Well, yesterdays trip (maiden) in the "Gray Ghost" pointed out a couple shortcomings in the functional areas.
One was the lack of 12VDC power outlets. I had a clip-on one (that just clips onto the battery posts), but I didn't like it with the cord running out of a closed (aluminum) hatch lid. There's an outlet on the console, but I don't like anymore drain on the OB starting battery than necessary. I didn't want to drill any more holes in the boat than needed, or install items that can't easily be removed and be nearly impossible to ever know they were there.
Front (hard to see, but it's there):
Rear (wire you see is transducer wire):
Next was the transducer. When new, it mounted via a couple suction cups, which have since long rotted away. Dad bolted a couple of mini-clamps (for conduit & piping) to it, which slipped on the TM shaft. This didn't work well on the boat yesterday, and was such a PITA, I didn't even use the FF.
So today I went looking for a couple suction cups that would accept a 1/4"X20 bolts......no luck, so I did the next best thing :wink: I bought 2 little hand plungers ($1.29 each) at Menards, cut the threaded ends off the handles & drilled them to accept #10 brass bolts.
Then it was just a matter of bolting the threaded "stubs onto the transducer bracket, threading the plunger suction cups to them:
.......sticking them to the transom.
I also had a small landing net, that was perfect for large panfish I didn't want to risk losing. Since having a deep-V boat, and a bad back aren't a good combination, I solved the problem by removing the 2 screws holding the short handle to the nets loop/frame. I had an aluminum extension handle for a paint-roller that I used to make skunk-poles with (for injecting skunks to put them to "sleep"). I cut the threaded end off the extension, removed the smaller diameter inner pole, flattened it (the larger/outer pole) alittle to accept the loop/frame of the small net, re-drilled the 2-holes, and here's the finished product....best part, no stooping-over to net fish :wink:
ST
One was the lack of 12VDC power outlets. I had a clip-on one (that just clips onto the battery posts), but I didn't like it with the cord running out of a closed (aluminum) hatch lid. There's an outlet on the console, but I don't like anymore drain on the OB starting battery than necessary. I didn't want to drill any more holes in the boat than needed, or install items that can't easily be removed and be nearly impossible to ever know they were there.
Front (hard to see, but it's there):
Rear (wire you see is transducer wire):
Next was the transducer. When new, it mounted via a couple suction cups, which have since long rotted away. Dad bolted a couple of mini-clamps (for conduit & piping) to it, which slipped on the TM shaft. This didn't work well on the boat yesterday, and was such a PITA, I didn't even use the FF.
So today I went looking for a couple suction cups that would accept a 1/4"X20 bolts......no luck, so I did the next best thing :wink: I bought 2 little hand plungers ($1.29 each) at Menards, cut the threaded ends off the handles & drilled them to accept #10 brass bolts.
Then it was just a matter of bolting the threaded "stubs onto the transducer bracket, threading the plunger suction cups to them:
.......sticking them to the transom.
I also had a small landing net, that was perfect for large panfish I didn't want to risk losing. Since having a deep-V boat, and a bad back aren't a good combination, I solved the problem by removing the 2 screws holding the short handle to the nets loop/frame. I had an aluminum extension handle for a paint-roller that I used to make skunk-poles with (for injecting skunks to put them to "sleep"). I cut the threaded end off the extension, removed the smaller diameter inner pole, flattened it (the larger/outer pole) alittle to accept the loop/frame of the small net, re-drilled the 2-holes, and here's the finished product....best part, no stooping-over to net fish :wink:
ST
