Little Hickman Sea Sled

[Fred in Wisc]

I've used it a bit over the last couple years. Moved to the lake last year, so now it's actually easier to just crank the big boat down on the lift than it is to launch the small one, so I've been lazy about getting it dialed in. We use it with a little electric motor.


Still can't get the weight distribution far enough forward to get it to plane out. With my 8hp motor, me as far forward as I can reach the tiller, all the gear and a biggish teenager in the front, it ALMOST gets on plane, but not quite. I can feel it rise up in the water, on plane I bet this thing will get a ton of lift at speed and really zip around.


I've been collecting some parts to change this up a bit. I'm thinking it could go one of 2 ways: Either add a trolling motor and battery up front and maybe a tiller extension (I'm not real comfortable driving fast with one of those though). Or a bench seat farther up for weight distribution, steering wheel with cable linkage (so I can adjust the play out and have nice tight steering) and swapping out the 8hp Johnson for the 18hp that I have tucked away in the garage. The use it to hot rod around a bit.


Unfortunately, having moved recently there's a bunch of updating on the house that keeps taking priority.

[Fuzz]

I say slap that 18 on her and then have somebody shoot a video. Sort of the old "hold my beer and watch this" deal

[Fred in Wisc]

That's pretty much the plan, but I need to figure out how to steer it from farther up front!

[Jeff]

Good to hear from you Fred in Wisc!! You guys had a tough winter!! Jeff

[Fred in Wisc]

No kidding. That -60F wind chill, humans just ain't calibrated for that kind of stuff. I'm glad it was only for a couple weeks.