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New Fishmaster 196 Options?

33K views 148 replies 34 participants last post by  Brahmabull71 
#1 ·
Looking into a new StarCraft Fishmaster 196 & from those of you that have this boat, please give me some input on what how you would rig it differently if you had the chance to do it over. Some of this stuff I have already figured out - like 36v Terrova with 70 inch shaft but:
  • What motor would you put on the back? I am looking mainly for low to mid range performance since on Lake Erie for the most part top end speed is academic. So I am looking at a 200hp Merc Optimax.
  • Then I am looking at a stainless prop but is there any advantage to a 4 blade?
  • On the batteries for the Terrova, looking at Sears 31 series but where do you put them. I want them upfront & reasonably accessible.
  • And would you go with 2 starting batteries or one?
  • On the trailer, what are the pros & cons of single vs tandem axle (except the $1000 price difference)
  • Fishfinder/Chartplotter - HDS 9?
  • On the seats I guess they come standard with a pneumatic pedestal but smooth moves come highly recommended?
  • I guess they only come with one bilge pump - would you add a second?
  • And then any other ideas you might have would be great.
I really appreciate any input. As far as possible I want to avoid looking back and saying: "I should have...."
 
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#78 ·
Stick with 200hp on that boat. That is a big boat and my bet is you will get mileage as well as better performance with the 200. 72" shaft trolling motor is almost mandatory on that boat. I run a 2050 STX and switched from a 60" to 72", now the prop stays in the water. Get the quick release for it. Get three group 31's for the troll motor, and think about on board charger that runs from the current on the motor. I run one and have very short recharge times on the troll batteries. Unfortunately, unless you build a custom battery box (and there is a thread on here of a beautiful one) you will lose a lot of front storage. I recommend getting a 9.9 kicker. If you go Merc, get the 9.9 pro kicker. Get the lightest kicker you can find, you have a 19 degree dead rise on that boat and it can make it list. If you don't go with a kicker, I get the new Yamaha f200IL. That is a cool motor, couple it with Yam's troll control, a set of small troll bags and you won't need a kicker if don't mind wracking up some hours on your main motor. When it comes to electronics I am a Lowrance man, but I have been looking at Hummingbird and that Onix looks pretty cool, I recommend getting the HDS 9 or 12. If you watch you can find some clearance HDS 8 & 10's out there. And they link to Minn Kota. I suggest calling Burroughs Marine as well. Corey is a great guy, I am working with him on some small interior warranty issues, and he has been great. I am not a fan of Vic's, but to each his own. Good luck, shoot me a PM if you have any questions.
 
#80 ·
ive been looking at future options at a distance ,and notice that a lot of people look at and purchase these boats. My question to owners is where do u store everything? I mean anchor, rope, tackle planner boards, dipsey divers, harnesses, weights, jet divers, spoons,etc all this stuff takes up a lot of room, and just short of having it sit out on deck I don't see a lot of storage space for stuff with 3-5 batteries taking up space, life jackets, and safety equipment. I currently own a fiberglass walk around with cuddy cabin which serves well for storage but not much else in the size range I have. but I don't like the idea of having to load and unload gear each trip if its all just sitting on deck. I had a cousin say he lost an entire box of spoons while sitting in back of boat while trailering. just looking for some feed back.
 
#81 ·
StarCraft now offers a storage option that goes across the full width of the boat just in front of the front seats. It looks very much like the one that Eyedreamn built (about the 4th post on this thread). I did not buy it but I can add it later or build one like Eyedreamn did.

It is a personal preference but I like having my tackle on the deck where it is close at hand and I keep things like spare life jackets in my truck or on a shelf in my garage (I have a checklist so I don't forget them;)). I also store my boat in my garage so leaving all my stuff on the deck (organized in tackle bags/boxes) is not an issue for me.

Someone also posted on here a while back that having locked storage on your boat when your boat is open to the public just tempts someone to bust the locker open to see what is inside (even if there is nothing inside).

I am going to try the boat out a few times & then decide if I need more storage.
 
#87 ·
At the IX show, Tom from Vics showed me a Fishmaster that had an optional storeage box that Starcraft was making for them. It was right behind the bow platform and ran the width of the boat. I'm guessing it was 18" deep and 12" high. Had a ton of space for things like pfd and bumpers. Give them a call and they should be able to give you more info. As a added bonus it cuts down on that big step up to the bow and you can get up without grabbing hold of the windshield frame.
 
