Wanna built a boat?

[casts_by_fly]

the motor came in already and the boat is on site.  They were trying to work out a rigging slot.  Since I was able to get these in, it might rig up next week which would imply picking it up next weekend.

[Motoboss]

Update and pictures!

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, Motoboss said:

Update and pictures!

talked with the guys this week. It’s in the shop this week and should finish next week. We decided on mounting options, chargers, etc. I think I’ll pick it up on Saturday the 22nd. 

[casts_by_fly]

It’s in the shop getting wired up and mounted. Pickup Saturday.  Both motors are on. Today was fish finders. We were going to flush mount the explor 9 in the console but it’s too deep for the space so it’s going on a ram mount (I was 50/50 on that choice anyway). The pirhanna in the dash is coming out and a plate going in (any clever things I could put in its place?). Saturday is gotcha day. 
 

 

[casts_by_fly]

Happy gotcha day!

 

 

 

It fits.  Just. 
 

 

I put rods, gear, and tackle in as a start. It fits basically exactly what I thought it would. About a dozen rods in the locker, about a dozen 3700s, a half dozen 3600s, and a couple speed bags. Tools, safety equipment, etc fits under the seats. 

I’ll get some more and better pictures the first day on the water 

[Cabinlife]

Very nice!!  Best of luck! 

[Motoboss]

Very nice but now your out of the kayak tournament game.

Enjoy!!

[Swamp Girl]

It's a beautiful boat. It looks stable. I also like its compact size. Bigger is not always better.

 

I also love your driveway. That's a lot of pavers! 

[casts_by_fly]

12 hours ago, Motoboss said:

Very nice but now your out of the kayak tournament game.

Enjoy!!

Thanks!  I was never in it in the first place. I have no interest in tournaments other than to track the local ones so that I’m not on the same lakes the day of a tournament. 

 

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

It's a beautiful boat. It looks stable. I also like its compact size. Bigger is not always better.

 

I also love your driveway. That's a lot of pavers! 

thanks!  It should be really good in the water. We’ll see later this week. 
 

it’s a LOT of pavers. The pad in front of the garages is 3-car wide plus buffer and 30’ from garage door to grass. Then there is a 100’ x 10’ driveway to the road (plus another 5’x60’ sidewalk to the front door).   And then before we redid the back porch it was all pavers also- 100’ x 40’.  If you’re ever making a choice, don’t choose pavers. The original owner put them in (at what must have been incredible cost). They move. The paver base erodes away with heavy rain. Blowing snow on pavers is awful because they aren’t level and the skids catch all of the time. And more pressing here is that I have two dips from tire tracks getting into my middle garage bay. The pavers are a solid 2” lower than the concrete. To get the boat into the garage I have to line it up and get a head of steam to roll it over the lip. If you miss,

it’s like the bowling ball arcade game where you're stuck in the divot. For sure, the next 60 degree sunny day we get I am pulling up a couple dozen pavers and relaying them into new paver base. 

[Swamp Girl]

2 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Thanks!  I was never in it in the first place. I have no interest in tournaments other than to track the local ones so that I’m not on the same lakes the day of a tournament. 

 

thanks!  It should be really good in the water. We’ll see later this week. 
 

it’s a LOT of pavers. The pad in front of the garages is 3-car wide plus buffer and 30’ from garage door to grass. Then there is a 100’ x 10’ driveway to the road (plus another 5’x60’ sidewalk to the front door).   And then before we redid the back porch it was all pavers also- 100’ x 40’.  If you’re ever making a choice, don’t choose pavers. The original owner put them in (at what must have been incredible cost). They move. The paver base erodes away with heavy rain. Blowing snow on pavers is awful because they aren’t level and the skids catch all of the time. And more pressing here is that I have two dips from tire tracks getting into my middle garage bay. The pavers are a solid 2” lower than the concrete. To get the boat into the garage I have to line it up and get a head of steam to roll it over the lip. If you miss,

it’s like the bowling ball arcade game where you're stuck in the divot. For sure, the next 60 degree sunny day we get I am pulling up a couple dozen pavers and relaying them into new paver base. 

 

I've laid a few paver patios and sidewalks and I've seen the driveways, sidewalks, and patios laid by pros. I've only seen a few professional jobs that equaled my amateur efforts because pros want to make as much money as possible, which means they don't spend as much time on the base beneath the pavers. Dig deep enough and compact your sand long enough and your pavers won't sink.

[casts_by_fly]

40 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

I've laid a few paver patios and sidewalks and I've seen the driveways, sidewalks, and patios laid by pros. I've only seen a few professional jobs that equaled my amateur efforts because pros want to make as much money as possible, which means they don't spend as much time on the base beneath the pavers. Dig deep enough and compact your sand long enough and your pavers won't sink.

yeah, I’ve fixed them in a few places already and they are good after fixing them. But it’s a real pain to do it.  

[Swamp Girl]

7 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

yeah, I’ve fixed them in a few places already and they are good after fixing them. But it’s a real pain to do it.  

 

Heck, yeah, they're a lot of work. 

[Fishingmickey]

Deleted my comment.

FM

[Darth-Baiter]

that tiny boat guy is killing it.  i would love to build something.    but i have zero skills, zero patience.  not that much money. 

 

recipe for disaster. 

 

your new boat is sweet!!!  a huge hurdle for me is that i drive a toyota tacoma (just bought it actually) .   and i dont think i can stomach the gasoline consumption of a big boat.  

if/when i am going in the direction you did.  but with a bigger motor.    

 

congrats.  

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

that tiny boat guy is killing it.  i would love to build something.    but i have zero skills, zero patience.  not that much money. 

 

recipe for disaster. 

 

your new boat is sweet!!!  a huge hurdle for me is that i drive a toyota tacoma (just bought it actually) .   and i dont think i can stomach the gasoline consumption of a big boat.  

if/when i am going in the direction you did.  but with a bigger motor.    

 

congrats.  

 

thanks!  I did consider a custom build- take a 16'-17' jon or V, keep it a tiller and deck it out.  Then I could have the layout I wanted (rod lockers, proper storage space, minimal livewell) plus the ability to use a 9.9 on the lakes that need it and have a little bigger motor or an electric on the back for other lakes.  Alas, it would have cost me the same or more to build it out in the end and I'd have had no warranty or after support.  I gave up a little flexibility on motor swaps (which really doesn't limit me much) and a little bit in layout (I really don't need 2 livewells when I'll never use 1) but I got 95% of what I wanted with a full warranty and support.  And I didn't have to build it out myself over months.

 

In the 16-18' segment there are so many aluminum boats that will range from $15k on up to $85k (maybe more) that there is something for about everyone.

[Darth-Baiter]

@casts_by_fly  i showed a picture of your boat to my wife last night.

 

she didnt say no!!!    for me, similar set up with a bigger motor and shallow water anchors...i could get it done!!  

[casts_by_fly]

8 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

@casts_by_fly  i showed a picture of your boat to my wife last night.

 

she didnt say no!!!    for me, similar set up with a bigger motor and shallow water anchors...i could get it done!!  

Strike while the iron is hot!

 

I don’t know your storage space, but I was limited to a 20x8’ garage which is about 2-4” shorter than that each way.  When I looked at this one in the showroom, on of the guy there had just upsized from the 1600 to the 1700 and had the same sized garage as me. With the 1600 in and the door down, you can slide between the door and the folded tongue. With the 1700 you have to step over the tongue. I considered the 1700 and if they hadn’t had the 1600 floor model cheap I would have gone 1700 for the extra storage hatch. Both would have fit. 
 

if you have a bigger garage, the xfc is really nice. I ogled one in the showroom.