Boat issues kept me off the water all week. If you’re not a boat owner but are considering becoming a boat owner, be aware the word boat is really an acronym. Its meaning is simple: Break Out Another Thousand (B.O.A.T.) While the past sentence may not be factual it is accurate. Yes, it’s a joke, though one based on experience!

Constant and continuous maintenance of your boat, motor and trailer helps to ensure break-downs on the water as well as traveling to and from are few and far between. However, regular maintenance is no guarantee there won’t be the occasional issue to address.

Roughly a year ago I had a new custom built fuel tank installed in my bay boat. Replacing the original plastic tank with a high end aluminum tank virtually guaranteed I’d have no more water intrusion issues. In fact, it did solve the problem, but two months ago I started noticing a heavy fuel smell whenever I filled the tank to capacity.

My marine mechanic who installed the tank diligently searched for the source of the smell. It appeared to be the fuel sending unit where a tiny bit of gasoline moisture around the mounting holes and a loose cap screw seemed to confirm the diagnosis. A simple fix and off I go.

The tank is large and I only need to refill after three or four typical inshore trips. This brings us back to the present time. Wanting to enjoy a morning of chasing tarpon from Port Canaveral I topped off the tank and within a few minutes the smell of fuel was strong, too strong. I took the boat home to inspect the problem and found the tank nice and dry at the fuel sending unit and the fill hose and vent hose.

Unfastening the trailer from the tow vehicle and raising the tongue as high as the jack allows caused raw fuel to trickle from the boat’s bilge. The trickle was slow and steady for more than hour. All in all I only lost a quart or so of fuel caught in a plastic bucket placed under the drain. Eventually the fuel level dropped enough to quit leaking.

Soon the deck will be cut open again and the tank removed. I hope the source of the leak will be obvious and the repair speedy. I truly hope this issue never arises again, though there is no way to prevent this type of failure.

I share this too brief story for two reasons; the life of a fishing guide is not all fun and games as many believe. Also, at the beginning of this story I joked about the meaning of the word boat. While this particular problem is covered under warranty, the lost charters are just that, lost, and so is the revenue the trips would have generated.

I love my job and I’m willing to endure the down time created by things like mechanical problems, slow season, weather, economic fluctuations and environmental issues.

For all of you thinking about buying a fishing boat, ask yourself: will you use it enough to offset the cost of a charter or charters? Are you willing and financially able to store, maintain and insure the vessel? Don’t forget about the countless hours of cleaning and tackle prep-work. There is a lot more to owning a vessel than meets the eye, just like there’s more to being a fishing guide than fishing!