Taking my 17.5 foot smokercraft w/115 OB to port hardy??

lonehunter · #1 06-25-2018, 01:48 PM

Hi Guys,
I have only fished in alberta freshwater fishing with my 2013 smokercraft with 115hp mercury outboard, I have 2 electric downriggers, I have good experience fishing for lake trout with downriggers in cold lake and few other lakes, now I am thinking to take my boat to Port Hardy BC and Campbell River for some saltwater fishing for salmon and Halibuts. I am ready to invest some money on saltwater fishing gears for salmon and halibut.
I do have lowrance fishfinder with Gps and navionics Canadian lakes and coastal depth maps installed.
Is this a bad idea to take my freshwater 17.5 foot boat to port hardy? Thanks for any advise, tips or suggestions.

ROA · #2 06-25-2018, 02:23 PM

VHF radio is a must. Make sure to buy one with internal GPS or have a fish finder that it can hook up to to use it’s GPS for broadcast of your location distress channel 70. Also have to register your boat to your VHF radio so your boat and personal information is available to cost guard.

Kicker is a must in my opinion. A second motor that can push you fast enough to overcome wind and tide to get you back (min 8hp).

SNAPFisher · #3 06-25-2018, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROA

VHF radio is a must. Make sure to buy one with internal GPS or have a fish finder that it can hook up to to use it’s GPS for broadcast of your location distress channel 70. Also have to register your boat to your VHF radio so your boat and personal information is available to cost guard.

Kicker is a must in my opinion. A second motor that can push you fast enough to overcome wind and tide to get you back (min 8hp).

Two great points and advice. I was going to mention them both. You have to think about your main motor konking out and having these as backups. Especially the radio.

I just had my main motor konk out on Pigeon lake last Tuesday. Weather was perfect as well. Not exactly life threatening but still a big pain in the arse to load the boat with the leg fully down. I thought to myself, “now if I would have been on the ocean and this happened….”.

It’s all great when things are working well and there are no issues. Then something happens and you wish you had a backup plan.

lonehunter · #4 06-25-2018, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROA

VHF radio is a must. Make sure to buy one with internal GPS or have a fish finder that it can hook up to to use it’s GPS for broadcast of your location distress channel 70. Also have to register your boat to your VHF radio so your boat and personal information is available to cost guard.

Kicker is a must in my opinion. A second motor that can push you fast enough to overcome wind and tide to get you back (min 8hp).

Thanks a lot for the reply , i would get both kicker and vhf radio

curtz · #5 06-25-2018, 06:33 PM

I would check if your motor is ok for salt water

lonehunter · #6 06-25-2018, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtz

I would check if your motor is ok for salt water

I will check that out, Thanks

lonehunter · #7 06-25-2018, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Two great points and advice. I was going to mention them both. You have to think about your main motor konking out and having these as backups. Especially the radio.

I just had my main motor konk out on Pigeon lake last Tuesday. Weather was perfect as well. Not exactly life threatening but still a big pain in the arse to load the boat with the leg fully down. I thought to myself, “now if I would have been on the ocean and this happened….”.

It’s all great when things are working well and there are no issues. Then something happens and you wish you had a backup plan.

I already have 2.5hp maercury as back up, I guess it's not
Good enough for ocean, I am gonna have to get a 9.9 hp kicker, Thanks

curtis_rak · #8 06-25-2018, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonehunter

I will check that out, Thanks

If I’m not mistaken, all Mercs newer than 2006 will be good for the salt. I think that was the year they stopped making the Saltwater Series in place off all of their motors being salt water rated.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

lonehunter · #9 06-25-2018, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtis_rak

If I’m not mistaken, all Mercs newer than 2006 will be good for the salt. I think that was the year they stopped making the Saltwater Series in place off all of their motors being salt water rated.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow, thanks for the info, I guess am covered for saltwater

Drewski Canuck · #10 06-25-2018, 08:32 PM

Can be done. Did it for years.

Soon as you are back trailer and boat go into fresh water lake for a thorough wash out. If the trailer is not galvanized, get a galvanized trailer.

On the boat, you should be able to mount sacrificial ZINC anodes on the motor bracket. This protects the boat and the motor.

Next, EVERY electrical connection is lubed up with dielectric grease. If not, you will see every connection go green in a hurry.

Best to just plug off the water pick up for the Live well. Everywhere salt water gets in is a place of mise3ry. It will kill bilge pumps, recirc pumps, batteries, etc.

