nlester
Well-known member
I go out with friends a lot but I wanted something to use to fish on my own. It had to fit in the garage with the car. I wound up with a 1986 10' Sear's Gamefisher, modifed V Hull. I did not want anything fancy so I only made changes for convience and functionality. It looks pretty crowded in the pictures but I don't take all this stuff with me all the time. I decide what I go for and load accordingly.
My trailer is a 12' galvinized Sportsman, made for a small jet ski or jon boat, $125. I had to do minor repairs add a support for the bow, plastic pads,on the bunks, guide ons, a spare tire and reflectors all around for additional visability when is parked in the dark.
I use slatted floor boards because the are light weight, quick to make or repair and I can remove them easily for cleaning. The battery is under the raised bow. Note: the shade is from my seat umbrella that rotates 360 degrees around the seat. I have a small beach umbrella that fits in the holder when the sun is really brutial. I use the raised bow for a foot rest when I am using the 10" seat post.
I have a seat with a short post that I use if I am going to fish from the stern or go a long distance or it is a little rougher than normal. A few days, I have steered home kneeling in the floor boards.
I fiberglassed the wood on my motor mount and transucer mount adding 3 coats of resin.
I cut wedges of rubber and glued them to my trolling motor to act as fillers so that I could clamp my trolling motor to my bow. I run my trolling motor on high most of the time and use a foot switch to get the maximum time from my battery.
The next thing I need to do is make a rudder that I can clamp on the stern when don't want to take the Mercury outboard. The boat crab walks sideway using the trolling motor without the outboard in the water to act as a rudder.
I have a 2 wheeled trolly for when I want to strip the boat down and take it across country as a plan old jon boat. Then I fasten the oars to the sides using eye bolts with bunge cords.
The handiest tip I have from all this is to customize your ratchet tiedown straps. Cut them to size. Put the ratchets where they are easy to use and sew them back together. Don't fight them because they are in an inconvient spot. Position the ratchs where you want them and they are easy to use.