Bought a 16.5' Bass Boat last weekend. First NEW boat in my life. It has 2 live-wells, rod lockers, a 70hp Merc, cup holders, seats and poles and not much else.
So far I purchased:
• 2 Locators - for front and bow by trolling motor
• Trolling motor and mounting brackets
• Dual Bank Charger
• Batteries
• Boat Bumpers
• Docking Lines
• Life Jackets - 2 Suspender types and jackets for guest and DNR wardens I may meet
•I am looking at Anchor winches, but may just do old school crank ups until a future season when I have more funds. I have spent a fortune. The MinnKota Deckhands are also WAY to big for the small triangle the Trolling motor is on in the bow. I might just put one in back so I can hit a switch and head to the front.
• I need anchors, looking at 17lb Navy Style cause, my old, beat up and broken back doesn't want to lift the 20+ pounders more than I have to.
•I am thinking of adding Live Well Timers so I don't have to run them constantly.
What else am I not thinking of? What do you guys recommend?
If
Bought a Boat - What all do I need???
I agree with CLINCHKNOT about the lug wrench. Also, if you're planning on using your truck's bottle jack if you ever need to change a trailer tire - make sure you've already figured out how many pieces of 2x4 you'll need because the bottle jack might not go up high enough. That was a tough lesson for me once, and the side of a 70mph highway at night is no fun.
Whenever I head out now with the boat, I just throw a floor jack in the truck with 3 hunks of 2x4. And make sure you have a wrench to remove the spare from stowage.
skippppy,
If there is any way you can mount that Minnkota Deckhand, I would go for it.
I didn't have a lot of room on the front of my boat either, but we found a way to do it.
It sure saves on the back when I am constantly moving in shallow water when panfishing, I hate trying to haul a 20# anchor up and down all day.
When I am in deeper water, I usually use the spot lock.
Be sure you have a tire iron in the vehicle that FITS the nuts on your trailer wheels!
I learned this the hard way. Already owned the boat and the truck I had came with tire iron that also fit my trailer tires. Next truck I bought, the tire iron that came with the vehicle did not fit the trailer tire nuts. I went out and bought a tire iron that has 4 different lug nut sizes on it. Problem solved. You don't want to be stuck on the side of the road with a flat trailer tire but now way to get it off!
4 or 5 years ago I was up in Canada, came across a boat with 3 guys waving me down, lost the prop, had an extra but no nut, washer or cotter pin. Towed them in. Guess what I went and got to go with my spare when I got back to the states. 3 years ago when we were up there came across are neighbors on the lake and there boat would not start, towed them back, It was a honda motor with low oil indicator, add oil at cabin and go.
Knife, extra rope. spare cash in case you ever get towed in by someone, couple bottles of drinking water and snacks, rags for cleaning hands, whistle, spark plug wrench
remember to put your boatplug in on the Inside of your boat before you launch, tilt your motor up, I unplug my lights when i launch
