Re-Rigging the 184DC ChampioN

The epoxy was cured enough to start the rigging of my equipment onto and into the new ChampioN.

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A trolling motor installer's best friend. Positioning a trolling motor is hard enough to get perfect but then keeping it in place to drill the holes is terrible unless you have a long 1/4in drill bit like this one.

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After moving the trolling motor all around to keep the control head inside the rub rail, cover all the epoxy repairs, and move the trolling motor back as far as possible so it doesn't catch the winch post when launching the boat. Once I'm happy I start drilling. As I drill I install a screw to keep the TM from moving. After I had 5 holes in the deck I was good.

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This is the panel that came off where a trolling motor plug was at one time. The unit I removed was hard wired. I will have to make a new one.

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Before removing the trolling motor to put marine below the waterline approved silicone down to seal the mounting holes I ran two tape lines to guide me back to the right place on the deck. This allows me to lower the trolling motor straight down without any adjustment before installing the bolts to hold it in place. You want the silicone to seal everything up.

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Those hard to reach bolts are a chinch using a little creative thinking. I tape a wrench to something to extend it, using butyl tape I hold the nut & washer to the wrench while I reach up to the bow screw. After threading & tightening the screw the butyl turns loose and you're done.

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To deal with the excess length of the Transducer mounting clamps I first tighten both clamps in the proper location then using a Sharpie I mark back from the screw far enough to allow removing and installing the clamp. A pair of Tin Snips is used to cut off the excess clamp band then the clamps are reinstalled.

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The next thing was to install the Humminbird Mega Live transducer. Well what do you know, Humminbird used a shielded pair of power wires to prevent inductive interference. Smart. I routed all the wires up the TM shaft before quitting this evening.

Looking good!

Looking great!

I received a email with the new registration so I hopped on the Plotter Computer to design something cool.

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Hard to see on this computer screen but I like to put a backward lean to all the numbers I plot. Makes them look like they are moving even when sitting still. A bit of drop shadowing completes the look I want.

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I had just cut that carpet on my sewing table so I had carpet fibers everywhere. After first weeding all the undesired vinyl leaving the Drop Shadow & Numbers I used clear Transfer Tape to pick up the Numbers the over laid them onto the Drop Shadow. Now I just have to cut the two sets of numbers into two and apply on the boat.

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I already cleaned the old numbers off the hull and prepped it for the new ones. This film I used doesn't have the life of other sign vinyl but looks way cooler.

Looks good and easy to read.

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I added a third seat as we may be using this boat to make Mach Runs to the Biloxi Marsh.

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I've taken the Aft compartment as far as I'm going to go right now. I little more wires were tied together further neatening the compartment but there's more important stuff to do.

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the Trolling Motor was hard wired, Not caring for that and having two of these 70amp plug & receptacle sets in stock I used one on the Champ. This boat is wired with #6 so these sets are set up for #6 wire.

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You can see the lugs have 2 set screws, sleeves are used over the wires, and the Pins are slotted for a tighter fit.

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here is a shot of the sleeves that go over the wires before tightening the set screws.

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The receptacle is installed in a new King Starboard panel I fabricated. The stainless panel on the carpet is what came with the boat.

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Using the Swiss Cheese aluminum dash plate as a pattern I cut out a new one. This is required to shoehorn two Plotters where there is only room for one.

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Both Plotters are resting on the new dash panel clamped in place with spring clamps for now. Tomorrow I will swap them around a bit before decided where to mount the 2 units.

Looking nice! It must be interesting to balance your schedule with rigging boats, fishing, and other hobbies.

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Originally Posted by jjue1979

Looking nice! It must be interesting to balance your schedule with rigging boats, fishing, and other hobbies.

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The secret is to never stop moving. If I'm not moving I'm fishing.

Well turns out I decided to install the little battery I use to power my bow electronics in the Aft compartment. To do that I need a battery Tray of some sort. Having a big piece of 1/8in Aluminum Diamond Plate in Brite Anodized sheet metal that is leftover from another job I just laid a couple out in the Diamond Plate and proceeded to hammer them out.

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First thing was to cut them out. The Cold Saw knocked the first cut out and the Miter Saw the second cut.

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My 100+ year old Notcher still works perfectly. I notched all the corners before going to the Brake.

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Drilling a hole on each side for the strap was easier done before bending.

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This is a Box Brake so the fingers can be removed to allow bending of the off sides. The Battery fits perfectly.

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I've already armored & installed a #10 2 conductor DC wire from the battery all the way up to the Bow running the power supply wire inside the upper Gunnel wireway.

That looks really good with the battery. Very nice