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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ain&#039;tCatchinNothin&#039;" data-source="post: 486388" data-attributes="member: 25257">RESULTSSo, at this point, the boat was done enough to use. And it did get used! Maiden voyage/shakedown cruise was a week-long camping trip to Nolin Lake in my home state of Kentucky. I’ve been back to that lake several times, as well as to other lakes in the region. The boat’s been on the Ohio River too, where it performed well (or, as well as any small boat does on big water lol). The old Merc 50 pushes the boat at 28-29 mph on average. Ideal conditions will see it *just* clear 30. It still isn’t running 100% perfect but there’s nothing there to make me worry. The boat does take on a small amount of water each time I go out, but never once has it been enough so that the bilge pump can actually suck any up. I just watch it leave the drain after pulling the bung, that’s the only way I even know it’s there.This Tracker helped me get through the worst part of the COVID lockdown. It gave me something productive to do, kept me full of daily goals to chase down, and in the end, became the best boat I’ve so far owned.Maiden voyage was summer 2020. I used the boat weekly or more until it got really cold (and even then, I still used it a little), and resumed using it a lot in the spring. All the while I kept a running list of what I need to look at next. Rod storage was a big issue, as it often is on a 17 foot boat. The existing hatches and lids could stand to be replaced. Livewell lid has never been a perfect fit to the opening. I wanted to extend the front deck aft all the way to the console. I needed more hatches, and some courtesy lights would be nice too – I typically fish either late or early in the day, and my trips almost always either start or end in complete darkness. Summer 2021 arrived, and with it, my desire to make this little Tracker into something finally came to the fore. I had been compiling parts, making wish lists, and had a plan. I came in to a small amount of money, enough to do the project with, so I took the plunge.</blockquote>

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