The Flats Tracker Project (1983 Bass Tracker) FINISHED

[rook]

Well got the batt re-arranged and the back and front deck all but finished. Still have to figure out what I am gonna do with the back hatch and still have some wood work to do up front.

 

[BYOB Fishing]

Then came the livewell. In the original layout of the back deck it ran bow to stern in between the drivers seat and passenger seat. With the new layout it will be port to starboard and will be used as the seat. After a little plumbing work I think its gonna work like I wanted. I also had to drill 9 rivets out during tear down so i had to get those sealed back up as well. Some small stainless bolts and 5200 done the trick.

Do you think you could post a few photos of the livewell plumbing? That part has be a little confused on my '83 tracker. I'm not sure what pump to buy and how the lines have to connect.

Matt

 

[rook]

The only pics I have of the livewell plumbing are on the first page of the thread. Top line is the inlet coming from a basic livewell pump on the transom the bottom line is the drain. Mine does not have a recirculating system on the livewell, the more I think about it the more I wish I would have went ahead and installed a recirc now.

 

[rook]

Well for the most part finished. Havent been able to work on it for a while but only had a couple of odds and ends to tie up. Got the back "Bass Tracker" hatch on, the front deck and trolling motor pretty much done. Gonna try to put it in the water this afternoon for a test run. Then if everything goes well try to get a little slime on the deck on Sunday.

 

[rook]

Got a free upgrade today. At my place of employment there is kinda a standing moto "bring your boat to work at your own risk". I kinda started that a couple of years ago when my boss/ the owner had his carolina skiff up here and I rigged the kill switch to look like it was attached but wasnt. He didnt figure it out until he had killed the batt. oops. So I bring my new project up to the shop today and while Im gone a fellow employee decides to move my boat, which I unhooked before I left because Im a moron, to the road and put a for sale sign on it. But boy did it backfire. Seeing that the forklift was closer than his truck he decides to just use it to move the boat. The details on what exactly happened next are still kinda of foggy. Not getting the whole story but it concludes with me having a new tongue and trailer jack installed by the time I arrived back. Note this was only about 30 minutes of me not being here. Man I work with some idiots!!! Ofcourse then, as I said, I started it!! :mrgreen:

 

[Howard]

Great story, they work fast :lol:

 

[Flatsdaddy]

Sweet boat, nice work.

I may have missed it, but what primer and paint did you use? I like that color and would love to go with that on mine.

Did you use the same paint on the top and bottom?

 

[weezer71]

Very nice work!!!

 

[jcb]

You do nice job on her.I like her very much.If i have more time on my hands in future i going to rebuild my boat.I fish an hunting all the time so time is short supply butmaybe I do it like your boat.

 

[rook]

Sweet boat, nice work.

I may have missed it, but what primer and paint did you use? I like that color and would love to go with that on mine.

Did you use the same paint on the top and bottom?

I used a product called luma brite to clean and etch the hull. I started with a unfinished hull so thats all the prep work I did. I used Parkers Duck Boat paint top and bottom, 2 coats no primer. I am pretty rough on boats during duck season and this is the second tin I have done with the Parkers and it seems to hold up well.

 

[Flatsdaddy]

Thanks for the info. That is a great looking boat.

 

[jsharp]

so how did the bot do i love the setup i have an 88 bass tracker that started redoing the floor but after i tore the console and floor out was thinking of putting in a center console how is the stability of the boat

 

[rook]

Stablitly of the boat is great. The center console has flex to it, I figured it would with it standing alone like it is, its bolted down to the floor so Im not afraid of it coming loose but it makes the gps hard to read in a chop. Not any worse than every other tin center console Ive been in, factory or not. Boat will run 35mph per GPS with me, my dog and loaded for fishing. I got into a pond last weekend on low tide that I wouldnt dare trying in my bay boat. I was running in probably 10"-12" wide open and she never skipped a beat. Was trolling in water just a shallow and she will jump on plane in about 18". Its fits my needs perfectly, love it.

 

[jasond37]

What a fantastic job! It's really a great looking boat, nice work!

 

[rook]

Started working on my floundering setup. Gonna be running 3-200w floods on deck and 2-100w halogens for under water on a small generator. This should give me plenty of light to gig some "flatties". Pics to come soon. If yall have never tried floundering you dont know what you are missing. As a good friend of mine sasy "its like hunting and fishing at the same time!.".

 

[fish devil]

:twisted: Great job on the restoration!!!!!

 

[jcb]

I liles yee boat.You did her up just fine =D> =D> =D>

 

[cali27]

Very nice job. I love how clean everything looks.

 

[mmf]

That's one great job you did! I have a couple of questions too. I bought a 1990 model just like yours and now you have me wanting to convert it to a center console. I could'nt help but notice you did not touch or mention the inside of the transom. I think tracker on the later models had an aluminum channel transom area but if I am not mistaken the earlier models had a wooden transom, is this correct? Also, what kind of plywood did you use and did you seal it?
Thanks

 

[dustin hix]

how did your home made jack plate work, could one be made out ouf 4 inch aluminum angle? I am thinking of making one to raise my motor up. thanks and nice job