We customized, we conquered, we made upgrades to a Coleman Crawdad!
After using and abusing the customized Coleman Crawdad – “Dream Fish” for over a year on big rivers we decided that some upgrades were crucial. Here’s what we did:
Front Deck
Upgrading the small plastic original deck with a LARGER waterproof carpeted deck.
Typically Coleman Crawdads come with a molded plastic front top that isn’t conducive to use as a fishing platform or dog deck.
So we removed the front deck plastics to build a LARGE and in charge, HINGED deck out of HDPE water proof sheeting 3/4″ thick. The original seat aluminum tubing was used and paddle clips to secure the deck. Screwing aluminum angle brackets on the underside of the sheeting to reduce warping and bowing.
Having the hinges on the front deck allows the deck to be removed from the boat for easier packing on longer river trips. There is more than enough room to pack the essentials for a weekend trip or day trips and still have the deck on and closed.
Don’t forget the carpet! Boat carpet was glued and stapled onto the deck sheeting for slip resistance and comfort.
Satisfied mutts that love to boat ride. Throw an umbrella in the middle of the deck and instant SHADE.
Not only for spoiled doggos but as (fly) fisherman this front deck gives you ample room to stand on the front deck and throw some lures.
STORAGE BOXES
Never having to take more bags than needed is a big step in reducing clutter and saving space on little boats. If you remember, when the “dream fish” was first customized, the boat boxes on the back deck were rubbermaid containers. Well we upgraded.
https://www.boatoutfitters.com/innovative-3-tray-tackle-center
Boat Outfitters has a great selection of boat storage boxes that are waterproof and mount flush to the decking.
For this application; PORT SIDE was installed with a deep storage bin and 3 bin lure boat box for the starboard.
Keeping everything on board saves hauling everything out and having to repack time after time. All the essentials stay right on the boat. The deep storage box holds more contents that we had hoped.
LURE STORAGE
Another upgrade is ditching the fishing backpacks. Lets face it, this boat sees the river more than any other body of water. There’s really only a handful of lures that are the go – to. Separating the plastics from the crank baits and other lures by using 3 lure boxes really saves time. These bins keep things organized and ready for action.
Having lures organized saves time in switching out lure cases with others if targeting different species of fish or boating on different water bodies. Just grab the fishing poles or fly rods and jump in!
LITHIUM BATTERY
A new major upgrade to the Coleman Crawdad that has changed the game of little plastic boating for us – THE LITHIUM BATTERY.
There were a couple different lithium batteries worth researching and trying. We chose to try the Dakota Lithium 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery. First initial reaction, WOW. Was not expecting the increase in power.
Choosing the 12V to match our 55lb MinnKota trolling motor. I twisted the “throttle” on the trolling motor and was not expecting the launch of power. We had struggled with our other heavier marine batteries going upstream in higher and faster currents. Even with two big mutts on board, it was an ease to make it up through faster water.
Definitely the best upgrade to a smaller boat, kayak, or canoe to pair with a trolling motor! There is a wide variety of different sizes and power classes to fit most any application.
This battery is so LIGHT. Lithium batteries cut half of the weight of a standard 12V marine battery! Easier to carry on and off board. Longer life span and recharges FAST. Pricey but wait for the sales, IT IS WORTH IT.
COVER
Last upgrade to the Coleman Crawdad is the boat cover.
Leaving the boats out in elements (sun and rain) has caused some maintenance issues. Water collecting in the boats and the sun warping the deck sheeting has us covering the boats.
For extra protection from the elements, we created a bow and rope system to keep the cover from collecting rain water.
This system easily sheds the rain water off the cover and greatly reduces the amount of water in the boat to bilge pump out.
Check out other customization’s of our fleet of Coleman Crawdads:
LINKS TO PRODUCTS:
*contain Amazon Associate Links
https://www.boatoutfitters.com/
https://www.boatoutfitters.com/innovative-3-tray-tackle-center
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