Same here. I've told several of my guys and they all want to take it for a ride too.

It should be here Friday, I think. I've been thinking about the meanest patch of water on the South Branch of the Potomac, in this area. I think that's where I'll take it for it's first trip.

I can find someone to ride with me and drop me off, and bring my truck home. Then have them pick me up later.

But the trip I'm thinking about would be 10 miles or so? Should be able to figure out what it will and won't do in that float.

The one video that I watched, it was made by a young man with a creative mind, he had some good ideas. One thing that he did mention, he said that the floor of the kayak is very slick when wet. He used some kind of "traction tape" in the foot areas. Basically the same stuff that folks put on the floor of their bathtub. Good idea.

Above where I mentioned making the boats more user friendly and all. Deed honest I didn't know it at the time, but this same company, Lifetime, they also make ice chests.

Do a search: Lifetime.com

They make picnic tables, storage boxes, kayaks and ice chests. Not sure what else?

Not to say anything bad about anyone and all. But you'd certainly think that someone at that plastics plant, would have put 2 and 2 together. Looking at it from the outside, seems like it would be an easy job to change the top part of the kayak's mold, to where it would fit one of their small ice chests.

Anyone that's ever spent a sunny day on the water, when it's 90*, should know that you're going to need something cold to drink from time to time.

Now that I've got this boat ordered, watch, they will have a model with an "ice chest holder", within a year!

Above where I said built-in coooler, this would be an even better design, if the cooler was separate. Lift the cooler out and use it anywhere or to rinse it out and all.

Before I forget, I was out swimming yesterday and did find 2 smallmouth bass that would have been an honest 14 inches. Yellow suckers and a fair amount of sunfish. Didn't find any good junk at all.

I was back in the water this morning, visibility would have been a good 12 feet. That's about as good as it gets! Didn't find any junk, but just a beautiful morning to swim. I was in the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River today.

Talking about this new kayak, and I'm sure that about everyone here can relate to this. I have a boat, it's a good boat. And I can handle it alone, it's a handfull. But it's a chore. And honestly, that's why I'm out swimming.

I've got all my swimming gear in the trunk of the car, and I can be in the water in a half hour. It's just easy.

But looking at this kayak, I can have it loaded and on the water fast.

We'll see what happens. And we've got an early Canada goose season coming up before long. I'm going to check out this new boat.

Well, still no kayak. I was told that it has been shipped, guess I'll get it in a day or 2.

Never know, maybe the FedEx girl is floating the river in it now?

Talked to Brian, one of my best friends from school the other day. Brian and his dad, Gene were out floating the other day. I forget, Gene is up in his late 70's. They weren't fishing, just floating, spending time together. They went on a short, easy, 3 hour ride.

Brian told me that after the trip, his dad could get up, but he just needed an anchor point to step out of his boat. So he gave him a hand. Just thinking, there are probably more people hurt and banged-up getting into and out of their boats, than there are on the water.

Our streams are low now, we need rain! We had a thunder storm last evening, think we got maybe 1.5 inches of rain? It was a hard fast rain, that's won't change the river much. We're dry.

I was out swimming Thursday evening, it was 95* here in town, and a couple of hours to play with on my break. Water is nice, could see about 7 to 8 feet. Did find one smallmouth, an honest 15 inches. Back out Friday morning, not many bass, and nothing over 12 inches. Most were less than 8 inches.

Kayaks have changed a lot in the last few years, they've cut the weight, better seats, more stable, track better and all. I'll admit, I'll looking forward to taking if for a test run!

Well, still no kayak. It was ordered over 2 weeks ago, I was told last week that it had been shipped. I read a message a day or so ago, that it was in transit. Found out yesterday that it will be delivered, between 8/1/22 and the fifteenth. Not sure what the holdup is?

It was shipped from Seattle, Washington. Seattle is a long way from here, but there are trucks on the road everyday between here and there.

I am looking forward to taking it for a test spin. I've got 3 places that I'd like to search for lost goodies, and with the kayak, that would be the easiest way to get into them. Hope I get the boat soon, before long the water will be too cold to swim.

I stopped to check on Wardney the other day, his grandson's kayaks were laying in the edge of the yard. They have Jackson HD kayaks. Do a search, their boats have a list price of $2,000 each. Years ago a local man was a river outfitter, he rented his kayaks, would drop you off and pick you up later. It got to be more trouble than it was worth, so he sold his kayaks cheap. Somewhat cheap, I think he offered me one for $1,200, not sure? I think the boys paid $1,000 each for their kayaks.

Anyway, Wardney and I walked over and snooped around and checked out their kayaks. They are a well made kayak, with 3 small compartments. One front, one back and a small one in the middle. One thing that I did notice in the front compartment, looked like he had a rain jacket and some other stuff. But he also had one of those cloth tape measures wadded up in there, like a seamstress would use.

A good tape measure is something else that could be molded into the boat, it wouldn't add to the weight, wouldn't be in your way or anything. There a lot of places that have size limits and slot limits. That way you'd know if your fish was legal or not.

Little stuff like that would make the kayak more user friendly.

But I guess for now, I'll be waiting for the horse and wagon to show up with my kayak.

A good magic marker will give you your tape measure. Write it sitting in the kayak so that it is handy while fishing.

I think you will have a lot of fun once the package arrives. It might be late due to size. One kayak equals a lot of other packages. And the kayak does not fit well on a pallet!

Just thinking, if a feller is going to make his own fish ruler and all. I'd put my inch marks, about 3/4's of an inch apart. That way I'd gain a 1/4" per mark. A fish that was an honest 18, would figure out to 24. lol

It would look good in the picture. Folks 30 or 40 years from now would look at the picture and think: By God we don't catch them like that anymore!

Seriously, for anyone that's never fished our streams back 30 years ago, you'd just be amazed at the bass we did have. Back at the time I'd fish about a day a week. With a good bucket of minnows, you could almost always catch a smallmouth 18 inches or better. My best smallmouth was 21 inches, 4 pounds or so? I remember the fish, I've swam there or in that area 2 or 3 times this summer.

My bud Scotty and his guys have been fishing in Lake Erie, they've caught some nice bass this summer, short little chunky smallmouth bass. I think the biggest one so far was 5 or 6 pounds, But only 16 inches or so? Built like a football.

Well, got a message about my kayak. The tracking # isn't working, but Amazon said that the USPS has the boat now. There is a hub, that's an hour drive from here, so it should be fairly close by.

Talked to my mailman today and asked him to be on the lookout, so I should get it before long.

I am looking forward to playing with the contraption.

Search: How is a kayak made. I watched a short video this morning, from the Discovery Channel. It was pretty neat. I can't copy/paste on this machine, but I'll try to find it later.

This is the Utube video from the Discovery Channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc9pKiV5wag

Kind of like why it's best to marry a woman with small hands.