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| Hi people
I have an attitude right now and I’d like to vent a little steam. I’m not sure if you remember me, you should. I’m the person that cam in with motor trouble. Remember, you kept telling me that my motor was “ old”. You kept repeating, but that’s an “old motor right. Well yes your right it’s and “old” motor. The motor is a 95 Merk but the power head is a November and the lower unit is a March. March 21 st actually.
I have a nephew that picked the biggest FUBAR in the history of the Illinois River to fish. The kid was going to school, Hall High school and busting his butt working part time, begging his boss for more hours so he could come up with enough money to fish his first MWC. Now I knew better to put my boat in the river, Me I have never see that amount of garbage floating on it and I live about 6 blocks away from it OK maybe 9, but my nephew was so exited about fishing it, and I was really looking forward to having some FUN with my nephew, I didn’t have the heart to tell him sorry kid but we’re not fishing it. We didn’t have any FUN.
I’ll admit my problems are my own fault because I was the one that decided to launch that fateful day. So now I have a bent prop shat, on my “old motor” according to the Mercury Man anyway. It sure seemed to me that unless you have a new 50 or 60 thousand dollar boat the you really don’t give care much. You know my boat might be old to you but it’s the only boat I have. I have been fishing in that boat since 95 and I couldn’t begin to count the fish I’ve caught in it. I do know the 8.5 lb Walleye I caught in it should be finish being mounted he real soon. The first Walleye tournament I ever fished out of that boat we won. Now my buddy has his $60K boat and thanks to him, I have my boat. And you know something, in my eyes my boat is just as good as his, I can’t even begin to count the hours my buddy and I have spent in that boat fishing just having a ball. I realize in your eyes I’m a peon because my motor is “old” along with my “old” boat, but I love my boat. I’m very happy with it, and to me it’s the best boat on the river. My “old” boat with it’s “ old’ motor. And by the way, the Mercury Man was right, the prop shaft is bent, I have know idea what I hit but what ever it was it really chewed my prop up. He told me that before he said goodbye. Said I’d get that fixed if I were you. So I will. Then I’ll take my “old” motor on my “old” boat and I’ll go fish the IWT tournaments. There are not as many boats and first prize don’t pay out as much and the Mercury Man won’t be there but Bob really doesn't care that I have an “old” motor. He’s happy to have me there and he would NEVER send people out in conditions like that. NEVER. I was there when he called you and said you better come have a look at the river. And also for the price We paid to get into yours, we can fish 5 of the IWT and actually have FUN instead of bending up my prop shaft on my “old’ motor on a river I should never be on in the first place.
Oh by the way, I have a soft spot in my heart for a 69 Camaro also. That also has an “old” motor in it.
I will NEVER EVER fish another MWC in my life.
Me and my 95 Skeeter with it’s “old” Merc 175.
Thank you for your time and allowing me to vent a little steam. Good luck fishing. And one more thing. For the people with the new motors and boats. I'm happy for ya. Suck it up and enjoy ever minute in them.
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*edited to comply with posting policy |
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| sounds like you need a new boat. |
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Location: Rhinelander | This guy is unhappy, it seems.
I'd bet that event would have been hard on any rig, new or old. I think the source of frustration is the fact he felt a bit diminished by the commentary on the motor and boat age. As I remember, the MWC is always a place where any team with boat in good mechanical order is welcome. A bad experience can sour a guy, I guess. |
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Member
Posts: 1195
Location: Orland Park, IL | Yep, I remember you. "Best looking boat" on the river. To bad it turned out the way it did. |
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Member
Posts: 1382
| Yeah it's almost identical to John Bazydlo's boat. I actually commented on it to him when we were out to eat on Thursday night. |
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Member
Posts: 538
| It appears that someone made an insensitive comment about your pride and joy. Sorry to hear about the damage to your boat. The last thing in the world anyone needs someone else's attempt to downplay your damage because it is an older boat. I would guess the repair expense is going to be at the "newer" price. NO rollback to 95 prices for parts and labor.
I hope your post has helped you vent it out and get over the damage.
You got caught up in a miserable situation. I have been reading reports about that tourney and it seemed one of the worst situations one could imagine.
I hope you can get her fixed up soon and get back to enjoying the spring run.
Take care,
Jim O
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| I think those boats were bought around the same time, new from the factory.
Walipro1 has one of the fastest glass boats on the river, that thing scoots.
