Rear Deck Modification and RePower??

[TrepMan]

Ok guys, I know i'm not planning to make a new/used boat purchase for about 1.5 years, but i've been looking and thus far realy can't find what i'm looking for - 17 to 19ft aluminium (Glass is too heavy for my 3500lb towing capacity van, among other reasons), fish/ski type boat. I know the new TV 18 All Fish is close, but idealy I want dual consoles and a rear bench (convertable bench idealy). I know the Fisher Sport has the convertable bench, and the Targa 17/18 sports have the people capacity and are perfect... BUT $20+ for a new one when my current boat is paid off got me thinking (I know, that's DANGEROUS!!! LOL). If I decide I want to fish more and ski/cruise less i'm thinking of re-powering my PC 175 upto a 75 Merc, and then I got to thinking about joining a fishing club and needing more space for my partners gear, so am thinking of building a rear deck-extention for the boat (may do this, this winter regardless if I sell or upgrade in the future.



So, I took a shot at what the boat would look like with the rear deck. I'm thinking do I just make it a deck with open space underneath for partners bags and stuff? Do I need to build in supports so make it at least have a seperator in the middle for support, or do I go all the way and build hatches and sealed compartments??



Also, with the 2000 model having the wooden encased transom, any problems with repowering to a 75 (hopefuly find a 2-3 yearold Carb'd one, don't want to spend the cash/weight for an Opti or 4-stroke yet).



Just some mid-week thoughts.



Oh, and if I do this rear deck, any suggestion on how to mount/suspend it or should I just make it a 2-4 sided box so it's self supported? That would add more weight, but might make it more stable/structuraly sound. I may just need to get my Structural Engineer wife in on this one!! LOL



Oh and for your Northerners, it's gonna be mid-upper 50's on Saturday when I do my first Club T (as a guest)!!!!

 

[Tom Jones]

Trep,

Man, that all souds like too much WORK!

Come on....get off the wallet and go for the new boat,or even a slighly used one to save on the depreciation hit!!

Think how much the KIDS will love a new boat!!

Think of all the envious looks at the ramp when you actually pull up with a new glass boat!!

Think of helping the economy!!

There are ramifications from your stinginess!!LOL



Tom

 

[Barry Loos]

Trep:



This will sound confusing but I just ramble off something that I did years ago that worked well.



I put raised decks in a 14' Tracker Tadpole and made the frame out of pressure treated 2" x 2". The only way to support the load on that boat was to thru-bolt a 36" horizontal 2 x 2 just below the gunnels.



Then a 2 x 2 across the floor and one flush between the 2 x 2's bolted to the sides. Next, I ran a 2 x 2 from each end of the piece going across the floor up to the horizontal piece bolted to the side. The principle of a "box" to create strength and transfer the load evenly over the floor was the objective. Next I put a couple vertical 2 x 2 between the upper horizontal and the one going across the floor about 8" each side off centerline. I made 3 frames similar to this and covered them with a piece of 5/8 pressure treated plywood. I could have used a 1/2-inch piece but I was afraid the pedestal seat would pull out. I reinforced the pedestal area anyway. I left the end open so I could stow gear under the deck. I put polyurethane on all the wood and carpeted. All the fasteners were stainless. The deck was strong and after many years of service is still going strong. For the record, the tadpole had no other wood in the hull to bolt to but you have existing framing so your frame may be different of course. I also put a deck on the floor and it really made the boat quieter.

 

[Barry Loos]

 

[Bruce Yeaton]

You can take measurements or the boat to a local welding shop and get a price on an aluminum rear deck. If cost is too much, go with the 2x2 construction. Pressure treated plywood is all you need for weather resistant....



I'll take some pics of my front deck to give you some ideas.



Oh yeah - another 1.5 years you may consider my boat

 

[Brian Bell2]

Trep,

I have my 2004 NX750 with 115 ( 2 years left on Merc warranty )for sale. Total package weight is about 2300 pounds. I'll make you a heck of a deal.

 

[Greg Meyer]

Trep...



