For the price of an electric bill in January, you can own a custom boat. Amazingly, this new boat looks remarkably like your old boat; in fact, it is your old boat, but for only $500, you can do a makeover that will make you think you have a new one. Let's say you have a 22-foot bowrider and you want to upgrade. Here are some inexpensive items  to help you transform your off-the-rack boat into a custom one that reflects your personality. All costs are street prices with estimated shipping charges included. 

PERSONALIZE IT
No boat can truly be your boat without a name on it. In the old days of hand painting, this was an expensive project - especially if you wanted any sort of graphics included. Today, putting your name on a boat is so inexpensive there's no reason to go around with a generic boat. The vinyl boat lettering and graphics applications process can begin on a computer, and many companies use program files like clip art to help you  create a name/logo that matches your personality. And best of all, you can easily install it yourself. The cost to have a name like Daze Off made in 10-inch-high letters in a teal color with black shadowing, for example, is $52 from www.ucreateasign.com. You can design your boat's name right on the Internet with a wide range of colors and letter styles, and  you can preview it before ordering.  


Another nice custom touch for your boat is a boarding mat embroidered with your boat's name along with a graphic design. At www.matworks.com, a custom mat in a wide range of colors is around $60. Not only does it look classy, but  it also will keep people from stepping on your upholstery when boarding.

Everyone needs dock lines, and for the cost of plain old white lines, you can customize color-coordinated ones with your boat's name on it. At www.myrope.com, a pair of high-quality 20-foot lines comes in a wide range of colors, personalized with your boat's name for just $45.  



ELECTRIFY IT

One of the least expensive items you can add to your boat's stereo is an MP3 input - something only the newest stereos have. Provided you have an RCA auxiliary input in the back of your existing stereo, you can add a Poly-Planar IC-3.5PM audio adapter for $20 from www.rocktheboataudio.com, which even includes a plastic flap to keep water out when it's not in use. You only have to drill one small hole, and then you're ready to tap into that 1,000-song library you have compiled on your iPod.

One item every boat should have is a fishfinder - even for people who don't fish. Forget about the fish for a second; what the fishfinder is also doing is showing you what's on the bottom, and if you ever anchor your boat, that can be valuable information. Case in point: During a recent houseboat trip, the 80-foot rental unit came equipped with a depth finder only, so not knowing what was on the bottom in 40 feet of a manmade body of water, the bow and the stern anchor were dropped ... right over a flooded tangle of trees and branches, causing one of the massive hooks to be hopelessly tangled and eventually lost. A compact Eagle Cuda 168 fishfinder complete with transducer costs a ridiculously low $85 at Bass Pro Shops (www.basspro.com), which is less than the street price of some digital depth finders that only  show you a number.


CUSTOMIZE IT
One of the least-expensive ways to customize your boat, while giving it a new look and feel, is with a new steering wheel. Although you can spend hundreds of dollars on exotic wheels, there are many excellent choices for $40 or less from manufacturers such as Grant, Teleflex Marine, Attwood, Morbidone and Ultraflex. Installation for most wheels is pretty straightforward, although some require adapter kits to match your steering system.

If you have several people who drive the family boat, having a one-height-fits-all helm seat can be frustrating - especially if you're just the right height to stare at your windshield's top frame. Fixing this is easy, thanks to the Lakesport adjustable height pedestal that adjusts from 14 to 20 inches off the deck. This brushed-aluminum pedestal is sturdy, looks good and is only $70 from Cabela's (www.cabelas.com).



GADGETIZE IT
Every cool boat needs useful gadgets, and there are loads of 12-volt appliances that can make your boat more fun and comfortable. On hot days, there's nothing more refreshing than a frozen drink or smoothie, and any boat can be transformed into a floating tiki bar with the addition of a blender that plugs into your 12-volt receptacle. Overton's (www.overtons.com) sells the Porta-Blend for $49, and it includes the adapter with a 10-foot cord for convenience and draws under 6 amps. Another useful item to have on a blazing hot day with no wind is a 12-volt circulating fan, like the Caframo 743 sold by West Marine (www.westmarine.com) for $35.

If you want to bring other electrical devices on board, such as a computer, cell phone charger, TV or small power tools, a great invention sold by West Marine for $45 is a 12-volt inverter that fits in a cup holder and plugs into your boat's cigarette lighter, allowing you to plug them in any standard appliance. If you run any onboard appliance, you need a deep-cycle battery in addition  to your starting battery.








As you can see, for only $500 you can add a lot of personality and functionality to your boat, so go out there and make your boat new again:  
   
Stern boat name lettering              - $52
Embroidered boarding mat           - $60
Personalized dock lines                - $45
iPod/MP3 adapter                           - $20
Depth finder/fishfinder                    - $85
Custom steering wheel                  - $40     
Adjustable-height helm pedestal - $70
12-volt blender                                - $49
12-volt circulating fan                     - $35
12-volt inverter                                 - $44
                                 Total . . . . . . . . . $500


$250 Pontoon Boat Makeover

•    Coleman queen-size air mattress (for sunning or sleeping) from Bass Pro Shops - $90
•    Taylor Made Gazebo (more shade than a Bimini top) from Bass Pro Shops - $160
     Total . . . . . . . . . $250

$250 Cuddy cabin Makeover

•    Kooleraire 12V cabin air conditioner (blows air over ice) from www.kooleraire.com - $50
•    Magma marine gas grill from Overton's - $176
•    Pair of battery-powered dome lights from www.eangler.com - $24
     Total . . . . . . . . . $250

$250 Fishing Boat Makeover

•    Footcush deck cushion for the helm crew from Bass Pro Shops - $96
•    The Poor Man's Downrigger - the down planer from Bass Pro Shops - $28
•    Boatmates Stor-Aweigh cup holders from Overton's - $10
•    8-foot Old Salt Series cast net from Bass Pro Shops - $69
•    Fentress gunwale mount fish cleaning/rigging table from Bass Pro Shops - $47
     TOTAL . . . . . . . . . $250