Project time

[elefntkpr]

Finally! A day off and better weather. Taking the boat out for the first time this season without my wife would result in a homicide at my house so instead I tinkered.

I had been itching to get a grill mounted but just never got around to it until today.




My sister got me a grill for the boat for Christmas. It didn't have a flat bottom like most do so I had to modify the feet a bit. Then I ordered Arnall's grill mounts. Pretty straight forward install, just had to notch the cross braces so I could still remove the grease trap.


Reviews online stated that the Arnall mount was very strong and would hold most grills securely. It does indeed but my issue came from how much the fence traveled when the grill swayed. To make myself feel better I ran some support from the outside of the brace to the floor.




I recycled the old mount for my original transom saver which just so happened to have the perfect angle for the job.


The fence still has a small amount of movement but if need be I can install the brace I found on Pontoonstuff.com. Originally I wanted to mount it over the water in case of any mess. The website claimed the brace was easy to install and remove from the fencing, but that's not entirely true. So I decided to mount it over the rear platform. It's vinyl so I can clean it if something spills.

I also had to replace the rubber pieces I used to hold the cooler in place. As I figured, they started to dry rot so I bought the kit from Attwood. It's very robust and I think it will hold it better anyways.


And finally, I was never happy with how I was strapping the back of the boat down so I bought a set of Boat Buckle retractable straps. So much easier and secure. I want to get one more for the front of the boat too.




I also managed to scrub all the black mold spots off the seats so now it's time for some 303 treatment...which I should have done in the first place.

I've been looking at a new cover for the boat.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040I5EQ8/ref ... G759FG0B9I
I hate the factory snap on cover so I'm looking for an alternative. So far I've read allot of good reviews about the cover with one exception. They claim you can trailer the boat with the cover but everyone says it will rip. I never haul the boat with a cover so I'm not worried about that. I read some posts about the Vortex Bimini Tops but I didn't find anything about the covers. I know I'll have to rig up some support but I'm thinking I can reuse the poles that came with the factory cover. Any of you have any input?

Thanks

John

[cwag911]

Nice job! Very clean install.

[tuned]

As my Canadian friends would put it.."Like beauty"

[Brashanic]

Very nice. I am wanting to mount a BBQ as well

[ROLAND]

My louisiana neighbor to the south.....your boat looks GREAT.....love the grill and I think I need to invest in a few of those buckle / straps for the back of my boat.. I like that set up... looks really good.

[Papa Joe]

Nice job. All you need now is a couple of steaks.

[Bamaman]

You might want to get a piece of vinyl cut to put over your cooler when you cook. Just about every grille I've ever seen will have meat droppings drain below a little.

You don't want hot grease on that nice vinyl floor under the grille.

And yep, that's a nice installation. You will really enjoy it.

[MH Hawker]

I have my grill so the drippings hit the lake,and i really like the looks of the boat buckles may have to get a set i have been using a set of ratchet straps I cut down.


my grill and a table on the rail.

[elefntkpr]

Thanks everyone, I hope it works well in the wind. Next Sunday will be my trail run.

Bamaman, I think you're absolutely right about the drippings. Protecting the floor and surrounding area is on my list.

MH Hawker, I originally test mounted the grill on the starboard side of the boat over the water. It was a PIA to mount it and we didn't want to leave it hanging over the side while towing the boat. I do like the table you have and how you mounted it. I may "borrow" that idea!

As for the boat buckles, I'll be sure to post back after I've put them to use a few times. They look like they'll hold up fine as long as I stay away from salt water. They make a more expensive pair for that btw.

John

[sunedog]

Your installation looks great. Very professional. I would be concerned, however, about how close the grill is to your vinyl sunpad. Those grills put out a lot of heat. I think I would be making a habit of covering that corner of the sunpad with a wet towel to protect against heat damage and greasy splatters.

[walter]

John, the grill setup looks nice, what did you use to get rid of the black mold spots, I'm getting ready to tackle that myself, I've used the LA Totally Awesome in the past, wondering if there's something a little easier.

[moregooder]

Looks good but be ready for the drippens. happens to me after I take off because I forgot to empty the drip pan.

[elefntkpr]

John, the grill setup looks nice, what did you use to get rid of the black mold spots, I'm getting ready to tackle that myself, I've used the LA Totally Awesome in the past, wondering if there's something a little easier.

I read a few posts where people had used Clorax Cleanup with Bleach. I tried it and it worked perfectly. I washed and rinsed one seat at a time then rinse the entire boat really well. After it dried I came back with 303 UV spray. The mold stayed away for about 5 months so I just did it again a few weeks ago. The Clorax Cleanup worked fast tho. I'd spray a light coat on, brush the seat once with a med bristle brush and when I rinsed the mold was gone. There was a few places I had to go over again but nothing major.

[elefntkpr]

Looks good but be ready for the drippens. happens to me after I take off because I forgot to empty the drip pan.

We've had it on the boat all summer and never had a mess until I let an intoxicated friend grill some sausage. What a mess! I keep dish soap and a small bucket on the boat now just for that. I've started gathering some material to make a permanent drip setup. Some stainless pipe run through the floor with a grommet is what I have in mind. I'll post some pictures if it actually works.

[TDJ2591]

I see on your boat that you are from Maurepas. I have fond memories of skiing on the Diversion Canal and the Blind and Amite Rivers for many years when we lived in the Red Stick. Once, on the Blind River, I dropped the rope and fell right where 2 medium sized alligators had just surfaced. I've never seen a boat turn around to pick up a skiier faster than they diid that day. They saw the gators but I didn't and quickly yanked me back into the boat. We cut the engine and waited. Before long both gators resurfaced nearby. A week later in the same area we found a floating dead one about 8' that someone had killed.

I imagine that gators and snakes would scare away most skiiers, but there were lots of us that skiied that area regularly. We never had a problem.

Boy, I miss the days in La and especially the fresh seafood and crawfish!