Woohoo! Our new to us 2006 Sailfish passed survey.

[Captain TJ]

We will be heading to the east coast Monday after our tuna trip to pick up the newest addition to our family. I can't wait to get her home and bloody the decks. She's in great shape and ready to rock n roll. Attaching some pictures here. This baby is going to get some love and it's the newest one we looked at too so many of the newer model features that I'm excited about too. Time to finish out 2020 fishing season strong!

 

[Bird Blaster]

You get to sea trial prior to purchase?

 

[seasick]

Did you get a motor mechanical inspection?

 

[Bloodweiser]

Congratulations on your grady it’s a beautiful looking boat.

 

[Halfhitch]

That's gonna be an exciting trip out to get it. If you aren't.t planning no to splash it in any lakes on the way back, getting it shrink-wrapped for the trip would be money well spent. I towed one from Western Washington to Florida and it got some gravel dings in the gel coat. I had cardboarded the glass so it survived. One thing I did that helped with the bug splatter was I wrapped my radar and all the hard top tubing with Saran wrap and it saved hours of bug cleaning. We hit an area with lots of love bugs. Our first experience.

We did stop and boated on Lake Powell and I highly recommend it. Way different country than Puget Sound for sure. Some cool things to see. Good luck.

 

[Captain TJ]

Did you get a motor mechanical inspection?

Yes, engine and survey with exhaust inspection. We're going to sea trial her before paying once we get there but the surveyor also sea trialed it and reported back on that as well.

 

[Captain TJ]

That's gonna be an exciting trip out to get it. If you aren't.t planning no to splash it in any lakes on the way back, getting it shrink-wrapped for the trip would be money well spent. I towed one from Western Washington to Florida and it got some gravel dings in the gel coat. I had cardboarded the glass so it survived. One thing I did that helped with the bug splatter was I wrapped my radar and all the hard top tubing with Saran wrap and it saved hours of bug cleaning. We hit an area with lots of love bugs. Our first experience.

We did stop and boated on Lake Powell and I highly recommend it. Way different country than Puget Sound for sure. Some cool things to see. Good luck.

Thanks for the idea. I was already thinking about the bug issue when we get back and I was going to bring my movers plastic wrap but I didn't think about the cardboard over the windshield. That's a great idea especially since we're hoping to be out on the water the weekend after we get back.

 

[seasick]

Good luck!
Safe boating.

 

[wahoo33417]

Congrats on a nice boat! And good luck with the long move. Another couple of long move tips:

Wrap carpet around a small block of wood to fit under the engine when trimmed up. Then trim the engine down to rest its weight on that carpeted block of wood. Or you can buy Yamaha's rubber tubes to fit over the engine's trim pistons. Both ideas are meant to soften the ride for the engine.

Slide a short length of pool noodle over a VHF antenna and use painter's tape to hold it in place wherever the antenna makes contact with the boat. The painter's tape comes off much easier than duct tape.

Lastly, put small strips of that same painter's tape over the hinges of the plexiglass cabin entryway. I learned that one the hard way when one of the pins to a hinge vibrated out on a long trailer ride. I found it on the cabin floor right next to the scupper.

Rob

 

[Shannon C.]

Congrats for sure, all excellent points stated above. TJ, I'm not sure if you said it came with a trailer, if so, make sure your trailer is good working condition for the long haul back, maybe have the wheel bearings repacked before you head back and carry a spare set. I learned from that mistake lol!! and tires of course. Again congratulations, she's a beauty.

 

[Zebulon]

Congrats!!! Looks like a sweet ride.

 

[Captain TJ]

Congrats on a nice boat! And good luck with the long move. Another couple of long move tips:

Wrap carpet around a small block of wood to fit under the engine when trimmed up. Then trim the engine down to rest its weight on that carpeted block of wood. Or you can buy Yamaha's rubber tubes to fit over the engine's trim pistons. Both ideas are meant to soften the ride for the engine.

