First boat - returning to NJ.com

[hammer4reel]

there is alot of the raritan bay that has great protection for small boats.
Launching out of Keyport you can make it to MANY good fishing spots.
You can catch Flounder, fluke, bass and blues there.
And can also go the back and fish the triangle area.
watch your weather and like LHL said NEVER expect the bigger boats to be courteous.

I fished many years in a 14 footer with a 30 on it and had ALOT of fun

[Capt. Debbie]

I have had a 14' Aluminum since 1982. The old 20hp Mercury I purchased in 1986 new and ran until Fall 2007. I did carb work 2-3 times, ignition work once but NEVER never did any water pump work on it. Upgraded to a 25hp 4 stroke Merc in Spring 2008.

It's was run EXCLUSIVELY in salt water for over 20 years. Keyport, Morgan, Navesink, Shrewsbury, Sandy Hook Bay, Barnegat Bay and ocean side to the Cedars on fluke drifts on good weather days. I sold it after i bought the Mercury 25hp.

It depends on the weather that day and the boat traffic (NEVER USED ON WEEK ENDS). You never get too far from shore anyway.

It's got a 12 vdc dual-cycle battery, 12 gallon fuel tank, Lowrance FF, Garmin GPS, Icom 25 watt VHF w/ hailer, and MOST IMPORTANTLY a 2000 gph Rule automatic Bilge Pump in it.

KEY-
Pick your days wisely. If you're getting your ass kicked or have a visible following sea DON'T keep going. That simple.

Capt. Frank

[Matt L]

Thanks for the great responses so far. This whole thing is sort of a huge deal to me having wanted a boat forever and not having the resources to get it done.

Regarding a couple items. I am looking to purchase a portable handheld VHF. I do not have electric on the boat. I have a trolling motor and big 12v battery but no DC distribution type panel set up. I may build one but that won't be for a while. Any suggestions on these?

Regarding the bilge pump. I do not have one but need to add one. Can these items be directly connected to the battery with a switch or do I need a distribution panel or something similar to do this as well?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Good advice above.... I would not venture too far with the boat especially this time of year with the water temps as cold as they are and the unpredicatble weather we have in the spring... Stay in protected areas out of the wind and err on the side of caution until the water warms up and the weather becomes more stable..

I've seen more then a few small tin boats get swamped and people having to be rescued out by Sandy Hook... It usually occurs in the area around the tip of the hook and the false hook where the water can be very choppy because of the rips... The low freeboard on these type of boats is usually the cause for the swamping.

As said above, pick your days and avoid areas with heavy boat traffic..

You should definately take some time to get used to this boat since it's new to you... You will quickly learn you and your boats comfort level and limitations....

[Gerry Zagorski]

Best way to wire a pump is directly to the battery.... You should have it controlled by a float switch and also have a manual overide switch so if the float fails you can turn it on maually.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Here is a wiring diagram for you...

[Life's A Beach]

PM PeanutButter&Jelly John

He took a class last year for mechanical repairs. You'll learn alot from the class and will save alot of $$$ doing your own work.

"Leaking Weep Hole" was my favorite line that I've heard of as an ambiguous charge.

[Duffman]

Put water into the boat with a hose. Dont go nuts, just enough to cover the bottom with an inch. Check to see if any rivets are leaking by looking at the hull bottom. Trust me on this, been there - done that

[Matt L]

I may try that. I really do believe this boat is solid.

I have been looking to run the electric and think I have a handle on it but not entirely sure where the wires will go. Under the floor would be great but nervous about trying to unfasten the floor and attached compartments. I may be able to run straight through the center but not sure if it will work or If I can get a bilge pump under there or how it will be be fastened..

Saw a cool wiring harness and switch set up and am comfortable building a box for it all. Just not sure where to put the wires. I really don't want to start taking the floor up. Am I missing something really obvious here?

[Toggytime]

Hey Matt,
Congratulations on your new boat. My first boat was a 14 footer as well. They are great boats to learn on. Couple tips I figured out was to make sure you know what you boat will do and how it will handle waves. I wouldnt reccomend going to far out till you have a feel for the boat. Try to back up as little as possible. Smaller boats tend to take water over the stern when backing up, and they fill up quick. Starting around the end of April you will start seeing bluefish in the bay If you put the boat in Keyport and drive past the sailboats you fill find all the bluefish you want. There close enough to the shore where you can fish comfortablly and you will catch a ton. Also if you put in the raritan river either South River or Saryville and head towards the bay on the right hand side you will see an old wooded drydock with a small boat you can get in there and it holds a ton of stripers in the spring.
Good Luck
Doug