Rebuild of an '85 Bass Tracker Boat.

[TexanSam]

Following this thread, I am currently refurbishing an 89 Spectrum bass boat. I cannot decide where to put the fish finder either. My thoughts are that if I'm looking for the fish, I'll be motoring around until I find a good general area and then drop the trolling motor and go from there

 

[Sytes]

Speaking of fire...

I was curious about the design for the fuel tank location and the battery compartment in the same rear enclosed box. It has an air flow setup though seems purely manual... boat moves ---> air sucks through one side and exits out the other side. However, my thought is using the trolling motor or idling / slow main motor trolling will not move the boat fast enough to bring near the airflow to clear fuel fumes where the batteries may have a surge or spark potential... It appears designed this way and I would imagine this would not be crafted as such so am I over thinking this???

 

[Elkmagnet]

Its the only way I have ever see it done.
If you have sparks in a battery compartment without proper ventilation you can easily have a hydrogen gas explosion. It doesn't help to have the gas in there but the only way to avoid an explosion is to ventilate and eliminate any sparks. I have seen some bad battery explosions on equipment.
As a side note the acid will eat an aluminum boat right quick. Make sure to have a good batt box in case of spillage or puncture

 

[elker]

Sytes, nice boat. Might want to consider using an aluminum polish to buff the hull. Ditto replacing the impeller and it's also a good idea to check the compression. I've been restoring/rebuilding fishing boats as winter projects. Below is a 1984 Skeeter that was in really bad shape. Repaint, interior and newer motor was needed. Duralux bottom paint, Total Boat paint for above waterline. 2nd picture is a 1974 Ranger Bass Master Classic that was #15 of 29 boats that Ranger supplied for the classic that year. Must have been stored inside, very low use. Needed to replace power trim and tilt with a CMC unit, electronic unit, lower oil, impeller, rebuilt carbs, upgraded trolling motor. Runs great and have taken it out a couple of times this year. Fun hobby for the cold months, enjoy your boat!

 

[Sytes]

I had a good friend who's a pretty solid mechanic (though not really an outboard motor mechanic) on the lake with me and he said the engine sounded great all around. idle is good, etc. The issue - for a 50hp 2 stroke - from what I can find on the internet, they appear to run top speed of 25-30mph. By my fish finder, @ 6000 rpm's, I top @ 15-18 mph. With that info, he believes the engine has a smooth operational sound and thinks the propeller may have been swapped with one not ideal or damaged. Would the prop alone boost 10mph? I'll snap a pic and post it along with run the serial # and see if it's designed for this motor. How do propellers work related to pitch, 3 or 4 blade, etc. What is ideal for a 17' Edit added: Actually, the propeller is visible in the first post. looks pretty clean as in, no damage... though the size / pitch?

Part 2:
I'm About to pull up the decking... "Marine grade plywood" seems extremely hard to find in my neck of the woods. I'm not full of $$$ to run the premium setting. Example, I kept the original console - filled the cracks with a bonding agent to maintain the strength.
I'm going with 23/32 and have a waterproofing / mold resistant primer I plan to apply. Purchased some marine carpet and an adhesive bonding agent. I'll fold the carpet over the edges and staple the underside as well. I plan to cut the same pattern of the decking I remove EXCEPT, I intend to weld up some aluminum framed bracing to bring the bow deck all the way to the console. On the left size of the console (open area), there will be a vertical drop down door (under the bow top deck) that will have about a quantity of 6 large 2" pvc pipes run from that point to the bow (store fishing rods/reels) and on one side or the other, a slot for holding tackle, and vests. This will be a locked storage area... or that is my intent.
As for the current hinged hatches on stern deck, I'm not sure if the plan is to salvage the current hatches or replace. They are plastic molded edges... I may simply fabricate new hatches as the current ones have seen better days - long ago...

I placed a fuse box and routing everything through a toggle switch panel, to the fuse box and all battery power runs to a primary on/off switch - then to the fuse box, with the exception for the ignition which is direct.

