Boats: The Love-Hate Relationship
There’s the ol’ girl, reminiscing about when all systems are a go.
My 1999 Triton TR-20. The Optimax on the back of my Triton decided that she wanted to go see the doctor; that was 3 ½ weeks ago.
Since that time I have had many calls to the doctor’s office and even managed to get one conjugal visit….lol.
ksbigbass
The Story
Boats: The Love-Hate Relationship: Earlier this year we decided to take a run down to Table Rock Lake to sneak in some early season fishing. In search of fat spotted bass that was gonna break that lake record. The water was beautiful as always. The winter or early, early spring is a great time to head to the Rock.
Calm, clear water, with little traffic or competition for those fat spotted bass. Last year
about the same time we had freezing conditions. It was cold! So cold in fact, that
I was dunking my G. Loomis NRX rod in the lake to thaw the frozen line guides!
Flash forward to this year and the warm air temps that we have been experiencing lately. That
created warm water that was about 10 degrees warmer than at the same time last year. For a minute we thought that it was gonna be a bonanza. Soon we learned things would change.
I Hate Idiot Lights.
ksbigbass
Table Rock Lake is a very large body of water. A breakdown at the wrong place and time on that lake can become a nightmare and very expensive. Luckily for us we had not strayed too far
from home when the warning buzzer went off.
On plain when the buzzer and Mercury Smartcraft gauge went crazy and my heart sank.
“Oh F@ck” I said “Dude that’s probably not good…” Famous last words right? Well we managed to limp it back to the trailer with the lights and buzzers, blinking and sounding intermittently. I didn’t think this was gonna be such a big deal.
I knew it had been a while since she had been tuned up, and hoped it was a sensor. The Check engine lights Suck!! I know they are a necessary evil, but I still hate them! Searches on the internet about the warning light only confused me. Well it could be this or it could be that but “without hooking it up to a computer…” yea, yea, yea, I know, I know.
Long gone are the days I could work on my motors, with all the computers and special tools needed.
Guess I will get another chopper one day to fill that need. When I work on my own stuff I can control some of the variables of the job. I took my beloved Triton to the Premier Mercury Marine dealer because I wanted excellent service.
The Phone Call
Ring, ring, ring, “hello, yes I am sitting down…” WTF!!! How in the HELL did an warning light and a $400 low fuel pressure pump problem turn into a blown up lower unit????
Apparently during one of the many lake tests to figure out the intermittent warning buzzer the lower unit went bang. After the boat made it back to the marina and checks by the technicians were ran, the phone calls began.
Now the big wait begins.
Phone calls to the insurance guys to set the wheels in motion to get it fixed and fixed right I hope.
Foremost has been stand up in the past; I hope they
ksbigbass
are again.
First tournament this year is in less than a month out…
Can’t think of a better place for that to happen. As bad as it sucks, I wasn’t in the middle of a tournament and 40 miles down lake, and it’s already being fixed.
We all know the frustrations of just getting in line at a good shop in the spring…
Can you afford that boat? Check out your financial IQ
Glad I love to fish.
@ksbigbass