Lowe Roughneck 17/55D 2 stroke 90/65 Mercury

[dearl]

I posted this over in the conversion page but figured it draw more interest over here.

I bought this boat new in 2010 Its been a real good boat, we've done alot of fishing out of this rig, and with everything eventually you got to upgrade things. Last year I had to do some work under the floor and when I removed it, I knew right then after fishing season I was putting a new floor down so I broke down and started a few weeks ago. I've got it back together other than a few things but in the pictures you'll see the shots from when it was new to what it looked like when I started on the floor. The motor is very strong for this boat, I think its a perfect match, and its rated for even bigger, but this motor is all I could ask for and its plenty fast, does mid to upper 30's empty and low 30's loaded to the gill. I like the tunnel hull, I mean it does draft alittle more at Idle but at WOT, shes flat and will run in spit. The Pods i installed a few years ago really help with the draft and unlike alot of boats I know that installed them, it acually helped my MPG.

New.....




Now...
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Got all my wiring back in, new steering cable, waiting on my new HID lights to come in. I also got some Durabak non-skid coming, should be in next week. I'm having some new side skirts made to cover the gaps on the sides of the floor/side area. I'll be glad to get her back together so we can go fishing.

 

[hotshotinn]

OK then....Your boat is looking good

 

[lowe1648]

What are you getting for HID's? I have been trying to decide what to get for running around cat fishing at night.

 

[dearl]

lowe1648 » Yesterday, 20:24[/url]"]What are you getting for HID's? I have been trying to decide what to get for running around cat fishing at night.

I found these on Amazon for $100.00 to the house, they came in today, look big but made real well. I'll probably hook em up over the weekend and test them out. Reviews were good, and I know a guy that has some, he likes them.



I had some 10" light force on my 24/72 Big daddy I just sold, I liked them, but they are like $500.00 but you talk about bright, them dudes would light it up.

 

[lowe1648]

I was looking at some on ebay that were 35w 7" hid around the same price over the winter. Did you go with spots or floods? Let us know how they work for you when you get out.

 

[dearl]

They are 55w 7" flood beam. I have 1 light on the front already that has the spot beam, I plan to put these on a seperate switch to use with or without the other light.

 

[dearl]

Got the lights installed this weekend, they turned out great. Not an overwhelming bright light but they carry a long distance, its more of a "white" light. They are going to work out great, I'll get some pics up later this evening. waiting on my non-skid to show up so I can finish up and take it fishing.

 

[JL8Jeff]

Did you take the floatation foam out of the rear side areas? My 1652 is set up similar but my console isn't as far forward and I'm getting porpoising with no weight up front. I just put on the transom wedges this weekend but the river was up 8 feet so I did not want to run it with all the debris coming down.

 

[dearl]

I did take the foam out of the rear, a bunch of it, it was soaked, alot of weight was taken out with it. My boat porpoises some if I dont have any gear in the boat, I usually run my bait tank on the front deck, it weighs about 300 lbs when full. It keeps the nose down, but I can still trim it high enough to get the speed up. It plows a bit at take off but doesnt take but a second to get her head up and trimmed out.

Shot of the lights I installed Sunday...

 

[JL8Jeff]

I'm wondering if the foam in my boat is water logged as well. It seems to lean a little to one side and the load is balanced so it makes me suspect the foam.

 

[dearl]

it is probably wet, these boats never drained real well, at least mine didnt. The lower 4" of the foam was soaked, and all of it together weighed at least 100 lbs total.

 

[dhoganjr]

Looking good!!!

I used to have round lights mounted on the front of the boat like that, the fishing club I fished swore it was a Jeep coming across the lake at night. :-D

 

[dearl]

Well I finished the rear end of the boat in April, fished out of it all season, then after deer season went out, I jumped on the front end. Lots of wasted space up there, wanted to incorporate a onboard livewell plus a forward battery compartment. Below are some pics of what I finished with on the rear end.

 

[dearl]

Started ripping the front end apart this past weekend. Took everything out, installed new stringers and cross members, fabbed up the new livewell. Installed the new bulkhead, fabbed up the livewell, by the math it is 38 gallons. Just finished the battery compartment. Both boxes will be going in tonight, I have the new floor plate cut, needs to be trimmed than I can get the hatch covers on. Oh i still got plumbing and wiring to do. Im hoping to splash down before the end of February.

 

[dearl]

Going back together.....

 

[dearl]

Livewell fabbed up....

 

[Jeeper]

Looking good.. did you do your own welding? If so was it with a mig or tig? I've got a little fabbing of my own to do and gonna try to do it with stick?? Never done it before but should work. Keep up the good work

 

[dearl]

Looking good.. did you do your own welding? If so was it with a mig or tig? I've got a little fabbing of my own to do and gonna try to do it with stick?? Never done it before but should work. Keep up the good work

Yep I do my own welding, Its Mig welded. I should have tig'd it but would have taken a while. Never used a stick on aluminum, heard of them but never tried them.

 

[dearl]

Got both boxes mounted last night, dry fit everything to make sure it was right. Planning to install some down supports for the 2 boxes and get the deck plate bent and fitted this weekend.

 

[dearl]

Got some work done this past friday and saturday. Floors cut and broke, all hatch opening cut, access door for the wiring and rigging is in. Few more goodies to install then its ready for paint and wiring.

New floor fits like a glove


Access holes for the battery box, livewell and rigging under the console.


New hatch for access to the wiring, livewell pump etc.


Front view.


Console sitting in place.