't ever find the time to post.

I spent alot of time fishing this Spring and caught a ton of fish, but for the last two months I haven't made it out much for a ton of reasons.

I had my mind set on a new boat this Winter and started looking this Spring, then we got hit with a huge bill after finding out we had to replace our water supply line when we lost water pressure one day. We had to bore under the road and hook up to a "newer" water supply. However the water supply was privately owned by Richard Deso. Turns out, he installed a new pipeline along the road avout 25 years ago and let people hook up for a fee of $2500.

I contacted him and long story short, found out exactly why many of my neighbors hate him so much. He wouldn't let us hook up for a penny less than $3,500. That included absolutely no work, simply a hook-up fee! Yeah what a great guy. I wish we had other options, but we didn't.

Long story short, the final cost when it was all said and done pretty much threw the idea of buying a "new" new boat out the window. So I looked everyday on craigslist at boats until I found one in good enough shape that fit my needs and ran well. It was luckily right in Colchester and I was luckily the first person to call "dibs" on it.

Within a few days of talking, I had the boat out on the water and was handing the owner a check and towed the boat home!

It's an 01' Bass Tracker Pro XT 175 with a 40 hp 2 stroke oil injected(Will probably ask for frostbite tips when I take it out in Oct-Dec for lakers to prevent any ice damage) and the previous owner had owned it since 05 and it has been very well taken care of. The thing that I thought was cool was that the flooring and all the compartments are all aluminum, not wood that will rot over time. I've only managed to take it out once since taking it home, but it was great actually having a boat with some power to cover water. Doesn't quite go as shallow as my old flat bottom, but surprisingly close!

I replaced the trolling motor with my Minn Kota, replaced wheels, bought a fitted cover and am now looking at replacing the fishfinder...

I was looking at the Helix 5 with Navionics+, anyone have experience with it?? I will probably post more when I can actually start taking it out once work frees me up, but I'm excited to be able to cover water now!

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Reelax
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by Reelax »

Wow I thought you got lost....

Nice boat... Gonna put riggers on it???
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Matt
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by Matt »

Not lost just snared by lifes obstacles....riggers probably not but maybe a little trolling next walleye season. I saw your boat on 89 a while back...that is a sweet rig!
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fishy1
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by fishy1 »

matt it stinks what happened to you with the water but you now have a boat and it looks pretty awsome. now get back on the water and welcome back to the forum. your future is bright so a new boat i see will be in your future. :)
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Hairbone
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by Hairbone »

Best of luck on the new rig!. We just picked up a 16' stick steer panfish rig. Let us know if you comming south and i will get Matty and we can have a battle of the panfish.
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Vtmopar
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by Vtmopar »

nice looking boat looks real clean. its hard to find a good used boat.
took me 2 years, i picked up mine last fall.
wanted a new boat but maybe next time once the kids are a little older.
enjoy your boat.
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Bearcat
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by Bearcat »

Congratulations on the new boat. Too bad I didn't live closer. Had I known about your situation, I could have run the drill rig over and drilled you a new well, possibly for less money than what you paid that guy, then you could have bought more gear, maybe some down riggers and told him to stick his $3500 fee in his ear ;) , Good luck this season and see you on the lake!
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Matt
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by Matt »

Vtmopar wrote:nice looking boat looks real clean. its hard to find a good used boat.
took me 2 years, i picked up mine last fall.
wanted a new boat but maybe next time once the kids are a little older.
enjoy your boat.
I had a few others I looked at and waited over a month for the first guy to get the boat out and running and make sure everything was good. I told him in early March I really wanted a boat for the walleye opener...said he would make it his priority...still haven't heard back from that guy.

Second boat turned out to be a nightmare...guy had bought it this Spring with plans to fish but couldn't. He told me everything was good to go and ran fine.

I drove almost two hours to meet him and take it out to find out the steering was rust locked, motor had trouble starting, bilge pumps didnt work, lights didn't work, trailer lights didn't work, most of the roller hardware was rusted to the point of probably having to sawed off and replaced, tires had weather cracks...

When we put the boat in, the guy didnt put the plug in so we had to pull it back out. When I started the motor and started to back out and then try to turn the wheel I was blown away....this guy clearly never even took the boat out before buying it himself, lol.

As for digging a well, we were told there is an insane amount of shael on our property because we are on the lake side. The pipe digging alone turned over probably 6 wheelbarrows full of big shael and rock that I had to pick up and rake out. A ton of dirt and grass seed later and the grass is just barely starting to look nornal....
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Crayfish
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Re: Checking in/boat update

Post by Crayfish »

Congrats on the "new" rig, Matt! Looks like it's in nice shape. My 1967 Starcraft is still running great ... but maybe after I get Perchbait through college I can start looking for "new" rig of my own!

Also, sorry to hear about your troubles with "Dick" Deso. Never would have dreamed that it would be legal to run your own water line and charge outrageous fees for your neighbors to hook up to it.
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