FISHSTALKER

Intersting reading...... I have an 8' Shakespear that cost me $130. I chose to repair it. And yes it has a single cable running through the center. Some phylosophies get a little strange when talking about safety. If your motor broke and it needed repair, would you throw it away? Maybe that's not a fair comparison but the point is that a repair is close to new. Just because the fiberglass sheath is repaired doesn't mean the antenna is bad or will be a safety problem. I cut a swath of glass cloth and fitted it down and around inside. Put the two part mix to it and joined the two pieces together. Good as new. But then that's just me.

I was informed by the shop that the fuel can recall has been in effect for some time now. My 2005 15hp was repaired in 2008. To date that is the only recall mine has had. Dale

US Lakes ($9.99) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppUsa&feature=search_result US and Canada Lakes ($14.99) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppUsaCanada&feature=search_result When you start the download process it will identify if the app is compatible with your device or not. The Cell Phones range can be limited by cell tower/repeater reception range. There is third party blue tooth devices that are available for true satellite connection and no limitation. This means you could carry your phone anywhere in your boat and still pick up the Sat signal from the Dual or Global Sat device. The down side is to use the phone you would have to back out of the GPS app. Also you would need to have a paid for phone service. The Thrive does not require that service because it is a true GPS unit. Dual XGPS 150 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... +150&ajr=0 Global Sat-BT-368i http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BT-368i ... =yachte-20 They have Fishing Diary apps available too! https://play.google.com/store/search?q=fishing+diary&c=apps

This is a photo of Collins Reservoir where I laid down some tracks a couple of days ago. I added Lake O. I'm in Calif. so I can't plot myself there but I can get all kinds of info. Walcot area SEARCH Marina Marine and Outdoor shop Waterfront Restaurant Abe's Used as Example

Yes!..... Hook up from the USB through or to an NMEA bridging device. This protects the PC/touchpad from potential grounding problems. http://www.actisense.com/HTML/Products/Gateways/USB%20to%20NMEA%200183%20Gateway/index.php http://www.maretron.com/products/usb100.php

I'm a big nerd. There I said it........I do my own builds and repairs on my computers. Over the last two years I've tried to educate myself more about mapping and the expensive GPS devises used to report the maps. I was interested in buying a new multifunction device for both mapping and eventually adding radar but it had to have a good sized screen. I wanted to be able to see it from the back of my boat. Here on the West Coast most Maps are dedicated to off shore Ocean fishing but I've been a landlocked Trout and Salmon fisherman for some 20 years now. It has taken a long time for the mapping companies to finally produce the maps for the Lakes in my area. Yet both Garmin and Navionics did come through and offer the inland Lakes. I own both brands of Maps and find IMHO that the Navionics is slightly better. I had decided on a Garmin 4210 because of the screen size and price point. The best price I could nail down was around $1800 but I just couldn't pull the trigger. I had just spent $1500 on a Furuno FCV585 and a P66hd transducer. Low and behold when reading one of the fishing boards I frequent, one of the members was talking about using his Ipad for GPS. Now let me state here that I'm not a fan of Apple. No offense leveled at those users. I had a not so good experience with 2 Iphones. I'll leave it at that. After realizing that the Ipad is set up with aGPS chips (cell phone) vs an actual GPS chip and that external devises (antenna - added expense) would be needed, I looked at the 10" Thrive Android with the honeycomb system. Now I didn't jump on the Thrive right away. I had to do my home work. I visited stores for hands on use. I read everything I could find on line in forums looking for all the yeahs and nays, tips and reveals. I came away more excited than when I started this search. The Thrive is a computer. (mine has a 32 gb chip in it.) It's a Web Browser with e-mail. It has built in cameras, WIFI, HDMI for connecting on line movies to your HD TV. It has standard ports for USB and the HDMI along with power port, SD card slot, speakers and a 10.3" screen. Oh My! Google play has an online store for both downloadable free apps and pay for apps. This is where I bought my Nation wide Lakes app. for $35.00. There are other online places for applications as well. (the wife made me download Birds in Space. It was free.) My total cost with the mapping is under $500 with a two year warranty extension. Extras, I bought a cigarette lighter power plug for the boat and truck. (It has to have a 2.1 amp USB power rating.) Carrying case and a mount case for the boat. Well here you go .... I've got the 10" flat screen with mapping that includes route and tracking, points of interest, satellite image, Terrain and Bing. It makes a very fast connect with up to 12 GPS Sattelites. (the antenna is built in.) The Thrive is not waterproof. Currently there is a waterproof type baggy with power cord hook up on the market but I would suspect in the near future an add on case will be available just like the one for Ipad. This mapping photo is Lake Shasta, Ca. USA map -select state - area and list of Lakes. This is a satellite img. notice the houseboat with wake just East of the I5 Bridge. Panbo.com has done a review and listed some of the 3rd party accessories that are available.

Most of the Aluminum boats produced come out of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The majority are cookie cuter designs that may or may not fit your desires. If the boat is for commercial use, I would be extremely selective. With that said, I found that an 18* variable hull worked very well for me. I could stay when others would run. The advantage was we were not bounced around like ping pong balls. The platform was stable compared to the roll of others. I took the time to visit some boat shows and get a close look at all the different manufacturers boats. Some of them the factory welds were sloppy and the slag was left behind to be painted over. It was crazy. Design and purpose along with the comfort and overall use comes to play. How the boat is outfitted and what and where the gauges and electronics go. I went through two factories. One I went through twice. I researched the factories and found that the one I went through twice was in trouble. It went out of business several months later. My decision was in buying a high end boat Motion Marine Mojet LX. This may or may not fit your ticket. But look at the web site and the finish of the craft. The powder coat paint held up to all kinds of abuse from me. ( I knocked down my fence when backing up the driveway.) http://www.motionmarine.com Dale

Go to a farm store and buy a plastic Owl. Set that on top and you won't have problems with birds.

Stan - Best wishes for a great birthday.

Thanks guys! Stan - wounded? and I would never have been part of the Confederacy. Thanks Ray and salmonbound1.

Return to sender I got a new Nikon Camera and money.

Mark - In my post I meant no reflection on you. None of my venting was pointed in your direction. I hope you pass the test!

Mark - Your one of the best kept secrets out there. They hid you away in what they call the "DEAD ZONE". I just had a thought....................... I should ask Blue Eyes where the Christmas Ornaments can be downloaded at? That certainly would keep those select few busy for some time.

I think it may have something to do with I.Q. or age..... No!....... It's I.Q. I seriously think the Moderators and members should have to take and pass an I.Q. test in order to join and have access. That's my 2 cents but then who knows? I might be a member of a very select number. Then again maybe not at all! I just don't get it either Stan. Why does everyone have an opinion about something they have absolutely no knowledge about? They act like a pack of Wolves looking for any presumed weakness in the products and techniques you propose. I've known most of those folks for around seven years now and in person they aren't as opinionated as they are when hiding behind the CPU curtain. Like I said, I don't get it. Dale

Hey Nick - Nice pictures! Stan told me that Ray is like that Bubble Gum you step on and it sticks to your shoe. It only irritates you for a little while. Dale