Cabin Fever

[ndfinfan]

^Rev...how do you like the Trophy?

 

[dukgnfsn]

Wish I would have felt like looking at what I need but had total knee replacement about 6 weeks ago and just getting to feel like going thru stuff and getting ready for spring. Still a little ways out of being able to launch boat as it will still be a few weeks until knee is feeling like I am ready for that. Then about the end of may have to get the other knee scoped and fixed up and be out another 7-10 days. Oh well hopefully in the end this is all worth it, if I ever get pain free in the knees I probably wont feel normal. Going to be pouring some jigs and lindy rig weights in next couple weeks. dukgnfsn

 

[revolutionz]

^Rev...how do you like the Trophy?

Overall, I'm quite happy with it...there's a few things I'd like different, but they're pretty nitpicky.

1, the ass end of the boat is heavy, it needs max hp, and probably a prop that has better stern lift. I had a lot of issues with the boat wanting to porpoise until I put a hydrofoil on it
2, I despise the main livewell under the jump seat, but I don't mind having the jump seats in the boat
3, There's a lot of freeboard on this boat, it's pretty much like a sailboat if there's any wind

Other than that, the boat is relatively dry, stable in big waves. I've never felt unsafe in anything I've been out in. The depth of the boat is nice if you have kids. Pretty good amount of storage. One day I'll upgrade to a glass boat, but for now this boat has been great for me.

 

[ndfinfan]

^Thanks for the assessment...I've looked pretty hard at the 18 ft Trophy's. Probably keep my rig another year or 2, but when I jump up to an 18 ft boat will consider the Alumacraft. Want to stick with aluminum even tho I fish Sak quite a bit...I also fish Audubon and Darling as well. John Thelen/Lindy Fish Ed guy has an 18 ft Trophy and I have noticed even when he is anchored or trolling very slowly the ass end of the boat does sit down in the water quite a bit...maybe a livewell in the bow would help?

 

[revolutionz]

^Thanks for the assessment...I've looked pretty hard at the 18 ft Trophy's. Probably keep my rig another year or 2, but when I jump up to an 18 ft boat will consider the Alumacraft. Want to stick with aluminum even tho I fish Sak quite a bit...I also fish Audubon and Darling as well. John Thelen/Lindy Fish Ed guy has an 18 ft Trophy and I have noticed even when he is anchored or trolling very slowly the ass end of the boat does sit down in the water quite a bit...maybe a livewell in the bow would help?

There is one, but it doesn't help much...just seems to be how those boats sit. I put the Cobra Edge hydrofoil on and that helped quite noticeably, but I think having the 175hp motor on the back would help also. Other than those things the boat is built quite well...have had it out on Devils Lake a few times when I probably shouldn't have, and it got us back with no problems. I feel like that boat can probably take more than I'm brave enough to try.

 

[Yoby]

So far, marathon seat covers for the pickup, new ranger finder for rifle, dewalt drill set, applied for elk tag in SD. (wife insisted on a vacation trip this summer so booked rooms for Niagra falls too)

Been looking at reloading stuff, brush guard for pickup, 300 winmag rifles, and welders. Also been looking for a tow behind tree spade which likely will happen.

 

[Velva_zv21]

Got the boat outta the garage today and gave it a bath... spent about 2 hours finding new homes in my boxes for all the new lures I accumulated over the winter and getting pictures taken of all my rods and lures incase needed for ins reasons..... and getting the boat ready for a trip to get a custom cover made for it..... my 4 year old boy was helping with the wash and all he was talking about was catching some perch cause they have no teeth, Haha

 

[Rowdie]

Just upgraded my bait casting reel on my GLoomis with a new Abu Garcia Revco Beast for about half price on ebay

 

[shorthairsrus]

Fishing was good. You could ice it or some stood next to open water past bridge notnme

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There is one, but it doesn't help much...just seems to be how those boats sit. I put the Cobra Edge hydrofoil on and that helped quite noticeably, but I think having the 175hp motor on the back would help also. Other than those things the boat is built quite well...have had it out on Devils Lake a few times when I probably shouldn't have, and it got us back with no problems. I feel like that boat can probably take more than I'm brave enough to try.

