Shane seems like a really down to Earth, hardworking and knowledgeable guy, I’d be as happy as you are to have my boat built by a professional like him. Keep up the awesome series and love the icebox, I’d fill it with kingfish 👍🏻👍🏻
I know how exciting it is to do what you are doing. A few years ago I completely re-rigged my 2210 Mako. I did not do what you are doing and really regret it. If this was my boat I would probably insulate all my compartments that are up for storage just so I would have the choice of size. Sometimes I will be reef fishing so a smaller box would work for snapper and yellowtail, but if I was trolling the longbox would be sublime. One thing I did, (my boat has a large locker in the same place) was to install a mascerator pump to grind up the junk you get with fish storage (mutton crab upchucks, etc.) Can't wait to see the finished product. By the way I am in Ft. Myers. I have seen one of these over at Boatmaster trailers. Awesome rigs. I'm jealous!!!!! Keep the vids coming, we're going nuts with this quarentine.
In my case here in Virginia, my fish box would be filled with Striped bass, trout, puppy drum, croaker, spot, spadefish, flounder, bluefish and spanish macks. If I make it offshore in the summer, you can add mahi, small AJ's, triggerfish and cobia, and maybe some wreck fish or even a Tilefish, if we find them. I absolutely agree with you insulating the box beforehand! Anyone who fishes KNOWS that ice is a serious expense and a pain in the butt, when it just melts away quickly, and your stuff is starting to warm up. As soon as I saw the beginning of this video, it struck me that I need to do this in my boat. While the video was playing, I was already Googling a supplier for Arjay and the foam. So far, Merritt Supply seems to be the place. Whether I win anything or not, I appreciate your great ideas! I'd love a hoodie, but those ideas are golden! Watching your boat build has given me a number of ideas. My boat is older, and I need to replace the fuel tank, so I'm planning to do a lot more while I'm at it. Thanks Capt. Mike, for all the time and work it takes to document everything you do!
YES Captain Mike! Great Idea! We fish out of Indian River, DE and head to the canyons a few times a year. Keeping ice is tough in July. Your idea is awesome. Because we leave so early and can't get ice then, we buy the late afternoon before. I cover our fish boxes with blankets and towels to save as much ice as poss. Usually 150-200 pounds per canyon run. Our fish boxes are decent sized, but insulation is terrible. We run a small boat 24 WA with twin 150's. Our normal catch is mahi. Other stuff mixed in. So I guess that's what we be most likely placing in a box like yours. Thanks for another great video! Mark Wiebner and family (aka -the Funky Bunch)
Everything yall are doing is well worth the money...plus the extra steps you are taking to help maintain the ice in the box is awesome....great job....
Definitely worth it to customize the bait well to maximize capacity and the insulate the fish box to enable brining your catch to preserve it! My boat has a huge insulated brine box below deck with a macerator pump so that I can pump out gurry (fish blood, slime, ice, seawater slurry). I put salmon, halibut and yellow eye rockfish in mine, fishing out of my home port, Homer , Alaska. Great build series Capt. mike!
Yes the coffin box/ insulated fish box upgrade is definitely worth it!!! You hit the nail on the head! That fresh fish out the brine is gonna be great ! Awesome job Captain Mike!
Seeing that my boat is currently in production as well, I can relate to your build. I was holding back on adding certain things due to budget, but then I realize after researching and requesting quotes on certain upgrades, it was cost effective having the manufacture doing it right there and then. Think about it when it comes to financing it bumps up a couple of dollars more on a monthly basis. Not only that you have peace of mind knowing the the manufacture did the work and the warranty will cover any issues. Your idea is great for long runs and all day offshore fishing, it eliminates having a cooler where you will run into frequently. I would throw mahi, wahoo, snappers etc in those spectacular fish boxes. Congrats and tight lines!!!!
Capt Mike, Absolutely a good addition to the boat, the added insulation will double or triple (maybe more) the time for ice to melt, reducing the size/frequency of ice costs for the life of boat. That will pay for itself in another way by improving the quality of fish being returned to the dock by being able to brine them and kill the fish humanely and quickly without damages. You're really getting the maximum in a minimum boat size ! Since you use this boat professionally, and it's part of a business, it's an INVESTMENT, one that I believe worthy !
Absolutely! Since you were planning on running to the Bahamas soon I'm hoping you're putting Yellowfin Tuna and Super slammer Mahi in that awesome kill box! Don't forget to deep drop and throw some Yelloweye and Queen snapper in there to round out the color spectrum. Your livewells will definitely carry enough live chummers and Goggleye. Only thing I'd add (if there was room) is an insulated bait cooler for chum and frozen baits.
Yes I would do that, I would also add molded recess for a removable divider so you can separate your frozen bait/chum to one end and clean ice on the other end. Up here in the north east you can lay some nice Striped Bass cows in there. With this in deck cooler you now can carry enough ice for some extended trips. On tuna trips you can make frozen seawater slurry to keep those tuna "Sushi Grade" With the extra weight fwd will make the boat ride better in rough conditions. They always said the best riding Contenders are the cuddy fwd models, walk arounds and the Coffin Box boats.
Your dream boat has to have all the "dreamed up' things you can come up with! As for 'Worth It'.... like i said before, doing it now will cost 10x less and it is a custom part of your boat that will add value to it forever! As for what to fill it with??? well, a box full of lobster and a couple of hogs after a day of diving would spark up my soul and stomach! You are doing it right Mike, in every way so far! The video footage will become invaluable to some that ever choose to do what you are doing in the future! You couldn't have picked a better company as far as i have seen, thumbs up to them! I will say what you always say to us..... TIGHT LINES! Coming soon for you!!! Hope you and your family are staying safe man!