Slide a short length of pool noodle over a VHF antenna and use painter's tape to hold it in place wherever the antenna makes contact with the boat. The painter's tape comes off much easier than duct tape.

Lastly, put small strips of that same painter's tape over the hinges of the plexiglass cabin entryway. I learned that one the hard way when one of the pins to a hinge vibrated out on a long trailer ride. I found it on the cabin floor right next to the scupper.

Rob

Thanks for all the advice. I've done a lot of boating but not a lot of cross country boat towing. All great ideas that I will be taking advantage of. I'm finally getting old enough to be able to learn from others experience, not always been in my wheel house. LOL I will have two spare tires and a hub assembly as well as a grease gun. The trailer is almost brand new, 2019 and has lees than a thousand miles on it. Keep the ideas coming, so far they've all been new to me.

Thanks again

 

[Captain TJ]

I will start a new thread Monday when we roll out called the "Cross country Grady adventure!" We will post some pictures of the trip along with any of the boat when we get there.

 

[RussGW270]

Very nice. Sounds like you are going to have a lot of great stories to tell and pictures to show!

R

 

[mhinch]

Congrats! Just a reminder to make sure that you have a 4-way or lug wrench that fits, a jack capable of lifting the trailer, a jack stand or the like as a safety measure and lastly something to place the jack and stand on should you be on soft ground or gravel in need of repairs. I've see plenty of boat trailers on the side of I40 between here and the coast. oh, and be sure to check and monitor tire pressure too.
Safe travels to you!

 

[RussGW270]

You forgot a place for friends to sleep.. lol

My best tool is a laser temp gauge. I used it on my grill, now I keep it in the truck to watch temps on the hubs lol

Either way, that is a sweet boat and I cannot wait to see the fishing pics

 

[Captain TJ]

We will be fishing the weekend after we get back. As for tire pressure I have a "Tire minder" system for my RV since I blew a tire and did 4k worth of damage. Who knew all the plumbing on a springdale runs over the wheel well with only insulation to protect it. Now it has an aluminum 3/16 sheet metal liner over the wheels. Anyway I have two monitors for each side so I have to pick up two more before the trip home and all 6 tires will be constantly monitored for the ride home. I did not have anything for soft ground though, good call.

Many fishing pics will be following!

 

[Captain TJ]

Between Sioux Falls and Des Moines on our way to Maryland to get our new girl. Mama's birthday is Thursday so we're pushing hard to make it in 3 days so she gets her new boat on her birthday! Happy birthday baby!

 

[Captain TJ]

So it’s been a crazy couple weeks. We made it home with our new boat safely. Got in last Tuesday evening and scrambled all day Wednesday and Thursday to get ready to go fishing last Friday. We got loaded and headed out to Ilwaco. On the way there my wife was following in her Tahoe towing the camp trailer and she lost it on Hwy 8. Roll over accident that totaled the trailer and we’re hoping they total the Tahoe too. We didn’t end up fishing but my wife and daughter were both ok. 2016 Tahoe did prove to be safe in an ugly situation. Bad road combined with lack of experience were the cause and it all turned out well in the end. We are slowing down a bit since the next two weekends are already booked then heading back fishing.

On the trip home from Maryland we did stop at our friends family ranch near Sturgis. Checked out the rally and definitely want to go back with our Harley instead of the boat. I got some good pics of the boat on the ranch and I’ll post a couple here along with the wreck. We did just replace the trailer with a motor home that is rated to tow the boat so she doesn’t have to tow anymore. She’s a little upset about me not having her tow but I told her my heart may not make it through another wreck like that if it happened again.

 

[RussGW270]

So glad you are okay... seriously... that is all a shame, but more glad about that than the boat.

On the boat, congratulations on a beautiful boat.. heh. I know.. the wreck takes a bit away from it, but ya know what? You have a boat and folks are healthy.. so... at the end of the day, it will all be good

R