What are your Top 3 favorite boat mods or additions you've made?

[glacierbaze]

"1. In July 2021 we repowered our 1991 Seafarer with a 2020 Yamaha F250 XB and new Armstrong Gil Bracket [see photos] - love the quietness, odorless, increase in power and fuel efficiency"

I thought Armstrong and Gil were 2 different companies. Are they the same?

 

[Mustang65fbk]

1. In July 2021 we repowered our 1991 Seafarer with a 2020 Yamaha F250 XB and new Armstrong Gil Bracket [see photos] - love the quietness, odorless, increase in power and fuel efficiency
2. Upgraded stereo system by installing a pre-amp and installing 2 additional gunwale speakers - love the surround sound and increase in bass in the rear of the boat
3. Replaced the original 93 gallon gas tank with brand new tank - It had to be done, period.

Looks good! My uncle had I believe it was a 1993 26' Bayliner that had twin 2 stroke Mercury 175 hp outboard motors on it and they always smoked like crazy. It was a very nice upgrade going from that to my previous boat which was a 21' Arima that had a 4 stroke Honda 130 hp outboard on it. The 4 strokes are oftentimes so quiet you can hardly hear that they're on, they don't have the smoke that the 2 strokes have and they're better on fuel economy. Always a great upgrade going from 2 strokes to 4 strokes!

 

[Late Again Grady]

Repowered back in May with Mercury 225 V6 fourstrokes. Also installed Simrad AP44 autopilot. I guess getting the transom rebuilt should count as a biggie.

 

[Blaugrana]

1. Blue seas Dual Circuit Battery switch….By far my favorite update as it keeps my engine and electronics on separate circuits

2. Flush mounted 2 Simrad GO9s

3. TBD -Nothing else was as satisfying as those updates…Ignoring the SS cockpit drains, new fuse panels, etc

 

[JJMag]

Number one on my list is the pilot house for safety reasons I don’t have the windshield frame blocking my view or the isinglass covered in water from fog inhibiting my view also there’s always debris floating in the water in the areas were I go boating!
Number two on my list that’s a tough choice I’ll go with upgrade bracket and motor had Hicks marine fabrication make a new Outboard Bracket integrated kicker bracket with 2017 Yamaha. Number three electronics and electronics panel flush mount Garmin 8610 XVS, 943XVS, Simrad auto pilot AP44.
Number four Took out fuse panel and replace it with blue seas circuit breaker and took out battery switch and installed blue seas add a battery kit.

 

[PNW_Drifter]

Love that pilothouse. What’s the story behind that? Make it yourself or a local guy? Fingers crossed he made a mold!

 

[JJMag]

Charlie Hicks Marine fabrication shop did it.
He is in Sonoma California, all aluminum then powder coated and then put a ceramic coating on it. I just love it. Here is his phone number +1 (707) 328-5471.He is well known for his work and is extremely busy.

 

[PNW_Drifter]

Charlie Hicks Marine fabrication shop did it.
He is in Sonoma California, all aluminum then powder coated and then put a ceramic coating on it. I just love it. Here is his phone number +1 (707) 328-5471.He is well known for his work and is extremely busy.

Well he's very skilled in design as well because the lines match perfectly.

 

[JJMag]

Well he's very skilled in design as well because the lines match perfectly.

Very true he is definitely well know around Northern California with the party boat fleet and commercial fleet, he does have training from the East Coast also!

 

[SeanC]

Modifying my 17ft aluminium centre console into a 228.

 

[Fishtales]

Llebroc helm chair, Fusion stereo and hardtop rod holders

 

[levi]

Charlie Hicks Marine fabrication shop did it.
He is in Sonoma California, all aluminum then powder coated and then put a ceramic coating on it. I just love it. Here is his phone number +1 (707) 328-5471.He is well known for his work and is extremely busy.

This looks awesome! How much did it cost if you don't mind me asking?

 

[hooked on Grady]

Since I am restoring the boat completely I would say as far as modifications it would have to be the helm it's self & the electronics(love that panoptic set up) then the cabin, getting rid of the foam backed vinyl and finishing everything to gel coat was expensive but I think really worth it. It looked like hell in there, it made the boat look like a P O S, No more. Then comes everything else, separate wash down and bait well pumps, rod holders everywhere, Rupp outriggers, Fusion stereo, garmin vhf radios and 8900 series antennas, gas tanks & hoses, battery switches, full rewire. under gunnel led's. Future bow pulpit, Armstrong bracket and Mercury 300 to make it all worth it !