Yes it’s a really good idea and I love the way you are taking care of the detail of the new boat, definitely I’ll put Red Snappers, Tunas, Kings, And much more, Congrats for the heck of boat you’re building for your self
Up here in NY I would put either a limit of bluefish or 1 stripped bass if it was November. I think its totally worth it and obviously the right time to do it. You have a very unique opportunity here. Not only are you getting a custom boat, but your interactive with it and can make a change on the fly. I would do it the same way and make changes along the way. It's amazing cause I watch alot of videos of boat building, once you realize what's possible, the limits are endless! Thanks Mike
Absolutely worth it to insulate that front box! On my boat that is my main ice box. Deck space is king and if I can get away with leaving all the coolers at home, I do. The front floor box on my 25’ boat can hold about 200lbs of ice and it lasts several days. It’s rigged up to pump overboard with a macerator. I do my best to fill it up with king fish and snapper from the FL panhandle. 😎👍
Yes it’s all worth it! Shane with latitude boats is a great worker pays a lot of attention to detail and puts 110% into his work! Better to do it now than wishing you would of done it after the fact! Be sure to put some pull cords into those tubes that way you can easily add wires if needed in the future!
It’s worth it 100 percent. The fact that you can throw 150 lbs of ice in it and keep fish cold for days is a huge game changer on over nighters. This would be a cool boat for the Northern GOM. I’d stack yellowfin, blackfin, lemon fish, red snapper, mangrove snapper and wahoo in it. The more I watch this the more I want to call Dooper and talk with him about a potential charter boat build. Good content Mike.
Captain Mike, I watched every episodes of your Dream Boat Build and love them all. YES! your idea of having a custom build cooler for Tunas, Kings, Red Snappers, etc is ABSOLUTELY AWSOME!!!!!. What's next Captain? I can't wait dude!
great to see it coming together i have a 25 sport pro line my self (perfect size) i added a lot of customization to it and no boat can give that feel ... add anything you think and want ! now is the time to do it and you will have a perfect machine for a very long time you can only regret what you didnt do you will never regret any extra that you added good luck
Well of course it's worth it man....this is your dream boat build and should fit your fishing style precisely with no corners cut! I would load that fish box full of flounder one day and full of Mahi, Grouper, Snapper the next. And secondly...I don't believe my Contender is foam filled between the walls of the hull and liner :( By the way, My Verado 350 is running great so far 8.5 hours in on the 25T and the Single 36v Lithium battery for the trolling motor has worked flawlessly so far but still haven't worked it a full day yet so we shall see.
Darn straight Captain. You can never have enough room for ice and fish. Lots of storage is great, but being able to use extra boxes for fish will be outstanding. There have been days when we thought we had enough coolers and ice for our trips only to be caught short for room and had to head to the hill before we got our limit. So money "WELL SPENT" in the front box. The added space in the bait well will pay off too. So now is the time to get what you want or think you need. As for what we catch up here is the panhandle. Just about every thing you folks have down there. But we do not have snook. Can't wait to see how you trick out the electronics.
Heck yeah Captain Mike !!! It’s comes down to the old saying “Pay me now not later.” Get everything that you possibly want . Because when you don’t want to 2nd guess anything later . You will that complete satisfaction when it’s all completed. Can’t wait for the next video !!
OMG of course it is a great idea! You are building your dream boat! don't cut any corners now. For me my boat doesn't have any "customization's". I'm looking at 100% stock OLD Grady White features. That said... I am nearing the end of the new transom rebuild. My deck is opened up a little.. maybe I can create some of my own "customization's"! Here in the northeast I look forward to the Bluefish and Stripers .... haven't had any luck with Tuna .... yet! Looking forward to the next video... and the new website open!
Absolutely worth it man! When it comes down to it, having that cooler will help keep your fish fresh, which can make or break a hard day out on the water. From Kingfish to Mahi Mahi that cooler will be essential. The build is turning out incredible, very cool seeing some these boats being built right here in SW FL !!!
Capt Mike, it is ABSOLUTELY worth it! The virus shutdown has me working on my old '79 HydraSport 24' CC, seeing this, I'm going to cutout the tiny fishbox up front and do the same.....as soon as they reopen the boat ramps I'll fill it up with some Carolina Kingfish! Thanks for the idea!
Hell yea! If you have the ability to fully customize a boat and see how everything is being done its worth it to have that peace of mind and confidence knowing you will be able to maintain the quality of the catch. Here in southwest Florida we’d be filling that box with grouper, snapper, Cobia, and we have a spot with good numbers of African Pompano.
Yes, totally worth it!! I would brine up my mahis, tile fish, smaller yellowfin and bluefin tunas as well as stripers and blues up here in NJ. Not sure if that box is going to be deep enough to carry the larger 100+lb tunas we get during the late summer and early fall seasons.Its hard to see how big that box will be in the end, but still a large box.
Captain Mike that custom cooler is money well spent and is a definite bonus if you were to resell the boat some day. I’d focus on filling that cooler with blackfin tunas and mahis. Can’t wait to see the next video.
Absolutely worth it!! We have to protect our catch for the best quality, especially kings, mahi and Tuna. Not alot of folks have the opportunity to build a dream boat. So do it your your way. Love your channel!!
