My New (to me) Sportfisher

RampageWake · Posted: Dec 28, 2009 10:02 pm Post subject: My New (to me) Sportfisher

So I sold my express (Rampage) last Feb, and I have been on the lookout for a small convertible. After looking at some Riverias and some older berts and hats, I settled on this Phoenix with 420 Cats. I flew to Ft Lauderdale and drove it back to Galveston over the Christmas break, mostly through the ICW (aka "the ditch"). Everything ran great and I love the cats so far. My wife met me in Pensacola and rode back to Galveston. It took me ~12 days including a 2 day layover in the Big Easy. I navigated the whole way off of an IPhone with the new Navionics charts (badazz! esp for 10 bucks!) Now I'm planning on outfitting it with a new electronics package, probably furuno navnet 3d. Anyhoo, I know JT, D$, Vette and some others on here like to fish offshore, holla!

J_DOGG · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 4:35 am Post subject:

nice setup bro. looks clean and well taken care of.

I know nothing about those types of boats but it looks like you got everything you need including the kitchen sink!!!

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

RampageWake, Good looking boat. That's a long trip on the ICW. But I understand the choice. You don't want to be doing a shakedown run in the Gulf. Laughing

Any reason you used the Iphone? I would be making sure my Nav's and GPS systems were in tip-top shape. I know you said your updating to Furuno, are the old ones shot?

What Generator is in it?

Now that you have posted this, if you don't update us with regular fishing pictures, and such, I will be calling you out for lack of usage on a beautiful boat. Mr. Green

E.J. · Ladies Man Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu

GOOD STUFF Exclamation

Agree with Haugy, need pics of future adventures....

Lop · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 6:28 am Post subject:

That thing is F'ing awesome. I envy your trip home too. That had to be relaxing.

htownbdr · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 6:54 am Post subject:

Uhhuum, I like to offshore fish too. Laughing

And, I have gas/bait money and some tackle.

htownbdr · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 6:55 am Post subject:

Where are you keepng it?

Rhawn · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 7:13 am Post subject:

Awesome man. Need some new friends??!!

nmballa · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 7:20 am Post subject:

Nice looking boat. Find a good deal with the current shape of the boat market?

RampageWake · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 8:15 am Post subject:

htown- Bridge Harbor in Freeport. I've got a spot for you whenever your ready!

Haugy- its got a northstar 951xd, but it occasionally loses signal. I had another Garmin handheld and paper charts, but the IPhone with the Navionics charts was seriously so good, I never broke them out. (also I had all NOAA charts on my laptop just in case). Its got an 8kw Kohler IIRC. The electronics are pretty much shot, and are 2000 vintage. The Simrad AP11 autopilot is not working either, so I'm going for a complete new package, probably all furuno, but maybe a Simrad AP.

nmballa- yea, I like to think it was a deal, I had originally contracted on the boat for 40K more in March, but the diesel tank had a pinhole corroded in the bottom corner which was uncovered during survey, and I wanted a 10K adjustment for the tank and the electronics that were not working. Anyhoo, they let me walk instead of taking 10K off. He put a brand new 6K tank in it, and then it sat on the mkt with them dropping the price another 20K. I eventually made an anynomous offer 20 lower than that, and by that time the old man was frustrated and took it. He was PIZZED when he found out it was actually me (my attorney assigned the contract to me 10 minutes after he signed...) Laughing

Lop · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 8:32 am Post subject:

RampageWake · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 8:42 am Post subject:

Oh, and since I'm bored posting from work today, I had a neat story from Christmas night. We were docked at the Morgan City public docks and needed to find an atm for some cash and stretch our legs on dry land. About a block or two away from the wharf, there are some nice historical (1830's?) homes and a guy is loading some presents into a suburban. We ask him if there is a 7-11 near and he asks what we needed. We explain we are taking our boat home and needed a coke and some chips from a convience store. He asks more about the boat, and fishing and then says "Its Christmas, why don't you come in for a bowl of Gumbo?" uh, ok, sure. So he introduces us to the kids, and his parents; its actually his parents house (really nice). They were really hospitable, and their gumbo was allsome! ('specially after 3+ days of sammiches) My wife commented on the neat artwork and paintings and the lady said thanks, that her husband was in politics and that they have to attend many chariatable auctions, and thats where most of their pieces come from. I figured he was a local city councilman or something, and nothing more was mentioned about it. We left shortly after eating and thanked the strangers for dinner, but not before they insisted on giving us a lift to the ATM/store and back to the boat. Really nice folks! After we made it home my wife thought to google them, and found out we ate Christmas dinner with Louisiana Senator D. A. "Butch" Gautreaux and family. Kinda cool...

