Making my Baretta a fishing friendly boat, looking for ideas

[coostv]

Here is the bow of my boat as it is today.

I would like to remove the cushions and install a platform. I would also like to remove the cubbies (or whatever they are called) from under the seat cushions and put a hatch on each side. I either plan to recover the cushions at some point and use some sort of peg in hole or other stay in place method or I would just use flotation cushions. I would also like to mimic my buddies sport/fishing boat and make a removable center.

I also think I will ditch the front cushion all together and raise it to the level of the bow to facilitate a bow mount trolling motor.

Any other ideas?

This is phase one, phase two will be redesigning/replacing the engine housing.:facepalm:

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Making my Baretta a fishing friendly boat, looking for ideas

This should give you some ideas....

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=286714&page=1

 

[ljc1957]

Re: Making my Baretta a fishing friendly boat, looking for ideas

Is it going to be used for fishing only? Will you be skiing, swimming or cruising? If you're going to use it for multiple things, I'd consider putting a removeable swivel seat in the bow.

 

[emoney]

Re: Making my Baretta a fishing friendly boat, looking for ideas

Might be a lot easier just to trade it for a fishing boat? If you're dead set on converting this one, however, I'd consider making it a dual purpose boat, with a removable platform, etc. You can never say never and the next own may want it to be a pleasure boat. Good luck, regardless, as it will be a fun and rewarding project, whatever you do.

 

[coostv]

Re: Making my Baretta a fishing friendly boat, looking for ideas

Thanks for the replies guys.

I should have included the fact that this boat also doubles as the family ski/tube boat. I just want to be able to fish out of it too. We have a large family and most of the combo boats I see have too few seats in them.

I grabbed some scrap steel, a seat swivel, and 5/4 deck board I had laying around and whipped this up for giggles and to see if it might work. If I can fab a bracket for a hand controlled trolling motor this might just be the ticket. It will have to be a really long shaft motor though...

 

[coostv]

Re: Making my Baretta a fishing friendly boat, looking for ideas

By the way thanks for that link wood, I did not find that one in my searches. I like that idea and could incorporate it into my plan to be removable.

 

[coostv]

Re: Making my Baretta a fishing friendly boat, looking for ideas

Nevermind