Monthly Archives: July 2011

20 YEARS INTO RETIREMENT & LOVING IT — RV’ing & Sea Eagle Boating — the perfect retirement combination

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During a good day’s fishing in his Sea Eagle 12.6 SR, Alan bagged this 3 lb, 22″ largemouth bass in the backwaters of the Colorado River

The Hodges strap their 12.6 SR onto their pickup truck and head for their favorite fishing spot. No boat ramp or trailer needed

Ever think about retirement and wonder what in the world you’ll do with  yourself? We talked recently with a Sea Eagle inflatable boat owner who’s 20 years into an active retirement and enjoying every minute.

Alan and Joanne Hodges, of Kiowa, Colorado, retired two decades ago from teaching professions. Alan had a varied career as a guidance counselor, phys ed teacher, and sports coach. Joanne taught phys ed, too, as well as social studies.

Easy to get up and go

“We have a 25-foot travel trailer,” Alan told us. “We pack up all our boating and fishing gear in the back of the pickup and go. The nice thing about an inflatable Sea Eagle is you just throw it in and go wherever you want to.”

They belong to an RV club that gives them reduced RV camping rates and camp several weeks at a time all through Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona. “One of our favorites spots is Blue Mesa Reservoir in southwestern Colorado,” says Alan, “between Gunnison and Montrose.” 20 miles long with almost 100 miles of shoreline, the reservoir is Colorado’s largest body of water and the biggest lake trout and Kokanee salmon fishing spot in the United States. Alan’s enjoyed flatwater fishing at Alamo Lake State Park near Ehrenberg, Arizona, and float fishing in the Taylor River near Gunnison, Colorado.

Enviro-friendly electric motor

Joanne loves to fish and she does it well as evidenced by this beautiful striped bass she hooked in an Arizona lake

“We camp at private campsites,” says Alan, “but they have to have fishing. Joanne loves fishing and loves to catch fish.” And there’s a bigger attraction, too. “It’s always beautiful, serene, and relaxing out on the water.” An electric motor makes it even more peaceful. “We don’t like the sound of a gas motor or the smell of gas.” And going electric gave the Hodges access to the many lakes that ban gas outboards these days.

A bigger Sea Eagle boat

The Hodges are long-time Sea Eagle boaters, having owned a Sea Eagle SE9 for many years. “The SE9 looked like a good deal,” says Alan. “It had a solid floor and was well built. I thought it would be pretty nice and it was. We used it for 10 years and hauled it a lot of places.”

They recently replaced their SE9 and upped the ante with a Sea Eagle 12.6SRRIK – a Sport Runabout. They wanted something a little bigger and felt, “a 10-foot boat isn’t quite big enough.” How big could they go without having to trailer a boat? Alan took out his tape measure and figured out how much the 12.6 SR would hang over the back when strapped down. It all worked.

With 70 lb. thrust, their electric outboard is surprisingly powerful. “We fish the Colorado River,” says Alan. “The current can be quite strong depending on when they open the irrigation canals up north. We felt we needed more thrust.”

Sea Eagle to the Rescue

“More thrust” came in plenty handy when the Hodges helped rescue a fellow boater recently. Alan tells the story…

 “While preparing our Sea Eagle 12.6 SR for fishing in Paradise Lake located to the North of Phoenix, we saw a boater at the launching ramp who could not get his boat motor started, and could not get the boat on the trailer since the wind was blowing  him away from the ramp, and precariously close to the rocks lining the ramp.  

We were able to tow him out of danger and into the proper position for him to load his boat.  He was impressed, as were we, that  our Sea Eagle inflatable with a 70 lb thrust Minn Kota trolling motor could tow his very heavy 20-foot pleasure/fishing boat out of danger.”

Gas-saving fun

Because of gas prices, the Hodges are planning a trip to nearby Pagosa Springs south of Gunnison, Colorado. “We’re taking our boat and truck, not our RV. They have a lake there we’ve fished in before. Then we’ll stop in Gunnison where we have a 1-week stay scheduled at a cabin.”

