03-05-2019, 02:08 PM
No problem. Hoped it would help someone. Don't know if your 14'er has a deck or just bench type seats. Mine has a vinyl covered deck so it has a "bilge". Has a small live well also. The pumps for each are under a hinged panel at the left side stern next to where transom meets the deck. Having a working bilge system is quite nice, but I carry a bailing bucket also. Which has only ever been used to "bail" fluids I need to get rid of. Boat too small to try and "bail" of the edge. [laugh]
Craig, one thing maybe you haven't thought of: When you are the only one in the boat, you will most often be at the stern with the motor tiller. With motor weight, your weight, gas, battery, etc. getting the bow down to see over it when you are running at anything above a slow troll speed is a bit of a trick. I have 3 sand bags, with 40 lbs. of sand in each one that I keep in the bow deck area that act as ballast. If I have a second person on the boat, I just lift those sand bags out and leave them in the boat shed, or in the back of my truck if I have forgotten to take them out before leaving home. That 120 lbs. counter weight in the bow allows me to run at full throttle and keeps the bow down out of my line of sight. Of course adjust accordingly to your specific needs. Also keeps me a bit more stable on the water when I'm alone so I don't get the fore and aft pitch when I move around.
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Craig, one thing maybe you haven't thought of: When you are the only one in the boat, you will most often be at the stern with the motor tiller. With motor weight, your weight, gas, battery, etc. getting the bow down to see over it when you are running at anything above a slow troll speed is a bit of a trick. I have 3 sand bags, with 40 lbs. of sand in each one that I keep in the bow deck area that act as ballast. If I have a second person on the boat, I just lift those sand bags out and leave them in the boat shed, or in the back of my truck if I have forgotten to take them out before leaving home. That 120 lbs. counter weight in the bow allows me to run at full throttle and keeps the bow down out of my line of sight. Of course adjust accordingly to your specific needs. Also keeps me a bit more stable on the water when I'm alone so I don't get the fore and aft pitch when I move around.
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
Or so it says on my license plate holder
Or so it says on my license plate holder