It was like poetry in motion, watching Steve back down the ramp, the boat sliding so gently off the bunks, and from his position still in the driver's seat of the vehicle, electronically deploying the boat's power poles. He then eases the vehicle and trailer back up the ramp and finds a parking spot. After a nonchalant stroll down to the ramp, Steve climbs aboard his awaiting "chariot," readies the day's fishing gear, and finally, with absolutely no fuss nor muss, retracts the power poles, backs away from the dock, and heads to his first fishing hole of the day.
It simply can't get much better than that, folks, especially when you consider that Steve's new Ranger holds every piece of fishing gear that he owns. Oh, he leaves a few tidbits at home, but only because he chooses. As he explained, "There's plenty of space available if I ever decide to carry the full arsenal."
Who woulda thunk those oh so many years ago that the day would come when a man--or woman--could launch a boat so effortlessly by himself or herself, then have it "hum" (believe me, that's an apt description for the new four strokes) them down the river at 75 mph? That's how fast Steve said he ran briefly this past Saturday...with still some throttle left.
As his tournament partner, Bobby Moore, said, "That's the kind of speed that peels your cheeks back to your earlobes."
I just wonder what the boating industry will look like in another 50 years.
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