#83 ·
Front storage hatch: anchor, rope, drift sock
Floor storage hatch: plastic containers with tools, safety items (flares, etc), first aid kit
plastic boxes full of cranks, harnesses, etc.
Rear storage hatch (above floor): 2nd cranking battery, planer boards, etc.
Livewell: since we use a cooler - life jackets & rain gear

Remaining lures and other tackle in plano boxes stored in a bag.
Rods/nets on the floor when trailering, extra rods in side rod storage racks.
10 vertical rod holders in boat for putting rods/nets when on the water.

Cavernous glove box holds a bunch of stuff.

Going to build an eyedreamn box before the i-pilot and extra batteries get installed.
 
#84 · (Edited)
Meerkat

The box gets the batteries out of the bow area. Then you can put large bulky items under the bow and keep the trolling motor batteries in the box.
My box is big enough for 3 group 31 batteries and 1 stack of plainos in the middle.

Not sure if Starcrafts copy will store that much or how much they charge...
 
#88 ·
Does anyone have a picture of the box from starcraft? I have a 196 on order and was just going to copy Eyedream's box. I plan on putting my two trolling batteries in the bow and using the box strictly for extra storage. I will have the Yamaha 200 and Yamaha 9.9 kicker on mine so I figured I would only need the 80 terrova for steering.
 
#96 ·
Thanks Decoy. I really enjoy rigging my boat. It kinda puts me out there without being out there...if I'm ever out of work and have some time on my hands I have always considered "custom" rigging for fishing/trolling boats.

A friend and I built 2 of these boxes for our fishmasters in 2011. Vics had seen my box a few times and liked it. They mentioned they were going to show the battery box idea to Starcraft. I'm assuming Starcraft is on board now and they are producing it for Vics.

Anybody know the price?
 
#95 ·
Have a couple more questions about the 196. I am Looking at buying the Cisco or similar mount for a Garmin 9" graph on the console. Will a standard mount work or will I need one that also swivels out to get it away from the windshield? And does anyone know what length rods will fit in the side rod holders. Thanks in advance.
 
#104 ·
Ha! Did not want to bore anyone but since you ask..
  • 200 Merc Optimax (probably overkill but figured only had one shot at getting it right)
  • 4 blade Rev 4 SS prop
  • Single axle trailer (have to maneuver in tight spaces & don't tow far)
  • Bimini with side curtains (Alaskan20 tells me side curtains are sweet in crappy weather!)
  • Standard seats with smooth move seat pedestals (I thought std seats were more comfortable & captain's chairs took up too much room)
  • Merc bigfoot 9.9 kicker (electric tilt & start with ControlKing throttle control at helm)
  • Terrova 36v, 72 inch
  • HDS 9 (gen 3) in dash (fishfinder)
  • HDS 7 (gen 2) on cisco mount (chartplotter)
  • VHF radio in AM radio dash slot
  • Cisco vertical trees (2), tubes (2) & cradles (4)
  • Extra Cisco tubes (2) ahead of windshield as net holder (bottom bouncer)
  • 2nd auto bilge pump
  • Lenco trim tabs
Blue & black color scheme & it arrives mid-March. I was at Vic's last Saturday drooling all over their display model! Thanks again for everyone's input. It was really helpful when trying to think through the options that would work for me.
Sweet ride! Let us know what you think of the trim tabs on that boat. Also give us a performance review as well. Enjoy.
 
#108 ·
Sure does! In a cross wind tilt windward side up a few degrees and u got a dry ride. When it is rough helps u stay on plane at slow speed. When it is calm trimming gives me 3 mph more on top end. Keeps your boat level when your buddy weighs 150lb more than you [emoji13] Should be standard equipment IMHO.
 
#112 ·
I don't have trim tabs but have used a Stingray hydrofoil on my last 4 boats, 1850 Bayliner, 2050 Bayliner, Lowe 165FM and now my Starcraft 190 Superfisherman. The Bayliners were IO's and my Starcraft has a Suzuki DF115. The hydrofoil makes a big difference in how fast you get on plane and the overall ride of the boat.
 
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