Anyhow, tips are always great. Appreciate everyone's input. The little, "oh shit, wish I had done that different" and the, "Heck ya! That little trick worked great!" are great pieces of info...

 

[Elkmagnet]

If, you are not able to fully get on plain then yes a small change in prop pitch can easily be the difference.

 

[targetpanic]

What is the max RPM range for that motor? If you were turning 6000rpm I would guess that to be about top end for that motor...if that is the case then a lower pitch prop may over rev the motor

 

[Sytes]

6k is the top. 5k is the marked point and I ran about 14-15mph @ 5k.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Is 6k at w.o.t? Or is there more throttle left? Can you over rev if you try?

 

[JTHOMP]

I had a good friend who's a pretty solid mechanic (though not really an outboard motor mechanic) on the lake with me and he said the engine sounded great all around. idle is good, etc. The issue - for a 50hp 2 stroke - from what I can find on the internet, they appear to run top speed of 25-30mph. By my fish finder, @ 6000 rpm's, I top @ 15-18 mph. With that info, he believes the engine has a smooth operational sound and thinks the propeller may have been swapped with one not ideal or damaged. Would the prop alone boost 10mph? I'll snap a pic and post it along with run the serial # and see if it's designed for this motor. How do propellers work related to pitch, 3 or 4 blade, etc. What is ideal for a 17' Edit added: Actually, the propeller is visible in the first post. looks pretty clean as in, no damage... though the size / pitch?

Your boat is bigger and heavier than mine (15 foot flat bottom with an open hull), but with my 2 stroke Merc 40hp I top out at 38mph. I would think it shouldn't have any issue topping out at 30 or better. As for changing the prop I don't think you'll get 10 mph out of a better prop, but doesn't hurt to look into it. Is it slow to plane out? May sound dumb I couldn't tell from the pics, but make sure the anti cavitation plate is sitting level with the bottom of the boat.
If there is a local prop shop might be a good idea to call and pick their brain about what you're running and see what they say.

 

[kansasdad]

Brother in law told me that he had felt like his motor was running poorly, took it in, checked out fine mechanically, and then it was suggested he get a differently pitched prop to make it more efficient running. He had it explained to him that moving from Minneapolis to Colorado front range, the elevation change was enough to alter the running properties of the motor, and changing the prop has improved performance for him (top speed and fuel efficiency both).

 

[Duck-Slayer]

I would get on Mercury’s prop selector and fill out the information than it will spit out several different props. Being not a mercury etc. makes no difference your just trying to get a good idea of what type of prop and pitch you need. If you want more information please don’t hesitate to ask.
Matt

 

[Western Traveler1]

You should be able to feel if the boat is sluggish coming out of the hole or if it feels like you are pushing water on plane. If you are over wheeled you should feel it. Smaller diameter more pitch, quicker out of the hole. More diameter less pitch slower out of the hole better top end. It has been a long time but I think 6000/6300 rpm wot. Weight forward/weight aft can effect engine performance along with engine trim. I’m guessing you want to hit a happy medium unless you are pulling skiers etc.

 

[targetpanic]

I have a big deep wide heavy V-hull (16' Smokercraft Expedition SC) Rated for a 75 or 90hp...the reservoir I fish has a 25hp 4-stroke (20hp 2-stroke) horsepower limit so the boat is grossly underpowered. I had to use a 10" 8P prop, mount the cavitation plate even w bottom of hull, add pneumatic trim tabs, be conscious of weight and weight distribution, and really learn how to play with the trim if I want to get the boat on plane w 2 people. The motor will over rev if by myself (6700rpm) and if it gets on plane w 2 people it will run at 6400-6500 wot and go 20-21mph.

 

[406LIFE]

About 10 years ago I did the same thing. Got the boat for $300 and it floated and had a trailer and motor, but that was it. Around $2,000 later and 2 years of working on it, I got it pretty well completed and had to move. So I sold it, for $1500, never having fished it. Learned a ton about boats and marinecraft.

