DIY Boat Project: The First Upgrade I Make To Every Boat!

[@jomigas21]

And here I am... Watching a video about how i´m gonna upgrade a fishing boat that i don´t have. Good stuff.

[@jamiebell8304]

Yup I don't have a boat either but I still watched it 😎

[@JG-iw8mh]

I think we’re all in the same “boat”

[@DR-ZBrian]

This "boat" is packed 😂😂😂

[@mburke1211]

Great stuff Matt! You know it’s a serious fishing family when they have his and her Champions!

[@Dogbone384]

I love the pink Snap On tools ... I bought my wife a set almost 30 years ago ... Happy 'Bassin'

[@garyjones1525]

I upgraded mine many years ago and am glad I did. The old plastic hook latch that was on the deck on the original bungee caused a wicked stone bruise on my heal when one day a stepped just right on it. That junk was off my boat the next day. Never looked back.

[@FarrenHansen]

About to add these to my charger 495. Glad I came across this video before doing it. Thanks Matt

[@bittexas6318]

Congrats on her joining the champion family! I have a 187 and it is my baby!!!

[@johnm2617]

Work on everything on my boat ! Exept for the motor ! Well ill do plugs and winterize ! But dont have the computer for the codes ! But matt is right alot of it is pretty self forward!

[@stevesteve9202]

I know that you know the Champion layout well Matt but one thing you forgot to mention is to check for any wiring or other obstructions inside the gunwale that needs to be protected or may even prevent the mounting of these buckles before you start cutting.

[@TheJTTaylor000]

Steve Steve I was thinking the same thing. But I’m sure there was nothing on hers. I bet that’s why he forgot.

[@tacticalbassin]

You're right Steve. We work on these Champs a lot so I knew there were only trolling motor wires and light wires back there with inches to spare, definitely should have talked about that.

[@spencercline1957]

Matt you are the first you tuber to show how to install the low profile kit thanks

[@donkukawski8609]

Looks nice and clean..pretty cool she had her own boat before you guys met.

[@runningcreekcustoms5265]

Champ 186 here. I love my rod buckles!

[@Jophes509]

I like the change up to working on boats. Many of the boat ramps around here are closed so it's what I'll be doing as well.

[@lisajohnston6422]

I put Boat Buckles on my bass boat trailer. Makes it so easy to launch my boat!

[@jerrywilson4104]

On my Astro, there are wires for the trolling motor on the same side, so just be careful wires before cutting or drilling holes just as a precaution.

[@Hiei1029]

I always work on my boat. Expect like you said when the motor needs work. I let the pros do that. But as far as the boat goes I do everything on mine. It’s something you feel proud of when you use it. Take your time research whatever you are doing so you have an idea how and try.

[@faithwheeler4724]

I'm just glad to see new content all the time keep it up guys!

[@emilymarble1174]

Good product, easy to put together. Keeps my rod’s organized!

[@Matt_Boyce]

Just a tip for anyone doing this.....the plastic clip that allows you to attach the retractable side to the boat surface, has a small gap allowing you to remove it from the sewn loop. Once you remove it from the loop, you can slide the conversion kit piece in, keeping it from retracting too far. Then you mount it to the boat and put the plastic clip back into place. Hope this helps

[@chrisfoley3320]

You are right mat besides the engine you can do everything else. I even maintenance my own engine. With the videos out there today you can save money by doing it yourself.

[@NotAMathAsian]

Love these DIY vids. Keep them coming!

[@tonyford1096]

Make sure there are no wires behind the place you are drilling or cutting. My TM cables run through that spot. Nice video!

[@MrBdogg317]

I just brought a 2003 skeeter zx225 and will be doing this upgrade. Thanks for the video

[@rolanddelapp9628]

Congrats CC on becoming an official member of the champion family! So awesome!! Cant wait to see the upgrade process, I could only imagine how excited you must be!! Great work Matt, I know you made the magic happen on this one, what a great find!

[@anthonyfrances2678]

Would be cool if you guys could do a video on the basics of fishing a bass boat. The everyday maintenance, tricks, how to use electronics, trolling motors, trim. I will be purchasing first boat soon and would like a basic rundown, thank you!

[@TheKodiakWay]

Awesome surprise of a bonus video! So stoked for her on the new boat!! Maybe do a video comparison between the 210 and 198?

[@coachlance1420]

Great tip ! That is awesome your wife had a boat before you met. Keep up the good work .

[@waynelagarde7956]

Here I am watching how to upgrade to boat buckle straps and my boat already has them. Great video as always Matt.

