14ft mirrocraft V-hull

[Buddychrist]

The parts from Boats.net just came in!!!

I'm like a kid in a candy store on christmas!!! Huge amount of parts ready to be installed!!!!





In a few days that motor will be completely finished and ready to go!

I got the impeller and the Co-Pilot parts replaced tonight!

 

[Buddychrist]

6:20am
Can't sleep with my lower back pain
Time to install some parts!

 

[Buddychrist]

I got the motor almost finished, it should be done tomorrow and then all I need to do is cut the transom and mount the motor.

I polished the bow lights I got for free in member karma and installed new #90 bulbs and I have to say that those suckers are bright!!!!

I'll be mounting those along with a small four wheeler battery and running a switch to the rear seat along with a small green bulb to let me know when they are on!

I'm thinking about building one of the poles on the transom around the outboard for lights, flood lights, etc

What do you guys think? And what are they called?????

 

[bigwave]

This is just my opinion, I fish my flats boat mostly at night. If you plan on doing some gigging or bowfishing then I would recommend putting the lights forward. Most people mount the lights on the bow since you will be fishing from the bow, unless you plan on fishing in reverse. I almost never use any kind of light for fishing at night....on the flats your eyes will adjust to the darkness and believe it or not you can actually see the fish without lights. I cant tell you how many fish I have sight casted to in total darkness. Most of the fish on the flats are actually spooked by bright lights sneaking up on them. If you plan on polling from the stern it is a real pita if that bar is there for your lights....If you plan on doing it anyways then I would put a small polling platform on the stern so you have a place to pole from. On my boat I will have a casting deck that ends where the seat used to be.....almost 4' of deck to stand on and fish or poll from....If I need some quick lighting then I will just hit the water with my handheld q-beam.....Just my 2 cents though.

 

[kfa4303]

+1. I think bow mounted, downward facing gigging lights with a poling platform in the rear would be an ideal all around set up.

 

[Buddychrist]

It's mainly to protect my outboard when I'm banging around trees not for lights specifically.

Also where do you guys mount your red and green nav lights!?

I can't manage to find the USCG regs for it

 

[bigwave]

It's mainly to protect my outboard when I'm banging around trees not for lights specifically.

Also where do you guys mount your red and green nav lights!?

I can't manage to find the USCG regs for it

On the center of the bow if its a bi-color light. The regs say you must have a 2 mile visibility light with a 180 degree visibility. You can seperate them on each side of the bow if you want.....more wiring and really not necessary but it looks cool The green light is starboard, the red light is port. they also have side mount lights that you can recess in the hull itself....they are kinda expensive though. You need and all around light on the stern of the boat....you can mount this light on either side or on the top of you motor.....that looks dorky to me though. Here is what I am talking about.

 

[Buddychrist]

I've got a stern light that's high enough, I tested the amp draw on the nav lights i got from member karma and it's too much for my battery.

 

[bigwave]

I've got a stern light that's high enough, I tested the amp draw on the nav lights i got from member karma and it's too much for my battery.

A good group 27 battery should be fine for any nav lights on a john-boat....are you using a tiny battery? lawnmower, motorcycle?

 

[Buddychrist]

The lights I got are #90 halogen and draw a lot of power. I can much easier buy some LED's than replace my power sports battery with a big one. LED's have real low power draw and can run all night on a much smaller battery.

I'm trying to be cost affective on it since I'm broke. Except for hull mods, if i don't have it then i will wait until I do

Once again another Alcoa patch on a pinhole



When it dries it lays flat

 

[Buddychrist]

There is an extremely illusive hole or leaking seam, gonna lift the whole boat this weekend and get it over with completely sealing and bunking any rivets which is easy considering I have a 100lb wife that can sit in the boat while I winch it up in the air and she can swing the hammer while I hold the metal plate!

God I love my wife

 

[Buddychrist]

I told my wife I wanted to go bass fishing and she brought these home



I love my wife!

Now I've gotta finish finding that stupid hole

 

[Buddychrist]

I found the illusive pinhole!!!! It's under the right side transom brace, so I've gotta lift the boat off of the bunk boards and once again Alcoa shall be used!

Then I should have a completely dry ride the next time I go out!!!!

 

[Buddychrist]

Now the hull is completely sealed up and ready to go fishing for sure! No more going to the dock early to drain water! It's time for an all day bass fishing trip with a few of my pro angler buddies from Gainesville!!!!

 

[pauldanielm]

Cant wait for more pics of the modifications that you plan on doing. I have a 14ft Mirrocraft and am about to start some work on it as well.

 

[Buddychrist]

Hey guys update:

I am looking into ordering a 14 gallon fixed racing fuel tank from summit and installing it in the bow!

Very similar to this but with a bottom fed pickup which would no longer require me to have a primer bulb because the fuel will be gravity primed!

 

[Buddychrist]

Well I am waiting for the rain to stop so I can give it another test run. Pinholes are a pain to find!

But on another note I will be doing a casting deck, rear platform, and side seats all along the boat probably using carpet but I'm still not convinced.

I just don't want to use Bedliner and be sitting in a microwave oven during Florida summers.

 

[bigwave]

Hey that is one nice tank, but don't forget you will have to vent that tank to make it work right. I had major issues with my tank on my big boat...mud dobbers decided to plug the vent tube....took me forever to figure out why my boat was struggling to start and run properly.

 

[Buddychrist]

They come with dual vents when you buy them! It's got plenty of room for fuel and the prices are good especially from jegs!

TBH I have thought about buying a low back racing seat for the tiller seat on my boat! They're like $25-30 and they will long outlast any overtons chair.

I know all about mud dobbers and boats that's for sure! I had them plug up my cooling tube on my 115, I almost lost an engine that day, luckily I had caught it only after a few minutes of running though...

 

[Buddychrist]

Update:

I hunted my old firefighting gear and here is the crown jewels!



Let's see what a little 9v will kick out! I've got one red that is real subdued for a nice deck light and then two bright whites that will really light up the boat!