# Poor man's Micro Skiff - Anyone here ever try converting an old 15' Bass Boat?



## thilltony (May 3, 2013)

Oh, and I forgot to mention that in recent years, I've been working part-time for a local marina doing rigging, glass work, decks and transom replacements, so the work part of it is not a problem.

Just curious if any of you started out fishing from a bass boat until you could afford to upgrade, or if any were able to do a conversion that they liked.

-TH


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Youll find that a lot of people are against it.
I thino if you pick the right hull its a great idea.
As long as absolute skinny draft isnt your main concern (6in or less kinda stuff)
I think the ride quality and storage, livewell make up for that tenfold.


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## cwalden (Jun 24, 2011)

I have a 1971 Kingfisher that I use. I have never measured the draft. If I fish super shallow, I use my Gheenoe clone anyway. Anyway, I'm guessing that my Kingfisher is a sltwater model. It has no carpet or the usual casting deck or trolling motor mount area. It works out great for me, so I say GO FOR IT! The only drawback I see to your plan is the ride. I have seen some bassboat owners try to run in the salt and get the crap beat out of them. If you run in protected waters, then I see no issue. I'd fish from a log if I had too...


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## sickz284u (Mar 8, 2012)

Thill it can actually make for a pretty nice little flats boat. I did this with a 1988 skeeter 15ft boat. I have a thread in microskiff about my build and also a picture of the boat semi finished. If done right you can obtain reasonable draft 6-8" depending on load and I get 34-37 mph depending on load with a 60hp etec. I had a lot of fun building the boat and adding accessories. 

http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1331857135


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## thilltony (May 3, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback! And thanks for being gentle!

I know it won't be an ultimate boat, but it should be fairly shallow running and fast. I sold the 50 and put on a 70 Evinrude. This little boat flies! Initial runs got to 46 MPH, but she jumps around a bit when hitting wakes. Thinking of putting on a Doel-fin. Are any of you running these, or would you recommend the Smart Tabs? I put those on a small center console once, and they made an AMAZING difference in ride quality!

I have been going through the boat. Found one soft spot in the deck under the driver's seat, so I cut it out and glassed in the repair- not a problem.

The rest of the boat is sound, including the transom. 

I want a poling platform. Any suggestions on where to buy one, and what they cost?

Thanks.

-TH


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Pro: They are very comfortable to fish from. They are designed for run and gun fishing, which means they fit the same niche in freshwater that a flats skiff does in salt water. I prefer the aluminum bassboats because they are lighter, but the fiberglass one are probably more comfortable to fish out of.

Con: I find they to be under-rigged for the salt. The ply decks will rot, the galvanized screws will rust and break and the wiring system will eventually go to hell. I find them to be miserable to pole from the stern, but if you pole from the bow it is significantly better IMO. I wouldn't buy a platform for one unless you move the fuel and the batteries forward.

As long as you expect to replace the old, corroded, rotten stuff with better stuff once it breaks, you'll be fine. Due to the slow "renovation" process, they develop a Frankenstein look, but they catch fish, so who really cares? 

Of specific interest is the wiring for the trolling motor. It is often too small of a gauge for salt use. We use our motors constantly, so they are always pushing against the wind, tide or often both, which is a load the builders didn't anticipate for bass boats. That constant high draw through small wire will eventually cause problems. When you replace it, use high quality wire in the largest size of the spec range for your usage. Solder all splices. Twist caps and electrical tape are insufficient.

Nate


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## byrdland (Jan 23, 2013)

I used an old Monarch 15 ft bass boat for 5 or 6 years from Galveston to the Lower Laguna Madre. It had a 40 hp Merc. It wasn't perfect, but I caught a lot of fish out of that boat.


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