How Many Hours Do You Put On Your Engine(s) In A Season?

[Roccus7]

I knew I fished a LOT this year, but was shocked when I looked at my hour meter (it's on the engine under the cowl) and say I logged 164 hrs!! I knew the number would be high as I logged over 100 fishing trips (mostly a couple of hours with a majority of time on the hook or drifting), but this was unexpected.

That's at least 50 hrs more than any other year, as my normal usage is around 100 hrs. With that usage I replace my water pump every other year, but I'll be replacing it and the thermostats during winterization this year.

So how many hours do you folks average a year?

 

[Old Mud]

This year 2 1/2 days that would be 60 hours. Two bad years in a row for me. The previous 20 or more years average 35 to 40 days. That would be 840 to 960 hours. When I was younger more than 200 days /4800 +

 

[Bassknuckles]

80 hours this year, due to mechanical issues beginning of the season. Years past I'm usually I'm around 125 hours. Hopefully, I will put another 20 on.

 

[live bait]

140hrs so far & I hope another month to go.
John

 

[Chinacat]

I average +/- 100 hours. Time on the boat/water obviously much higher as unless I'm drifting the inlet or tight spots the motor is off while drifting/fishing

 

[pequa1]

I did 7 this year, two less than last year. that is what happens when you kayak. Once you yak, you can't go back. I'm the guy who posted what if I didn't use it at all this year, but I think I am down almost a half of a tank so my usual 89 octane topoff, strartron stuff and a stabilizer should suffice. Maybe next year will get more use. Maybe.

 

[KayakFisherman]

I might be twisting this into a Kayak Fishing Forum topic, but I had the opportunity to have my father's 26-foot Colombia, a Hampton Boat Works custom inboard with full electronics, a tuna door, cockpit controls at the gunwall (because, like me, he often fished at ridiculous hours by himself), and it broke my heart to have to decline it. I had my reasons.
I love kayak fishing and I knew that I could never be in the boat often enough to make it worthwhile. It's hard to find the time to fish from a boat and in my case it would be a financial strain. This isn't a boat I could regularly trailer to my local ramp and launch. There's dockage, fuel, maintenance, winter storage... Fishing from a kayak takes all of that away. My truck is where it's "docked," I'm the "fuel," I "maintain" it. "Winter storage" is free. Even better: now I can fish through the winter by throwing the yak onto the truck and hopping a ferry to CT for holdover bass. Not impossible by boat, just complicated and more costly. Ideally, if it wasn't a financial imposition, I would end up outfitting my dad's boat for transporting kayaks offshore so I could fish for big game from the kayak.

 

[Old Mud]

Oh crud !! looks like i didn't read the title of this thread. I thought we were talking about how many hours we fished. Sorry

 

[KayakFisherman]

Because I kept track recently, I know that the most trips I made in any one season was 78 fishing trips, and a few of those included multiple locations (Mtk, Shin. Inlet, Ponq Br.) in one trip. This season I was fishing with a purpose and it's been about 70 trips so far and I'll be fishing into December.

Anyone do 70 trips in their boat this season and spend under $100 in fuel, maintenance and storage? It's no surprise that once you go kayak you never go back.

 

[MOJOE]

does this count?‍?‍?‍?‍?‍,, i just dont know ?,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ><)):>
><))):>

 

[pequa1]

I used 21 gallons of gas in three trips, probably 7-8 hours on my 1999 90hp. But 47 morning excursions by paddle, and it would have been more had my wife and our friends not insisted on screwing me out of ten prime days in September by dragging me to Europe with them.
(Ever since I got my first yak in 2005 I hardly use the boat but its still kickin'.) Now its just some surfcasting and mostly deer hunting to keep my occupied, and with a nuisance permit I will probably be after Bambi through March.

 

[WhatKnot]

I used 21 gallons of gas in three trips, probably 7-8 hours on my 1999 90hp. But 47 morning excursions by paddle, and it would have been more had my wife and our friends not insisted on screwing me out of ten prime days in September by dragging me to Europe with them.
(Ever since I got my first yak in 2005 I hardly use the boat but its still kickin'.) Now its just some surfcasting and mostly deer hunting to keep my occupied, and with a nuisance permit I will probably be after Bambi through March.

Maybe time to sell; I went through it a few years ago and it’s not easy. I fished out of Seaford and I’m sure we passed each other at some time. One engine in neutral and the other at minimum, maybe in Haunts Creek.

 

[pequa1]

I have considered selling it a couple of times in the last few years but I know if I do I will never buy another boat. Wife comes out with me once or twice a season and we invariably have had a good time. I don't need the money from a sale, and can afford what little upkeep and the occasional annoyingly expensive repair (steering, usually.) My style of kayak fishing is just so austere and simple and fish-wise more productive for the hours spent, yet I fear I would miss the few yearly trips on the boat, being my own skipper.

 

[WhatKnot]

I have considered selling it a couple of times in the last few years but I know if I do I will never buy another boat. Wife comes out with me once or twice a season and we invariably have had a good time. I don't need the money from a sale, and can afford what little upkeep and the occasional annoyingly expensive repair (steering, usually.) My style of kayak fishing is just so austere and simple and fish-wise more productive for the hours spent, yet I fear I would miss the few yearly trips on the boat, being my own skipper.

Do what you enjoy.