Any Pelican Bass Raider Owners Out There?

[Tommy X]

Some pics of the mods I've done so far are on pages 82 and 97 of this thread

[Advantage]

Well I finally took the time last night to clean off all the silicone caulk and used a 2 part epoxy to reseal the 4 areas that are sources of water intrusion on my BassHound 9.4 (the livewell drain plug area, the boat drain plug area, and the two spots where the manufacturer injects foam in between the top and bottom of the boat). Hopefully the epoxy will bond with the plastic like it's supposed to and won't allow water in like the silicone did. Boat got a little heavy a few times last year. Lol 

Planning on hitting some strip pits with it in a couple weeks.

[Reaper73]

Ok I been using my boat dang near non-stop... Only issue I have is the aluminum seat brackets. I am just over 300lbs and they are starting to sag some. Anyone have any ideas? I may try to make some brackets out of lead pipe. I do not want to mount anything to a deck floor. I haul my boat in the back of my truck and I am alone most of the time so do not want to make it even more heavy.

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 9:12 PM, JaxBasser said:

Took it out today. Caught a bunch of bass including a nice 4lber.

 

Ran into a problem with the trolling motor though. It worked fine at first then just stopped. I got it to work again a couple of times by jiggling the wire and moving the motor around but nothing kept it working.

Best thing to do would be to get a 50amp resettable breaker. might as well since it looks like you need to redo the wiring anyway. about $10 at Walmart and easy to install.

[Chanceg]

On 3/31/2017 at 7:36 PM, NCbassraider said:

I have this Sun Dolphin Pro 120 on the way.  Should be here in a couple weeks and I can't wait to get out in it and review it.

 

If anyone else has the Pro 120 I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

 

 I was going to keep my Pelican Predator 103 (also pictured) but the wife says it must go.  I was going to Craigslist it but if any Bass Resource members in the Charlotte, NC area are in need of a nice boat, please send me a PM and I will discuss a "friends and family" discount. 

 

 

What is the difference between the 2 boats besides the decking on the Sun Dolphin?

[frosty]

Finally got a trolling motor on the way for my pelican. I picked up a 40 pound thrust minnkota from Amazons scratch and dent for $140 with free shipping. Only a few more things to get before I can get her out on the water... the wait is driving me crazy!

[NCbassraider]

On 4/10/2017 at 6:49 PM, Chanceg said:

What is the difference between the 2 boats besides the decking on the Sun Dolphin?

The Sun Dolphin is a foot longer and has much more room as the Pelican was not designed to fish standing up.  You can but it is cramped and you have to watch sudden moves or it can capsize.

 

The Sun Dolphin is made to fish standing and is very stable as it is reinforced inside the hull with pressure treated 2 X 6 and is foam filled.  It can fish 3 people pretty easily and you can move around with ease and safety.

 

It is also equipped with an automatic aerator, running lights and lots of storage as well as a cooler.

 

Both fine boats but the Pelican is a pond hopper and not all that comfortable to fish for extended sessions.  The Pro 120 is a true bass boat that can handle larger bodies of water but is also easy to maneuver in smaller ponds. 

[RLP]

Ok, after a long winter of many mods and research we finally got our Bass Raiders on the water. Went to a very large lake in North Jersey and the boats operated perfectly. The 55lb trolling motors moved us around without a problem and after 6 hours all over the lake the battery appeared to remain just under full charge. Only adjustment is to the rear rudder as it kept raising a bit from its 90 degree angle but that should be easy fix.  Only caught two fish between the four of us but the season is still early. Heading back out tomorrow and really loving these boats.

[mprestonSEK]

I know it has been mentioned on here before but I am having issues locating what I am looking for. What are my options for trailers? I am planning on buying a new 10e in the near future and would like to have a trailer for it. 

[frosty]

4 hours ago, mprestonSEK said:

I know it has been mentioned on here before but I am having issues locating what I am looking for. What are my options for trailers? I am planning on buying a new 10e in the near future and would like to have a trailer for it. 

