Thread: Small boat setup inspiration

Iv just got my new boat a 4m pontooon dinghy and im looking for some inspiration for upgrades and mods people have done for storage and layouts etc. Im pretty handy when it comes to fabrication amd welding alloy etc already planning on raising the sides for a start and keen to see what you other keen boaties have done with yours. Cheers

- Some nice high up rod holders are always good to keep the reels dry. An arch over the outboard?

- Chilly bin that serves as a seat with something solid to stop it from moving around.

- Waterproof tackle boxes stowed away tidily somewhere.

- Railblaza gear for bits and pieces.

That arch over the outboard is a good idea, rod holders and i can hold on if im standing up. Railblaza stuff looks good too. Mounting a chilly bin looks tricky wonder if i make up some flush mounted anchor points and sink them into the floor so when i take it out theres nothing to stand on or trip over.

Would you ever want to go out without a chilly bin or seat? If nothing else, it provides good waterproof storage.

Whats the current set up ?


My boat is glass (3.7m) not alloy however I got it built to suit my preferences - as much open clear space as possible, everything stored in dry storage out of the way/spray. Casting deck up front with a storage locker underneath. Use a fish bag rather than a chilly bin as it's less hassle and more compact. Can stuff into the locker or tie down flat on the cast deck. No hard plastic smashing around in the chop.

Can't find many good photos really

Originally Posted by gimp

Whats the current set up ?


My boat is glass (3.7m) not alloy however I got it built to suit my preferences - as much open clear space as possible, everything stored in dry storage out of the way/spray. Casting deck up front with a storage locker underneath. Use a fish bag rather than a chilly bin as it's less hassle and more compact. Can stuff into the locker or tie down flat on the cast deck. No hard plastic smashing around in the chop.

Its currently a bare hull with 2 bench seats so im starting from scratch. I like the idea of a casting deck with storage under it I see the stabis have that sort of setup. Nice tuna you have there too

Originally Posted by MB

Would you ever want to go out without a chilly bin or seat? If nothing else, it provides good waterproof storage.

I was imagining my 100litre bin taking up most of the deck and no room for people but i should get a more approtiate sized bin for the boat haha.

Originally Posted by silentscope

I was imagining my 100litre bin taking up most of the deck and no room for people but i should get a more approtiate sized bin for the boat haha.

Time to manage your expectations! If you have bench seats, you could do what gimp does and skip the chilly bin altogether and put the fish in a cooler bag if space is an issue.

If it's 2 thwart type benches I'd consider removing the forward seat and replacing with a cast deck/locker, as you say Stabi do that in the 1450 now, it's a neat solution

I'm trying to do the same with a box upfront . It's still work in progress. Keen to move the 23l fuel tank in there.

One of the best things I put on my Stabi was a tally board. Screwed a strip of macrocarpa along width of bait board. On lhs I used a poker burner to enscribe ‘sna’ and ‘fin’ with drilled in-line holes traversing face of board. Had a golf tee at each start point so when we kept fish, the pegs were moved to appropriately numbered hole.
Possibly sounds stupid but fisheries inspectors were impressed when I rattled off ‘4 p.o.b, 17 fin fish, 11 snapper. Wanna count them?’

I like fuel tank being movable. When on my own it goes up front when Mum n dogs in too it goes on left side at rear to counter my fat arse on right.

iv mounted the new motor, next i think ill add in some storage for the totes by making a seat style cubby on each side and and a battery compartment. iv made a rough scetch of other ideas im thinking.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I like fuel tank being movable. When on my own it goes up front when Mum n dogs in too it goes on left side at rear to counter my fat arse on right.

Same here ,depending on load being carried can balance the boat out with fuel tank.