the two happiest times owning a boat, the day you buy it and the day you sell it

Not me. I get frustrated sometimes but that's part of it. I am a boat freak. My wife is also a boat freak, so I don't even ask when I buy boats. The last time I boat the pontoon boat for the pontoon duck blind. She came back from out of town asking "Who's ratty arsed pontoon is that by the barn" I said "Well technically its yours and mine". I tild what the intentions were for the boat. All she said was "Kewl".

Same here, I have 2 boats and love them. But if you do not like working on them, it would probably be the best day when you sell it. During fishing season, my momarsh goes into cold storage. My gatortrax transforms into crappie rig. After each trip, I get it all ready for the next trip.

During duck season, it is nice having 2 boats, so when one breaks down and needs work, I got back up.

Thanks for the update! If everything was easy about it, it wouldn't be such an adventure with good stories. I look forward to reading more in the future.

Nice

the fun of owning a boat, when you buy it and when you sell it

I got my crew together. September we will frame and finish out the front and rear porches. That way we won't scaffolding to get to the walls on the front and rear. In the winter we will be going for dried in.

I reckon I told yall I have had issues with Frankenstein the pontoon barge. I have had 5 aborted missions as a result of this ghost of a problem. Intermittent problems a a beach to diagnose and find. On the day in the video we launched and had problems with the engine missing horribly all the way to the island. We got there, unloaded and spent a few hours there. On the way back across, no problems at all. In fact is ran better than ever, By a guess we were running 25 to 30 mph in the video. The very next weekend I had this load of porch boards. I have to load rear heavy for the boat so as to keep the weight off of the trailer tongue. So the trailer can handle the weight but the rear of the boat gets super low in the water. Thats all fine a good. Once you hit forward on the boat the water has about 6 inches below the deck. I had already gone through and replaced the entire ignition with new. So when we took these porch board, the boat sort of lawn darted into the water during the launch. We had problems immediately and never made it to the island. I went over the facts presented over and over and over. It dawned on me, the only time I have trouble is with a load. I have never had trouble empty. Asking what could be different and water was the answer. Loaded with 3000 lbs of boards put the deck at the water's level. I targeted the only thing under the deck that water could get to, the main harness. Well it was a blazing hot day and I had my shirt off while in the barn. I could see two three wire butt connectors in the 3 wire tilt trim harness. They are not supposed to be there but an open connection on those wires would have zero effect the engine. I cut the butts out and soldered the joint, sealed them with liquid tape and heat shrink tubing. Remember it was hot and I was sweating like a mad man. So as I reached up to push the wires back into place I saw nothing short of Jesus standing in a lake fire. Both my nipples were touching the side of the aluminum and the motor was running at the time. I swear if you look there has to me nipple skin left on the side of the boat. I found a direct short in the main wire harness and it bit me good. I had no idea 12 volts could bite so hard. I clinched my teeth so hard they hurt. I found a direct short. The nick in the harness jacket and cut hot wire were sitting on top of the pontoon. When I have a load, water was able to get to that nicked wire and short out. It makes sense after we made the island and unloaded, we would have no more problems. I got that ghost's rotten arse now. I can't wait to get going again.

https://youtu.be/zMVny5-4Vkw

At least you found the problem.

Glad you found the issue! Now you can move full steam ahead on the project.
Remember, it’s not the voltage but the amperage that’ll get you.

So you would not suggest using your nipples as a ground test?

Apparently it works! LOLOL

It made for a good update, glad you found the problem!

Sorry but while reading that^^^^^ I laughed til I cried....

Glad you finally got it sorted out.

Can't wait to see more pics of the project.

When I was a kid we had an old push mower with a Briggs and Stratton motor with a kill wire coming out from the to cover. Just touch the end of the wire to the block to kill the engine....on more than one occasion i reached down with sweaty hands and got bit.....