[@reelheaven9026]

Awesome. Thank you guys for all you do. We appreciate you and the way you teach us, I sure have learnt alot, and it shows on the lakes that we fish. The quality of fish we catch have moved up in pounds not ounces.

[@wilmerpruitt6324]

Ironically I have been considering doing this very thing, now I have no excuses. Thanks Matt

[@RabbiGavriel]

Nicely done - looking forward to watching these videos. Got my first Bass boat and enjoying seeing how to enhance it.

[@catchinwithkyle]

Love these in depth all angles videos you all do. Id like to see more family fishing days.

[@fishing_life_ca]

Good job! I would add silicone grease for screws. That will be stronger and waterproof. Just in addition :).

[@huntingspud3086]

Really like this type of video, please keep making more of the boat upgrade/modification vids, they are really helpful and informative!

[@dougjack3532]

First thing on the list when I get my boat.

[@jcnpresser]

I kinda laughed when you said bass fishermen are scared to drill into their boats, I live in central Ky and there’s a lake with a bunch of flooded timber and most of the guys with a nice shiny boat are scared to get into the thick stuff to fish where trees might scratch or scuff their boat, and that’s where some big ones are! I watch them all the time just cruising through on the outside and I’m snaking through in a 14 ft 1987 Glasstream catching fish!

[@bobsmith1841]

Same here, the toughest trails yield the best results 😁

[@derrickwestfall2002]

You wouldn’t happen to be talking about Lake Cumberland would you??

[@hankwilliams3063]

Cumberland in the winter pool can be good

[@jcnpresser]

Derrick Westfall no, Cedar Creek lake in Lincoln County.

[@jasonprothero5697]

Hey Matt, are we going to see more of the boat reno? A electronic installation would be good also.

[@anthonydaskus2350]

Love these kind of videos

[@MRICE-qe4sv]

Thanks for this video. I always have wanted to upgrade rod straps but as stated have been to scared to drill into my boat. This gave me confidence to make the upgrade. 👍

[@kellysatterfield5384]

Great video! Can't wait to see the other upgrades that you have planned.

[@TysonEdwardsFishing]

Great how to video. Definitely good to know how to do this stuff

[@TGossOutdoors]

I am so glad you did this video. Looking forward to more DIYs from yall.

[@TheJTTaylor000]

Great to see some DIY. Looking forward to more to come.

[@jimmysamdass2966]

Can’t wait to see the rest !!

[@Tylerbone96]

I’m an automotive technician so I enjoy working on my boat, and it helped learning how to tear down an engine and rebuild it when I got an old evenrude outboard from my grandpa that had an internal failure. But it truly isn’t hard to work on a boat just like you said Matt! Btw, could we get some kayak videos please? I’ve started kayak fishing a lot lately

[@GoldeneagleoutdoorsGEO]

Really enjoyed the video, I got some good tips that I can use in the near future. Thanks!

[@megadeth6756]

I just bought my first boat and have been going in on upgrades and projects

[@derrickwestfall2002]

Matt, could you make a video when you install Cici’s graphs? I’ve got a new graph but I can’t afford to have it installed right now with all the Corona stuff so I think I’m gonna try to do it myself. Any help would be appreciated. Love what y’all are doing. Keep it up

[@darrellbowen1582]

Great video bud ! Love those champion boats !

[@07slowbalt]

You gotta be kidding me with this his and hers champion boats. Im still working on achieving 1 boat let alone having 2!! Congrats though, im happy your living the dream.

[@tacticalbassin]

We were a 2 boat family when we met. That's her identity, I sure won't take it away. The good news is that old ranger just turned into a champion 👍

[@anothersomebody8195]

I saw a boat on craigslist for 40 the other day. You just have to make it a priority.

[@anothersomebody8195]

I just checked. It's actually $20

[@07slowbalt]

@@anothersomebody8195 sold where can i pick that dingy up at?

[@zekereed5990]

Good stuff....keep em coming guys!!

[@lupemartin8839]

Matt has been holding out! How about installing electronics? Great video, keep those DIY videos coming.

[@callahan906]

Nice boat!!! Great information as always

[@platinumfishing5962]

Awesome! I'm doing this to my boat. Thanks for the video!

[@robertbentlygeorge8973]

Looks like ur breaking outta Jail Bro ! Lol... Another Great Video ! Robert Bently George

[@bassboybilly1147]

Can each of you guys do a gear walk through rods, reels, cameras, tackle, kayaks and boats

[@nickpyanowski8761]

I like the fishing videos but this is a nice change! Keep it up!

