The Fishin' Boat
| "The Fishin' Boat" is the ultimate fishing machine, designed for wealthy fishermen, by fishermen. It has more bells and whistles than a luxury automobile and a far greater price tag. Those who have seen it say they would pay any price to be the first to own one. "The Fishin' Boat" is stealth like in appearance. When not running, its silhouette is nearly invisible, an advantage, as other anglers find it nearly impossible to determine it's location while fishing a secret hole. When underway, "The Fishin' Boat" glows with a green fluorescent hue and glides on a stream of air without leaving a wake. Sunlight penetrates the hull which makes it transparent to fish swimming below. Best of all, there is never a noise from waves slapping against the bow. A jet propelled electric trolling motor pushes the boat quietly from place to place. "The Fishin' Boat" is equipped with so many viewing screens that one might think he's sitting in the cockpit of a plane. State of the art electronics, including RADAR, DVD, VHF, AUTO-PILOT and FISH FINDERS, are positioned in various locations. Most are located at the helm, but others are strategically placed on the fore and aft casting decks and on either side of the motor cowling. The 360-degree sonar screen shows fish as far as a mile away. The unit doesn't transmit the normal beep when a fish appears within range. Instead, advanced technology allows a female robot like voice to identify the quarry and its precise location. For example, the message might say, "a twenty- pound striper at four o'clock…ten feet down…thirty five feet away…swimming toward the boat at three miles per hour." A test drive in "The Fishin' Boat" reveals that a canopy, similar to that of a fighter jet, encapsulates the fishermen when the engine is started. Seat belts and harnesses automatically secure the passengers, while safety helmets are positioned over each person's head. When the green "all- systems go" light illuminates, a light tap on the foot throttle puts the boat in motion. It rises a few inches above the water's surface and hovers until more throttle is applied. The ride is as silky smooth as perhaps a journey on Aladdin's flying carpet would be. Speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour allow for more fishing time. The ride is only a portion of the story. A new technology surrounds the boat with a magnetic field. The energized water attracts fish to within easy casting distance. The color and type lure is not important. With a sonar fix on a fish, a button is pressed on the side of the reel plate, and the energized fish is drawn toward a magnet at the end of the fishing line. The actual fighting of the fish occurs in the traditional manner. When the fish eventually surrenders, a stream of air forces it from the water into the live well. The well is equipped to measure, weigh and identify the species. A computer does a quick calculation, prints the cumulative number of fish caught, the total weight and other pertinent information. Should the fish be a candidate for a citation certificate or a record of some sort, the computer will provide the results. It also advises when a limit has been caught and it suggests the release of any fish illegal in size. A sign on the console cautions that the computer must know if one is fishing in a tournament or fishing for food. A tournament angler would not want his catch to be chilled and killed. Backing the boat trailer is no longer a problem. "The Fishin' Boat Trailer" comes with a GPS guidance system that prevents the trailer from straying off the ramp. As the trailer clears the water, the tie downs automatically lock the boat in place... An automatic wash down system than cleans the boat for storage. And finally, a glance inside the built-in cooler reveals that the catch has been cleaned, bagged and frozen. ...........Be reminded that small fish have large Tales! Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and a full time Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' with Gus! at http://www.fishingwithgus.com/ or call 704 617 6812. For additional information, e-mail him at Gus@LakeNorman.com. |
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