A FISH STORY

The fishing trip was just that -- a trip.

Tried a new route to the launch...shoulda known better.

Eventually got there, headed out and set the GPS only to find the "magic spot" was 13 miles out to sea. I'm still in the shakedown phase with the boat and thought that a bit far. Went anyway.

My friend's kid got seasick in very mild swells, and then needed the poop bucket. Glad I properly prepared the boat for this 4 hour outting. We caught many sand dabs, a few rockfish, and a lot of sun. With an impending 3 PM Small Craft Advisory for the area, noon seemed like a good time to head back.

Rung out the boat on fairly flat water and almost got to 40 MPH with the fishing prop. There is a high speed prop that should give even more un-needed speed. Slowing at the end of that 10 mile scoot I noticed water coming into the engine compartment, and then some smoke coming out. Past experiences with things that suddenly start smoking told me I needed to do a bit of quick fixing. That's when things turned for the worse.

I uncovered the engine, hit the main power kill switch but slipped in the process and cut my thumb. Next I almost cauterized that cut when I found the source of the smoke.

After some choice words I located the dislodged bait tank line that was providing all that unwanted water, cleared a clogged bilge pump, searched unsuccessfully for the source of the smoke, all the time reminding myself to install a bilge alarm and yet another backup pump.

Turned on the power and things seemed to be back the way they should so I started the motor and we headed for the marina. It was right in the mouth of the marina (read 2 way Saturday traffic) that I discovered things were NOT yet quite right when more smoke billowed from the suddenly silent engine compartment.

Remember the 2 way traffic? Well they were encourageing me with hand gestures, sounding their horns, and doing something I now call the inlet boat-jam traffic dance.

I severed the smoking alternator wire, re-started the motor (to the cheers of many) and proceeded to the Saturday cluster#*^k we call the launch ramp and another boring fishing trip came to an end.

I can't decide which is the easier solution, a new alternator or just a fan to remove the smoke from the current one.

Gonna go fishing again as soon as the thumb heals.

John, KO6WI