The Boat is Back in Town...

Just this past weekend, I finally had a chance to get my boat on on the water for the first time this season.

Katy and I (and our dog Chessie) took the boat out to Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester for a few hours on Saturday. We didn't do much fishing though. I was more interested in making sure everything was working correctly after winter storage. Katy was content with doing a little casting practice. Chessie was just happy to be there with us, soaking up the sun. We had an incredible stretch of weather last week here in New England. Blue skies and warm temperatures. Outstanding.

For my friends at the Hall of Justice who politely listen to me go on and on about fishing and boating, and promises of a cigar night out on the water, I thought I should describe just what kind of boat I own and perhaps show a few pictures of it.

I should mention up front that it's the first boat I've ever owned, so I'm still learning the ropes so to speak.

My boat is an 18.5 foot SmokerCraft. It's a 2000 that I bought used last year. It has a 3.0L Mercury Inboard/Outboard engine. It has a small livewell, and the two rear seats can be repositioned onto the bow and the stern as swivel fishing chairs.

I think the boat is best described as a "Runabout". Technically, it's a Fish and Ski model. The term "Fish and Ski" is something boat manufacturers dreamed up to describe a boat that should be perfect for a guy like me. Something that works well for both fishing and family fun on the water, and in my case it fits the bill just fine; for the more serious fisherman or water skier, I suspect it's perfectly suited for neither fishing nor skiing.

The boat ran well on Saturday with a few minor glitches that I need to work out. The engine temperature keeps fluctuating between 140F and 180F degrees. I checked with my repair shop on this just to make sure this was normal and they confirmed that the engine's cooling system is working just as it should.

The biggest concern is that the bilge pump wouldn't work. But when I got it back home, it worked fine. Yet another thing to keep an eye on, and that convinced me that I need to buy a manual bilge pump. I also need to track down where the water is leaking in from. I know all boats leak some, but in my case I think it's a little excessive. The boat looks to be taking on about 3-4 gallons every 2 hours. I suspect water is leaking in where the livewell inlet is on the stern. I'll be taking a closer look at that over next few days.