Texas Boating

by LENNY RUDOW :: TF&GBoating Editor

Gas Pains

IF THE PRICE AT THE PUMP HAS you thinking twice about making long runs to the hot shing grounds, use these tips and tricks to keep your fuel bill in check.

Although we Texans might enjoy fuel prices a bit more palatable than those in the rest of the nation, you can be forgiven for inching at the bill. However, do higher prices have to mean you trim back your shing plans?

Heck no!

Truth be told, most boats are rather inef cient transportation as compared to other ways of ge ing around. Generally speaking, we boaters make it worse over time. With some e ort, you should be able to boost your mileage by 10 percent, 15 percent, or possibly even more.

Go on a diet to get the ball rolling.

It’s not necessarily you who needs to shed a few pounds, but your boat probably does. We tend to load our boats up over time without even noticing. We stow everything from excessive shing tackle to dishware aboard.

Although some gear is of course necessary, some other gear is not. Take shing weights, for example. For several seasons I kept a selection of three-pound, deep-drop weights in a drawer, alongside a handful of 20- to 28-ounce trolling weights. On top of those, I had a pair of six-pound sash weights for daytime sword shing.

Want to guess how o en I used any of them? ree or four times a year, max. By pu ing them in my shed where they belong, I yanked 20 pounds out of my boat in an instant. I can always grab them in a heartbeat if I think I might need ‘em for an upcoming trip.

Open the faucet and drain down your freshwater tank.

My boat carries ve gallons of freshwater, which weighs 40 pounds when full. Truth be told, the water that comes out always smells a bit funny, and nine trips out of 10 the system never even gets turned on.

So, why haul around all that extra weight? Note that ve gallons is a tiny tank. Many people reading this right now are hauling around 10 or 20 gallons. is adds 80 to 160 pounds to your load. If you use your freshwater regularly, you’ll want to leave some in the tank, for sure, but consider whether a half- or quarter-tank is enough to get the job done.

Upgrade aluminum to stainless steel.

When it comes to your propeller. Aluminum propeller blades ex more than stainless, and you can generally pick up a couple mph at cruise without burning a single drop of additional fuel by simply upgrading an aluminum prop to a stainless model. at’s a signi cant e ciency boost, but…

Consider the condition of your propeller.

Maybe your prop is just ne, but maybe not. Most boat owners tend to ignore the state of their prop unless and until there’s a major problem with it. ose li le nicks, dings, and burrs reduce a propeller’s e ciency and cut into your boat’s mileage. You can le some minor propeller blade damage smooth, but having a prop reconditioned is a much be er bet.

Added bonus: you’ll likely feel fewer vibrations, and the boat will run smoother, too.

Slow down.

Yeah, we know, this is an awful option — all of us want to get to the shing grounds ASAP. So, you forget about this tip rst thing I the morning as you run from one hotspot to the next.

However, at the end of the day when you cruise home, why not pull the thro le back a bit? Most boats post their best e ciency right a er coming onto plane, usually in the 3000 to 3500 rpm range. is may mean running home at 25 mph rather than 30 or 35, but you’ll likely see fuel economy jump by leaps and bounds.

Note: most modern outboards over 150 horsepower will display fuel economy right at the helm, though you may have to cycle through some options to bring it up onscreen Take the time to put it on the monitor’s LCD, and you’ll likely be shocked at just how many more miles you can travel on a single gallon by cruising home in a more mellow fashion.

Start scrubbing.

If your boat lives in a wet slip. Bo om paint may keep barnacles and long tendrils of weeds at bay, but you’ll probably still develop a layer of slime over the course of a month. Transducers can be problematic growth-centers, too.

In either case, a good scrub can work wonders at reducing hydrodynamic drag, thus increasing e ciency.

Use your tech.

If you have a shing boat you almost certainly have a GPS/chartplo er. at li le box of navigational magic can help you save fuel by helping you steer in a more direct line. We all think we steer our boats straight, but in reality, most captains make a long series of slow “S” turns while going from Point A to Point B.

You don’t believe it? Glance over your shoulder a few times as you’re cruising, and take in the trajectory of your own wake.

If, however, you take the time to plot a course and bring up a steering screen on your chartplo er, then use it as you run, you can commonly reduce the margin of error from seven to 10 degrees to a much lower two to four degrees.

If you apply all these tips and techniques, it’s reasonable to look for a signi cant boost in your fuel e ciency. at means you spend less cash on gas. If you’re anything like us, you can take those savings right to the bank tackle shop.

Email Lenny Rudow at ContactUs@fi shgame.com

HERE’S A LOT OF tradition surrounding hunting rifles. For years, many, if not most hunters, used a rifle because it was passed down from their father or grandfather. Or maybe they stuck with that old lever action .30-.30 or bolt action .270 out of reverence for hunting’s past.

There is however a generation of hunters, intrigued by newer calibers, cutting-edge technology, and cool design. Nowadays you can get the best out of Dad’s favorite caliber, but with all kinds of highly functional bells and whistles.

Or you can choose rifles, Dad wouldn’t have even dreamed of growing up.