I'm personally not using a trailer, but most people seem to be using the harbor freight 4'x8' trailer. I saw a guy on YouTube that used a jet ski trailer with a couple minor modifications. 

[RLP]

I have purchased two trailers for the two boats we use. The first is a old ski jet trailer as mentioned above that was modified with a plywood deck to transport a quad. You can see it in my pic 3 post above.. Wanted something small that I could store on its side easily if needed.  The second trailed is a used utility trailer with a tilt tongue. It is 4 X 8 like the Harbor Freight units and has front and side rails to keep the boat centered. Just have to strap it front to back so the boat doesn't slide out.

 

Check Craigslist or local forums and you will find used utility trailers for sale. You should budget anywhere from $200 to just under $400. Went the used route as we didn't want to put together a HB unit and then add another $70 bucks for a sheet of marine grade decking.

 

Went out for second voyage today and got three fish, 2 small bass and a nice Crappie. Both boats are now officially broken in and have landed fish. Now we just have to find the right lakes with the hot spots!

 

Good luck.

[JaxBasser]

Been out in mine a few times now. Got the 55lb thrust motor working. Already catching a lot of bass out of it.

 

Also bought a 30lb trolling motor. Gonna use the 30 on front and the 55 in the back. The extra battery will also help offset the problem of having so much weight up front.

[Okiefisher29]

Think I'm gonna have to move my trolling motor to the back.  Loading this boat on the trailer is a downright pain in the arse when solo.  Better yet, maybe a small outboard. 

[frosty]

Well I finally picked up a trolling motor from Amazon. It's a 40lb thrust minnkota that was a scratch and dent deal and there's only scratches and dents on the box, trolling motor looks perfect. So where do you guys mount your motor? Front or back? I'm not mounting an outboard. I was thinking about putting it in the front so I could take advantage of the built in plug, just curious if it matters one way or the other. 

[Chowderhead]

25 minutes ago, frosty said:

Well I finally picked up a trolling motor from Amazon. It's a 40lb thrust minnkota that was a scratch and dent deal and there's only scratches and dents on the box, trolling motor looks perfect. So where do you guys mount your motor? Front or back? I'm not mounting an outboard. I was thinking about putting it in the front so I could take advantage of the built in plug, just curious if it matters one way or the other. 

 

I am running the trolling motor in the back. Reading through this thread, there are a number of people who have placed it on the front of the boat. It seems that the key is having a rudder on the back of the boat to keep the backend from spinning around. 

[frosty]

15 minutes ago, Chowderhead said:

 

I am running the trolling motor in the back. Reading through this thread, there are a number of people who have placed it on the front of the boat. It seems that the key is having a rudder on the back of the boat to keep the backend from spinning around. 

Seems like the back would spin with it on the front considering the front and back are nearly identical. Well maybe I'll give making a rudder a shot... how hard can it be?

[Chowderhead]

2 hours ago, frosty said:

Seems like the back would spin with it on the front considering the front and back are nearly identical. Well maybe I'll give making a rudder a shot... how hard can it be?

 

Yes, that is my understanding. The back will spin without a rudder when the TM is placed on the front.  If you have time, go back through the thread -- there are some good examples of home made rudders on here.  Good luck and make sure you share pics when you have it completed.

[N Florida Mike]

If you put weight towards the back it helps. I dont use a rudder due to all the weeds I have to get through.I put a heavy concete chunk I have in back if no one's fishing with me, and I put myself and the battery as far back as I can and still reach the Tm comfortabley.It cuts down the problem a lot .

[Hack1982]

SC1 spray

If you want to make your boat look like new and repel water, lake smudge or dirt people have been using this product. I seen where a person sprayed their pelican boat and it looked like new. I ordered a couple of cans off eBay to try on mine. Google SC1 and reviews are outstanding. Just thought I would share.

