Happy New Year, transom aluminum removed and glassed over :)

[Island Pilot]

Happy new year guys. Thanks to the advice of you guys here, I had my crappy aluminum strip removed and transom glassed over when I was getting a new bottom (soda blast, multiple new epoxy barriers, and new bottom) done.

I did not put a nice cover on it, but plan to do that when I repower in a few years. The guys at All Aboard Fiberglass repair in Key Largo did great work!

Thanks again for the advice on how to fix what could have ended up a wet transom.

 

[Island Pilot]

Also... generator update.... She is dead.... The shop said it was not worth rebuilding... so gona wait a bit and put a 5.5 kw diesel Nextgen in some time next year... The Honda 2000 will have to get us through the summer.

 

[magicalbill]

Also... generator update.... She is dead.... The shop said it was not worth rebuilding... so gona wait a bit and put a 5.5 kw diesel Nextgen in some time next year... The Honda 2000 will have to get us through the summer.

Island Pilot:

Happy New Year back to you. After 30+ years of performing, leading the chorus of "Auld Lange Syne" to inebriated people with noisemakers and driving on the roads with drunk nutcases, I am thrilled to be retired and consider it an accomplishment if I'm asleep before the Stroke Of Midnight.

Thanks again for all your help answering my trailering questions. Because of yours and others insight on here, I have a fairly clear path to purchasing a trailer, getting the permits and lining everything out before our journey this summer.

When you purchase your new generator, be mindful of weight as you don't want your Marlin to be too heavy aft.

Have a great 2019 with your Marlin and I'll get some pics together when our Marlin is on her trailer.

 

[Ozz043]

Island Pilot, ot looks good as it is.
I did the same and wonder why they dont do it in the factory

 

[Sdfish]

Nicely done! Clean fix!

 

[Island Pilot]

Thanks guys. My part in this venture was to write the check! I suspect they don’t do it at the factory because I would expect some spider cracks due to the forces in that area.

Thanks for the advice on the genny... I am bummed about the Fischer Panda not working out, but hey it’s a boat. If the Honda works out well I may end up building a fiberglass box on the transom and going that route. It would be a lot less maintenance....

Anybody gone up shark river in Florida?? I gona take my dad on an overnight there in a few weeks.

 

[Fishtales]

It looks great. Hopefully it stands the test of time!

 

[everwhom]

The FP in my 330 Express crapped out at the end of the season (motor runs fine, but zero voltage -- I did try the battery trick to re-energize the coils, but to no avail). Hopefully it's something simple, but if it's pricey I'm planning to replace with an inverter and battery banks. I never use the genset for anything but making coffee or heating up a quick meal, and it will be nice to just flip a switch in the cabin instead of doing the genset startup dance between the seacock and control panel.

I also figure lithium batteries will eventually get practical for boats so we'll get more and more out of inverter systems going forward...

 

[magicalbill]

Thanks guys. My part in this venture was to write the check! I suspect they don’t do it at the factory because I would expect some spider cracks due to the forces in that area.

Thanks for the advice on the genny... I am bummed about the Fischer Panda not working out, but hey it’s a boat. If the Honda works out well I may end up building a fiberglass box on the transom and going that route. It would be a lot less maintenance....

Anybody gone up shark river in Florida?? I gona take my dad on an overnight there in a few weeks.

Affirmative on Shark River.:

It's roughly 35-40 miles North of 7 Mile. Pick up Cape Sable on your stbd side as you head North thru Fla Bay and you can run close in 'tll the Shark River Entrance.

There is a marked entrance and you have depths of 6-8 feet going in. Depending on how far back you wander, it's adequate water for your Marlin.

There's nothing back there, really. Just tall mangroves lining the shores and plenty of weird looking bugs. Have your eisenglass up and the cabin doors& windows closed after sunset. The bugs that will carry you away don't frequent that area during winter months, though. Just black critters that attach themselves to the boat, but didn't bite.

I've heard reports from friends that have anchored near the mouth of the river that they had a bit of trouble getting a set on their ground tackle. We went waay up the river and tied overnight at a chickee hut, or however that's spelled.

We didn't like Shark River at all and will not go back except to duck out of bad weather. That said, we are "marina people." I want the boat tied up securely and a ships store, laundry & showers nearby. We are not campers and don't enjoy the wilderness.

That said, you may really dig it. The shelving bottom along that section of the Everglades lends it'self to calm conditions near shore, similar to the Keys. Let me know how your trip goes.