Crestliner 2012 VT17

[redux]

So I found what appears to be a great deal on a Crestliner 2012 VT17 and pulled the trigger on it. I'm going to close the sale and pick it up this Saturday.

From what I can tell this only has around 65 hours on it and has a decent amount of bells and whistles. The best for me being the PowerPole and 75 pound trolling motor. Do you think it is worth adding a second PP? I know I'll need to learn the boat and how the single PP holds, but from your experience, are 2 PPs "the deal"?

From what I saw in the test drive it hit right around 38 WOT with two people in it. Does anyone have any ideas how I can squeeze some more MPH without touching the motor? Is it even worth messing with?

Thoughts on the ideal weight distribution when I load it?

Any idea about a good prop upgrade (it looks like a factory prop)?

Thanks! Hopefully I'll be able to adjust to not being on the bank and will have some good stories to share.

[FloridaFishinFool]

Well z you can always drive your new boat backwards and the fish will be all turned around like you were standing on the bank again! 

Congratulations on the new boat. Numbnutz is ready to go too.

Gee I'm trying to imagine 2 bank fishermen in a new boat. 

Z no need to rush into a new prop just yet. We need to install a tachometer and see where you are at first. If you reach factory specification max rpm's then you should be fine. If a change in pitch is called for then make your switch to stainless if you prefer it.

[Princeton_Man]

Congratulations on the new ride! Looking forward to pics. What's it got for a big motor?

[Pacific NW Ron]

Congrats on a new boat.  It will be an adjustment going from the bank to a boat but you'll do just fine.

[Bud Kennedy]

Congrats on the boat.  I would not be too hasty with any changes until you have a little bit of seat time.  After a couple outings you will easily understand what changes should be considered.  When you have specific information the group here will be more than happy to offer their suggestions.  Load distribution, motor performance and overall set up is a process and can be quite variable depending upon so many factors. 

For right now just enjoy the boat and become familiar with its feel.  Pay particular attention to your safety equipment and make sure it is in place.  And above all don't forget to wear your PFDs and use the kill switch.

Looking forward to hearing about your reports.

[redux]

Well z you can always drive your new boat backwards and the fish will be all turned around like you were standing on the bank again! 

Congratulations on the new boat. Numbnutz is ready to go too.

Gee I'm trying to imagine 2 bank fishermen in a new boat. 

Z no need to rush into a new prop just yet. We need to install a tachometer and see where you are at first. If you reach factory specification max rpm's then you should be fine. If a change in pitch is called for then make your switch to stainless if you prefer it.

It has speedometer, tachometer, voltmeter and fuel gauge in the console already so I think it is good there. I do want to test the speed against an app and my Garmin GPS to see what they say the MPH is.

The blue boat below is the VT17. The red one is the ideal bank fisherman's boat.

Hopefully I'll be able to attach some wheels and a drive train to the boat so I can still fish from the bank when I need to 

[FloridaFishinFool]

It has speedometer, tachometer, voltmeter and fuel gauge in the console already so I think it is good there. I do want to test the speed against an app and my Garmin GPS to see what they say the MPH is.

Is it a digital tach? Still can't hurt to hook up a calibrated digital shop tach temporarily when ready for it because any inaccuracies could throw off the end result.

Set the boat up how you want it weight wise. Once you have it set up how you want it with live well full of water, etc. then do the rpm test for dialing in the prop pitch.

And the grass on the banks thank you!   

[redux]

Thanks for the replies. Seat time is definitely going to be the best way for me to get everything sorted out.

The gauges are all analog.

[FloridaFishinFool]

The gauges are all analog.

Definitely use a temporary digital tach when you are ready to test rpm's. Compare the 2.

One change in pitch number is approximately 150 rpm's plus or minus.

An analog tach could be off accuracy further than that!

[Numbnutz]

Congratulations on the boat!!    Hopefully soon I will have one too. Now let's go catch some bass 

[Oldfart9999]

Congrats on a nice looking rig!!! I'd do what Bud says, when you are ready to make changes or upgrades we'll be more than happy to help you spend your money!!!
Rodney

[redux]

I already know FFF's opinion on this. So here goes.

