Bored in Afghanistan Boat Questions!

[Fortunate One]

Tim,

Good luck to you in Afghanistan.

Looks like things might heat up over there with the new administration coming in. I saw on the news tonight that units that were going to deploy to Iraq have been getting cross trained for missions Afghanistan.

I hope they give you guys all the support you deserve so they can start drawing down and you folks can get home and back to boating and fishing.

Stay safe and remember there are plenty of greatful Americans that appreciate what you're doing. And I'm sure there are greatful citizens in Afghanistan also. Keep up the good work.

Mike

[cravertosu]

FIRST CLASS REPLIES HERE GENTLEMEN!!!! FIRST CLASS

THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT HERE....PASSING ON POSITIVE ENERGY AMONGST THE MEMBERS AND IN THIS CASE A MAN FIGHTING FOR HIS COUNTRY ........IN THE WINTER OF 08-09!!! AND WE ALL WILL LEARN!

It's all because you run such a great forum section, thanks Box!

Tim, I mght add, put a master switch between your batteries. When you stop to bottom fish, anchor, etc... Just put the switch to #1 or #2, not on both. This (if wired correctly) will let you run (electronics,pumps etc...) off of only one battery, use the fresh one to start your engine. After start-up put it back on "both" to charge both batteries. You should have a master(main) switch in your system anyway. This way it pull's "double" duty. It keeps thing's simple, and that is a good thing offshore, in my opinion.Frank,SeaPower

Frank,
I think that's the way I'm going try and run, possibly add a third battery. Thanks!

Dude!

You already got the boat questions answered so here's the most important thing. Thank you. Thank you very, very much for my daughter and son being able to sleep at night. Thank you for my wife being safe. Thank you for letting me be with my family this Christmas season. Thank you for your love for your country. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. When you get back, make a post dude and I want to take you fishing. There are others on this board that will too. Have a good Christmas.

Anything your family needs while you are out there in the bad guy country taking care of all of us?

Alex Mercer

Alex,
Thank You! I always say the reason I do what I do is so every night I can go to sleep and wake up every morning KNOWING I make my family proud. I do what I do so hopefully our kids won't have to. I do know that you all support me and that truly means a lot. I'm truly makes things easier. Thank You.
I'll make sure I let you all know when I get back! Still looking at the end of Jan! Hopefully those bluefin will still be around!

Tim

One other thing. Make sure the float switch for you bilge pump is wired directly to the battery, NOT through the switch. This way, you can turn the battery switch off at the dock, so that if you happen to have a short anywhere it won't kill the battery, but still allows the float switch to cut the bilge pump on and off if you happen to take on water. If you keep the boat on a trailer, make sure to pull the drain plug once the boat is out of the water. Rain will get into the bilge, which will cause the bilge pump to run, which over a period of time, will kill the battery. Once the battery is dead, the bilge may completely fill up with water, soaking your wiring, fuel filters, everything in the bilge.

Cpt,
Good stuff! I don't know that I would've thought of that! It certainly makes sense though.

Thanks,
Tim

Tim- yes thank you for your service. The boat US towing insurance is like $100 for unlimited coverage- no brainer just make sure you renew it every year. Put an on-board charger on so all you gotta do is plug her in and batteries will be well charged every time you go out. Another bit of cheap insurance is a portable battery pack which comes with jumper cables and will allow you to plug things into it like a cig lighter, cell phone charger, even TV or radio- but when you turn over that key and get no noise and don't feel like waiting for the tow boat, break out the portable battery pack. Peace of mind is a wonderul thing every time you turn that key off and leave those fish finders, radios, live well pumps, on while fish are chewing and elect juice is silently leaving those batteries

Phat Mann,
Definitely getting a tow boat service before I start getting back on the water! $100 something a year is A LOT better then $900 a pop!! I've already been looking at on board battery charges. Have the room and it's a practical thing to have! And if not just for me, then anyone else that has an issue out on the water. When I ran out of juice 18nm out, we had about 10 boats around us and no one had a way to help. One guy did try taking one of his batteries out but it didn't end up working.

Thanks,
Tim

Tim,

Good luck to you in Afghanistan.

Looks like things might heat up over there with the new administration coming in. I saw on the news tonight that units that were going to deploy to Iraq have been getting cross trained for missions Afghanistan.

I hope they give you guys all the support you deserve so they can start drawing down and you folks can get home and back to boating and fishing.

Stay safe and remember there are plenty of greatful Americans that appreciate what you're doing. And I'm sure there are greatful citizens in Afghanistan also. Keep up the good work.

Mike

Mike,
It's been hot in some areas here but over all I think it's a good mission. "Enjoyed" my trips over here. Looking forward to this one being the last one though. I don't want to be gone from the family anymore. It's their time now. Hopefully they'll want to spend a lot of that time on the water!!

Thanks,
Tim