Show us what you see!!!

[Coult45]

@Coult45 ....UM....WTF you doing there dude? Gonna clean the whole bay? Just cleaning out a "driveway" to get to clear water? I'm an inland lake guy and this looks like madness to me. What's happening here?

My thoughts exactly...WTF am I doing here?

You're right, I was just trying to clear a channel to open water. Which I successfully executed in a few two-hour sessions along with my daughter and a neighbor. We'll keep working at it to expand the area, but right now we can get to clear water without clogging the jets. We've been fighting invasive water chestnuts in the area for years, but the overall seaweed problem has never been anything near this bad. No idea what caused the spike in growth this year.

 

[Coult45]

I wonder if you took a 3ft piece of chain link fence with a couple cinder blocks secured to it and ran it back and forth a few times if that would scrub it off the bottom ?

I've been trying to think of something I could carry out as deep as possible and then drag back in using the winch on my gator. A section of chain link fence is a great idea!

A local guy purchased a boat that's a weed harvester and refurbished it this past winter. He's working on getting the permits and approvals to be able to clean up areas like this for a fee. And we'll gladly pay that fee.

 

[drewkaree]

I've been trying to think of something I could carry out as deep as possible and then drag back in using the winch on my gator. A section of chain link fence is a great idea!

A local guy purchased a boat that's a weed harvester and refurbished it this past winter. He's working on getting the permits and approvals to be able to clean up areas like this for a fee. And we'll gladly pay that fee.

Maybe you could drag a 2.5gal container of diquat out... Just want to make sure it doesn't snag and get a hole or 3 poked in the bottom of it ???

 

[Thermobrett]

I saw this a few years back in a Florida Sportfishing Magazine and thought about it for the pond in my backyard. Doesn’t take the weeds up but cuts them down. Looks like something you could almost “troll” behind a small boat.

https://www.killlakeweeds.com/products/weed-razer-sharpener

 

[Coult45]

Maybe you could drag a 2.5gal container of diquat out... Just want to make sure it doesn't snag and get a hole or 3 poked in the bottom of it ???

That's actually another great idea. For the benefit of the forum, I should take several buckets of diquat, and really drag them all through that area until container failure is achieved. If I document the process well, it will help others avoid that same mistake by stopping before there's a breach.

 

[Coult45]

I saw this a few years back in a Florida Sportfishing Magazine and thought about it for the pond in my backyard. Doesn’t take the weeds up but cuts them down. Looks like something you could almost “troll” behind a small boat.

https://www.killlakeweeds.com/products/weed-razer-sharpener

I've been looking at that. If this our new normal on the lake, I'll probably get one.

 

[zipper]

My turn in the weeds today, @zipper ...

View attachment 202530

View attachment 202531

I think I'm almost done...right........?

View attachment 202532

Wow, glad we now slip in deep, 18', water. Our first marina in 2016 was shallow and where I first found out the benefit of clean out plugs. Anyway, they had a pontoon set up as a weed rake/cutter with a piece of flat steel, possibly a snow plow scraper blade, as a leading edge attached to a section of chain link trailing. Up and down was controlled by a winch. Sorry, no pics. It was rigged off the bow.

Edit: Check NY state regs. before using Diquat. It is restricted in VT. and application requires a permit.

 

[Coult45]

Wow, glad we now slip in deep, 18', water. Our first marina in 2016 was shallow and where I first found out the benefit of clean out plugs. Anyway, they had a pontoon set up as a weed rake/cutter with a piece of flat steel as a leading edge attached to a section of chain link trailing. Up and down was controlled by a winch. Sorry, no pics. It was rigged off the bow.

Edit: Check NY state regs. before using Diquat. It is restricted in VT. and application requires a permit.

excellent reminder on the state regs. For me personally, I'd have a hard time putting any chemicals into the body of water that gives me views like this every day. For now, I'll continue the hand-to-hand combat. Maybe next year, I'll post pictures of my kayak loaded up with sharp blades and bottom-dragging rake systems like something out of Mad Max...feels like a good winter build project.

 

[zipper]

Wow, glad we now slip in deep, 18', water. Our first marina in 2016 was shallow and where I first found out the benefit of clean out plugs. Anyway, they had a pontoon set up as a weed rake/cutter with a piece of flat steel, possibly a snow plow scraper blade, as a leading edge attached to a section of chain link trailing. Up and down was controlled by a winch. Sorry, no pics. It was rigged off the bow.

Edit: Check NY state regs. before using Diquat. It is restricted in VT. and application requires a permit.

Here is an article on the milfoil harvester.

https://vtdigger.org/2022/07/17/champlain-islands-organizations-launch-study-of-keeler-bay/

 

[tabbibus]

MILF oil? Oh my

 

[Coult45]

MILF oil? Oh my

"Honey, if anyone is looking for me, I'll be up to my elbows in MILFoil" is a phrase I will now be using NON STOP to describe my work down by the boat

 

[Quad]

1200 plus miles over two days, GA to ME. Can't wait to put it in the water later today.
@Quad weather is View attachment 202514looking good for the next 3 days or so.

Awesome! Yea, it's finally warming up. This has been the most depressing start to a summer season yet - super rainy (bonus: yards look amazing), windy, and gray.

Here's what we've got going on today though (with cat on the dock, as usual):

 

[kgower]

Awesome! Yea, it's finally warming up. This has been the most depressing start to a summer season yet - super rainy (bonus: yards look amazing), windy, and gray.

Here's what we've got going on today though (with cat on the dock, as usual):
View attachment 202590

We are currently at Freedom Cafe (Naples)

 

[Quad]

We are currently at Freedom Cafe (Naples)View attachment 202592

Nice! Don't forget to get your invasive species sticker or the popo are gonna write you up.

 

[Quad]

We are currently at Freedom Cafe (Naples)View attachment 202592

Also, check out Captain Jack's just under the causeway on Brandy Pond - one of our faves!

 

[2kwik4u]

Awesome! Yea, it's finally warming up. This has been the most depressing start to a summer season yet - super rainy (bonus: yards look amazing), windy, and gray.

Here's what we've got going on today though (with cat on the dock, as usual):
View attachment 202590

If your little boat is moored and so is your big boat, how do you get to either? Swim?

 

[Quad]

If your little boat is moored and so is your big boat, how do you get to either? Swim?

Kayak

In all seriousness, on a nice weekend where the water is calm, the little boat stays at the dock and gets used regularly. If we know it's not going to be used for a bit, we put it out on the ball.

 

[Quad]

We are currently at Freedom Cafe (Naples)View attachment 202592

@kgower - will you be making your way down the Songo to Big Sebago?

 

[Murf'n'surf]

If your little boat is moored and so is your big boat, how do you get to either? Swim?

Take the kitty and the green kayak!

 

[Quad]

Take the kitty and the green kayak!

Exactly! Cat loves a kayak ride.