Really love the boat building episode lot of little key features I’ve never even new about, but yes you must take the extra steps to make the boat how you want it especially if you plan on keeping her for awhile. I would like to see some cobia or hogfish thrown in the fish box. Gonna be a beautiful rig can’t wait to see the final product
Yes its absolutely a must to insulate the fish hold . That boat your building and the crew building it are just awesome. For me mahi wahoo and yellowfin and bonitas and bottomfish will be in that brine
Definitely worth the investment! People underestimate how important it is to have a well made cooler in your boat especially if you are traveling to the Bahamas. At $10/bag for ice you need it to last as long as possible. It pays for itself any day. Good call! I would be filling it with as much Mahi as possible. Keep the videos coming.
Whats up mike yes it is worth the extra money for the foam in the fish box. It works great. I just dont think the method they use is the most efficient or the best best way to hold ice. It will improve a ton but i think the best way is to creat a tub within that box and pour foam in between the two and that way you have two things one it will hold ice longer because of the way it floats inside the foam and no heat can get in and two allows you to separately macerate the well to pump it out over board for easy use. But over all great method would slide in a huge king huge tuna a swordfish cobia or even a big black grouper.
Definitely worth the money to insulate the box. I would love to put Tuna, Snapper, King's, everything you mentioned and more. Love the boat build, nothing better than a Dream Build !!! Love your video's !
I like the cooler up front - especially in smaller boats, I’m not wild about coffin boxes as they take so much deck space. Great idea! I personally would love filling that box with blackfin tunas!
I have a boat (re)build I'm going to be starting soon and the plan is for 3 large compartments that will be both plumbed and insulated to be either baitwells or fish boxes depending on the day or needs! Plus once fish is in ice I can flick a switch and pump in enough water to brine without lifting buckets over the sides
Definitely worth it, 100%. The stringers add Cooler Type insulation but the actual bottom of the hull not so much. *It will also add Strength to that area as well! No need for a Coffin Box now to take up valuable Realestate, that boat has plenty of storage in the other compartments. *I’d use it for large Yellowfins, Wahoo, Mahi and Bluefin in my area.
I'll add, RTA-1 is the one part Polyurethane Expanding Foam Adhesive is probably the perfect product to use in that application, its extremely durable and also used in many other applications including roofing. A 2 part foam in this application would be more expensive, and the result would be the same. Some people may think a 2 part closed cell foam will not absorb water, NOT True it will absorb water. All foam must be completely encapsulated. Using RTA-1 above the water line, adds strength and sound deadening.
Capt. Mike, what no one has on there boat is a built in garbage can. This is a pet pev of mine. That would be a good place for empty chum boxes and wrappers. I am from the Wisconsin and i pick up trash all the time when i am trolling the great lakes and inland waters. I am sure they could design one that is appealing to the eyes.
The upgrades are well worth it having ice under the deck and not tripping over ice chests while your fishing. Any time you can make an upgrade to keep the deck clear of clutter is a safer boat to fish on. Since I'm in Northern California I would be filling it up with king salmon, various rockfish, pacific halibut and albacore tuna towards the end of summer when they show up.
Yes the insulation is worth it. Do everything now! Really thinking of starting an LTB because of your videos.. thanks! I would put big groupers in the box... I still would put a cooler or coffin box on top but that’s me
Capt. Mike the idea of you creating a custom box inside of your boat is an extremely clever, I remembered in the beginning you mentioned that you wanted to maximize deck space so building the coffin box inside hits the nail. If I was able to build a boat like your's I would go after Grouper, Dolphin, Snapper Amberjack, swordfish, lobster. I would also like to know the total cost of this build.
Man im Episode 12 in & before i started episode 1 i was debating buying moulds to start up my own firm.. This takes serious serious craftsman ship & dedication to be able to pull this off with no major financial losses by mistakes on the way. May have to take a miss on this one unless i win the lottery lol.. Big up to you & there team, unreal work & glad you got your dream.
Great choice Captain! I would have definitely done the same. More room in the front to work a fish instead of moving around the coffin box. I would be loading that new fish box with some grouper and wahoooooooo!
Absolutely great investment! Dropping the yellows and black footballs and wahoos here in HOT SC takes an insulated fish box to get the best quality! Love your build videos. Capt. Mike
yes sir!!! definitely a must especially if you don't like riding around with 1-2 coolers. its hard to say but I do like seeing my fish box when I limit out on mahi's
Definitely worth it. I’m planning on removing my cuddy off my 31’ Seavee so I can have a complete open fish. I was planning on making my own coffin box too. I hope you film some more on making the lid, or atlas explain the steps you went through. Thanks for the content.
Definitely worth doing CM..it maximises your free deck space! That will be invaluable for charter fishing..with the bonus of being a multifunctional space. I bet the boat builder's will offer this as a optional extra on future builds!..... our fish is much less exotic here in Scotland so it would be Cod or pollock..but probably beer.
Spending extra cash to insulate fish box is a great addition..... I think your ready to fill that box up with tuna, snapper, grouper, dolphin, wahoo, etc....Keep the content coming !!
It’s one of those things you want to do now to have the option to use it however you want later! I’d be looking forward to throwing a big AJ in there for the smoker when I get home.
Excellent idea and well worth the extra cost. Great for making a saltwater brine to bring the core temperatures down on fish like Blackfin and Yellowfin tuna. Nothing beats a perfectly iced down tuna loin. Good luck with the remained of the you build.
I agree 100% with the added insulation. However, the weak point is the lid. If you can't get that kid seriously sealed, it ain't gonna work to it's potential. And is that going to drain into the bilge? If so, that's gonna be one stinky boat! We're all excited to see this on the water! Cheers!
It's actually a good idea...its a huge benefit to keep your fish below deck...you don't have a cooler to be tripping over and leaves more room up in the bow....id be keeping chinook salmon...brown trout...steelhead....coho and the occasional lake trout in there....tight lines
Yep, great move ! Some big northeast Florida black belly gags would look nice in there. I foamed in my huge fish box in my 23 seacraft using 2 lb pour foam.
Fill tht box with mahi....!!awesome build no short cuts...solid hull...and I totally agree with yur decision to make it into and ice box keep the fish fresh as possible and with tht comes better tasting fish..!
great idea for the insulated fish box. saves the weight and space of a cooler or coffin box on the deck. id put some dolphin and big black groupers in that fish box!
Best decision yet on the boat! Nothing worse than worrying about your caught staying cold. I'd be filling it with black fin and wahoo! Cheers man cant wait to see what's next.
It’s a great investment to turn it into a cooler, adds a lot of versatility to the boat. A cooler makes great storage but it doesn’t work so well using storage for a cooler. And you don’t have to worry about your cooler walking off. I’d definitely fill it with some mahi and tuna!
Absolutely I think the insulated hold is worth it. It is your boat and spending the money now while it is being built is the most cost effective time to do it. That insulated hold on my boat would be filled with king salmon, albacore and bluefin tuna, white sea bass, halibut, rock fish, ling cod and Dungeness crab. Cheers 🍻
Since the guys at latitude boats have been doing such a great job, I would fill it with cold beer and some steaks. Then have a cookout for the guys when they finish the boat and surprise them.
Worth every penny getting that forward compartment insulated! Especially when catching one or two daybreak wahoos and then spending the rest of the day in the hot florida sun. Good choice! Its those little things you do now that you will thank yourself later for.
i regretted not able to do it on a production CC boat that I've got now. Those ARJAY definitely looks more awesome than a YETI insulation. Get me the Tees!
That’s a killer idea. As we just came back home from the coast and dealing with coolers and such on the boat, I’m now thinking 🤔 man, how could I insulate the forward boxes on my Hydrasports to make them work like a cooler 🤷🏼♂️😂😎
I believe you are doing right. The box really needs to stay cold the extra protection is really needed so yes spnd the money. Make it right to your specs. Go for it.
Is it worth it ? Of course. You have allot of experience with live bait and you know how delicate bait can be when the water temperature gets warmer and if the sea state comes up. The last thing you want is paying clients with dead bait. Your spending the extra money now. But it will pay you back in dividends when it counts. Love the build and still thinking you should get DF 350A X Suzuki Power for Offshore. :) cheers Capt.
That ARJAYS I did my transom in it. I took a chainsaw and without oil on the bar, dug it out. Cleaned, dried with acetone, then poured it. Amazing stuff.
I think it’s totally worth it to make your boat as custom as possible, especially putting in a built in giant cooler. My biggest issue is always having coolers in the way on the deck. I’d be filling it with Dolphin, black fin tuna, anything edible, and to be quite honest(and most people won’t agree), I’d be putting in little tunnies in there. In my honest opinion, I think they taste better than Black Fin Tuna.
Its a good idea because where i live is in the cook islands it gets so hot here our ice is always melting we always need ice for the big yellowfin tuna, wahoo and mahimahi and somtimes deep sea snapper we call (paru) to keep it fresh as possible.100% good idea
Its definitely worth it. money well spent, anything that can be improved and that has a functionality it becomes a necessity. I would be putting snappers .
Captain Mike, I think this is so worth it! Saves you money on a coffin box and more importantly deck space! I would love to fill that thing up with some Mahi!
Shane seems like a really down to Earth, hardworking and knowledgeable guy, I’d be as happy as you are to have my boat built by a professional like him. Keep up the awesome series and love the icebox, I’d fill it with kingfish 👍🏻👍🏻
100% agreed. Just look at the sweat going into this build.
He is exactly what you look for in a boat builder.
HI Antonio - You are the winner of free shirt. Please e-mail me shirt size and address at mike AT reelreports.com. Thanks everyone for participating!
@@ReelReports Thanks! I sent you an email
I know how exciting it is to do what you are doing. A few years ago I completely re-rigged my 2210 Mako. I did not do what you are doing and really regret it. If this was my boat I would probably insulate all my compartments that are up for storage just so I would have the choice of size. Sometimes I will be reef fishing so a smaller box would work for snapper and yellowtail, but if I was trolling the longbox would be sublime. One thing I did, (my boat has a large locker in the same place) was to install a mascerator pump to grind up the junk you get with fish storage (mutton crab upchucks, etc.) Can't wait to see the finished product. By the way I am in Ft. Myers. I have seen one of these over at Boatmaster trailers. Awesome rigs. I'm jealous!!!!! Keep the vids coming, we're going nuts with this quarentine.
In my case here in Virginia, my fish box would be filled with Striped bass, trout, puppy drum, croaker, spot, spadefish, flounder, bluefish and spanish macks. If I make it offshore in the summer, you can add mahi, small AJ's, triggerfish and cobia, and maybe some wreck fish or even a Tilefish, if we find them.
I absolutely agree with you insulating the box beforehand! Anyone who fishes KNOWS that ice is a serious expense and a pain in the butt, when it just melts away quickly, and your stuff is starting to warm up.
