28 wks later - she is ready to just add water

February 26th purchase day.

Started rebuild from engine up on 30th,
as of September 19th - she is ready to fish
out of.......

Rework engine
New upholstery throughout
New carpet top to bottom
Rewire live wells/ put in new pumps
and circulators as needed
Replace old 36 volt trolling mtr
with I-pilot Terrnova V-2
Replace - 3 bank charging system
to 4 bank Minn-kota
Rewire trolling mtr
Replace 3 batteries in unit
Reset front & rear depth finders
New rod holders front - rear
Tite-loc front / Spyder Loc's rear
Build new tandem axle trailer with brakes
for her.
Repair several fibreglass nicks in body,
Replace 15' rub rail
Remove old wrap and rewrap
Put in new oxydenators on live wells
Doctors have now released me as of
Monday to put her in water and limited
fishing to start off with - WHAT A STRESS RELIEF....... YIPPEE

Can still remember days in old alum 14' jon boat - 18# trolling mtr - 3.5 merc engine
working strip pits of southern indiana
Than came 16' - Starcraft we dragged all off state of Florida - day & night fishing,
home made rod holders (pvc) 1/4" steel t-bar & 3/8 threaded rod lifts.
Than onto the 18.5 procraft - First Clitter boat - bought as do it yourself kit
and almost completely rebuilt it.............nice handling boat - covered lots of lakes
with it.........
Now comes the Big O, (another rennovate special) Couldn't do as much as wanted
to on this one - had to farm out quite a lot - age & health started to slow ole body
down- surprise open heart surgery knocked socks off me in lot of ways.
If you have ever been in a Big O, you know what i mean when i say they handle
in rough water like a Cadallic - preform excellant in windy conditions - almost no
bounce in high waves do to how its sets in water - plus having 2 live wells a person
can control weight of boat (forward position) very smooth and stable.
Almost no effort to put them on plane - they draft very shallow -
Unlimited amounts of storage room on them - believe 17 hatches(compartments)
1 big enough to put Carole in - Biggest walk around boat have ever been on -
no sway - tipping felling.
With this Big O, we now have 6 in Florida Crappie Club
George Parker - Darryl Cole - Bill Badly - Scott Lawson - Harold McGhee &
John Hill.