I purchased a new Yamaha, high thrust 50hp motor this week. Since my favorite lake to break in a motor is closed to boat traffic (invasive weeds are present), I decided to go to Hidden Lake. Hidden Lake is a gem of a lake situated in the 1.92 million acre Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. It's approximately an hour drive away from our cabins.
The lake got it's name because it's largely unseen or "hidden" from Skilak Lake Road. With the main campground having 44 sites and a handful of other sites located on the islands, Hidden Lake is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.
The manufacturer of the motor recommends that the first 2 hours of running time should be between 1500 and 2000 rpm's. This is just above trolling speed and just below the point where a boat gets on plane. It took Jane and I two hours to run from one end of the lake and back. An absolutely perfect distance for this part of the break in period.
The manufacturer recommends over the next eight hours of use the motor should never be run at full throttle for more than five minutes. For the next four hours, we ran around Hidden Lake taking in the wonderful mountain views at varying speeds.
Let us not forget the fish in Hidden Lake. Hidden Lake is home to lake trout, rainbow trout, kokanee, spawning and rearing for sockeye salmon, and rearing for coho salmon (Hidden Creek connects to the Kenai River and that is why there are salmon runs). Overall, the species it's most noted for is lake trout.
Today I plan on putting my boat on the dock. I have another four hours of the initial break in of the motor and I figure the river would be a good place to finish the job.
Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service
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