I guess the last thing most people would be worried about when getting a total knee replacement is "I have to take care of my gear and boat"! Yea, I know that I obsess a bit over my stuff, but I believe that in order for it to be ready to go without any problems when I return, I must prepare my gear and boat for my surgery.
It isn't difficult at all and only requires a few minutes of my time. The first thing I must do is reduce the tension on all my reel drags. This saves my reels by sitting without any stress.
All my baitcasters have "star" drag systems. By turning the star drag counter-clockwise, I will release all the tension that I use during my normal fishing trips.
My spinning reels are all "front drag" systems. I follow a similar routine with all of them by turning the front drags counter-clockwise to release all stress.
By reducing the drag pressure, pressure on the soft drag washers is eliminated. "Pressure over time can make an impression on the soft washers and cause sticking and erratic drags, which might later cost you a fish." (Gofishn.com - Tackle care, maintenance and repair)
My next task was to make sure that my 115/80 4-stroke Yamaha motor was sitting level and not tilted. "Why?", you may ask. Well, even though initially we were told that the 4-Stroke Yamaha Motors would not have a problem being stored in a tilted position, what we actually have found over the past few years is... Yes, they can have a problem!
Tilt/Trim
By leveling the motor, I keep the gasket from being saturated with oil and causing smoking at start ups. It's pretty simple to understand and by keeping it level, this issue normally doesn't exist.
Level Motor
Here's another tip for those who experience air-locks on hot days in their fuel line from the gas tank to the motor... Take a plastic wire tie and pull your gas line up and attach it to whatever is available... I have a hose that is readily available for me to use. I was having some problems last season and gave JC Nuss, Lakeside Marine, a call and he gave me this tip... It works!
Gas Line Held Up By Electrical Tie
So, if you are going to be off the water for awhile and not sure when your next trip will be, try these fast and easy tips in keeping your gear and boat ready to go once you can return to fishing.
Take Care and Be Safe!
Dad