 

[Sytes]

I picked this up for$1500 initially. Sunk about $1k for tires, electric re-wiring, new low end 45lb Minn kota... Another few hundred spent for the plywood, adhesives, carpet, and aluminum to weld added structure for extending the bow deck back to the console...
Break out another thousand... Or few even for an older. I dig it though...

Chatting with a prop shop who's trying to sell me a new one for a pile over the price... Tough to compete with Amazon. If they were not soooo overly far over priced I would pay 10% more to buy though not 75% over the same line. A good middle of the road prop is the goal.
I tried Merc online prop locator though pre 1999 it takes one with more experience to figure the ideal unit...

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Planing is very slow. The trim does raise and lower the bow a bit.

Learning a ton, and thankfully slow still gets around the lake so a bit of play mixed with the build makes this enjoyable.

 

[tarheel]

A second set of hands would definitely help. Removing the lower unit is easy. It's putting it back on while handling the weight at an odd angle that will make you cuss. Just make sure it all lines up properly and your shift linkage is right.

Yes thank God for all the mechanically sound people that post youtube videos, and for smart phones so you can follow step by step and pause to cuss. They turn monkeys into experts.

I'll chime in with another suggestion to change the impeller. It might be peeing now but so was mine when I left the launch on the first time out one spring some years ago, hell bent on catching a limit of bass , but the blades had taken a set over the winter and by the time it started running poorly the top cylinder already had the rings seized and the sleeve had a coating of aluminum. Had to get a tow and then had to tear the engine down and rebuild it. Replaced a piston, rod and all the needle bearings so my lesson was well learned.

 

[Sytes]

Playing ball gutting out the junk and beginning the re-build... Cosmetics though the bow was flexed.

A ton of junk cleaned out. I was considering welding a couple other braces with the aluminum however, the frame presently seems to do just fine.

 

[Sytes]

I'm going with 23/32 and have a waterproofing / mold resistant primer I plan to apply. Purchased some marine carpet and an adhesive bonding agent. I'll fold the carpet over the edges and staple the underside as well. I plan to cut the same pattern of the decking I remove EXCEPT, I intend to weld up some aluminum framed bracing to bring the bow deck all the way to the console. On the left size of the console (open area), there will be a vertical drop down door (under the bow top deck) that will have about a quantity of 6 large 2" pvc pipes run from that point to the bow (store fishing rods/reels) and on one side or the other, a slot for holding tackle, and vests. This will be a locked storage area... or that is my intent.

Yesterday morning a brief rain hit the property. I had a single sheet of the plywood I purchased outside laid on sawhorses and one end became completely warped and separated, maybe 4"... Anyone use regular plywood with a sealant applied? I don't want to jump these hoops again, least not for a good while and a bit on edge whether to continue with this plywood even with the sealant.
Also, measure twice, cut once... I remeasured the length of viable space to run the PVC for rod storage and it will be tight if not too tight so this part is nixed. I need 7' and can pull 6'6", at the most. Also didn't take into account the foam filler shown in the pic above. Bummer as I thought this would be a good storage slot.

Is 6k at w.o.t? Or is there more throttle left? Can you over rev if you try?

W.O.T. = "wide out throttle"? It tops out as far as I can push the throttle forward and maintains the same sound. It doesn't sound as though the engine whirls faster than the prop speed(?) Seems to be worked max throttle, if that makes sense. I'm pretty new to outboards. Was spoiled with a really clean 4 stroke 15hp that would out run this boat. Friend needed to store it and I was free to use it. 10 years before he returned for it. That was great! Haha! Though left me wanting my own... Hence this project.

 

[TexanSam]

X2 on changing the prop. And keep a spare one on hand too.

As far as Marine grade plywood, why not try coosa board. You may have to get it shipped in but everyone I know that has ever replaced a boat deck now uses this stuff.

Coosa Composite Board - Bluewater 26

www.boatoutfitters.com