(='_'=)

thanx, i guess i will have to do the test and see if it is an option or not...

neither do it!! but i neither do it!! but i guess i will have to find out when i cut it... in case i need to rewire (which i doubt) well, then i will have to rewire.... my only concern was removing the foam... but now that you tell me its not a problem, i will have to get my dremel an begin cutting it out.... thanx!!

i had a similar problem... i own a bassboat, but we also use it for skiing, pulling a tube, and hanging around in the lake... as a fishing-only boat, it wasnt so comfortable for that... so i am in the process of modifing the deck, building a rod locker/ bench seat, adding a stereo, and overall trying to adapt it as a multifunctional boat... all these without loosing storage space, casting deck space (in fact it will increase a lot after the mods), 2 functional livewells, trolling motor, etc... do your wife even knows the difference?? why not get a bassboat, store a couple skis on a rod holder, and tell her it is a skiing boat but you will try to fish out of it?? the troller is an "emergency motor in case you run out of fuel" and the small screen at the console is to monitor for objects and prevent crashing into them.... i know this would work with my gf....

thanx for the pic. we had thought about those, but, wont they get in the way while fishing?? probably for transportation it wouldnt be a problem, as i can put the rods in a PVC pipe, close both ends, and put it in the boat.... but, for fishing, i think they may be getting in the way, specially with 3 people on board....

i had been thinking the same, it would be hard to protect them.. this is what i have come up with so far, a 2" x 1 1/2" wood block, with slots for the rods.. im thinking on using one on the end of the exsting deck (where this one is drawn) and another block further ahead... i could even join the slots with a pvc pipe, to guide the rods and prevent them from lifting or something.... besides this, i would use the same 2 X 1 1/2" to do a full perimeter... i am planning on removing the rods and put them in every trip... however, since its a small boat, i would prefer not to have them all on the deck... while fishing, i just have 2 rods on the deck, and the rest of them on the locker, ready to go, with lures tied and everything, but inside the locker, since it gets too clustered with an ice chest, tackle bags, net, oar.... hopefully with this new storage space the deck wont be as clustered, but still, i dont like having too many rods out there, risking braking one or something... when i fish by myself (which i rarely do) i can have more rods in the deck, since i can be careful with them and place them where they dont get in MY way.... but 99% of the time we are at least 2 in the boat.... and regarding the PB, ill try to post a couple of pics from a skiing trip we made....

thanx traveler!! i understand what you are saying. i think i didnt explain well. the lid doesnt needs to be 7 feet long, i know that. however, the storage space needs to be 7' long. in order to accomplish this, i would need to cut into the storage compartment AND into the flotation chamber. heres a rough diagram of something i just measured tonight... the blue rectangle is what i would like to have, serving as a rod locker/ bench... for this, i would have to cut holes (yellow circles) in the storage wall, for the rod tips to go in... i was thinking on putting PVC or some other tubes to protect the rods.... however, in order to leave some leg room, the rod storage compartment was only about 5'5" long, so the PVC pipes needed to be about 1'1" long, entering the flotation chamber.... the red rectangle is approximately 7' long, and as you see, it reaches the end (front) of the boat.... so, tonigh, one of my fishing parters and i were sitting on the boat, having a beer and thinking on what to do.... we noticed that the front livewell is about 2 inches higher than the front deck... so, we thought the following... what if we raise the front deck to be the same height as the livewell, and use those 2" of space between the current deck and the new deck, as the extension of the rod locker... in other words, the "rod locker" would be really thin, only 2" high, but wide enough to accomodate about 7 rods parallel to each other... and, under the rods, we would have enough space to store other things such as skis, rope, backpacks etc... basically the rod locker would be as the red rectangle shown above, and on top of the existing deck... we also thought about making it fixed, and also fixing another storage compartment between the livewell and the deck... this would leave an "alley" from the console to the deck... for this, we would make a removeable storage space, that we can put to fish, making the front deck almost flush with the rear of the console, and remove it for skiing/hanging around, leaving the rod locker as a bench.... hopefully this is somehow understandable... i have to make some drawings to clarify it, im already making a really rough sketch on google sketchup to explain better... if you could understand my ramble, what do you think??

nobody knows?? well, i may be doing this mod in the near future, if so, i will document it in this thread: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/102050-my-restoration-thread/page__st__15

thanx Traveler, i do that also to clarify or correct spelling... and Shawn, ill check how much space is there in the existing storage... im worried i will not be able to fit a 7' rod, as the floor space right now is only about 6'6" long from the seat, so if i give say, 1 foot for leg room, and the storage is also 1 foot, there is no way i will have a 7' rod locker in there =S

thanx Shawn... thats more or less what i have in mind... my only concern is that from the seat, to the beginning of the deck, i only have a little more than 6'... so, in order to accomodate a rod locker where you drew it, i need to cut into the current storage area under the deck... and thats no problem, i can cut, however im not sure if i would be able to fit a 7' rod in there, as i need to leave some leg room in front of the passengers side.... now, what i would really like, would be to permanently install the rod locker where you put it, and then make a removeable storage locker between the rod locker and the livewell/console and new storage... this way i would have a full deck for fishing, and a bench for friends...

