Boating

JP4CY

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Any other boat owners just live in a constant state of anxiety while using their boats? I'm triple checking the plug, trailer straps, chain, worry about every little noise difference I hear in the motor etc. I just have a newer Lund 16ft fishing boat. I still love to use it, but almost always think I screwed something up either trailering it or using it.
Not sure what your motor is but Merc's have a beeping system for alarms. I have an I/O with vesselview so that helps with information.
 

FallOf81

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Oct 24, 2017
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What sucks about Iowa is that we just don't have many places where you can boat so many a lot of the lakes are really busy. Okoboji and Clear lake are absolute sh!t shows.
Thus the migration to Lake of the Ozarks. A complete sh*t show Friday/Saturday/Sunday until late afternoon. Sunday evening to Thursday not so bad. I wonder how many folks from Iowa have a place there? 500? 1000?
 

BillBrasky4Cy

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Thus the migration to Lake of the Ozarks. A complete sh*t show Friday/Saturday/Sunday until late afternoon. Sunday evening to Thursday not so bad. I wonder how many folks from Iowa have a place there? 500? 1000?

Oh for sure. I'm just not a fan of the Ozarks, it can be flat out dangerous.
 

Prone2Clone

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Oct 20, 2006
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Lake of the Ozarks in the warm months is a GD cluster ****. Why anybody would voluntarily put themselves in the middle of that disaster is beyond me.
 

CloneFanInKC

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Jul 26, 2021
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Long time boater and came from a boating family. The process JP described in post 25 is the exact process my father and I had when I was a younger teenager.

Wife came from a boating family and we were fortunate to be able to buy a condo (w slip) at Tablerock Lake while we were DINKs.

Fast forward to today with 4 kids ages of 18months to 9yo. I manage anxiety with almost everything related to my kids and boating is now really stressful.

Luckily the 9, 6 & 3 yo enjoy boating/tubing and the two oldest are good swimmers. The most stress comes from the 18mo and 3 yo not being able to swim.

I can’t imagine my family getting out of the boating lifestyle.
 

DarkStar

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Sep 15, 2009
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My really good boating stories happened while I was in the Navy. So, they're classified.

I grew up boating on the Missouri river. Pretty much only experienced boaters go on the river. I won't put in on any of the atea lakes. To many boaters that don't know the rules of the road or know what they are doing.
 

zarnold56

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Aug 9, 2009
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Not sure what your motor is but Merc's have a beeping system for alarms. I have an I/O with vesselview so that helps with information.
Yeah my 50 HP Merc has that I/O. I need to get that mainly as my tiller doesn't have an RPM gauge to try and figure out best cruising speed/rpm for gas mileage. I haven't had any major issue, just always think I will.
 

CloneFanInKC

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B - break
O - out
A - another
T - thousand

Due to preventive maintenance, fuel and up keep.
 

NATEizKING

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Feb 18, 2011
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Hilton
Any other boat owners just live in a constant state of anxiety while using their boats? I'm triple checking the plug, trailer straps, chain, worry about every little noise difference I hear in the motor etc. I just have a newer Lund 16ft fishing boat. I still love to use it, but almost always think I screwed something up either trailering it or using it.
It becomes habit over time. We forgot to put the plug in when putting the boat in this weekend. First thing to check when putting boat in or parking at a dock. We were actually still hooked up to the trailer when I noticed so we just pulled back out and drained it quick. Other than that, always check to make sure you're shooting water out the motor any time you go through some weeds.
 
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NATEizKING

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Feb 18, 2011
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Hilton
Long time boater and came from a boating family. The process JP described in post 25 is the exact process my father and I had when I was a younger teenager.

Wife came from a boating family and we were fortunate to be able to buy a condo (w slip) at Tablerock Lake while we were DINKs.

Fast forward to today with 4 kids ages of 18months to 9yo. I manage anxiety with almost everything related to my kids and boating is now really stressful.

Luckily the 9, 6 & 3 yo enjoy boating/tubing and the two oldest are good swimmers. The most stress comes from the 18mo and 3 yo not being able to swim.

