rigging my boat

[bsmith1951]

Hello everyone
I need some help with rigging my boat, to start I bought a fisher 15'-6'' flat bottom back in 1984, the top is 60'' wide and 42'' on the bottom. I have 3/4'' blue foam on the bottom of the boat, then I put 3/4'' 1''x6'' runners on the bottom ribs then attached 3/8'' marine ply wood to the runners. I want to make two boxes one on each side and want to make some kind of live well and be able to install rod holders on them, the only concern I have is I have a 15 hp 4stroke mercury on it and at this time it will run about 28 mph and don't want to make it to heavy, any help would be apperciated.

[Ken Kinser]

Livewell i use a coleman 48qt cooler and have a portable arrater from walmart on it hooked a togo switch on the side heale with velcro,to turn it on and off, and got rid of the allagtor clips and hooked it straight to batt., boxes i velcroed another cooler that i had to the floor to put my gear in and make 2 rod holders with 3/4 plywood that fit from back seat to middle seat with berkley rod holder straps put one on each side,8" wide. this works for me i have a 16' low jon boat with 25hp 4 stroke on it boat is not heavy and it works great for 2 people hope this helps, also cover the rod holders with the cheap green outdoor carpet.

[CrappieHound]

Thta 15hp is going to have some trouble with all that weight. By the time your finished you could easily add 150-200 pounds to the boat and you haven't put the first body or gear inside. I may be wrong but it sounds like you are going to be underpowered and it will be difficult to get up on plne. That four stroke motor is much heavier than a two stroke as well.

Buidling flabottoms so that you have some luxuries has always been a win-lose situation if you can't provide the boat with the appropriate horsepower.

Maybe you could use a large cooler with an aeration sytem like the ones advertised at BPS.

There are quite a few guys on the board that have done what you are trying to do and I bet they will have some good ideas for ya.

Happy Fishing,
CH