Found my boat!

Well I woke up this morning planning on driving 2hrs to Jackson TN to look at an 70s model 16x42 bass boat for $1500. I happened to check craigslist and I see an ad just posted for a Basstracker Panfish 16 with a 2002 Mercury 40hp motor for 2k. Boat and trailer turned out to be a 1994 model after looking at the date on the trailer and paperwork. After talking to the guy he is an older gentleman who is helping his friend sell a boat that was used by his father before he passed away last year. He had the receipt where the motor was put on new to the tune of 4k as well as all the manuals to the motor/boat/troller. That said he knows next to nothing about boats and it hasn't been registered in 10 years so getting it wet or even starting the motor in a tank was out of the question. He did say he thought the boat had been run in the last year. The gas is still hooked up so I assume I will get the clean carbs at least. We settled on $1800, did up a bill of sale (only thing needed in TN according to the county court clerk I talked to) and away I went. I have to admit. I am excited and think that the boat was well worth the money even without hearing the motor. Here are some pics as I bought it. Needs to be cleaned up bad.


Is the spot at the front that is open supposed to be a spot for a small cooler?

Nice find man hope you getting running soon.

Sounds like a great buy. I'd bet that motor won't need much. Congrads!!!

That's not a bad starting point. The boat looks good and the price was right.

I always like that boat. If I ever buy one without a center bench, I think I'll make it a stick steer. Nice find and good luck.

Nice find. I'm betting you will do great with that. I don't know what that spot on the front is for. I really can't see much of it in that picture. Take a few more and post. Could be that someone took out a compartment???

Here are some more pics of the mystery compartment in the front. ATM the foot controls for the trolling motor are running through it. It doesn't look like anything is missing really. I dont see any holes where I lid would have been.

If I remember correctly,one year that boat was made,the front deck was cut out for a detachable cooler. I remember seeing it in a Basspro catalog.

Yeah a cooler sounds right.Great boat man!

lucescoflathead said:

If I remember correctly,one year that boat was made,the front deck was cut out for a detachable cooler. I remember seeing it in a Basspro catalog.

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After a little googling you are right. There was originally a cooler there. Apparently it is kinda hard to find a replacement that fits too. Will have to measure and see what I can come up with after I actually get it running.

Also, found a couple fish finders in the livewell! The original one and a hummingbird that I can't remember the model number of.

awesome find, looks to be in great shape by the pics! if ya don't wanna mess with the motor, i'll give ya $20 for it!

Good deal, that one was on the short list for me. battery goes under the front seat right?

Jamie

Ranchero50 said:

Good deal, that one was on the short list for me. battery goes under the front seat right?

Jamie

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I haven't looked. I dont know if it carries two batteries or one. There is a spot at the back for one but I never even checked the front seat to see if it had a place for a trolling battery.

Still a great find IMO. I don't know that I'd put a cooler there if it were me. I'd probably make it storage. But I have a lot of junk to store too.

Yep I'd put a lid on it and make it a storage compartment. I don't know why more companies offer stick steering. I'm glad a company doesn't make an 1868 with stick steer and a jet and call it something about catfish. My wife would kill me......

Well, I started it up today. Seems to run good and not need the carbs cleaned. Either they did winterize it or I got lucky. Also, there is only one battery. The trolling motor plugs into a spot in the front deck for power and all the wiring runs to the battery location in the rear. Going to go register it, buy a new marine battery (came with a car battery), and pick up a couple life vests tomorrow.

It did pee after it heated up enough for the thermostat to open but I will probably see about changing the impeller at some point in the near future since I don't know when it was last done or even if it has been done since the motor was new.