KEEP GEAR DRY
SHALLOW DRAFT
John Cox’ s charger rests on a sliding tray in a rear compartment.
As an alternative, aluminum rigs can easily be“ staked out” with a fiberglass pole intended for use in kayaks and inshore rigs. these poles are nearly identical to those used in motorized shallow-water anchors, but require the user to push them in( usually quite easy to do in most bass fishing waters) and are held to the boat with a small bracket or rope.
If an angler decides to mount shallow-water anchors to an aluminum rig, the best bracket to use is likely a“ sandwich” style that slides between the boat and motor. this bracket takes the majority of the strain off the transom and places it on the large engine bolts. Most importantly, it prevents the need for any additional holes in the boat’ s transom.
sandwich bracket
Transducer Installation without question, the greatest mounting concern regarding aluminum boats centers on transducers.
It’ s rumored that shoot-through-hull transducers are impossible to use on aluminum rigs, and that common external mounts with metal brackets might cause electrolysis and possibly lead to rust. speaking from experience, I can assure you that either mounting system can provide both great results and a handful of headaches. bill Carson, field marketing manager for Johnson outdoors( parent company of Minn Kota), puts in thousands of hours each year on the water tweaking electronics. he admits that shooting through aluminum with a transducer can be tricky, and in some cases if a stock transducer is causing issues he recommends a new aftermarket transducer by Airmar, a company that manufactures marine electronic components.
I’ ve mounted standard transducers several times in the hull of aluminum boats without initial problems by securing them to the interior bottom of the boat with epoxy. recently, however, I experienced a failure when the epoxy cracked( aluminum rigs are much more prone to this), and I had to bust out the’ ducer and remount. this time, per Carson’ s recommendation, I simply shot a glob of petroleum jelly in my bilge area, pressed in the transducer, wedged it flat to the boat’ s bottom with my bilge pump hose and secured it with a cable tie. It works great, albeit a bit crude. For a more permanent solution, epoxy ought to last a couple seasons, or an aftermarket external transducer would be a smart choice. regarding transom-mounted transducers, I have personally had a sideimaging transducer on a metal bracket installed on my rt178 for 15 months with absolutley no problems or signs of electrolysis.
It is worth mentioning that I’ ve found the readings on my side-imaging unit to be far superior to those on most glass boats, at speeds previously unheard of in the bass boat market. Also, mount placement must be considered. the transducer must be directly in line with the bottom of the boat, and it must not be behind any rivets or other obstructions that cause bubbling or turbulence when the boat is moving. when mounting transducers on the transom, standard procedures can be used, but be advised that screw-in
KEEP GEAR DRY
The top decking on most aluminum rigs is all one-piece, which makes it difficult for manufacturers to add raised lips beneath compartments – like those found on glass boats – to deflect water. For that reason, compartments in aluminum boats can get wet in heavy rain.
My answer is to store important gear in Plano waterproof boat boxes and polycarbonate cases. Tools, a spare hub kit, VHF radio – just about everything has a spot below deck. Several boxes have lasted me more than five seasons with absolutely no leaks or concerns.
SHALLOW DRAFT
It’ s no secret that aluminum rigs ride higher in the water, and allow access to the skinniest bass haunts. But just how much of a difference is there between fiberglass and metal? To find out, I went below the surface. Note: Each boat was rigged with“ standard” tournament gear, about a half-tank of gas and one angler. If you’ re comparing other rigs, the results could vary based on how each boat is loaded.
John Cox’ s Crestliner PT 20 Angler at bow: 7 3 / 4-inch draft Angler at helm: 10 1 / 2-inch draft Joe Balog’ s Ranger RT178 Angler at bow: 5 1 / 2-inch draft Angler at helm: 8 1 / 2-inch draft Ranger Z520C Angler at bow: 20-inch draft Angler at helm: 21-inch draft
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FLWFISHING. COM I FEBRUARY-MARCH 2017