Things to do before Spring launch
 

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:20:51 -0500, Reggie Smithers
wrote:

JohnH wrote:
On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 19:13:43 -0500, " JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT
comREMOVETHIS wrote:

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 19:00:15 -0500, " JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT
comREMOVETHIS wrote:

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 17:30:59 -0600, Skipper
wrote:

JohnH wrote:

The Gradys are wonderful boats. But the 228 is no match for my
Parker.
Now you're just making me feel bad. Not sure what you mean by 'no
match'.
Size wise, that's for sure. But, for a 22'er, it's got a *lot* of
deck
room. I could force myself to get by!
Should one get the itch for *real* adventure, which would be the
better
boat for a Cortez challenge?
I'd take the Parker, simply because it's bigger.
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************
Why not the 1985 22 foot Bayliner?

I don't have one. Otherwise I might give it a try.
--
John H

Take Skippy's advice and strap one or two 55 gallon drums filled with
fuel
to increase your range. ;-)


Well, like I said, I don't have one. It appears that one could do a lot
of
sightseeing and fishing with regular tanks. The towns don't appear to be
all that far apart.

http://www.cruisecortez.com/sancarloscruisingarea.htm
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

My biggest concern with a long cruising trip in a 22' boat is it is too
damn small. If the Bayliner is in good shape, the Bayliner would
probably meet the criteria ( many more marinas today than 20 yrs ago),
but can you imagine many families or friends staying aboard a 22' boat
for longer than an overnighter?

If Skipper still enjoys roughing it in a 22' boat for a week or two, I
say more power to him, but it would not be my preferred vacation. In my
younger days, I might have enjoy the adventure, today I would have to
pass. I would prefer to be pampered on one of these ships

http://www.windjammer.com/fleet.html

or this one.

http://www.starclippers.com/ships_rc.html

I agree. I wouldn't buy a 22'er with plans for a long cruise. At most I'd
spend a weekend on the thing, but only if a decent motel wasn't available.
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

Same here. We would spend a week on our 32 footer and then be glad to get
home as we started feeling cramped. That boat had forward and mid/aft
beds, a kitchen with small dinette and a nice sized cockpit area.. I cannot
imagine anything other than a single overnighter on a 22 footer, regardless
of the layout.

Things to do before Spring launch
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Reggie Smithers wrote:
Skipper wrote:
Harry Krause wrote:

Look, the Parker is a fine half-day fishing platform. However, for
the
particular usage contemplated in The Challenge it comes up short.
Take a
closer look at its weight, towing profile and *width* compared to the
Grady or 2252. If given the choice, which would you prefer to tow to
remote adventures.
Uh, you're not familiar with the two boats. My Parker has a much, much
larger cabin area than that Bayliner, with full standing headroom in
the
main cabin, along with running water, a refrigerator, a stove burner,
and two fans, plus opening side windows, an opening windshield, and
opening windows and a hatch forward. There's also a full electric head
up forward. And in the cabin and exterior steering and control
stations.
Plus, my Parker has flat, open cockpit that measures nearly 11' by
about
8.5', big enough to set up a picnic table and chairs. And it has a full
bimini. Plus there's a full-width motor bracket with ladder.
How nice, but I wouldn't want to tow it any distance. So there we are.
You've made your points about towing and I've made mine about
towability. Hopefully, the info can be used productively.

--
Skipper
Skipper,
I am not sure if my question was posted, but do you have any plans to
visit Gulf of Cortes in the near future?



Well, "Reggie," you just came up a point in my book. You spelled Cortés
properly. The man was Spanish, not Mexican.

The funny part of this is the Spanish used a lot more z's in there naming of
places. In Peru, the locals call it Cusco just because the Spanish called
it Cuzco.

Things to do before Spring launch
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
JohnH wrote:
On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 21:28:43 -0600, Skipper wrote:

Harry Krause wrote:

The only thing exceptional in this challenge is the trailerablility of
the respective boats. Believe me, that Parker would be a real PITA to
trailer...the Grady would not. And then when you get there, the Grady
would do everything as well as the Parker. You've got to look at the
total picture, IMO.
I've trailered the Parker. I have a first-class alum trailer with
stainless disk brakes and torsion bar axles. The rig tows beautifully.
I
just don't like to waste my time trailering boats any distances.
I'm sure that Parker is a fine boat. The towability issues are over its
high boxy cabin, total weight, and width. The Grady would be far easier
to tow.

I doubt if there's much difference between the Parker's cabin height and
the Grady's hardtop height. The beam would be a problem, though. Looks
like
permits would be required.
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************


Yeah, if I were towing my Parker any serious distance, I'd have to get
permits. But around here, in Anne Arundel, Calvert, St. Marys, there are
so many wide-assed boats being towed, no one seems to pay a lot of
attention.

Virtually all of my towing of Yo Ho has been from a parking spot at the
marina to the ramp. No permit needed.


In California for these size boats an annual permit is $90. No wide load
signs required, no pilot car. They give you a list of restrictions. Can
not tow on certain roads at certain times. Can not tow across the SF Bay
bridge during commute hours, etc. Is not a major deal.