All things being equal (location, security, price, etc.), what's more important to you when looking for boat storage—24-hour access to your boat or electricity in the storage unit?

I have to use a storage facility and am stuck between these two differences in the places that are in the area I want to keep my boat.

[Princeton_Man]

I would want both.

I'd want/need electricity because my charger stays connected 24/7 and it's nice to have power if you want to work on it. Without 24/7 access you'll need to bring the boat home the night before and return it to storage the day after, not a problem for most but could be an issue if you don't have a place to park it at home.

[redux]

I want both too, but that's a tough order to fill around here. They all keep going on about trying to deter fires and people taking up residence in the units and the associated liability issues. It's a really weird argument because one place says providing access to electricity is the concern but will give 24/7 access. Another says 24/7 access is the issue but has some units with electricity.

Thankfully they are all month-to-month so I can keep looking for the ideal spot. All things being equal, I think the electricity is the biggest issue so I'm opting for the unit with light and 2 plugs.

Saturday cannot come fast enough.

And yes, FFF, I'm getting the grease gun, marine grease, 2" receiver, 2" ball, and receiver lock today or tomorrow after work. Thanks for the checklists. 

[FloridaFishinFool]

Good. I'll bring the tools and spare wheel bearings and spare hub just in case. Oh and an air compressor too. Cover all bases on such a long trip.

Did you get a laser thermometer? Everything should be ok but if those wheel bearings have not been checked and repacked since 2012 they are long overdue for it.

[Bud Kennedy]

My boat is in storage.  My preference was security and access.  Electric hook ups are un heard of down here unless you rent a storage shed then you might be able to get it.  I spend $45. per month for storage and just have to bring the boat home a day early so I can get her charged up and load up the tackle.  I don't keep anything in the boat while it is in storage.  It is outside and under a ranger cover but that is it.  Not the best situation but it works.  I can get the boat out 24X7X365 with no problems.

[Donald Garner]

Congrats on the new boat   

[redux]

Good. I'll bring the tools and spare wheel bearings and spare hub just in case. Oh and an air compressor too. Cover all bases on such a long trip.

Did you get a laser thermometer? Everything should be ok but if those wheel bearings have not been checked and repacked since 2012 they are long overdue for it.

I did not get the thermometer. $29 seemed a bit steep. I got the receiver, ball, and locks. The lowest drop receiver Harbor Freight has is 2" drop. The only level receiver available has the welded ball. I'm going to West marine tomorrow for the grease and gun.

The boat just got towed in from Alabama so I'd be surprised if there was a major issue with the bearings. But I do appreciate the attention to detail and that you have the tools to help ensure we won't be stranded if something does go awry.

***EDIT***

Believe me I'd love to have 24/7 access, but the logistics of my apartment don't allow for me to leave a boat outside overnight for charging before heading out. For now I'm going to assume I'll take the boat out at 6 AM at the earliest and be off the water in time to be back by 830 PM. Weekdays I don't want to be out past 8 PM anyway because I get up at 6 AM. On Weekends I'm hoping to be out of town a decent amount so I can just sleep in my truck and borrow an outlet or get one of those jumper batteries. Thankfully I can just move locations when if I decide access is more important than power.

***EDIT***

Around 900 miles later (and a ton of help from FFF and the boys!) I have it in storage. FYI 10'x20' is the smallest space you can use to store a 17' foot boat with motors on a trailer. And, getting that up a 2-step threshold is not at all fun. Sorry you hurt your back FFF.

Anyway, going to get it into a certified Merc shop ASAP for an inspection and peace of mind and figure out a real storage option before I get it back. At this point, adequate space and accessibility are more important than it being indoors and having electricity.

***EDIT***

All right. It's going to be free on Monday. The good thing about the storage that I realized is since they are all month-to-month with  o contracts I can move it around to suit whatever areas I'm interested in fishing. If I want to spend time on the St. John's I can get a marina in that area for a few months. Toho? There's marinas there too.

