You are doing exactly what I have recently started doing in looking at all of the various options of what I think I would like to have on a bowfishing boat. I am looking at owning a boat of my own in the next 12 months or so. This thread should be a great source of insight and information on different opinions of what is the best in the areas of boat types, styles, motors, fans, kickers, trollers, decks, generator and lighting setups as well as storage and interior layout configurations. I'm going to be following this thread as well for my own educational benefit.

 

semi v .125 center console with a 72" deck, 115-125 four stroke yamahammer, 6-9 175 hps or mh mounted under the deck, would go with float pods but in deeper water your not gonna need them. 70+lb motor guide, at least 2 pedestal mounts on the deck, rail on deck with cupholders, stereo and speakers, digital ballast for lights. arrow and bold holder made into the center console, gps. entire boat sprayed in bedliner with hydro turf or other matt on deck.

 

your fishing style is a complete opposite of what we do so i have no advice but i like to hear opinions and ideas for setups so im gonna keep an eye on this thread

 

Big fish for us, not numbers so typically that means deeper water. "Deeper" is relative of course, sometimes meaning 12 feet deep, but usually just means we don't always fish right up against the bank.

Some stuff like interior and lighting is independent of fishing style too, so I am sure we'll get a ton of good ideas in here. Once we move to actual build we will definitely be documenting it in a BFC thread.

 

Just a thought if you order a boat with 32 inch sides. A flush deck on a boat with 32 inch sides would be the same as a raised deck on a 24 inch sided boat.

I'd want t bar braces. .125 or thicker. a transom to handle a 200hp. Center Console. Bluewater inside led lights. 20x72 32 inch sides flush deck enclosed light rail. 1 1/2-2inch drain plugs. If I wanted a 4stroke I wouldnt own anything but a suzuki 4stroke. If 2 stroke Mercury or Yamaha.

 

Just a thought if you order a boat with 32 inch sides. A flush deck on a boat with 32 inch sides would be the same as a raised deck on a 24 inch sided boat.

Good point that I thought about this morning. After spending some time up in our camera stand, there is no denying how much better fish can be seen from up high, including night time, so...probably will still have a raised deck. Notice I said "probably", LOL.

Thanks

 

flushdeck
5 400watt hps
8hp kicker

yeah i saw what you said about the flush deck

 

He also said he didnt want HPS lights

 

On a 20x72 i'd want way larger than a 8 hp. I dont know much about kickers nor have I ever owned a kicker rig be i'd want atleast a 15-20hp

 

an 8hp kicker would push that boat anywhere you wanted to go. A 15-20hp kicker is out of the question. For videoing a kicker would be perfect, since y'all produce a lot of videos that's probably the route to go.

 

The kicker is pretty much 100% decided on vs a fan. Size is not decided on, though in my mind something like a 8 or 9.9 was going to be it. Definitely interested in hearing input from the kicker guys.

 

1.Go with 175 watt MH's with a remote ballast box.The 400's are too brite in my opinion and cause wicked glare on your eyes if the water is a little choppy. 2. Raised 15'' high aluminum deck how ever big you feel you will need. 3. 2072 mod-v with a 90hp 4 stroke will do just fine since you arn't planing on racing anyone and still need decent fuel milage.Plus it uses the same fuel as the genny. 4. Built in dry box for all gear that you don't want wet(camera's,wallets,cell phones video equipment,change of clothes,ect.)

 

Jet drive

 

Great minds think alike!

 

I definitely think going 4 stroke on the outboard and kicker would be best if you end up getting a new outboard! Could run all of them off of the same fuel cell this way

 

I think you should add at least one of the American Airboat models.

 

On your lights, I know you don't want HPS's but I would still start out with some HPS ballasts. You can still run probe start MH bulbs no problem. It will make it easier for the next guy that owns your boat to be able to run HPS's if he chooses to. I would go with four 250/400w lights on the front deck and one on each side of the console for a little more light toward the back of the boat. I would go with the Lumatek LK400 ballasts so you can have the option of 250 or a 400w bulb. I would power it all with a Honda Eu series or a Yamaha eF series generator.

For the kicker, a 5-6 would do just fine. With that being said since this boat is likely to be as heavy as a barge with a camera tower and the associated filming equipment, I would go with an 8-9.9 horse kicker.