As soon as I saw the beginning of this video, it struck me that I need to do this in my boat. While the video was playing, I was already Googling a supplier for Arjay and the foam. So far, Merritt Supply seems to be the place.
Whether I win anything or not, I appreciate your great ideas! I'd love a hoodie, but those ideas are golden!
Watching your boat build has given me a number of ideas. My boat is older, and I need to replace the fuel tank, so I'm planning to do a lot more while I'm at it.
Thanks Capt. Mike, for all the time and work it takes to document everything you do!
YES Captain Mike! Great Idea! We fish out of Indian River, DE and head to the canyons a few times a year. Keeping ice is tough in July. Your idea is awesome. Because we leave so early and can't get ice then, we buy the late afternoon before. I cover our fish boxes with blankets and towels to save as much ice as poss. Usually 150-200 pounds per canyon run. Our fish boxes are decent sized, but insulation is terrible. We run a small boat 24 WA with twin 150's. Our normal catch is mahi. Other stuff mixed in. So I guess that's what we be most likely placing in a box like yours. Thanks for another great video!
Mark Wiebner and family (aka -the Funky Bunch)
Everything yall are doing is well worth the money...plus the extra steps you are taking to help maintain the ice in the box is awesome....great job....
Definitely worth it to customize the bait well to maximize capacity and the insulate the fish box to enable brining your catch to preserve it! My boat has a huge insulated brine box below deck with a macerator pump so that I can pump out gurry (fish blood, slime, ice, seawater slurry). I put salmon, halibut and yellow eye rockfish in mine, fishing out of my home port, Homer , Alaska. Great build series Capt. mike!
Yes the coffin box/ insulated fish box upgrade is definitely worth it!!! You hit the nail on the head! That fresh fish out the brine is gonna be great ! Awesome job Captain Mike!
Seeing that my boat is currently in production as well, I can relate to your build. I was holding back on adding certain things due to budget, but then I realize after researching and requesting quotes on certain upgrades, it was cost effective having the manufacture doing it right there and then. Think about it when it comes to financing it bumps up a couple of dollars more on a monthly basis. Not only that you have peace of mind knowing the the manufacture did the work and the warranty will cover any issues. Your idea is great for long runs and all day offshore fishing, it eliminates having a cooler where you will run into frequently. I would throw mahi, wahoo, snappers etc in those spectacular fish boxes. Congrats and tight lines!!!!
Capt Mike, Absolutely a good addition to the boat, the added insulation will double or triple (maybe more) the time for ice to melt, reducing the size/frequency of ice costs for the life of boat. That will pay for itself in another way by improving the quality of fish being returned to the dock by being able to brine them and kill the fish humanely and quickly without damages. You're really getting the maximum in a minimum boat size ! Since you use this boat professionally, and it's part of a business, it's an INVESTMENT, one that I believe worthy !
Absolutely! Since you were planning on running to the Bahamas soon I'm hoping you're putting Yellowfin Tuna and Super slammer Mahi in that awesome kill box! Don't forget to deep drop and throw some Yelloweye and Queen snapper in there to round out the color spectrum. Your livewells will definitely carry enough live chummers and Goggleye.
Only thing I'd add (if there was room) is an insulated bait cooler for chum and frozen baits.
Yes I would do that, I would also add molded recess for a removable divider so you can separate your frozen bait/chum to one end and clean ice on the other end. Up here in the north east you can lay some nice Striped Bass cows in there. With this in deck cooler you now can carry enough ice for some extended trips. On tuna trips you can make frozen seawater slurry to keep those tuna "Sushi Grade"
With the extra weight fwd will make the boat ride better in rough conditions. They always said the best riding Contenders are the cuddy fwd models, walk arounds and the Coffin Box boats.
Your dream boat has to have all the "dreamed up' things you can come up with! As for 'Worth It'.... like i said before, doing it now will cost 10x less and it is a custom part of your boat that will add value to it forever! As for what to fill it with??? well, a box full of lobster and a couple of hogs after a day of diving would spark up my soul and stomach!
You are doing it right Mike, in every way so far! The video footage will become invaluable to some that ever choose to do what you are doing in the future! You couldn't have picked a better company as far as i have seen, thumbs up to them!
I will say what you always say to us..... TIGHT LINES! Coming soon for you!!!
Hope you and your family are staying safe man!
Yes it’s a really good idea and I love the way you are taking care of the detail of the new boat, definitely I’ll put Red Snappers, Tunas, Kings, And much more, Congrats for the heck of boat you’re building for your self
Up here in NY I would put either a limit of bluefish or 1 stripped bass if it was November. I think its totally worth it and obviously the right time to do it. You have a very unique opportunity here. Not only are you getting a custom boat, but your interactive with it and can make a change on the fly. I would do it the same way and make changes along the way. It's amazing cause I watch alot of videos of boat building, once you realize what's possible, the limits are endless! Thanks Mike
Absolutely worth it to insulate that front box! On my boat that is my main ice box. Deck space is king and if I can get away with leaving all the coolers at home, I do. The front floor box on my 25’ boat can hold about 200lbs of ice and it lasts several days. It’s rigged up to pump overboard with a macerator. I do my best to fill it up with king fish and snapper from the FL panhandle. 😎👍
Yes it’s all worth it! Shane with latitude boats is a great worker pays a lot of attention to detail and puts 110% into his work! Better to do it now than wishing you would of done it after the fact! Be sure to put some pull cords into those tubes that way you can easily add wires if needed in the future!