Things to do before Spring launch
 

On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 13:48:09 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

JohnH wrote:
On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 11:59:21 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Reggie Smithers wrote:
Harry Krause wrote:
JohnH wrote:
On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 09:47:36 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

JohnH wrote:
On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:45:58 -0500, Harry Krause

wrote:

JohnH wrote:
On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 21:28:43 -0600, Skipper
wrote:

Harry Krause wrote:

The only thing exceptional in this challenge is the
trailerablility of
the respective boats. Believe me, that Parker would be a real
PITA to
trailer...the Grady would not. And then when you get there, the
Grady
would do everything as well as the Parker. You've got to look
at the
total picture, IMO.
I've trailered the Parker. I have a first-class alum trailer with
stainless disk brakes and torsion bar axles. The rig tows
beautifully. I
just don't like to waste my time trailering boats any distances.
I'm sure that Parker is a fine boat. The towability issues are
over its
high boxy cabin, total weight, and width. The Grady would be far
easier
to tow.
I doubt if there's much difference between the Parker's cabin
height and
the Grady's hardtop height. The beam would be a problem, though.
Looks like
permits would be required.
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************
Yeah, if I were towing my Parker any serious distance, I'd have to
get permits. But around here, in Anne Arundel, Calvert, St. Marys,
there are so many wide-assed boats being towed, no one seems to pay
a lot of attention.

Virtually all of my towing of Yo Ho has been from a parking spot at
the marina to the ramp. No permit needed.
The only way I'd tow a boat any more than a couple hundred miles
(max) is
if I were going to be at the new location for several months or
more. I've
got to get my brakes fixed so I can tow it to Solomon's. The Navy Rec
Center there is a good place to operate from, but the ramp stinks. I
launch
from the public ramp under the bridge.

I talked to the folks from Breezy at the fishing show in the horsey
place.
They've raised their prices about a $100 bucks a year. Still a lot
cheaper
than Harbor Cove though.

Did you ever get any engine maintenance done by the Breezy folks?
Have you
heard anything about them?
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************
The ramp under the bridge is first-class, and well-maintained. But
the parking lot fills up fast.

I only let the dealer touch my engine. But I did have a minor
electrical problem fixed by the guy at BP. He was quick and
competent, but his hourly rate is the same as the dealer's. His shop
seems busy, though, and that is a good sign. I've stopped in his
store upstairs a couple times. Prices aren't bad.

I'm thinking of moving onto a liftslip this year with Yo Ho. It's
around $2500, I think, not a lot more than you paid for dry store.
And it puts you in charge of splashing and unsplashing your boat. I
prefer that.
Where? I notice there's a bunch at TriState's area there on Rockhold
Creek.
(I think it's TriState's area.) There's a pot full of Grady's and Parkers
there all the time and a few lift slips.

If the boat is going to be exposed to the elements, why not just leave it
on the trailer. Launching and retrieving isn't that big a problem at
Breezy.
--
John H
It's just a matter of convenience. Sometimes I like to go out for only a
couple of hours, and with a lift, it's very easy to do that on the spur
of the moment.
When I had a runabout, I initially kept it in coverage storage for about
$600/yr. I then moved it into a boatel for around $1200/yr. It was
well worth it to have the boat in the water when I got to the lake. We
would call before leaving the house, and it was ready always in the
water when we got there.

My wife could take the kids out if I could not make it. When it was on
the trailer, she always needed me there.



John keeps his boat at a first class boatel. The only problem with the
place is that the guys who operate the lift trucks are only there from 8
am to 5 pm or so. That means you are boating on their schedule,
especially if you insist on scrubbing down the boat after every use, as
I do. Of course, on a freshwater lake, scrubdown isn't that critical,
but it is on sal****er.

And it's getting worse. Neither Marvin nor Rodell are too happy with the
new manager. Both are talking of quitting.

Several times last summer I'd get in at 1:30 or so just to be told that
they'd 'just left for lunch'. The place is getting crowded, which is why
they can jack the rent up a couple hundred bucks every year.
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

I wasn't aware there was another change in management.
Marvin is one hell of a ballsy lift driver.

The new guy is Jeff. Real nice guy, but unlike the previous guy he has some
higher expectations. I've talked to him about leaving the boats in the way
of incoming and outgoing boats there by the floating dock, and now he's got
the lift operators paying a little more attention.

They raised the price $200 this year, so I think I'll be moving to Breezy
pretty soon this summer.
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

Things to do before Spring launch
 

On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:44:03 -0600, Skipper wrote:

You just can't underestimate the towability of the candidate boats. It's
the *major* factor in this adventure, not how they ride across the bay.
Both boats will do just fine on those waters. However, the Grady would
be my choice between these two in the hot summer months for obvious
reasons.

Oh yes, we all know now that towability is the single most important
criteria when evaluating boats.

Thank you for the enlightenment.

I'm going outside now to hich up the Grand Banks to my wife's Honda
Accord.

The Accord will make an interesting dinghy and be a real conversation
piece, not sure if it will make it to the Cortez.

