Boat!

[itchmesir]

I bought my first boat yesterday. Moving to an area that has little shore access and a decent population started wearing on me. We'd talked about it for a couple years and how "next year we'd buy a boat"... Well two years rolled by and we had the cash saved up so I put up a convincing argument. Kept the budget low. Something cheap but not too cheap so hopefully it won't be too much hassle. Big thanks to Dwayne as I bugged him plenty as I shot him craigslist ad after ad. He knows a thing or two about boats. I know when one is floating.

It's a 14' Alumacraft FD... Who knows how old it is. But to my understanding its a tank in the water for its size and can handle a lot. Matched up with a Mercury 25 XD.

Already have some plans and it still needs a few odds and ends but hopefully I'll have it out on the water in a few weeks.

 

[Ard]

Nice ride Eric,

I'm no boat expert but will say two things, one is that a 'Tank' is a good thing when the day comes that you whack something solid and two is that if you want to venture into shallow waters is that Outboard Jets of San Leandro California; Outboard Jets - Quality conversion units for outboard motors makes one that will fit the Merc. Jets are not as fast as props and not as fuel efficient but you never rip off a prop or skag with a jet unit.

If you stay in a couple feet of water your outfit is going to be a sweet rig bud.

 

[Unknownflyman]

Good old boat man! Saw it on the FB feed.

So when you coming to pick me up?

 

[jds108]

And 25 hp is plenty for that size of boat.

Just learn about and practice good maintenance on the outboard and you're set.

 

[huntschool]

Looks like the perfect WI, MI, MN walleye boat...... I can see the rod holders for the Zebco's sticking out in every direction with all kinds of jig and wiggle baits strung on them... Heck, there is even a place to put a picture of Al Linder on it. LOL

All joking aside...... Good luck man.... looks like ya done good

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

Congratulations! I see you went the fancy schmancy route with the center console instead of a tiller. Though we always hope for the best, you might want to consider getting a paddle, or better still mount some oarlocks where you can sit and row. Also consider looking into a trolling motor when you can for a bit of stealth action.

Hope it brings you lots of enjoyment!

B.E.F.

 

[itchmesir]

Congratulations! I see you went the fancy schmancy route with the center console instead of a tiller. Though we always hope for the best, you might want to consider getting a paddle, or better still mount some oarlocks where you can sit and row. Also consider looking into a trolling motor when you can for a bit of stealth action.

Hope it brings you lots of enjoyment!

B.E.F.

Came with a set of heavy duty aluminum oars and locks... For when I need to troll lol

 

[angledangle]

Came with a set of heavy duty aluminum oars and locks... For when I need to troll lol

Did it come with a wife beater and complimentary Coors Lite or is that after market

 

[ia_trouter]

You did good Eric. Alumacrafts are all I have had for over 20 years, They are tough. No way around it, buying old outboards is not without risk but if some thing goes terribly wrong it will fit in the back of my Jeep. Until I get a chance to look it over.....

-Make sure the lower unit oil is full soon, and looks something like oil and not a bad milk shake.

- Be meticulous and mix your two stroke oil fuel properly. Run it dry end of season. I've made a small fortune on side jobs because folks improperly store outboards and other small engines for a few years. Easiest way I know of to screw up a carb.

-It should spray a stream of water up higher on the motor whenever it is running. That's your waterpump discharge. A new pump impeller would be a good idea sometime soon. Getting an outboard hot is not good and it happens fairly easily.

Not trying to scare you, just make you observant because a lot of common problems are avoidable with a bit of care. 90% of old outboard troubles are the same six problems. If that made any sense.

I plan to be up to check it out and go fishing this season.

 

[fishmandoug]

Boat fishing is fun. I also have a 14ft V hull with a 25 mercury. In my area I mostly use it for bass fishing in lakes. Lots of fun largemouth fishing in my area.
Enjoy the boat. If you don't already have one, I recommend getting the best trolling motor you can afford. Streamer fishing banks with a foot controlled motor is a very efficient way to fish. Also in my area many lakes have electric only motor restrictions.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[ia_trouter]

Streamer fishing banks with a foot controlled motor is a very efficient way to fish. Also in my area many lakes have electric only motor restrictions.