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Since I am restoring the boat completely I would say as far as modifications it would have to be the helm it's self & the electronics(love that panoptic set up) then the cabin, getting rid of the foam backed vinyl and finishing everything to gel coat was expensive but I think really worth it. It looked like hell in there, it made the boat look like a P O S, No more. Then comes everything else, separate wash down and bait well pumps, rod holders everywhere, Rupp outriggers, Fusion stereo, garmin vhf radios and 8900 series antennas, gas tanks & hoses, battery switches, full rewire. under gunnel led's. Future bow pulpit, Armstrong bracket and Mercury 300 to make it all worth it !

How does the Garmin Panoptix work in the saltwater? I've heard some mixed things about it, especially if you're fishing in saltwater over 100' in depth. Not that I fish deeper than 100' very often, but it would be nice not to spend $1500 on a transducer that can only go to 100' in depth to work well.

 

[hooked on Grady]

Yeah, I have heard that also but I can say out to 60 feet or so on the sandy hook reef spots its working! in the bay it's working, we watch the schools of blues slash through the bunker schools and it perfectly correlates with the bunkers coming up and disturbing the surface. while it works and serves a purpose its all so fun to actually see and be able to tell some of the fish types your looking at. small fishes near the bottom while bottom fishing you just kinda know from experience what your looking at, I can't tell a bergall from a small seabass but I know what sizes are there.
the other thing is that I live on a lake and originally had on the pontoon boat. its definitely more fun on the grady because we see more stuff out there.

 

[JJMag]

This looks awesome! How much did it cost if you don't mind me asking?

PM Sent

 

[hooked on Grady]

Not really sure all totaled, but I bought 3 gallons of resin, various fiberglass sheeting, all the different west system fillers, some types multiple cans of, the cans of spray foam, the 1 quart of spectrum
gel coat, rolls of hook and loop sand paper, the block kit for sanding all shapes and a 3m long board hook & loop body sanding tool, barrier coat additive for epoxy coats before gel coating. Yeah its begins to add up.but for me I used to sit in night school and day dream about getting my hands on one of these boats, I got the one I wanted and to me its worth a million bucks. Having sold my 87 seafarer to responsibly raise my family was a tuff move but the right one. to get a second chance going into retirement its just not about the money for me period. I want my son to be able to take my daughters out SAFELY long after I'm gone and I feel like doing everything the best I can will really be leaving them a part of me. somewhere on it when its done it will say "dads dream"

 

[dfolsom]

1997 228
Added a West Coast 40 gal bait system where stock Livewell was located.
link to the posting I made about this Project. https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/228-west-coast-bait-tank-modification-40-gal.32630/
put an additional 11-rod holder, 4 on the transom, and a 7-rod rocket launcher from GW welding
(Affordable excellent quality) this fit on the hardtop with no issues.
New Garmin Electronics 2021

 

[ilmmct]

I did there mods this season and happy with the results:

-re-established OEM bow ladder after prior owner did a factory delete to mount a trolling motor on the bow
-repositioned trolling motor to the starboard factory mount point and installed swivel and quick release to ease changing the boat’s mode to a sandbar queen
-installed EVA foam mat to replace aging factory material

 

[Lt.Mike]

What are your Top 3 favorite boat mods or additions you've made and why do you like them so much?

Bonus points for photos!

I added a bunch of store bought stuff, Simad, etc... but you ask for "mods". I got mods

Number #1 is converting my starboard front fishbox to a livewell. It is plumbed with the rear livewell thru a diverter valve used by wakeboarders to fill water tanks but I use the valve to send fresh water to the front tank, the rear or both. Both wells have an aerator for when its on the trailer and LED lighting. THe front well has a large overflow that is plumbed to the side and rear of the tank. This was done because the 3/4" drain had no hope of keeping up with the incoming water from the custom sprayer bar particularly when fish scales clogged the inlet.
Here's some pics



To the right the wells, to the left a washdown pump I added which is a godsend also.

here you see the washdown pump I added at the same time and the stainless bussbar I made for the negative contections at the battery replacing the wiring mess that came from the factory ! (shown in the following pic. ...Ok I'll have to follow up on that, reached my limit.





The rule 90 degree angle valve worked perfect to provide a solid foundation for the sprayer bars front and back.

This shows how I plumbed the drain. The stand pipe and screen isn't necessary and I never use it. The plastic screen on the drain comes off and stays off 99% of the time to allow the big striper scales to flow freely out the drain.


I'm sure this sight has confused more than a few people who see me on the water


Sprayer bar in place, air line to a air stone thats out of the pic on the bottom sorry, and LED light mounted under the bar. The LED light is wired into the navigation lights.

Home made sprayer bar. the end cap just snugs on but can come off to clear debris that sometimes gets sucked up.