Definatly go with a .125'' (1/8'') hull even if you go with a semi V.

Build it right the first time and only cry over the price one time!

 

HPS:td::td::td::td::td:

 

24x9 flat boat. 6 foot raised deck n a 9hp kicker. Now that would make you look big. Lol

 

.125 20x72 flat bottom, raised deck or just a nice airboat light rail, 4 stroke outboards, center console and video stand built as one where the video stand would be over the console leaving a large open deck behind generator "compartment" built into the back of the boat along with extra storage

 

The SJX 2884 with twin inboard merc jets. plenty of room to put whatever kind of deck you want on it. You will be able to go anywhere you want.

http://www.sj-x.com/2884.html


I couldn't find a video of the new 2884 but here is what thier other models are capable of...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75V-bvUKHRA&feature=fvwrel

 

Whats the issue with HPS lights?

 

Doen't like the yellowish light for filming purposes.

 

Robin, doing as much filming as you do, and in deeper water, I think that the fan is ruled out for 1. lack of need 2. noise.

I am quite impressed with some of the newer 4 stroke motors for noise levels as this is a consideration for your filming too. The fact that your genny and kicker could use the same fuel would be a plus also.

I have been on chop and heavy chop with differing degrees of "v" in the front of the boat and am most impressed with the mod V design. Rob's SeaArk is, for example, much smoother than the modified V on my custom boat, even. Even though he has more "V" than I have, it is still plenty steady when we all go up front to hammer the fish.

Daylight fishing does play nicely with the raised deck, but it will also hide whatever lights you mount from glare to the cameras-nice choice here too, I think.

I'll be anxious to see this work in progress. Might as well leave room for Keith somewhere in the new build too...

 

You can still run a two stroke for the big motor if it's oil injected and run a four stroke kicker, all on the same fuel cell. I'd go with a min 115hp motor on a 20 x 72 mod V boat. 30" sides, 1/8 or 3/16 bottom, water tight storage compartments.

 

inboard jet, outboard 8hp kicker, 150 or 175 MH's ---- bunches of em

 

ill add my part to the thread lol

<a href="http://s812.photobucket.com/albums/zz45/coled30/?action=view&current=pee-on-decal.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz45/coled30/pee-on-decal.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

im no pro but ill throw my opinion out there. Since u do deep water and varied conditions def stcik with raised deck maybe only 2or 3 ft since ur getting big sides and wide boat that will sit high. The hps fixtures so u can run the MH but switch bulbs if conditions did ever call for hps. insdie lgihting never hurts but i also dont know if lights facing in the boat would show glare on video or not (prob not lil leds but IDK).I do like the idea of a kicker that runs off same tank so u dont have multiple tanks and u said barely any shallow so a kicker would be a def way to go. Depending on your setup. it would be nice to be able to have genny in back and as far away form camera as possible. I personally love when someone has the compartments for everything so u never se any gas tanks or batteries. Keep us posted on how it goes

 

We like our new boat, I'll throw out some specs from it for some ideas, pics on new 1980 f&f thread.

19 foot long , 80 inch wide. Ours is .190 hull (cause crap happens!) , but .125 would probably be fine for your style. float pods, 12" catwalks/walkarounds, flush deck with fish drop in storage undeer deck, enclosed light rail, center console, rear bench, generators mount behind bench, light rail houses 6 -400 watt hps and 5 12 volt spots that are controlled by big foot switches. 84 lb watersnake shadow rt remote controlled troller (24v). 150 johnson gt 2 stroke vro on a 6" Jackplate. Sharkeye navigation lights. We chose F&F for cost versus features willing to build and overall it was an awesome experience and we ended up with our version of a "perfect" bowfishing rig and made new friends in the process @ F&F.

We also have hydroturf and about to spray bedliner elsewhere. Also use combo of LED and cold cathode interior lighting.

 

Removable video platform.

 

My boat but in a 1880 size vs the 2080 I currently have, can get the same floor room in a 2ft shorter boat and of course everything setup on the boat is for video purposes as well as carrying more crew(weight)! The mod-V design handles rough water very well but still can float in 8-10in of water. I personally like a fan, but would work well with a kicker motor also.

 

I am definitely considering going with 18 instead of 20 for those reasons...and 2 feet less of weight.