did you modify your post to include this part?? because i missed it yesterday.... here´s a basic description of how the boat weight is distributed: starting on the rear compartments, the gas tank is centered... on the driver´s side i have the batteries and a small tray with a couple oil liters and carb cleaner. on the passengers side, we have a bigger storage box, that we use to store our backpacks with extra clothing, so its really lightweight. now, under the driver´s seat there is a small storage space, you can see the empty hole in the pictures... that space we use to store the food, sandwiches, etc.... and on the passengers seat storage, we have a tray full of tools and miscelaneous parts. however these are really small storage spaces so the weight is not considerable. on the left side we have the rod holder, which normally holds, besides some rods, the oars, so again there is almost no weight in there.... and under the front deck we have another storage space, which holds the straps we use to tie the boat, a tarp, the lights, another backpack, and miscelaneous things, again, not really heavy.... the tackle bags we generally put between the front livewell and the deck, but im thinking a better location would be besides the console, right in the middle of the boat....

thanx Traveler!! that is really good advice, something i had definitely not considered.... if i decide to extend the deck, i will plan the storage spaces to distribute the weight as evenly as i can....

hahaha, its pronounced "Daniel" or as you wish.... and about the cooler, i was thinking on putting one in the space between the front livewell in the deck, making a slot in the plywood to insert one that fits flush to the deck....

what do you think about this sketch?? the pink part, what is now the rod locker, could be used to store the oars, ropes, emergency kit, skiis... things that dont get used much.... and the brown part would become the new rod locker... for this i would have to cut into the current storage compartment... i would have to check the lenght to see this configuration would work for 7' rods.... and the rest of the deck (orange area) would have acess doors to several comparments for more gear, equipment, and it would have a cut to put a cooler flush with the deck... what do you think?? i think for fishing it would serve my needs well, but for skiing and just hanging around with 4 or 5 friends?? is there something im not considering??

where would you put that rod locker?? the boat already has one, seen in the pictures, on the left side of the boat... it could be used to store rows, ropes, etc, and put the rods on the locker you suggest....

besides i have to consider the rod locker, which is on the left side of the boat... if i extend the deck, i have to do it in a way which still enables me to use the locker...

thats exactly how i would like to do it, just leave enough space for the seats... when we ride 3 on the boat, the third person sits in the livewell between the seats anyways... however, since we have the lake 10 minutes from my house, sometimes we will get the boat just to cruise around and have a couple of beers... and on these times we are 5 or 6 people in the boat.... where would i put them?? most of them are girls so i cant just say no to them haha

ok, thanx Shawn!! i was worried about removing the foam.... another thing, i am assuming the tray must have a drain... where should it go?? or i can just make it somehow removable and pour it once in a while.... anyways, yesterday i worked a little bit on the boat after work... i spent 2.5 hours in removing about 30 bolts, they were so rusted i had to cut most of them off.... but i finally removed the handrails and the pedestal bases.... here are some pics of the boat as it sits right now: one of the front deck: one shot from the rear deck... i have to replace that steering wheel... it is so small because the PO is about 230 pounds, and a little bit more than 6 feet tall, so he didnt fit with a normal steering wheel... another one of the front: one more from behind... here you can see on the lower part of the picture, where the passenger seat is located, and the livewell between the seats: one from the front deck where you can see both livewells and where the 2 seats must go... finally, here is a rough (very rough) diagram of the inside of the boat... the decks are not pictured, only the floor space.... i am having a hard time deciding what do to... i would like more storage space and a bigger casting deck, as sometimes we are 3 fishing from the boat, one on each deck and the third one on the livewell in front of the console.... on the other hand, i am worried about the extra weight of the wood needed to extend the deck, and, about seating room for friends when we just go out to hang out in the water.... if the boat was just for fishing i would extend the deck to be flush with the rear part of the console... but i dont know what do do, what do you sugest??

i am assuming you are referring to the recessed foot pedal, right?? so, if under the floor i find flotation foam, can i just remove it and i wont have a problem?? and yes, since it´s a small boat, i have to check if i will be able to go deep enough to fit the pedal before i reach the bottom of the boat.... thanx!!

