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Dmw1960 Lowes 175 Crappie Stinger 2008 Model
First off this is not any bragging thread. I have had several members PM me and email me about my boat and how I liked the Lowes Crappie Stinger Boat. I am not a professional tournment Crappie Fisherman. I fish because I love the taste of Crappie rolled in egg, flour, milk, corn meal and deep fried! I just can't get enough of them. Some people do drugs and booze, I do Crappie and Iced Tea.
My plan is to post over the next few days pictures, comments, ideas that I have either done by myself or had others do to improve my boat. All the supplies were either purchased at Cabela's, Bass Pro or my Lowes Dealer. I may be very blunt at times. I have no use for poor quailty products or services. I don't have money to waste on poor quailty stuff. I am just a plain working stiff that is trying to catch a few fish to eat.
I want to be able to reach out to current boat owners. And the guys sitting there reading this without a boat and trying to figure a way to purchase one with a wife and kids.
Ok lets get started. History, I have been looking at the Bass Pro Crappie Model every since it hit the market. I was proud that someone like them would finally see the need for a Crappie boat that the normal Joe like me could some what afford.
Cons about the BP model, I am 6'4" and if I can sit behind the steering wheel how am I suppost to fish with it? Boat has wood in it. Most sales reps tried to move me to a Bass Model when they figured out I couldn't set behind the wheel. Not very wide of a boat either.
Well then a friend of mine said DW go look at a G3 boat. Kind of liked the boat almost pulled the trigger. But something about not having a Mercury behind me and the fact that the boat still looked kind of cheap on the inside did me in. Didn't really care for the seats that much. At the time I was closing in very fast at almost 280 lbs plus. And there again the boat wasn't very wide. Went back to friend and said no way.
Same friend says go check out a Lowes. So I get online look at their website. Folks I personally think that a 12 year old could design a better web site. I have informed Lowes of my feelings. If I had a product this good I would do a lot better in putting together a website for it. Ended up looking at this web site on a Friday night for a long period of time. Wife was already in bed, asleep, went in and woke her up said I found a boat! (Note: I sure didn't say I was the smartest duck on the pond!) Hey honey we are getting up early in the morning (Saturday) and going to go look at this boat. Ouch don't wake wife up to talk about boat when wife hates fishing! And don't ever tell them that they can't sleep in especially when they have a CCW permit!
Ok off to the dealer Saturday morning. Walk in, make one walk around the boat turn to the wife and she says this is the one! I can tell how you are acting. "Ok, my question to you husband, if we get this boat how many weekends per year will you be gone?" I looked at her and said, "How about 30 weekends give or take a couple?" "Well if you want it get it!" Ended up writing up the deal and telling them I had to think on it. By 9 am on Monday morning I had already called and started the deal rolling.
Boat: 2008 175 Crappie Stinger with a 2006 50 hp Mercury 2 cycle. Was able to save a bunch of money with the 06 motor same warranty and it was new in the box! I opened the box myself!
Trailer: Standard Lowes trailer didn't go with LED lights wish I had upgraded to LED lights because they are easier to see at night in the rain. And I already pull and own enough trailers to have known better not to order the LED lights on trailer. But money was tight, when is it not? And I had this master plan for my new boat! Was smart enough to order the trailer brakes, in March of 2009 that was an extra $400.00. I drive a F-250 Super Cab V-10 and wife drives a Ford Explorier 4x4 auto model, one of those limited slip models. Wifes first 4x4 ever. Figured brakes would help with the Explorier. Well boat trailer brakes work great with F-250 also! Sure helps slow things down on wet payment. Ok I have a dark past, I used to be one of those REDNECK 18 WHEEL BULL HAULERS! If the truck does 94 before it shuts down then put the Hammer Down! The boat trailer brakes have already paid for themselves.
