Which boat upgrade?

Bushleague · #1 07-04-2017, 09:04 AM

I'm got a surprise bonus from work and have decided to spend it on upgrading my boat. I currently have a transom mount electric motor on it and a Lawrence 4x fish finder, and I've decided to either upgrade the fish finder or get a bow mount trolling motor. I have about $1200 to spend, any advice? Thanks

huntsfurfish · #2 07-04-2017, 11:05 AM

bow mounts are awesome.

Fishwhere · #3 07-04-2017, 12:11 PM

What is your set up now? 14, 16 ft aluminum and motor hp? Any plans on doin a major upgrade anytime soon?

Bushleague · #4 07-04-2017, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishwhere

What is your set up now? 14, 16 ft aluminum and motor hp? Any plans on doin a major upgrade anytime soon?

I have a 16.5 ft Lund Rebel with a side console and 50 hp Johnson on it. I don't plan on upgrading the boat any time soon, if anything I would be about as inclined to go smaller, or at least more utilitarian if I were to get a different boat.

At this point I'm leaning towards a bow mount. The only thing is I use my transom mount quite a bit to back me out of some rough launches before I fire up the outboard, I cant see the bow mount working so well for this. For some reason the idea of running both trolling motors on a boat this size seems a little silly to me.

Bigwoodsman · #5 07-04-2017, 06:04 PM

I'd go with the bow mount. 2 mounts gotta be better then one. Once you've used a bow mounted electric you'll wonder why you waited so long.

BW

mickeyjim · #6 07-04-2017, 06:10 PM

Get that fish finder bud

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

Big Sky · #7 07-04-2017, 07:41 PM

Get a bow mount.
Get a 24volt if you have room for the batteries.
Great for trolling or vertical presentations.

Minn Kota powerdrive with auto pilot and universal sonar is nice.

cube · #8 07-05-2017, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushleague

I'm got a surprise bonus from work and have decided to spend it on upgrading my boat. I currently have a transom mount electric motor on it and a Lawrence 4x fish finder, and I've decided to either upgrade the fish finder or get a bow mount trolling motor. I have about $1200 to spend, any advice? Thanks

I would get a 4hp ( or so) gas kicker. If your sonar does not GPS get the Sonar first.

Bushleague · #9 07-05-2017, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cube

I would get a 4hp ( or so) gas kicker. If your sonar does not GPS get the Sonar first.

My Sonar does not GPS, but I have a hand held GPS that I use. I did look at some kickers, and I may still go that route, but all the kickers that I looked at did not have reverse or tilt, which will not get me out of some of the launches that I use.

Dean2 · #10 07-05-2017, 02:12 PM

I would get a gas kicker. Always nice for trolling and real handy if the big motor pooches out. You can probably sell your rear mounted electric and buy a good used bow mount for cheap but unless you fish almost exclusively for Walleye the bow mount is a nice to have not need to have. You can run the rear mount electric and a kicker at the same time, one each side of the main motor.

GPS enabled quality finder is another great addition to a boat, something I would do long before a bow mount trolling motor. If you Lake Trout fish a couple of Electric down riggers is a real nice upgrade.

Demonical · #11 07-05-2017, 02:37 PM

I have a 1991 16' Lund Fury, 60hp Evinrude with a side console. Sounds pretty similar to your boat, just different name.

When I bought the boat it had a bow mount. I removed the bow mount and went to a transom mount, with 'Wave Whackers' that I custom ordered from the States.

Transom mount has since crapped out and I am going to buy a new transom mount.

The Spank · #12 07-05-2017, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big sky

get a bow mount.
Get a 24volt if you have room for the batteries.
Great for trolling or vertical presentations.

Minn kota powerdrive with auto pilot and universal sonar is nice.

this!!!

dfrobert · #13 07-06-2017, 12:49 AM

Bow mount minn Kota with Ipilot and don't look back. You can always upgrade the sonar later. A solid sonar like a helix 7 with GPS, mapping, down imaging can be found for around $700 when I was looking into them. Helix 5 even cheaper.

58thecat · #14 07-06-2017, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Sky

Get a bow mount.
Get a 24volt if you have room for the batteries.
Great for trolling or vertical presentations.

Minn Kota powerdrive with auto pilot and universal sonar is nice.

This...

Redneck 7 · #15 07-06-2017, 06:33 AM

I bought a 6hp Yamaha kicker for my aluminum boat and it's amazing. Has tilt and reverse, they even have an internal gas tank as well as a external hook up for one. I'd look at that line up, 2.5, 4, 6, 8 (I may be wrong about that one) or the classic 9.9 hp options

When I bought mine as well, I had the option of a short and long leg, long leg was 20" and I can't remember the length of the short leg. Something else to consider.

Fishwhere · #16 07-06-2017, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfrobert

Bow mount minn Kota with Ipilot and don't look back. You can always upgrade the sonar later. A solid sonar like a helix 7 with GPS, mapping, down imaging can be found for around $700 when I was looking into them. Helix 5 even cheaper.

I 2nd this. I have seen some powerdrives come on kijiji lately and definitely try to put i pilot on it with the remote (anchor function is a game changer). You may also be able to get an older gen 2 lowrance or something that is still really decent all within that price range. If you look second hand for all that stuff minus maybe the i pilot you would be sitting on a pretty decent set up. Keep in mind you will have cords running to the front from wherever your battery is if you get the bow mount, but pretty minor.

On a side note i think you will be fine with a 12v set up. I run a 16ft crestliner on a 55 pound thrust and though id like more it has yet to not be enough power in wind etc.

Good luck man!

huntsfurfish · #17 07-06-2017, 10:54 AM

Go 24 volt, I had 12 volt on my 16' Crestliner. Went to 24 and would never put 12 back on again.

Big Sky · #18 07-06-2017, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishwhere

anchor function is a game changer

I fished yesterday. We spent a couple of hours vertical jigging along 50 feet of structure. I was running the boat. When I hook a fish, I hit the anchor button twice to set the location. The minn kota keeps us roughly in the same location so that I can concentrate on the fish and not worry about drifting in the weedbed.

It's such a small thing, but it is by far my favourite feature.

fish99 · #19 07-11-2017, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushleague

I have a 16.5 ft Lund Rebel with a side console and 50 hp Johnson on it. I don't plan on upgrading the boat any time soon, if anything I would be about as inclined to go smaller, or at least more utilitarian if I were to get a different boat.

At this point I'm leaning towards a bow mount. The only thing is I use my transom mount quite a bit to back me out of some rough launches before I fire up the outboard, I cant see the bow mount working so well for this. For some reason the idea of running both trolling motors on a boat this size seems a little silly to me.

i have the same boat with a 12volt electric bow mount troller with foot controls works great for jigging areas without anchoring.