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- #5,381
Been up since 5am and now for some reason I am TIRED. The use of capital letters doesn't adequately emphasize just how tire I feel. This stomach virus I had must have taken a lot out of me. Either that or age is starting to lessen my endurance. I prefer to think it was the illness.
I been working on get the boat adapted to river fishing for steelhead and salmon and yesterday I mounted the anchor tower and winch. Since a lot of torque can be applied to the tower when lifting 40 lbs of chain I needed to re-inforce where it mounts to the boat. This required cutting a 6" hole in the deck and installing an access panel. This allowed me to install a cross brace under the deck bracing through which the rear bolts of the tower are attached.
Today I installed a battery in the forward compartment and completed wiring the winch and the necessary switches and controls. I replaced the bow light with a pedestal type bow light; then fused and switched it as well.
Next I installed four tube type rod holders, a four rod horizontal rod rack, then finally mounted the sonar/GPS to the console. To help distribute the weight I installed a second battery under the console. This will be used to power the sonar and the rear mounted trolling motor. For wiring the trolling motor I'll need to pick up some 8 guage wire to run from the battery to the stern.
The third and final battery will be mounted under the rear deck and will power the stern light and the motor. Three large batteries may seem like a lot, but since the motor is used only to get you from the launch to the first hole and back to the dock after the last hole, the majority of the fishing time is spent using the anchor winch and the trolling motor to control the downstream drift I don't care to risk running out of battery power.
I've ordered a bimini top that I hope come in this week and once it is install I will set about making a zip on enclosure for the front and the sides. Having that enclosure on the boat and with the addition of a small propane heater I will now be able to fish in bitter cold weather that in previous years kept me off the river.
Hopefully the cover I've ordered will come in this week and I can make a set of 3 or 4 bows out of PVS pipe to support the canvas and help it repeal snow and water while traveling. Arriving at the launch with the inside of the boat dry and free of snow will make the day's fishing a little more enjoyable. Maybe it's an old man thing, but sitting on a cold and wet seat isn't my idea of a good thing.
Also having the boat cover in transit will allow me to keep things in the boat that previously had to be hauled in the truck and then placed in the boat just before launching. What little time and effort it takes to uncover the boat seems to be small payment for the benefit received.
The boat came with a bow mounted foot controlled trolling motor that I have removed. My type of fishing doesn't require one and when I factored in getting Granny in and out of the boat, it took up too much deck space and could present a trip hazard. Having to stop fishing to rescue an old lady who has fallen overboard and is floating downstream would ruin a good day. So if anyone wants a foot controlled trolling motor cheap I have one available.
I been working on get the boat adapted to river fishing for steelhead and salmon and yesterday I mounted the anchor tower and winch. Since a lot of torque can be applied to the tower when lifting 40 lbs of chain I needed to re-inforce where it mounts to the boat. This required cutting a 6" hole in the deck and installing an access panel. This allowed me to install a cross brace under the deck bracing through which the rear bolts of the tower are attached.
Today I installed a battery in the forward compartment and completed wiring the winch and the necessary switches and controls. I replaced the bow light with a pedestal type bow light; then fused and switched it as well.
Next I installed four tube type rod holders, a four rod horizontal rod rack, then finally mounted the sonar/GPS to the console. To help distribute the weight I installed a second battery under the console. This will be used to power the sonar and the rear mounted trolling motor. For wiring the trolling motor I'll need to pick up some 8 guage wire to run from the battery to the stern.
The third and final battery will be mounted under the rear deck and will power the stern light and the motor. Three large batteries may seem like a lot, but since the motor is used only to get you from the launch to the first hole and back to the dock after the last hole, the majority of the fishing time is spent using the anchor winch and the trolling motor to control the downstream drift I don't care to risk running out of battery power.
I've ordered a bimini top that I hope come in this week and once it is install I will set about making a zip on enclosure for the front and the sides. Having that enclosure on the boat and with the addition of a small propane heater I will now be able to fish in bitter cold weather that in previous years kept me off the river.
Hopefully the cover I've ordered will come in this week and I can make a set of 3 or 4 bows out of PVS pipe to support the canvas and help it repeal snow and water while traveling. Arriving at the launch with the inside of the boat dry and free of snow will make the day's fishing a little more enjoyable. Maybe it's an old man thing, but sitting on a cold and wet seat isn't my idea of a good thing.
Also having the boat cover in transit will allow me to keep things in the boat that previously had to be hauled in the truck and then placed in the boat just before launching. What little time and effort it takes to uncover the boat seems to be small payment for the benefit received.
The boat came with a bow mounted foot controlled trolling motor that I have removed. My type of fishing doesn't require one and when I factored in getting Granny in and out of the boat, it took up too much deck space and could present a trip hazard. Having to stop fishing to rescue an old lady who has fallen overboard and is floating downstream would ruin a good day. So if anyone wants a foot controlled trolling motor cheap I have one available.
