Any Pelican Bass Raider Owners Out There?

[Pondkiller]

Here are new pix. Expect a few posts due to file size limit.

[Pondkiller]

[Pondkiller]

[uhhello]

One problem i'm running into is my TM is too strong on its lowest setting. 45# Motorguide on my 10 footer. Sometimes I just want to putt along but even on the lowest setting I go too fast and require too many corrections.

[bd1997]

Hey all,

I'm new to this site so thanks for all useful information. I bought my dad one today used with a 50.lb trolling motor, 2 batteries, battery charger and upgraded seats with padding. Ha My question to you is has anyone used a spread in bed liner for the inside and out? if this has been covered i'm sorry because I'm only on page 13.

Keith

[jaaron01]

Hey all,

I'm new to this site so thanks for all useful information. I bought my dad one today used with a 50.lb trolling motor, 2 batteries, battery charger and upgraded seats with padding. Ha My question to you is has anyone used a spread in bed liner for the inside and out? if this has been covered i'm sorry because I'm only on page 13.

Keith

I know this topic has been covered a few times, and the general response has been don't do it, as it will peel off and looks like crap. why would you put that on anyway? Protection?

[jaaron01]

So it's the middle of December here in Nebraska, and everyone is getting ready for ice fishing, so my little boat is tucked in nice and warm in the basement. Has anyone done any neat modifications to there boat while the cooler weather is upon them?

Hoping Santa Claus will bring me my new 50-55 llb thrust trolling motor as requested. I'm ready for winter to be over and get back on the water for some early spring Crappie fishing. Also been crusing the basspro and cabela's catalogs for some boat accessories. Found a neat little orginizer that's offered in charcoal grey, so I can throw my bug spray and extra items like pliers, spare trolling motor shear pins...etc.etc..

Anyway haven't seem much movement on this thread lately so thought I'd ask what everyone was doing. Wish I lived in a warmer climate!!!!!

[Pondkiller]

hey minnow, i did have a few mods, took a few of your ideas and put them towards my boat. thanks again. Did the same. once the fall turned cold i really ramped up the changes. If you have any feedback on the mods i put forth, please let me know. Thanks!

[jaaron01]

hey minnow, i did have a few mods, took a few of your ideas and put them towards my boat. thanks again. Did the same. once the fall turned cold i really ramped up the changes. If you have any feedback on the mods i put forth, please let me know. Thanks!

I seen you got your Trolling motor in the rear, and was wondering how that worked for you? I would recommend putting it on the front and putting a rudder in the back. Makes a world of difference in my book, but you might have already tried that.

[zachb34]

What's the advantage to the trolling motor being in the front?

[Zoff]

Sometime a BR does not track well with the TM on the back so you have to may adjustments a lot.

[jaaron01]

I figured while the water is frozen, and the Ice Fisherman have the reins up here in Nebraska, it was time to do a little work on the boat. First thing i did was reposition the Battery and Tray i had under the back seat, and turn it sideways in the boat instead of long ways. Couple times I had someone with me, I noticed they banged into it sometimes. Now with it turned sideways and bolted down, it's completely out of their way and under the rear seat.

Other thing I finally did was fix the chair rails on the passenger seat. Everytime someone moved that back seat back and forward, they would make noise (hard plastic and metal railing rubbing) and it seemed to reverberate throughout the boat. So I noticed this summer my Black Garden hose was cracked, so I cut 2 pieces the length of the rails, and slit them, and put them over the metal rails. Chair can still be moved but won't be sliding all over the place, which can get agrivating sometime.

More things to come, just thought I'd share that with you guys incase anyone else wanted to make their chairs a little quieter.

[Goose52]

I don't have a bass raider style boat (I'm a canoe kinda guy)...but just wanted to say that any thread that has OVER 100,000 views, and 690 replies, is VERY COOL. Just shows how much interest there is in economical ways to get on the water and that you don't need to spend $50k on a boat to catch some fish...

[jaaron01]

Still working on the boat during the holiday break. Decided instead of having my throw cushion bungeed around the back of my seat I would just add a little piece of wood and bungee to that. Also works with keeping things out of the floor. Buddy goes with me never wears his life jacket so he can bungee that to the back of his seat and keep it off the floor and out of the way.

Also went to Walmart and found some utility clips (spring loaded) for like $1.39 for two. Took one of those and used Marine Goop (Adhesive) and a couple of screws to help keep the boat oar off the floor as well. Springs not too strong so it's easy to open, and shouldn't pull off when pulling the Oar out.

Anything to keep items off the floor and free up space in these little boats is a big help!!!

[Pondkiller]

I seen you got your Trolling motor in the rear, and was wondering how that worked for you? I would recommend putting it on the front and putting a rudder in the back. Makes a world of difference in my book, but you might have already tried that.

working out well. i'm actually ok with the motor in back as i'm usually anchoring up wind if needed otherwise trolling. love alot of the stuff you add.

