Boat Mods

[hamms-scooter]

Those of you that did pretty serious boat mods a couple years back, How do you like them now? How is your boat holding up for those who cut out the middle bench? I saw a lot of 14' boats getting middle benches removed... sweet mod, How do you like it now after some time has passed?

[no bait nate]

good question, I'd also like to know how guys are liking their boats without the middle bench. I recently removed the middle bench on my 14' during the remodeling process.

also wondering if anyone has added a livewell? if so where or how easy was it to get the livewell from and install all the plumbing/wiring?

[marine_man]

also wondering if anyone has added a livewell? if so where or how easy was it to get the livewell from and install all the plumbing/wiring?

A lot of guys I've heard from on this question on smaller boats have just gone the route of a designated fish cooler with ice. With the new ANS regulations you can't transport water anywhere out of a lake... so anything you catch and keep may just as well go on ice, unless you're a tournament angler.

If you are interested in putting a livewell in, I'd get a hold of Valv on this forum. He used to have a bunch of livewell inserts that he was selling very, very cheap

marine_man

[polarsusd81]

Cooler and ice instead of a livewell and I absolutely love my boat the way I have it set up. I was one of the first to cut the bench out, since then have added a front casting deck, Maxxum 74 24V, repainted and carpeted everything. Only thing now is to add a 30 horse Etec to the back and I will have a boat I could fish out of til the end of time. My 15 horse still gives me 20 mph alone with a full load of gear and 17 with two and a full load of gear. And by load of gear, I am talking 8 rods, large tackle bag, large camera bag, muskie net, anchor, refreshments, rain gear, etc.

[hamms-scooter]

Any pics of your boat finished polarsusd81?

[Shoot2Kill]

I did this one last summer (didn't remove a middle bench like the original question, but boat mod posts are always cool, I'd like to see what you guys have done) 16' Lund, bought the boat in June as it is in the first pic...after muskie fishing out of it for 2 days in August I came home and gutted it down to nothing....10 days later it looked like the last 2 pics and I absolutely love it, tons of storage, front and rear casting decks, perfect rig for 2 guys chucking big baits...no livewell, but I don't keep many fish anyway.

Before...

After...

I'd love to do another mod, this one was a lot of fun.

[Far-I]

wow! beautiful job on that mod shoot to kill! I thought the before looked nice, then i panned down to the after, and it is certaintly an improvement in my eyes! Stereo system and all? All the lockers look professionally done as well. Great job!

[Meat-Run]

shoot2kill,

that has to be one of the best looking and well thought out boats!!!!! When or if I get my dad's boat this is exactly what I want to do, AWESOME fishing rig.

mr

[jwmiller33]

very well done shoot2kill! where did you get your marine carpet? how big is the motor on the back of that thing?

[Shoot2Kill]

Thanks for the replies...I got the carpet at Mills Fleet Farm, motor is a 25 on the back. Actually the weight of the mod helped that motor get up on step much better than what it was. I could get about 3/4 throttle the way the boat was and it would porporse like a mo fo. Now with just me in it she gets right up on plane and scoots. I'd like to get a bigger motor at some point, but for now it gets me there.

I'd had the idea for how the design of the boat would be in my head for about 2 years prior to the mod because I was going to try to attempt the same thing on a smaller scale in a 14' that I've had forever but I never got around to it. I spent a lot of hours just staring at the boat coming up with just how to make it all happen prior to gutting it and once I got started on the mod it was do or die cause I couldn't fish! ha. Spent about a week and a half in the garage from 6 at night till 1 or 2 am. I'd love to do another one.

[hamms-scooter]

Looks great! I would have taken the boat in pic one.haha now it's a totally different machine! Must fit your needs perfect now with front and back decks sweet!

[SpecialK]

How much do you all factor in for weight when you are doing these? Asking for info not to bash.

All boats have a weight rating on them and I worry about putting all this stuff in then being way over the safe weight limit of the boat.

I just bought a used 14 alumacraft (shallow back end) with the 4 aluminum seats welded in. I would like to grind one or two seats out, put a floor in and maybe a deck up front.

[Shoot2Kill]

To be quit honest, during my mod I never even considered it much. I tried to stay as light as I could, used 1/2" treated plywood on the places where I would not put weight on and used 5/8 on the floor and decking. Used treated 2x2s for the frame underneath and they weigh next to nothing. I think on a smaller boat it might be more of a factor but my 16 seemed to handle it well...like I said in the earlier post, I might have just been lucky with how the weight distribution worked out, but my boat runs 10 times better than in did the way it was, it was just too light before. There was a tin boat HSOforum that I read for a long time before my mod, the guys on there had tons of info and great ideas

[note from admin: please read forum policy before posting again. thanks]

[polarsusd81]

Couple quick pictures of mine.

Front deck the day it was finished.

Main floor and back bench.

Fishin with my little boy. He found a new seat for when he doesn't want to cast.

The only thing left to do is trim the carpet from the trolling motor deck to the sides of the boat. I am going to attach velcro to the back of it and the side of the boat so it can fasten down quick and easy.

[hamms-scooter]

Looks great and the velcro idea is cool! Boat looks to be holding up fine from removing the bench..Nice rig! Happy boy!

[coombia21]

I am looking to mod my 14' lund for the boundary waters. I already have my portable fish finder and rod holders set up but I am looking for another set of lund oar locks, ( the ones that fit the contours of the boat). Does anybody know where I can get a set, the ones that I have seen online and at the stores dont fit with out heavy modification. Sorry to hijack the thread. Will post pictures when I get up to the lake.

Thanks Dan

[hamms-scooter]

You post pics and we are square!

[harvey lee]

Very nice job guys.

[marine_man]

I am looking for another set of lund oar locks, ( the ones that fit the contours of the boat).

I'd give Lund a call and see how much they run, or take a look at them and see if you can find a manufacturer's name...

marine_man

[coombia21]

Thanks marine_man.