New Year Cleanup

[OCdockskipper]

The benefit of having my little Pond Prowler docked and not having to haul & launch it every time I go fishing does come with one drawback.  Sitting in the water full-time does create growth on the hull that affects performance and is not the most aesthetically pleasing.  A week ago we had a break between storms and since it was a day that fell on the wrong side of a cold front, I decided to do a full cleaning.  I have never taken the time to show off my mini fishing rig, so I figured this would be a good time to do so.

 

To give you an idea of what 18 months of buildup looks like, here is a look at the hull half cleaned & fully cleaned:

 

 

 

 

 

I have done a few modifications to the 10 ft. boat.  I have always considered a fishing boats main purpose is as a casting platform and gear hauler, so I try to keep everything open & accessible.  The first photo is what the Pond Prowler looks like sans modifications

 

 

while the next few are with the modifications reinstalled.  

 

 

The last photo is the boat tucked in for the week with the custom waterproof cover that keeps the interior out of the elements.

The flooring consists of two pieces of marine plywood covered with marine carpet.  The first piece runs from the front to about 18" from the back, where a second piece is part of a battery cover (the large box in the back).  The box features a removable lid & a small bilge pump enclosed.  Not pictured is a small rudder used to improve control, consisting of a Bullnose rudder attached to an old trolling motor shaft.

 

At the front of the boat is the trolling motor, depth finder, on-board battery charger and Bigfoot power control for the TM.  The small box on one side houses the excess cables for the TM & charger so they don't get caught up in your feet while fishing.  On the other side is a magnetic tool/lure holder.

 

I chose to keep the stock seat system instead of switching out to pedestals for a couple of reasons.  First, I prefer to sit low for my lake is fairly clear and this gives me a more stealthy approach.  Second, the stock seat system gives great storage for tackle boxes & gear under the seat (no pedestal in the middle).  Lastly, by sitting lower, it is easier to land fish, just reach over & grab them.  If I need to stand to work a jerkbait or skip under a dock, there is enough room to do so, although I find that once i hook up, I prefer to sit when fighting and landing the fish.

 

The boat easily holds 8 rods when fishing.  With two anglers, each person has four rods (two per side) placed in the side "trays" with the butt end near them.  When fishing alone (95% of the time), I remove the rear seat and use the brace behind the front side to set 4 spinning rods, butt side towards me, tips on the battery cover.  It is a handy way to have access to eight combo's without them being tangled.

 

While I still drool every time I see a decked out 21' Skeeter or Bass Cat, this little boat is a perfect fit for my electric only small lake.  Maintenance is next to nothing, letting me spend my time fishing instead of fixing 

 

 

[Jm526]

Very nice!

[tander]

That is one of the best setup that I have seen in a mini boat. You did a great job !!!

[RMax]

How much would you say this setup cost? I'm trying to decide between getting a kayak or a little jon boat like this.

[buzzed bait]

cool boat man!

[S. Sass]

I have the same boat and it is great imho. I don't use it on the bigger lakes but for small lakes and large ponds it is awesome. I dont have the inside of mine done up like yours mine is about as factory as it gets. I use a cheap used 30lb thrust TM and it does fine. Everything fits easily in the bed of my truck. 

 

I agree with no pedestal seats under the seat storage is great. I store my tackle bag (extremely easy access) under me and usually have a cooler in the center that also doubles as a excellent table, refrig, cup holder, etc.  I did upgrade the factory seat using one off of my bigger boat that was a center(3rd) seat. Once I upgrade my other boats seats i'm moving another to the prowler.  

 

Did you upgrade these tie down eyes?  

 

That is one mod I did to mine. I picked up some really heavy duty ones from Home Depot and used nylon insert nuts to make these really rugged on mine. For some reason mine had really light weight ones. They were just small cheap 1/4" ones made of soft metal. Like something you would see on a clothesline pole heck maybe not even that stout. I didn't trust when pulling the boat up out of the water to load and the boat still had some weight in. 

 

My fishing partner and I do the same thing with 4 rods generally each get a side. I did think about getting some rod straps the small bungee cord looking ones and adding that little insurance.  

 

It is amazing the payload these Pond Prowler boats can carry and never even feel remotely unstable. Standing is not a issue at all if you want to stand but I also am like you and find it relaxing/easy to kick back and fish sitting. And you're right it's very easy to reach over and lip the fish with no worries of tipping. I am 6ft 250 ish so to just about anyone else it's going to be ok. 

 

Personally I wouldn't trade it for a yak. I feel likeyou have much more freedom of movement. Just looking it appears it would be more stable than most average yak, and i'm guessing more payload than an average yak. I couldn't stand to be shoehorned into a yak maybe i'm claustrophobic. 

 

I really like that cover especially since you have that nice carpet floor. It looks factory 

[gim]

Holy balls you musta scrubbed that hull with acid or something borderline toxic!

