Alumacraft 1648 Project - Getting Ready, Again

[Jay415]

Thanks, I extended the front deck about 18" - 2 ribs. This picture is a little clearer

How much casting deck room did that give you? From front point to the end of the extension?

Thanks for the comments. I have really enjoyed this site and this project. We are going to pull it back to Indiana in a couple of weeks to take my folks fishing for a few days.

How many people have you brought out fishing at once? I know it's rated for 5, but the ratings aren't always realistic.

 

[gillhunter]

Thanks, I extended the front deck about 18" - 2 ribs. This picture is a little clearer

How much casting deck room did that give you? From front point to the end of the extension?
55". If you are getting a 1648 MV No Center Seat the front deck is longer already then on mine.

Thanks for the comments. I have really enjoyed this site and this project. We are going to pull it back to Indiana in a couple of weeks to take my folks fishing for a few days.

How many people have you brought out fishing at once? I know it's rated for 5, but the ratings aren't always realistic.

I have had my 6'6" 220 lb son in law, my 6'7" 240 lb son and myself 6'0" 200 lb out together with no issue at all. My folks don't go over 200 lb together so I'm not too concerned.

 

[Jay415]

55". If you are getting a 1648 MV No Center Seat the front deck is longer already then on mine.

That's actually what I wanted to know (deck size comparison). I really like what you did with the batteries in the seat. So I was thinking of where to put them in the NCS. Hopefully I'll have a better idea when I go look Saturday.

On passengers I was thinking more about how many are comfortable fishing. That boat has a 1010 weight cap so # of people will prob be hit before weight. If I could ever get my wife on it, I was wondering how it would be with 2 adults and 2 toddlers. (about 335lb total)

Thanks again for the good ideas and info! You've been a great help with all my questions and long winded PMs :lol: Boat looks like a joy to fish from! I'm excited to start my own project!

 

[gillhunter]

Well it is getting toward the end of our first season with the 1648 and we have had a lot of fun with it. We have been really happy with the lay out and have only made one adjustment, moving the rear seat forward 1". We installed a spare tire and a transom saver over the summer. Thanks to all the "how to" information on the site there have been no problems with decking, wiring, etc. The wealth of information available on the site is incredible! I not sure what the next thing I am going to change will be, but I'm sure I will think of something, or see something on the site. :LOL2:

 

[Bugpac]

Looks great, did you make it out to yargo over the weekend?

 

[gillhunter]

Looks great, did you make it out to yargo over the weekend?

Thanks!!

No, my fishing partner was a still recovering from a really bad cold so my choice was to leave her at home alone while I went or stay with her.

You know what they say, "Happy wife, happy life". :LOL2:

Did you get out?

 

[Brine]

Looks great, did you make it out to yargo over the weekend?

I caught 4 in the first 20 minutes then didn't get bit again for 2 hours. You need to learn me on catching crappie out there.

Great looking boat gillhunter. I'm envious of that motor.

 

[Firescooby]

That is a VERY nice job you did on that boat!!

 

[Howard]

NICE, I went last week , got rained on and not a bite! Only two of us out there which made it very peacefull

 

[KevinWI]

Great, great setup.
Hope mine turns out 1/2 as nice. Where did you get those slide in brackets for the seats? Those are sweet. Solves my seat on the livewell lid issue.

 

[gillhunter]

Great, great setup.
Hope mine turns out 1/2 as nice. Where did you get those slide in brackets for the seats? Those are sweet. Solves my seat on the livewell lid issue.

Kevin, Thanks. It has been a fun project. Actually I got the seat brackets from Athens Marine in Athens GA where I bought my boat. They are Attwood Release-A-Seats and are avalible from Cabela's. They are sturdy and I have been real happy with them.

 

[KevinWI]

Great, great setup.
Hope mine turns out 1/2 as nice. Where did you get those slide in brackets for the seats? Those are sweet. Solves my seat on the livewell lid issue.

Kevin, Thanks. It has been a fun project. Actually I got the seat brackets from Athens Marine in Athens GA where I bought my boat. They are Attwood Release-A-Seats and are avalible from Cabela's. They are sturdy and I have been real happy with them.

Thank you. Do you have them screwed on just to the plywood deck or through into the aluminum? hard to tell from pics.

 

[gillhunter]

Great, great setup.
Hope mine turns out 1/2 as nice. Where did you get those slide in brackets for the seats? Those are sweet. Solves my seat on the livewell lid issue.

Kevin, Thanks. It has been a fun project. Actually I got the seat brackets from Athens Marine in Athens GA where I bought my boat. They are Attwood Release-A-Seats and are avalible from Cabela's. They are sturdy and I have been real happy with them.

Thank you. Do you have them screwed on just to the plywood deck or through into the aluminum? hard to tell from pics.

On the rear seat they are screwed both through the plywood deck (1/2") and the aluminum. On the center seat they are screwed through the plywood deck (1/2") the aluminum and through another piece of 1/2 plywood that is underneath the seat lid.

 

[gillhunter]

Decided to go to Bass Pro Shop yesterday to get a motor stand. It's time to pull the motor off the boat and re-rig for total electric. Of course they were out .

On the way to BPS my wife says "I know you have been talking about getting a new fish-finder, why don't you look at them while we're there." I about drove off the road.

Anyway I decided on a Hummingbird 597ciHD to replace the 7 year old Lowance X67c that I kept from my last boat. So installing it is my project for today.

This is my first unit with GPS and I am really looking forward to getting out on the water with it.

 

[fool4fish1226]

Nice unit should do you well

 

[KevinWI]

Decided to go to Bass Pro Shop yesterday to get a motor stand. It's time to pull the motor off the boat and re-rig for total electric. Off course they were out .

On the way to BPS my wife says "I know you have been talking about getting a new fish-finder, why don't you look at them while we're there." I about drove off the road.

Anyway I decided on a Hummingbird 597ciHD to replace the 7 year old Lowance X67c that I kept from my last boat. So installing it is my project for today.

This is my first unit with GPS and I am really looking forward to getting out on the water with it.

Bought the exact same unit for myself for Christmas. Found it online for $575 and no tax. Can't wait to use it. Found a newer Navionics chip on craigslist too.

 

[gillhunter]

Well I got it installed . It went fairly smoothly. The transducer mounting instructions were a bit confusing. Playing with it now in simulator mode. The operating manual is 166 pages :roll: .

 

[Jay415]

Nice addition! Good luck with it!

 

[KevinWI]

Nice! did you attach transducer to hull or mount a board to the transom?

 

[gillhunter]

Nice! did you attach transducer to hull or mount a board to the transom?

I mounted it to the hull, but if I was to do it over again I would have bought a teflon cutting board from Wally World, cut it to the size I needed and mounted it on that. There is a thread on the site that details that.