Post by Matt Sells on Apr 29, 2013 23:49:21 GMT -5
Brock and I got the ProCraft on the water for the first time this morning.
Things went decently smoothly and we learned a lot about the boat.
First off, the boat DOES have all the lights necessary for navigation at night. It also has a decent amount of storage for all the necessities plus anglers' gear but it does get a little tight. Rod storage is kind of a pain as there is only one place for them and it certainly can't handle every rod.
Boat started up fine but we did run into bogging, sluggishness and roughness issues which prevented us from getting on plane for most of the day. Brock and I believe this stems from the stale gas in the boat as we didn't add any new gas to the tank, but we'll have to test that.
There are also significant hydraulic issues that make steering extremely difficult and also prevent the trim of the motor holding in one position. In both cases, the problem seems to be a result of low pressure in the hydraulic lines which can be a sign of a leak or low fluid. I did not have an opportunity to take a closer look at the system but low fluid is an easy fix, a leak slightly more difficult and a new pump is very difficult (and expensive).
I am slightly concerned at the condition of the transom as we saw some evidence of some flex under load and also water on the inside of the hull in areas that would suggest that the transom has been compromised, which would lead to rot. A professional would most likely need to verify this though as I am far from knowledgeable on the subject.
The trolling motor is crap as we expected and absolutely needs to be replaced, but we were expecting this.
The boat is about as fast as the Ranger and I would expect it to top out around 50mph in ideal conditions. It does not handle rough water nearly as well as the Ranger though and would struggle in any chop generated by winds more than 15mph. Basically, it handles like any 16' boat would. It also fishes like one and things can get a little tight with two guys trying to cast in such a small area.
Overall, the boat is in good shape and is probably a decent deal. As I've mentioned before, it will take significant time and attention on the part of you guys to keep it as nice as it is now. I think the boat will provide good opportunities for members to get out on local lakes for fun and tournaments but I really don't see it being worth bringing to anything bigger than Shelbyville.
Brock can add his comments and I will update if I take it out again and discover anything new.
Things went decently smoothly and we learned a lot about the boat.
First off, the boat DOES have all the lights necessary for navigation at night. It also has a decent amount of storage for all the necessities plus anglers' gear but it does get a little tight. Rod storage is kind of a pain as there is only one place for them and it certainly can't handle every rod.
Boat started up fine but we did run into bogging, sluggishness and roughness issues which prevented us from getting on plane for most of the day. Brock and I believe this stems from the stale gas in the boat as we didn't add any new gas to the tank, but we'll have to test that.
There are also significant hydraulic issues that make steering extremely difficult and also prevent the trim of the motor holding in one position. In both cases, the problem seems to be a result of low pressure in the hydraulic lines which can be a sign of a leak or low fluid. I did not have an opportunity to take a closer look at the system but low fluid is an easy fix, a leak slightly more difficult and a new pump is very difficult (and expensive).
I am slightly concerned at the condition of the transom as we saw some evidence of some flex under load and also water on the inside of the hull in areas that would suggest that the transom has been compromised, which would lead to rot. A professional would most likely need to verify this though as I am far from knowledgeable on the subject.
The trolling motor is crap as we expected and absolutely needs to be replaced, but we were expecting this.
The boat is about as fast as the Ranger and I would expect it to top out around 50mph in ideal conditions. It does not handle rough water nearly as well as the Ranger though and would struggle in any chop generated by winds more than 15mph. Basically, it handles like any 16' boat would. It also fishes like one and things can get a little tight with two guys trying to cast in such a small area.
Overall, the boat is in good shape and is probably a decent deal. As I've mentioned before, it will take significant time and attention on the part of you guys to keep it as nice as it is now. I think the boat will provide good opportunities for members to get out on local lakes for fun and tournaments but I really don't see it being worth bringing to anything bigger than Shelbyville.
Brock can add his comments and I will update if I take it out again and discover anything new.