[NCbassraider]

Finally after a 5 week wait because the Pro 120 was back ordered, it arrived from the manufacturer.  Got a chance to fish it yesterday and was very pleased.  I knew from reviews it was very stable but was surprised how easily two adults could fish the decks and move around with out the fear of capsizing.  I am 185 lbs and my buddy is 170 and after 30 minutes or so we moved around freely without any concerns.  The current model of the Pro 120 has aluminum stringers and the hull is foam filled which adds incredible stability without adding much weight.

 

There is also a lot of room in this boat even though it is under 12'.  Plenty of storage and the you can feel the quality everywhere.  The hull is much thicker than the Pelican I previously fished and the decks are very solid with quality marine carpeting over 3/4" treated plywood.

 

I switched out the seats to allow for more room on the casting decks but will probably remove them most days as I don't sit much but you can sit on the edge of the decks to tie on baits and so forth.  The built in cooler saves a ton of room on the boat and if you use a Yeti ice brick, you don't need to bother with the drain at the end of the day.

 

Haven't turned on the live well yet but it is big and seems to be a very simple design.  I like that it is automatic and works off an electrical panel.  The running lights worked nicely coming in at night.

 

The seat pedestals were a concern when ordering but they are rock solid with steel plates mounted on either side or 3/4" plywood.   They are not going anywhere.

 

My only complaint is that it is only pre-wired for a trolling motor on the bow as the stern mount was meant for an outboard but with so many people powering it with a trolling motor, you would think they would add this feature.  A simple modification solves this issue but I thought I would mention it.

 

From the factory this boat is 238 lbs but loaded with motor, battery, anchor and gear, it is quite heavy so I would recommend a dolly like the one pictured or a trailer if you are transporting to a body of water.

 

Two is the perfect number for this boat but you can easily fish 3 people if needed.

[FishingInSC]

Finally got through all 105 pages!! There are a lot of nice boats here!!!

I will be buying a bass raider. I am trying to find a sale. I can't wait to

start my mods and fishing out of this wonderful boat.

 

As someone that currently fishes out of a cheap SOT kayak, I can't wait

to stand and have the ability to move around. Also, I have put many

holes in my kayak doing various mods. It doesn't leak and some holes

are at the water line. I am not scared to put holes in my boat. I stay

out on the lake for 5-6 hours at a time and my hull stays dry. Of course,

I believe most manufactures of almost anything make warranty replacement/repairs

such a headache, I probably would try to fix the problem myself anyway;

therefore, I am not worried about voiding the warranty. Other than taking

it out immediately to make sure there is not a huge problem for which I could

just take it back to the store where I bought it, I will not lose any sleep over the

manufactures "warranty."

 

Happy fishing everyone...and thanks for sharing your mods!!

[Chet Punisher]

I have my TM mounted to the front with a cheaply made rudder on the back. Works amazing. I had it out without the rudder and it was ridiculous. I built a table to help when my six year old is on board. I'd like to get an outboard, finding one is almost impossible. 

[OCdockskipper]

35 minutes ago, Chet Punisher said:

... I built a table to help when my six year old is on board...

 

I can only imagine he needs that table to either chop onions or deal blackjack...

 

Nice boat by BTW, using the trolling motor mount for your rudder is the way to go.

[Chet Punisher]

Or cutting up PB&J... 

[frosty]

1 hour ago, Chet Punisher said:

Or cutting up PB&J... 

Or clean fish...

[Lonnie D A Uptegrow]

So I have had some time to work on the boat...still.....STILL....have not had a chance to get her wet.  Hasn't even seen the rain.   I feel so ashamed...lol!  

 

Please check out what I have been cooking up so far.  The pics are not in any particular order but you can put 2 and 2 together. 

 

You will see the solar panel in one of the pics...I have to figure something out with that, but I think I'm going to make a removable deck when I fish by my self and just take out one of the chairs.  Thought about using a spare chair bracket and mounting it to that as well....we will see.

 

http://s709.photobucket.com/user/lonnieuptegrow/slideshow/