# 1980 BassTracker I Build Has Begun (updated 9/1)



## ShadowWalker (Jul 22, 2008)

I got a 1980 15 foot BassTracker I with a 1967 20HP Johnson that I am in the process of turning into a bowfishing rig. It needed a lot of love.

Here are some before shots.











Here are some during the floor tear out. In the end after I put the new floor in, I will probably have lost 100lbs in weight from water logged foam and rotted plywood. The wood literally fell apart when I took off the carpet.














Here is where I am at right now. The carpet and rod holders on the on side needs to come off. Then all I need to do is run wire, then its ready for its new foam and floor. I'm not putting carpet back in, I am probably using tuff coat or something similar, but at $70 a gallon I might try mixing some sand into paint first. How well does the sand deal work?


----------



## SlimeTime (Jul 22, 2008)

Nice boat! Looks like it was time for alittle TLC on the floor. Look forward to seeing your progress. Can't help on the sand idea, but I've wondered the same thing....they used to put in plaster for texture, don't know why it wouldn't help?? 

ST


----------



## ShadowWalker (Jul 22, 2008)

I'm just wondering how well it holds up. Am I going to end up with the sand coming off and getting all over or does it stay put? That sort of thing.


----------



## Jim (Jul 22, 2008)

Great work so far! :beer:

Doesn't walmart sell a roll on bed liner on the cheap?

I think its called duplicolor and its like $40.

I did a quick google search.

https://forums.off-road.com/toyota-suv-s-trucks/151305-duplicolor-bed-liner.html


----------



## SlimeTime (Jul 22, 2008)

Something I just thought of, Tractor Supply sells large rubber mats. I "think" they're like 4'X6'? and sell for around $30. A couple of those could be easily trimmed to fit, and would be easy to remove to hose off, and of course wouldn't be slick if they got wet....$60 invested, perhaps less than paint/bedliner, and alot less messy & time consuming. Just a thought.

ST


----------



## brewfish (Jul 23, 2008)

Nice looking rig the work with. That baby has lots of potential! Can't wait to see what you do with it. :beer:


----------



## acamp08 (Jul 23, 2008)

walmart does sell roll on bedliner. i bought a quart of herculiner from them at i think around like 23 bucks. worked good for me.


----------



## ShadowWalker (Jul 23, 2008)

Good to know about walmart, thanks. Hopefully I can get it in a lighter color. While I will be bowfishing at night when the suns not an issue, it is going to do double duty and will be rod and reel fished during the day.

The rubber mats would work, but the floor still needs to be coated with something so I don't end up with what I took out. I forgot to mention, the floor did not appear to be original. The guy I bought it from said the front nav light never worked when he got it, and when I took the floor out, the wires underneath weren't connect in the middle. I also found loose change, nail clippers, an old Mustad Hook patch, and a jig head under it. 

It is going to have some halogen lights around the deck, with a generator to power them. Not sure what to do about seats yet. I decided against painting it, it will stay bare aluminum, but I think the I might get some new bowfishing decals made to replace the bass tracker ones. Perhaps "Carp Tracker" :lol: Or since I have been a Batman fan for a few years and will fish at night "The Dark Knight" would be fitting.


----------



## ShadowWalker (Jul 28, 2008)

Wiring got done today. Floor is going in tomorrow night.


----------



## Waterwings (Jul 28, 2008)

Nice rig, and can't wait to see the finished product. Checkout site sponsor _Iguanagrafix_ for custom decals :wink: https://www.iguanagrafix.com/


----------



## ShadowWalker (Jul 29, 2008)

Floor is in. Put new foam in as well. The deck still needs to be done, then the floors and deck will be painted with "purple haze" with the anti slip additive from Rustoleum. I got two quarts of this with the additive for the same cost as one quart of hurculiner would have. And it is a unique color


----------



## Jim (Jul 30, 2008)

Where are the pics? :mrgreen:


----------



## SlimeTime (Jul 30, 2008)

Jim said:


> Where are the pics? :mrgreen:



Yeah....what he said!! :twisted: 

ST


----------



## ShadowWalker (Jul 30, 2008)

hopefully posting some tonight when I get home. We have three iPods and my iPhone in the house and I can't find 1 cable. :?