. Raise your engine. What hole do have on. No dealer has 101 about rigging

 

[revolutionz]

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. Raise your engine. What hole do have on. No dealer has 101 about rigging

I have tried the engine all the way up to the highest hole. Right now it's 2nd from bottom, in the highest hole it would blow out way too easy and the hole shot was horrendous. Talked to a couple different guys about props, they say I need to try some that have better stern lift, but it's not bad with the hydrofoil on. The ECU is off at Simon Motorsports right now getting their tune, they claim that they can take the Yammie 150 up to 200 with their tune so I decided to give it a shot. We'll see how much of a difference it actually makes, but most have claimed if nothing else it smooths out the engine and improves fuel economy.

 

[TFX 186]

Rev,
I'd like to hear more about this tune that will get your 150 Yamaha to run smother and more power. Can you keep us posted on this? Does this affect factory warranty? I wonder why the factory doesn't send them out running like this? Do you have any reading material that a guy can delve into this? Also, maybe a close price for doing this? Thanks

Fish On!

 

[revolutionz]

Rev,

I'd like to hear more about this tune that will get your 150 Yamaha to run smother and more power. Can you keep us posted on this? Does this affect factory warranty? I wonder why the factory doesn't send them out running like this? Do you have any reading material that a guy can delve into this? Also, maybe a close price for doing this? Thanks

Fish On!

Not much info on their site, they're pretty helpful if you call them though. It's Simon Motorsports. Allegedly it can't really be detected unless you raise the rev limiter then they can see you over-revved the engine. That being said, my engine is out of warranty, and I probably wouldn't mess around with it while under warranty just in case. I'll update everyone once I get the thing on the water to test, I'm not looking for a huge power increase, just enough to push the boat a bit faster and spin the prop I have better whilst having better fuel economy and a smoother running engine.

I think they're not like that from the factory because they tune them very conservative due to not knowing the wide range of conditions and state of repairs that the users will run the motors in. There are so many factors that can go into tuning an efi engine to run it's best, and manufacturer's just have to come up with something that can safely cover the majority of use cases for them.

So as to not derail this thread any farther, I'll start up a new post when I get the thing on the water to test it out.​

 

[ndfinfan]

Thanks Rev...drove past the Minot Alumacraft dealer yesterday with my boat in tow from storage. They have their boats sitting outside with the covers on them. Thinking I best not go look at the new 18 ft Trophy they have sitting there...gotta get at least 2 more seasons outta my Tracker...especially after putting a brand new Motorguide on the bow!

 

[JayKay]

My older, but very serviceable stuff usually gets donated to the good will store so they can sell it. I have also, on occasion, been known to see youngsters muddin' on the river with less than optimal equipment or tackle and just go over and hand them stuff to use. Most try to give back what I give them when they leave, which is amazing and gives me hope for the future, but light up when I tell them to just keep it. I've spooled quite a few reels with new line for kids when I see them cast a slinky instead of fishing line. The looks on their faces is priceless. I just gave away my old compound bow to a 10 year old who's father is taking it to scheels to have it tuned, turned down, and serviced so his son can practice with it this summer. The look on that kids face when he looked at his father as if to ask "Can I have it?" was awesome. It opens some space in the garage for me and the kids learn lessons about decency and good behavior. Win/Win as far as I'm concerned.

Ask Sluggo about the time he and I were throwing cranks for salmon in Government Bay, and a friend of his went trolling by with his son. I kept pitching while they visited and had two or three follows in a couple minutes. This guy's son was all excited and asked what I was using. When we left, I told Sluggo to go by their boat, and tossed that lure in for that young man. He was purty excited.

I'll let Sluggo tell you the rest of the very expensive story... and no, nobody got that lure in their foot.