I created a very large deck extension and for supports I used two vertical pieces of 5/8ths treated plywood (the deck is 3/4" treated) carpeted.... There are center supports in an open from the front area under the deck for storage, as you envision, that has two 3/8th inch pipe in threaded flanges under the deck, cut to proper length and threaded on both ends (takes some measuring and planning)... one end screwed into the flange and the other has a "cap" screwed onto it (allows for some adjustment) that is "sealed" with loc-tite. There are also horizontal 1/2s screwed and glued to the underside of the deck...makes a nice finished edge if you add metal stair nose over the carpet along the front edge. Carpet (from BPS...great match on color) was glued and stapled... Hope you got all that...LOL

 

[TOMMY RICH]

That's one of my winter projects Making a deck extension for my 185

 

[Frank Cave]

Trep, I am building a front extension for a 2000 pt175 and I am using treated plywood coated w/ epoxy for the decking and aluminum angle and tube for the frame. It is very strong, lightweight and inexpensive. I purchased everything from a local big box diy store.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

I'm makin' mine out of 1/8" aluminum

 

[TrepMan]

Guys - WOW thanks for all the input and ideas. I did FIGURE TEE would use Aluminium, I just don't have the equipment that TEE does. OK does anyone have pictures of how you actualy mounted this? I get the idea on the structure of the deck but when you take the deck out does your support structures stay in and how does that effect the look and movement? Does it get caught on things/people??



Bruce and Brian - Both of your boats are sweet, but without the Dual Console I don't see why i'd leave my PC 175 yet. And the Brian, if I showed that color scheme to my wife, she might want to look at it!!! LOL But the Tin Force is with me!!! LOL

 

[TOMMY RICH]

I think there's one out there in the Grab Bag Trep...At least it was a while back. Can't remember the owner's name....

 

[Richard Ehlers (SevenPin)]

Trep - I think if the supports were bolted to the rod lockers on the side and the storage box on the front all you would have is the holes in those locations. Find some plastic or rubber plugs and snap them in to keep water out when you remove the platform. At least that's how I envision the way I would put it together. Just not sure if I would make it fully enclosed and have a storage lid or leave the back open like Bruce Y did with his mod.



Oops, I just looked and John Foster built the enclosed platform. I think Bruce Y emailed me privately with his project. Thanks Bruce.



Trep - I'll look for the email that Bruce sent me and send it over to you tonight after bowling.



SevenPin

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Never underestimate the POWER of the darkside. The process of you crossing over has already begun.....More size, more power, let it flow young Padawan. You will soon belong to us.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Toxic, I'm leaning closer and closer, the sparkles are blinding me, I could feel the Dark Side pulling me in! just need to get moving on selling the Tin rig.

But I think the Gambler is a no go, not enough room in the console area and the rear deck.

So now it's:



Ranger - R81 1999 or 3??V 1989

Champion

Stratos

Bullet





Trep, How many livewells do you have or plan on having on your modified PT175? If you plan on doing Tourneys with it, you might want to consider the livewells for you and the rider. And you might want to upgrade to 24v for long days on the water during tourneys.



CJL

 

[TrepMan]

Strong the Dark side is, resist you must! Remember young Skywalker, out of Aluminium the X-wing figher is made!!!



Chris - My boat has 2 seperate 11 gallon livewells. Compared to the PT 185 with an 18 gallon livewell, i'm techincaly bigger but seperate.



Does anyone know if an 11 gallon is big enough for a 5 fish limit of fish? I know it depends on the size of the fish. I do know that my almost 6lb fish did fit and live for 5 hours in my 11 gallon but don't know how many other fish would fit.



On the Tourney bit, I would only use my PC 175 as a backup if someone in the club (i might join) can't use a boat.



Chris - Get that $47k bullet in the current B&W mag it'll hit over 100!!!!

 

[Greg Meyer]

Wisconsin is proposing a 25 gallon minimum with recirculating systems as a new tournament proposal

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

If it's Wisconsin, So much for the beer cooler, how about the livewells?



TOXIC

 

[Texas Transplant]

Eleven gallons 'seems' to be a bit on the light side. I just took a quick look at some bass boat specs, and the livewells were anywhere from 25 gals at the smallest (on the ones I was looking at), up to 2 50 gal livewells.



5 Fish in an 11 gal livewell in summertime, does not seem to be a real good combination.



Tex

 

[Tony Payne]

TT...



You can make up for the lower gallons with enough recirculation and oxygen... in fact, it could probably be better for them as it gives them less room to move... less movement, less stress.



Otherwise, i agree with you, 11 is on the lite side.