Things to do before Spring launch
 

"Wayne.B" wrote:

Skipper wrote:

You just can't underestimate the towability of the candidate boats. It's
the *major* factor in this adventure, not how they ride across the bay.
Both boats will do just fine on those waters. However, the Grady would
be my choice between these two in the hot summer months for obvious
reasons.

Oh yes, we all know now that towability is the single most important
criteria when evaluating boats.

Thank you for the enlightenment.

I'm going outside now to hich up the Grand Banks to my wife's Honda
Accord.

Thank you for the thank you, Whine. It's good that we are back to
discussing boating and not flaming each other, yes?

--
Skipper

Things to do before Spring launch
 

Harry Krause wrote:
Reggie Smithers wrote:

Skipper wrote:

Harry Krause wrote:

Look, the Parker is a fine half-day fishing platform. However, for
the
particular usage contemplated in The Challenge it comes up short.
Take a
closer look at its weight, towing profile and *width* compared to
the
Grady or 2252. If given the choice, which would you prefer to tow to
remote adventures.

Uh, you're not familiar with the two boats. My Parker has a much, much
larger cabin area than that Bayliner, with full standing headroom in
the
main cabin, along with running water, a refrigerator, a stove burner,
and two fans, plus opening side windows, an opening windshield, and
opening windows and a hatch forward. There's also a full electric head
up forward. And in the cabin and exterior steering and control
stations.
Plus, my Parker has flat, open cockpit that measures nearly 11' by
about
8.5', big enough to set up a picnic table and chairs. And it has a
full
bimini. Plus there's a full-width motor bracket with ladder.

How nice, but I wouldn't want to tow it any distance. So there we are.
You've made your points about towing and I've made mine about
towability. Hopefully, the info can be used productively.

--
Skipper

Skipper,
I am not sure if my question was posted, but do you have any plans to
visit Gulf of Cortes in the near future?



Well, "Reggie," you just came up a point in my book. You spelled Cortés
properly. The man was Spanish, not Mexican.

Ok, I just have to jump in (I don't have anything better to do at the
moment).
It is the Sea of Cortez (of Cortes, maybe, maybe not) or the Gulf of
California.
I'll, of course, be a little embarrassed if someone actually looks it up and
proves me wrong, but that's what I grew up with and I'm, like the man says,
stickin' to it.
I used to camp at Playa Santispac and I've been to Santa Rosalia. If anyone
isn't daunted by the logistics of getting to the area, especially you
fishermen, it is well worth the visit at least once in your travels; Bahia
del Los Angeles would be a great destination. Don't worry about the North
winds too much, but watch out for the West winds that come howlin' down off
the hills now and then. As much as I would really enjoy revisiting the area
as a boater, it's just too far for me to tow.

Things to do before Spring launch
 

Harry Krause wrote:

There is a significant difference in the *towing profile* and weight of
the respective boats.

It is only a "problem" if you don't have the experience and the proper
towing vehicle. Both of those "problems" are easily solved with time and
money.

Some of us consider time is money. Further, most prefer to tow with
their existing vehicle rather than upgrading to an 18-wheeler for the
trek. Towability and destination range are legitimate factors when
selecting trailerable boats. A key reason many go trailerable boat is to
experience distant interesting waters reasonably unattainable by water.

I once towed my kazillion-pound Parker 55 miles with a Toyota
FourRunner. The total weight of the boat and trailer was a little over
the tow vehicle's max tow rating, but it was obvious the vehicle did not
have the length or width for an easy long-distance tow, and looking in
the rear-view was sobering. There was no strain on the engine or tranny,
though.

Don't kid yourself, Krause. You'll eventually end up paying the piper
making inappropriate tows. And if you think a Toyota/Parker is the
proper combo for the Challenge, go right ahead.

Now, do you want to discuss something significant, or continue in your
attempt to make points out of porridge?

Towability and vehicle match are important considerations, Krause.

--
Skipper

Things to do before Spring launch
 

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 20:30:10 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 19:01:40 -0600, Skipper wrote:

Guaymas to Santa Rosalia.

So when is your next trip?

We eagerly await the report.

seriously, i have never done any fishing in that area - i would really
like to sometime in the future.

anybody want to get up a group charter? :)

You said, you were not leaving the country. ;( And how good is a one
armed fisherman? How can you scratch your ass while fishing?


An even greater dilema: a fish on the line and an unopened cold beer in
hand. Does a one-armed fishermen who enjoys his beer, use his one arm to
open the beer or let it go and hang on to the fish?

Things to do before Spring launch
 

JohnH wrote:

The overall experience with this usage. The Grady makes the Cortez a
realistic adventure. The Parker precludes anything but the same ol'
local same ol'. An on-the-water Cortez adventure *far* exceeds anything
you'll ever find on the Chesapeake.

[Damn, this is harder than pulling hen's teeth!]

Skipper, what *overall experience with this usage*?

Why would the Grady make the adventure any more realistic than the Parker?

Suppose if you made two trips, one with the Parker and another with the
Grady you'd understand. Towability is an important factor in the overall
experience.

--
Skipper