[OCdockskipper]

11 hours ago, RMax said:

How much would you say this setup cost? I'm trying to decide between getting a kayak or a little jon boat like this.

 

The boat is $799 new, I'm sure a used one would be less.  I have seen some earlier models of this that I didn't like as much, the current models seem to be a bit roomier.  As far as the cost of the modifications, some of the items were things I had purchased in the past and retooled for this boat.  Here is what I can remember the costs to be:

• Marine plywood - $80
• Marine carpet - $100
• Carpet adhesive - $35
• Transom mount trolling motor - $200
• Marine deep cycle battery - $150
• Big foot trolling motor switch - $35
• Portable depth finder - $150
• Onboard battery charge - $100
• Replacement front seat - $120
• Rudder - $50
• Telescoping paddle - $20
• Mini-bilge pump - $25
• Custom waterproof cover -$400
• Extra prop, fuses etc - $100

Modifications Total - $1415 plus some of your time.

 

 

 

8 hours ago, S. Sass said:

 

 

Did you upgrade these tie down eyes?  

 

 

 

 

No, they are pretty sturdy, but I will be changing out the washers (they are starting to rust).

 

I agree with you about the stability.  The plywood floor with the carpet makes it even more stable.  Plus, during the summer I like to be barefoot in the boat & the carpet doesn't get as hot as the plastic.  It may sound silly, but I also run a shop vac over the carpet after every trip, it keeps it in great shape.

[RoLo]

Very cool!

Pond-hoppers & tin-cans are the fish-catchingest machines on the water.

[OCdockskipper]

39 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Holy balls you musta scrubbed that hull with acid or something borderline toxic!

 

1 pass with a paint scrapper to get the heavier moss & zebra mussels;

2 passes with a nylon brush to get most of the scum;

1 pass with a steel brush in corners to get the stubborn scum;

2 passes with a Scotchbrite sponge to get the little stuff.

All the time keeping it wet

 

When done, I went & took a nap...

[Fishing Rhino]

Nice.

 

I'm wondering if there is some type of coating that would prevent the growth on the hull.  Maybe pulling it up onto the float a couple of times a month to let the underwater surface dry, would reduce the growth. 

[S. Sass]

16 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

 

1 pass with a paint scrapper to get the heavier moss & zebra mussels;

2 passes with a nylon brush to get most of the scum;

1 pass with a steel brush in corners to get the stubborn scum;

2 passes with a Scotchbrite sponge to get the little stuff.

All the time keeping it wet

 

When done, I went & took a nap...

There was a thread a while back where someone was asking about leaving his boat in the water year round. Several tried to explain this is what happens, but several countered that it would be fine. Wish they had seen this, or had to clean one, they might have had a change of opinion. 

[J Francho]

We've left our ski boats moored to the dock all summer, every summer for decades.  Every fall they get steam cleaned, washed, and waxed.  Never the worse for wear.  I mean, you don't see people "trailering" their 40' yachts, and yet they look nice and clean after normal maintenance.

[S. Sass]

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

yet they look nice and clean after normal maintenance

40ft yachts normal maintenance schedule would be different, I presume more involved and costly than say a 18ft bass boat. 

I'm also sure different lakes have different effects on growth.

 

Trying to remember the thread I was thinking of. I think it was a guy trying to save the hassle and or money of taking the boat out and putting it in storage. I don't think, based on what I remember, that there was any chance he owned a yacht and dang sure wasn't going to pay to have it maintained if he wasn't willing to take a bass boat out of the water. For some reason the way I remember the thread he was looking at leaving it year round tied up. Not, "Every fall they get steam cleaned, washed, and waxed." That sir would be maintained not tied up and left year around.  

 

 

[J Francho]

He was looking to keep his bass boat moored at his lake house dock so he didn't have to trailer it every weekend, and could use a more fuel efficient vehicle.  It was settled that the best option was a hoist.  We eventually got a hoist at our cottage for the big bow-rider, but there were three other boats moored all summer.  Just about every dock at the lakes I fish have some sort of boat moored to their dock.  Many are bass boats.  It's not the end of the world as many described.  That fall cleaning is no worse than the spring wash, wax, and buff I give my trailered bass boat.

[S. Sass]

I agree its not the end of the world but my original point was that it could end up looking like the OPs boat. And the OPs pics would have been a good example to explain what his boat very well could end up looking like. 

[gim]

Plus its pretty easy to tell who cleans or doesn't clean their boat hull regularly.  All you have to do is look for that skum line along the side of the hull and/or the transom.  The hull on my boat is mostly white and when I don't clean it after using it, that skum line is visible after only using it for a few hours.

[J Francho]

14 hours ago, S. Sass said:

I agree its not the end of the world but my original point was that it could end up looking like the OPs boat. And the OPs pics would have been a good example to explain what his boat very well could end up looking like. 

 

It will also get wet, if you put it in the water.