1989 Bass Tracker TX17

[Jbower]

Also you will need to make sure you have access threw the hole for the trolling motor tray to get to the nuts for your trolling motor. It’s a long reach but the only way you can do it


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[kalninm]

Yeah tackling that whole beast this week/weekend. So question here, the stock wires to run the trolling motor is 10gauge, the plug I got for the trolling motor came with 8 gauge, is this going to be an issue, is it going to cause a loss in power or anything crazy like that? I understand it is not ideal but is it something I can live with?

 

[Jbower]

Probably depends a lot on what trolling motor you are running and the amps that it draws. I’m running a bigger 24 volt motorguide and upped my wiring to 8 gauge.


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[kalninm]

I'm running a 45lb. thrust 12V

 

[Jbower]

I’d imagine you’d be fine with what you have


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[kalninm]

Thats good to hear lol, really didn't want to have to run new wires for that just yet

 

[gatorglenn]

Go on line minnkota has a wire chart that shows amperage, size of wire needed for the run length. Most 12v TM draw more amps then 24v . Most manufacturers now days run 6 gauge so it will work on both and not get too hot with a 12v unit. My boat had 8 gauge in it. I switch to a 24v and the run length is right. My wires don’t get near as hot as they did with the 12v.


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[kalninm]

Why you gotta crash my party gatorglenn???? Just kidding, thanks for the info I'll take a look at it and reevaluate my plans just to be sure

 

[kalninm]

So to solve the rod storage dilemma, we cut two holes in the divider up front but kept it in tact. Then I used 3/8" plywood and made a false floor for the front of the boat. The rods will slide in from an opening in the back of the front deck and they will be held in place by a mesh net and a velcro strap. The velcro strap will hold the butt ends down, and the mesh net will drape down from the bottom of the front deck and attach to the top of the center floor to ensure the rods don't slide back. This solution may mean it is not locking storage but it will hold way too many rods, probably 15-20 without an issue and it will also hold my 8' rods without issue. Then this Saturday I had some time, I got the hole cut for the trolling motor foot pedal tray, and installed the pedestal seat base for the front deck. Also got the second half of the deck cut out and fitted and installed the trolling motor bracket up front. Continued to clean up the seats a little bit, and carpeted the front piece of the deck along with 2 of the 3 remaining aluminum pieces that needed to be carpeted. Once my aluminum rails come in this week I'll cut out an opening for a storage compartment on the back piece of the deck and use the aluminum as rails. Then it'll be time to carpet the last few pieces and work on the remaining wiring.

 

[kalninm]

Piece 1 of 2 for the front deck is carpeted, and came opt great. Also the aluminum transition piece that goes from the back of the bow to the very front of the front deck......yeah carpeted the wrong side of that so I have to redo that one tonight. Got everything measured out and cut the opening for my hatch lid in the second piece of the front deck and even got my Aluminum Z bar cut out for the edges to hold the lid. I'll be attaching the Z bar pieces to the inside of the lid hole and sizing up the actual lid and carpeting both pieces tonight. Question though, For this hatch lid I wanted to go with just a nylon pull strap to open the compartment lid. Whats the best way to do this? Nylon strip stapled to the underside of the lid or how should I attach the nylon to the lid so it doesn't come off? Oh and Lastly, got my electronics on this week!! Found a guy in a Facebook group updating his graphs and offloading his for a very good price, I got two Humminbird 998c SI units plus transducers, mounts, gps pucks, and the linking ethernet cable, so I can't wait to get those installed!

 

[Bowlershop]

I used a pull strap for my lids as well. I pop riveted them to the doors. I’ll add a pic when I get a chance.

 

[Bowlershop]

Here’s what I did.

 

[kalninm]

You can pop rivet right into plywood???

 

[kalninm]

And where did you get the straps?

 

[Bowlershop]

Drill a 3/16 hole into the plywood deep enough to take the rivet(if your using 3/16 rivets). I used a wide head rivet so it doesn’t pull through the strap. The rivet will expand in the whole and be held in place firmly. You could use screws as well if you want. I got the straps from farmland fleet. All they are is small tow straps and I cut the loop ends off and used them. It was $3 for 2. Each strap has 2 ends so I had a grand total of $3 invested into my 4 lids.

