Seth, you touched upon the idea of Yanmar Tractors and one thing people may not know is that they have a REALLY good reputation here for their marine engines. The Lobstermen here use them in a lot of their boats. They are cheaper which is the real reason, but they get some longevity out of them too. And don't think these boys just put around out in the bay picking up a few lobsters from the ocean floor a few fathoms down, they take it seriously.
Yes we have a lobster boat racing circuit here in Maine.
I knew one boat builder who built his boat so light that when you stood on the deck you legs felt like jelly because the engine rattled the hull, but it was fast. Narrow chine, make you seasick tied to the dock, but it was fast.
My ex-wife (the one who left me for that !@#$$%^^&& boyfriend of her afters 9 years of marriage) was a lobsterwoman, and we head down to the docks at 2 AM to be out to Metinicus Rock at Daybreak for this one fishing trip. Anyway the winds were blowing 30 knots and the Captain was like, "You headed out?" "If you are, we are", I say, and off we go. Bad move!
We round the coast out by Little Burnt Island where there is no mainland, and that narrow hull boat starts to just rock. I mean ROCK! The Marine radio is all about "a small craft advisory", and even this dumb railroader knew a 38 foot boat was definitely not big. We would go down into a draw and the deck lights would be shining through the water at fish swimming inside which is something so surreal, you have to witness to understand. Fish swimming ABOVE you. On the crest the propeller would shake the whole boat because it came out of the water. Then the waves would slam into us...not over the bow, over the whole boat, then the propeller would hit the water and almost stall the engine.
Then I started puking!
The captain had to keep the boat at an idle and pointed into the waves so I was not taken overboard as I puked 250% of my meal back out. I look up at Tina, and her and the Captain are just laughing...What a trip.
Nice fishing out there though. Only 9 Lobstermen live on Criehaven Island and have exclusive rights to fish out there, so plenty of lobster on the bottom. We snagged this 12 pounder, but threw it back...too small for us. We like our lobsters a bit bigger. (Just kidding, it is against the law to keep anything under/over 1-5 pounds in Maine)
![Image](https://images2.imgbox.com/50/52/NWxDRjXo_o.jpg)
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!