posts pics of u're boat

[Apod]

Apod, depending on what you want or how many people you bring along with on your fishing trips.

This is just a simple 16ft aluminum bass converted boat. It's got some toys you may enjoy like radio, trolling motor, depth finder etc. This is just an example. This one is pretty well kept. Could be for the serious fisherman on a tight budget too. It lacks a bigger motor and a live well. But for the money it's a go getter.

I am not sure what kind of fish you enjoy catching but this boat can easily go into heavy cover without spooking fish.

I find that small boats are for me. I tend to fish in shallow water like bays, docks etc. I need a boat that can get right in there without having to worry about hitting bottom ><



http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/boa/1849735420.html

that's exactly what i want. i was thinking of purchasing a used deep-v aluminum boat and converting it into a bass boat, complete with carpeted floors, a front deck, fish finder, live well, trolling motor, etc. i'm a minimalist type of person so i don't need too many fancy bells and whistles. here's an example of what i want to do:

completely strip down a 16 ft boat:


give it a nice paint job:


second view of paint job:


seal and paint the transiom:


build a frame for the deck:


marine grade wood deck:


add some seats:


complete marine-grade carpeting for the floors and deck:



all done!





that boat has a tiller motor but i want a console steering wheel in my boat. these are my plans anyway. i calculate the total cost to be around $1,500-2000 if i do everything myself.

[Apod]

U're gonna want more.

possibly, but like i said, i'm a minimalist so i don't need the most expensive or fancy boat out there. plus i don't want to tow a big boat around all the time. just need a boat for casual weekend fishing and to avoid the hassle of shore fishermen. if money wasn't an issue though i'd probably get a luxurious fishing yacht and hit up the great lakes for salmon and lake trout. 

[ricqik]

I said the same thing when I bought my 14ft aluminum. it was all I needed n served me well, caught fishes I never thought I would ever have access to. A decade later, I end up with a 21ft bass boat. N I still want more n newer.

[ricqik]

As long as it satisfy ur needs for now. Good fishing

[Tracker]

I said the same thing when I bought my 14ft aluminum. it was all I needed n served me well, caught fishes I never thought I would ever have access to. A decade later, I end up with a 21ft bass boat. N I still want more n newer.

But that's a decade later.  Maybe a decade from now I'll have a 21ft bass boat too!!  But for now, my 16ft serves me just fine!!   

[Apod]

I said the same thing when I bought my 14ft aluminum. it was all I needed n served me well, caught fishes I never thought I would ever have access to. A decade later, I end up with a 21ft bass boat. N I still want more n newer.

i'll probably be like you too, lol. i'm a complete boating noob so if i accidently  obliterate this old 16 ft boat, i won't be losing too much.

As long as it satisfy ur needs for now. Good fishing

for now, good enough.

[Tracker]

As long as it satisfy ur needs for now. Good fishing

Apod just wants to elevate his game from that of a shore fisherman to that of a real fisherman.  You're starting in the right direction Apod.  And like ric said, you're going to want more soon.  I'm already looking....and that don't sit to well with the wifey!!  

[Apod]

Apod just wants to elevate his game from that of a shore fisherman to that of a real fisherman.  You're starting in the right direction Apod.  And like ric said, you're going to want more soon.  I'm already looking....and that don't sit to well with the wifey!!   

lol, it's all baby steps for me. i'll reach ric's status one day. i don't even want to think about a new truck to tow it...

[i_am_sam]

That's alot of work you want to do Apod. And from reading your posts you seem to have a limited budget. Doing custom floor boards and buying all the accessories is a nice chunk of change. Not saying you couldn't do it. Just saying it's going to cost more than you think.

With a limited budget get something that you can fish right away and avoid spending a few weekends fixing it up. That's my 50 cent.

Yep I agree once you get more serious you want bigger and badder things lol. Currently refurbishing my dad's 17 ft 1988 bass tracker. Redoing everything ground up. Welding the rusted holes, reinstalling the floor boards and refurbishing the motor and rewiring the boat since it hasn't been in use for 8years.

I thought of just buying a newer boat but since this is a sentimental boat it means alot more.

[clumzy31]

To start off my first boat was a 13ft boat that I used for mostly bass fishing.  I know I was stipid but the most people I ever fitted in that boat was five and hell I will never do it again.  I traded it plus some money for a 1989 ranger 363v.  Well after purchasing a house and truck a few years after purchase, I've noticed that my pocket change was running low and I needed to do somthing bad.  So I decided to sell the ranger without the trolling motor and paid off the rest of the loan that I took out for the ranger and had 1500 left over.  Went searching for a smnallerbboat again.  I founf a 14ft jon boat for 1200 for motor trailor and then I decided to make a front deck.  I will post pictures later.  Well anyways the deck cost me about 300bucks.  That includes carpet and marine ply wood and all.  Now I'm fishing almost every weekend with my boat with a max of 3 people on it.  It has a 15 hp motor with a 101lb thrust trolling motor and a lowrance m68c fishfinder.  Since I had the boat I never smelled a skunk.  By the way I will be fishing a tournament next weekend with itm. No live well but a cooler with aerators will work for now.  I'm going to finish build the rear deck and also installing a livewell next year.  So what I'm trying to get too, I start small went bigger and now back to small due to unsufficient fujnds.  But after I went small again I tell u, I probably pumped gas in the jon boat 4 times since march.   If anyof you want some good ideas of how to rig up a aluminum boat y'all should join this website and check out all these people talents on decking out there boats.  Tinboats.com. 

[i_am_sam]

Nice link man thanks. I like smaller boats too. You are right about one thing. Going fishing with my cousin. He fills up the tank in his full size truck. I fill up the boat. Comes to almost the same price ha ha.

[ricqik]

Clumsy, u do realize u're limiting the max weight of ur john. Which really means urs is a 1 man maybe 2 man boat.

3 batt for the troller, I for the crank, deck n stuff n that's 2 man weight already, sounds like u're left with enough capacity for just 1 man weight left.

[blablablablabla]

Clumsy, u do realize u're limiting the max weight of ur john. Which really means urs is a 1 man maybe 2 man boat.

3 batt for the troller, I for the crank, deck n stuff n that's 2 man weight already, sounds like u're left with enough capacity for just 1 man weight left.

and you can get in very big trouble from sherriffs and game wardens.  Be careful out there....  

[clumzy31]

Not a lot of sherrifs here actually pay attention to the weight of the boat.  I understand and believe that I'm over my capacity.  As long as my life jackats are on board I'm fine.  I've got stopped a few times and so far I've been good to go.  Anyways my max capacity is 650lbs or 3 people and ur rite ric my batters probably all together weigh 200lbs and with my deck adding another 300lbs.  With 3 people that would be adding an easily 350lbs to it to.  But oh well its fine with me.  Besides its not a regular jon boat nobmore.  Its a bass boat

[AppleBrook]

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