Modifying & Outfitting a 1994 16' Sylvan Aluminum Boat

    I thought I would never sell my 2005 18' North River boat, which in I purchased used in 2009, where I had taken a basic bare boat and over the years (16) that I owned it, had made it into a real fishing machine.   However with health issues creeping up on me, (bad lower back issues, COPD and wet Macular Degeneration) and where I had not got it wet for over 2 years.  All this, and my age (89), my priorities have changed considerably, along with about all my fishing partners have passed away, OR they own their own boats.   My son is so busy in his business that he can't take much time off, and the grandsons are scattered.  I have tried to introduce younger people into my style of fishing, but they also have a life that sometimes interferes with fishing.  Therefore, I very OFTEN fish alone, then again, I am sure that a smaller/lighter boat would be easier to handle at launch/recovery for an old GEEZER.

   Now instead of ocean fishing being one of my prime spots, my sights have turned to Puget Sound, or bays, / lower river sections on the fall for returning salmon.   This is mainly due to the salmon seem to have moved out into DEEPER/COLDER ocean water (which means longer runs offshore (like 25 + miles one way) and if it gets rough on the way back in, not so good on my back, as compared to 6-10 miles on bays or even less on the rivers.  This farther run is partly because of water temperature, and feeding habits where the salmon follow the bait.   Then with my North River boat (which is not really a offshore boat) I have to closely watch the weather and tides, which cuts down on fishing time on the water, as compared to larger Deep Vee rougher water boats.

    These newer locations (but not foreign to me) will include the lower Columbia (buoy 10), the Willapa bay and lower the Chehalis, and southern Puget Sound.  Then also this smaller boat would also be more conducive to lake fishing.

   Enter Boat # 28 ;  (For a link explaining this CLICK HERE).   After doing a lot of looking for used boats, I had pretty much settled on a 16' Smoker Craft Alaskan model.  These older boats are riveted, (not welded), but are a lot better than older riveted aluminum boats I have owned in the past.  Their joints appear to have a sandwiched in thin mastic seal between the sides and bottom, along with a lot of very close LARGE rivets.

   Looking at numerous boats online and relatively close to my residence, I also found some Sylvans pop up.  Well it just happens that they are both made by the same company.   My guess is the Smoker Craft is the flagship line while the Sylvan being more of the utility version, but the hull design appears pretty much the same.   Of the ones available near me, I selected an older 1994 Sylvan Yukon Select version, which has 81" beam with 21" freeboard, with an open floor plan (no cross seats) which was powered by a 2012 40hp Yamaha and a T series (high thrust) 8hp Yamaha 4 stroke outboards.  This was an older boat, than others I looked at, but it appeared sound, with no dents or leaks, but what swayed me more than anything was it had a couple of newer, well known and good motors.

    This boat was apparently originally set up for Columbia River spring/fall Chinook and sturgeon fishing, evidenced by the Columbia River type anchor system.  This entails a rocker type anchor securely mounted in a holder on the bow.  The latest owner apparently had little interest in this type of fishing, (being a Asian) but he targeted crappie at night on the lower Snake River, or an occasional crab outing.

    Again this boat was structurally sound, maybe a new paint job, but a previous owner's mechanical/electrical ability was less than minimal, as all the wiring needs to be almost completely redone, as all the wiring to a rear side mounted electrical panel had been cut near the transom. 

   The rod holders were not placed in convenient locations, or if they were, they were scantily secured.  It also came with a fitted canvas cover and a Bimini top (both of which I will probably ever use).

    The two side seats were mounted on lids of metal storage boxes, however the wood lid had shrunk to where the hinge screws were loose.   To make matters worse regular steel nuts were used on the stainless bolts. The sliding rail for the seats were dinged, loose and corroded.

    There is a moderate amount of storage under the seats, in the bow area where a live-well could have occupied in the flagship line had lots of storage, along with minimal bow storage.   At the rear sides, about 6" wide by 3 1/2' of inward and up near the gunnel, is a aluminum protrusion that also houses rear side flotation, where the top cover has a shallow lip for a somewhat catchall, and where downrigger bases can be mounted. 

    But with no real "Catch All" type provisions for temporary boating gear type storage.  And there was no provision for a fishbox of any kind.
 
    It also did not have any side mooring cleats.  Which are critical for fishing solo, when leaving the boat tied up while parking/retrieving the trailer.  Here, I also use the rear cleat that is offside of the trolling motor to secure the fish bleeding rope.

    Looking at the starboard center side steering console, I hatched the idea of adding a inner shelf up under this console.  However with the steering gearbox input cable needing to have the shelf bottom cut out to accommodate the cable, it became obvious that a single bottom piece would be impossible to fit in, so cut it in two, and careful fitting after making cardboard templates.   This shelf is not permanently installed just in case the steering cable may need to be replaced.   This shelf will provide storage for the boat and trailer registration, spare key, handheld VHF radio, binoculars, sling shot, fishing regs, cell phone, sandwiches etc.  This registration/key container is simply a Skippers cocktail sauce jar with the lid screwed up under the side of the console.

    And it just so happens that my large tackle box just fits under this console, leaving the floor more open and uncluttered.

    Among the things that I also added to this console was a USB cell phone charger.

    I also added a small wooden base made from 2" X 4" wood which a 1 1/2" hole was drilled 90% through to allow a Ski-Do size Freon horn a home, glued (using liquid nails) onto the inner hull near the throttle.   Also in that near area, but out of the way, I added a coffee cup holder.

    For a fish-box, I found that a Coleman 70 quart cooler fit pretty well on the forward deck up against the bow deck.  This is held in place by a long bungee cord around the upper section and between some aluminum angle on the forward deck to help it's sideways stability. 

