|
Posts: 3870
| For almost 10 years I had an early 70's 14' Blue Finn semi deep V with a 15hp merc on it. Cut out the front seat, cut down and reinstalled the middle seat toward the front. Installed a 3/4" marine-grade plywood floor between the 2 benches and in front of the front bench. Battery box and huge battery in the way front, simple 6gal gas tank in the rear opposite where I sat. Seats installed front and back, rear seat to one side (opposite the gas tank). Milk crate on the floor behind my seat to hold first aide kit, lure-retriever and a small anchor. Bolted my fish finder on the top of the bench seat and a cheap tool holder (release tools, files) on the front of that bench bellow the finder. Built a lighted, fused switch box to run lights and protect the finder and mounted it behind the fish finder. Bought the biggest Minn Kota tiller Maxxum I could afford (70, I believe) and a clamp-on Minn Kota extendo handle, steered the boat with my hip while casting. Everything was water proof, never covered that boat except winter in the yard. Every third year I replaced the floor and wiring, every second year I replaced tires and trailer lights/wires, and every spring I repacked/replaced wheel bearings.
I put a zillion hours on that boat and thousands of miles on the trailer. It was familiar at M1 outings for a couple years and since I was always rolling solo I took out the guys who showed up with broken motors on their big rigs. Best trip ever was fishing my way from home in SW MI up thru MI, across the UP, across NC WI, thru MN to catch the Widespread Panic shows at Detroit Lakes, then back thru MN and down thru WI around Chicago to get home again. Also fished my way to and from Dead shows at Alpine and the Further shows at ? Anyway, that little boat was a riot, caught a bunch of fish and had great times with Al, Pappa Joe, that guy who sells screws, and others. Took it to Worrall's wedding reception (where I first met that rascal Andrew/Slammer) and stayed at the Hideout.
A little boat can get where big boats can't go. Had a 2-door Jeep Cherokee Sport with the inline 6 and manual transmission when I lived in the Yoop. I could put that boat in ANYWHERE the logging roads reached the rivers or mine ponds. If a 2-track logging road dead-ended in the woods I could unhook the boat, push it off into the woods, flip the Jeep, rehook the boat and get back out, no problem. The boat was exceptional on rivers, light, fast, safe to hit debris or deadheads.
I now run a pimped Yar Craft 209tfx but still miss that totally dependable, easy to fix, take anywhere, beater boat. Named it Stella Blue Finn. Always had Dead stickers on it, sides and back.
Sorry for the long post, I'm just thinking back.
Edited by Ranger 4/27/2020 3:58 PM
| |
|
