On Mon, 07 Feb 2005 15:24:26 GMT, (Tom)
wrote:


Lets go. You start.
I'll be glad to jump in here. I have a 17' Cajun Bass boat which is
currently for sale (as is the lake house) as I'm going back to salt
water. I just bought a new SV2100CC Sea Pro with a 200 Yamaha which
was supposed to be ready for pickup last week but is now scheduled for
this week. I've equipped it so far with a hydraulic jack plate, Lenco
trim tabs, Sunbrella Bimini top, Lowrance X-18 GPS and Icon 402S
radio. To please SWMBO I added the 6' removable rear bench seat option
to accommodate all those people she expects to join us on our fishing
expeditions. Plan to add compass when I get the boat so I'll have a
better idea of space limitations (wanted Danforth Constellation but
was told the 5" was too big), dual batteries with switch, trolling
motor, probably wash down pump and maybe built in tackle boxes.
Looking forward to getting it but it's raining today so makes it a
little easier.

Very nice, but I would echo Harry on the compass - get a good handleld
bearing compass and just a small console compass. As Harry said, you
will rely more on the GPS and depth finder, but it's nice to have a
backup that can accurately tell you North is that away. :)

Now, on to something that I find curious. Why the jackplate on a 21
foot bay boat?

I have a 20 foot 200 C Ranger

http://www.swsports.org/images/Ranger.JPG

that has a good running solid performing FICHT which had a jackplate
on it when I purchased it. I got rid of it after about a month -
totally useless.. If you are looking for shallow water operations,
that's that the trolling motor is for - in particular if you have the
24 volt. You probably had a jackplate on that Cajun and that's
probably useful in that application, but on a bay boat?

And while I'm on the subject, don't buy a Motoguide Great White series
trolling motor. Mercury does not support Motoguide in any sense of
the word, they violate warranty terms and the new digital control
boards are prone to fail - it's a horrible design. Almost as bad as
the older switched design. Buy a MinnKota Riptide series instead.

Nice boat though.

Later,

Tom