Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

I have been working off and on since February gathering parts and pieces to add to the Delica I bought from Karim @ Silk Road last December. I wanted an automatic boat loader as the Delica is to high to load my 8 foot boat easily. I've examined the different designs in common use to determine the best combination of operation and cost. The unit also had to be transferable to my truck when going on longer holidays.

I started with a rack from Noel @ Envioro Iimports as a solid base. This would also provide the easy bolt on transfer to my truck rack. The remainder of the time was spent @ Princess Auto finding the drive train and aluminum frame pieces. At this point I'm complete except for the final connection to the winch I use for loading and I need to beef-up the front roller. This will have to wait as its now time for fishing and I can load the boat manually until I get bored with fishing or winter comes.

If anyone wants a few hints on what shortcuts not to take when building a boat loader or preferred lakes in the Kamloops area let me know. ( Fly fishing only !!)

lrp374 wrote:I
If anyone wants a few hints on what shortcuts not to take when building a boat loader or preferred lakes in the Kamloops area let me know. ( Fly fishing only !!)

Well, as a matter of fact , chronomid fishin up your way must be starting to warm up. I have a pontoon boat and a bag of clubs that both need exercise. (Always wanted to run into a loacal that knew about E-Lake )

Golf Cart:

Ahhhh the mysterious E Lake that is not on maps but has real good fishing and not really that hard to get to. I've been their a few times and always had a good day. If you are free during the week you could also stop for golf in Merritt ( $ 20 for all day golf Monday) or Quilchena on the Lake ($10 for 18 holes on Wednesday). It's a bit early yet as ice is still on a lot on lakes over 3800 feet.

Larry

Nice, follow up fishing pictures will be much appreciated. Great to know other Delica are still plying the water holes; past three years working the south caribou sure liked the looks from the full sized PU crowd at those semi secret lakes.

E-lake isn’t up by the Hwy 24 area is it?

Note the waders and the excellent color sheme.....

Intrigued about this E-lake you speak of.

I only get out to the kamloops area once or twice a year for camping/fishing and now 4x4'ing since I got the truck. Although made it to Black lake in the Passat last year but did lose a piece of plastic.

If you're not willing to divulge the secret where-abouts of E-lake, I wouldn't mind a few lake suggestions for fly fishing from a belly boat. I hit up community lake a couple years ago and that was a blast. Really easy/stupid big fish that bit almost anything. I was catching 3-4 lb'ers all day.

For anyone in the victoria area, Lingcod fishing was excellent off the breakwater on monday.

Cheers

E Lake is easy to find - it's south of the Trans Canada Highway. The last time I was there a group of about a dozen float tubes from Vancouver were there so lots of people know where it is. If anyone really wants directions I can forward a map.
I was up to Community ( 4100 ft. )today and the ice has been off for a week. Ice is likely off most lakes now. Lots of chironomids and lots of fish.

Last weekend I went up to Port Alice, where all my fishing gear was, but I have it with me here in Vancouver now, and am ready to start finding some good spots!

Any decent suggestions within an hour or so's drive from downtown van? I fly-fish only. And am new to the area.

lrp374 wrote:...preferred lakes in the Kamloops area let me know. ( Fly fishing only !!)

Having grown-up in Kamloops, isn't Kamloops Lake a good lake? Paul Lake, just up the hill from Kamloops, always been a good draw. What about Okanagan? Ogopogo's gotta be eating something in there!

Kamloops Lake is to big for fly fishing but if you drag a gang troll it does have lots of big fish. Smaller lakes are best with my little boat such as Johnson Lake east of Barriere where I was today. Unfortunately all I got was the view today!

phunka wrote:Last weekend I went up to Port Alice, where all my fishing gear was, but I have it with me here in Vancouver now, and am ready to start finding some good spots!

Any decent suggestions within an hour or so's drive from downtown van? I fly-fish only. And am new to the area.

Skagit River come July 1st . Season opens up - catch & release only. We drift fish it on pontoon boats once the rage of the spring run-off has subsided. But you can run right down to the lake head and fish. Best fishing is from late August til Mid October.

Fishing started early this year but it took till last week to reinstall my boat loader back on my Delica. This year I think it's complete except for the spare tire up there as well. I've included a few pictures to show it in action. It's nice to back down to the lake and put the boat right in the water. I've also completed my internal plugs so I no longer connect to the battery I use for my electric motor. Now I just need some better weather.

Hi there from NZ. Just bought myself a little 3M twin hull fibreglass dinghy and looking at building a boat loader to put it on my L300 Van. I would love to hear your "hints on what shortcuts not to take when building a boat loader". Did you use right angle for the side bars and what did you use to make the rollers? Bit hard to tell from your photos.

Thanks and hope the fishing is going well for you.

Looks like an awesome boat loader, but I have to ask what the load is on your rain gutters? I load my hard bottom inflatable (70 lbs) by hand but on a steep slope it's a real strain to push up on the roof rack. Your loader is very slick!! My preference is my pontoon boat just cuz it's light.

Golf Cart and I drifted the Squamish this year in pontoons, caught a few fish and had lots of fun. I fished Peterhope for 5 days, 22" and lots of 12's, slow fishing though. The Caribou and Chilcotin will be fishing hot by mid month and will spend a few weeks there this year. It's going to be a great year.

Good fishn
Wayne

Nice work Larry! And, I see you've already been up to my favourite lake around here (and I don't even fish!).