 

[TrepMan]

Now think about this guys, we're talking about ME here!! What are the CHANCES i'd get a 5 fish limit!!! Heck a 2 fish weighin would be a RECORD!!!! LOL



But I agree when you look at the Glass T boats they all have larger livewells, I was comparing mine to the Tracker PT 175/185. But again, it might be as a backup or occational boat for the club Ts. If I get into the club T's I would definetly look to a bass boat or fish/ski.



Trep

 

[Texas Transplant]

I just imagined having 11 gallon milk jugs on my desk. Didn't seem to be very much water/area at all.



Here's a question:



Would you put a 4lb bass, in a 2.25 gallon aquarium?



Also, a lot is going to depend upon how the 11 gallons are organized. 11 Gallons spread out in a 3' by 2' holding area, would be pretty shallow. You probably need to evaluate many more factors, than we normally think about.



My rear livewell is wide, tall and has good depth (front to back). However, my front livewell is much narrower, with a shallower footprint, but is longer (front to back).



Just lot's to think about, once you start figurn'.



Tex

 

[Tony Payne]

Tex,



Again, you're absolutely correct that many factors come into play...



main point I was making is that (assuming the fish "fit" in the livewell to begin with), is that a smaller livewell will work, but you're going to have to work harder to keep the fish healthy.



I have more than enough livewell space (gallons), but I couldn't put a musky in it, due to the size and shape of the livewell, not the capacity. (or even a "good sized" catfish).

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

I think from what I see, is that although Glass boats may have a larger livewell, they are not designed,or people don't "that is the Rnagers I have fished in" to fill all the way up to the top like my PT185 does, so your probably ending up with the same amount of water.

I also think that if you had more water, it would take longer to replenish the oxygen and recirculate, but would have more to begin with, so in summary, I think it's a circular reference, one has more water and longer oxygen supply, the other has less water and is replaced quicker.

Same thing!

Why would the bass need such a big buffer zone between eachother. Whenever I have multiple fish in the livewell, ther always on top of eachother in one spot?



In any event the all the fish I released from my livewell this year have been very robust, as if I just caught them.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

"AUTO" Setting...........



TOXIC

 

[TrepMan]

Chris - I've had six 1-2lb spots in my front 11 gallon livewell before when a buddy and I were hitting them a few summers ago, just wanted to SEE what a 5 fish limit looked like!!! LOL We added the 6th and then decided to let them all go before heading home. Since this was NOT a tourney and their was 2 of us everything was legal, I had forgotten about those fish. But again, on another lake what IF I hooked into a nice 4-5lber and then a few 2-3 lbers, I don't think that would work in my livewells, as they are seperate physicaly like the PT 175/185 where you can take out the divider and use tags to keep fish seperate.



Anywho, first I gotta decide if i'm joining a club and figure out if I want/need to fish from my boat at all. First T is this weekend where I fish as a non-boater on probation, if I like the club I fish one more on probabation then they vote on me. There are a LOT of boaters so I don't think there would be very often or at all that i would NEED to use mine.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

yup, thats what I use, auto-recirc, I don't use the auto-refill cause then your taking warm water from the surface all day, I just add ice on hot days.

 

[Jim B]

Trep,

11 gallons per well is cutting it pretty close. Really the more water you can carry the better. The rule of thumb is 1 gallon per # of fish.



Livewell size and design is something i think the boat makers need to focus on more. Im not Ranger bashing but the wells are just too small in a Ranger. 25 gallons just isnt enough for two peoples fish, the newer champions have the same problem. I have seen two 15# plus limits go belly up in a Ranger well on a cool 65 degree day because the pumps couldnt move enough water to get enough oxygen in, and we ran them non stop all day, treated the well with ice and catch and release etc. The boat was a 2002 Ranger 520, the well didnt have a recirc just fresh water pump in. The well was just overloaded and couldnt handle it, Improper design in my opinion. Those fish most likley died and that shouldnt have to happen. They would have been fine in my well that holds close to 15 galons more water. Actually they would have been very happy in there.



Triton and Nitro in my opinion have got it right. Triton wells are top of the line and Nitro isnt too far behind. The carry lots of water and have plenty of pumps to keep i moving/ replaced.



Check this link out, it has lots of good info on livewells and keeping fish alive.
http://espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/s/b_cons_bass_alive_contents.html