Old Aluminium Boat

[(='_'=)]

hey. one of the local lakes is now within city limits and they made a park around it, with a 5 mile running track all around the lake and such. so, the lake is now electric only.

 

i used to use the bassboat in there and sometimes i would only use the trolling motor. however, now its not possible, even without a prop, i cant use the boat in there.

 

however, i have another older boat. its like this one (this is an internet pic but my boat is very similar, if not the same)

 

i have a 3HP motor for that one, but this motor is also out of the question. and, i also have a small trolling motor i could use. however, this boat is really unstable, its big enough for 2 people, and we are even able to cast more or less, but we have to sit and not move much. there is no way we can stand up. so, what could i do to make it more stable?? i would even like a casting deck, but im not sure what approach should i take. the local lake was just restocked with bass, and its only 10 minutes from my house, so i would like to male this boat work, as not many people are able to leave the bank now, i would like to take advantage of that.

[sparky241]

The only thing I can think to tell you is to add pontoons to it

[(='_'=)]

The only thing I can think to tell you is to add pontoons to it

 

thats something i had thought about, i have seen canoes with them... however i think they would interfer with boating fish?? maybe add them just to the front??

[sparky241]

Yeah

[CJV]

I'm confused as to why you can't stand up in a boat that size stability?

[WIGuide]

Before you go crazy with this, you might want to check into the actual regulations. Most electric only lakes will still allow you to use a boat with a gas engine. Some places allow you to just not run them, while others make you keep them trimmed out of the water. Either way though there's a pretty good chance that you can still use your normal boat. 

[B@ssCrzy]

I'm confused as to why you can't stand up in a boat that size stability?

 

x2....I stand in a 32" wide kayak.....it is hard for me to understand how you would not be able to stand in that boat.  I am sure you may not be able to move around and jump back and forth, but surely you could stand in it.  I would take it out a couple of times wearing your swimsuit and no gear and get used to standing and seeing where it's limits are at.  You may be surprised at what you can do. 

[(='_'=)]

x2....I stand in a 32" wide kayak.....it is hard for me to understand how you would not be able to stand in that boat.  I am sure you may not be able to move around and jump back and forth, but surely you could stand in it.  I would take it out a couple of times wearing your swimsuit and no gear and get used to standing and seeing where it's limits are at.  You may be surprised at what you can do. 

 

well, with two people, it becomes very unstable, i have tried it, and im not comfortable enough to cast standing up being by myself, with another person im sure it would be impossible. maybe my boat is smaller than the one in the pic, or i dont know why, but its very unstable.

 

and WIGuide, im in Mexico. the reason behind it being electric only supposedly is to prevent contamination, so no, i cant use the other boat, i already tried, i asked if i removed the propeller, if i trimmed it up, and they always said no.

[crazyjoeclemens]

I used to have a little aluminum V bottom like that.  I used a little Cruise n Carry outboard on it for putzing around the local lake.  They're great for jug fishing and running trotlines, but a V bottom like that is really unstable for casting - unless you can do it sitting down.  It may be as wide as a jon or a fishing kayak in the back, but it comes to a V pretty quickly, and I think that's what makes it so tippy.  They cut water great, if there's a little chop, but it honestly felt like fishing from a canoe, to me.  I have a really old 16' Duracraft Jon that I use on smaller lakes.  It feels 100% more stable than my old V-bottom used to, and I still consider it to be the bare minimum in stability, for me to feel comfortable on my feet.

[martintheduck]

5 gallon water jug pontoons.... problem solved. 

[200racing]

maybe see if you can find some one to trade you a flat bottom.

 

on flat bottom boats the size is stated like 1436 or 1548, the first is half of the number is the length in feet the second is the width of the bottom(not gunnel that is beam) in inches. to build a deck you need at minimum of 48 inches. 

 

i have a 1436 one person can stand on the bottom of the boat and fish. if 2 people stand your movements throw the other person off balance.

 

we some times go to a lake where you are required to rent a boat. we get a 1548. we can stand on the bench top and fish. the stability that extra foot of bottom makes is unbelievable.

[Fishes in trees]

If that is the boat that you've got to use, the simple solution is to learn how to cast & pitch while sitting.  It can be done.  Pitching becomes more of a Jimmy Houston style roll cast than a true "pitch" but most of the time the fish don't care.  I can see where fishing 2 people out of that boat could get problematic.  Pay attention, and it isn't much of a problem.  Fail to pay attention and some one is going overboard or some rods are going to get snapped.

 

If that lake is a trolling motor only lake, I would hope that you'd carry an alternate form of propulsion in addition to the trolling motor (i.e. a good set of oars or at least a paddle, would highly recommend a good set of oars)   If I had that set up, (and I've had similar set ups in the past) I'd use the oars for going from place to place on the lake and the trolling motor for positioning while I was actually fishing.  Save your battery.  Hopefully you will have enough battery left so that for the last trip to the bank, at the end of the day when you're tired, you don't have to row.

[(='_'=)]

trading is not an option as my boat was my granddad's and my father wont sell it...it has been laying there for several years now, being used only occasionally, but still, my dad wants to keep it...

 

i found this one for around $500 with a 30# Minn Kota for the transom. i would like to deck it almost completely, just leaving room to sit. do you think it would be possible to fish 2 people out of it??

 

 

 

 

 

 

[200racing]

still a deep v so it wont be as stable. is it wider than your current one?

[(='_'=)]

still a deep v so it wont be as stable. is it wider than your current one?

 

i dont know i have to see it in person. however i think its bigger than mine as they use a 25hp motor in this one, and on mine a 10 hp felt a big too much...

[(='_'=)]

well, here are some pics of my old tin boat. it was my grand dad's, so its really old. since it got really hot they covered it with some type of foam but its now falling appart. i may end up removing it and covering the benches with some wood. since i also have a bassboat, i never paid attention to it, but now the closest lake is electric only, im thinking on restoring the tin boat and use it for that lake.

 

as you see in the pics, its not very deep, only an oar's paddle deep (third pic) so standing in it is difficult. thats why i want to add a couple of pontoons. 5 gallon jugs may do the trick, i just have to find some and try it out. its an oar wide, maybe a little more than 1 yard on the widest part.

 

what i would really like to do would be to deck it as low as possible, just to make a more stable standing platform and install flush seat mounts to mount my bassboat seats, like the one on the first pic.

 

however that wont be possible unless i make something to do it more stable... the other option is buying a wider, better boat, but i havent been able to find one in my city (im in Mexico).

 

 

 

[Lunker5]

That's not a fishing boat it's a dingy boat used for getting to larger anchored boat

[(='_'=)]

well, after working on it for the better part of last week, heres what i have now. first of all i made a trailer:

 

 

then i made and installed pontoons. they made a huge difference, now we can fish 2 people standing up, and we can even lean to one side without a problem. 

 

 

then i made rod holders, installed an old fish finder, and made 5 shelves to put the 3700 trays so they are not laying around in the bottom. im in the process of carpeting the benches: