Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

[Rakumi]

Hello all I almost bought a excursion 5 and then I found this thread!! It has been so helpful thank you to everybody for the advice. I should be getting my mariner 4 shipped to my house in 4 days I can't wait!! No more shore fishing woes for me! I want to customize, what should I do first

Hey bass, good luck. I was checking out the excursion 5 and mariner 4 in the beginning and decided on the excursion for size. Either way i think you will enjoy it. The mariner is a tad more durable.

 

[bassdaddy14]

That is what I read, I fish in Wisconsin so there can be a lot of water hazards. How do you like your excursion?

 

[Rakumi]

Hey bass. I actually love the excursion a lot. I find it a bit harder to get it into the water by myself with my wood floor because it makes things heavy. I carry boat to the dock then floor to the dock and push it over the edge. And lift it back onto the dock when done. Aside from this little issue, i truly love the space. The seats are very comfortable but when i want my fishing setup, i keep an empty layout with a cooler as my seat and just the battery and the rest just empty space to stand. The inner dimensions are 101.5 by 36.5 inches at the widest. These dimensions reflect the inner tube and not the space between the floor and the tubes which cuffs under the tubes a few more inches.

 

[Crusher0032]

I had a hard time deciding between the excursion and mariner also because I wanted more space but after watch MrDH's vids and also feeling the mariner might be a little more durable I went with it. I emailed intex asking if there would be a mariner 5 but was told the idea would be sent to their project department but nothing as of now. Mr DH, you were right about weight capacities. One 12 ft Jon boat was rated at 425. That and your vids made up my mind. Thanks to you and all the others for taking the time to post your upgrades. Can't wait til my boat gets here.

 

[Landohour]

I am getting a Mariner 4 this week (ordered it last week) two questions: 1. In make a modified floor, what are the proper dimension to make a 2 (up to 4) section removable floor (2 sections being the majority of the floor). I have read 27" wide up to 37" wide x 32" Long (up to 36" long). Also, to compensate for the valve on the floor can anyone give me dimension as to where in the floor i would cut the circle (ex. 3" down from top center and 16" in or center if using 32" wide, circle should be 2" diameter)? 2. With the electric motor that comes with the complete kit purchased, what battery (and accessories) will in need? I will upgrade my motor in a few months to a 55lbs thrust (using a 750amp battery). Thanks for the answers.....been reading this board non-stop for answers

 

[mrdrh99]

I had a hard time deciding between the excursion and mariner also because I wanted more space but after watch MrDH's vids and also feeling the mariner might be a little more durable I went with it. I emailed intex asking if there would be a mariner 5 but was told the idea would be sent to their project department but nothing as of now. Mr DH, you were right about weight capacities. One 12 ft Jon boat was rated at 425. That and your vids made up my mind. Thanks to you and all the others for taking the time to post your upgrades. Can't wait til my boat gets here.

No problem! I think you made a wise decision.... Remember to make smart decisions on your mods because they add weight and set up time

 

[Rakumi]

I patched my holes but still finding it is not holding air. This means i have more holes than i thought. I am getting annoyed now and frustrated.

 

[erikr]

Hey guy's, I'm awaiting the arrival of my motor mount delivery scheduled for tomorrow morning. I have my boat, minn kota endura max 40# trolling motor, group 24 battery ( a friend let me borrow to test out to see if I want a 24 or move up to a 27) and my NY boat registration as soon as I get the motor mount Thursday I will be posting pics and going out on the water no mods yet as I would like to get the feel for it bone stock so to speak. I will be starting a custom floor this weekend but I do have a question for you guys...what type of charger do I need for a deep cycle /marine battery? I want to avoid spending an extra 50+ bucks on a minn kota charger so can I get away with a regular old auto trickle charger or do I need a marine charger? Suggestions?

 

[AKTrout]

I patched my holes but still finding it is not holding air. This means i have more holes than i thought. I am getting annoyed now and frustrated.

I'm so glad I returned my excursion 5 before opening the box and got the mariner 4 instead. Sorry Rakumi. The material of the excursion just isn't the same quality. Have you done soapy water and looked for the bubbles? Hope you can get it sorted out.

 

[Crusher0032]

Along those lines, has anybody tried making the boat tougher on the outside to help it stand up to usr better? We use spray on bed liner at work for all sorts of things. It can be smooth or rough depending on how you spray it. I was thinking about spraying some on the mariners sides and bottom like an extra layer of protection. That bedliner is extremely tough and I've already verified that it sticks to PVC. Just wondering if anyones been brave enough to try something like that yet. We've sprayed it on 2 zodiacs at work for "grip strips" on the pontoons and the guys seemed to like it. A zodiac is a whole different animal from a mariner though.

