Rebuild of an '85 Bass Tracker Boat.

[Sytes]

I used a whoopload of a waterproofing primer and coated every area visible for the front deck... So hope it holds the test of time.

Today's pics:



Gluing this today, far from a fabric installer.



So... I pulled a royal knucklehead move. Been working on wiring like crazy, add a fuse box, fish wire here, there and everywhere... (Pic is of my electrical skillzzz. A long drawn out work in progess - )

I was stunned with the thought this operated on direct wiring though could not find any type of fuse box. Well...

(Pic of my current work in progress... PITA! Especially all the frustrating fishing... wire.


Well, I, um... found the original, good location for a fuse box.
As I was figuring how to remove the seats, Well I'll be! Sure as snot simple hinged seats flop forward and low n behold there's the fuse box and a couple nice storage compartments. Why I didn't catch onto this before, no clue.



At this rate, I'll slide this darn boat onto the ice, drill a hole and fish from the boat. Haha! All humor. It's been interesting and educational. I from the hard Knox school so I'm battling 1.000.

 

[JohnCushman]

Will it be ready by next May?

 

[Sytes]

Will it be ready by next May?

At my rate? If you're there, it will be too. Or you might find it routing your way regardless.

 

[JohnCushman]

At my rate? If you're there, it will be too. Or you might find it routing your way regardless.

There are pounders to pound on a lake

 

[Sawtooth]

The nice thing about doing a complete remodel of a boat is that if anything ever goes wrong from here on out, you will know what broke and how to fix it. Your time invested will be returned next summer on the lake. Looks like she is coming along nicely.

 

[Gut Shot]

The nice thing about doing a complete remodel of a boat is that if anything ever goes wrong from here on out, you will know what broke and how to fix it.

You'll also know who to blame it on.

 

[Sytes]

The YouTube's can make you a master anything lol

All the bass, crappie, etc fishing threads has me in overtime mode w/ YouTube.

I fabricated this to replace the cracked to chit console. Messing w/ fiberglass cloth and resin to run the lengths of metal to make it one piece. After, I'll paint and mount a couple weatherproof stained wooden planks and hopefully get this put back in the boat. Floors out, re-wiring (again) as I found wire strewn everywhere with the floor removed.
Fun (kinda) project though want this bad boy on the water... at least before winter. Haha!

 

[Sytes]

I've tried to find diagrams describing this ground wire (Doesn'tmake sense to be a ground though ?) .

location and routing: Left upper, enters through grommet hole, electrical tape along length along steering cables a foot short of the steering console unit.

I've noticed a bit of screwy wiring elsewhere while clearing clutter so I am not sure if this was a personal modification or if this wire relates specifically to the control box. If so, what's it's function?



Thanks.

Side note, outside figuring the issue w/ the motor speed issue, I'm possibly a couple days from finished.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

I've tried to find diagrams describing this ground wire (Doesn'tmake sense to be a ground though ?) .

location and routing: Left upper, enters through grommet hole, electrical tape along length along steering cables a foot short of the steering console unit.

I've noticed a bit of screwy wiring elsewhere while clearing clutter so I am not sure if this was a personal modification or if this wire relates specifically to the control box. If so, what's it's function?

View attachment 147454

Thanks.

Side note, outside figuring the issue w/ the motor speed issue, I'm possibly a couple days from finished.

Weird, I have the same boat You have and do not see that wire.

 

[Sytes]

Guess I'll find out eventually or maybe never, happily.

Thanks @mdeerjunkie . Appreciate it. Does yours have the same 50 stock mercury 2 stroke motor? The one piece I'd love to upgrade though far from 4 stroke $$$...

 

[JohnCushman]

Charles....if you get rid of that motor, I'll take it

On a side note....could that wire be from a mounted fish finder?

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Guess I'll find out eventually or maybe never, happily.

Thanks @mdeerjunkie . Appreciate it. Does yours have the same 50 stock mercury 2 stroke motor? The one
piece I'd love to upgrade though far from 4 stroke $$$...

Yes, although mine did not come with the motor. The guy I bought it from said it seized up a few years earlier. He said he still had it in his garage if I wanted to buy it. I passed. Still waiting to get enough $$ for one.

Regarding the wire, cushman may be correct. It is probably for a fish finder. My boat had those wires hidden all over, due to there being four different finders. But none of them were run into the throttle.

 

[Sytes]

Charles....if you get rid of that motor, I'll take it

Haha!

Hope we can take it out asap, be it Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, or MT. Been too long...

As a side note the acid will eat an aluminum boat right quick.

I was reviewing the thread and came across your post. I completely forgot to resolve that portion. Thanks again. I think that was a future money saver right there.

 

[Sytes]

This may sound a bit lame though having trouble with... I don't know.
Sure seems the two deep cycle batteries are fully charged though if I press the key to turn the motor over, it makes it's, "click" noise and that's it.

I've finished the interior cosmetics of the boat. Pictures to follow. Picked up some of that, Starbrite Ultimate Aluminum Cleaner/Restorer for the hull.

Any quick thoughts to get the motor beyond, "Click"?

Next raise the boat off the trailer and blast the trailer paint off, slightly modify the trailer (welding), re-paint, change the boards, and should be complete.

 

[JohnCushman]

starter?

 

[madtom]

@Sytes I didn’t notice this thread before, but I have that identical outboard on my Lund. Just finished replacing the water pump and a few other small tasks today. Are you mixing your fuel 50:1? Mine seems smoky at that ratio but that’s what the interwebs say.

 

[Sytes]

Same. 50:1 initial brief smoke though fades out quickly.

@madtom

What estimated speed does yours run? I get 15-16 mph @ 5-6k rpm (based on fish finder gps). Motor sound smooth running. The prop is pretty clean and the one it'd for the motor. Seems extremely slow though.

 

[Sytes]

starter?

The top cog(?) doesn't pop up and engage the large spines. It worked fine when I put her away for the winter... likely a ditty I screwed up while pulling wires here and there at the console. I didn't figure any of those to mess with the throttle control ---> batteries ---> motor though.

Just to make sure the batteries were charged, I used jumpers from the truck to the boat batteries. No change.

 

[madtom]

Same. 50:1 initial brief smoke though fades out quickly.

@madtom

What estimated speed does yours run? I get 15-16 mph @ 5-6k rpm (based on fish finder gps). Motor sound smooth running. The prop is pretty clean and the one it'd for the motor. Seems extremely slow though.

Honestly, I bought it this spring and have been chasing demons out of it all summer as time allows. Had to pull, drain, clean fuel tank, run all new fuel line and replace filters because it was full of dirty gas and didn’t run right. Then it ran well, but wouldn’t cool enough and would overheat. Have those two issues addressed, but still need to replace lower unit gearbox seals and add new gear oil before I take it out again.

Long story to say I’ve had it three months and don’t know how fast it is yet

 

[Sytes]

Made a quick video. Maybe this might give a better feel for what I'm describing. Thanks again for an g input. I'm going to take a wire brush and clean all the starter and that little block with the red and yellow to the right of the starter.