I Got A Boat!!! Q About Some Modifications!!!

[prjavelin]

 

 

 

I am the happiest fisherman ever!!! I just got my first boat!! fished like two hours yesterday when I got it and was testing it and caught a nice bass.

 

 

ok so as you can see I want higher seats so my legs can rest at a 90 degree bend. if I cant fish comfortably I wont stay in the boat for long periods of time. this is very important. My main concern is: it being a 12ft boat its a little tipsy if you move suddenly. How higher can I go with the seats without compromising security?

 

I want to eliminate the top  deck right up front or part of it just so I can fit better there.  Will that compromise anything?

 

is there a way to make a mount in the front to mount the trolling motor? Ive seen those in the bass boats that the motor rests on the deck up top but I somehow think those are expensive. can I make a L shaped piece to mount right up front and use that provisionally until I can buy the other one?

 

 

the Specs: Its a 12 ft aluminum boat with a V hull. It has a Johnson 10 hp motor on the back and a 24# minnkota for the trolling motor with 5 speeds up and two in reverse. It was used as you can see so its a little rough around the edges. It has a full carpet, a deck behind and a small deck on front. It also has a homemade livewell. came with trailer and pretty much everything.

 

please IF I can fix them on the cheap right now, it will be awesome. I kinda end up a little short  after buying it so I dont have a LOT of money to work on it.

 

 

EDIT: Im 5'10 230 and I fish with a guy thats around 200.  How much weight can I fit on the boat?

Edited January 12, 2013 by prjavelin

[Broke bass fisherman]

Congrats!!! The boat should have a name plate on it. That will tell you make and model as well as the motor restrictions and weight capacity. I can't tell you anything about the trolling motor mounts but if you can look at one in the store you should be able to reverse engineer it, although sometimes purchasing something come with a little extra piece of mind.

Edit:

Found this might be what you are looking for.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/102692-diy-bow-mount-trolling-motor-bracket/

[Teal]

A bow mount trolling motor starts around 350. And would be best mount on the small upper deck. However to save you alot of cash for now, and this is assuming that the trolling motor a transom mount, simply clamp it the railing on the front of the boat, you can get a handle extension and work the trolling motor with you hand. It works for bill dance.

As for weight, I would think that you are ok but would def check the specs

[rdollar80]

If you have a local metal fabrication shop you could take it in there and have them give you a est. on removing the front deck and adding to the seat post so that you can sit up a little higher. If you have or know someone that has a aluminum mig or tig welder then you could do it yourself and not worry about the fab shop. Hope this helps

[BassnChris]

A bow mount trolling motor starts around 350. And would be best mount on the small upper deck. However to save you alot of cash for now, and this is assuming that the trolling motor a transom mount, simply clamp it the railing on the front of the boat, you can get a handle extension and work the trolling motor with you hand. It works for bill dance.

As for weight, I would think that you are ok but would def check the specs

That's the way they all used to be back in the day. I am in the market for a new trolling motor and the handle style crossed my mind too.

Remember, you will have to run wiring to the bow......because I imagine you will want to keep the batteries in the back. What I did to my Jon boat back in the day was to mount these at pedestals on the lower deck so it kept the center of gravity lower in the boat.

Congrats and stay safe.

[Fishing Rhino]

If the seat is high enough for you, but the problem is you're scrunched up, consider removing the deck with the seat post, and mount a longer post on the deck below.  You'll be in the same position as far as the center of gravity is concerned, but you'll be able to sit with your legs at a comfortable angle.

 

You don't have much margin for error on 12 foot aluminum boats.  I've hauled the occupants of two of those boats to shore, then gone back and towed their swamped boats to shore.  Fortunately the water was not bitterly cold, and I happened to be on the water to assist. 

 

Those 12 foot aluminum boats were not designed to be stable with someone sitting on  high pedestal seat. 

[BKeith]

The deck below the one the seat is on probably just a thin piece of metal mounted directly to the ribs, and only has about an inch or so clearance between it and the hull.  No room for the pipe in the bottom of the mount or strong enough to hold the mount.  You need a box style base that has a flange on the base and open on one end for storage. Most I've seen were fiberglass, but I have seem them made from aluminum.  This will let you take the deck out and mount one of these in the floor, giving you the leg room but not raising you way up in the air.  All you have to do is find one or talk Fishing Rhino into making you one.  I'm affraid if you raise if it up from there, it will be extremely unstable.

 

You could go with one of these and mount it to a larger piece or A/C or B/C 1/2" plywood to spread the load out on the floor and that will mount over the ribs, the cover it with carpet.  http://www.basspro.com/Ecomony-Boat-Seat-Pedestals/product/1205150503201/

 

You will need to use a good grade of plywood, and not cheap decking stuff, or it won't hold.

[prjavelin]

thank you guys!!!! ive gotten a lot of useful information from your replies. 

 

I got one more question that popped today. you know hoy trolling motors look like this: [ handle up top and the bottom line being where the propeller is pointing, just like that symbol

 

__ handle

|

|

__ propeller.

 

I want it like this:

 

__ handle 

|

|

o propeller facing your face. 

 

 

l think im not being clear enough.. like instead of having both propeller and handle pointing the same spot I want to move the handle 45 degrees. (i think that a little more clear) can i do that to my older minnkota Tm???

