Sat. Nbaa

[Dowd]

My partner and I make a run from Harley to Kingsville, Ca on Erie North Shore. Proceed to catch 20.82 on the cul em rite. and head back to St. Clair at 1:00 pm. We stop in Wyndotte (sp) for gas in make it to the mouth of the river and St. Clair at 2:15 pm. Thinking we should have plenty of time to make it back to weigh in at 3:00 pm. Well about the 9 mile tower out 3 miles, I hear a snap and looked back at the Evinrude bouncing around like crazy. I set the boat down, the motor slumps over to the right. I'm thinking the worst, I thinking the new Rude is going to be bass structure in no time. I make a few calls to friends and the tourney director. Two of the four motor mounts bolts are gone and the other two severly bent. My buddy, Chris Gutuskey and his Dad were out fishing in the St. Clair River and were on their way home, when I reached him. They turn around, go buy some new bolts for me, we launch their boat and tow us to Crocker Road ramp and place my boat on his trailer. We proceed to place the new bolts in the motor mounts, motor dropped 3" on plate, and relaunch the boat for our trip over to Harley. What a day. 19.00 pounds won the event.
Sunday, went out and bought 4 new Grade 8 bolts, raised the motor using a floor jack and the tie down straps for the trailer, ready to leave Monday morning for Charlevoix!! See ya up there!!!!

Mark Dowd

[djkimmel]

Wow! I tell newer tournament anglers all the time that I never count on anything until I actually cash the darn check. I was planning my practice in New York last September on my leisurely drive down the Detroit River when my motor broke off. The wrong kind of luck, but your misfortune has reminded me again to go out and check to make sure my mounting bolts are tight.

I usually check them after each weekend on the Great Lakes. D&R Sports in now making sure all bolts are longer so they can double nut them which I appreciate.

Hard to prevent broken bolts or broken motor brackets like my problem last year, but we can at least do things to put the odds in our favor as much as possible anyway (as long as we are going to keep running our boats all over these darn BIG lakes).

Glad you bought the best quality bolts you could get. Sorry you didn't get to weigh your bass. I know how that feels.

[Eric]

WOW, how long did it take you to get there? Were you fishing the rockpiles in front of the sand piles in 12-16 FOW?

Hearing stories like this (and wild and crazy driving Dan), and seeing boats without motors (Suci twice a year at least, it seems) has turned me into a chicken to make that kind of run.