    The rear swivel seat was stationary, which I removed and attached this folding seat onto a swivel 4 legged chair base.  On my previous swivel chairs, I have welded a 3/4" angle iron frame onto the legs up about 5 ", and installed a stainless or aluminum expanded metal bottom, so that no water would accumulate.  This also is a close catch-all during fishing.   Needless to say I did the same to this chair base.

     The Columbia River anchor system (along with the anchor) entails 140 feet OF 3/8" anchor line which is contained in a 5 gallon plastic bucket.   Since it takes up considerable room along with the puller float, this long a line will not be utilized often, it has been replaced by a 3 gallon bucket which contains 75 feet of 7/16" nylon rappelling line.  On these systems, the anchor itself is not attached until it is decided which type of fishing will be done that day, so an simple exchange of buckets works quite well.

     This boat has a 17 gallon under the floor fuel tank.  Apparently the motors were added separately, as the smaller (8hp) motor was not plumbed for it's own fuel line, where they shared a common fuel line, and the only way it could be ran was to disconnect the fuel line from the larger motor and use it on the smaller motor.  That may be OKAY for trout or crappie fishing, but on larger faster moving water, if $hit happens, the immediate usage of the second motor can be a life saver.   Hence, it is now plumbed one fuel line off the main tank for each motor. 

     Normally, I sit on a swivel chair at the rear to steer for trolling.   However at times it can be beneficial to steer the smaller motor from the helm.  This was accomplished by welding a 3/8" stainless steel nut to the main motor's cable linkage bar as seen in the photo below.   This will also allow either motor to be raised without removing the tie bar.

Here you see a tie bar from the main motor's steering cable system to the trolling motor

    Then I just happen to have an Minn Kota electric trolling motor that can be mounted on the Starboard side on the transom if that is what might be helpful on a day somewhere in the future.

    The under the rear splash well on the Starboard side is where the marine battery is located.  However space is limited and the series 27 battery that came with the boat is too long to fit sideways under this well.  Therefore the battery has to be inserted lengthwise, taking up room forward of the opening.  Hence I purchased a series 24 shorter battery which can now be slid in sideways.   I will retain the series 27 battery for usage with the Minn Kota electric trolling motor.

    I have installed hour meters on both motors, which will help me keep track of run time, and for oil changes.

    Since there is no wash-down pump, nor room to install one, I use a 1 gallon painters plastic bucket, which I tie about 2' of Nylon line with a large loop in the outer end as a hand hold, which helps for dipping water.

 

     Rod Holders ;  Here, Fish-On bases were possibly mounted fine for fishing at anchor, but woefully in wrong places for salmon trolling.   And most of them were only retained by two self-tapping #14 screws into the gunnel.  And I lucked out at a recent yard sale, purchasing 3 sets of these rod holders (complete with bases)  for $6.00.

   Downriggers ;  There were bases for Cannon downriggers, which were mounted in the rear side shelf, but not enough forward for the fisherperson to stand rearward of to operate effectively.    If I am to use downriggers, I let my Scotty electric models go with my larger boat when I sold it, but I had picked up a couple of used manual versions which will find a home here when that time comes, as I have installed their bases.

   I always wear a Offshore inflatable life vest.   These vests have double Dee rings (one on each side) in front where, when fishing alone,  I snap a 10' Nylon web strap which has a quick release onto these Dee rings.  I then made from a 1/4" stainless steel rod, a U shaped anchor point that attaches into the Scotty downrigger base, that will be my tether anchor to the boat.

    The Trailer ;  The trailer passenger side had been backed into and the taillight assembly was held in place by a small dia. cord.   And it's metal mounting bracket was badly bent.   Along with the boat was sitting too far forward by possibly 4", to where the winch mount and tongue mounted crank both needed to be repositioned.

    With this repositioning, I now can mount on the port side of the tongue a 6" X 24" aluminum expanded metal walk for help in loading if need be.

    Then when I was checking the tires for air pressure, I found that the spare tire had no valve stem core.  So it would have been completely flat if needed.

    Then the wheel bearing covers are not "Bearing Buddy" type which are way better in lubricating the bearings, but have just the "dust cover" type on it.  Time for another change.

   So needless to say it took me more than a couple of weeks, repairing and remodeling before I got it close to getting it wet, and even before I got the registration changed.

   Shakedown Cruse ;  OKAY, 2 1/2 weeks of remodeling/fixing, I finally had shakedown cruse.   I am pretty happy with the outcome, however found a few modifications needed (like the one rod holder that I did not move, really needs to be moved to accommodate the tiller handle of the T8 motor). 

     This main motor has no out of the hole power, as the previous owner was looking for speed, where I am looking for utility, so his highly pitched prop will have to go.  His sonar would not function, even though I tried it previously, so time to replace it with a used Lowrance HDS5, which I can transfer all of my waypoints into.

     And on this trip, we had what appears to be a intermittent lack of fuel issue on the main motor.  Pumping the primer bulb did nothing, indicating the fuel pump was probably not the issue.  But when I got it home, I removed the onboard fuel filter, which did not look really good, so I ordered (for $10.49) a new one and have now installed it.   I begin to wonder if that may be what the previous owner sold the boat, thinking the motor was going bad.

    And we even caught a salmon.

    Looking at the 2 chewed up props the previous owner gifted me, made me consider some kind of prop guard.  I had my welder friend weld up the bad dings, and I refinished the surfaces of the props. 

    And the areas that I plan on frequenting can have sand/gravel bars/stumps.  Okay, online I saw Hydro-Shield product.  I somewhat copied this idea, but made mine out of 3/16" aluminum.