Alan and Joanne’s tale is proof: RV’ing, Sea Eagle boating, and fishing really are the ideal retirement combination!

Every once in awhile, even Sea Eagle fishermen hook an ugly one…like this big bottom-feeding carp Alan snagged

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“I GET BORED EASILY.” — A self-proclaimed ‘gadget guy’ chose the Sea Eagle boat that sets up 5 different ways

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From northern New Jersey to the Florida Keys, Joseph and Fran enjoy “Lots of fun in the sun” in their 5-in-1 Sea Eagle PaddleSki

When we spoke recently with Sea Eagle PaddleSki owner, Joseph Ryglicki, he put it right out there. “I get bored easily,” he joked.

“I’m a gadget guy,” he said. And with his Kindle, iPad, iPhone, and various other wireless gadgets and wi-fi gizmos humming in the background, he went on to tell us why the PaddleSki suits him just fine.

Joseph rigged his PaddleSki as a sailboat and took it out for a spin. With a motor, “It almost flies,” he says.

“I like that I can use the same boat in different ways,” said Joseph. “I can do different kinds of boating with the same boat. I get bored easily — the PaddleSki gives me flexibility.” Unique among watercraft, the Sea Eagle PaddleSki can be outfitted five different ways: for paddling, rowing, sailing, motoring, or fishing

“Because it’s inflatable,” he continued, “it fits in the car trunk or our motor home storage compartment. You can take it anywhere you go.”

Floating & boating in the Northeast

Joseph and his wife, Fran Mansfield, are on the go a lot. Living in northern New Jersey in view of the Manhattan skyline, Joseph and Fran take frequent PaddleSki trips on the Hackensack and Hudson Rivers, both in easy reach of the New York/New Jersey metro area.

“We take two or three hour trips,” said Joseph. “My son drops us off upriver and we call him a couple hours later to come and pick us up downriver.” Fran added, “Or we could take a taxi home, or even carry it on the subway.”

“We visit the old waterside towns that are all coming back now,” says Joseph. “Athens, Catskill, Saugerties — you can go from town to town,” stopping at stores and restaurants. He notes, “The first 100 miles of the Hudson are a tidal estuary and you have to take the tides and currents into consideration.” Always the gadget guy, Joseph has an app on his iPhone that charts the tides and currents.

Kayaking and fishing in the Florida Keys

The couple goes adventuring farther afield, too. They drive their RV with car in tow, and their PaddleSki deflated and packed in the trunk, to the Florida Keys where they stay for most of the winter. That’s when Fran breaks out her fishing gear. 

“We went on an eco tour  with the kayak, says Fran, “and I learned to fish in the mangroves.  The PaddleSki sits so high in the water you can get to shallow areas you can’t otherwise.” Joseph told us, “There are many different kinds of Snapper here — Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper,” and many more. Fran added, “If they’re big enough, they’re dinner.”

A gadget guy through and through, Joseph set up his PaddleSki in his livingroom when it arrived. (OK, how many of us have done the very same thing?)

“But even if I don’t catch anything, fishing’s a good excuse to do nothing,” she said, then added, “You have to understand I’m in a 34-foot RV with my husband all winter. Getting out by myself in the kayak is a good thing! And I can handle the PaddleSki by myself.”

North or south, lots of fun in the sun

“We also go on PaddleSki trips in the lower Keys in the Marathon area,” said Joseph. “We took a beautiful trip from Sombrero Beach and followed the channel to Boot Key.” Fran and Joseph love to paddle to nearby restaurants, have lunch, and paddle back to their RV site.

Fran and Joseph left us with a final thought. Whether they’re paddling the rivers of northern New Jersey or through the mangroves in the Florida Keys, the PaddleSki gives them, “Lots of fun in the sun!”

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