[BKeith]

Look at the bottom of the head where it mounts to the shaft.  Some of the early models had one screw going through it.  Those you just take the screw out, and rotate it 180 degrees but 45 will require new holes.  If you want to drill a new hole, I would highly recommend taking the head off because there are several wires going through the tube and it would be almost impossible to drill through it without drilling into one.  Some others had three screws, others had three poprivets.  If they are pop rivets you will have to disassembe the head, carefully drill the head off the poprivet and tap it through, holding the TM upside down so it falls out and not down the tube into the motor.  Then you would have to drill new holes where you want it.

[prjavelin]

Bkeith thank you very much. that will solve the problem ill have about positioning the trolling motor on the side of the boat. Im working the boat little by little and soon enough it will be perfect. Im screwed though as I dont have the license to use the boat

[jhoffman]

I think you and another guy your size with gear and a motor are really going to push the limit on that weight restriction. Heck my boat has like a 580lb weight restriction and its 17'

[prjavelin]

I cant find the weight capacity of this boat anywhere. its a 1980 sears 12 ft v hull. 

 

Also as you can see in the first picture, it has like a 1.5 inch rib that runs thru the sides. The seller told me those are supposed to make the boat less tipsy. Would that make the boat so much better that i can use it to fish the flats in the sea? what other things can I do to make it better in terms of stability?

[Broke bass fisherman]

If you can't find the faceplate that has the capacity stated on it, but all vessels under 19 feet manufactured after 1971 where required to have a manufactures plate attached. My guess is it is under one of the decks. It will be a small silver plate typically in the bow of the boat. But if you just can't find it you multiply the length x width and divide by 15. Do this in inches. So say the boat is 14 ft by 4 ft.

It would be 168 x 48 / 15 = 537 lbs

This is a ballpark figure that will help give you an idea. This is not the manufactures specifications. Remember to never overload your boat and take in account weather, wind, and waves when packing as these factors greatly effect bouyuncy.

[prjavelin]

taken your recommendation my boat will be  12 feet by 4 feet(but this is only in the widest spot.) (144 x 48)/15 = 480 

[Broke bass fisherman]

taken your recommendation my boat will be 12 feet by 4 feet(but this is only in the widest spot.) (144 x 48)/15 = 480

Sounds about right to me. Don't forget to factor in motors, gas, batteries, and the weight of materials in the after market additions(casting deck, seats)

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong but that seem right.

[prjavelin]

I went to the lake today. I was a little and all I did was run some test on my boat. I checked how to trolling motor ran and it ran well but I cant seem to find the way to use the forward speeds without starting to run circles. I cant control it well yet. 
 

I also mounted, dismounted the boat alone for the first time. I also turned the motor on by myself and that thing is EASY to turn over. It was great knowing that I can do that by myself. I ran around with the trailer behind my car. It was good. The work I did was very good. 

 

 

Only ONE mishap. I didnt hook the trailer right the first time and It got disengaged up a hill. I was scary to say the least. It took me around 20 minutes to take it to safety and fix a stupid rookie mistake made by me. Anyways I couldnt fish for a decent amount of time but it was a great experience. 

[Broke bass fisherman]

Sounds like a great day. Don't sweat the mishap it happens to us all. Where you fishing at?

[prjavelin]

Yauco Puerto Rico. there was a very helpful old man that showed me the lure he was catching fish with, the times and spots and told me about a new law that forces anglers to wear life vest all the time. all this without asking for it. He was such a nice man. makes me change my whole view on the subject( successful lures used and spots). 

[jerzeeD]

I have a 12' lowe angler with a 57" beam. It is a newer boat and is probably a little wider than yours. I can't really post pics right now because the boat is covered and put away for winter. I mounted 7" pedestals with flanges to the metal benches with brackets. I then built decks from 3/4 in plywood lower down inside of the boat and carpeted them. I even have a small hatch in the front deck for storage of my anchor and 2 life vests. The deck is about a foot lower than the top of the gunwale. I sit at about a 90 degree angle with the boat set up like this. It is extremely stable when sitting... And the deck is low enough for me to stand and cast without it becoming an an adventure. The smaller tin boats require you to keep a pretty low center of gravity in order to be safe. As for the bow mount trolling motor, I have seen it done to my cousins 14 footer. When I asked him where he got it all he told me was he had the motor installed at the marina where he bought it...So I know it can be done.

[prjavelin]

If I stand on the floor that has no deck it is extremely stable. the decks are ok but a little tipsy and wont be safe if I start  doing power hooksets. I have an idea for the trolling motor mount. Ill try it when I get a chance

[BKeith]

I didn't say it but I knew you were going to have problems with the TM mounted on the side, but that's one of those things most people have to learn for themselves when you tell them it won't work, they don't see why not.  Been there, done that too many times of too many different types of boats.   If you can make you a bracket and mount it in the front, rotate the head 180 degrees and put you a long extension handle on it, it will work, but you will have to get up and down everytime to raise it and tilt it back into the boat.  That's what I do on a 14' jon I rarely use and don't have a bow mount TM on it.  My extension handle is just a thin piece of aluminum tube I can fasten over it and take it of when I tilt it back into the boat.  Not the most convienent method but when you don't use a boat but once every few years, it works.