Be careful for dead heads. In a chop SLOW down.

Drewski

lonehunter · #11 06-25-2018, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Can be done. Did it for years.

Soon as you are back trailer and boat go into fresh water lake for a thorough wash out. If the trailer is not galvanized, get a galvanized trailer.

On the boat, you should be able to mount sacrificial ZINC anodes on the motor bracket. This protects the boat and the motor.

Next, EVERY electrical connection is lubed up with dielectric grease. If not, you will see every connection go green in a hurry.

Best to just plug off the water pick up for the Live well. Everywhere salt water gets in is a place of mise3ry. It will kill bilge pumps, recirc pumps, batteries, etc.

Be careful for dead heads. In a chop SLOW down.

Drewski

Thanks for the all the info and advice

trophybook · #12 06-25-2018, 09:23 PM

Keep a eye on the tide as your boat may become beached if you pull up on a island for lunch or what not.

2 Tollers · #13 06-25-2018, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Can be done. Did it for years.
Soon as you are back trailer and boat go into fresh water lake for a thorough wash out. If the trailer is not galvanized, get a galvanized trailer.
On the boat, you should be able to mount sacrificial ZINC anodes on the motor bracket. This protects the boat and the motor.
Next, EVERY electrical connection is lubed up with dielectric grease. If not, you will see every connection go green in a hurry.
Best to just plug off the water pick up for the Live well. Everywhere salt water gets in is a place of mise3ry. It will kill bilge pumps, recirc pumps, batteries, etc.
Be careful for dead heads. In a chop SLOW down.
Drewski

I did this for a number of years (2 weeks at a time) with a similar set up. Drewski's advice plus the others on a VHF is bang on. The only problem i had was my boat wanted to get up and plane quickly which was a problem in rough water. Boats out there are heavy and tend to stay settled down longer. I used a 9.9 as a kicker, trailered the boat every night and flushed out as much as I could with fresh water every night. All moving parts got taken apart and new grease when we got home.

Getting used to the tides is also a new experience. Watch the routes the locals take at the various tides.

Good luck and have fun.

lonehunter · #14 06-26-2018, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trophybook

keep a eye on the tide as your boat may become beached if you pull up on a island for lunch or what not.

omg...wow thanks

ROA · #15 06-26-2018, 11:07 AM

More stuff.
Crab traps. Read the regs first. Then get the cheap Danielson folding traps, they work fine. They come set up almost correct but not quite. You need to replace the 4 cotton strings (called rot cord) with a single string as per the regs. A float with your name and number and either weighted rope or non floating rope to keep it out of props. Never crabbed there before but 50-75 feet? of rope.

Anchoring. If your going for bottom fish and wish to anchor you should research how to use a “Scotsman” anchor float and look into anchor rode (rope/chain). I use 500 feet of double braid 3/8 and 20 feet galvanized chain for a boat a little bigger than yours.

stob · #16 06-26-2018, 11:44 AM

open bowed boats in big water can get into deadly trouble once they take in their first big wave my.02 ... there was a guy that posted pics and tips from last year here in a similar boat

58thecat · #17 06-26-2018, 11:47 AM

You'll be ok, pay attention to the weather, tides, water hazards and enjoy the chuck.
Grew up hammering the marine life from salmon to dog fish all in a 16 foot tin boat with a 9.9 evinrude on the back.
There is such a variety to catch if one species ain't cooperating move on to another.
Tight lines.

lonehunter · #18 06-27-2018, 09:23 AM

Thanks for the all the help guys

fish99 · #19 07-07-2018, 01:06 PM

fished port hardy in a 16 foot open bow fiber tech glass boat with a 50 horse Johnson and 7.5 kicker motor for a week no problems have fun lots of fish.

coyoteman · #20 07-07-2018, 01:26 PM

Had a 18-6 alum jumbo Prince craft for over 20 years on the north Atlantic--winter hunting--summer fishing.Besides the main engine yamaha, I had a 25 johnson, and a 6 hp johnson, wraped in tarps separate hose and tanks.A good anchor and lots of rope a must,although hard to row,I did row it 9 miles on one ocasion in the earlydays when I was foolish enough to go out without a spare engine. Spare plugs,and tool kit may come in handy.Never bolt the engine on,for quick engine change.A good compass an absolute must for shore siteings, I came in 25 miles in thick fog, rule one never doubt your compass.---Most of all common sense, know when to give up and head for port.