Northwest Fishing Reports

Just getting a little clean up on the boat before trying to hit the lake. Looking around I spotted a broken part on my wash down pump, so it needs to be fixed, O K I'll just turn the motor to the side so I can work a little easier Oh NO, the motor wont turn. steering is frozen up. Its done that before just un hook the steering arm and some wd40 tap on the end of the shaft till it moves in and out no problem. 11 year old controls, 2 hrs later with the help of a friend we final got it to move about half the distance. it should, worked even longer but no more movement. Several phone calls later I find out that it needs replacing, called several shops un flex, 15 ft steering cable shop 1, $158.00 shop 2 $200.00, shop 3 $125.00 all the same cable,had to cut it 2 times to get it out, now that I have it out looks like going back in will a little quicker.......should be here on Tuesday, by than should have the pump fixed and be ready to roll ...........oh well nothing else to do..........

Had that happen twice, once for each cable, twin cable system. After the second one froze/rusted up I had hydrolic steering installed.

And this explains why BOAT is really an acronym for Bring Out Another Thousand. I also changed over to hydralic steering last year.

Find the cable on Amazon or Ebay and make sure you buy the high quality one with the Teflon sheath on the cable. The boat repair places will charge you for the high end cable and put in the crap, plain steel one, knowing you'll be back for another in a couple years. Buy the cable, do it your self or have them install the cable you buy.

Yes install yourself it really is a piece of cake.

GREASE! Lots of it and apply often! Work it in, back and forth. Store with the rod in the sleeve when long periods of not using. Work it back and forth occasionally during long periods of storage. GREASE and occasional motion....

Yeah, what Mark said, grease, grease and more grease. Oh and did I forget grease?

I think its in the owners manual, expect each project on your boat to take longer and cost more than you first thought. The brakes on my trailer were bad so I figured a quick easy fix and I would going out Sunday instead of Saturday. After several hours of work I realized that the problem was not just the brakes, the entire system is fill with rust and will have to be replaced. No parts store has them on hand so I had to order them and now am waiting for the UPS van to show up. I had someone tell me the definition of a boat. Its a vessel that creates a hole in the water that you continually pour money into.