justfish Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Joe, I like that idea. The only reason I use the cooler I keep under there is a fish box mostly one week a year for cobia. I could put it up front for that. Got any better pics? Looks like nice work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowcountry Joe Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 I do have better pics but I can't find them on my computer. I'm not home now but when I return in a few weeks I'll take better pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfish Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Cheap and sturdy leaning cup holders. Get the plastic recessed cup holders (about $2 from Wally World or $20 from west marine) and scrap starboard or cutting board. Cut hole for cup holder and shape like all the other $50 ones you've seen. Screw them on through inside of leaning post top rail... The plastic really screws on well, they are sold as a rock. All in like $5-10 for both. Ill if I can come up with some better pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdsnook Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Quote Changed the color on my hull with vinyl wrap for less than 250 bucks all in, looks great, lasting good so far! It was Millennium Blue....I can peal the vinyl off any time I want and change to something else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLDXT Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Cleaned up my dash, ditched my non-working compass, removed a useless trim gauge, removed my windshield and used the pipe work as grab rails. Tired of everybody grabbing my steering wheel to stand up, it has to be tough on the helm. A little coxcombing to help the look. Still a work in progress, would love to have one of the newer, higher consoles in the hpx to flush mount everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLDXT Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Replaced the switch panel with a little customization. Sidenote: wiring isn't like that anymore, but still drives me crazy, that pic looks alot worse than it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CG RYAN Posted September 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Did you wrap the wheel and grab rails? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLDXT Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 19 minutes ago, CG RYAN said: Did you wrap the wheel and grab rails? I did. Eventually will line x everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE OUTLAW Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 I just had my poling platform and rodholders Line X ed. Very happy . Better than new ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craSSh Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 When I bought my boat, the Yamaha oil reservoir bracket was rusted out. I replaced it with a plastic group 27 battery tray with nylon straps. It fit perfect and was only like $8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brew1891 Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 15 hours ago, craSSh said: When I bought my boat, the Yamaha oil reservoir bracket was rusted out. I replaced it with a plastic group 27 battery tray with nylon straps. It fit perfect and was only like $8. Great idea. Mines rusted bad too. Beats spending over $100 bucks for a stainless one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichwaysup Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 A small one, but it made a huge difference. Makes your GPS/Fishfinder viewable all over the boat. Best $45 I've spent: http://www.westmarine.com/buy/ram-mounts--universal-electronics-mount--319147?cm_mmc=PS-_-Google-_-Shopping_PLAs-_-319147&adpos=1o2&creative=108421560244&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQjw0rm-BRCn85bm8uS-zK0BEiQAHo4vrJRyp0dF-tH5rqP6GjIJxXQnAH_9zudik6b9AxBxaVMaAq_G8P8HAQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 x2 on the rams, had them on several boats. presently on by tower gps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 I like it, great idea... I don't have anything to offer at this point but I will...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Outlaw... Digging the forward mods, and the Crown stash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 I used this to line hatches. It's the cheapest Seadeck like material around. It's pretty nice, would also be totally usable on the deck. It's also local for me. http://www.shopsbt.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=blacktip-sheet-goods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulligan Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 I have not done many to current boat but here are a few. I like the idea of the light rings but only wanted them to shine down. A led strip hidden under the speaker did the trick and was cheap. Transducers are ugly enough so I had to at least cover the cables. Simple fiberglass mold and grey gel coat to match did the trick. While not to the boat a simple u bolt and a bracket on your hitch makes towing much smoother. No more hitch moving around when towing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Tyler Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 2 hours ago, mulligan said: I have not done many to current boat but here are a few. I like the idea of the light rings but only wanted them to shine down. A led strip hidden under the speaker did the trick and was cheap. Transducers are ugly enough so I had to at least cover the cables. Simple fiberglass mold and grey gel coat to match did the trick. While not to the boat a simple u bolt and a bracket on your hitch makes towing much smoother. No more hitch moving around when towing. @mulligan That sounds nice man can you show more of how you set up your hitch so it doesn't shift around? Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 20 hours ago, hurricane said: I used this to line hatches. It's the cheapest Seadeck like material around. It's pretty nice, would also be totally usable on the deck. It's also local for me. http://www.shopsbt.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=blacktip-sheet-goods very good looking and the price is right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulligan Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 It was just some scrap metal I cut to a "T" shape and bent it to fit. Then just tacked it on. Simple to do if you have the stuff laying around. They do sell hitches that do the same thing but are pricey. I have also seen some that bolt on both male and female parts. They are a bit bulky and mine was free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostrider66 Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 I have kind of made a hobby out of the cheap and not so cheap upgrade. I have added this stuff one piece at a time over the years as funds became available. I kept the old school classic look of the guide console with analog gauges and compass. Not much of the original equipment is left on the console. Additions/replacements as follows: Fold down, all around light for general illumination, Garmin GPS/sounder, gauges, compass, steering wheel, hook to keep spotlight in a handy spot while driving, shelf to hold GPS. hatch to access bait tank valve under console, 8 foot VHF antenna on stainless mount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostrider66 Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 This is my latest addition, a box I made to hold soft plastics. This keeps the smelly stuff in an upright position, out of my tackle bag, vehicle, house etc. Short piece of line to stake out the pushpole I moved the house battery to the front compartment. I screwed in a battery tray and wedged a piece of starboard into the battery tray to hold the switch/fuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostrider66 Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 I installed the best bait tank i could find, a 17 gallon Kodiak Pro Flow. The Kodiak spins water around the tank and keeps a ton of bait and whatever you catch alive. There are two pickups (one is a high speed pickup) each with a pump that feed the tank with raw water. The tank drains via gravity while at rest with the pumps off. Both intakes have either a shutoff valve or seacock at the transom for safety. There is another valve under the console to keep the bait tank from draining if need be. The built in baitwell in the stern has been relegated to storage, but I could easily hook it back up if I sold the boat. The nylon sock on the intake if for a clothes washer drain. It works great. I amazed it holds up to being dragged 40 mph through the water. I don't use a filter and have never had the intake clog. Sometimes I have to reach down and pull grass off of it, but I do have two intakes and can just turn on the other pump and pull from the other intake. THIS was a CHEAP upgrade. LOL The bait tank has the added benefit of redistributing weight. Between the bait tank, deep cycle battery, and trolling motor up front, the bow has enough weight to crush through a chop. I upgraded the console rod rack from a three tube to a four tube. I put the transducer on starboard so if I ever buy a new sonar, I won't have to drill new holes. . There is I u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostrider66 Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 Pliers/knife/lures holder, foldable coffee cup holder, stainless vhf antenna mount. I glued in a gasket to quiet the lid when you set if down or walk on it. I replaced the pie hole with a see through one so I can quickly inspect the bilge to see if I have water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostrider66 Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 I just wanna take a moment to thank MBG for putting an amazing finish on this boat. This boat is 21 years old and THIS is why I put so much work into the upgrades. You can see my kids bike and my orange road cone in the finish. This is the original gel coat. I don't use abrasives, cleaners or electric buffers, just whatever polish or wax I have at the moment. I think I was using Collinite Fleet Wax when this was taken. I occasionally strip the surface with Collinite No. 920 fiberglass boat cleaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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