Well, being old gets to be a BIGGER pain in the butt, the older I get. Had Stint put in 10 years ago, 5 Bypasses done summer before last, and at the age of 55, just can't run and gun like I did just a few years ago. Sure does TICK a guy off.

So looking at things that we could do to help us spend a little more time on the water during the summer. We made a adjustment to try to keep from getting Skin Cancer to go with my Heart Problems.

Added us an Umbrella to the front of the boat to help keep the direct sun off of us. I know, A Sissy, but what can I say. After getting home from catching 18 nice ones today (Friday), we decided that we had spent the last day dealing with the sun. Haft to take it down when we move, but I can devote 20 second to keeping out of the sun,






Then last week, we added the 2-Man Front Seat deal, and really enjoy having both jigs in the strike zone. Should have done this months ago, but we are beginning to make life easier.



We can take a little ragging, but No getting down in the floor. So if you see the Mary Poppins Mobile, buzz in and say hello. Just try to wipe the tears out of your eyes before you get to us.

Old Is A #*%&@! ! ! !

keith

Looks pretty nice. Should be a whole lot cooler to. Is that the add a seat pedestal thing you have in the front or something different. Is there enough room up front for that cause I fish from a boat like that and was wanting to do the same thing.

Looks pretty nice. Should be a whole lot cooler to. Is that the add a seat pedestal thing you have in the front or something different. Is there enough room up front for that cause I fish from a boat like that and was wanting to do the same thing.

how is it anchored down and still have your spot for the pedastool....im diggin it!

Arn't you the guy that posted pictures of your boat being in a car accident last month or so??
Is this the new boat??
Nice ride.

That's a great set up for summertime crappie fishing. I like the double seat and love that BIG umbrella! It won't fold up on you like most umbrellas if there's a little wind.

That looks really nice I'd just worry about on windy days those waves Rollin over the front with two guys bein up there

NICE Keith! I gotta get me 1 of those. I may try Ernest Paty's rig.

We bought ours from Grizzly Jigs ( http://www.grizzlyjig.com/html/grizco_seat_stand.html ) It requires 46" across your boat which we had with a few inches on each side to spare. Grizzly's was $79.00, and Mr Crappie's was $159.00. The only thing I noticed was Grizzly's was Powder Coated (Black) and Mr Crappie's was (Chrome). Bought the seats from Wise Seats, and done the best job of matching that we could. Not exactly like the Tracker Seats, but not real noticeable. It has a hole in the middle of the Double Seat Frame for the original pedestal to get through the frame but is almost flush with the top of the 2 seat frame. The whole 2 seat rig was: Frame = $79.00, Seats = $69.00 each, Swivels = $10.00 each, + shipping. Around $250 when we were done.




The 2 Man Seat Frame just sits on the floor of the boat, but the hole on the frame slips over the original pedestal pole and is snug enough that it will not come off, unless you are standing right over the frame, lifting straight up. We have not removed ours while traveling. Just fasten the backs of the seat down and we run the highway at 70mph.

For the Umbrella, we bought the 3/4" Male flange that mounts to the bottom of your Boat seat, that slips into you pedestal. Then we took an 18" piece of 1 5/8" fence post, and welded it to the flat side of the 3/4" Male flange. The Umbrella Pole fits perfectly into the 1 5/8" Fence Post. We had to cut/trim the corners of the Flange that screws on the seat so that the 2 seats would swivel. It took us about 30 minutes to build the adaptor that sit in the pedestal pole, that holds the Umbrella. We can remove the Umbrella, and Double Seat Frame w/Seats, slip the original Seat back into the pedestal, in 60 seconds. Then the boat is exactly as it was bought. Nothing has been added yet, that has changed the boat from it's original form.

Looks like it is going to work out very well, but we have not Field Tested the Umbrella, but tomorrow will tell the story.



Yes, but that was my Hunting/Fishing Buddies Truck & Boat (BeltonBanger, Temple Texas) He is still working with the insurance people to get back in action. Shouldn't be long from my last report.



I hear that, but we have not really run into that since we have had it. We haven't fished in really heavy winds, but have been in 20 mph with higher gust, and did not have a problem with water coming over the front. But then again, we are mainly out to enjoy the fishing, and when I am, worrying about white-caps and such, I am not going to be out there. To many other fishing day to chance the weather. But on the other hand, if you are trying to fish 2 guys over a structure or lay-down, bridge pilings or just about anywhere that you are going to catch crappie. You (or we) can not keep the person in the back of the boat or even half way over the structure or in the strike zone. With us both sitting on the front, we put up to a structure, turn the nose into the wind, mark the Target with a buoy, and we are both fishing right down in the top of the BP. Back of the boat stays right in front of the nose due to the wind, and we are both working the Strike Zone. But safety first, and we would be loading the boat before the first wave crashed over the bow of the boat.

keith

Getting old is a hell of a lot better than the alternative. I am 63 and just proud to be here.

Steve

Alright thanks. What I needed to know

I call it wisdom and thinking smart! Very nice.

Field Tested the Umbrella today, and it was great. The wind was suppose to be 7mph, but it was higher than that. Nice breeze that had the open water with a decent chop, but nothing I'd call stiff wind (Normal For This Time Of Year).

Fishing in the shade made the breeze feel very good. We fished till 12:30pm, and could have fished all day if the fish would have been more friendly. Only caught 6, but were all right at a pound. Nice, but few...

Anyway, we were both very happy with the project, and expect to get fewer sunburns. It was a hot daay, but the shade made for a good time on the lake.

keith

Keith, looks like you have the same trouble (bad knees) climbing into the back of the boat as I do. MAN, getting old ain't for sissy's!

I can relate to the bad knees deal. I guess if I would lose a hundred pounds I jump over a boat. Not really but maybe they wouldn't sound like someone was snapping their fingers all the time.