Let’s take a look at some modern hunting rifles designed for everything from deer and hogs to varmints and squirrels.

CZ 600 ALPHA: The Alpha was designed as the rifle that can do it all and does it in sub-MOA style in calibers ranging from .224 Valkyrie to .300 Win Mag.

The lightweight aluminum receiver balances the semi-heavy barrel for a combination that won’t weigh you down while being very tolerant to a wide variety of loads.

The black, fiber-reinforced stock is optimized for more modern technical shooting styles with a parallel comb, sym-

metrical geometry, and a vertical grip.

Serrated soft-touch inserts are located in multiple grip zones throughout the stock and are much appreciated when conditions are less than ideal. The integral Picatinny rail allows the shooter to choose from seemingly endless optic mounting solutions.

CZ 600 TRAIL: This light, compact rifle is packed with a full set of features that make a difference to today’s marksman. The Trail features AR magazine compatibility in .223 Rem and uses CZ Bren 2 magazines in 7.62×39mm. In addition to a common magazine, the Trail delivers ambidextrous mag release and safety levers that will feel familiar to those used to the AR platform.

The PDW-style stock is quick to deploy and allows the Trail to collapse to a very compact OAL when space is at a premium. The .223 Rem model utilizes AR-style magazines and the 7.62×39mm model uses CZ Bren 2 mags.

CZ 600 LUX: The refined lines and traditional style of the Lux reflect adherence to tradition, but with a modern flare. The new comb geometry is optimized for use both with optics and the fiber-optic equipped iron sights while retaining the iconic look of the Bavarian-style comb. Fish-scale checkering and a decorative forend complete the look.

A Serious Pistol for Self Defense in the Outdoors

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT KIND OF DANgerous animal or person you will encounter in the wild. Although your rifl e will most likely be slung across your shoulder, it’s good to have a pistol—just in case.

The CZ Scorpion EVO 3 SI pistol is The CZ Scorpion EVO 3 SI pistol is imported as a pistol, and it is a blowbackoperated semi-auto in 9mm with a short 7¾-inch barrel. Open sights ride on an 11-inch Picatinny rail perfect for mounting optics.

Starting in 2016, Scorpion Pistols Starting in 2016, Scorpion Pistols feature 1/2×28 threads hidden underneath the factory fl ash hider. This means users can fi t either 1/2×28 or 18×1 accessories to the muzzle. Also added is a QD sling swivel pocket integrated into the rear sling attachment point. Simple and reliable, the

Scorpion not only has ambidextrous controls, but its non-reciprocating charging handle is also swappable and the reach to the trigger is adjustable. The CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Pistol is legally classifi ed by the ATF as a pistol and is intended by CZ-USA to be used as a pistol. Under current federal law and ATF policy, attaching a stock to this pistol or attaching a device which is then used as a stock or intended to be used as a stock constitutes the making of a short-barreled Simple and reliable, the rifl e. This requires registration with ATF rifl e. This requires registration with ATF and the payment of the applicable tax. and the payment of the applicable tax. Users of the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Pistol bear the sole responsibility for Pistol bear the sole responsibility for ensuring their use of the fi rearm comensuring their use of the fi rearm complies with all local, state, and federal plies with all local, state, and federal CZ EVO Scorpion fi rearms laws. fi rearms laws. l

e steel receiver is drilled and tapped for Remington 700 pa ern bases. e advantage of the Lux goes beyond mere aesthetics; it comes with a sub-MOA guarantee as well.

PRECISION TRAINER: A constant in CZ’s rim re line, the Precision Trainer was designed to provide the same look and feel as a full-size tactical ri e while allowing for more economical training. ough the golden days of cheap and plentiful .22 LR ammo may be behind us, the Precision Trainer has become more popular than we ever could have imagined. Based on the PRS1 stock, this special Manners carbon- ber composite stock provides a rock-solid platform and is nished in a three-color camou age pa ern with a base of carbon ber peeking through the background.

e stock itself has multiple layers of carbon ber and berglass, hand-laid in high-temperature epoxy resins, then placed in a vacuum and heat-cured to create the perfect resin-to-fabric ratio. Combined with a 24-inch tapered varmint barrel threaded 1/2x28, the Precision Trainer is a paperpuncher with surgical precision.

Razor Dobbs of Razor Dobbs Alive outdoor television has worked with CZ for years. He said hunters should study both the game and the ri e to make the right decision.

“ e key in picking a hunting ri e,” he said, “is to study the game you will pursue, match up the right cartridge, and then gure out which ri e can meet all of your other needs. Ri e selection in many ways is a very personal thing, and we all have our preferences.”

“Having the right ri e in your hand can not only help you down big game, but it might just save your life if you come across dangerous game. Make sure you think it out and make the right decision.”

Meeting your needs is what is really important.

It’s not about the guy in some gun forum who acts as an expert about everything. It’s not about what your friends at work use. It’s about the game you pursue, the style of ri e you are comfortable using, and choosing something you will use for years.

Choosing a hunting ri e can be fun, especially nowadays when there are so many choices. «

e stock itself has multiple layers of ences.”

CZ 600

CZ 457 Varmint