[Pondkiller]

I figured while the water is frozen, and the Ice Fisherman have the reins up here in Nebraska, it was time to do a little work on the boat. First thing i did was reposition the Battery and Tray i had under the back seat, and turn it sideways in the boat instead of long ways. Couple times I had someone with me, I noticed they banged into it sometimes. Now with it turned sideways and bolted down, it's completely out of their way and under the rear seat.

Other thing I finally did was fix the chair rails on the passenger seat. Everytime someone moved that back seat back and forward, they would make noise (hard plastic and metal railing rubbing) and it seemed to reverberate throughout the boat. So I noticed this summer my Black Garden hose was cracked, so I cut 2 pieces the length of the rails, and slit them, and put them over the metal rails. Chair can still be moved but won't be sliding all over the place, which can get agrivating sometime.

More things to come, just thought I'd share that with you guys incase anyone else wanted to make their chairs a little quieter.

Did you start to notice the noise after a while? usage? i'm not too worried as i don't expect too much usage besides me...the boys on occasion.

[Pondkiller]

I don't have a bass raider style boat (I'm a canoe kinda guy)...but just wanted to say that any thread that has OVER 100,000 views, and 690 replies, is VERY COOL. Just shows how much interest there is in economical ways to get on the water and that you don't need to spend $50k on a boat to catch some fish...

I watch Kayak Fishing on WFN all the time to pick up ideas for my bass boat. Similar needs. Small space, need to be clever with storage.

[jaaron01]

Did you start to notice the noise after a while? usage? i'm not too worried as i don't expect too much usage besides me...the boys on occasion.

I noticed it from day one. My chair rails made noise anytime you scooted them forward or backward. I fixed that problem on the front seat when I changed it out and added the pole instead. (Which I couldn't live without now), but left the back seat as it was. I've had the 8 year old out with me, and a few buddies and each time they move, you can hear that rail sliding around in the plastic channel that the seats fit into. I just put the rubber hose on there to quite them down, and also make them less slidable. They will still slide forward and backward, just takes a little more effort than before, and they don't make that (scrapping hollow plastic sound) anymore.

[jaaron01]

I watch Kayak Fishing on WFN all the time to pick up ideas for my bass boat. Similar needs. Small space, need to be clever with storage.

Feel free to share any stuff you find out on here. I've searched the Web and most sites seem to eventually lead right back to this thread. Always looking for ideas for storage. Seen on 1 thread were some guy had taken a small ice-chest ( like 6ix pack size ) and sunk it into the side of his pelican, down in one of the pontoons. He had dug out some of the foam, and then just sunk it in, just leaving the lid sticking up about 1/2 inch. He didn't post any photos, and i don't think I'm that desperate for photos, but would have like to seen how it turned out.

[prjavelin]

theres a guy selling a 10.5 boat with both motors. what are the common flaws on a used boat like these? what can i use to lower the price? Its actually a pretty steep 1400 obo boat that has the seats integrated, has a electric motor and a gas outboard.

[jaaron01]

Biggest flaw on these little boats is getting holes in the btoom of them from being draged to and from the water. Check out the bottom of the boat, and look for scrap marks, or holes/cracks in the hull. They are normally filled with foam inside the hull, which makes them almost impossible to sink, but they fill with water and weight a ton.

Another thing is make sure you have the paperwork so you can register it in your state. That is the biggest pain here in Nebraksa, without the title, it was nearly impossible to register, so I just bought a new 8ft for like $425.00 and had no worries.

Other folks might have more things to watch for, but these are the big things I seen when shopping.

[mtdoramike]

Here is my setup.

[Pondkiller]

So it's the middle of December here in Nebraska, and everyone is getting ready for ice fishing, so my little boat is tucked in nice and warm in the basement. Has anyone done any neat modifications to there boat while the cooler weather is upon them?

Hoping Santa Claus will bring me my new 50-55 llb thrust trolling motor as requested. I'm ready for winter to be over and get back on the water for some early spring Crappie fishing. Also been crusing the basspro and cabela's catalogs for some boat accessories. Found a neat little orginizer that's offered in charcoal grey, so I can throw my bug spray and extra items like pliers, spare trolling motor shear pins...etc.etc..

Anyway haven't seem much movement on this thread lately so thought I'd ask what everyone was doing. Wish I lived in a warmer climate!!!!!

Found this one today at Gander Mountain. Will add to the boat and try it in the Spring. Thanks Jaaron!

[jaaron01]

Found this one today at Gander Mountain. Will add to the boat and try it in the Spring. Thanks Jaaron!

What did you find? No picture attached.

[Fishes in trees]

Back in the day, when I fished out of a pond boat all the time, my best storage for occasionally used items was a fairly large back pack, that I strapped to the back of the chair.  It was out of the way, off of the floor and accessible when needed it.  I'd store tools, rain suit/jacket, other stuff that I didn't need really often.

 

My boat had foldable seats and it was fairly easy to strap on the back pack, with the molded seats, one might have to get a little more creative, drill some holes, use duct tape or whatever.  Just a random thought.