[@davidhidalgo5662]

This was awesome love the DIY stuff. Keep the upgrades coming. Thanks for all you do

[@nicksandrof9345]

Dremel works great for fiberglass 😜

[@brib_brib_brib_bri]

Great, now my wife is gonna want her own boat.

[@_bassadd1ct_]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do a video on how to catch big fish that are extremely pressured (popular lakes, community holes, small bodies of water). I think it’d help a lot of us

[@markgordonfishing1393]

Love these how to videos, looking forward to seeing more.

[@parkerboyd8869]

Champion family is the best family

[@bassngal3314]

Y’all should get charger to sponsor you since they are now using champions old 198 and 210 hulls

[@BudjetBassin]

Great video my friend 👍👍👍

[@EditsWithBlur]

I like these. I might see if I can make them work on my 14' aluminum boat.

[@knownartist]

gz on 300k!

[@kaimaria1198]

You should do a boat tour and towing rig walk around

[@dansmallwood2409]

Good stuff! Definitely looks cleeeeeeean!

[@jeffyoung6231]

Dremel or vib cutter would be outstanding.

[@leesiongoutdoors2491]

Need to do a walk thru of her boat!! 🤘

[@smoovefishing]

I see that pink snap on screwdriver!

[@crankinbass5758]

Amazing vid. Also congrats on 300k subscribers!

[@janosczovek8524]

🤣🤣🤣 you married her for the boat 👍 please show the boat 👍

[@BrianClunie]

Awesome video, I just subscribed!

[@Bluezkat1]

Awesome content -- any 'How To' vid is cool. Also, Snap On tools are awesome... no joke

[@jimwampol6657]

I like it!! Out of stock at Tackle Whse. Had to order off ebay

[@larrystolzman3231]

Great video Matt: I've found a lot of enjoyment adding accessories to my boat. Fun to figure out what I wanted to do and how to do it. Also noticed the garage behind you had a building quilt. Please provide any info you have on its history. Thanks.

[@JesusSavedMyLifee]

What about co angler strap in the back. There is no way to reach behind fiberglass in the back. What do you suggest for that? I don’t want the nice rod buckles up front and the old skinny one in the back.

[@jacksonwalker8042]

I like to boat buckles but I wish I had the bungee cords. Boat buckles have messed up many spoils of line

[@waynecrowe9017]

Nice job

[@Cslayer121]

Love it

[@KevinOReilly12684]

I was wondering how you were getting on the other side of the fiberglass...rod locker! Of course.

[@shelleymurrell5797]

How about doing a video on how install a kill switch on the nose of a boat? Thanks

[@TheMinimalistFisherman]

I like it. Thanks!

[@rickydowdenrd]

Could you tells us about your barn quilt on your garage?

[@davidlaing4728]

Was just thinking I needed to do this to my 1998 skeeter

[@dandosreis1541]

Afraid to drill holes😂 I cut two feet of the bottom out of my skiff last summer with a Skill saw . Then again I understand not everyone is mechanically inclined .

[@warriors5779]

good stuff, thanks

[@MrWeezy-zz6ou]

is there a kit that includes all the parts needed to complete this job.... buckle strap, AND the other piece that screws to it?

[@davidkrumme7168]

Do you guys have any opinions on falcons line of rods . In particular the expert?

[@mayhembassin7152]

Hey Matt! Love your videos. Question on these, would it work the same way in a Lund Pro V 2075? Trying to research and this is the only video with so much info.

[@B19D91]

Can you do this on an aluminum boat? I have a 2014 Bass tracker with the fixed rubber rod straps. Would love to have a set of the retractable ones... If anyone knows or has ideas I'm open to them! Thanks!

[@shaunroberts9361]

Nice.

[@cameronwilkey816]

Why wouldn’t you use through bolting vs the screws?

[@FishingFX]

Funny I just seen this video. I just installed mine a month ago

[@southerngurlfishing2561]

What if you can reach through the rod locker but the gunnel is filled with foam??

[@CBALLZ666]

How the hell did you get the buckle part off so you can fit it through the conversion kit hole? I can’t get it off. Anyone have an idea or tips??

[@howcroft22]

What is holding the recoil device inside the gunnel? Is it screwed to the external piece that you made the hole for?

[@tacticalbassin]

yes, the screws go from the outside, in.

[@howcroft22]

Thank you!

[@kenmccarthyfishing]

Awesome job Matt,now let's see a new Trolling motor screwed into the front of her boat please,and oh she did not pay me to post that comment 🤔🤔 or maybe she did hmmmm 🤔🤔 you will never know 😂🤣

[@Austin_Torres]

Maybe after the rest of the economy collapse I can finally pick up a used champion.