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I got a broken rib from a snap roll in a World Cat. They (and other cats) are very popular in the Gulf of Mexico where they eat up the short choppy seas that are common. I've been on several and I personally don't like them. They are a great stable fishing platform but the handling is...

I did a bunch of research on marine fuel treatments and stabilizers a few years back. With the exception of Startron, all use established technologies that employ fuel additive compounds that are commonly blended into pump gasoline. Stabilizing fuel is not rocket science. The products just...

I'm late to the party, but I want to add that I tried fins on 4 different boats over the years. 3 of the engines ended up with holes in the anti-ventilation plates plugged with 5200. The discussion pretty much covers the important points. They really only work for light hulls that don't...

The Gulf of Mexico is a smorgasbord. You never know what you'll catch. Here's a 35+ lb bull red caught while grouper fishing: And here's a sailfish caught in 42 ft of water fishing for kings. That never happens. It is the only sailfish I've seen caught out of Homosassa in 13 years.

The battery I linked to is a dual purpose. Any battery that is listed as Marine or RV is a dual purpose. Are you looking for a group 31 starting battery AND a group 31 true deep cycle battery, both in AGM?

You will be fine fishing the areas you describe with an older style hull. I fished Raritan Bay in a 14 ft wooden skiff when I was a kid. I fished the Hudson and Connecticut Rivers with a 14 ft aluminum boat when I was in college. Also did a lot of Tog fishing out of Niantic with that aluminum...

Your Scotty downriggers and their 2500 line pull draw just under 20 amps under full load. A single Group 31 AGM Energizer from Costco has a 200-minute reserve capacity at 25 amps. 50% capacity is the max you want to use for the longest battery life. So you could run either the downrigger or...

Using a true deep cycle battery as a starting battery is not ideal even if it has sufficient cranking amps. If your engine turns over right away, you will be OK. But if it doesn't fire right up, the voltage will drop off rapidly with the high current draw. They aren't designed for high...

I'm looking forward to the trip also. We used to fish the Santee-Cooper Lakes once or twice a year during our first Florida life. Haven't been back since the '80s. Here's a picture of my wife with a 47 lb blue from back before there was color film: ;) We will take the opportunity to go...

The valve is fine, but the arrhythmia is not good. They have me doped up on a beta-blocker. But the worst part is no coffee or booze! At least my head is clear most of the time.

Those 7 amp batteries are in fact AGMs. They are often called VRLA or valve regulated lead acid batteries. The electrolyte (hydrochloric acid) is in fact liquid, but it is absorbed on fiberglass mats that fit between the lead plates. They are "starved" for liquid so they are just moist, not...

Other than the high cost, lithium-ion batteries are superior to other technologies in just about every way. They are lighter, can be discharged repeated to almost 0% without damage, and using the right equipment can be charged much faster. However, until the technology becomes more mature, you...

I know quite a bit about batteries in boats. Ever since I had one blow up in my old 204c when I hit the ignition key, I've paid a lot of attention to the issues. 1. Sealed flooded cell batteries: The older "maintenance free" flooded cell batteries from back in the '70s and '80 were...

You will find that you need to use a swivel mount on your Grady if you use Scotty downriggers. The simple ones that allow you to tilt straight up will not allow the riggers to clear the bolster. I used a 1/8" aluminum backing plate inside the gunwales to provide a secure mount. There is...

I did a lot of editing in my former career. Here is the advice I used to give: 1. Do an outline including each point you want to make. 2. Have a drink in order to release writer's block or other inhibitions. 3. Write with abandon without considering the length restrictions. 4. Wait a day. 5...

I've owned both hulls and what everyone is saying is spot on. Except for the fuel economy thing. The older hull is more fuel-efficient since it is lighter and has less wetted surface area when on plane. Yes, it will pound. Both hulls are dry for their size. The handling is very different...

You can get lucky and only have partial phase separation with E10 as long as the fuel and water are not agitated. Such as with a boat sitting at a mooring. But you can't get around the chemistry and you have no way of knowing the octane rating of the fuel phase. Phase Separation Crap! I...

If you were using E10 fuel, dump the gas. Once phase separation has occurred, most of the ethanol will be in the water phase. The octane rating of the remaining fuel will be below that required for proper combustion and knocking will occur that will eventually damage your pistons. If you are...

Your AP will hold a compass heading when a chartplotter is not detected. Garmin makes a couple of bare wire to 8-pin junction boxes that will work with most existing transducers. Here is one: Garmin Adaptor Box

I posted on how to get rid of those spots years ago. Remove the entire armrest (with the metal bracket attached) and put each arm into a separate dish pan containing 50% fresh bleach with a few drops of Dawn dish detergent. Soak for several days. The spots will eventually disappear. You can...