icefisherman

Thanks for your kind words guys. Doug, been able to cary more camping gear is one of my main tasks with this boat. But you are off target on the other present Bud. It is MUCH BIGGER then a truck ha ha....be patient you'll find out shortly after the New year arrives. Suzuki is two stroke. No trailer brakes and it is about 23 feet as is now. I've already measured it (after removing my garage stair case) and with cutting the tongue and installing the swing tongue I have, it will fit perfect and allow me to close the door, so no more raccoons ha ha ha. It dives very easily though, much easier then my old 16' fiberglass. But when lifting the tongue it feels heavier then the old boat. And it stops well behind the Pathfinder. It is quite unusula ride though as it is wider/taller/longer then the Pathfinder and when on the Hwy often the trailer wheels cross the line while the Pathfinder is OK...so I have to get used to it before touching the car next to me ;-)) Cheers, Ice Fisherman

As many of you know, last three months or so were dedicated for boat hunting....4-5 hours per day every day...must have looked closely at more than 50 boats....thanks for all the good honest advice I've received from members and I may need few more of those before I install all add-ons I need... So, here it goes....About 3 weeks ago I finalized negotiation on a nice Lund. The best boat I've seen in my search. It is 2000 Lund 1700 Pro Sport. I got the deal of the century on it too. Had to work on few logistics in getting it from fair distance away. Again got tons of good advice with getting it across the border with all the paperwork/formalities. I was fully prepared for customs but there were few small glitches that slowed me down a bit but at the end boat arrived safely home on Sunday night. I've had to remove weather strips on my garage door and even then it was hard to get it in width wise....but it got in eventually...then the staircase had to go as I needed extra length too...that was done last night and only the tongue slept outside...a raccoon got in the garage last night, had to chase it out 1am (thinking someone is trying to take my boat away ha ha ;-) So, with the swing tongue kit that came included in the deal I'll solve that issue as well and be able to close the door completely. Just waiting for all the paperwork to come and do the trailer check in CT before start cutting. Got it out this morning while it was still sunny (snowy now) and took few pictures. I'll take it to my mechanic to see what he has to say tonight ....winterize the kicker etc. Here are the pictures: one really happy camper here: he wanted to go fishing today The trolling electric motor with Auto Pilot: front padding: Very, very nice trailer: Two transom savers, one for each motor. Will I be mount the kicker motor transom saver easily and is it a must to have one? And the view from across the street. Any opinions on do I need to change my receiver rise to 2", or streight one? It is 4" drop now. It does look relatively even to me but tongue is heavier then on the older boat...maybe it should be this way? Here is this little gem I got on a super deal as well, waiting to be installed. Can I just tight ti to the transom without drilling it and how can a secure it against theft? Everything is working fine and looks very clean and well maintained. It has bimini top and travel cover as well as Lawrance fishfinder. So, this is my very nice early Christmas present, expecting even nicer one in January and getting ready for the next fishing season in the meantime. Just got the VHF radio and antenna as well. Now need to find two good electric riggers and.......salmon/eyes be ready ha ha ha Cheers, Ice Fisherman

LX-5 is top of the line model. Options that may cost you extra on the Vex come included in the LX-5. But if you want less bells and whistles while still having great ice machine check some of the other Marcum models here: http://www.marcumtech.com/products/product...&ProdCat1=1 I believe you'll save some comparing to Vex. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Well, you have missed MarCum LX-5. I have what probably was one of the first LX-5 in Canada a month after they came out few years ago and this thing is amazing. I love it! Got me a lot of fish I wouldn't know is under me otherwise. Durable, very powerful, better priced then Vex, better looking and will all options included... Strongly recommend it! Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Keeny, I think the motor you are reffeting is 2 stroke? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Thanks Taper, waooooo....So would price of arround $1100-$1200 be considered "great buy" then? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

