Today may be the day... Xpress 1546D

[russ010]

well... I just got off with the owner and she told me they "tried" to pull it up the hill with a 250 4-wheeler.. I've got access to a 325, so this Saturday I'm going to go over and try to get it out. She said they almost got it to the top of the hill so my plan is to see what we can do with the 4wheeler and if it won't get all the way up, hook the 4wheeler to a truck and pull it the rest of the way out with it..

I'M EXCITED!!! One way or the other, we're gettin it out this weekend - I'll try to get pictures of us taking it out and the hill I'm referring to.

 

[whj812]

Good luck.....better hope it dont rain. That GA mud is SLIIIIIIIICCCKK when it rains!! LOL!

 

[poolie]

That's great news Russ!! The forecast is looking better and better for the weekend and should be dry.

 

[russ010]

only thing is... even if I get it this weekend, I won't get to do anything to the boat until after our tournament.

I'm getting my underwriting files ready for an Audit we are having for the 1st week of June and next week I'll most likely be working LATE hours - like til 12-1am, and then back in the office at 6-7am.

BUT - a livewell is all I need to work with... and I ordered a new Motorguide 71# thrust foot controlled motor for the front. I'm going to stick with the 50# & 55# on the back for now... but, I plan on getting atleast an 82# to replace those, or maybe even a 101#, but I'm thinking more likely it will be the 82

 

[poolie]

I'm getting my underwriting files ready for an Audit we are having for the 1st week of June and next week I'll most likely be working LATE hours - like til 12-1am, and then back in the office at 6-7am.

Dang man you had better stock up on Mountain Dew. Add drive time to that (which at least won't be too bad at those hours) and there's not much time for sleeping. Hopefully it's just once a year.

 

[russ010]

it's just once a year... but man, I've got 5 accounts and each of these underwriting files completely fills up those 4" binder notebooks... it's amazing the stuff you have to do for these things.

I've been getting in around 8:15-8:30 this week... and I'm leaving my house at 7am. I can't wait for school to be out down here, then it's back to the 45min commute!

 

[poolie]

I know your pain. I work on the Trust Account/Brokerage side of the bank and because of our good friend SOX we have paperwork running out of our ears and the external auditors love to look through it all several times a year.

That's right... summer traffic starts in a week or so. Woo Hoo! Gotta love Atlanta traffic. I have to leave the house by 6:30 to avoid the downtown mess.

 

[Zum]

Do you know anyone with a good electric winch?
A come-a-long or block an tackle should/might help as well.
What is it,a cliff your going up?
Good luck.

 

[russ010]

Do you know anyone with a good electric winch?
A come-a-long or block an tackle should/might help as well.
What is it,a cliff your going up?
Good luck.

my bro-in-law has an electric winch, but he's out of town and I don't have access to it...

I'm taking my come alongs too, but I've got a tow rope I can attach to the truck and pull them boat up. The hill might as well be a cliff - it's about a 65-70 degree incline that drops about 20'... it's a beast - especially if it's wet

 

[whj812]

How in the world did they get it in there??? LOL!!! Sounds crazy!

 

[russ010]

they took it down with a 4wheeler... but they couldn't pull it out with it.

It's been sitting down there since 2004... it was all I could do to walk up the dang thing - luckily I took my hunting boots with the that day and those things have some major mud treads

 

[poolie]

It sounds more and more like this was the boat you were supposed to have

 

[russ010]

It sounds more and more like this was the boat you were supposed to have

well if I put all the plans in my head together to deck this boat - I plan on keeping this boat for a VERY long time.

I think I'm going to go ahead and use angle iron for the supports, and use wood on top. I want to build my "boat building funds" back up a little before I use aluminum sheeting. You never know, I might figure something else that will work and if I use aluminum I don't want to be hindered by the cost of cutting it out and redoing it. I think I'm just going to extend the front deck back and the rear deck forward a little. I still like keeping the middle open because I find that easier to get back and do culling and getting fish out of the water as opposed to being high on the deck. My knees aren't what they used to be for bending, so until I get the total knee replacement they tell me I need, I'm going to save myself some trouble.

 

[poolie]

The only used 1442 I found was decked front to back and I just couldn't live with it. I like having the middle with just a floor.

 

[bassboy1]

I just wish that when I was looking for my boat, I used the 4 grand I put in my rig into buying all the 1442s, 1448s, and 1542s I saw, held onto them for a year, then resold them. If only I knew they would all but disappear....

 

[russ010]

I've actually thought about buying a few... fixing them up then reselling them. I know where one 1448 is that I haven't decided if I'm going to get yet or not - but I don't think I would make but maybe 3-500 bucks off it and not sure it is worth it

 

[ober51]

I just wish that when I was looking for my boat, I used the 4 grand I put in my rig into buying all the 1442s, 1448s, and 1542s I saw, held onto them for a year, then resold them. If only I knew they would all but disappear....

I haven't seen many around here either - the one I bought is basically the only one I have seen. Making some money is not a bad idea, I may do that this summer. I think there is a market, but you need to find the deals quick, since those cheaper boats move quickly.

 

[poolie]

I've actually thought about buying a few... fixing them up then reselling them. I know where one 1448 is that I haven't decided if I'm going to get yet or not - but I don't think I would make but maybe 3-500 bucks off it and not sure it is worth it

I thought about doing that as well to generate a little fishing money, but you're right, you'd have to get an exceptional deal on the boat (which is doubtful on the wider ones) to make it worth the time investment. And really all you would want to do it clean it, repair it and paint it. Adding mods, which we all know is the fun part, would probably not provide a good return on your investment. I overlooked several wide bodies during my boat search because they had been decked. I wasn't willing to pay the extra price because I knew I would end up ripping out their work and re-doing it to my specs. I imagine others would feel the same way.

Oh well, enough rambling. Work beckons and I want to get out of here a little early today.

 

[russ010]

we got the boat out today (well... technically yesterday). A fellow tinboater and I journeyed out to Athens to bring her home. We left my house around 7am, got there at 9 and walked down the hill to where she sat. I looked at it and cut the carpet with my knife to see what it looked like underneat. SATURATED MARINE PLY... so, I went back up to the truck, got my drills out and went to town on the hundreds of screws he had holding that rod box together.

I ended up getting ticked with it when the rusted screws started breaking at the heads, and gave it a few good kicks while Tyler (bassfisher6) pried the hell out of them. Needless to say, we took out about 200lbs of extra weight between the decking, rod box, trolling motor and battery. We hooked up her 4wheeler (which she failed to get the boat up the hill with) and I told Tyler I was going to back it up and get a running start - taking that thing up the hill was like cutting butter with a warm knife.. Needless to say, we still had to carry that wet board up that stupid hill.

Got about halfway home and pulled into the car wash... $10 later (I hope... it had a credit card swiper to pay) and I have a totally different looking boat. I'll take pics tomorrow when me and bassboy1 get back from fishing acworth (as long as it's still daylight).

 

[dougdad]

congrats Russ, I laughed at your predicerment, cause I went through the same thing when I bought my boat, it was soaked to the bone so to speek and we tore the heck out of the old fellers yard to get it out. It looked like death warmed over,LOL put turned out to be a good boat. HAVE FUN !!