“When backing a tandem-axle trailer into a tight spot – like in
a hotel parking lot – it’s often necessary to practically jackknife
the trailer,” he says. “that creates stress on the axles and seals.”
according to arms, such maneuvers can twist the trailer axle
and result in problems. While Ranger’s modern torsion bars help
correct the issue, arms encourages owners to avoid extreme
motions, or to straighten the rig out before parking it overnight.
on many modern bass boat trailers, the brakes “safety
lock” any time the rig moves backward. in order to override
this and allow owners to back up, tow vehicle reverse lights
signal the trailer brake solenoid to release. however, that sig-
nal is frequently lost due to a faulty trailer light plug. Be sure
to always check your plug adaptor first, and have an extra
one handy if your trailer isn’t wired with a modern, round
plug from the factory.
don’t Let batteries Get you down
according to our pit crew contacts, drained batteries
are near the top of the list of service issues at pro events.
once again, with batteries, it’s basic maintenance that
prevents a trip to the service yard.
Keep traditional wet cell models topped off with dis-
tilled water, and charge them immediately after use with
a smart charger that compensates for circuit load and
temperature fluctuations, then remains in a constant
maintenance mode.
joby smith – minn kota
smith is a senior technical specialist for Johnson outdoors
and has likely spent more time in the pits than anyone in pro
bass fishing. his advice for trolling motors? secure everything.
“the northern events are where we see the most prob-
lems [in rough water], and most of those can be avoided by
using tie-down straps,” says smith.
even though most tournament boats come rigged with a
trolling motor tie-down of some sort, he says not all anglers
bother to use it. adding a second strap out near the lower
unit of the motor further reduces issues.
it’s also important to check the lock nuts below the boat
deck and the screws on the motor mount routinely to ensure
no “play” develops from rough water. if you have to replace any,
add some loctite, which is used on the screws at the factory.
of particular importance is the hex-head, quick-discon-
nect bolt that connects a foot-control Minn Kota to its mount.
check it often.
steve catlin and barry joiner – evinrude
catlin and Joiner are the muscle behind evinrude’s com-
mitment to professional anglers. each travels tens of thousands
of miles annually to the country’s biggest tournaments.
according to them, cooling system shutdowns can be an
issue, and the main cause is negligence when running a boat
through extremely shallow water. With today’s advanced low-
water pick-ups, cooling water is actually forced into the
engine while running. driving in shallow areas that are silty or
sandy can lead to a blockage in the cooling intake.
“these motors are packed full of sand,” says catlin. and
when a blockage occurs, the entire outboard might need to
be broken down to remove debris within the engine block.
other problems occur simply because tournament anglers
overlook the basics, such as the need for oil. evinrude’s popular
G2 outboard burns the usual amount – about a 50:1 ratio of
gasoline to oil at operating speed. that said, tournament pros
making long runs can burn through oil quite quickly and find
themselves in need of more as competition wears on. anglers
sometimes fail to estimate accurately how much oil they’ll con-
sume over the course of practice and a tournament, and then
show up at the service trailers in dire need. usually, service trail-
ers don’t carry oil in bulk due to space constraints, so anglers
have to find the nearest dealer. the lesson is to always bring
more than you think you’ll need, and keep extra in the boat.
it’s basic stuff, but the basics are the cause of most issues
that the tour’s service techs encounter. heed their advice,
and avoid being their next visitor.
january 2018 I fLWfIshInG.com
Evinrude tech Barry Joiner unboxes a new prop for a tournament angler.
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