12-07-2014, 02:26 PM
East Cape - Kite city
East Cape has been overun with kites. Unfortunately they are not fishing kites. The wind is howling and it has become kite city for wind sailors.
Fishing traffic is very light (not like the wind) and I haven't been able to get a report for a few days. Last I heard there was a pretty good sierra mackerel bite off Punta Pescadero along with a marlin or two but wind was starting to turn the water green.
Several folks have asked what the Jen Wren crew does in the winter and have commented it must be nice to have time off. Well, time off would be nice but we are busy as ever and spring will be here before we know it.
Last year I made a post titled 'Pumped up'. Last month we had to change 2 bait pumps, one tuna tube pump, one fish box pump a macerator pump and a head vacuum pump. To explain just a little of what goes on around here in the winter posted below are some exerpts from " Pumped up" that I will now call Double Pumped.
Double pumped.
For the last month and a half my crew has been working hard 6 days a week on winter maintenance. I'm hoping to have all of our projects on the boats completed by the end of February. Friends have asked how in the world could you spend so much time completing this work?
I started looking at all the pumps that need to be checked on the boats and was amazed. Just on Jen Wren III each motor has a fresh water cooling pump, raw water cooling pump, diesel lift pump and diesel fuel pump. Times that by 3 (including the 110Volt generator motor) adds up to 12 pumps. Then there are 3 bilge pumps, a salt water wash-down pump, freshwater wash-down pump, A/C raw water pump, fresh water maker pump, macerator pump, toilet vacuum pump, head drain pump, auto pilot hydraulic pump, helm pump, two fish storage macerator pumps, 3 bait pumps and an engine oil changing system pump.
Adding it up this one boat has a mind blowing 30 different pumps. I know it is not a matter of if each pump will fail it is a matter of when. Some are more critical than others for us to stay in operation but in my mind every one is important. That is just the pumps on one boat.
On the motors valves must be calibrated, heat exchangers and after coolers cleaned, belts, hoses, alternators and anti-freeze all checked and replaced as needed. Transmission oil and filters, cutlass bearings, rudder bearings and strut bearings all must be checked. Gremlins show up in the weirdest places and now is the time to find them.
I haven't even mentioned the work that goes into maintaining our fishing equipment.
Every rod is inspected tip to butt. A little chip in the finish is like a cancer if not repaired. Every roller guide is disassembled to check the bearings and reel seats are lubricated. At the start of our season every rod will look like new and be ready for battle.
Yes, we have lots to do. One by one projects are getting checked off our list as we prepare for spring.
Geez! Just reading what we have ahead is making me tired. I'm signing off now, need to go take a nap.
Kite City
Sailors gettin it on.
Double pumped
Mark Rayor
teamjenwren.com
markrayor.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing
US cell 310 308 5841
East Cape has been overun with kites. Unfortunately they are not fishing kites. The wind is howling and it has become kite city for wind sailors.
Fishing traffic is very light (not like the wind) and I haven't been able to get a report for a few days. Last I heard there was a pretty good sierra mackerel bite off Punta Pescadero along with a marlin or two but wind was starting to turn the water green.
Several folks have asked what the Jen Wren crew does in the winter and have commented it must be nice to have time off. Well, time off would be nice but we are busy as ever and spring will be here before we know it.
Last year I made a post titled 'Pumped up'. Last month we had to change 2 bait pumps, one tuna tube pump, one fish box pump a macerator pump and a head vacuum pump. To explain just a little of what goes on around here in the winter posted below are some exerpts from " Pumped up" that I will now call Double Pumped.
Double pumped.
For the last month and a half my crew has been working hard 6 days a week on winter maintenance. I'm hoping to have all of our projects on the boats completed by the end of February. Friends have asked how in the world could you spend so much time completing this work?
I started looking at all the pumps that need to be checked on the boats and was amazed. Just on Jen Wren III each motor has a fresh water cooling pump, raw water cooling pump, diesel lift pump and diesel fuel pump. Times that by 3 (including the 110Volt generator motor) adds up to 12 pumps. Then there are 3 bilge pumps, a salt water wash-down pump, freshwater wash-down pump, A/C raw water pump, fresh water maker pump, macerator pump, toilet vacuum pump, head drain pump, auto pilot hydraulic pump, helm pump, two fish storage macerator pumps, 3 bait pumps and an engine oil changing system pump.
Adding it up this one boat has a mind blowing 30 different pumps. I know it is not a matter of if each pump will fail it is a matter of when. Some are more critical than others for us to stay in operation but in my mind every one is important. That is just the pumps on one boat.
On the motors valves must be calibrated, heat exchangers and after coolers cleaned, belts, hoses, alternators and anti-freeze all checked and replaced as needed. Transmission oil and filters, cutlass bearings, rudder bearings and strut bearings all must be checked. Gremlins show up in the weirdest places and now is the time to find them.
I haven't even mentioned the work that goes into maintaining our fishing equipment.
Every rod is inspected tip to butt. A little chip in the finish is like a cancer if not repaired. Every roller guide is disassembled to check the bearings and reel seats are lubricated. At the start of our season every rod will look like new and be ready for battle.
Yes, we have lots to do. One by one projects are getting checked off our list as we prepare for spring.
Geez! Just reading what we have ahead is making me tired. I'm signing off now, need to go take a nap.
Kite City
Sailors gettin it on.
Double pumped
Mark Rayor
teamjenwren.com
markrayor.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing
US cell 310 308 5841