Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Boom Boat Rev2

I decided to upgrade my tin boat, an all welded Grizzly Tracker 1448, and my DIY spray boom I periodically use. Over the last 3 years, blue green algae hasn't given me any option to kill nuisance plants because I needed them to absorb all the nutrients in the pond. We're getting close to fall, and unless we get some rain, there will not be a third hay cut, and I still won't be able to spray do to the dropping water level.

Short story long. Welded tin boat built like a tank, an 8' spray boom that runs on a 1" venturi system , and a very loud 2 cycle gas powered 1" clean water pump. An 11 acre shallow pond that usually has around 20% of plants and hard cover, but presently has about 40% to 50% plant coverage. It's been setting under our tractor shed for the last few years and it does need some help.

It'll be redone in my spare time.

This is the victim. First thing is strip all the electronics, remove everything not nailed down, and then give it a mani-pedi.


This was the venturi system.


This was the 3 drop 8" boom.


2 batteries an a Minnkota charger was in the rear of the boat.

I'm not 100% certain, but I think we may have the same exact boat. You are 100% right on the built like a tank!

Looks like the project is going well. I hope your nuisance vegetation is quaking down to its roots fearing the time when you deploy your fully-operational Deathstar boom boat.

The trolling motor on the boat was wire driven for pontoons. I thought having the 12 volt fly by wire cable would let me work the sprayer and drive from the back of the boat at the same time. Poor choice on my part. I've used toe and heel trolling motors for almost 50 years, and the side to side pedal just didn't work for me. I added a more beefy 24 volt Minn Kota, got it wired up, and am now waiting for 5/16" ring connectors for the batteries and the in-line breaker.

After this, I'll make a tray for the 2 batteries.

Looking good all cleaned up! I've been thinking about the trolling motor too on our rig. Currently has a 12v with pedal up front but wondering if a rear mounted might be easier for out little pond.

My son found a video of an engineer that put a gear assembly in the handlebar riser of a bike, such that the bike steered the exact opposite of the way you turned the handlebars. Adults were NOT capable of riding that bike! Their muscle memory was too entrenched and they steered out of balance every time. (I found that very enlightening as regards old dogs like me and new tricks.)

My real point: I have never used any of the trolling motors where you can program a path based on GPS waypoints. However, if you are going to replace a trolling motor in the future, might it be worth the additional cost if that would give you a self-driving boat while your worked in the back?

IIRC, Bruce Condello had one of those tracking trolling motors years ago. Sunil would remember if it did. I was there the night that there was 16 people on a 12' pontoon, and most were sitting on slippery aluminum lawn chairs no less. My spidey senses said to get my keys, wallet, and phone, over dry land because it's a long walk from Lincoln NE to Hooterville TX.

All the 24 volt wiring is done, and nothing started smoking.

I finished the battery tray. I used scraps from the shop, and only bought a couple HF $2 tread stickems for softening the ride.


24 volt set up. I haven't decided how to handle the breaker and the NOCO charger yet, but I will at some point. If you look at the bottom, I added horse stall mats to the rear compartment and the floor of the boat. It's thick, cheap, and helps the boat be quiet if something drops.

New spray boom bar next.

Take the Pixley bypass.

I finally got the boom bar done, and this is what I got. I needed it higher and lighter, so I just cut out 3X3 square tubing and hung it over the transom. It probably weighs a third of the old one.

Probably getting the 1" pump tomorrow, and then fitting the venturi for the chemicals is next.

These are the detachable drops.


I got the back like I wanted it, and it shows the bar hanging over the transom. I treated it with spray bed liner, and it's better than I thought it would be.

Nice and clean! Very nice work there.

New boat? The paint looks better than I remember it. LOL

I use BottomLine weighted air tubing with a lead weight on the bottom end for subsurface injection. For ease of storage I use brass quick disconnect 1/2" garden hose ends on the boom and on the drops..

Yep, I stayed on dry land that night as well.

Same boat, just cleaned up a smidge. I use bigger hoses, 1" and three 3/4", to make sure there's no backup that may affect the venturi's flow.

I just use these slip on pieces of pipe. They fit the hose perfectly, and I keep them in the grey box if needed. Clamps or zip ties hold them on.

Better than the lead sinker idea!

