Fitting out my punt

[Sean]

Hello everybody, as you may or may not be aware, I have been selling some of my unused fishing goods to finance fitting out my punt. I don't have lots to spend but I am about to make a start and thought I would pick every ones brains to see what solutions you might have in your head, or your boat to some common problems.

I will attach some photos and any feedback will be great. The boat is a 3.6mt flat bottomed punt. It was originally a car topper but as I have added bits and pieces I got sick of Putting all the gear in and out so it is now on a trailer.

Firstly, I only have a transom mount electric but I have turned the head of the motor around and built a bracket so now I use it at the bow. I had always planned on extending the wires a bit and putting the battery under the casting deck.....my first problem!!! The battery is too high to fit under the casting deck. I have a few solutions, any light shed would be great....The first, drill a few holes in the casting deck where the battery terminals are too high and change the wing nuts on top to normal flusher nuts to make it less obtrusive. Problem here I think is as my wife pointed out, If I then get a new battery that is slightly different :-[ :-[ :-[.

Second solution, Have the battery right up the front on the casting deck, hinge the back section of the casting deck so I don't lose my underfloor storage. Problem....The battery is out in the open and I wanted to keep the deck area as clear as possible. :-/

Third solution, Buy a new battery that is flatter to fit under the casting deck....Problem, Are they available? They are dear!

Fourth solution, Put the battery in the sunken part of the boat, behind the casting deck, Problem....The cables going from the motor to the battery will start to become a little long and I have been advised by an Auto electrician friend that you want to keep these as short as possible to avoid over usage of the battery. Admittedly this has seemed the best solution so far as I was going to put in a live tank and as I will now explain this could work in Well

If the battery is hard against the seat and the side I could possibly make a live bait tank the same height as the casting deck and the same width as the batteries length. Then carpet it to match the rest and it will only mean a slightly longer deck.... If I made the tank out of ply, and fully waterproofed it with fibreglass, would this kill my fish? also, how is a live bait tank set up, how does it fill/empty. I was planing to use one of the bilge pump types. I really have no idea about live tanks so any info on that is appreciated. :) If i have a ply lid, how do I seal it so it is watertight? #Thanks guys Sean :)

One more question, I am about to buy a sounder. If the sounder and bilge pump are run off my deep cycle, will that greatly reduce the battery for the electric? :)

[Sean]

This is the front section of the boat. With the casting decks in place :)

[Sean]

This is with half the casting deck removed..you can see the support where I could hinge the back half of the casting deck from if the battery stayed up the front on the deck....maybe?? :)

[Sean]

You can see the battery is too high to fit under the deck. :(

[Sean]

This is where I could put the battery if I hinged the casting deck....out in the open though.

[Sean]

If I put the battery here I could do the live tank thing....the section above the battery would have to be a touch higher than the casting deck.

[Sean]

I would turn the battery side on though so the tank is a bit bigger :)

[Sean]

Here is my daughter crossing the bruns. bar on a 3 meter swell!! ;D ;D

[Sean]

And one more of her jigging up some big Kings out at the shelf!! ;D ;D

[ShaneJ]

Dont worry about the length of the wires from the battery to the electric. Just use larger cables to minimise any voltage drop.

[TinarooTriumph]

Nice punt mate, looks great if you ask me. As Shane said, just make up with it with larger cables.

Id kill for your daughters rod mate ;D where do i get one of them from?

TinarooTriumph 8-)

[Sean]

Its actually a lot of fun casting the plug around the living room....keeps the cats happy too!!Suprisingly good drag and casting for 10 bucks!! Got it at christmas and is still alive....not seen real water yet though!! :)

[finga64]

Yep, lager wires are the go. :)
Sounder shouldn't have any effect on the battery as those things go for ages on little batteries. Mine used to go for 2 or 3 days on a 7ampere/hour sealed lead/acid battery (similar to the ones used for backups for burgular alarms) but the pump will depend upon the time used. Shouldn't be a huge drama.
has your motor got a charge coil??
A couple of more very important questions now...
(a) where did you buy the pink rod?? Do they come in other colours?? Great idea for the cats ;)
(b) where are you located??
(c) where are you planning on putting the sounder??

