New member - new boat - lots of ??

[Eddie Mullins]

I am about to aquire my first boat and have little experience with them. I am also new to this site and am hopeful that I can get some good info here. It looks like there are lots of users with lots of backgorounds and a good bit of knowlege.

I am going to try to add a couple of pics.. hope it works

Its a 197? , I think a Bass Buster?? , fiber glass hull , about 15.5 ft long, almost 5 ft wide on the floor in the back, has what I think is the original 50 hp Mercury. It has new paint, seat, and many other new parts, motor may need minor work, but I'll get into that on the appropriate forum if needed.

It is console steer (forgive me if I use some incorrect terminology) but does not have power trim, this is one of the updates I may be making later.

I will be using it for fresh water fishing and just goofing around with the kids, but its main use will likely be as my transport for hunting. I hunt a lot around river bottoms and a boat will get me places I would otherwise have to walk miles, or couldn't access. It had a duck blind on it that has been removed, I don't duck hunt, at least not yet.

Well just wanted to introduce myself for now. There will be questions coming shortly once I get the boat home.

Eddie

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

It almost looks to me like it does have power trim, the rams on the sides of the drive look like trim rams. I could be wrong though it looks like a real nice boat. good luck and let the questions come if you have any.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Welcome to iboats!

Those are "lift assist rams" on the mercury. The 50 is easy to tilt even w/o tilt and trim.

Nice looking boat. Clean and simple

 

[5150abf]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Welcome to iboats and nice boat, someone spent alot of time redoing it by looking at the pics.

When you go to add tilt trim look into a CMC, alittle pricey but really your only option, bot right on and I have had mine for years and never been disappointed.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

welcome, read these: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=300472

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Welcome. I agree "Nice clean boat".

Don't see a spare tire?

 

[cbavier]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Welcome to iboats. Your New to you boat looks to be in great shape and should provide you many years of pleasure.

 

[Eddie Mullins]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Thanks for the replies. I have put the boat in the water once, but it is still out of state at my dads house right now - made the trip down in the car with the kids over easter to test it.

BaileysBoat - good observation, and a correct one. The tires are new, but a spare is definitely a good idea.

Bob_VT is right , those are lift assists on the motor. It isn't too hard to lift the motor, but I know I will be putting it in shallow areas and in and around logs and stumps. I have used an aluminum bass tracker before in similar situations and was very handy to trim the motor up when needed.

Here's my first dumb question, with out power trim, if I am the only one in the boat and get into some structure I need to lift the motor to get off or past, how do I do that and drive it?

 

[cbavier]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

You will have to stop the boat before lifting the motor by hand. Tilt it up as far as you can still leaving it in the water enough to run when your in the stumps and logs. Just don't forget to put it back down once you clear all obstructions and before you take off.

 

[Bard1]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Killer set up.
I used a canoe to hunt before I moved south, down rivers, across ponds. Great way to sneak in.

 

[5150abf]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Ya, you have to stop and lift it, you would never get it up with it in gear, too much force on it.

 

[AZSenza]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Sweet Boat!

 

[Eddie Mullins]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

You will have to stop the boat before lifting the motor by hand. Tilt it up as far as you can still leaving it in the water enough to run when your in the stumps and logs. Just don't forget to put it back down once you clear all obstructions and before you take off.

There isn't any way to lock the motor into different positions, that I could see, other than a rod that is under the motor which can be placed in different spots in the mounting bracket. When the motor is lowered it has "hooks" which rest on the rod and depending on its location would change the trim angle. But the rod can't be pulled out too easily and I don't think I could move it from inside the boat. I could position the rod and thus the motor up when I am launching, but this would have the motor at an angle all of the time. What I have noted though, I will have to see if it works in practice, is the motor does not completely lock into place. I assume this is so if it does encouter something solid while moving forward it will raise slightly on contact. Probably just something I will have to experiment with in the field.

 

[Eddie Mullins]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

welcome, read these: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=300472

Thanks! Lots of good info there!! I wish I would have read it sooner. Out board motors are a bit different that anything I am used to.

Here's another question, why does the outboard have to be hauled in the up position with a support?

 

[saumon]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

What I have noted though, I will have to see if it works in practice, is the motor does not completely lock into place. I assume this is so if it does encouter something solid while moving forward it will raise slightly on contact. Probably just something I will have to experiment with in the field.

Right. It will tilt up if you hit something when in forward gear. In neutral and reverse, it's locked.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

One other option might be a bow mount electric trolling motor. you could raise the O/B when in stumps rocks etc. Use the electric then when in clear water fold the electric up drop the o/b and go. I don't know how much the add on trim/tilt would be but might be worth comparing the two. Plus you would have the ability to troll if you get into that down the road. That is a very nice boat.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

Never mind I saw it has one already.... Duh my bad.

 

[Eddie Mullins]

Re: New member - new boat - lots of ??

No problem... I am sure the trolling motor will get plenty of use, I would just like to keep from running from rear to foward and back if possible. I'm sure I want be upgrading to power trim anytime soon, or may not all, I've got to spend some time on the water 1st, its mostly speculation for me right now.

The trolling motor brings up another point though, some one relieved the seller of a battery or two, and all I have in the boat now is a standard 12 volt battery for cranking the out board. I am going to soon be looking for the right battery(ies) to run the trolling motor and also battery charger. Trying to decide on onboard or portable.

Which leads me to the next item. I will be using the boat after dark A LOT and will be need splot and / or flood lights and am not sure of the best choices for these. Also wondering about adding a battery charger that works of the out board?

I told you guys I had lots of questions LOL...