TnR6Rida · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 8:51 am Post subject:

Nice boat I'm jealous.

Hollywood · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 8:55 am Post subject:

Wow, what a story. I love meeting hospitable strangers.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Same here. That's awesome man. It's always nice to hear about people like that.

Chattwake · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 9:11 am Post subject:

RampageWake,

BTW, my Grandparents were from Morgan city. My last name is Gautreaux. I have to call my dad to find out how we're related to that family. Glad you had a good experience.

J_DOGG · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 9:12 am Post subject:

Good to know most boat people are still nice folks..... he must be a boat guy....

nmballa · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 9:15 am Post subject:

Nice score bud. I have seen some ridiculous sales over the last year. I was hoping I could take advantage of them but money is tight, in the middle of a remodel, and my other partners on my boat are in dire straights. A buddy of mine who brokers has been scooping up foreclosed upon boats at 25 cents on the dollar. Picked up a 44 foot Cruisers for less than a quarter of the suggested list price. Unbelievable boat for what he paid.

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

Wow Rampage, that thing is a beauty! If ever you need a buddy for a fishing trip, I am there. I will be in Houston for 3 weeks starting on the 4th for my training, we should meet up for happy hour. They got me an apt. near Hillcroft and 59, so let me know if you are close.

jt09 · Ladies Man Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 22083 City: Austin

awesome rampage!! how long is she?

my boy is selling his 46' bert and getting a 55+ this spring - i can't freakin wait!

he just had his whole console remade w/ new electronics 2 summers ago, and i'm 99% sure it was done in freeport (that's where his new engines were put in...twice Shocked

). if you'd like me to track down the info for the guy who built the console, i'd be happy to - it's SO much nicer than the oem that was on it when he bought it.

Hollywood · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject:

I'm gonna go with 34'

RampageWake · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject:

34', but she's laid out very well, and seems bigger than a 35 Bert IMO. The 46 berts were tanks, but with 892 Detroits they burn 55 gal at 23 kts Shocked

I couldn't afford to leave the dock Smile

This one is getting almost 1 mpg, which, when diesel goes back to $4, will be $1600 fillups (now you know why I'm open to being fishing buddies with almost anyone haha) A buddy of mine had a 55 Hat, but he sold it and got a new 60' Hat. Anyhoo, all that's way outta my league! The console on this boat from the factory is pretty sweet and I have tons of room already, but if your bud knows a good electronics installer around Freeport I'd be obliged!

STANG KILLA SS · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 2:45 pm Post subject:

brostock?

jt09 · Ladies Man Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 22083 City: Austin

haha - i was going to guess 36-38', but i didn't want to offend if i was short!

i'll see if i can track down his guy - pretty sure the same crew put in all the electronics. his console is so awesome now - it SUCKED before (didn't help that he put his radar screen in upside down - that made for fun navigating).

and just because this is an excuse to post pics...

and of course, the real reason we all love boats...

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

jt09, I want to go fishing with you...

htownbdr · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

Why does it not surprise me that there is even debauchery on a JT09 fishing trip? I might get a fishing boat just to invite JT09 and his friends.

NKCrider · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 4:09 pm Post subject:

jt09 · Ladies Man Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 22083 City: Austin

haha! that's from the t.w.a.t. a couple of years ago (texas women's anglers tournament). only chicks can catch fish. guys can drive the boat, be deckhands and help out, but only women can land fish. that's my ex in the gray shorts landing a wahoo about 20 min after the tourney started - line popped before we even had all 5 in the water. that one i'm holding up was hauled in w/i 30-40 min after the 1st - hell of a way to start a tourney.

unfortunately for this chick, who was the only one who was really there for the fishing (her family has a house in port a and she REALLY wanted a big fish, but she kept getting shafted when we got a fish on), my boy and i sucked at the gaff and cost her a likely trophy dorado and all she got was this weak ass baracuda:

here's some pics from other tourneys:

that tuna should have been a texas record, but it took them too long to get back to shore. missed it by 6 lbs.

vette74 · Posted: Dec 29, 2009 5:14 pm Post subject:

Nice, finally got it back. The rampage was nice but this one is going to be so much better!
JT nice pics!

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

I've got gas money.....I need to convince the boss to make an Austin/Houston trip soon.

Lop · Posted: Dec 30, 2009 4:25 am Post subject:

jt09, what's up with those white sunglasses on all the girls, makes it hard to rub one out with those hideous things on Laughing

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

I'm not going to lie, I like the pics.

But I've never seen a support beam, in the line of sight of the captain before. Me thinks someone knew what they had in store for them, and added it for the obvious effect. Laughing

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

jt09, I'm a fan...