bertram31.com

JohnCranston

This is Pam - John's handler - I have looked over the itinerary and want to know what is the next step in locking in the trip. Do we contact Tropic Star directly and indicate we are with the Bertram31 board? I do not necessarily need to fish but will if need be. Mark Stange indicated he may have roo...

JohnCranston

Bob,
Thanks for the explanation...you're the best.
John.

JohnCranston

Bob,
I'm considering fg logs also while my boat is out of the water. Why do you get an increase in speed? Is it a big job installing the logs?
Thanks.
John.

JohnCranston

We want to go next year and are trying to figure out which month would be best.

John.

JohnCranston

I got it...2 1/2 od.
Thanks anyway.
John.

JohnCranston

Thanks Capt Patrick for the numbers. They answered all of my questions. Would you happen to know the outside diameter of the original shaft logs?
Many thanks.
John.

JohnCranston

Captain, I want to install PSS shaft seals. I have the original shaft logs and I know the original shafts were 1 1/4"...I have 1 3/8 shafts now. I'm looking on Ebay and am seeing seals 1 3/8' by 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 tubes. Are the tubes the same as the bellows? Which one do I need? There's a seal 1 3/8 x ...

JohnCranston

Tom,
I was advised by Taco that they made several improvements on their Grand Slam mounts since I used them last. Defender Marine had a sale on their mounts and riggers, and, I decided to give them another try.
Many thanks.
John.

JohnCranston

Pete and JP,
Thanks, I'll check them out.
John.

JohnCranston

Fellas,
My new 1/2 tower is under construction, and, it's time to buy the rigger bases. Is there anything out there other than Rupp Top Guns and Taco Grand Slam top mount bases? I've had poor luck with the Taco's in the past.
Many thanks.
John.

JohnCranston

Thanks,everyone.
I used the Snow Bowl cleaner and it worked great.
Thanks again.
John.

JohnCranston

I think that 304 ss bolts were used to secure the cleats...got a little rust. What's the best product to get it off?
Thanks.
John.

JohnCranston

Ryan, I would consider selling my tower with the Macrolon enclosure. The tower is 2 pieces with 16 rod holders and Top Gun swing out riggers. I love the tower, but, don't need the upper station for the type of fishing that we do. I would have a 1/2 tower and enclosure built to match what I have now....

JohnCranston

Bob,
Do you serve doubles?
You're a class act, Bob, and what I like so much about you is, you think outside of the box...I tried to emulate your expertise when deciding on engine placement and shaft angles when we put together Reel Cowboy, and, it really payed off nicely.
Thanks again, sir.
John.
.

JohnCranston

Bruce, Come to find out, the props were Michigan Dyna-jets with no alterations except number 3 cup...found a used pair after calling a bunch of shops...37 knots wide open and am very happy. Carl, The shafts were a19's...that's all he uses and had it done in a couple of days...thanks for your advice....

JohnCranston

Thanks, Bruce, Scott, off the board,gave me those props, and, I know where he got them reworked...I'll give them a call. As far as the 1.5 ratio. my bahia is 2,000 lbs lighter than most others out there...everything is Nida-core or Cabrera. I feel like the performance speaks for itself...I posted 35...

JohnCranston

Carl, What you say makes sense. My boat is in a cradle lift, the new shaft will be done tomorrow, I'll be out $650, I'll be fishing by Friday, that's the way I'm going for right now. I'm already using struts that have been punched out to accommodate the 1 3/8' shafts. Right now, I'm not ready to pul...

JohnCranston

Mark, I'll swap you wahoo for chesse curds...deal? Bob. I'm real happy with the 1.5 gears...35 plus knots at wot, and, 1.7 mpg at 28 knots. I'm going to use the 1 3/8 shafts for now and will upgrade in the future. It seems like you guys have alot more load on your shats with the 315 or 330 hp engine...

JohnCranston

We hit something in the water going 30 knots and the shaft broke just behind the strut. You guys are right, but for now, I just need to get back in the water asap...the wahoo are thick and we're fishing every weather permiting chance. I'll upgrade everything when there's more $ in the boat fund. I'm...

JohnCranston

Bob,
That motor looks like a Yanmar...
Just kiddin. My wife has a LS1 350hp in her vette and hasn't even gotten a second gear scratch yet.
John.

JohnCranston

Bob, I'm needing your expert advice on props, please, sir. I broke a shaft and lost a prop. The props were 18x18.5 3 blade bronze with a medium cup. I got the 315 Yanmars with 1.5 ratio gears. The boat performed great coming out of the hole and plenty of power for blowing through waves. top speed wa...

JohnCranston

Thanks for posting the pics, Mark.
We're heading out on a 2 to 3 day wahoo trip on Monday. We're going to load the old girl up, put the tabs down, and, let her eat...
John.

JohnCranston

Fellas, I had Micro Commanders on Reel Cowboy for the first few trips, and, I'm thankful that the boat or crew weren't seriously injured. They worked great at first and then they came demon possessed. The boat would get stuck in gear and rev up and you would have to shut down the engines to shut thi...

JohnCranston

But, after reading Jimmy's post, I'd shurely reconsider...that didn't sound good.
John.

