Anzomcik
04-09-2011, 08:16 AM
I think i am like most other people when you get your boat it slowly evolves into what you really want out of a boat. So i thought i would start a thread to have people show what they have done to there riggs to maybe give ideas to others that might not know they "need" to change things. ( i cant stop messing with my stuff.)
My musky boat is a shell of a row boat (beefed up) with factory installed floor and small casting deck, side console. I nice small package, that space is a premium.
Right off the bat i made deck extensions for the front deck and rear bench to make it a casting deck. I also added a few snap lids in the original bench and cleaned out the inside to have storage space.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1729.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1732.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1731.jpg
The decks are made from aluminum, i am fortunate enough to work as a fabricator/machinist so i had access to all the tools and machinery, then i put on the nonslip safety sand paper stickers for traction and painter grey
Fishing two people in my boat is perfect but placement for the rods was a pain, so i built those funny looking triangle pieces attached to the front deck (there is another set on the starboard side also) each one will hold three rods and they keep my rods clear of my partners really cuts down on tangled messes and keeps us away from each others hooks.
My fuel tank is under my rear deck not, it became a real pain to fill it up, i had to move alot of stuff around... really sucked. So i fought with that for a few years before i bit the bullet and went looking for a replacement tank with a remote filler. I couldn't fine one to fit in the space i had. So i just ordered the stuff i needed, i went a little over board and got a fuel gauge, so now i donot have to tip open my rear deck to check fuel level.
Got my stuff in the mail and i designed a fuel tank that would fit my needs. I made the tank a little bit bigger 9gal vs 6gal. I put a "vee" shape in the tank so the fuel will always be at the fuel pick up hose (i do not have the hose touching the bottom, so i will not suck up crud thet aill find its way in my tank) Put in my sending unit for the fuel gauge, my needed vent and fuel filler neck, lagged it to the bottom of my boat under the casting deck. ran the wiring to the fuel gauge. I am a happy camper the best thing i like is since i put the fist fill up in the new tank, is i have put my own marks on the fuel gauge. I put 1 gallon in, make a sharpie mark on the gauge to show thats one gallon, put in another gallon make a mark.... mo more guess how much is left if the gauge reads 1/2 tank.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1728.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1735.jpg
I have started to troll more in the last few years so i went out and bought a few rod holders. they were good but a pain to set in the spots i could set them... so i made a trolling tree that fits in my pedestal base of the rear bench. Sine i have s-10 holders i position them almost anywhere on the tree i made, and the best part in my trolling tree fits under my front deck unseen and out of the way. Yes i did have to beef up my bench a tad, it will hold up to all the things i find trolling that do not move, like the mysterious trees in the middle of the lake.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1734.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1733.jpg
My musky boat is a shell of a row boat (beefed up) with factory installed floor and small casting deck, side console. I nice small package, that space is a premium.
Right off the bat i made deck extensions for the front deck and rear bench to make it a casting deck. I also added a few snap lids in the original bench and cleaned out the inside to have storage space.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1729.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1732.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1731.jpg
The decks are made from aluminum, i am fortunate enough to work as a fabricator/machinist so i had access to all the tools and machinery, then i put on the nonslip safety sand paper stickers for traction and painter grey
Fishing two people in my boat is perfect but placement for the rods was a pain, so i built those funny looking triangle pieces attached to the front deck (there is another set on the starboard side also) each one will hold three rods and they keep my rods clear of my partners really cuts down on tangled messes and keeps us away from each others hooks.
My fuel tank is under my rear deck not, it became a real pain to fill it up, i had to move alot of stuff around... really sucked. So i fought with that for a few years before i bit the bullet and went looking for a replacement tank with a remote filler. I couldn't fine one to fit in the space i had. So i just ordered the stuff i needed, i went a little over board and got a fuel gauge, so now i donot have to tip open my rear deck to check fuel level.
Got my stuff in the mail and i designed a fuel tank that would fit my needs. I made the tank a little bit bigger 9gal vs 6gal. I put a "vee" shape in the tank so the fuel will always be at the fuel pick up hose (i do not have the hose touching the bottom, so i will not suck up crud thet aill find its way in my tank) Put in my sending unit for the fuel gauge, my needed vent and fuel filler neck, lagged it to the bottom of my boat under the casting deck. ran the wiring to the fuel gauge. I am a happy camper the best thing i like is since i put the fist fill up in the new tank, is i have put my own marks on the fuel gauge. I put 1 gallon in, make a sharpie mark on the gauge to show thats one gallon, put in another gallon make a mark.... mo more guess how much is left if the gauge reads 1/2 tank.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1728.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1735.jpg
I have started to troll more in the last few years so i went out and bought a few rod holders. they were good but a pain to set in the spots i could set them... so i made a trolling tree that fits in my pedestal base of the rear bench. Sine i have s-10 holders i position them almost anywhere on the tree i made, and the best part in my trolling tree fits under my front deck unseen and out of the way. Yes i did have to beef up my bench a tad, it will hold up to all the things i find trolling that do not move, like the mysterious trees in the middle of the lake.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1734.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/100_1733.jpg