thanx Michael!! i have been working on it since 2007, everything was done by myself (bumpers, tube doors, cargo racks)... that proyect is almost over, so now its time to work on the boat... heres a rough schedule of the new proyect: 1) preparation for paint/wraps (sanding, remove everything that can be removed) 2) analyze if we are going to extend the front deck or add more storage space (for this i will post more detailed pictures of the inside of the boat, for you to help me decide on the layout.... its worth noting that i have never even seen another bassboat, all i know about them is from the internet, so i have a rough idea but dont really know what would be best considering this boat is not only used for fishing) 3) build the storage space if needed. this includes installing stereo, speakers, cup holders, rebuild the rod locker... 4) paint the inside of the boat 5) paint/wrap the outside 6) recarpet 7) Miscellaneous. this includes: a) fix the upholstery (my grandmother is doing that for me as soon as i get the materials. im still debating over colors. im thinking about gray as a main color, with the details electric green or blue.... what right now is white would be gray, and what actually is red, would be green or blue, including the carpet, what do you think??? b ) paint motor... the lower unit we got is gray and it looks nice, so the motor will be painted the same color and then maybe i will get some Johnson decals to put on it.... im thinking maybe a decal that says something like "85 Starving Ponies", since it WAS 85HP when new.... c) add authomatic bilge pump switch (already got it, really easy installation, so it will be done when we have a chance) d) install flush pedestal seat mounts (havent got them, but i would really like to have them since the original pedestal mounts take up too much space when not using the boat for fishing) e) install recessed trolling motor foot pedal (i dont know about this one, since i dont know what is under the deck, maybe a flotation device i dont want to cut into.... i have to check, but i think it would be a nice add on....) im sure i will learn a lot with this project, and hopefully help someone avoid the mistakes i may be doing... today i will take some pics of the inside of the boat and post them tomorrow to ask for opinions on the storage/deck....

thanx, ill look for it in Academy next time im there.... meanwhile heres another view of the boat as it was last year, with the tow rig.... hopefully ill take some pics tomorrow of how the boat looks like without the carpet...

thanx everyone for the comments!! Traveler, i forgot to mention, those are about 5 pound... each hahaha i wish.... Ninja, the transom saver we already have, but i dont know what a keel guard is.... i forgot to mention, i live in Mexico, so, besides English being my second language and me not knowing the terms for some specific words, that has some other implications, like lack of supplies (closest Academy is in El Paso Tx, a 3 hour drive one way).... so most probably you might see some redneck or improvised fixes, but that is mostly because it is difficult and very expensive to get the proper materials or supplies where i live.... but i will do my best to make this boat not only a bass catching machine, but also a girl catching toy... if i could manage to get that girl in the ugly boat, hopefully things will improve with a nicer boat.... one quick question regarding hand rails.... i will remove them to paint or wrap the boat, should i put them back in place or leave the boat without them?? im leaning towards permanently removing them, but want to see some opinions, as we use the boat also for skiing and pulling a tub....

hopefully this is the right forum for this.... as some of you may know because of my previous questions, i am restoring an old bass boat... the boat was given to a friend and me last year, with a broken lower unit, a Johnson (or Evinrude?) 85HP motor that didnt work, no bilge pumps, thorn carpet, thorn seats.... the only thing that worked was the trolling motor.... but it floated and most important, it was free... after some work, we replaced the lower unit, fixed the motor, hooked a bilge pump, and began fishing.... right now the boat runs great, we even use it for skiing when we cant go fishing.... but it is not as pretty as it should be. so, the plan for this summer is to make it beautiful again, so we are going to do a full restore. this is what we have right now: as you see, its old and small, but for the lakes around here, we dont need much more than that.... this is the only pic i have on my FB account, i will look for more of the current status later.... the plan is: - recarpet - fix the upholstery - paint inside - paint (or wrap) oustide - paint motor - add a stereo and speakers - add authomatic bilge pump switch - rebuild rod locker - install flush pedestal seat mounts we are also thinking about extending the front casting deck a little bit, but since we also use the boat for skiing and just hanging around in the water, we havent decided what to do yet.... this is the first time my friend or i try to accomplish something like this.... and we have limited time, as fishing season begins by the end of june and we need to have the boat ready by then.... the only progress we have already done was to remove all the old carpet, and we are beginning to remove everything we need in order to begin sanding and preparing the inside for painting, including the trolling motor, hand rails, etc.... i plan on using this thread to post the progress and get comments from people who have already done this.... this is my PB, a little over 5 lb... this year i will try to catch a bigger one, but if i cant, at least i want the boat to look good while trying..

thanx glades!! do you think i need to use marine paint for the inside of the boat?? the outside may be getting wraps so no need to paint it, maybe only sand it.... besides i dont know if i will be able to get marine paint where i live....

thanx!! i am strongly leaning towards this plan, i just need to check how well the wraps hold if dragged on the ground. it wouldnt be dragged much, but it will definitely get in contact with rocks and soil.... i have a manual belt sander i plan on using, but sandblasting would be mucho more efficient and quick....

thanx for the input!! i just got in touch with a place that will charge me $300 for the outside wrap, installed... i have seen pics of his works and they look great, still have to see them in person, but several people locally have recommended it... so now, im thinking about painting the inside of the boat, and then putting a wrap on the oustide... since they will install it i dont worry about that... however i will paint it myself, so now i have some different questions: 1) can you sandblast a fiberglass boat?? i need to sand all the boat to remove the paint, but i dont know if sandblas can be done without damaging the fiber... the PO painted on top of the original paint, so i have 2 layers to remove.... 2) assuming the wrap is properly installed... how do you avoid tearing it when you get to shore?? where i live we dont have docks, you lower the boat on any semiflat piece of shore bank, no cement ramps or anything.... i can take care not to scrath it with the trailer, but if i "park" the boat on shore, if it hits the rocky bottom wouldnt it tear down quicky?? 3) what do you think about my plan on painting the inside and wrapping the outside??