A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
Well, I started redoing a 1972 ProLine 24 guide edition in early April. The man redoing it said it would take him 4 weeks to do it. I told him to allow himself some leeway so we settled on 6 weeks. I got the boat from him on the 14th of August. Over 17 weeks after he started. I must say the exterior of the hull looks like a new boat. He put on all new gel coat and really sanded and buffed this baby out. Then ole James Dean at Valdosta Outboard jumped on it to pull my old motor off of my old deck boat and to rig this sucker out. I picked it up from him Tuesday. Took it to the glass place yesterday and picked it up today with the new windshield. Still got a few odds and ends to fix, but it is going to take some Boy Scouts scalloping this Saturday. The offiical neighborhood photographer refused to take his fancy picture taking equipment out in the rain, but maybe I can get a picture of it before the fish blood stains get too noticable. I think I am really going to enjoy fishing out of this boat. Should run pretty shallow, but has enough bow and length to make short offshore runs as well. I am only worried about the size of my outboard, however, these boats were originally rigged from the factory with johnson 88's and they did fine then.
I'm pumped....just in time for hunting season, I've got a fishing rig
HEY MUDRUCKER, THAT 88 WILL PUSH THAT PRO-LINE ALONG PRETTY GOOD, YA SHOULD GET ABOUT 30-35 MPH IF YOU ARE NOT LOADED TOO HEAVY. I HAD A 115 EVINRUDE ON A 1987 PRO-LINE THAT HAD BEEN MISTREATED, THAT SUCKER WOULD GET RIGHT AT 40 MPH WITH A NORMAL LOAD, IT WAS A 22' AND HAD SOME CUSTOM EQUIPMENT ON IT THAT ADDED TO THE TOTAL WEIGHT. GLAD YA GOT HER FINISHED OUT, YA WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME FISHING OUT OF IT , THEY ARE VERY STABLE BOATS.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA
Hey FutchCairo, I should have explained. I've got a 115 rude on it now. But I knew the guy who started ProLine down in Crystal River and used to fish out of his 24. At the time, all of his pre-rigged 24's had the 88 on them. they guy I got the boat from had a 115 yamaha on it, however, it may be a hair heavier now that then with my new deck layout and center console.
Good deel.... ....send them pics.. I put about 5 mths of refurbishing on mine last winter....sure is a great feeling when you got it all done..Congrats......
HEY M.D., THAT OLD 22' PRO I HAD WAS DENTED, SCRATCHED, GOUGED, SCRAPED AND HAD HOLE IN THE TRANSOM WHEN I GOT IT. I PUT A DOUBLE COAT OF GEL AND NEW SOLE AND STRINGERS, TRANSOM AND REINFORCED EVERYTHING. USED 8 GAL . OF GEL, 5 GAL OF RESIN AND 3 GAL. OF MARINE PAINT WHICH I BELIEVE ADDED AT LEAST 200 # TO THE WEIGHT OF THE BOAT BEFORE I PUT THE 115 ON IT. AND SHE JUST FLEW, A LITTLE SLOW GETTING ON PLAIN BUT OTHERWISE RAN LIKE A SCAULDED DOG. I KNOW YOU WILL LIKE THAT 24, I BELIEVE IT HAS A LITTLE MORE FREEBOARD THAN THE 22.
GOOD LUCK
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA
Well, ended up loading 9 folks...3 adults and 6 kids on the Ole Pro today. Got out in the channel and turned it loose. That ole 115 johnson picked it up and put it on a plane pretty quick. With only 3 folks in it, I got up to 34 mph and with 9 folks, I still got up to 27 mph. Those youngin's nearly wore out my folding ladder coming in and out. We found a good number of scallops, especially considering how few were really hunting scallops versus just goofing off.
Gene Griffis from Nashville, GA did all of the fiberglass work. James Dean of Valdosta Outboard did the rigging and installed the gill bracket and motor.