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My Dad was given this boat about 2-3 years ago and never did anything with it. The original owner bought it brand new and used it with a trolling motor only in a private pond. Well dad gave the boat to me to have with the stipulation if I ever decide to get rid of it he gets it back. I am currently overhauling the boat and was curious if anyone else still uses this model. Some of the ideas I wanna do are proving a lil more tricky than I had originally thought they would.
Go to Tin Boats.com they have tons of guys doing all kinds of mods to boats over there.
I have a Crappie Jon. Only used it twice (usually take the big boat out). Its fun on small lakes. What kind of work are you doing to it or wanting to do to it?
I will check on tinboats.com.
I am currently getting ready to wire bow and stern lights. Also thought about adding led lights to the inside edge to light the interior for night fishing. However the lip on the inside edge of the boat isn't enought to hide the led strips. So I'm currently trying to figure a way to hide the strips and still have beneficial lighting from them. I have all the flooring pulled out to help with running wires. Gonna replace the styro in the floor cause the original is heavily waterlogged. Gonna paint the boat od green and prolly put hydroturf in the floor instead of carpet. Gonna due your typical depth finder situation as well. Basically just making the boat mine I reckon. Thought maybe someone had some other ideas that they had done to theirs already.
I think its http://tinboats.net actually.
I found it. Thanks for making sure tho. I still haven't found many people with an opinion or even owning these models. But I guess that makes mine a lil more special to me. LolQuote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
Would love to see some pics of it. I don't guess I've ever seen one. I figure that its much like the other projects on tinboats....they are all different...but similar at the same time. Just really depends on how much $$$$ and time you want to put into it. The sky is really the limit.
I will try and upload some pics tomorrow. My lil man is home sick but hopefully he will take a nap at some point.
Sorry for so many photos
This is how I initially received the boat:
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Then I found a trailer:
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My son had fun playing after I got the trailer painted and the boat on it:
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Next I drilled out the rivets and pulled the floor out to replace the waterlogged styrofoam:
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Great project!! Your doing a great job, and doing it right!! If thats the foam insulation board you used, you'll be glad you did. You'll have alot less trouble with that stuff, than some say the spray in kind. That boy is trying to tell you something in a couple of the pics...DAD...I'm ready to go fishing!!! lol.
Great job!
Yeah I did a good bit of research and the spray in or the mix together and pour in just didn't make sense for my application. At least this way water can still drain through the channels below the ribs. The old styro was saturated and heavy so I decided to go with the extruded styro insulation board. My son loves to stand in the boat and act like he is working on it or fishing. I can't wait to take him fishing he will be 3 in May but he is big for his age. Next on the list is the electrical switches, lights, and depthfinder setup. Then it will be time for paint and I'm leaning towards OD green with the gator traxx duck camo hydroturf in the floor. I got a lead on a 1993 Yamaha 25hp for the motor if Uncle Sam would send me my money. I can't get this thing done soon enough. I have always had access to dad's boats but there is just something about this one being MINE. LOL
Its good to see an older crappie jon ! I have a 2009 model and have added a few things and its a great boat for small and medium waters ; the alleged livewell under the back seat is now a battery holder and have mounted electrical switches where the small slot that you are supposed to slide the crappie in used to be . Switches control the lights , 1 for running light and 1 for anchor light , bilge pump , and electronics . recently added a on board charger for both trolling battery and rear battery for everything else , much easier than hooking the auto type charger to batteries one at a time . Now using a aerated cooler for live well since the old live well was a death sentence for any crappies put in it . gas power is a Nissan 6 hp motor and electronics is hummin birds at driver seat and on bow . Will add some pics soon as i can get a younger family member to show me how .
I would love to see some pics of yours. My supposed live well doesn't have a slot. However I did kinda figure it wouldn't be very useful seeming as it would get pretty darn hot in there. I have been thinking of just plugging the hole and using it for dry storage of anchors and such. I'm thinking I'm gonna mount my electrical switches on one one of the boxes to either side of the back seat. I got a lot to do before I'm ready to call it complete but can't wait to see it done.
Really want to see some pics of yours when its finished I think youre going in the right direction . I had some thoughts after mounting switches/fuses in front of the ex livewell like maybe i shoulda put the switches in the side flotation tank o well too late now . looks like a trip to Wallymart for a new bilge pump seems like the old one has throwed up and died . At least it was something cheap and easy to install then the Crappie commando will be ready for the season . Have you ever noticed its very hard to find a used Crappie Jon ? Seems they are addictive and wind up staying in one family forever . Mine will be going to my youngest when Im gone . Good fishing to you God bless to you and yours .
