Bigger Boat

[Luvit]

I would like a bigger boat for offshore work. Wife not on board with it. 

So I made the existing one bigger inside by removing the seats and replacing with an good quality ice box to use as a seat.

Small things make me happy.

heaps of room. Disregard the hole at the back doing some maintenance.

[Samrenny]

Looks awesome Wayne, you've just about doubled the size in terms of useable area by doing that! Good stuff. I'm starting to get more in to the offshore side of things now too, its a slippery slope!

[Luvit]

Have to pick our days but it's good fun offshore, in small boats.

[Jimmyjack]

Yep I agree. I've had to do some work to get the balance between estuary and offshore in  little 5 m Stylecraft.

[Luvit]

Bit of DIY to improve the boats use ability.

The easier it is to use, the more often you will use it. Some tackle storage like you have would be good.

[kmcrosby78]

Good option Wayne - plenty of room now for the small(ish) sacrifice. Do you sit much whilst driving?

[kmcrosby78]

Love the second sentence of your original post BTW - sums up married life doesn't it!!  The difference between the boat type I'd REALLY like and the one I will end up settling before is about $10-15k minimum ........

[Luvit]

No, I nearly always stand.

Sometimes if it is really calm, I like to sit and give the back a rest. The big plus is taking the esky in front of the console away and have heaps of extra room in the front. 

The kids and I will have more room to sleep when we stay out off Frazer Island overnight.

The Tecni ice box can be an ice box or storage.

[Jimmyjack]

Because I livebait for jacks and fingermarks a lot of the time I take alittle folding seat with me to take the strain off. My son who's a chippie set up the tool box on its side with tilted trays to suit plano sized tackle boxes. I would like a front deck so I could cast net from the front. That's the only problem I have, as I've fished heaps on the Mary, in the Strait, off Turkey Beach but also out on the hards and Cal 12 mile, murphy's etc. good little boat that I'm unloading if I can get the right coin for it.

[Jimmyjack]

And I agree Wayne, I always stand when I'm travelling. It's so much easier hey.

[Luvit]

You getting another?

[kmcrosby78]

Hard to tell in the photo but is the esky shorter than is ideal for sitting on? If so I'm wondering if you could source a storage box (probably metal - possibly custom made by someone like Stu) to sit under it or on top of it (secured by a strapping system of some description) and then if need be a cushion attached to it.  Just an idea - not necessarily easy to organise/obtain but may be worthwhile if it could hold several/heaps of tackle trays, etc.

[Luvit]

It is about 5cm lower than the original seats. 

A cushion on top would make that height up. 

Your idea is a good one, however I like the flexibility of being able to move it around the boat depending on what type of fishing in doing at the time.

It is not fixed, so I can move it closer to the console, giving more room in the back. Can move it up to the front if I want, more room if micro jigging. Lure fishing most of the time moving alrounfd the boat is important. 

 

[kmcrosby78]

I'm hoping a deal like this pops up once I'm in the position to purchase my next one - great looking rig!!

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/rosslyn/motorboats-powerboats/allison-alloy-arafura-545-plate-centre-console-exc-cond/1118255068

 

[Luvit]

Looks good,

I'm quite partial to th AMM boats in aluminium.