Awesome addition to fishbox!!! Can't believe it's not a standard feature, taking care of the catch is as important as getting it into the box.
It’s worth it 100 percent. The fact that you can throw 150 lbs of ice in it and keep fish cold for days is a huge game changer on over nighters. This would be a cool boat for the Northern GOM. I’d stack yellowfin, blackfin, lemon fish, red snapper, mangrove snapper and wahoo in it. The more I watch this the more I want to call Dooper and talk with him about a potential charter boat build. Good content Mike.
Captain Mike, I watched every episodes of your Dream Boat Build and love them all. YES! your idea of having a custom build cooler for Tunas, Kings, Red Snappers, etc is ABSOLUTELY AWSOME!!!!!. What's next Captain? I can't wait dude!
Love watching an artist at work. Guy obviously takes pride in his work. Outstanding.
great to see it coming together
i have a 25 sport pro line my self (perfect size)
i added a lot of customization to it
and no boat can give that feel ...
add anything you think and want !
now is the time to do it and you will have a perfect machine
for a very long time
you can only regret what you didnt do
you will never regret any extra that you added
good luck
Well of course it's worth it man....this is your dream boat build and should fit your fishing style precisely with no corners cut! I would load that fish box full of flounder one day and full of Mahi, Grouper, Snapper the next. And secondly...I don't believe my Contender is foam filled between the walls of the hull and liner :( By the way, My Verado 350 is running great so far 8.5 hours in on the 25T and the Single 36v Lithium battery for the trolling motor has worked flawlessly so far but still haven't worked it a full day yet so we shall see.
Darn straight Captain. You can never have enough room for ice and fish. Lots of storage is great, but being able to use extra boxes for fish will be outstanding. There have been days when we thought we had enough coolers and ice for our trips only to be caught short for room and had to head to the hill before we got our limit. So money "WELL SPENT" in the front box. The added space in the bait well will pay off too. So now is the time to get what you want or think you need. As for what we catch up here is the panhandle. Just about every thing you folks have down there. But we do not have snook. Can't wait to see how you trick out the electronics.
Heck yeah Captain Mike !!! It’s comes down to the old saying “Pay me now not later.” Get everything that you possibly want . Because when you don’t want to 2nd guess anything later . You will that complete satisfaction when it’s all completed. Can’t wait for the next video !!
OMG of course it is a great idea! You are building your dream boat! don't cut any corners now. For me my boat doesn't have any "customization's". I'm looking at 100% stock OLD Grady White features. That said... I am nearing the end of the new transom rebuild. My deck is opened up a little.. maybe I can create some of my own "customization's"!
Here in the northeast I look forward to the Bluefish and Stripers .... haven't had any luck with Tuna .... yet!
Looking forward to the next video... and the new website open!
Absolutely worth it man! When it comes down to it, having that cooler will help keep your fish fresh, which can make or break a hard day out on the water. From Kingfish to Mahi Mahi that cooler will be essential. The build is turning out incredible, very cool seeing some these boats being built right here in SW FL !!!
Capt Mike, it is ABSOLUTELY worth it! The virus shutdown has me working on my old '79 HydraSport 24' CC, seeing this, I'm going to cutout the tiny fishbox up front and do the same.....as soon as they reopen the boat ramps I'll fill it up with some Carolina Kingfish!
Thanks for the idea!
Hell yea! If you have the ability to fully customize a boat and see how everything is being done its worth it to have that peace of mind and confidence knowing you will be able to maintain the quality of the catch. Here in southwest Florida we’d be filling that box with grouper, snapper, Cobia, and we have a spot with good numbers of African Pompano.
Yes, totally worth it!! I would brine up my mahis, tile fish, smaller yellowfin and bluefin tunas as well as stripers and blues up here in NJ. Not sure if that box is going to be deep enough to carry the larger 100+lb tunas we get during the late summer and early fall seasons.Its hard to see how big that box will be in the end, but still a large box.
The insulated fish box is a great custom add on to what is looking to become a great boat! Since I'm up in Minnesota, I'd be filling it with walleyes!
Captain Mike that custom cooler is money well spent and is a definite bonus if you were to resell the boat some day. I’d focus on filling that cooler with blackfin tunas and mahis. Can’t wait to see the next video.
Absolutely worth it!! We have to protect our catch for the best quality, especially kings, mahi and Tuna. Not alot of folks have the opportunity to build a dream boat. So do it your your way. Love your channel!!
Really love the boat building episode lot of little key features I’ve never even new about, but yes you must take the extra steps to make the boat how you want it especially if you plan on keeping her for awhile. I would like to see some cobia or hogfish thrown in the fish box. Gonna be a beautiful rig can’t wait to see the final product
Yes its absolutely a must to insulate the fish hold . That boat your building and the crew building it are just awesome. For me mahi wahoo and yellowfin and bonitas and bottomfish will be in that brine
Absolutely love this series. Insulated fish box is an excellent idea but I am going to miss your big fish bag. Keep 'em coming.
Definitely worth the investment! People underestimate how important it is to have a well made cooler in your boat especially if you are traveling to the Bahamas. At $10/bag for ice you need it to last as long as possible. It pays for itself any day. Good call! I would be filling it with as much Mahi as possible. Keep the videos coming.