----------



## ShadowWalker (Jul 30, 2008)

Here they are!


----------



## dedawg1149 (Jul 31, 2008)

looking good


----------



## ShadowWalker (Jul 31, 2008)

I honestly dont think the foam will be enough to hold her up if I take on a ton of water once fully rigged, but it can't hurt. The rain here is holding me up now, won't dry out enough to paint and we keep getting showers.


----------



## ShadowWalker (Aug 7, 2008)

Here are some current pics. Only added about 25lbs compared to how it came from the factory. If I look at how much it weighed when I bought it, I actually dropped some weight.

Still need to paint the motor, get a switch panel, install my halogen lights and a trolling motor. She is getting there.


----------



## Victor Coar (Aug 7, 2008)

Is it Purple?


----------



## dedawg1149 (Aug 7, 2008)

thats kinda new were you get the purple carpet


----------



## SlimeTime (Aug 7, 2008)

dedawg1149 said:


> thats kinda new were you get the purple carpet



lol, that's what I was thinking. I wanted burgandy/maroon, but couldn't find it.

Boat's looking great!

ST


----------



## ShadowWalker (Aug 7, 2008)

it's not carpet. It's rustoleum with the marine grade anti slip additive on the surfaces that you would step on. Bowfishing and carpet doesn't go well together.


----------



## sccamper (Aug 7, 2008)

Youre getting there. Looks good


----------



## SlimeTime (Aug 7, 2008)

ShadowWalker said:


> it's not carpet. It's rustoleum with the marine grade anti slip additive



LOL!!! I didn't believe you until I went back & looked at the pics again. Now that you've mentioned it, I can see the grain in the plywood :mrgreen: 

ST


----------



## ShadowWalker (Aug 7, 2008)

Yeah, I ran out of paint, about half the bottom needs another coat. The stuff is *really* grippy. I am surprised. Probably as much grip as bedliner, and I think mixing it in with the paint is going to wear better than putting sand on the top would.


----------



## dedawg1149 (Aug 7, 2008)

i really thought it was carpet sorry about that it looks good though


----------



## ShadowWalker (Sep 1, 2008)

Quite a bit of progress has been made.

Got my trolling motor mounted, my neighbor gave me a set of rod savers he won (modified to hold a bow), Seats are made, they just need to be covered in vinyl. Still gotta get that last coat of paint on the floor. Switch panel is in for the nave lights.


----------



## Waterwings (Sep 1, 2008)

Heck, I thought it was carpet also  . Looks good, and nice use of the rod holders! 8)


----------



## SlimeTime (Sep 1, 2008)

Looks great! I'll look forward to seeing some pics of some of the victims :wink: 

ST


----------



## dedawg1149 (Sep 1, 2008)

looks great ,i like the seats =D>


----------



## FishingBuds (Sep 1, 2008)

Nice water assault vehicle :wink: 

That Bow/carp shooting stuff is gettin big isn't it?

we got one around me and the boys get together at one of the sponcers before taken off, there be 20 or so Bad ol'Boats there. its always a show someway or another-they attract attention


----------



## ShadowWalker (Sep 2, 2008)

It is getting big. Where I shore fish I have people talking to me all the time. 

I ordered some orange vinyl for the seats today. 

I also forgot to mention I think I am going to skip the generator. I have an extra group 27 sitting in the garage I am going to use at night, and run some 100 watt "offroad" style auxiliary lights instead of the A/C halogens. The battery should get me roughly 5 good hours with 5 or 6 lights. They will also take less space, both light dimensions and room from the generator.


----------

