Unconventional Thinking?

What's something that you "thought outside the box" for your boat? Maybe something that generally isn't used in marine applications but you thought would work.

Using an aluminum truck tool box for bench seat and rear storage seat

Skiffing said:

Using an aluminum truck tool box for bench seat and rear storage seat

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done that before! using a cutting board to mount transducer on transom

Thanks for the reply's.

I originally used a plastic air conditioning pad as a front casting deck on my 14ft v hull, I just had it screwed into the front bench & front step down from the bow. It worked great but I decided to ditch it as I did not have a place to mount my 2nd battery for my new 24volt trolling motor.

I use small deep rectangular 'Tupperware'-type boxes to house electrical items like a 40-amp circuit breaker or a ground buss. The tub part is affixed to the bulkhead in position and the leads are brought into the box via rubber grommets. Then on static items, like buss's, they are sprayed down with Boeshield T-9, then the cover is lubed with clear silicone grease and snapped on.

On my present build, I am putting the combo pos/neg feed circuit breaker protected box in it up under the helm. Works slick! ... as a poor man's DIY water-resistant weather-proof enclosure like a NEMA rated box.

I use a tupperware type container as a tool box. I just keep the basics like a few screwdrivers, pliars, adjustable wrench, plug socket n ratchet, etc.


This one is a canister that uses an O-ring seal with a screw on lid to make it water tight. It's about the size of a Stanely Thermos so it's got a fair bit of room inside. Boat registration stays in it and I add anything I'm concerned about getting wet at the start of every fishing trip (think cell phone etc).


For now I've just been keeping it in my forward storage area but I have plans to attach it to the underside of the lid. These come with some brands of new farm tractors but the farmers don't normally use them so I got one from a farming friend.


These spring loaded clips were sold as organizers for hanging mops and brooms in a closet but they work good to hold my paddle and keep it out of the way.


And last but not least is this 12v 1.2 amp DC fan. I mostly fish for crappie and bream and the hot days of summer around this part of the country means the gnats are gonna annoy the crap out of ya. So on those days that there's not enough breeze to keep the gnats at bay or jut to keep me cool it really comes in handy. I've let it sit on the floor, put it on top of an ice chest, or just held it in my free hand for a while. I plan to fashion a bracket for it to attach to my seat.

Using cheap garage sale aluminum ladders as framing for a deck. $20 in aluminum ladder goes a lot farther and is a lot stronger than Lowe's angle stock aluminum.

I take out my impeller every year and put it in a zip lock bag with silicone in it. It adds plasticity and flexibility back to old hardened rubber. I use dielectric grease, camp dry, permatex silicone lube spray. Lately I've found I like dot5 brake fluid. It's silicone based where as 3,4, and 5.1 are glycol based. I've heard of people using other brake fluid to keep it soft. It works on your seals in your cars brake system. I keep my bag with my impeller in it taped to my unplugged spark plug wires so I don't forget it. Oh running 13 years on my impeller in my 18 hp fastwin and it's still in good shape.