Pimp My Inflatable Boat
By Rune | August 11th, 2011 | Category: Featured articles | 2 comments
Been farting about with the inflatable boat some this summer. But it was time to upgrade it, and with the refund from the Greys Greyflex S beach casting rod that the retailer in York
never managed to send in a workable condition, I purchased a Lowrance 4x pro fish finder for it. That and a couple of rod holders is so far my version of pimping my inflatable boat.
The problem of adding stuff to my boat, is that I don’t have a trailer to cart my boat about on. So I have to deflate it and pack it up in the back of the back of the old Ford Scorpio Estate that my wheels consist of these days. That’s not so good for such things as fish finders and rod holders. So the solution for the fish finder was simple, if not so pleasing for the eye.
I mounted the transducer on a block of wood, yeah I am going to some lumber place to find some better looking stuff one day, that I attached some L-steel to. Now I can hang it of the transom and secure it with a pair of carpenters C-clamps. This should be enough on a boat that does only 5 knots going on full speed.
The screen module I likewise attached to another block of wood, that I secure to the bench seat with a pair of bungee cords.
For rod holders I got one traditional one, that can be taken off it’s mount on the transom with a single twist. I also purchased one C-clamp type rod holder, but this is really bad quallity, and I don’t trust it, so any rod in this one will be secured with a rope or something. This also goes on the bench seat.
Thats my pimped out boat. It’s only an 8 foot little thing, and I need space for my gear, and to bring a guest fisher i.e my stepson Heart (12) or one of my other fishing buddies.
Unfortunately I have not been able to test the fish finder yet, as I started a new job this week. But hope to do so in the weekend, when the weather is also supposed to calm down. We have had 2 weeks of north easterly wind…
Anyway, don’t be afraid to comment on my set-up. Specially if you think I have goofed it up.
The screen on a block of wood, secured with bungee cord. C-clamp rod holder on the right.
Transducer mounted on block of wood.
Nice arrangement of the equipment in such a small place. I have had an arrangement similar to this for the past few years. Just a bit of advice though. For the fish finder why don’t you use a drink cooler bought from the store as a mount for your fish finder? I mounted my fish finder on top of the cooler with a small solar panel t replenish the battery. Inside the cooler I put the batter for a small lawn tractor. I drilled a hole out the back of the cooler to accommodate the transponder cable. When you are done fishing it gives you a place to put your transponder, screen, and any maps and charts you use out on the water. It even keeps your lunch and beer cool too!!!
Thats not the whole show really. I currently use a sturdy plastic box to stow all the fish finder stuff in it, and when in the boat it doubles as a waterproof box for the battery. The one I use kept going for 11 sollid hours fishing last time I was out, and was down to 12.5V from fully charged. So a solar panel is not needed. Becides…this is the arctic. the sun is not out that much…
Anyway, a cooler box would be much sturdier so that a good idea..thanks a lot.