Last week Roper was kind enough to pick up my new Predator in Bellingham and haul it over to his ranch in Oroville for me. After returning home I put the boat together and started rigging it to my satisfaction. There were some warts but I corrected them and turned my attention to a motor mount. Scadden sells one for $149 but my impression of it was that with the straps pulled across the boat it had elements of the OHSA cowboy about it-not a very neat installation. I designed a mount that fits the boat more precisely and attaches with two NRS cam lock straps that are completely out of the way. It is hell for stout being made out of Baltic birch with maple cross pieces. Inset with dados, glue and screws it is strong enough for me to stand on yet weighs only 2# 10 oz.
I found the little cooler chest that does triple duty as a battery box, cooler or with the plastic bucket removed works as a gear bag. I built a frame that fits tightly in the bottom that holds the 35 amp hour wheel chair battery in place. Again, I priced bags that were custom built for frameless pontoons and as you can imagine they were 60-80 dollars but this one for $19 matched the boat and fits perfectly. The shoulder strap is captured by the seat straps so it can't come loose or shift around.
In order to provide plenty of friction so the mount could never rotate around the boat I used 2 things that are easily obtained in many stores. Flex Seal is the stuff that is usually advertised as a gutter seal -you've seen the ads of the boat with the screen door bottom. The other thing is the soft perforated rubber shelf liner that keeps things from skidding around in RVs. I cut 3 pieces that just fit the crossbars of the motor mount, sprayed them on one side with Flex Seal then placed them on the crossbars. Once they dry they can't be peeled off and are super tacky. If your anchor mount, rod holders or Fishin'Buddy holster have a tendency to creep around your inflatable try gluing some of this stuff on the contact surfaces and they will stay where you put them.
I think I am going to like this boat. completely rigged with the carbon fiber oars, anchor mount, seat, stripping apron, 2 strap on pockets Fishin'Buddy holster, motor mount and battery box it still weighs just 24#. That is less than half the weight of the pontoon boat I have. I bought an electric pump that fills the bladders quickly to about 1# and made a bayonet fitting that locks in the valve so filling is hands free. A few pumps at the end brings the boat to the correct pressure. After all these years of blowing up boats I finally bought a gauge so now I am getting it right the first time.
Now it' time to go fishing, hopefully some reports to follow.
I found the little cooler chest that does triple duty as a battery box, cooler or with the plastic bucket removed works as a gear bag. I built a frame that fits tightly in the bottom that holds the 35 amp hour wheel chair battery in place. Again, I priced bags that were custom built for frameless pontoons and as you can imagine they were 60-80 dollars but this one for $19 matched the boat and fits perfectly. The shoulder strap is captured by the seat straps so it can't come loose or shift around.
In order to provide plenty of friction so the mount could never rotate around the boat I used 2 things that are easily obtained in many stores. Flex Seal is the stuff that is usually advertised as a gutter seal -you've seen the ads of the boat with the screen door bottom. The other thing is the soft perforated rubber shelf liner that keeps things from skidding around in RVs. I cut 3 pieces that just fit the crossbars of the motor mount, sprayed them on one side with Flex Seal then placed them on the crossbars. Once they dry they can't be peeled off and are super tacky. If your anchor mount, rod holders or Fishin'Buddy holster have a tendency to creep around your inflatable try gluing some of this stuff on the contact surfaces and they will stay where you put them.
I think I am going to like this boat. completely rigged with the carbon fiber oars, anchor mount, seat, stripping apron, 2 strap on pockets Fishin'Buddy holster, motor mount and battery box it still weighs just 24#. That is less than half the weight of the pontoon boat I have. I bought an electric pump that fills the bladders quickly to about 1# and made a bayonet fitting that locks in the valve so filling is hands free. A few pumps at the end brings the boat to the correct pressure. After all these years of blowing up boats I finally bought a gauge so now I am getting it right the first time.
Now it' time to go fishing, hopefully some reports to follow.