yep, when wood has no protection it deteriorates pretty darn fast. Now you gotta use silicone on the threads as well if it goes into wood just to get a good seal and hope water doesn't penetrate. Myself, I ordered a BUNCH of stainless from fastenal website few years back but running short on some smaller stuff - but now don't have the physical stamina to do projects on my boats anymore, kinda sucks as I LOVE doing projects of some kind. Pontoon boat would keep me busy every winter (and some summer sometimes). My buddy is gonna help now though since they go with us recently and he gonna end up buying it from me this year or next for less than the motor's worth (Nada low retail is 5 grand) I'm letting ONLY him have it for 3500. Retail suggested retail is 7 grand. Also got a grands worth of new fencing I never got around to putting on it because of my health (2014 was a pure bust for me). Next year I'm paying off my 2013 Pro 175TF then at some point sell it if I don't think I can manage anymore (loading it/unloading it and getting on/off from no dock areas). I know I can't climb into it anymore, legs just won't do it so devised a scheme to take my 2 step stepladder (usually for the kitchen) to get in, reach over and bring it in, fold it, go fishing, then come to the bank, put it out and get out. Trailer has the ladder/rail I added for 400 bucks when I bought the boat. So when that no longer works, that'll be time to sell the boat. Thank GOD that my buddy added handicap rails for the console/front deck and rear deck. It has definitely saved my knees/legs from giving out (so far). Yep, been a real eye opener for me since the last 6 yrs I've gone from doing almost anything to barely doing anything, and until my #14 heart surgery Jan 14, couldn't do anything at all since June of last year. But I got hope I can do far more this year LOL. Making a trip to Texas in April, then IL/MO in May, Joe Wheeler in AL June and Sept and Oct for southern LA saltwater marsh fishing (to cap off my fishing trips).
Now I'll mix in some fishing with my brother in Fayette AL, but we decided to do something different. First I'll have to get a new handicap lift for my truck. Other one is broke (won't lift 400lb chair high enough). Problem is the handicap services got a LOCK on anything handicap, so you have to buy the motors from authorized distributors and a $50 motor is over $500 plus $100 per hr to install (and that's probably 2 hours min), and most of those yahooos don't have a clue if there's a problem (and they are suppose to be certified in the products - yeah right). SO, it'll just be easier to get a new lift for 3500 (only I intend to buy it from somebody else and have it installed myself through my buddy). But thinking of getting the truck side lift model that then covers itself with a camper top to protect everything from the rain. Just a hand controller on my chair if it gets wet and goes bad (and had that happen once when I got caught in a downpour) cost me $700 (again for a $100 controller that costs $30 to make). Yep, handicap anything is a racket, now if the GOVERNMENT would do something about THAT problem.
Wife and I almost pulled the trigger on a 74 grand worth of a Toyota handicap van. We already had one but felt it would be almost worthwhile to have one new rather than used (I bought a 2007 van - cost us about 3 grand in repairs in 3 yrs for the ramp repairs - electric motors/control boards), BUT the only problem with the new design LOL, was that the passenger side seat WOULD NOT RECLINE because they couldn't figure out how to move it one inch to the left (towards center) so that it would clear the fold up ramp. That was a deal breaker (and so glad not to be in debt for 60 grand), they end up wanting to give us 19 grand for our 2007 model (we paid 30 for it), plus another 5 grand for my 2006 Chevrolet Silverado (only has 20,000 miles on it), so nixed the whole deal.
Both my trucks are paid for, wife will have the van paid off in Oct and we said, the heck with that, we can fix ours up if anything breaks and a new lift for my Toyota truck and I'm good to go. Might trade in my 2 trucks at CarMax though for a newer Ford F150 BUT that all depends how I feel in 2016 (when all my bills are paid off this year and boat paid off in 4 months of 2016). In the meantime I'M GONNA FISH MY BUTT OFF every chance I get. Gonna have it in my death thingy that a fully rigged rod is in my pine box coffin so I can go fishing even when I'm dead
