Aluminum Boat Upgrades?

[caposa]

I recently purchased a 14 ft Starcraft tinner with a 15HP engine (my first). The engine is reliable and the boat is in reasonably good condition, even if it is a bit of a beater. Boat and Engine are around 20 yrs old.

 

I found a great deal on a Garmin Echomap 9" side imaging fish finder, which I have since bought. What upgrades should I look into next? Trolling Motor? Some DIY TLC?

[schplurg]

Got photos?

 

Trolling motor, big YES.

 

Does it have (and do you want) a casting deck? That'd be top of my list.

 

Photos would help narrow it down. Oars/paddles?

[RoLo]

 

Starcraft is a quality hull, even at 20 yrs old. 

You might consider a Minn Kota Talon (it's a pile-driver not a cricket leg)

 

Roger

[S Hovanec]

My first boat was a late 70s 14' StarCraft with a 9.9 Johnson.  I completely stripped the boat and rebuilt the decks.  It was HEAVY, but it got me on the water.

[gim]

10 hours ago, RoLo said:

You might consider a Minn Kota Talon

A talon on a 14 foot aluminum boat?  Can't say I've ever seen that before.  That's quite a small boat for a talon.  Power pole makes a micro spike that would probably work based on the weight and it would cost about 1/4 of the price.

[caposa]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I should have mentioned I have the following: automatic bailer, paddles, PFDs, and an anchor. So far I've been pretty comfortable casting while standing on the seats.

 

I don't have any great pictures of the boat right now - here's the best I could find:

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by caposa

[OnthePotomac]

Be sure you pick up a paddle.  They come in handy.

[RoLo]

4 hours ago, gimruis said:

A talon on a 14 foot aluminum boat?  Can't say I've ever seen that before.  That's quite a small boat for a talon.  Power pole makes a micro spike that would probably work based on the weight and it would cost about 1/4 of the price.

 

Four bolts thru the transom; I wouldn't anticipate any problem.

I have a 15-foot Talon mounted on my 16-ft Alumacraft.

 

Roger

[Vilas15]

Trolling motor. If you dont have a flat surface to mount on on at the bow, get one that mounts to the transom that you can steer by hand. A 12v should be fine and keep weight down with only one battery.

 

Id hesitate going all out to build a casting deck which could sink a lot of money into an inexpensive boat. Also beware of anyone recommending a trolling motor that costs a few thousand (MK Ultrex). Dont spend too much on it until you get some time in the water and know what you really need and how much money you want to put into it.

 

I also wouldn't put a power pole/talon onto a boat that probably costs about the same amount. Might be a pretty valuable addition in central Florida, but I doubt it'd be worth the cost fishing shield lakes in Ontario (judging by your photo with rocky shore).

[schplurg]

Just my opinion, but I'd bow mount the trolling motor. It's so much easier to steer. I ended up trolling backwards on a windy day with a transom mount because it was waaaay easier. That's how I figured out I wanted bow mount (so I can go forward  ).

 

Casting deck can be super cheap. Roland Martin can buy anything he wants probably, but he has a sagging plywood homemade deck on his jon boat with a motor in the front. He even made a video or two about it. Sits his butt on a cooler and catches many fish. It's not a big deck either.

[RoLo]

7 hours ago, caposa said:

Thanks for the feedback guys. I should have mentioned I have the following: automatic bailer, paddles, PFDs, and an anchor. So far I've been pretty comfortable casting while standing on the seats.

 

I don't have any great pictures of the boat right now - here's the best I could find:

 

 

Love them aluminum utility hulls, they're the fish-catchingest boats on the planet  

I ran a 14 ft Starcraft Seafarer up & down the Atlantic Ocean (6-pak Charter boats cued off the mosquito fleet) 

 

Roger

[jaimeastin]

On 5/27/2020 at 2:00 PM, schplurg said:

Just my opinion, but I'd bow mount the trolling motor. It's so much easier to steer. I ended up trolling backwards on a windy day with a transom mount because it was waaaay easier. That's how I figured out I wanted bow mount (so I can go forward  ).

 

Casting deck can be super cheap. Roland Martin can buy anything he wants probably, but he has a sagging plywood homemade deck on his jon boat with a motor in the front. He even made a video or two about it. Sits his butt on a cooler and catches many fish. It's not a big deck either.

Exactly.  

[Fishes in trees]

For back up propulsion, oars are MUCH better than paddles.  Looks like the boat already  has the tubes to stick the oar locks into.

[WRB]

To add a bow mount TM doesn't look like good plan unless you use bracket to mount a clamp TM onto. You need to biuld a front stable bow plateform and get rid of the playwood . Mount a low pedistal seat on the front aluminum seat. 

I see a battery in the stern, is that for your sonar unit?

I would replace those plastic gas cans with one 5 gallon metal tank

Do you plan to use the sonar unit at the rear teller seat?

Tom

[Herbert Lorenzo]

Retractable cup holders and live bait well made from a cooler . Pump water in using small pump attached to back of boat . Good pair of oars with oarlocks attached . Trolling motor at bow . Rod holder's.  Seats that fold and swivel. 

[Scott F]

 Boats can be set up in so many ways but it all depends on who is using the boat and what kind of fishing it’s going to be used for. Keep it simple. Don’t invest a lot time and money in that boat. Personally, I’d put in a couple of seat bases and boat seats.  I’d pass on any casting deck, just a low, flat floor to stand on. For my own use, I’d never consider a power pole that costs as much as the boat is worth. An anchor with a winch to hold the line will do the same job, in any depth of water for a small fraction of the price. I’d also skip the live well. If the boat doesn’t leak, I’d spend my money making sure the trailer is in good shape. Good tires, rebuild the wheel bearings, and inspect and repair all the wiring.