1973 Ouachita- Chickahominy Crappie Boat

[Don French]

Jim B asked for a couple of shots of my restored 1973 Ouachita Model 14X Crappie Boat.
She usually lives at a dock on the New Kent side just about a mile down from Walker's Dam.
I found her for sale in Dinwiddie after years of use in a private farm pond in deplorable shape.
Old stickers indicated that she once lived in Portsmouth.

The floor, transom, just about everything was totally shot. As a young buck I worked in a dealership that sold these and I had been searching for one forever. After eight months of work, she is back to life and has been my home on the water for three years now. Sporting a 25hp Yamaha with Ballistic prop and a Johnson 24V troller, Attwood seats, bilge pump, and a truty Humminbird the boat does everything I want. The Ouachita design includes 10 foot tackle trays which are ideal for carrying long rods. Stencils from Go Devil boats in Louisiana were used to apply the marsh camo pattern. The floor is now diamond tread aluminum with Rhino Liner coating. A built in cahrger allows for charging while tied up at the dock.

My only regret was my inability to find a 2-stroke short shaft motor with remote start and control. I would have put the stick steering back in. As it is, she is a transom steer, which works well enough but gets a little tiring on long runs. Best boat I ever fished, I think she will carry me out of this world!

[Flatwater]

Glad to hear someone saved a great boat. I drive and 89 tracker only I stripped everything out of here as I wanted her light. I think many old boats are just as good as new. It is even fun to play with them and get them to where you want them. That 25 yamy is a great motor the older ones were made just like the 9.9's. Now go fishing and enjoy her.

[Anchor Man]

Nice looking ride there Don. I spoke to you on Monday if you remember I was from the Scranton Pa. area. I will see you on the water again I hope. Should be going again on Friday.

[ifish4redd]

nice ride

[jim.b]

hey don your boat looks a lot like mine. you did a great job on the do over. nice ride and it looked good running down the river