My "new" boat

[Todd in NY]

I picked up a 1987 Bayliner Trophy 2160 hardtop last month and took some time to get it rigged for fishing. It has a 2 year old OMC Cobra 5.0L motor and a nice custom welded aluminum rocket launcher with 2 planer board reels. I hired my usual electrician to help me install 2 Hummingbird fish finders, a 959ci HD and an 859ci HD DI. We also installed a Moor Sub Troll, hooked up the VHF radio and antenna, and cleaned up the wiring in the boat (meaning got rid of old wiring that was no longer connected to anything). I mounted 2 Penn swivel-matic 36 position bases on the transom for 2 Penn 620 Manual riggers, and also mounted 2 other Penn 620 riggers on gimbal mounts (with the 180 degree swivel bases) for those days when I feel like running 4 riggers. All riggers have 4ft booms. I put new Scotty cable on all four riggers, along with new Cannon terminators. I installed Scotty rigger weight hooks on each rigger, and Cannon weight retrieval lines on each one. I went with Penn Manuals to keep this boat simple, since it is only going to be used once every week or two for trolling. I also installed a new 2 7/8" seat pedestal with swivel and slide. I kept the old seat, but the pedestal was completely worn out. I put 4 new tires on the trailer because it will be kept on the trailer and towed where ever I launch it. I haven't had her out fishing yet because of high school graduation festivities, but I should be out on our first fishing trip this week.

 

[Todd in NY]

more pics...

 

[ReelPower]

Nice rig I've got an 89 2160 that I have been putting too much $ into over the years, it's been a good boat. The layout is excellent and the hull is solid.

[Todd in NY]

Thanks RP. We considered getting a camper a few years ago but we couldn't afford both camper and boat, and we are more into fishing than camping. But my wife and son are already planning a camping trip on this boat someplace where we can fish and camp, so it's nice to have the enclosed cabin. I love the layout of the boat as well, and it's a perfect for a family of 3 (4 when my son's girlfriend is with us).

 

We took it out 2 weeks ago in some real nasty 4-6ft chop and it handled it well. We didn't try to fish that day because it was just a little shakedown run for my son and his girlfriend. It wasn't great fishing conditions anyway with 25mph winds, so we cruised around Henderson Bay for about 3 hours. That was when we figured out that we needed a new seat pedestal, so now we are truly ready for our first fishing trip and we can't wait!