Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

[beachblue]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Got to take my Mariner 4 out today with more than just myself onboard. It handled just fine with 3 adults, one 5 year old and a 12lb Jack Russell. Boat was nicely balanced and obviously not as fast as when single but still adequate. Still very very pleased with my purchase. I didn't get chance to use the boat launcher that I built yet again as we parked right on the edge of the lake.

 

[khatch20]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Hey there, Just a quick question. I am wondering the thickness on the flooring you used.

 

[CopperFox]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Beach: Though that'd be crowded to fish, to just be able to get everyone out for a ride on the water, that looks great! For some reason I just can't get my girls out on the water, but they're teens so not the easiest to figure out. What!? With a parent!? Someone might see us together! :laugh:

KHatch: I have ditched the slat floor that comes with it altogether, and so used 15/32". I am happy with this choice. I was aiming for half inch mainly needing something to attach to my seats. So this general thickness works. I do not stand fishing however. I want to be able to stand occasionally (getting in or out, to stretch, etc.), so if you are thinking of standing much of the day, maybe casting from the front of the boat, then walking to the back to stand casting from there, you may want something thicker.

 

[wellysm]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Hi everyone,

Sorry for not getting back sooner...got really busy with work.
The floor officially works. I got a chance to take out the boat on Monday... it was great... very stable, I was able to stand etc without a prob. Set up took around 15 - 20 mins

To answer a previous Q... the width ended up being 27". However, to be able to insert the flooring, I need the boat to be deflated, as the length at the edges is right on.


I also added a cloth liner on the base, to prevent the wood from getting dirt/rocks etc stuck in it...that way when I put it in the boat it wouldn't damage the flooring/slate casing. I stapled the edges ... then covered them with white duck tape, then used double sided tape all around to put the foam insulation (Too worried about staples coming out!)

Seats I already described (the main seat atleast). The secondary seat which I didn't need on this trip is mounted onto a milk crate via hinges....allowing for an easy storage area. It mounts onto the floor with a strap (similar idea to the strap that comes with battery casings)

Lastly - on my first trip on this boat I landed myself a nice Pike... a while after I caught another one that was almost twice the size...which freaked out when it seen me, swimming down hard and snapping my rod in half! Def a great day. Hoping to take it out sometime next week.

 

[Kman04]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

I came across this forum about a month ago while researching for an inflatable boat I could modify for fishing. I originally joined so I could view the pictures you have all posted while I formulated my plan. I would like to thank you all for the pictures and writings as they were the reason I purchased the Mariner 4 and served as the basis for my design.

 

[lukki]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

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That is brilliant! Thanks for sharing- I might just steal a couple ideas from you for my next upgrades. (My swivel seats mouted on milk crates U-bolted to the floor never made it past the prototype stage, as they have worked just great but I love the re-purposed office chair idea and it looks great!

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Dude, that's a sweet setup, very nice and clean looking...good job! I'm beginning to rethink my battery setup as well for when i have more than myself....when its just me i have all room in the world

 

[CopperFox]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Lukki: I agree with MrDrH99 - that set-up looks very clean and spacious! And your seats, like those of MrDrH99, have inspired me! I have posted several pix of my boat seats on here, but after 1+ years worth of use, including swinging the battery into the crates on each outing, and occasionally clipping and cracking the sides of them, this last weekend the corner on one started to give. I debated replacing both, at a total cost of ~$15, but the added foot room afforded by using a pedestal just seems to be worth the added cost and the transformation should be simple. So I've ordered one 13" fixed height pedestal (2" taller) through Amazon and should have my first new seat ready for Saturday. I'll post a photo once it is all set up.

Question: Is it possible to become addicted to constantly modifying these things!?

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Copper i believe it is....I'm thinking of my next mods....some form of a top/sun shade, I'm getting toasted every time i go out! And making my front storage area bigger....gonna ditch the milk crate, make a new board, add rails, rod holders and trolling rod holders!