I am considering purchassing used 2000 Yamaha 9.9 HP , 4 stroke, long shaft, electric start, high trust motor. It says manufactured in 09/99 on it but apparently it is 2000 year model (?!?) What is good price for such motor at this time of the year? What would you consider "deal I should not miss" on it? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Kevin, you've got a choice in antennas...you can get the 8' or the 3' one. I personally prefer the 8' for better reception but same deal applies if you want to go with the shorter antenna. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Just to let everyone interested know. I called BPS in Vaughan Mills today. They off course don't have that radio in there so I ordered it from the US. Vey kind people and good customer service. Hope it is good radio. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Don, I did look at Cabelas but seems like the BPS deal is a better one. You can get similar radio from Cabelas for $99 and add 3' antenna for only $19.99 so total is about the same as BPS but I preffer the 8' antenna and you can not get it cheap at Cabelas. By the time you add 8' antenna from them total price goes way up. And you are right I've been checking on those antennas for a while and they normally are $70-$80 each. So this seems a good deal as long as this radio is decent quality? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Will do and let you know. Any idea what I'll be charged in shipping/duties/taxes if ordered from the US? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Before I order it from the US, does anyone know if the same deal is available here in the store in Vaughan Mills? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Here is what I just found: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s...mp;cmid=PP_P1_1 Does anyone know if this is a good radio, will it perform well with the 8' antenna and is it a good deal for US119.98 ?? Wonder what it'll cost here in the Canadian Bass Pro? Someone was asking for a VHF in another post. Maybe this could work for them too. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Yeah well Brian, for that price I may have passed out from falling off my chair if for nothing else ;-) Appreciate everyone's comments as they gave me good idea as to what could work for me. I do hope to find decent 8-9.9HP kicker for about $1,000 but time will tell. And allow few hundred dollars more to make it remote. Danbo, my idea of kicker is not only for trolling but also to use it as spare motor in emergecny situations. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Hmmm, how can I make sure the kicker I get has both (remote teering and remote throttle)? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Picture is worth 1001 words! Thanks Wayne. Do you have both motors steering at the helm? And what about throttle controls for the kicker? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

And a bumpy ride it must have been that day Wayne? How do you have your kicker mounted though? Can't see it on the picture? Is it directly on the transom or are you using some sort of kicker scissors mount? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Well, It'll be 4 stroke kicker....9.9HP or 8HP...but 8HP will save me some money, so maybe this is the way to go based on what you told me. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Now here is the more critical question as follow up....say I get long shaft...will tilting it all the way up allow me to get the prop COMPLETELY out of the water so it doesn't spin when going full speed with the main motor? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Yeah, I know, I start looking more and more like Wayne #2 But this is why this forum is so great...all kinds of people with their personal experiences are always able and willing to guide in specific question like this one. I know Wayne has bigger Lund and he has 9.9HP kicker on it.... Considering this, will 8HP be enough for 1700 Pro Sport? I'll be using it regularly for trolling and would like to count on it for emergency when/if the main motor dies on me. 8HP is cheaper but will it be enough for me? Appreciate you opinions before making a decision. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Wayne, I've just sent you three pictures by PM. Brian has seen them. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Wayne, Now I can see why you were having so many questions when you were buying your Lund last year…I am similar to you….like to have it all figured out ahead of time to avoid unpleasant surprises. The transom on the Pro Sport has three different levels... - level 1 -lowest level where the main motor gets mounted - level 2 - a bit higher level (hard to say how much higher only by looking at the picture but it is higher) where the kicker will be mounted. Maybe it is 5" higher (?!) - level 3 - top level - even with the gunnels I can send you picture if you want. You are right the transom is 20" on the specks. So, I assume the main motor is 20" shaft. Considering level 2 is about 5" higher and the hull also goes higher the further outside you go, I was assuming the length of the kicker should be about the same as the length of the main motor (if the raise of the transom is equal to the rise of the hull in the area where the kicker is mounted....Kicker is mounted on higher part of the transom, but at the same time the hull is higher in that area too…if the elevation of the hull and transom are the same, the length of the two motors should stay the same? I know it is hard to know for sure...this is why I was hoping someone who owns Pro Sport and has kicker can tell me the real measurement. Cheers Ice Fisherman

Fisherman, You probably meant to measure from the top of the transom (where the kicker is going to be mounted) to the edge of the hull (again under where the kicker is going to be mounted), which is not in the centre? It would have been much easier if the hull was not going down on an angle therefore making big difference exactly where to mount the kicker. Going too much to the outside will not be good I imagine. Going too much to the inside may not allow the kicker propeller enough clearance under the hull and will not be good either. And not having the boat in front of you that makes it difficult. I may need to purchase the kicked before seeing the boat, hence the question. I think long shaft will probably work, but want to make sure when I lift the kicker, propeller is completely out of the water and not in motion while blasting full speed to the fishing spot. Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Question to all of you who are in the "know" or who own Lund 1700 Pro Sport and are using kicker motor: What is the right shaft length of the kicker? Is it Long shaft (20"), or is it short shaft? Cheers, Ice Fisherman

Try TD. They seem to have best rates as they sell directly to you without middleman. And you'll get a discound for insuring both your house and your car with them. Cheers, Ice Fisherman