How are you upgrading your boat this winter?

[norma]

With all of this warm weather I find myself thinking of things to do to my boat for next season.I bought a new 03 Alumicraft trophy 180 with a 05 115 Suzuki last September . I already installed a vhf radio and my trusty autopilot trolling motor, along with onboard charger. I am thinking I will go with a X-102c graph and a LM-4800 gps. Now I only have a fisheasy 2 from my last boat.

So let's haer what you are doing, we could all use some good ideas.

[gunflint]

I'm in the middle of replacing the deck and carpet. Adding a more comfortable seat for the operator painting the interior gunnels and painting the exterior. I'm also adding a new 25 Yamaha 2-stroke and doing a little work on the trailer.

It's nice to have a project while waiting for spring.

[chak]

I also bought a boat this fall 05 Smokercraft Pro Angler 171 with a 05 115 Merc Optimax. The boat came with a AP Minnkota 55 and a Navman color graph with Merc Smartcraft interface. I've added a anchor and a few other little things. I still have to figure out where the stereo speakers are going to go, guess I'm alittle leary about cutting holes in a boat that has yet to see the water.

[caseymcq]

I am replacing a Lowrance X51 with a Lowrance X87 for my bow mount. Bigger display with the same features. I am also putting a Ram-Mount up there and a 12V plug for my Garmin so I can have a GPS up there.

Other than that I love my boat just that way it is

[Bushwacker]

I bought my boat right in the middle of the season last year so I just went straight to fishing. I am going to permanently install my Maxxum Pro 80/US bow mount. Put on my new LMS332C(I had a different one that fried and Lowrance sent me a new one-ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR WAYPOINTS!!!) Put in a radio/cd player. Put in speakers. Put rod holders in the rod lockers. Add 12V outlet. I think the only other thing is to find another depth finder for the bow. Anybody have any Lowrances sitting around that they want to sell for a reasonable price? It will be the third unit on my boat so I don't have to go to fancy with it.

[Flood the Rink]

Not sure if this is an upgrade but I just purchased a carb rebuild kit for my I/O. Now if I just knew what I was doing

I plan to add the Vex to the bow mount trolling motor and also add a stereo (I say this every year however).

[Bassboy1645]

for my shop project in school im building a floor and carpeting that in my 14 foot aluminum and im wiring up lights, battery and trolling motor, plus im grinding down the rust and sanding smooth the trailer/boat for a nice camoflauge paint so my fishing rig can now double as a duck boat next fall

[gunflint]

Here'a a question from a hick. Why would you want a stereo in a boat? Wouldn't it bother other fisherman around you? What's wrong with peace and quiet?

[i got carps]

Agreed. I have a stereo in my boat and I think I turned it on once to get a weather report and one other time to check a Vikings score.

[ChuckN]

I installed a stereo in my boat. Sometimes I want to play tunes while trolling, or while driving across the lake. I like music, football games and news reports once in awhile.. However, I do respect those around me. I only play it when the time is right. Nothing is wrong with peace and quiet...and nothing is wrong with a little music either.

I am going to add a new Lowrance color graph with the Lakemaster chip this spring. My 10 year old electronics are slowly failing....

[FOOT]

Not much - just general maintenance.

Replacing a broken pedestal seat mount, replacing a busted seat back, sealing the wood, waxing the hull and things like that. They need to be done and with this weather it's warm enough to work in the garage and get these things done early.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think a radio is nice for those times when you're not fishing. When I'm cruising, I like the tunes on.

[Gus]

I put in a casting deck and pedistal seats last summer. Now I'm going to replace the dang seat pedistals and bases with something other than the wedge! Man those wedge style really suck. I can never get them out. Half the time I can't put my cover back on the boat after fishing because they are stuck in place. Also need to get a puck transducer to mount my LX5 up front.

Just because a guy has a radio in his boat does not mean he's blasting it loud enough to tick off other people on the lake.

[Bushwacker]

Quote:

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Here'a a question from a hick. Why would you want a stereo in a boat?

Wouldn't it bother other fisherman around you? What's wrong with peace and quiet?

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Honestly, one of my favorite things about fishing is putting on the Twins in the boat. My dad used to bring his little portable AA battery radio along and listen when I was a kid. We still do it when Dad and I go out.

[EJ]

Adding a Trollmaster to the T8 so I can dial in the speed. The console remote throttle is just too loose.

EJ

[gunflint]

I didn't mean to sound like I was judging people that have radios in their boats. It's just that the thought would never have occured to me. And I don't want to hijack a great thread.

I hate those wedge pedistals also. Every week or so I spray them down with spray grease and that keeps them lubed enough to remove them easily.

[Bobby Bass]

I have a stereo in my boat, was factory installed with a cassette player.. I don't have it on all the time but it is nice to sit back when I am doing lunch and drifting across the lake. As for noise I have gotten fish with it on and with it off does not seem to make any difference at all. AM ban is nice for those stormy days as lightning will come across the radio as static long before you can see or hear the storm coming, My uncle showed me that trick. And the number one reason I have it in the boat... fishing and Twins baseball at the same time