Not sure what chemistries you're planning to utilize through your subsurface injection system, but keep in mind that on-board dilution of the product is rarely necessary or beneficial - but will certainly complicate the calibration process.
Most subsurface products are labeled for and applied at rates designated as "x-amount of product per acre-foot". Calibrating the application-rate for undiluted product is challenging enough, but diluting the product aboard the boat will further complicate the calibration process - and the additional onboard water-diluent offers no technical advantage other than allowing (or requiring) more time to distribute the product that it contains.
Instead of an onboard gas pump coupled to a mixing-tank, maybe consider using a low-volume12v pump (ideally with variable-speed controls) to "meter" undiluted product through notably smaller tubing (i.e. 1/4" ID vinyl), which better maintains subsurface depths due to less resistance as it slices through water. This approach greatly reduces onboard equipment-bulk, weight and complexities - and somewhat simplifies the already challenging task of calibration - while the end-result yields the same ppm or ppb concentration within the treated water-column. This tactic even improves chemical handling-safety since there's no need to transfer the concentrated product from its original container.
I have photos of such a system – but not sure how to link them; plus they might be deemed as advertisements - so, let me know if you want to view a pic through some other means.

Great clean up job, looking forward to seeing how it works out.

I've farmed for over 20 years and very comfortable with spraying on land but it seems like a whole different ball game when to do that in the water.

Keep us posted.

Kelly, for me the easiest way is to use an on-line hosting site like imgur then just copy/paste the UBB link to the picture in your post. Post 'em, I don't think it would be considered advertising.

Roger that... Yes, the image-post process was easy enough - but all of my public pics are "tagged" in some manner or another, to preserve ownership interests.
Here's a photo of what I call my "meter-box", which is useful in place of an onboard mix-tank & gas-engine pump for conducting subsurface injections.
Depending on the treatment, the meter-box might pull from a bulk-tank of "concentrate" (undiluted product) - or it can pull product directly from the product's original jugs. Onboard water-diluent is avoided entirely or used only sparingly to thin the product's viscosity. The meter-box's discharge flow-rate can be easily adjusted for calibration purposes - and modified as water-depths vary.
I'll link a video of the meter-box in operation further below - in which the concentrate flows through "injection-pipes" rather than weighted-hoses; the latter being prone to snagging on vegetation or "skiing" up to the surface at higher boat-speeds.
My main point with all of this is that onboard dilution of product destined for subsurface-injection isn't necessary - and can actually complicate the calibration-process (with it being easier to calibrate a treatment using virgin product rather than a diluted solution).

[video:youtube][/video]

Kelly, thanks for the information. If I was licensed and traveled, I'd really like something like your Chemical-Injection System. I do only treat my pond and am very comfortable with my venturi rig and it's functionality. I did get a new pump, but it's replacing a pump that fills my fish hauling tanks, and occasionally (3 years since it's been used) is used for chemicals. I'm basically giving my rig a mani-pedi, and I'm out one can of spray on bed liner, and $11.36 on stainless steel nuts and bolts.

And your rig looks great. I like the attention to detail!
No doubt it will serve your needs well.

Kelly, I love the airboat video. That metering box is fantastic. I wish I could figure out stuff like that but electronics and my just don't get along. Give me something to fab and I am golden though.

I'm in that airboat video wearing the white shirt. My drone was set on "follow-me" mode until I could get seated and take over the controller to orbit the airboat.
The meter-box's electonics are rather simple. The 12v pump is basically powered through a potentiometer. The wire-less remote is very handy, enabling on/off control of the system from the pilot's seat.
Sorry, FireIsHot!! I truly didn't mean to pirate your post. Your workmanship with boat application-equipment captured my attention. A very clean setup!

Kelly,

We are glad to have you back on Pond Boss!

"Pirating" a post (with valuable though somewhat tangential information) is what we do best here.

My particular pond questions are almost never exactly the same as the original poster's question. Reading ALL of the commentary frequently gives me 2-3 more ideas to try to skin my particular cat.

Don't sweat it. Glad you're back and I let most things bounce off my back anyway. Once I fired and rehired esshup in about 4 minutes. My wife walked up and was very confused. When things to get boring to me, I'll post most anything. Whether it's welding up a 250 gallon BBQ smoker, our garden, my boom boat, or my most handsome goats, I'll post it it.