My Declaration of Independence
September 15, 2008
Getting old is not the greatest thing in the world, it just beats the alternative. Getting old and fighting off infirmities is even worse! For me, fishing has at least eased the process.
When we first moved from Maine out here to Page, old had already started on me, and it had a pretty good start at that! I retired from guiding in Maine, after retiring from the Navy many years prior. I enjoyed guiding greatly and it was always more to me than “just a job”. It was a combination of teaching as well as learning along with public relations and was usually just plain fun.
However, like all of life there were times it was difficult, and the older I got the more frequently those “times” seemed to be happening. I suspect that much of what bugged me was working around the schedule of others and so I felt it was time to call it quits.
Fishing, near as I can remember, has always been a big part of my life. I started out fishing on an arm of the Chesapeake Bay before I was five years old. Back then a row boat was available, along with fishing tackle. An older brother and sisters, as well as my dad, taught me the basics and then turned me loose to finish learning on my own. It is a process that’s still going on!
I had my first ever car wreck coming home from fishing. I fished when and where I could, wherever I was, from Maine to Arizona plus a few other places in between.
That’s the background. I am old, experienced and decrepit! Why do I feel I have lots of company out there? What do I require NOW, to meet my needs? First off, a decent one-
man boat. What the Devil is a one-man boat? One I can launch and recover by myself, when and where I need to without additional help.
The need for help dictates some restriction on when you can go, and where. Currently I am leaving the house between 3:30 and 4:00 AM in order to be on the water by about 5:00 AM or just about the time it’s going to get daylight. Then, I leave the water whenever the sun gets high enough to be uncomfortable. It’s my schedule, in other words.
Second, I need a reliable motor; mine is an almost new, Honda, BF 30. Tiller steered it has both electric start and power trim and tilt. Push button operation is a necessity for me and the power trim allows me to power back onto the trailer on the ramps available out here. Yes, I gave up size, speed and unless I use my head, perhaps a bit of safety, but just a little bit. I no longer have a need to go when the weather is chancy, or on the weekends when the pleasure boat traffic is at its worst. Fuel efficiency is a big, added bonus!
My tow vehicle is an elderly (like me) 1985 Subaru Legacy Wagon which, with just a bit of care has both the go power and the whoa power needed to get the job done.
On arrival at the ramp, I back the rig in, then unhook the winch (my rig will slide off even without rollers), crank up and back off the trailer. We have floats at all three of the local ramps here which simplifies things considerably.
When I started Project Independence I had just sent a 20 foot Lund with a 90 Honda back to Maine, leaving myself an ancient (20 year old) Fisher with a manual start Yamaha, 40/28 horse Jet drive, which I just did not have the strength to crank. Both the Fisher, and the new Lowe are essentially the same size except the new Lowe Roughneck is five inches deeper for an additional safety margin. Those five inches can make a BIG difference, on the water or for us oldsters who tend to stumble a bit. High sides are good!
So there you have it. Go when I want, where I want, and with whom I want to go, and of great importance is the fact that I’m also able to do the whole shebang completely by myself, without help, from hooking up the trailer to backing it in and unhooking it from the car on return. As long as I am able to do this, I have no doubts as to MY independence.