Whats up mike yes it is worth the extra money for the foam in the fish box. It works great. I just dont think the method they use is the most efficient or the best best way to hold ice. It will improve a ton but i think the best way is to creat a tub within that box and pour foam in between the two and that way you have two things one it will hold ice longer because of the way it floats inside the foam and no heat can get in and two allows you to separately macerate the well to pump it out over board for easy use. But over all great method would slide in a huge king huge tuna a swordfish cobia or even a big black grouper.
Definitely worth the money to insulate the box. I would love to put Tuna, Snapper, King's, everything you mentioned and more. Love the boat build, nothing better than a Dream Build !!! Love your video's !
I like the cooler up front - especially in smaller boats, I’m not wild about coffin boxes as they take so much deck space. Great idea! I personally would love filling that box with blackfin tunas!
I have a boat (re)build I'm going to be starting soon and the plan is for 3 large compartments that will be both plumbed and insulated to be either baitwells or fish boxes depending on the day or needs! Plus once fish is in ice I can flick a switch and pump in enough water to brine without lifting buckets over the sides
No brainer! Did lots of customization on our 42 Invincible as well... Excellent Series Mikey!
Thanks Bill. Sweet boat you got there.
Definitely worth it, 100%. The stringers add Cooler Type insulation but the actual bottom of the hull not so much. *It will also add Strength to that area as well! No need for a Coffin Box now to take up valuable Realestate, that boat has plenty of storage in the other compartments. *I’d use it for large Yellowfins, Wahoo, Mahi and Bluefin in my area.
I'll add, RTA-1 is the one part Polyurethane Expanding Foam Adhesive is probably the perfect product to use in that application, its extremely durable and also used in many other applications including roofing. A 2 part foam in this application would be more expensive, and the result would be the same. Some people may think a 2 part closed cell foam will not absorb water, NOT True it will absorb water. All foam must be completely encapsulated. Using RTA-1 above the water line, adds strength and sound deadening.
Capt. Mike, what no one has on there boat is a built in garbage can. This is a pet pev of mine. That would be a good place for empty chum boxes and wrappers. I am from the Wisconsin and i pick up trash all the time when i am trolling the great lakes and inland waters. I am sure they could design one that is appealing to the eyes.
The upgrades are well worth it having ice under the deck and not tripping over ice chests while your fishing. Any time you can make an upgrade to keep the deck clear of clutter is a safer boat to fish on. Since I'm in Northern California I would be filling it up with king salmon, various rockfish, pacific halibut and albacore tuna towards the end of summer when they show up.
Yes the insulation is worth it. Do everything now! Really thinking of starting an LTB because of your videos.. thanks! I would put big groupers in the box... I still would put a cooler or coffin box on top but that’s me
Good use of this space! I'd use for ice and big fish. Weight forward will help boat performance, too.
Capt. Mike the idea of you creating a custom box inside of your boat is an extremely clever, I remembered in the beginning you mentioned that you wanted to maximize deck space so building the coffin box inside hits the nail. If I was able to build a boat like your's I would go after Grouper, Dolphin, Snapper Amberjack, swordfish, lobster. I would also like to know the total cost of this build.
Man im Episode 12 in & before i started episode 1 i was debating buying moulds to start up my own firm.. This takes serious serious craftsman ship & dedication to be able to pull this off with no major financial losses by mistakes on the way. May have to take a miss on this one unless i win the lottery lol.. Big up to you & there team, unreal work & glad you got your dream.
Great choice Captain! I would have definitely done the same. More room in the front to work a fish instead of moving around the coffin box. I would be loading that new fish box with some grouper and wahoooooooo!
Absolutely great investment! Dropping the yellows and black footballs and wahoos here in HOT SC takes an insulated fish box to get the best quality! Love your build videos. Capt. Mike
yes sir!!! definitely a must especially if you don't like riding around with 1-2 coolers. its hard to say but I do like seeing my fish box when I limit out on mahi's
Definitely worth it. I’m planning on removing my cuddy off my 31’ Seavee so I can have a complete open fish. I was planning on making my own coffin box too. I hope you film some more on making the lid, or atlas explain the steps you went through. Thanks for the content.
Definitely worth doing CM..it maximises your free deck space! That will be invaluable for charter fishing..with the bonus of being a multifunctional space.
I bet the boat builder's will offer this as a optional extra on future builds!..... our fish is much less exotic here in Scotland so it would be Cod or pollock..but probably beer.
Looking good capt Mike....great video series
Spending extra cash to insulate fish box is a great addition..... I think your ready to fill that box up with tuna, snapper, grouper, dolphin, wahoo, etc....Keep the content coming !!
Yes, I'd definitely do this fish box. I'm currently rebuilding a flats boat and every inch counts. A couple Redfish would look great under some ice!
It’s one of those things you want to do now to have the option to use it however you want later! I’d be looking forward to throwing a big AJ in there for the smoker when I get home.
Excellent idea and well worth the extra cost. Great for making a saltwater brine to bring the core temperatures down on fish like Blackfin and Yellowfin tuna. Nothing beats a perfectly iced down tuna loin. Good luck with the remained of the you build.
Definitely Mahi and black fin tuna. Love watching the progress of where this is going. It’s going to be a beautiful boat!
Definitely worth it! I boxed a nice black fin yesterday, I know I would want to have a awesome fishbox to keep those fish fresh!
Can't wait to see it finished mate
I agree 100% with the added insulation. However, the weak point is the lid. If you can't get that kid seriously sealed, it ain't gonna work to it's potential. And is that going to drain into the bilge? If so, that's gonna be one stinky boat! We're all excited to see this on the water! Cheers!