I will definitely post up pics as I progress. I am excited to have a boat to call my own when it's said and done. Can't wait to get out and catch my lil guys first fish in it and begin making memories! I have tried to look online for used ones just to get an idea of the value behind the boat but you are correct there aren't many used ones to find. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
Picked up a Lowrance elite 4x dsi after flipping between dsi and regular 2d. Found it on sale at Academy sports for $149. I figured for the extra $50 over the regular sonar I would give it a shot. Order a 5 switch electrical panel with a 12v accesory outlet. Drilled the holes for the pole light sockets on the bow and stern. Also drilled holes for a couple of beverage holders, 1 on the bow and 1 on the opposite float pod that will not have the electronics on it. Got to make a wedged spacer for the stern light socket as the area there is not flat and angles towards the middle of the boat. Then on the bow I should have accounted for a lil bit more depth of the socket and need to make prolly a 1/8"-1/4" spacer due to my not thinking things through completely. I'm getting there slowly but surely. Hopefully I will get the switch panel cut in this week when it arrives for a dry fit then I have a buddy that's gonna spray it OD green for the cost of materials. Once it's painted I can wire it up apply the registration and numbers. It won't be much longer......and I will be fishing!!
Jack your boat is looking good. You will have a nice fishing rig when you get it finished. Looks like your son is already using it :)
Thanks! He tells me every afternoon that he is going fishing. I put him in the boat with his pole and he has a ball while I work on it. It will all be worth the extra time when I get it finished.
I had the same problem with stern light just drilled into the float tank 2 holes 1 for the light and 1 on the side of the tank for the wiring to come out , just didnt want to be messing around trying to shim it by attaching light to the hull corner brace .
I didn't even think about it leaning down until I had already measured everything marked center and began drilling. At that point I was committed to my mistake. Lol I guess I was excited and thinking ahead to the next step. It definitely would have been easier where you put yours and I will prolly be fussing at myself the whole time I try to make a shim.
Slight change of plans. The 93 Yamaha is gone. Uncle Sam took too long with my money and the guy traded the motor for a 40. So I found a freshly rebuilt 20 hp evinrude. Only 2 scary parts are it's an85 and no elec start but, the price is right! When it was rebuilt the guy did 25 carbs and intake so it's suppose to be equivalent to the 25
I have a 2008 Crappie Jon 14 footer. I really like it. However, I am restricted to 15HP per manuf rating. Kinda sucks. I have a 15HP 4 stroke Suzi power. Wish I had a 25 something and it be legal to use.
I wonder why the rating went down to 15hp in 08 when mine says 25hp from 1991
So I pulled up to the boat repair shop today and the young boy was locking up the gate at 9:30 this morning. I rolled the window down and asked if they were closing. His response was "yes sir" so I asked what time they would be opening back up when he asked his dad my question his dad got out of the truck to explain to me that his father had passed away this morning and he was going to be with his mom. I offered my condolences and told him I would come back when they opened to drop off my motor for repairs. The father offered to place the motor in the shop really quick and take in the paperwork. I told him I could wait and offered to return later in the week but he wouldn't take no for an answer. My prayers go out to his family during this time and hope they all find comfort. He did tell me his dad had been fighting a rough battle and today was the day they knew was coming. It still doesn't make things easier but hopefully it will give the family some relief to know he is no longer hurting.
I also picked up an interstate deep cycle battery today. Returned a faulty gas line to a local hardware store and dropped the boat off for some fresh color to be sprayed on it. The hydroturf for the flooring should be here by Wednesday and then it's time to run electical wiring and final mounting. I did however forget the motor cowling at the boat shop as I was planning on taking it to the painter with the boat. Still a productive day with some jobs accomplished in between the boat errands. It's getting closer.
I always enjoy the process of putting one to rights. Good luck with it all, and make sure they use aluminum primer or it will come back off pretty quick.
Yes sir the guy painting the boat allready told me it would be primed and then painted. He does a lot of camo patterns and such on boats all the time. I chose to just go green and will be putting the gator trax duck grass camo in the floor. Gonna be my dual purpose fishing/duck boat. Lol
Painter called me this afternoon and said he is ordering more paint tomorrow and should have it by Tuesday. He wants to put a 2nd coat to make sure everything is covered. Hydroturf came in yesterday. I'm ready to get it back and put down some turf and get the wiring done.
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Got the boat back from paint yesterday and spent today wiring everything. Talk about lots of wires!! Now that the wiring is done I can focus on the hydroturf. But 1st I think it needs a maiden voyage. Lol
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Time for an update. Got the hydroturf flooring finished. But it looks like I'm gonna have to replace pistons and rings on the motor to fix the compression. 1 step at a time I reckon.
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Looks fine. I used my Crappie Jon as a working model to figure out the electric steering, etc for my pondtoon. I finally restored my John to original status. I really enjoy the Crappie Jon.