Sent from my SGH-M919 Tapatalk

That is the only way I fly fish in a boat. They are also expensive. If the budget is too hurt this season watch out for a bow mount trolling motor on CL for now. It will save your butt eventually and let you fish restrictive lakes as Doug points out. I just sold two of them on CL this month $50 is a fair price. If you have your druthers Minnkota or Motorguide brand (parts availability good though they are reliable). Bowmount 12volt, 30# thrust, 30" or 36" shaft motor. lt will get you back to the dock eventually and works pretty good as main power on small still water. More thrust is better, but if you find a deal.....

 

[rockriver]

Learn routine maintenance. I'd change the lower unit oil to start with. Get a pair of muffs and hook up a hose to run the engine out of the water. There are lots of on line resources for what you don't know. The Tin Boats Forum is also a place to start. The boat will open up a whole lot of new fishing areas for you. http://www.tinboats.net/forum/

 

[jgentile]

Nice ride Itchy!!! Let's see...not sure how stable she is but will a bow casting platform work? The trolling motor goes without question. Electronics? Lowrance, Hummingbird, etc...? And to finish spending your money we are going to need the obligatory Yeti 35 ccccooooolah! For desert a console and bow mounted power pole. I think I just quadrupled your costs in one minute. My bad.

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

Another thought being a first time boat owner, good thing (like most Alum. boat trailers) the hull rests on bunks and not rollers. It is a never ending source of entertainment to see folks at crowded boat launches in a hurry to get their boat in, unsecuring it, backing down and then stopping to straighten out, and *whoosh*, off the boat goes onto the ramp. :lol2:

B.E.F.

 

[ia_trouter]

Nice ride Itchy!!! Let's see...not sure how stable she is but will a bow casting platform work? The trolling motor goes without question. Electronics? Lowrance, Hummingbird, etc...? And to finish spending your money we are going to need the obligatory Yeti 35 ccccooooolah! For desert a console and bow mounted power pole. I think I just quadrupled your costs in one minute. My bad.

He's in the maybe zone for a casting platform. In my younger day I made a 14' aluminum boat too heavy on the bow doing that. There is no better way to fish IMO, but a boat that plows water with a passenger (like me lol) is no good. Depends a lot on the width of the boat and if I tried it I would make it a temp install and not get too high with the platform.

I might know where there is a small Minnkota foot controlled trolling motor. Yup I just looked on the front of my 17ft Alumacraft and it's still there. I need to get a bigger one this winter.

 

[mcnerney]

Eric: Congrats on the new ride, that is going to open up a whole new area for you to explore and fish!

 

[trout trekker]

Congratulations.
That first boat feeling, kind of like a first car or motorcycle.
If we don’t see you posting as much, we’ll know it’s because you’re having a great summer.

Enjoy, Dave

 

[ia_trouter]

Another thought being a first time boat owner, good thing (like most Alum. boat trailers) the hull rests on bunks and not rollers. It is a never ending source of entertainment to see folks at crowded boat launches in a hurry to get their boat in, unsecuring it, backing down and then stopping to straighten out, and *whoosh*, off the boat goes onto the ramp. :lol2:

B.E.F.

My cousin did that with his fathers BRAND NEW 16ft Alumacraft on a roller trailer. Hadn't even got the boat wet yet and it was a fairly fancy rig. I wondered if he was going to put the kid up for adoption or just kill him right there.

 

[runningfish]

SWEEET!!! so what's her name?

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

SWEEET!!! so what's her name?

Pequod-II no doubt. Though naturally there is the plethora of "________ Hooker" names.

B.E.F.

p.s.: I just did a search for naughty boat names and though my own proclivities tend to lean toward those more obscene,
I do have to admit that "Sea-Deuce" is a classic.