I have decided to sell my 2001 Hells Bay Guide - Obannon Edition (Obannon has the large livewell and front anchor locker). I repowered in 2009 with a Yamaha F90 which is covered under warranty through November 2015 and only has 90 hours. 100 hour service has already been done at 84 hours. When I repowered I also had the non skid and compartments updated with Awlgrip. It is amazingly stain resistant and easy to clean up. The trolling motor is a MinnKota 80 pound thrust with i-pilot. The GPS/Depthfinder is the Lowrance HDS 8, which is an amazing unit.
Here is the best part, I am the original owner and have always lived 200 miles or more form the coast in SC and NC. Other than 2 trips to Florida per year and occasional trips to Charleston the boat has been primarily used in fresh water for bass and stripers. It is stored in a climate controlled basement garage. You will not find a hint of a stress crack on the boat. I still get asked at the ramp if I just bought it.
The trailer has a power winch so the hubs never have to be dunked to launch or reload. You can truly launch the boat without the trailer touching the water. I just put a set of new Maxxis Tires on the trailer. I had the trailer regalvanized in 2009 as well.
The cushions were replaced in 2009 and a flip up back rest was added. That has significantly improved the comfort of the boat during a long day.
The large baitwell will hold 150 pilchards for over half a day no problem. I added 2 livewell bubblers and keeping pinfish or shrimp for days is no problem.
The charging system is the Stealth AC/DC charger. It allows you to keep the trolling motor and house batteries topped off any time you crank the motor. As long as you run occasionally you will have a strong trolling motor all day. The Stealth and the backrest are my favorite upgrades to the boat.
There is a removable front casting platform as well as a base plate for a bass seat on the front deck. There are also 2 recessed rod holders
The boat is cool but what on earth is up with that van!!! Holy crap… That is one serious machine right there! I always thought vans sucked until i saw that picture… I want one. HAHA
If was older I would have snapped this boat up the second I saw it. It’s sweet!
Remember, it’s not your age but your bank account that determines what you can buy. Hope you are adding a good mix of studying and future planning to your fishing expeditions.
Not busting on you or anything like that. I left home at 15 and dropped out of school due to a terrible home life. It took about 19 years, including 10 years of college, to financially recover from that. Ever try to get into college without a HS diploma? Thankfully Dean Lightsey allowed me into the CofC on probation!
So whatever opportunities you have for education right now (and skills training in the future), take full advantage. And then you will be able to snap up boats and cars and other nice things the moment you see them.
I designed it primarily for being able to stay for a week or more at a time fishing down in Everglades Park or hunting out west. My wife and I also toured around in Canada for a couple of weeks last summer. The Hells Bay got some strange looks up there…the van always gest strange looks.
When I started the van project it was a completely empty one ton diesel work van. It was on a dealers lot in Nevada that had a group of them converted to 4x4. When the economy went south in 08 he had two he couldn’t sell. I got the 4x4 van for a steal and drove it back across the country to Sportsmobile in Indiana to have it made into a camper. Sportsmobile started back in the 60’s converting VW vans into campers and eventually moved to the bigger chassy vans.
It has an A/C that can be plugged into shore power or run off of a Honda 2000 watt generator. There is a small microwave, sink, and outside shower. The couch in the rear pulls out to a full length double bed. The top pops up to over 7 feet of head room and allows you to put a second double bunk up top…that way I don’t have to snuggle with my fishing buddy.
If you go to http://sportsmobile.com/index.html and look at their pre owned vehicles on the west coast you will see some really cool stuff. The west coast shop does their own 4x4 conversions and people take these big vans rock crawling down in Baha.
I’ve got that exact boat- a 2001 O’Bannon Guide. How do you like the F90? I’ve got a 2-stroke 90 on mine now. If I ever repower I am debating between the Yamaha F90 or the F70. Is the extra weight of the F90 worth it compared to the F70? Thanks for your input. Beautiful boat.
I love the F90 but I have never been in one with a F70. I’ve heard the F70 has a great weight to power ratio. If I was repowering again, I would have to talk long and hard with the folks at Hells Bay and see what kind of numbers they are seeing with both motors. I’ll put it too you this way though, I’ve never been running and said I wish I had less horse power.
That’s a good point. My boat isn’t exceptionally fast to begin with, dropping 20 hp probably won’t help. However, there is a significant difference in weight between the two. It would be nice to have the about 80lbs or so less to pole when your on the platform. Just like everything else in life, its a compromise.
Totally agree about the compromise. I was down in Charleston last September on one of the big tailing tides and had no trouble poling up on a bunch of fish up in the short hard bottom grass. We were recently down in Everglades Park and slipped right in with the reds and the tide right up onto the flats crowns. I don’t do a ton of poling any more, mostly trolling motor but the times I have if you put the person with the rod all the way to the bow I don’t notice much difference in draft from my old 2 stroke Merc. I think having the trolling motor batteries up front helps balance the boat too.
I’ve got that exact boat- a 2001 O’Bannon Guide. How do you like the F90? I’ve got a 2-stroke 90 on mine now. If I ever repower I am debating between the Yamaha F90 or the F70. Is the extra weight of the F90 worth it compared to the F70? Thanks for your input. Beautiful boat.
Get a new yammy 125 you'll look cool! Haha jk that boat would fly!
I’m a high class redneck.
Fishing is a delusion entirely surrounded by liars in pfgs and buffs.