JohnCranston

I'm with 0 cavity...I got the v berth kit engine boxes, cock pit panels with fish boxes and a swim platform...pretty frickin slick...but, that's coming from a dumb blind guy. Got a 20 percent discountfrom ordering everything together...thanks to Gerry for getting me hooked up . Killing lots of fish....

JohnCranston

John and Pam here - John has been doing a lot of fishing - the "Reel Cowboy" Two days and then a surf trip for four days; then a bay trip for two days. He just got back and I meet him in Freeport so I am playing Secretary. Anyone who wants to come to Texas to Fish call John at 713-906-0842. Open inv...

JohnCranston

Attached is a picture of John and Danny McKinney, in the Surf, catching Trout and Redfish on our Bay Boat "Bite Me".

Pam

JohnCranston

Mark,
It's tough being me...
Who won the wall eye tournament this past weekend?
Your buddy, john.

JohnCranston

I have alot of hungry friends and family...there's a cool place around the corner that will blacken or grill your fish for $11 per person including 2 sides...it's hard to beat, and, eating there 3 times a week sure burns through my snapper supply.
Reel Cowboy is back in action.
John.

JohnCranston

Marlin, Why not use your windlass with the aluminum anchor and chain, instead of using the anchor ball to get the anchor up? I'm trying to get away from using the anchor ball system ...that Lewmar windlass looks like the ticket. We get kind of stressed out anchoring and re-anchoring during the night...

JohnCranston

Kevin,
Good luck with the a.p.
Not to get off of the subject, but, what windlass did you go with.
Thanks.
John.

JohnCranston

Scott,
How much are the slips there per month?
Call me when you're ready to go fishing.
John.

JohnCranston

Ernest, Salvador painted our boat 8 years ago...281-799-3218. Lisa painted her this time around...both do great work. Salvador also painted Targeted Species....also, did the spray rails on both boats...the rails and the exhaust going out of the corners...the two of the best things we did on Reel Cow...

JohnCranston

Dang! he sure is good looking. Mark, are those walleyes?

JohnCranston

Sorry for the bad lead. Paco used to have a good reputation about a dozen years ago or so. If your boat is trailerable, I know a great painter in Freeport...Lisa Vasek 979-417-8594..very reasonable. She painted Reel Cowboy last fall, rub rail and all.
John.

JohnCranston

Fellas,
I just got my 4-5 man self deployable raft in the mail...pull on a cord and it inflates. Rawleigh, I've almost saved up enough in the boat account to get one.
Thanks again, guys.
John.

JohnCranston

The best painter that I know down there is Paco Duran 713-302-9373. He used to work with O.J. Young before OJ got out of the business.
John.

JohnCranston

I just bought a 4-5 man raft on ebay $510 $24 shipping...did I screw up?...it's the rum's fault...
Good night.
John.

JohnCranston

We're taking Reel Cowboy on a 3 day sword trip starting on Sunday. I have the 406 mz epirb, but, still need a 4 man life raft and the best value sat phone out there. Are there any that will let you carry the minutes over to the next year? I'm clueless on the phones like I am on most everything else....

JohnCranston

Ernest,
I posted the same question a few years ago, and, you told me about your Si-tex...I'm still in the research mode, and might go with the sp80. BBTiller,
I called Howard but it was after hours and he didn't answer...I'll try him tomorrow.
Many thanks, gents.
John.

JohnCranston

Thank you, sir.
John.

JohnCranston

Thanks,
I've been looking, but can't find the dimensions of the display...please help?
Thanks again.
John.

JohnCranston

Fellas,
I'm finally ready to buy one. I have about 5"x6" room to flush mount the display. Any input would be appreciated. I don't need anything fancy, just to get from point a to b.
Many thanks.
John.

JohnCranston

Patrick, Noe had a bunch of molds, but, they were in sad shape and he might have junked them. John, Dos Amigos is in Freeport Tx if you want to give him a buzz. In the front of our engine boxes, we glassed in huge fish/ice boxes that go all the way to the cabin bulkhead on the port side, and, on the...

JohnCranston

John, I have a bahia named Reel Cowboy...There probably some pics on the site somewhere. I used the Cabrera sport fish engine boxes and glassed them into the hull sides. I also have the cock pit panels with the fish boxes...we omitted the side panels which go from the gunwhales to the cock pit floor...

JohnCranston

I got the lights and trim tab mounts yesterday. I really appreciate it, Dug.
Thanks again,
John.

JohnCranston

Kevin,
You're my kind of man! Just roll the f-ing dice! I never get extended warrantys on anything, it's always worked out for me so far.I like the way you think.

John.

JohnCranston

John,
I shopped around, and, Ace Insurance was half the price of everyone else, and, a much better policy then most. They insured the full survey amount.
Good luck,
John.

JohnCranston

John,
I have VC offshore performance epoxy on Reel Cowboy, and, totally satisfied. It's smooth as a cats ass, thick, and, won't come off if you hit the trailer or the bunks on your lift like Awlgrip or Emron.will. it's much like gel coat, but, it only comes in white. Great stuff.
John.

JohnCranston

bbtiller,
I fished on Brian and Lisa Barragy's 31 in Mexico several years ago, and, they have those controls on all of their boats...flawless, according to his captain...stainless handles...what a thought for a saltwater boat..Brian loves them.
John.
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