| I purchased a Bass Tracker II boat about two | | | | looks. I accomplished my task of more storage. |
| years ago and I do like my boat. The boat cost | | | | Now my gas tank and three batteries are stored |
| $2500; it came equipped with a 35 HP Mercury, an | | | | under the new floor with room for other fishing |
| electric start, a console foot controlled trolling | | | | gear, minnow bucket, anchor, extra tackle box |
| motor, and one depth finder. It is extremely light | | | | and so on. I still was looking to improve my space |
| making it easy to haul and to maneuver on and | | | | usage and I did not have a good place to put the |
| off the trailer. | | | | three or four rods I use, so I mounted some |
| Now after a couple of years, and this being my | | | | simple vertical rod holders constructed from PVC |
| first fishing boat, I started looking at purchasing | | | | to the front of my console. Still, I was not done |
| another boat. The feature I was most interested | | | | with storage. I wanted a good location to store |
| in was more storage, and the newer models | | | | my life jackets and dip net. To solve this issue I |
| seem to fit the bill as they are generally wider | | | | added a 4 foot wide by 1foot high piece of |
| now then previous models. The newer boats also | | | | netting on a small area opposite of the console |
| have more open space for walking and fishing | | | | unused space to store these items. This also |
| making it easy to move around to cast. But why | | | | allowed for quick retrieval of the jackets and net |
| spend upwards of $9000 for a different boat | | | | when needed. |
| when I could upgrade my current tracker. I know | | | | Now that my storage issues were improved, I |
| a lot of people would say that's not that much | | | | moved on to some other projects I had in mind. I |
| money but I am frugal; okay, some may say | | | | added a GPS depth finder (used PVC conduit |
| cheap. | | | | fittings for custom swivel base), upgraded my |
| I did shop around and looked at other fishing | | | | 28# trolling motor to a 55# trolling motor and |
| boats; I found some nice bass boats, but I also | | | | purchased 6 ply trailer tires. These items I |
| found boats that needed plenty of work. The | | | | consider mandatory upgrades to improve the my |
| bottom line is that I did not find exactly what I | | | | ability to find fish and control the boat on a windy |
| was looking for; the wider boats always had more | | | | day and last tires, to insure no issues on traveling |
| HP and I am satisfied with the 35 HP motor I | | | | to our favorite fishing spots. But I did install some |
| have. The speed is more then ample for the lakes | | | | nice to have items such as a 3 bank on board |
| I fish and I get good fuel mileage. That's an | | | | battery charger; plug it in and charge all three |
| important question to ask yourself when | | | | batteries at once. Also, a battery switch was |
| considering all the options; "what do I need for the | | | | installed giving me the option to select which |
| type of fishing I do and the lakes I fish?" | | | | trolling battery to use straight from my console. |
| As you may have guessed, I decided to keep | | | | To finish things off I added a couple nice to have |
| and upgrade my bass tracker. My first goal was | | | | plastic tool holders in front and one at the back of |
| to create more storage; the back of my boat | | | | the boat; inexpensive and yet very handy. |
| had a swivel seat, two batteries and a gas tank | | | | My total upgrade costs for the floor, trolling |
| on the floor which means the person fishing at | | | | motor, storage net, on board battery charger, |
| the back of the boat had to fumble around all this | | | | battery switch, tool holders, tires, GPS depth |
| boat gear. My first upgrade was to raise the back | | | | finder and new swivel seats came to around |
| floor of the boat to the same level as the front. I | | | | $825. And being cheap, I mean frugal, I shopped |
| found that a plastic pallet fit my needs for water | | | | around for the best prices I could find and waited |
| proof flooring perfectly and added this to the | | | | for some items to be on sale. By the way, I did |
| back of the boat. I then attached hinges to gain | | | | not do this all at once; I worked on the upgrades |
| access to my batteries and gas tank. One reason | | | | over a 6 month period. Yes I could have |
| the pallet worked so well is that it contains small | | | | purchased a newer boat, but by implementing |
| triangle holes that prevent battery or gas fumes | | | | these upgrades, I ended up having a boat that |
| from building up. Next I moved and bolted the | | | | has everything I wanted and a lot of new |
| swivel seat on to my "new floor". I was very | | | | equipment without breaking the bank. |
| pleased how this turned out both in function and in | | | | |