Had a similar thought with my 2005 Nitro, boat and motor are good, decided to put my money in electronics and trolling motor. Figure that would be about 7 payments toward a new boat, with all the stuff I would want to have on my new boat.
Thanks guys, I appreciate it! I have a bad "want" gene! I did find an Xpress boat that i want to look at. I dont know how that will pan out tho. I will try to look at it tomorrow. I tried to dye the carpet a few years ago in mine but it never "took" I have rebuilt/refurbished alot of duck boats in my day so gutting this one doesnt really scare me that much. I can do the carpet myself, and if i get that deep its gonna get new paint also. I have not priced new 4 strokes but im sure it aint pretty. I know if i upgrade the TM and electronics that it will practically be like a new boat.
Had a similar thought with my 2005 Nitro, boat and motor are good, decided to put my money in electronics and trolling motor. Figure that would be about 7 payments toward a new boat, with all the stuff I would want to have on my new boat.
Mudskiff LIKED above post
Xpress boat got gone before i could look at it. Priced a New Mercury 115 today. Not as high as I wouldve thought. I know what the electronics and TM are gonna cost. All i know of is carpet, i had a guy ballpark guestimate of 875$, that was installed. I need to price some and the glue to see how high it really is. Paint and prepping the boat would cost me a few hundred. Im pretty sure i could have it rigged the way i want it for a half of what a new one would be with all the bells n whistles on it that i want. Im about to talk myself into it. Haha!
Mudskiff ..... check with "Crappiefarmer" over on the Virginia Forum. He just did a tear down / rebuild and may have some insight on your project.
Mudskiff LIKED above post
I'm kind of in the same boat. I've got a 1556 more or less duck boat. It fishes well, but I've just got basic electronics and a basic trolling motor in it right now. I'm REALLY wanting a bigger boat that I can dedicate directly to crappie fishing (rod racks, don't have to pull the trolling motor off during duck season, etc) but I just can't make myself pull the trigger. I'm leaning more towards buying some good electronics, a Minn Kota with iPilot, and be done with it, but then I talk myself out of it saying I don't really need all that on just a duck boat that gets crappie fished out of. I figure I could do that for under 2k and that's a heck of a lot less than a 10-15k boat. I'm still up in the air. Keep us posted!
Mudskiff, when I built boats for Correct Craft we used Weldwood contact cement wet, not dry like for Formica. Gives more work time and is some kinda tough to get it off. Holler if you get into it and I'll help all I can.
Well got a guy that called me and says hes coming with money for the old boat. We will see what happens. I did price a new Ranger Rt188 today, rigged out they way i want is 28kish$. Not good!
Hanr3 LIKED above post
Man they're sweet rigs though!