I can’t imagine my family getting out of the boating lifestyle.
Kids definitely stressful, I have 2, 4, and 6yo and none can swim. We have pontoon and 18ft jon boat and take both out so we do a lot of switching in between depending on the kids. The 2yo spends very little time in the fishing boat, pretty relaxing when all 3 are in the pontoon.
 
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CloneFanInKC

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Jul 26, 2021
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Kids definitely stressful, I have 2, 4, and 6yo and none can swim. We have pontoon and 18ft jon boat and take both out so we do a lot of switching in between depending on the kids. The 2yo spends very little time in the fishing boat, pretty relaxing when all 3 are in the pontoon.
I should add there is also stress with being on the dock and keeping track of the 2 younger ones. Some of the best days so far this summer have been when the boys are napping and being on the dock with the girls during those naps!
 

HGoat1

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What sucks about Iowa is that we just don't have many places where you can boat so many a lot of the lakes are really busy. Okoboji and Clear lake are absolute sh!t shows.
Yep. I have 0 interest in either of those lakes, or really any lakes in Iowa, because of that. Easily worth it to drive an extra hour or two north of both clear lake/boji.
 
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legi

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Oct 31, 2008
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Maple Grove, MN
Long time boater and came from a boating family. The process JP described in post 25 is the exact process my father and I had when I was a younger teenager.

Wife came from a boating family and we were fortunate to be able to buy a condo (w slip) at Tablerock Lake while we were DINKs.

Fast forward to today with 4 kids ages of 18months to 9yo. I manage anxiety with almost everything related to my kids and boating is now really stressful.

Luckily the 9, 6 & 3 yo enjoy boating/tubing and the two oldest are good swimmers. The most stress comes from the 18mo and 3 yo not being able to swim.

I can’t imagine my family getting out of the boating lifestyle.
I have a similar situation that I have 6 and 9 yo boys. Both are ok swimmers and always have life jackets on, but I always worry.

One day we were anchored in one of the bays, and our tube is floating by the boat. They are jumping in the water just playing around. All of a sudden it gets quiet, and I can see my oldest but can't see my youngest, and I get instantaneously extremely worried, and I start calling his name. It only took about 3-4 seconds, but to me it was the longest 3-4 seconds ever, cause I thought he was gone. He pops his head from behind the tube where he was hiding just playing around, without realizing the scare he put into me, and is all laughing like haha you couldn't find me. The amount of relief in that moment was intense, while at the same time I was thinking to myself "you damn little dickhead, I could kick your ass right now and I wouldn't even feel too bad", but I gather myself, pull him out of the water, and explain why he shouldn't ever play like that again.
 

JP4CY

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Yep. I have 0 interest in either of those lakes, or really any lakes in Iowa, because of that. Easily worth it to drive an extra hour or two north of both clear lake/boji.
Try during the weekday. We'll go on a Thursday and it's much better.
 

Walden4Prez

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Jul 8, 2014
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My dad’s buddy buys a brand new Lund walleye boat every so often. Only uses it like 3-4 times a year so always blew my mind. One summer he got a new Ford F-150 King Ranch edition with a top of the line topper. He’s pulling his new bad ass Lind behind it. Not sure of the length, but is has a 200 horse Merc. Boat has never been on the water. Towing it through the Twin Cities on his way up to some lake in MN and gets assholed by a shitbox pickup. Destroys his new trailer, boat motor and pushes the boat through his new topper and into the top of his new truck. Right on 35W.
 

Drew0311

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Nov 7, 2019
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Norwalk, Iowa
Any other boat owners just live in a constant state of anxiety while using their boats? I'm triple checking the plug, trailer straps, chain, worry about every little noise difference I hear in the motor etc. I just have a newer Lund 16ft fishing boat. I still love to use it, but almost always think I screwed something up either trailering it or using it.


I don't get nervous at all to be honest. I have had a few engine problems here and there. Then again ours is kept on a lift all year.
 

legi

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Oct 31, 2008
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Maple Grove, MN
Any other boat owners just live in a constant state of anxiety while using their boats? I'm triple checking the plug, trailer straps, chain, worry about every little noise difference I hear in the motor etc. I just have a newer Lund 16ft fishing boat. I still love to use it, but almost always think I screwed something up either trailering it or using it.
I did my 1st year of owning a boat. After that it got lots easier.