 

[mrdrh99]

That would be interesting.... Rakumi... Sorry about your boat bro.... Go ahead and get a mariner.... You'll miss the floor space but you won't regret getting it

 

[flukesofnature]

AK...how did the am a zon dolly for your boat work out.....tires still smell, or what did you do to get rid of the rubber stench?
As to the spray liner......what is the cost factor ? I mean to do the whole bottom where does that move the price point of the Mariner? And what happens to the portability..I /E folding ability once the spray liner is applied. I have a queen blow up bed with one side flocked that I cannot find the leak/ leaks..I wondered about cutting the the lengths off the bottom of the PVC bed and using those strips as "protectors" for the bottom of the boat...but once again..that much vinyl cement..I/E HH-66,etc....roughly 35-50 per quart/ raises the entire cost of the mariner concept.I know that certain repairs must be done and that cost is inevitable....I guess that is why the say a B.O.A.T. really means borrow-another-thousand...LOL

 

[flukesofnature]

I am currently in the process of trying , again, to abate the water leak that is coming in somewhere around where the tubes join the floor. About a month ago I applied Loc-tite vinyl cement around the whole seam ..with about two days worth of success.I then tried to seal the junction on the inside of the floor where the flap of material from the floor overlaps the flap of material from the side tubes...one day of success. Yesterday I turned the boat over, seriously prepped....acetone and sand paper for an application of spray vinyl leak sealer...Rust-o-leum( see paint section a H DEP ot).This stuff sprays pretty well.. and comes in clear , white , black or gray).They say spray a light coat, wait 45- 60 min, repeat, etc.which I did , to the area where the water seems to enter, which is the very rear( also where most of weight of battery, motor and my seat, and floor join) They then say to wait for 7 days while the vinyl cures. OK ..I am good with that ,,if the stuff works...
BUT.., I am convinced theses seams are not designed for the downward pressure exerted by all of the above mass, and it may be that the difference in the M3...and M4 in size may be the the ability to redistribute the weight around, with a little larger boat..the M4 being more suited for a battery, motor and weight primarily in that area for long periods of time. Not sure..but cost of materials ...from start to finish at this point is close to cost of another Mariner 3.
I have also discovered, that I thought I bought this boat brand new...but discovered on the first air leak patch with the Seyvlor liquid vinyl repair( it leaves a small glossy spot where you make the patch...) a number of these small glossy patches at various places on the boat.
I did not apply these....so logic tells me it was patched before I purchased it..and therefore was used. I am about to go on a mad rant-n-rave to the company I bought it from...so no names mentioned at this point.....but I am about to scream bloody murder....because this water leak may be from seams that had previously been used, and thus more worn and more susceptible to failure. My "magic 30 day warranty" is way gone...so my only resort is to name call and re-write the hundred of reviews I have made about the glowing wonderful experience known as the "Mariner 3 purchase" .

 

[mrdrh99]

Do you have the mariner 3 with the slated floors like the m4?

 

[flukesofnature]

No I bought mine last year before they started doing that.. Did put a 2 piece 15/32 floor in...paint carpet,etc. That is how I first noticed the water leak...floor was wet( I used OSB...and am paying for that decision now...swelling , never dries out, etc...but live and learn)
I doubt that INTEX would send a used boat as new...maybe....but I do not doubt that that application of those patches was done by third party shipper. I paid a little less (15-20 Dollars I think) by not going with A ma ZON directly....BUT the billing and web page said NEW...FACTORY Shipped>>>>Sooooooooo.that is where my war begins.
NOTE TO MARINER, EXCURSION, AND SEAHAWK 4 BUYERS....INFLATE YOUR BOAT IMMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVAL AND LOOK FOR SEVERAL SMALL GLOSSY PATCH SPOTS AT SEAMS , CORNERS, ETC...USE A BRIGHT LIGHT....IF YOU BOUGHT YOUR NEW, AND THERE ARE THESE PATCH SPOTS, INITIATE YOUR RIGHT TO REFUND OR REPLACE...DO NOT WAIT. Intex customer service blows, and A ma zon has not shown to be much better....but to their credit, I am 12 months past the warranty, so what can I say?
I didn't see these spots till last month...when I patched my first air loss hole.They are initiating an investigation(HMMM maybe so..maybe no) of said third party shipper. If you have experienced this..call or write AMAZON customer service

 

[Rakumi]

Ak, i did the soap thing for a while and found a cut that went from bottom to top. Thought that was it (and it took me forever to find that) and then the air did not hold so i have no clue where the next hole is. Mrdrh, not sure what next to do. I went out and bought a hard dingy... in desperation. But i have no trailer to carry it around on and my truck roof cant handle it on top again. I bought it because my why thinks i will drown in open water since last time i fell in. Lol. I am searching CL for a trailer now.

 

[mrdrh99]

I hear ya.....I had no problem with my mariner... Stool plan on using it on small water but we just moved to coastal north Carolina and plan on getting out on the salt a lot so I just picked up a Saturn mini cat with a 14hp outboard

 

[AKTrout]

AK...how did the am a zon dolly for your boat work out.....tires still smell, or what did you do to get rid of the rubber stench?

Flukes. I actually ended up going the collapsible dolly route, very similar to what's pictured below. It works GREAT! I'm not using it on rough terrain though, just paved surfaces. The bottom fits perfectly between the arms of the motor transom and I attach there with a small bungee. The dolly lays on the ground under the boat and I secure it with a ratchet strap connected to the top of the handle around the boat. Easily allows me to move the boat by myself. I have been using my Mariner exclusively on the lake by my house, A LOT, and tomorrow I will take my first trip away from home, packing the boat up in the vehicle and doing a full packed-to-ready deployment at a camp ground. We'll go from the camp ground across a lake to a state use cabin.

 

[AKTrout]

No Title

It's been a while since any photos have been posted! We gotta keep them rollin', so I'll do my part. I think all my previous posts with photos ended up getting lost a while back after the forum updates... I took some new ones though. LOVE this boat! Like I said in my last post, I've used it countless times fishing on the lake by my house for rainbow trout, arctic grayling, and arctic char, but tomorrow will be my first pack, drive, deploy with my fully modded M4. I'm looking forward to it!

 

[mrdrh99]

Looks good ak