thomas15

When I was a kid, about 12 or 13, my neighbor same age was given a fiberglass speed boat about 10 foot and a 18 HP Elgin or Sea King outboard, I forget exactly which. He spent a couple of weeks patching holes in the hull and painting it finally the big day when he launched it. The boat had a steering wheel and a remote throttle but he didn't have all of the hardware so he was using the tiller to steer and adjust speed. My brother and me and a few others our age were watching the launch. My neighbors older brother tinkered (at the ramp) with the motor and got it running ok but I thought at the time the idle was a bit fast. Anyway, he put it into gear and opened it up full throttle right out of the chute. Boat went about 500 feet, started to sway left and right a bit then the motor simply fell off, never to be seen again. This was in the Shark River Marine Basin NJ, a salt water tidal basin, old motor I'm sure was ruined as soon as it hit the water. The whole episode was a mixture of comedy and tragedy. I remember looking at the transom after he got it home and noticed that the wood core was a little bit rotten. The force of the motor leaving the boat took a chunk of the fiberglass at the top of the transom with it. Years later on reflection I've concluded that the force of the motor mount clamps crushed the rotted wood transom core enough to loosen the mount under stress and let it slip off. The hull was probably swamped and underwater for a time, it wasn't too difficult to find freebies like that back in the day. I don't know where he got the motor, it wasn't original to the hull.

And do you, as another poster mentioned, fish them like a spinnerbait? Try to vary the depth? Stop/go?

Just throwing out some numbers here but assume the boat has a 600 pound weight limit. It might be more it might be less I don't know. Add up the weight of two casting decks and seating strong enough to support two adults. Add up the weight of an outboard motor, battery(s), fuel, TM and boat safety gear. Add up the weight of approx. 10 gallons of water in each of the live wells. Add up the weight of fishing tackle and electronics. Take the total of the above and subtract that number from the boat weight limit. The number you have left is the combined allowable weight of the two fishermen. If you have the desired two live wells that is over 150 pounds right there.

If you do as others have said, put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, then use your thumb to point in the direction you want the back of the boat to go. Turn the wheel in the direction your thumb is pointing. I live literally right around the corner from my boat ramp. Personally, I stay away from this lake between 8:00 AM and 8:00PM pm on the weekends between Memorial and Labor day. I have no problems with my ramp skills, I just cannot stand the jerks, of which there are many. My home lake is one of the few unlimited horsepower lakes in the area so it gets a lot of weekend traffic. Fishing/boating are for relaxation and fun, not doing battle with others so I find other things to do prime-time.

I like to have a lot of stuff with me but most of the time I use just a few things.

Here is btw, a link to a chat forum that is all about boat restoration. Lots of in-process pictures, questions/answers, advice and success stories. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-repair-and-restoration/boat-restoration-building-and-hull-repair Browse around and you will get an idea of just exactly what it is your getting into.

There are two reasons that I have so much tackle. One is because I buy a lot (duhh), the other is that I hate losing tackle so I'm very conservative when I fish. True I don't want to lose a $30.00 lure but this year I'm going to fish harder with less expensive stuff in hopes that If I lose some it will be off set by catching more fish. But still I have no intention of buying any tackle this year. I've got plenty.

When you drive around the area (I'm in Carbon, in the Pocono's btw), you will see with no effort at all numerous boats in yards, been sitting there for obviously some time, in the weather. The problem is that boats want to be on the water, not full of water. Fiberglass boats and most Alum boats have foam (for floatation and hull strength) under the deck and wood stringers and a wood core transom. The foam can hold 100s of pounds of water and will not drain out. This rots the wood stringers and transom and/or adds a lot of weight to the boat. A small alum jon boat that is open hull holds no secrets under the deck. There might be some foam in a compartment under the seats and wood in the transom but fixing those are easy compared to ripping up the floor, removing any waterlogged foam, replacing stringers and transom cores and that will take a lot of time and money. I would guess that most wrecks in peoples yards are far from seaworthy. That doesn't mean you cannot find a fixer-upper or a good deal. I know of a guy locally that bought a bass boat about 5 years ago for $900.00 Not much to look at but even as of late in the season last year he was fishing with it. As far as I know there are no structural issues with it but I have seen numerous cases of people buying an old boat thinking that they could fix it up, then have hours upon hours of care free relaxation on the water but end up with a big gigantic headache. I have a very good friend that bought a fiberglass runabout boat for $700.00, three years now and less than 1 hour total on the water. This guy will never use this boat as intended. Forget about structural and visual distress, his motor needs a couple hundred dollars worth of parts, (water pump, fuel pump, ignition parts, new battery, fuel lines, on and on). I'm not trying to be mean but if you want to spend your time fishing, not fixing (and praying), and have a budget of $2000.00 get something small, simple and honest. Something with no secrets hidden under carpet or vinyl. Being in a broken down boat that leaks and runs bad is an awful experience out on the water.