 

[kalninm]

Thanks for the info! However I found a left over lid latch to use. So been working on wiring and look at where I want to mount my electronics. My console doesn't currently have a windshield, I found some online for over $100 but I'm not about to do that. So to mount my unit at the console I have two options. One, use a ram mount on the side rail to the right of the console, or two, use the gimble mount and mount it straight to the top of the console. I think the top of the console mount would be great but what worries me is hitting it while casting. Any thoughts on this?

 

[kalninm]

Worked on wiring most of yesterday, finished installing the switch panel and the fuse panel. Decided to hook up the battery and test it out. All the accessories and the switches work as they should, but then we hooked the motor up to the battery. Made sure that was working, hit the trim, and the trim worked, then we went to make sure the starter would kick and nothing. Tried the trim again and nothing. After some tearing apart it appeared as though we blew a 20amp fuse in the motor. We needed to figure out why though so while this probably isn't something we should have done, we put tin foil around the fuse and put it back in. Power was restored but shortly there after my console developed a smoking habit. After some more looking around there was one wire that was getting extremely hot. After we made some calls to some more electrically minded people we found that one of the wires we grounded was actually a hot wire that shouldn't be hooked up to anything!!!!! Low and behold we tried again now with our slightly melted purple wire just dangling and no longer grounded, and this time no fire and the voltmeter worked!!! So obviously some wins and loses, all the accessories work and we've established all of our hot wires, and have everything working again. Downside some of the stuff we tore apart to look for a wiring issue needs to be put back together which isn't much fun. Also downside, while the trim buttons work to make the hydraulic pump run it isn't lifting the motor. Before winter it was very low on fluid so we topped it off and it was running like a champ, it was also running great before we put it in the garage and nothing has been leaking. So now I have no clue why the trim doesn't want to work. So, in the end, I have a few more wires to run and connect, for nav lights, and graphs both of which are simple, but the major wiring part is done, however I have more assembly to do and a new problem to fix. I guess it's about time I ran into some issues with this build lol.

 

[Jbower]

Purple wire is accessory power for your gauges. Obviously you don’t have to use it if you are running a power from something else. I don’t remember what outboard you have the trim probably has a leak in one of the seals. You could check the manual let down screw and make sure it is tight also


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[kalninm]

Alright finished up some wiring finally!!!, and decided it was a bout time to start assembly. Spent a few hours, got the gps puck mounted at the dash as well as a few other extras done. Then wired up some LEDs under the deck and console for some added light when needed. Also, got all new bulbs for the back lights on the dash, cleaned up the contacts and added some dielectric grease and wouldn't you know it all the little back lights started working again! Can't believe it was that simple. Same goes for the navigation lights that came with the boat, cleaned up the contacts, new bulbs, and dielectric grease and BOOM let there be light!!! Any how, after a few issues with the console we got that in too. Because we decided to put the side walls on the inside of the floor rather than on top it changed the angles for the sides making it much more difficult to get some things to fit but also giving me an extra foot or more of floor space. Got the console in place and secured it with the aluminum mounting piece on the port side. Then cut a small section of "Z" bar aluminum and riveted that to the sidewall of the boat and used it as a lip to level off the console. Finally we cut a 2x4 at a 45 degree angle and slid it up to the very very front of the console. Screwed into in from the bottom of the deck and then screwed into it from the console to suck the console to the floor and secure it more thoroughly. It was a pain but actually worked great. All the wires under the dash are now either loomed or taped and everything is hooked up and tested. Here are a couple pics, still some stuff to tie up on the bow and all the way back in the bilge, but it's getting really close.

 

[kalninm]

Turn out my POS Motorguide is shot, got a year and a half of use of it and never registered it, so no warrenty, but completely stopped working, Dad rebuilt it with all new seals. Used it maybe 10 times last season before i put it up in the garage to put on the tracker. Same issue when I hooked it up this past weekend. Not too thrilled, it must have a crack in the housing somewhere though. So I ordered a 45lb. Minn Kota Edge yesterday that I'm picking up on Thursday. Also got some little things buttoned up this past weekend but the big one was mounting the Ram Mount for my 998c SI, Reinforced the outside of the console with aluminum and the inside with 1/2" plywood and bolted it through. It's pretty sturdy but I'll have to keep an eye on it this year to make sure no stress cracks develop. getting close though, after Easter I should be able to button up the rest of the actual boat in a weekend.