Hope you get it fixed, that boat just got overhauled and should last many more years. |
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| Well first of all I'd like to thank every one for their feed back. Yes just having the opportunity to be able to say what I wanted to say made me feel better. Still have bad feelings, but feel better about it. Especially after some of your feed back. But I have to say something else to say. Some one at work last night said to him it sounded like I have a beef with the Merk man. Not so. They edited my post, and it's their sight they have that right, but they left out one key sentence. And I also won't say what they took out, all I'll say is my beef is with the MWC and the way they treated me about my "old" motor.
Also my girl will be fixed soon the damage is not that bad. Worst problem is the chewed up prop, I did not hit a log. I don't think a log would do that to a prop. Looks like I hit some thing metal or some thing real hard. I have a spare but it has a different pitch I think. She won't go quite as fast, no problem. She'll use a little more gas, good thing gas went up, but she'll should come out of the hole real quick.
Once again. Thank you all.
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Pro.
I'm not sure how much more of an advantage the guy with the new $60,000.00 boat has over you or the seasoned veteran taking loving care of his older craft. In my book not that much. Seems like everybody used their personal recreational crafts back when I fished tourneys. Your knowledge and skills were more important than the horsepower and electronic fishing aides. And the competition was just as stiff. And I know how much I love seeing Joe Blow standing in the winners circle, while wearing a shirt or hat with "Steve's Repair" monogrammed on it, versus every manufacturers patch in existence. One gets the feeling of the extra time and monitary sacrifices he made just to be there. My Dad always said, take care of your stuff and it will take care of you. We fished out of an old wooden ChrisCraft that we turned up-side down in the yard every summer and re-fiberglassed it for more years than I can count. And few out fished us on our favorite waters. Keep the old girl running and in service. Sounds like she don't owe you a thing. 
Edited by walleye express 3/28/2007 12:49 PM
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| What was it that prompted "Merc Man" to make a comment about the age of your boat, anyway?
I can't imagine why he would come walking by and just say something like that. It makes no sense. You and he maybe misunderstood each other or something? |
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| The Merck man came back after he left the landing for the day and was checking my "old" motor out after I had problems with it. He suggested I should get the prop shaft fixed because it throws the harmonics off and iy will shake my "old" motor and every thing will loosen up and fall off of it. That's where he came into play.
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| Dear Walipro, Maybe your nephew should have been saving that money for college. My father would have never let me gamble with my money at that age and i can credit him for being as successful as I am in life. Tournament fishing is gambling and it involves risk. If you can't run with the big dogs then stay on the porch!!!!! Life kicks you around sometimes but man you are letting it get the best of you.
Quit Whining  |
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| Well it really wasn't suppose to be gambling, it was suppose to be some fun time with his uncle. I guess he should be taught to do what the rest of, or a lot of the other kids are doing around the spring valley area. Heroin. Their dropping dead like fly's around here. Just trying to have a positive influence on him. I guess I picked the wrong thing A. And once again for the record. I'm not complaining about the tournament it was my decision to put my boat in. I have a problem with the way they treat you if you are not in a new boat. They want to look down on me. I'll be happy to fish some wear else. Some wear I'm just as good as the other people in my old boat guy. No problem. Good luck to you. |
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Member
Posts: 794
Location: Elgin, Illinois | Hey Dan, I'm with you... You know I keep my boat "improved"... Although it is even older that this guy's... Mine is a '93 and is in excellent condition... Fish don't know the difference... |
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Member
Posts: 182
Location: Green Bay, WI. | Make sure you check your prop shaft. It doesn't take a lot to bend a prop shaft. But if it's bent it will wreck your lower unit. Heck i have a 2002 Ranger with 2002 Merc. and I get lot of crap because I don't buy new every year. Maybe if I got my motors for free, I could afford to. As long as it floats is all that matters. Pat |
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Member
Posts: 238
| if you are sick of people complaining why did you start your post by "maybe your nephew should be saving for college" that has nothing to do with being sick of complaining. |
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| A bent prop shaft will ruin the rest of the lower unit. It takes the seals out.
But, Merck guy really should have been more sensitive. He shouldn't have said anything about the age of the motor or the boat , or even the owner.
He maybe never even knew he said something wrong? |
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| Get your old boat fixed, grab your nephew and get on with the fishing season. You are doing the right thing with your nephew in mind. Don't let the tech guy's get to you. They see all kinds at tournaments and some of it gets old to them too. |
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Illinois River FUBAR