Looking good! Does the foam get all the way down the gap when they apply it out of a can? There is not a more commercial applicator to do this job?
absolutely worth it, Mack, Mahi, Tuna, LOVE the boat build, i'm excited to see if finished!!
It's actually a good idea...its a huge benefit to keep your fish below deck...you don't have a cooler to be tripping over and leaves more room up in the bow....id be keeping chinook salmon...brown trout...steelhead....coho and the occasional lake trout in there....tight lines
Yep, great move ! Some big northeast Florida black belly gags would look nice in there. I foamed in my huge fish box in my 23 seacraft using 2 lb pour foam.
Definitely worth it! I’ll be foaming every
box in my build I’m doin! I’ll be filling my boxes with Wahoo and snapper in West End when I’m done!
Fill tht box with mahi....!!awesome build no short cuts...solid hull...and I totally agree with yur decision to make it into and ice box keep the fish fresh as possible and with tht comes better tasting fish..!
great idea for the insulated fish box. saves the weight and space of a cooler or coffin box on the deck. id put some dolphin and big black groupers in that fish box!
Best decision yet on the boat! Nothing worse than worrying about your caught staying cold. I'd be filling it with black fin and wahoo! Cheers man cant wait to see what's next.
It’s a great investment to turn it into a cooler, adds a lot of versatility to the boat. A cooler makes great storage but it doesn’t work so well using storage for a cooler. And you don’t have to worry about your cooler walking off. I’d definitely fill it with some mahi and tuna!
Absolutely the right move!
Would love to see the box filled with dolphins this season!!
Absolutely I think the insulated hold is worth it. It is your boat and spending the money now while it is being built is the most cost effective time to do it. That insulated hold on my boat would be filled with king salmon, albacore and bluefin tuna, white sea bass, halibut, rock fish, ling cod and Dungeness crab. Cheers 🍻
Since the guys at latitude boats have been doing such a great job, I would fill it with cold beer and some steaks. Then have a cookout for the guys when they finish the boat and surprise them.
Definitely worth it Mike! Looking good!
Worth every penny getting that forward compartment insulated! Especially when catching one or two daybreak wahoos and then spending the rest of the day in the hot florida sun. Good choice! Its those little things you do now that you will thank yourself later for.
Mike, when do you expect to sea trial this new ride? Any schedule figured out when it will be done?
i regretted not able to do it on a production CC boat that I've got now. Those ARJAY definitely looks more awesome than a YETI insulation. Get me the Tees!
Yes, it's all about the ICE!!!
That’s a killer idea. As we just came back home from the coast and dealing with coolers and such on the boat, I’m now thinking 🤔 man, how could I insulate the forward boxes on my Hydrasports to make them work like a cooler 🤷🏼♂️😂😎
Depends how your fish box is set but u can always add foam in like in this video or u can see if u can foam fill the cavity around ur fish box
I believe you are doing right. The box really needs to stay cold the extra protection is really needed so yes spnd the money. Make it right to your specs. Go for it.
Is it worth it ? Of course. You have allot of experience with live bait and you know how delicate bait can be when the water temperature gets warmer and if the sea state comes up. The last thing you want is paying clients with dead bait. Your spending the extra money now. But it will pay you back in dividends when it counts. Love the build and still thinking you should get DF 350A X Suzuki Power for Offshore. :) cheers Capt.
No doubt, best 25 footer on the market!
Good Idea for insulating.. I'd just make sure it's finish surface is glassed thick enough to prevent ding's!
Lovin' this build series!
It’s essential I feel like, this boat build is bad ass man pretty work! I’d be putting some blue find and yellowfins in there
After watching all the episodes i motivated to build myself a boat like this one day greetings from philippines 🙌🙌
Definitely worth it! I would be putting black fins and yellowfin keeping them cold for the plate!
Definitely for the wahoo keep them cold as possible keep em fresh 🤘🏼 keep it up brotha 🇺🇸
Hell yea its worth it!!!! Since I’m in MN all I could out in the fish box are Crappies and other panfish!
Absolutely yes!! Great for any fish really.
Looks like it’s gonna be an awesome boat! What were the deciding factors that made you want the Latitude over another Competiton? Thanks!
That ARJAYS I did my transom in it. I took a chainsaw and without oil on the bar, dug it out. Cleaned, dried with acetone, then poured it. Amazing stuff.
I think it’s totally worth it to make your boat as custom as possible, especially putting in a built in giant cooler. My biggest issue is always having coolers in the way on the deck. I’d be filling it with Dolphin, black fin tuna, anything edible, and to be quite honest(and most people won’t agree), I’d be putting in little tunnies in there. In my honest opinion, I think they taste better than Black Fin Tuna.
I agree!! I wish mine was better insulated to keep ice longer 👍
Absolutely worth it. Fill it up with what ever. Just show us how you do it. Thank you for what you've showed me so far
Its a good idea because where i live is in the cook islands it gets so hot here our ice is always melting we always need ice for the big yellowfin tuna, wahoo and mahimahi and somtimes deep sea snapper we call (paru) to keep it fresh as possible.100% good idea
Its definitely worth it. money well spent, anything that can be improved and that has a functionality it becomes a necessity. I would be putting snappers .
Most definitely agree with insulating the fish box! I would load mine with Mahi my kids catch!
Captain Mike, I think this is so worth it! Saves you money on a coffin box and more importantly deck space! I would love to fill that thing up with some Mahi!