For the top I'm thinking something simple, really easy and quick to unroll, pop up and take down

 

[Tigerball204]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

How do you all think this seat would work on the Mariner? I don't have a custom floor but I think it would be fine with the slat flooring that came with the boat....

Swivel Chair at Menards

 

[CopperFox]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Tiger: While that chair looks very comfortable, its feet are relatively small and the spaces between the slats of the floor that comes with the boat are relatively wide. Personally I think a solid floor, or possibly solid base to the chair, would be required.

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Looks comfortable but i agree with copper, either a solid floor or a base at least will be needed

 

[wellysm]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

A quick update on my boat

Last weekend I took it out with the gf. Used the 2nd seat. Everything was smooth - it felt even more stable than with just one person (when I was trolling at full speed, the nose of the boat wasn't flying in the air with every wave).

I certainly need to build a centre table like all of you have, making it a fishing rod holder/net holder.

So far the wood is holding up nicely, not a single issue

The ONLY problem is the foam surrounding the wood.... just from moving it from my house --> car --> boat and back, a few areas split in half.

I am considering using the the floating tubes you use at pools - http://test5-img.ehowcdn.com/articl...images/a05/rm/pf/make-foam-floats-800x800.jpg

Although I may end up having a colourful floor, atleast I feel it would hold better than insulation foam

Happy fishing everyone

 

[Tigerball204]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Thanks for the replies guys. You're probably right. Due to the size of my car I might have to do a half floor towards the back of the boat. It would also be helpful keeping the battery from tipping too.

Anybody have some dimensions for how the boat tapers off at the back? I would most likely need Lowes or Home depot to cut something for me. I would like it to fit snug with some pipe insulation on it as well.

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Tiger...i work for Lowe's, we will cut the board both in half and rip it @ 27" (that's your width) you'll have to do the tapers. Easily done with a jigsaw. You'll use the full length of the board even though its a few inches sort

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Wellysum...the rubber pipe insulation is much stronger than the foam.

 

[CopperFox]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

For what it is worth, I have never used any sort of piping around the edges or either my Sevylor HF-360 or my Intex Mariner 4. I have simply made sure the edges were sanded round. I figure this should certainly be no more stressful to the bottom seam than the slat floor that comes with the Mariner 4.

MrDrH99: My floor is split into 3, with nothing attaching them other than the relatively tight fit. The back and middle pieces are each 4' long, with about a 1' long nose cone up front. This weekend I tried my pedestal seat stand for the first time and really appreciated the extra foot room, plus the added couple of inches in height. I felt no concerns about stability. My battery, instead of in a crate under my seat, sat in the very back, minus the battery holder. Question: With no one up front, did you find you were tilted backward a bit? Again, the seam between the large back and middle boards did not indicate that the back floor board was at an angle to the boat, so I am assuming the the boat just sat that way in the water. Is that part of the reason you put the box and battery up front, to keep the box of the boat down?

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Copper....absolutely.....although i do appreciate the extra foot room while facing the motor, having the weight up front was my primary reason for placing the battery up front. I discovered this issue in my intex excursion, i started with the battery up front on the mariner, and I'm pretty much using up wasted real estate in the front of the boat

 

[CopperFox]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

MrDrH99: Very important info. Thanks. That being the case, I have tried to find where you describe lengthening your electric motor cables. I think that is my next step to getting that weight up front. Is it in this thread? Do you have the date at lease? It seems to have disappeared.

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

Ehhh.....i did that back with my excursion so i don't think its on here. At Lowe's i picked up a wire splicing kit...sold in plumbing with the well pumps, sump pumps, etc. it comes with 4 metal wire connectors and 4 heat shrink tubes. I first called Minn Kota and got a confirmation email that cutting the cable on the motor would not void the warranty! I used 10ga wire...12ft. Cut the original wire about 6" from the end...slide the heat shrink tube over the wire and slide out of the way. Connect by placing the two wire ends in the metal connector and crimp together. Then slide the heat shrink tube over the splice and heat with a hair dryer from the center out (all these instructions included). Probably took me 30 min to do all 4 splices.