Bass Boats need to be used

[Bud Kennedy]

In the past couple years I have not really been using my Ranger.  Have you ever noticed that things like bass boats and other vehicles if they just sit a round not being used that stuff seems to break.

I brought the Ranger home today just to spend some time with her and charge the batteries, clean the hull and unpack some  of my stuff from the lockers.  The first thing I noticed that my travel cover it starting to wear through in certain spots.  I not gonna buy another cover I just patched those spots with some gorilla tape for now. The boat had not moved in two months but just the stress of being cinched down tight and perhaps some hurricane style winds just caused some stress rips to appear.  The other thing I noticed was the brake line along the rear axle was hanging down but not touching the ground.  Seems the tie wraps gave up sometime in the past two months.  I don't have any tie wraps that big so a trip to Lowes is on tap for tomorrow.  Just some of those thing that happen to an unused boat. 

I have been planning to sell the Ranger but just have not been in the right frame of mind to part with my baby.  I have not advertised the boat for sale and will likely wait until spring to do so unless someone just happens to hear about it and is interested.

[Pat Dilling]

Bud, You are absolutely right.  When Boats, vehicles, airplanes or anything that is made to move doesn't for an expended period; stuff start so go wrong.  Seals dry out, oil and grease congeal, stuff that should move (like injectors) get stuck, fuel goes bad and many other things.  That's why buying things that haven't been used for a while can be risky business.

Good luck with the sale next spring.  Make sure you get it out a time or two before listing it.  Nothing kills a sale like something that doesn't perform.

[Donald Garner]

Yep this drove me nuts while I was working in Iraq.  I bought my Stratos in Jul 2009 and stuck it in storage a couple days after buying.  I came back home 8 months later and the hydraulic steering pump was leaking.  I fished my first UB event and after getting back home it was taken to the shop for repairs.  New pump, new trolling motor, new batteries. Back in storage for another 4 months.  This is just an example of issues I had with it while I had it in storage.  Every R&R trip home I had minor repairs or something I saw and wanted changed out on it.

This last Hail Storm / Tornado really trashed my 2 boat covers.  I still haven't gotten them replaced yet.  Lastly what really burnt my azz was having to replace the trailer tires after sitting for 3yrs.  Looking at them they looked brand new.  One of the tires just exploded sitting parked in the driveway.



I'm slowly getting back to where I can get out and about.  I too am thinking about selling my Stratos this Spring.  I'm not able to fish by myself anymore and it's just a lot of work keeping up with taking care of it.  Its been and still is a Great Boat.  I enjoy fishing out of it alot.

2004 Stratos 285 Pro XL Dual Console; Yamaha 150 VMax; Lowrance Hook 7 Electronic; MinnKota Fortrex 80lb 24 Volt Trolling motor

 

[BASSCATLILDAVE]

Always better to use than sit.