If you fish alot, I change it out every year. If not, 2 should be no problem. I tend to cut off about the first 10 feet or so at the beginning of the season.
The SeaLine reals I have are about 9 years old. Used them on mooching rods when I worked in AK. Probably 300 days total on the water. Cleaned the salt water off of them every trip out. Cleaned and lubricated every fall. Not 1 Issue. I also ran Shimano takota line counters in AK. The drags wore...
I have 2 of the 8 foot telescoping rods and have used them for 3 full seasons with no problems. I did not buy the combos w/ the Okuma reals, as I don't think they are a quality real. I run Diawa SeaLine reels and they have worked flawlessly.
I use half gallon apple juice, half water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1 cup brown sugar for brine. baste with apple juice/soy sauce reduction. Great glaze. I brine overnight.
Silver dollar in West Fargo has good burgers and so does side street pub downtown. Hodo is good food, but very pricy. Last time I had a burger there, the choices were bison or wildrice. Try Pounds downtown. Pretty new, but the chef is top notch. Have not been there yet.....
Friends of mine in Alaska have one. Well built. It was too small for a good fishing boat there, but would be great here on the bigger lakes. You do lose alot of useable room with the cabin.
The D batteries work well, as long as you remember to shut it off at the end of the day.....It happens a lot to me it seems. I have not had a reason to use anything else.