If you stick to aluminum then no problem towing with your S-10. For reference I have a 16' StarCraft with a 50 HP merc., no problems pulling it with our Ranger 4x4 4.0, in-fact I tow it short distances with our Ford Escape with a 2.5 4cyl. As others have said it might take a lot of searching to find what you want at the price you are willing to pay. Right now is not the best time to find boat deals but don't let that deter you. Going back to my boat, I have a live well, a single one that is about 10 gallons. If I had to install another one I don't know where I would put it. My boat has a console so if I didn't have that there would be more room though. Storage is a big problem on this boat and while it is rated for up to 4 adults any more than 2 fishing is crowded.

How long was water in the boat?

I assume you have the 2005 ELPTO 2-cycle 3 carb outboard. Make sure that the throttle butterflies are opening and closing properly and that there isn't anything in the carb throats that don't belong there. All three carbs should be in sync and the linkages smooth operating. The little plastic connectors that hold the linkages into the bushings do wear out.

Here is a 3 part series on Big Creek, the village under the waters of Beltzville Lake From the Times News tnonline http://www.tnonline.com/2013/may/04/big-creek-valley-beltzville-lake-part-1 http://www.tnonline.com/2013/may/11/big-creek-valley-beltzville-lake http://www.tnonline.com/2013/may/18/big-creek-valley-beltzville-lake-part-3

Bass lures are like hunting ammo you never can totally discount anything, especially by looks.

The bait monkey was very active last year. I stocked up on a bunch of stuff, two rod/reel set ups, quite a few hard baits, especially topwaters and swimbaits and many plastics that I don't really need. When I got the SS Minnow out of winter hibernation, it was all downhill. Spent my time from April 1 to mid July just getting my motor working properly. Finally got it but the weather was not good in the fall so I called it quits early. All together I think I went fishing about 8 times total. So the result is that I haven't spent ANY of my money on tackle this year. Not a single cent. All I want is one or possibly two more topwaters and that is all. So there.

If it were my boat I would just pay someone who really knows what they are doing to fix the existing motor.

Last fall they really let the water level drop at Beltzville, lowest I've seen in years. Right now it's in fairly good condition, about a foot to go and it will be normal. I agree with you that it's got some lunkers but I disagree that it's easy. A couple more weeks and them bam!

I'm not trying to talk you into spending a ton of money on a side image. I don't have one but rather I have a Lowrance elite 5 HDI (down scan) at the console and an elite 7 at the TM. In all honesty in the two years that I have been using them I'm still not using anywhere near the potiential that they offer. As much as I want a side image I think that if I had one I would be fumbling around and wasting a lot of time trying to figure it out. Although I have both traditional 2D and downscan, I spend most of the time using the 2D view.

Is that pond (giving pond) over by Frenchtown?

I think NJ requires that you have a boating license that is tested in person not online. I'm not 100% sure about this but I think a PA license that you got from an on-line course and tested on-line is not enough to satisfy NJ. Also there is a fee for using launch ramps owned by the state. Double check the safety equipment requirements also.

No, that would not be a wise move. I wouldn't have anything subject to that much stress attached to the aluminum hull /floor even with a plywood floor. Just my opinion.

First good that you had a successful first time out. It's going to take some time to get your seamanship skills up and to get used to your particular boat. I think I mentioned up thread that with a small boat you need to move smoothly and quietly and stay somewhat low.

