another ReefRanger reno

[610]

I've posted some questions on here about renovating my cruisecraft reefranger over the last year or so and really appreciate the responses i have recieved so i thought i would post some pics of the job. All i need to do now is some minor finishing touches bimini top etc and the big $$$ item of deciding on the best motor to repower it with when i can afford it. Any ideas on the best motor ? the process has only taken me 3 times as long as I thought and cost me 3 times as much hopefully it will be worth it!

[death_ship]

top effort, save up and put a new honda on her

[FishHunter]

Looking very good. I will stick my neck out and say 150 etec

[Reef Cruiser]

what a top job you have done many hours spent there.and what a great boat to drive and be in . i know i love mine .fish hunter has been very busy doing his boat up to. and he has done a nice job on his boat as well .as a motor well mine will be getting a optimax 175 hp

[Kdog]

Bloody hell mate, that must have taken a few beers to finish!! Top job.
Those seat bases certainly look the goods,did you make them yourself?

[Jarrah Jack]

There is always a lot of interest about pods. How ave you found the difference in handling? The added bouyancy of a full width pod should also put a four stroke in the mix perhaps.

A great job and a lot of time and effort by the looks, well done.

[matt fraser]

Massive job, well done!

I'm sure you'll enjoy her now.

Cheers,

Matt

[Skusto]

value for money and economy hard to go past an opti
but depends on your budget.

[Vitamin Sea]

top effort, save up and put a new honda on her


Don't know why you insist on these little motors;D

A 175 or 200 Opti would look very nice on the back of her, good job 610

[610]

Reefcruiser - I think the 175 optimax would be a good choice, price and weight wise.

Kdog - The seat boxes I made myself. It is a 90L esky under the drivers seat, plus three draw tackle box and a 40 L esky under the passenger seat as well as a large storage compartment.

Jarrah Jack - I originally had an aluminium pod bolted on to the back with no bouyancy on the back and it was very stern heavy. The full width hull extension has made a big difference, however they are still a low sided boat at the back, so I want to keep the motor as light as possible.

[Reef Cruiser]

Reefcruiser - I think the 175 optimax would be a good choice, price and weight wise.

well i have done the sums and why would you buy a 150 hp ,for 2or 3 thousand more get a 175. more speed for less revs and probably better fuel economy so the motor will last longer not working so hard ,and best of all more grunt when you need it. 5 year warranty. should get 1.1 nautical mile per litre motor is a good weight ? i used mine for reef fishing in north queensland sometimes going out 50 kms or more. and always feel safe in her. how far out out did you bring the pod out? thanks 610 they tell me the 175 has 200 hp at the prop and if you put a 175 and a 200 on the same boat the top speed would be the same , the 200 is a 3 litre block and the 175 is a 2.5 litre block that what the merc dealers tell me

[610]

reef cruiser the pod extends 600mm out from the transom

[Reef Cruiser]

reef cruiser the pod extends 600mm out from the transom
after you put the pod on what changes did you notice in the boats handling ? and was it alot better than before ... and in what way. just so i know if i do somthing like you have done later to my boat

[death_ship]

Don't know why you insist on these little motors;D

A 175 or 200 Opti would look very nice on the back of her, good job 610

I guess I like the finer things in life bill

[FishHunter]

Bloody hell mate, that must have taken a few beers to finish!! Top job.
Those seat bases certainly look the goods,did you make them yourself?

I am going to make some seat boxes soon and was thinking about copying your design.
How much fishing space is left in the back considering that mine is still standard?

[610]

reef cruiser Ibought the boat as a project boat so never really used it much before i pulled it all apart. so I can only really comment on how much better it performs now rather than with the aluminium pod.

fish hunter I originally saw the seatboxes in a issue of fisherman and boatowner in an article on a guy doing up a reefranger also and he left his transom in standard configuration and it looked like he still would have had plenty of room