Message DeJour - Be Happy

RidgeRunner · #1 07-08-2012, 05:24 PM

Be content with what you have.

I work for what I have. My junk ain't special. Ummm that didn't sound right. I mean, I am a little more proud of my Wellcraft after a full day on the water.

Went Scalloping in Stienahatchee and had a buddy that wanted to follow along in his 20' Proline. He had 6 people on his boat and we had 5 on the Wellcraft. We had to navigate a slight ground swell heading north. No real wind just a ground swell that was sometimes sharp and close. We handled it fine and the Proline did to but with a little more of a pounding.
The Proline has a bracket and it sits much lower at the stern than the V.
He is maxed out with weight and so were we, until he broke down.
We took all his passengers onto the V-20 center console and he ran to the closest ramp where we could send back the truck and trailer. We had 10 people and a dog on the Ridge Runner..
God Bless trim tabs- All 10 passengers were hunting for shade and had the boat listing something fierce. Add a little tab and we were flying straight again. No problems at all with the 30 mile trek back to the house.
As we entered Alligator pass we overtook my 3rd cousin-in-law and his 38' Fountain. He had two out of three of his 300XS Merc's trimmed up and was doing the fast idle of shame. He reported later that one was down a compressor the other a bad lower. I could fund a dozen trips with the Wellcraft with the money he just went down in repairs to that beauty.
Another trip without a breakdown and the boat keeps surprising me, what is not to love? Just saying,, sometimes I wish I had the budget to roll like they do. Today I am happy to be where I am.

Kracker Jack · #2 07-08-2012, 06:45 PM

Amen!!!!! I'm a functional kinda of guy, I want it to look good but more than anything be functional. I have buddies with 65,000 to 70,000 dollar boats that don't impress me a not. Glad your folks got back in safe.

phatdaddy · #3 07-08-2012, 07:21 PM

nice, i gotta add tabs to mine... one day

did ya get to scallop any. we were in tennessee for the fourth and just got back sat. the reports i am getting out of st joe are they are sparse. we usually don't get started till the last of the month and this year we can go till the end of sept.

sorry ridge, just read your fishing report, maybe stjoe will have the same

Blue_Runner · #4 07-10-2012, 10:44 AM

This is a great thread to live by. I could't have said it better. Money don't catch fish. Smart humans with seaworthy boats catch fish.

Pipe_Dream · #5 07-10-2012, 11:03 AM

Great story! Well done.

And "fast idle of shame" -- that's a classic. I may have to borrow that one some time!

jasoncooperpcola · #6 07-10-2012, 05:20 PM

No complaints here. Reminded me of this thread on the local forum.

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com...-t-top-122960/