North Woods Trip

[blackbetty]

Well I have a story that should be posted in the redneck site but here it is. I went up to Cauchomgomic lake last week with my newly restored Mirrocraft 14ft 25 hp Suzuki in tow. The roads were pretty rough and she took a pounding on the ruts. Finally after a 5 hour commute, we see the lake off in the distance, I start getting excited and speed up a little without noticing (I'm sure having a few in me at that point didn't help). the other half of our party was already there so we started honking the horn to see if they could hear us from across the lake.  After a few miles, we turned onto the camp road and had to take a sharp left to get into camp. Just as I take the turn I goosed the throttle a little too much and then  it happens, the trailer fishtails and catches a rock and sends the boat into a barrel role. It looked like a bad yard sale.  All we could do is flip it over and assess the damage. 1 broken windshield, 1 ruined paint job, 1 broken fish pole, several broken beer cans, 1 missing fishfinder (new install, never used), Motor manages to stay mounted, 1 bent axle. Now comes the scary part, seeing if it floats, We launched the vessel and low and behold-no leaks. She took it like a champ. The motor started right up and it was like nothing happened. We took a quick trip around and then the radio started to smoke, turned that off right away and discovered the battery was upside down, not good for the electrics. Other than that, no issues. Spent several hours that weekend at trolling and cruising speed with no issues. Fishing on the lake was not good but the stream was red hot, DB Smelts rule. On the way out we took it nice and slow! Oh, we did find the fishfinder. all i can say is thank goodness it didn't have the screw type plugs. Needless to say I am now a proud advocate of Mirrocraft, Suzuki, and Skipper trailer products! Field tested and sportsman approved. My boat earned a new name that day " The Good Ship". Any similar stories out there so I don't feel like the only jerk? Please share in my pain.

[billditrite]

WOW! that was a rough start!! sounds like it coulda been worse thoug .those roads are pretty unforgiving. a friend and i traveled to the golden road once with a 12 aluminum in tow. our plans were to hit lobster lake and a few other local spots. my friends motor was a long shaft so he didnt want to travel with the motor on the transom so he laid it on the floor of the boat.when we got there we discovered that the motor had worn a hole right through the hull, from bouncing around so much...we were able to get it patched and fish the weekend but the temporary patch leaked so we were bailing all weekend...lesson learned...put the motor in the truck 

[gamefisher]

Anybody that has spent any time in the Maine woods has been there before, and usually alcohol is a contributing factor   Glad you had a good time!

[windwalker]

THE FACTOR !!! 

[GrandLaker]

Don't feel bad, My farther was running his Alaskan wide open up West Grand sunday a.m. and found a sunken rock pile, bye, bye lower unit, $1,125.00, another budy was backing his grand lake canoe in while guiding and caught a rock with his motor, broke the stern board in half, rough weekend.

[deerhunter]

been there. done that.dirt roads with boats and have hit alot of rock piles on west grand. don,t hit anymore though . know where they all are.stopped by your place grand laker and got some smelts a few weeks ago. will be back on the 10th. has the water risen any or the fish ing slowed.

[GrandLaker]

Deerhunter, the water is high, and the fishing is still pretty good from what I hear,  My farther was catching them with streamer's on the surface. I have not been in a while, to buisy with bear hunters, I start guiding saturday, everyday until around the forth of july, I will post a report once I figure em out.

[blackbetty]

Holy smokes!! Compared to some of those stories I came out of my mess smelling like a rose. I've always feared finding a rock below the surface, they are not that forgiving. I think all this will cost me is some plexy glass and paint. Thank goodness I'm not shopping for a motor.

[jacksmelt]

this winter while camping out with allagah king and his son as we were leaving the parking lot at chamberlain bridge i slid into the tailgate of someones truck breaking my rear tail light . cost me 85 bucks!! and i hadnt drank a drop yet!!

[where R U ?]

I forgot to put the pin in the trailer ball hitch, the boat and trailer jumped off the ball on a bump and smashed into my Explorers  rear hatch and totaled it , thank got my boat was OK !

[JDK]

Fished Chamberlain early in May.  Drove down the Pinkham and Telos Roads which were as rough as I have even seen them.  Hit one stretch that was so bad that if you were doing 5 mph you were speeding.  Anyway get to the bridge and launch only to hear a bubbling/gurgling sound and seeing the well fill with water.  I hit a bump somewere and drove the planing plate of the outboard through my stern. .    Shoved a plactic bag in the hole and fished anyway.

[deerhunter]

lost the spare tire on the boat trailor a couple times ridding the stud mill rd.

[jacksmelt]

hey jdk the telos road in may ? you almost need to cross some of those mud holes with your boat! that road sucks when its wet! been stuck in the middle of it a few times in the end of mar.

[JDK]

Jacksmelt

I hear you.  I really hate going down there icefishing late in the season as you know that road is going to break up.  We dragged a snowmobile trailer for 5 miles and I'm not entirely sure that the tires ever spun the ruts were so deep.

[pegasus]

Last winter, after spending the weekend on Moosehead, we saw a snowmobile trailer that hit the big frost heave before Abbot Village and its wheels were at a 45 degree angle to the road. They must have been airborne and came down hard. They left the trailer on side of the road.