[Opry99er]

Well, we had a big day planned... My dad came out with us and we brought the boat, rods, sonar, everything... ready to freakin ROCK!!!

Got the raft inflated and started putting gear together....

5 mintes later... the raft was not inflated as well as it was..... OOOOOH BOY......

3/8" tear on the bottom side of the keel.... inner chamber. There would be no boat fishing today.

So... we decided to toss some jigs and crawlers from shore for 20 minutes or so.... At least we didn't skunk out.

The boy was pretty upset about his boat, but I told him I would repair it with the patch kit. Good day, but not nearly what we had in mind.

 

[TthePikester]

SUX dude!!! By your pic it looks like a seam separation, if so I'ld take the sucker back!!!

 

[Opry99er]

Funny... It does look like that in the pic.

Its actually not... No seam there. Those vertical lines are drag marks... Also where the tear came into play. Last time we had it on the water, we pulled the boat onto shore at a concrete pad, the corner of which was jagged and I didn't see it underwater. Pulled it up, scraping that spot on the bottom of the boat, causing a small tear.

It can be patched... Just sucks we missed the day of fishing after I spent yesterday finding parts and ripping parts off old lures for those harnesses. LOL!!!

At least we didn't skunk out.

 

[TthePikester]

True dude!!! Good luck!!!

 

[hobiecat]

Aha..Should have waxed the raft..

 

[Opry99er]

^^true^^

:roll:

 

[golden rod]

Jeebus, Oprah,lol. You only fished for 20 minutes? :tsk: Did you have to get back to the shop and make more harnesses? :

Sucks about the tear, get it fixed and get back on the water so you can FISH! :llama:

 

[Opry99er]

We spent 20 minutes looking for the patch kit (which ended up being at home), 20-30 minutes with lines in the water, and then the boy got restless and was sad about his boat.

I can't believe we caught anything from shore at all... This lake is a big snakey fucker and the big end (where we were) is the dead sea. The long thin tail of the lake has all the cover, structure, and bottom composition variation. The only accessible spot from shore was the area where we were standing. Shallow and muddy, silty as hell.

If I'd known we wouldn't have been able to use the boat, we would have gone to a different lake.

 

[Bionic Man]

I have terrible luck with inflatables. Good luck with the patch. Hope you get back on the water soon.

 

[Opry99er]

I have terrible luck with inflatables. Good luck with the patch. Hope you get back on the water soon.

Thanks dude. I remember being a kid, every Spring dad would go buy out the local Brighton stock of patch kits and go to work on our rafts... At one point, our 6 man Sevylor rubber ducky was more "patch" than "boat". But he kept us on the water, and our Spring trips to Brainerd and Summer trips to Rabbit Ears were never cancelled.

We will overcome as well.

 

[pistoldog]

Keep dat patch kit with you at all times Opry!

Sorry fishing partner got dejected so early in the trip.

 

[Zman]

Sorry about the boat!...you need a checklist...no life jacket the first time...no patchkit...dont forget the boat the next trip!...lol...

 

[Opry99er]

Don't patches take a while to set properly?
Dad never patched the boats at the lake... Always a day or two before the trip. Guess I never thought about that.

Checklist is a good idea.

 

[TthePikester]

just cut the floor out and seal in a storm door!!! :

https://www.getflexseal.com/

 

[Zman]

Don't patches take a while to set properly?

I dunno put the man card down and read the directions...we always patched bike tubes and pumped them right up and then back into mayhem...

 

[Opry99er]

I dunno put the man card down and read the directions.

For sure I'll do that. Haven't had a need to even pull the thing out yet. I do now.

 

[TthePikester]

what, you didn't like my idea? Converts it to a harder bottom!!! :thumb:

 

[Opry99er]

I'll pass on the FlexSeal...

But I am building a wood floor for the raft.

Should be fairly easy... Need a sheet and a half of 1/2 inch plywood, some Compton-porch AstroTurf, and some pipe insulator foam-noodles.

And 4-5 hours

 

[TthePikester]

Use a good marine grade plywood then coat it with about 3-4 coats of Marine Varnish.

 

[Opry99er]

Interesting thought... You're suggesting bypassing the carpet then?

Would straight wood with varnish be super slick when wet? That's the main reason I'm looking into carpet.