The only downside of having a boat is I'm not going to be able to blame FFF when I get skunked. 

[FloridaFishinFool]

I just saw this Z... So give us an update on the boat??? What all have you done to it?

Ready for a custom trolling motor or what? Greg is ready to hook you up!

And the back is much better. Glad you moved the boat storage!

How many fish have you caught in the new boat???

[Captsteve]

nice looking boat. but I am partial to blue

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[redux]

I took the locks out of the deck boxes and got them working. They were totally seized so I gave them a solid dousing with a lock breaker and did a lot of fiddling to get them back in working order. I'll re-install them tomorrow morning.

I also got a generic boat cover for when it is sitting outside and a Yeti for drinks. I want to avoid my carpet getting soaked as much as possible and the stock boat coolers can't keep anything cold in the FL heat.

A trolling motor is not on my current to-do list. The next items are a topper for the bed of the Taco and a second Power Pole.

I think I should go over the bearings soon. I've been checking the heat of the hubs after driving and they are not at all hot even after a solid hour of driving at close-to highway speeds. So they are 3rd on my list.

Mainly I'm just getting comfortable trailering, backing up, trolling, and driving so catching fish is not really my focus right now. I'm way more interested in being a safe and conscientious boat captain at the moment. But soon enough I will not have any excuses for getting skunked. 

[FlatsNBay]

Redux, I sent you a message.

[redux]

Redux, I sent you a message.

Nice boat!! I am considering the same model but am unsure of the total package length. Can you do me a favor if it's not too much trouble? Can you measure the total length of the boat motor and trailer with the swing tounge open and the motor in the down position? I'm hoping that it will be small enough to fit in the garage! Thanks!

FYI, I'm going to post this in the topic so others can weigh in or use the info to help them out. FloridaFishingFool has been helping me with everything so he will definitely add something I forgot.

I can get actual measurements Tuesday, but from what I remember:

The trailer is 21' end to end and close to 19' with the swing tongue pulled back.

The boat has a flat transom and is 17' long (17.5" or so if you have a trolling motor).

The 4-stroke 60 HP Mercury extends about 12" past the transom when it is trimmed up for travel.

The beam measures at 90" but is really more like 92" if you include the rub rails.

The trailer extends about 10" past the beam on both sides. So while the boat width is around 7' 8" the whole back end of the trailer is more like 9' so that makes getting you angles right and not banging the trailer into the sides of the garage tricky.

When I first got it home I needed a storage spot ASAP so I got a 10x20 public storage garage. The boat and trailer just squeezed in with about 1' on the side and 2" behind the prop after we angled it into the corner. We had the trolling motor as deep into a corner as possible and the motor trimmed all the way up.

If the garage you are thinking of using is 10x20 has a stepped threshold forget about using it. The rig is too heavy to push up something like that even if the ground leading into the garage is flat. You'll end up busting the tongue jack and your back moving it alone. No one is going to be happy to help deal with that on a regular basis. I mean no one. Not even your best friend. 

If you don't have a threshold to deal with you will still not have enough room to work on your boat in a 10x20. And yes, you will have to work on your boat. 

From what I have experienced that is too small of a space to keep a boat that you use regularly. If you have a good place to roll it onto then you could get away with a 10x20, but it is a pain in the ass because you have to fiddle with the angle and be sure you have perfect clearance

The total estimated weight for the basic boat with gas is around 2,142 pounds:

Boat - 1,100

Engine - 260

Trailer - 500

Gas - 132 (I have a 22 gallon tank)

Batteries - 150

All of these numbers are estimated but I think they are good enough for what you're thinking about. I will still get solid numbers for the lengths Tuesday.

Sorry for rambling.

[3deez]

a second pp will cost you a bit more speed. that being said, you do know that your warranty is void. pp's and Talon's are not allowed on the VT series. anyway, one may be enough. I have one 10' Talon on my PT18 and it's good enough 90% of the time.

[redux]

Yeah...a second pole is a wish that I have actually been rethinking. Once I figure out boat positioning I'll probably not even think about getting a second. Thanks for the input.