Home made?

[Prof]

Ouch! Little did this rookie know that the boat is only the tip of the iceberg!!! I know it’s only money and you can’t take it with you, but… there is so much, so little time and obviously some limit to resources.

While there are many things to buy, aren’t there some things that you’ all have made? I’ve discovered and looked with admiration at both Priority 1’s tree and CAZNIK’s aluminum board and of course read with interest the discussion on using PVC to make rod holders. Anything else?

I’d love to hear what you may have done – even the attempts that perhaps didn’t work out as good as you had hoped. There may be many who would also like to find a way to “get by†until some of the other higher priority items have been met.

John

[Paulywood]

I used to fish out of a bowrider and made brackets that attached where my cleats were in the back of the boat. Then I mounted my rigger board to these brackets. It allowed me to mount riggers and rod holders without drilling holes. I also bought a set of rod trees, extended them 3', and mounted them to the floor of the boat. I'm not as handy as some of these guys but I know people who are.

[1mainiac]

Everyones skill levels and resouces are differant personally I can build anything I see but don't always have the resorces to do it. Like the fishing arch I want and could easily build but don't have the correct dies available to do the bends or a good welder in my garage to do nice finish welds. So I stick to things I can do that save me money or improve on what I have I make a lot of my fishing gear Flies leaders harness's I bought rod holders on sale and modified them to fit my track system at a huge savings. I have made my own cannon balls in the past but sold the melting pot and dies years ago. One thing you can't tkae away is the feeling you get when you build something and it works cause every thing we fish with was someones crazy idea at one time.

[Priority1]

John, Maybe some of the students in the welding program could design and build a custom set up for you. If any of them like to fish, their wheels are already spinning. A little $$ and a fishing trip or two. Everyone does a GUBMINT job or two.

[Prof]

Great idea Frank,

Hmmmmm….. Hee hee…

Actually, I know a couple of good welders who are good people – likely to just help out for cost of materials. However, I like the idea of the “swap†of a little welding in exchange a fishing trip or two. What the heck, good company is good company!

I just have to figure out what will work in my open bow Sea Nymph.

Jim: I can't agree with you more. There is a special feeling you get when you build something yourself and it works. Besides the savings in money, it's just satisfying and fun!

Nick: I like the idea of an easily removable board. Is that often done?

Any other projects that any have done or for that matter, and ideas for future projects?

[Paulywood]

A lot of guys who have multi-purpose boats use removable boards. It worked weel for me. On my new boat I plan on using a track systm to accomplish the same thing.

[2UNREEL]

I was tired of the maintenance every year of teak. So I replaced all the teak on my boat with Timbertech composite decking. There is no maintenance and it looks clean and easy to work with. See the kick panel on the floor, the back pocket for misc stuff while fishing and the top where the rigger and rod holders are is all timbertech.

Also I don't have a pic of them but I installed some 55W halogen fog lights up on my bimini top to light up the water and back of the boat for those early mornings or late nights. I mounted them using RAM mounts normally used to clamp a gps to a motorcycle or bicycle. They U-bolt right to the pole of the bimini top and I can manipulate them any way I want to. They stay put and don't melt a hole in the top if they get too hot. An when I don't need them I can pop them off and i only have a little rubber ball attached to my top.

[fishsniffer]

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/gallery/files/1/1/4/4/DSC01942_thumb.jpg' alt='DSC01942_thumb.jpg'>

i made this rod holder..an aluminum cooler holder..rod holders inside the boat a collapsible net pole...several other little things

[Prof]

I was tired of the maintenance every year of teak. So I replaced all the teak on my boat with Timbertech composite decking. There is no maintenance and it looks clean and easy to work with. See the kick panel on the floor, the back pocket for misc stuff while fishing and the top where the rigger and rod holders are is all timbertech.

Also I don't have a pic of them but I installed some 55W halogen fog lights up on my bimini top to light up the water and back of the boat for those early mornings or late nights. I mounted them using RAM mounts normally used to clamp a gps to a motorcycle or bicycle. They U-bolt right to the pole of the bimini top and I can manipulate them any way I want to. They stay put and don't melt a hole in the top if they get too hot. An when I don't need them I can pop them off and i only have a little rubber ball attached to my top.

Hey Andy, that’s a heck of a crewman you got there. Has he caught a fish yet? He sure does look ready!

I’ve looked at some sort of light system for those late nights and would love to see some more examples of what people have done. Yours sounds interesting – do you think you can dig up a picture or two?

Timbertech?.. Who would have thought!

[Prof]

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/gallery/files/1/1/4/4/DSC01942_thumb.jpg' alt='DSC01942_thumb.jpg'>

i made this rod holder..an aluminum cooler holder..rod holders inside the boat a collapsible net pole...several other little things

Very nice! A bit hard to see, but do I see a couple of lights on top? Also, appears to fit around and over, without touching, the top. Can you still take the top down for on the road?

Also would love to see additional pictures of anything else you’ve made.

[Vitalidle]

I used a 2x8 board wrapped it with some outdoor carpet and mounted my downriggers to the board. I bolted the board to the cleats with some J bolts. Worked great, but this year Im going to change things up a bit. Going with the board is probobly going to be the cheapest route but very effective also.

[GLF]

I was tired of the maintenance every year of teak. So I replaced all the teak on my boat with Timbertech composite decking. There is no maintenance and it looks clean and easy to work with. See the kick panel on the floor, the back pocket for misc stuff while fishing and the top where the rigger and rod holders are is all timbertech.

I saw Andy's boat at the gas dock last year. THIS LOOKS SHARP! I am planning on doing this to my boat this year.

[2UNREEL]

Hey Andy, that’s a heck of a crewman you got there. Has he caught a fish yet? He sure does look ready!

I’ve looked at some sort of light system for those late nights and would love to see some more examples of what people have done. Yours sounds interesting – do you think you can dig up a picture or two?

My son has yet to catch his own salmon, but he is good at reeling in the rigger rods....he's fighting a mag spoon in that pic. I am going to work on the boat this weekend and if I remember I will take a pic of my light system.