Not to belabor the point but to repeat what fishnkamp is saying. Keep several things in mind when making structural modifications to your boat. The first is weight, the boat is designed to handle a certain amount of weight, this includes all of the building materials you put in the boat minus the items you take out. Second, the existing bench seats are an important structural component, they add strength and keep the boat sides from flexing and going out of shape. Third is the center of gravity, it needs to be low in the hull, this is why the suggestion not to have seats that allow standing. Fourth is flotation. If the boat is swamped there should be enough floatation to keep it from sinking. Finally fifth, overall weight from a propulsion perspective. You don't wan to make the boat so heavy that the motors struggle to move it. I'm sure there are other considerations not just those. Safety is the most important thing. Speaking for myself, I'm not quite as graceful in movement as I was when I younger. Sudden shifts in body position in a small boat can make for an interesting day. We talk about gaining our "sea legs", this is an actual consideration. In a small boat we stay low and move with as little fuss and with much economy of motion. It takes time and experience to learn how to move with grace in a small boat. If you hang out at the launch ramp and observe what is happening you will see what I mean, some boaters are in and out quickly, quietly, gracefully and seem to expel little effort. Others are loud, abrupt and look like they are out of their element. They struggle with what may seem to be a simple task. Not that I'm an expert on this but I have launched my boat many times in the last 3 years, using a bunker trailer and have not even one time got even my pinky toe wet in the process. It is possible to do this but you will see people in the water up to their neck trying to get their boat on/off the trailer. I stay away from these types. This is not an insult to anyone who employes this method but just my personal prefrence. Boating is not something that comes natural to most people. I try to visualize every move and look ahead several steps and how that will impact me and the others using the facility. As an example, I have observed people that have launched their boat successfully but neglected to bring any kind of rope to secure the vessel to the dock. There is nothing wrong with waiting, letting others go ahead of you if there is a line, for things to calm down. I use a very busy lake with a very busy launch ramp. On the weekends there can be a 30-40 wait to use the ramp which can accommodate 3 trailers at a time. When I'm by myself, I have to leave my car on the ramp while I tie up to the dock, then get my car off the ramp as quickly as possible. Same but in reverse when taking out. If there isn't any place for me to tie up my boat I wait for room to do so before I take up a lane on the ramp. Some people are not that considerate of others. Again not to be a nag but I urge you to get the boat out by yourself first for a shake down ride. Even better yet if you know someone, a friend that is experienced to go with you. I have a wife and two adult kids. My son is able to pilot the boat and/or back the trailer down the ramp but my wife and daughter cannot. If they can assist in any part of getting the boat in or out then great but I don't rely on them to do any of this. With a small boat like ours it is very possible for one person to do the whole thing unassisted and you should be able to do this with some practice. OK lecture over I hope you have a great time on the water this weekend. PS don't forget to put the plug in! And don't forget to raise the motor up before launching and while taking out!

I have to agree with fishnkamp you don't want to destabilize the boat. Here is a thread that you might find interesting...

Good Going BankBassing! My experience when I started was just like yours. I tried and tried and tried, no fish. First year nothing at all. Finally, deep into my second year and ready to throw in the towel I said to myself one more try, if successful I would continue, if not I would try something else. I approached the pond in a "scientific" manner and decided to use 3 baits in turn. I went to the pond, found a blowdown with some bait fish near and casted parallel (as best as I could) to the bank. Second cast I brought in my first LMB. What is funny and similar to your experience is that the lure I used was an inexpensive WalMart FLA medium diving crank bait that cost $1.99 (about 20 years ago). I finally retired that lure so that I wouldn't lose it. Spinner baits, cranks and texas rigs were my best baits. I was catching bass from then on a regular basis. Then we moved to PA, stopped fishing for 10 years. 3 years ago got a boat and learning to bass fish in a deep impoundment from a boat was/is like starting all over again. 15 years ago I never heard of a drop shot but now it's my best presentation. I have baits galore, some of them are expensive ($40.00-$50.00 ish) and I have sonars and TM and you name it but on those special days when I actually catch a fish it's usually on a drop shot or to a lesser extent a spinner bait. The bad news is you are now addicted.

I assume you are going to build new seat benches that are basically boxes? And I assume you are thinking about putting foam in those boxes? If I'm assuming correctly then you want the seats on top of the benches with the ability to swivel?