Great job on the boat too matey :) Makes it all worthwhile when everything has a place and better still you did it all yourself. Excellent. :)

Looks a bit like a stealth fighter in the black #;)

Cheers Scott

[Sean]

No, I can't take credit, I bought it off Aussiebasser Afew years ago. sold my outside boat so am putting all my effort into the punt....Actually a purple colour. The sounder will go about half way up the boat...near the seat braket in one if the pics, so I need a 180 degree swiveling one.

From K-mart...the rod!! ;D

[Sean]

Got the boat...hull casting decks, rear seat all carpeted for $800....a bit of a bargain!!

[toorbul_terror]

check out punt forsale keep batteries down back to ballance boat

[Sean]

I am in the process of building my live well atm :) I will post some pics....Does my overflow need to be above external waterlevel...providing I don't want to sink? or is there some way?????of putting the outlet down near the bungs? Sean :)

[Sean]

This is the base for the live well. I am planing to fibreglass the inside. Have a bilge pumping water in from the transom with a spray bar. And I will need a bilge internally as I don't think the overflow would be quite high enough to be above the water line. :)

[Sean]

This is the well with the lid on, I have to go to Clark rubber to see what products they have to put along the top edge to provide a waterproof seal, any tips?
The lid will hinge from the existing seat, and will be tied down with those hinge type clasps..the ones that you clip on then fold down to pull it tight. The top and front will be fully carpeted with grey marine carpet...What is a good product for sticking this down? Thanks Sean :)

[Sean]

The hingeing lid... I am open to any critisisms, I would prefer to get it right first time, so if you see a problem, let me know. Thanks Sean :)

[Sean]

Ok, nearly finished. I had to compromise on some items due to cost. The first pic is of the finished unit (livewell) :)

[Sean]

Switch panel for the bilge and future electrics. Drain for well :)

[Sean]

The cable for the electric was not long enough for the new battery position so I added some thicker cable (8 B&S) and a connector to make connections easy :)

[Sean]

another shot :)

[Sean]

This is my $5 battery used to power my pump and sounder. It has a fuse wired in to protect the sounder mainly. :)

[Sean]

This is inside. Now I know I said I would fibreglass it but this was one of the cutbacks, It is not totally out of the question, but as I am not too sure how much I will use it I will wait and see if the added expense is warranted yet. :)

[Sean]

My next job is going to be running pipe from the drain of the well to outside the boat. This will serve 2 purposes, when I emty the live well I won't get all the crappy water over the carpet and if I install a valve I can open the valve to fill the tank. Any suggestions appreciated...Type of hose fittings, ect. I was thinking of useing the fittings/hose they use for irrigation systems in gardens. Is this any good for marine? :)

[hussy]

where abouts are you mate i have some nav lights and swivel sounder brackets if they are any use to you only taking up space at home also seat bracket, and sliding seat thing that bolts under seat so you can move. hussy bribie area

[youngfisho]

just be careful they dont nab your daughter for not wearing a life jacket whilst crossing the bar ;D

looks like youve fitted it out pretty well. where will you be using it? and on what fish?


andrew

[Sean]

I am in Ballina, and am interested in the Nav. lights, but only if they can be sent cheap, new ones are only $20, send me a PM you little hussy ;D. Youngfisho, I will mainly use the boat for lure casting poppers at bream. I used to do a bit of jew fishing too so as I had to sell my bigger boat I wanted this to be a bit of an all-rounder, (hence the live well) mainly focussed on lure casting. I will use it mainly around Ballina, Brunswick heads. But I will occasionally make the trip up to Gold coast as my bro. lives in Brissy, and he comes with me, Sean :)

[hussy]

i,ll find out tomorrow.

[Archer]

Looking great Sean top work! ;)
Should be able to get you up into that skinny water around Ballina that holds so many nice fish! :D
Looking forward to summer myself so i can get into those small creeks chasing Jacks and trevs. ;D