Problems with new boat, before it is ever out the dealers door! I don't care if it is a BP, G3 or a Lowes model boat, there is not enough room on the front to mount the trolling motor correctly in my book. Everyone mounts the trolling motor and lets this shaft hang where it is going to bounce up and down everytime you hit a pot hole! One of these days you will end up with the bolts working loose or something else wrong. The boat came with a MotorGuide, 12 volt, 36 inch shaft with 46 pounds of boost. More than enough power to handle this boat in any conditions! Have had boat in 4 and almost 5 foot white caps and trolling motor has done the job! Had to convince dealer to look for something to either mount or tie down that trolling motor. They wanted to use Ram mounts, which is a good idea but expensive! But they are hard to deal with on the water. MotorGuide offers a strap that is easy to use on the water if you need it and great to use during transport! Oh and boat covers are high dollar also so be sure and get the cover for that sharp prop on the trolling motor! Because if you pull your boat covered with that trolling motor prop uncovered you are just asking for trouble! Also invest in the boat step seen in the lower part of the picture. Keeps feet dry on cold days!
More latter!
Dan
Attn: Green Pea (New Boat) Owners
One thing I forgot to cover with the trolling motor info above. Notice on the pictures above there is Black Electric Tape running down the shaft of my trolling motor holding the transducer wire. I hate Black Electric Tape! Looks nasty! I love zip ties! Wrong keep zip ties off of boat!
When I got the boat home dealer had zip tied the fish finder transducer wire to the trolling motor. Well you know a few more added won't hurt and they look better than Black Tape! About 3 months goes by front fish finder is starting to lie to me! I know where I am fishing and none of the reading are correct. Rear unit is telling me the truth about everything but front unit is telling me things that only someone out of Washington DC would tell me all lies!
One day I bent the trolling motor shaft, had to take it in get it repaired, another $100 down the drain! Questioned guy at trolling motor place about lies from fish finder. He said DW look at this transducer wire the zip ties have cut into it. Another lesson learned, $50.00 for new transducer! No more zip ties! Use Black Electric Tape only on transducer wire going to trolling motor! Front fish finder is back working fine, no more lies!
So just because a Boat Dealer has installed your gear don't trust nothing! They are only human and they want to make your new boat look pretty for delivery to you. Cut those zip ties off and use Black Tape!
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Back to trolling motor & Locks
One thing I forgot to say about the trolling motors above and them bouncing around on ruff water. Most Lowes boats equipped with a MotorGuide trolling motor do not come with a weight plate on the foot controls. Be sure and add the weight plate to the foot control. You will have to go to the MotorGuide website and print off the part number and picture for your boat dealer. This helps keep foot control from boucing around going down the highway and also in ruff water!
Compartment locks! On a my Lowes boat it only came with one locking compartment. That is the rod box. Granted I have some expensive rods! But what about everything else? My personal life vest cost me over $300.00! What about that compartment in the back of the boat with 3 batteries in it? Figure costs of replacement because someone had hot hands? You can either get the same locks from the dealer or either BP or Cabelias. If you get them from dealer get the locks keyed alike! My mistake I have one lock different. I also had dealer put locks on the 2 on board cooler compartments. I use one for food and soda so I ready didn't need a lock on that compartment but I added one anyway. In the other cooler compartment I keep my battery jumper unit that can jump start pickup or boat battery and that costs about $75.00 to replace. Locks for the compartments will cost you about $30 to $35 per compartment. You can do it yourself with a key hole saw. The cooler compartments are a little tricky because you have to cut an additional hole for the bar on the lock to hook too.
While I am on locks also, what are you paying for boat gas? Add a lock to the gas tank for about $20.00 or less! People will steal anything and what about someone who get PO'ed at you? A little sugar or water to your boat gas? Whats it worth not to worry?
More latter!
Dan
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Who is this Nut Case Old DW?
And you thought that you were ugly! Got you all beat in that department! Hey does all this extra boat equipment help you catch fish DW? Sometimes yep and sometimes nope! But I have a lot of fun trying!
And that guy standing next to me holding up the other end of that stringer of fish is my best friend Marcus! (Ex B---ASS Guy) showed him the light turned him on to Crappie Fishing! It was a heck of a fight to get that B---ass rod out of his hands but I got it done! He is the best fishing partner ever!
More equipment pictures and info latter!
Dan