Making My SR More Fishing Friendly?

L

Lidokey

New Member
Apr 14, 2013
82
Florida
Boat Info
260 Sundeck, 2012
Engines
5.0L Bravo III
Perhaps I should post this in the Sport Boat forum, but I'm looking for a wider audience. So hoping no one flames me. Have a 2012 SunDeck 260. It's in for annual maintenance and I'm having the dealer add a couple of rod holders, once each starboard and port at the stern. Also having them add a 12 volt female plug on the interior transom to power my portable livewell that I will bungee cord to the swim platform. Already have a Garmin depth finder/fish finder. I'm planning to remove the snap in carpet and maybe, cover key critical seating areas with either canvas or thick plastic sheeting to keep fish blood from staining vinyl upholstery.
I know that the Sundecks are already sort of "Swiss Army Knife boats" meaning that they do a lot of things, but not many of them particularly well and I'm trying to add even more functionality. I'm looking for comments/advice from all of you. Any suggestions to add more functionality? Any watch outs? Any criticisms that I can learn from. Or, any opinions, pro or con? Everything I'm doing can either be reversed or just not used without any big negatives. I don't have enough dock space or money to add another lift and buy a proper fish catching center console and I really love my 260 and am not ready to trade it for a fish machine. Just trying to achieve the best of a couple of worlds. Thanks in advance.
 
I would go to a local shop and have a slip cover made for the rear seat. You could have one made that covers the entire seating unit that just slips on. One that would cover the rear seats the top and the back seats in one piece. A lot of upholstery on that boat to get a hook stuck in.
 
I do some fishing on my boat. I restrict it to only the swim platform. I don't try and make the cockpit fish friendly, too much carpet and vinyl and canvas. If the fish swims under the boat, so be it. I clean and gut the fish on the platform, I wash up, bag everything before even walking into the cockpit. I probably lose more than I catch, a lot cheaper than replacing a seat.
 
That's a good idea to get beyond my first thoughts of just covering critical areas with painter canvas or thicker mil plastic sheeting. Do you have a point of view about buying 1 or 2 fishing chairs that would fit into the recessed area aft and stern that are installed to accommodate small tables? My boat has two of them installed that look like they could accommodate a simple chair or two.
 
Fair point. Interesting that you clean fish on the boat. Down here in So.Florida, the various water based law enforcement look VERY negatively on any fish cleaned on board as it tends to mask the size and species which may or may not be in season. I've learned to never clean on board, only back at the dock. Regional differences, I suppose. FYI
 
I have to do something while i'm waiting for a bite.
 
I'm trying to do the same thing to my 240. I'm adding 4 rod holders to the rails but finding a place for upright holders for the rods when we aren't using them is difficult. Don't worry about fish blood on the seats. We caught a bunch of trout yesterday and the grime washes right off with the sink sprayer. I leave the carpet home when we fish.
 
We salmon fish on Lake Michigan off our boat. There are to be NO FISH in the cockpit , swim platform only!!!!and that's from the Admiral and that's that. God I Love this woman!!


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Fair question. Guess I'm thinking of past experiences in bass boats on lakes where sitting in a chair is normal. Doesn't have to be.
 
The only way to make my boat more fishing friendly would be to leave the Admiral at home!
 
HUMPH said:
The only way to make my boat more fishing friendly would be to leave the Admiral at home!
Click to expand...

That's funny Ken!

Lidokey,

A while back, on this forum, I saw someone who had spreaders that fit in deck mounted (flush) rod holders. The rod holders were installed on the top deck surface on the transom. It was a very cool setup that I was considering if my boys ever want to get into fishing. I personally have little fishing knowledge myself!


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Todd
 
The PO of my 240 had rod holders installed in it so there they are. One of the reasons I wanted a boat that big is to get where I wanted to go fishing.
 
I don't know if this is a direction you'd want to go, but you've got a great big area in the bow. Build a collapsible platform (3/4" plywood covered with carpet or vinyl) that sits on top of the bow cushions (since they're not quickly removable). You could certainly get a fishing chair, or two, mounted up there and the bases would only be installed in the platform. Think "bass boat" and you can probably even add a long-stem trolling motor somehow.
 
Have a friend who physically can't stand for long. He's an avid bass fisherman, has a bass boat and is used to that type of chair. Looking to accommodate him.
 
Thanks to all of you for interesting feedback. If it's OK with all of you, let me take it to the next (ridiculous?) level. Anyone mounted an electric trolling motor on a Sundeck? That is, without totally screwing up the aesthetics of the boat? Just asking!
 
Just sell it and buy this. I did

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Lidokey said:
Thanks to all of you for interesting feedback. If it's OK with all of you, let me take it to the next (ridiculous?) level. Anyone mounted an electric trolling motor on a Sundeck? That is, without totally screwing up the aesthetics of the boat? Just asking!
Click to expand...

Sure! It's not a common practice,but I've seen it done. I almost bought one rigged for fishing and water sports. It had the retractable trolling motor on the bow and was out of the way when you didn't need it but handy if you did.
 
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