Stump Bumper
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2015
- Messages
- 27
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Hey guys, I've been checking out this site for about 2-3 years now, ever since I got my 15' Alumacraft. It came pretty well stocked from my father in law but I have made a few minor mods here and there along the way. I take this boat almost every where. I live in eastern NC and I fish rivers, creeks and sounds. I fish for bass, brim, shad, catfish, flounder, rock, trout and red drum. The pictures below show basically what it looked like when I got it.
2002 Mercury 25 2 stroke
Minn Kota 55# trolling motor
6 gallon gas tank and deep cycle battery for trolling motor and battery for lights and electric start on motor
Since, I have removed the old Humming Bird fish finder base and transducer and installed a Lowrance Mark 4 in the same location. I've upgraded the plastic seats with thicker cushioned Bass Pro Shops seats. And have built a storage box on the starboard side of the boat out of an old deep freezer that had gone bad. I just recycled most of the outer box, added some hinges and a lock. It now stores all the life jackets, paddle, and other misc. items.
I wanted to have a rod rack on the back for cat/shad/rock fishing, so I took a gamble with some square tube steel I already had and a treated piece of wood and made one. I know it's a matter of time before I see rust, but so far (2 years) so good. The wood is now attached to the top square tube with 2 bolts instead of the zip ties. All components have been painted. The smaller square tube telescopes into the larger square tube that is mounted to the inside of the gas tank/battery storage box. I hope you like my 18-wheeler mud flaps that make my floor mats. They sure beat the hot metal on summer days.
I had to make some more permanent modifications to the rack since these pictures but you get the jest.
So that's what I was working with until now. I decided I wanted to add some Beavertail float pods to the back. With me (280#s) the 25hp 2 stroke, 2 batteries and a 6 gallon gas tank, the transom was sitting mighty low. Once they were delivered, I made my mind up to strip the boat inside and out for the installation of the pods. They look great and I'm ready to see the difference they make. I'm currently in the process of painting the entire boat inside and out. The exterior of the boat is going to be a camouflage pattern I've never seen on a boat before. You'll have to wait and see the after pictures later. The carpeted marine grade plywood walls and floor will be re-installed. The front and rear decks are going to be flat tan to try and lower the heat. I'm going to apply multiple coats of 3m Professional Grade Underbody Rubberized coating on the decks to create a softer surface (remove the thick rubber mud flap floor maps) then paint the decks flat tan.
Pictures of the new pods and the base coat of paint applied.
I hope to be finished with the makeover by the end of April. I'll try to keep posting updated pictures as I go. Please feel free to share you're wisdom and constructive ideas.
Thanks - Stump Bumper
2002 Mercury 25 2 stroke
Minn Kota 55# trolling motor
6 gallon gas tank and deep cycle battery for trolling motor and battery for lights and electric start on motor
Since, I have removed the old Humming Bird fish finder base and transducer and installed a Lowrance Mark 4 in the same location. I've upgraded the plastic seats with thicker cushioned Bass Pro Shops seats. And have built a storage box on the starboard side of the boat out of an old deep freezer that had gone bad. I just recycled most of the outer box, added some hinges and a lock. It now stores all the life jackets, paddle, and other misc. items.
I wanted to have a rod rack on the back for cat/shad/rock fishing, so I took a gamble with some square tube steel I already had and a treated piece of wood and made one. I know it's a matter of time before I see rust, but so far (2 years) so good. The wood is now attached to the top square tube with 2 bolts instead of the zip ties. All components have been painted. The smaller square tube telescopes into the larger square tube that is mounted to the inside of the gas tank/battery storage box. I hope you like my 18-wheeler mud flaps that make my floor mats. They sure beat the hot metal on summer days.
I had to make some more permanent modifications to the rack since these pictures but you get the jest.
So that's what I was working with until now. I decided I wanted to add some Beavertail float pods to the back. With me (280#s) the 25hp 2 stroke, 2 batteries and a 6 gallon gas tank, the transom was sitting mighty low. Once they were delivered, I made my mind up to strip the boat inside and out for the installation of the pods. They look great and I'm ready to see the difference they make. I'm currently in the process of painting the entire boat inside and out. The exterior of the boat is going to be a camouflage pattern I've never seen on a boat before. You'll have to wait and see the after pictures later. The carpeted marine grade plywood walls and floor will be re-installed. The front and rear decks are going to be flat tan to try and lower the heat. I'm going to apply multiple coats of 3m Professional Grade Underbody Rubberized coating on the decks to create a softer surface (remove the thick rubber mud flap floor maps) then paint the decks flat tan.
Pictures of the new pods and the base coat of paint applied.
I hope to be finished with the makeover by the end of April. I'll try to keep posting updated pictures as I go. Please feel free to share you're wisdom and constructive ideas.
Thanks - Stump Bumper
