[azlakes]

Hi folks;

Got a few things done to the boat this winter. One was an inexpensive swim platform ladder. Mine was missing but in pricing new two an three step telescopic stainless steel ones, ouch not cheap. $120 an up. I already had an ol cheapo hook style four step ladder which retails for about 30 bucks. I never felt it worked well as intended so I took a hack saw to it and made it into a mounted three step ladder. I bought the anchors right here on iboats(like 12 bucks) and ran ss bolts thru the platform for strength. Below are the results. It folds up onto the stern when under way. It works good and should get me thru a few seasons.

Happy boating.

[Mark42]

Wow! Neat! You might want to do something to reinforce the ladder where the bolt goes through it. It does get a lot of stress there and the ladder is only aluminum. But that is a great idea. I like the brackets too, makes it look OEM.

[azlakes]

... thanks Mark. you always have good comment. ya i'll keep an eye for fatigue at those pivots. if it feels its weakening i'll re-attach another way.

[BAYLINER185]

DAMN I didnt think those ladders were that expensive!

I want to get one and use it on my cruser to climb up over the dash to get up on the bow easier. I like the way a lot of the new crusers have intergrated steps into the fiberglass just for that purpose. I was thinking of mounting a flip down ladder up there where the winsheild opens so you can step on the ladder to climb up over the dash and get up out on the bow insted of having to step on the passanger seat / lounge coushon to get up over the bow.

Im going to look into this still......Id hate to have to rob the ladder off my 185 lol.......

Swimming out at pleasant is going to be fun this summer now that the lake is nice and deep.... Pipeline Cove looks like a nice quiet spot! Ok yea, when the girl friend isnt with me Ill be out at Humbug with the guys SHHHHHHHH LOL.......

I like that job you did. It does look more like an OEM modern design and you wont forget or have to fuss around attaching the ladder when you want to go swimmign its all right there and all you have to do is flip it down and use it......They did something like that on my cruser. The smaller ladder was removed and a much bigger one was bolted on to the swim platform.

[azlakes]

... thanks B185.

Bad news dood! I was at Pleasant earlier this week. And unless I have my coves flipped, they have closed Humbug Cove! Yup. Got about 10 buoys strung across the entrance just floating saying keep out Eagles Nesting. Seems some Eagles have made roost up in those cliffs and we all know how Eagles dont like boaters, pwc's, people who fish or swimmers and kayakers. So until these little birds get ghost, no humbug cove.

[BAYLINER185]

AZLAKES

Good news is.....you were NOT at HUMBUG thats where we fish..Thats the cove where the 1702 sign is your just up past that marker making your way up the Aquafria river and yes its closed until June. They do that every year for the eagles to mate and make more eagles lol.......

Humbug is the cove, I want to say just "south" of those bouies and then almost a streight shot "West" / accross from that 1702 Marker sign. I beleive is the way back to Humbug. There is a NO WAKE zone that seems in the middle of no where as you enter the cove and at about that point you will problably start to see a few boats and then when you get back in there youi will a S Pile of boats.

I found Humbug one night we were fishing and I thought it was the cove with the marker but some chick was stripping and dancing so I figured I found something "differant" I didnt even know squat about Humbug then lol. Then one day looking for Humbug I found out how to get back in there.... Im hoping NEXT WEEK I will have my Cruser back and there will be no more water leaking in and I will take it through Humbug and see what I have been missing out on lol.......Yea the Girl Friend and her kids may be with me but Im not 100& sure about that yet. May take the guys for a day out "crusing" if not. Ive purposly havent taken the 185 out the last 2 weeks to get ready to have my cruser back.

We finally tracked down the water leak to the TILLER arm / stearing pin seal. One of the hardest places to spot a leak and not the most popular. Parts are special order and not usually stocked, well at lest the seal isnt something stocked. You guessed it another 20 dollar seal that costs like a grand to put in. But now all the leaks / seals have been replaced on my transom and the boat is as good as new. Ill find out next weekend.

I know my Girl is looking forward to actually seeing how big this boat is. I have showed her pictures but you cant really tell how big it is until you see it in person and are on the boat. Its like when I saw the pics and then almost walked away from it because its was a lot bigger in person. So I think her and her kids are going to be amsased!

Heres a GREAT MAP of the lake you can totally see where you were and where you have to go!

http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/lake_p...t-11x17-3d.pdf

[azlakes]

... whew, thats good news! i was flipped and one cove off. that is a great map of the lake, thanks. now i know what we called poopers cove is really buzzard neck

well at least you now know whats fixed on your crusier. "no history, no mystery". good luck on getting her water bound!

fishing sucked at the lake man, next time dynamite. you caught any lately?

[BAYLINER185]

No the last time out I didnt catch a thing. We were messing around one night a few weeks ago at night at the marina. We docked the boat at the slips near the restuarant and threw in the green light. There were a few huge cat fish that we could clearly see but no bities at all.

Then I was just crusing around the lake to check out some spots I havent been to yet and do some fishing here and there and still nothing.

I think it is quite possible that it is still a little early yet. I think by June it will be good again.

A friend of mine was told by his friend that right now the best place is to just pull up on the tire line and drop right down at early evening and its all good.

I dont know I may try it if its warmer next weekend and the boat is ready.

I did see some huge bass at the marina though that one afternoon with my girl. she was talking about that too this weekend and shes looking forward to going fishing. She says she likes to fish and hasnt gone in a really long time so I think it will be fun to have her out there this summer. It needs to be a little warmer for her though she get cold easy. We were out last night and she was freezing so when its like 90 at night it will be awesome. I love being out there on the summer nights.