Mother's Day Weekend Maintenance

[Big Will]

I've had a couple of issues to deal with on the skiff.

1) My battery hold down in the stern consisted of those cheap plastic things with a strap. The screws were rusting and the strap was MIA. Last two times I went to the ramp I found the batt had slid out from under the back deck stressing the cables (could be what tweaked my rectifyer, but haven't found a break in the cables)

2) Two rod holders on the bulkhead of the front deck were virtually unusable in conjunction with the pedestal seat. I'm so big my seat is all the way back near the bulkhead and the back of my seat over shadowed the holders causing seat to hit rods.

Plus since the fartman incident I figured I'd better get to work and do something productive.

Here's photos of the battery fix for starters.

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=430

I still have to seal the holes.

Next I took some aluminum bar stock, stainless carriage bolts, SS washers, SS lock washers, SS wing nuts and some injun tricks an old iron worker taught me and fabed up a bona fied battery holder.

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=431

After that I took the rod holders apart and scratched my head for a while. I hung a plumb bob off the back of the seat and saw I'd need atleast 6" of clearance...*001* by the Grace I happened to undo the top screws first and the idea of angling the two middle holders came into focus. So I took a piece of red oak and fashioned a combination pole holder angle bracket and knife/pliers holder.

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=433

I touched it up with some spar urethane and it looks pretty good.

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=434

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=435

Oh yeah, and for good measure I added a pole holder to the center of the front deck.

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=432

[Oyster]

Looking good there Big Will!

That is one serious looking fishing rig!

[Gunnar]

2) Two rod holders on the bulkhead of the front deck were virtually unusable in conjunction with the pedestal seat. I'm so big my seat is all the way back near the bulkhead and the back of my seat over shadowed the holders causing seat to hit rods.

The rodholders turned out great. You turned a problem into an improved mod.
Good work Will *Cheers*

Gregg

[Big Will]

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=11&pictureid=439

I bent the aluminum into the shape of the battery cut it to fit the deck area and used a drill, a socket, a hammer and a vise to set two stainless carriage bolts into the ends. I picked the same size bolt as the battery terminals incase I needed to borrow a wing nut.

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=441

http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/picture.php?albumid=22&pictureid=440

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Hey Will, looks good man *thumbsup**thumbsup* *Cheers*

[Big Will]

Thanks, the only thing gives me a little heartburn is the fact that its all metal. :eek:My NASA Critical Control Point training tells me mixing electricity with metal objects can be dangerous. My NASCAR training tells me to put a little duct tape on it and go for it.

I'll feel better once I get a lidded box to put the battery in.