# Introduction - 1452 Alumacraft Project (New Pics!! 07-21-11)



## Topgun (Dec 13, 2010)

Hi all. I'm a new member here and have been enjoying reading the crazy amount of information here! I've been fishing for the past few years in a small plastic boat but have just purchased a 1957 14' Alumicraft with a 1968 Johnson 9.5 that I'll be fixing-up over the winter. It's (obviously) really old but seems very solid and doesn't leak. My main objectives are a flat floor and a proper livewell. I'm looking forward to this project and any input you all may have. Here's what I've been fishing in:


Here's what I bought:


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## DuraCraft (Dec 13, 2010)

Welcome! And, that is one great looking boat! I just love the lines of these tins. You got a great one I think. The other little one on trailer seems good to, just not pretty like your tinner!!


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## BLK fisher (Dec 13, 2010)

Welcome to the site. There's alot of intelligent gentlemen here to give some great ideas. Good luck with the build.


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## cavman138 (Dec 13, 2010)

Nice looking boat you picked up. Looks like you won't have to do a whole lot with it. Just have fun with it.


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## jasper60103 (Dec 14, 2010)

Yea, I agree. nice looking boat and fishing ready. Good find.
I would change the LU oil and water pump impeller on the motor.
Good luck.


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## Topgun (Dec 14, 2010)

Well, I don't know about "fishing ready" as the motor doesn't run. Also, I've removed the previously installed platforms because I felt they were too high and heavy. They were built with 2x10 treated lumber and were so heavy that I could barely remove them on my own! Question: I've read all the conversion threads and noticed that most everyone is "stealcoating" the exterior. Is this just a way of fixing leaking rivets? This boat doesn't leak and I'd like to skip that step (due to limited budget) if possible.


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## jasper60103 (Dec 14, 2010)

Topgun said:


> Well, I don't know about "fishing ready" as the motor doesn't run. Also, I've removed the previously installed platforms because I felt they were too high and heavy. They were built with 2x10 treated lumber and were so heavy that I could barely remove them on my own! Question: I've read all the conversion threads and noticed that most everyone is "stealcoating" the exterior. Is this just a way of fixing leaking rivets? This boat doesn't leak and I'd like to skip that step (due to limited budget) if possible.



No need to "steelflex". Put your money where needed. Good luck with your project.


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## fender66 (Dec 15, 2010)

Looks like a great winter project. Probably good that you removed the treated wood too. It doesn't work well with aluminum and will cause damage in the long run.

Oh yeah.....Welcome aboard. Glad you found us!


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## Topgun (Dec 16, 2010)

Thanks for the welcomes! What a great site! 

I sold my plastic boat so I've got some money to get started on the Alumicraft this weekend. Don't have a name for it yet, but I'm thinking maybe "Bass-Nagger". Anyone seen the "nagger" South Park?

Anyway, I've got the boat gutted and I'm gonna start with rebuilding the transom and painting the interior. I'd also like to make a trip to one of the local salvage yards to look for some aluminum angle or tube for the floor framing. Questions:

1) I've got some plywood for the transom and I've seen some of the projects on here with stained wood that look really nice. Can I stain the ply and then coat with fiberglass resin or should I use something else?

2) What's the consensus on interior paint? Would some hardware store enamel be ok? Rustoleum? Should I primer first or just scuff it and go?


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## fender66 (Dec 17, 2010)

> 1) I've got some plywood for the transom and I've seen some of the projects on here with stained wood that look really nice. Can I stain the ply and then coat with fiberglass resin or should I use something else?
> 
> 2) What's the consensus on interior paint? Would some hardware store enamel be ok? Rustoleum? Should I primer first or just scuff it and go?



Topgun.....I've not used wood, but I do know that there are a lot that have. I've seen a lot of recommendations some of which are, Spar Urethane, Thompson's. I'm sure someone will chime in with personal experience very soon.

As for the paint....again...lots of opinions here. I have painted my aluminum and I did use an aluminum primer that is supposed to etch it for better adhesion. I used a Rustoleum product and it seems to be working fine.


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## po1 (Dec 18, 2010)

Nice boat. With a 12' Boat and depending on where you fish you'll want to keep the deck lite and low. There's always those with bigger motors running full out and too close making for interesting times in a small boat. Might want to consider a portable livewell made out of a cooler, this way you can leave it a home when it's not needed giving you the extra space when needed. I use a portable livewell that I picked up from Cabelos that gives me the freedom of moving it from one boat to another when needed. Look forward to see how your mod goes.


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## Topgun (Dec 20, 2010)

Well, I've got the boat gutted and have started prepping the interior for paint. I've been sanding the oxidation and old paint but have run into some trouble with the floor treatment that a previous owner put on. It's some kind of clear 'paint' with sand in it and it is extremely difficult to remove. If you look at the picture you can see the mask line around the inside of the boat. Anyway, I decided to find my "floor line" (which is to be 6" off the bottom) so that I don't have to remove any more of the dreaded grip treatment than necessary. That's where I've run into trouble. I've read on here about guys filling the boat with water and leveling it to find this line, but it's winter here and not practical to use this technique. I've tried making a jig and using a plumb bob hanging from a bar across the gunwalls but am not satisfied with the accuracy of the marks. Every part of this boat curves!! Anyway, other than filling with water, what's a good technique for doing this? 


I also picked up these on ebay for $5!!


As part of the "restoration" of this:


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## charliep (Dec 20, 2010)

Man that boat looks great empty. I have an idea...and it is just that. Do you have or have a friend that has one of those laser levels like they use for hanging pictures or drywall? Set it up 6" from the center line on the boar and mark where it hits the side. Then just move it and repeat. 

Charlie


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## Topgun (Dec 20, 2010)

No, I don't have one but a friend suggested just that and it's a good idea but I hate to spend money on single-use tools. There's got to be another way!


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## redneckfisher (Dec 20, 2010)

Topgun said:


> No, I don't have one but a friend suggested just that and it's a good idea but I hate to spend money on single-use tools. There's got to be another way!


use a level, duct tape and a cheep lazer pointer. :lol:


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## fender66 (Dec 20, 2010)

Or....have you considered finding the mark on the outside of the boat rather than on the inside, then, measure down from the top rail to your outside marks then.... transfer the mark to the inside with the same measurement. Then...you can run a flexible straight line from mark to mark?

The biggest problem I see could be not knowing how the boat floats. It might sit lower in the water in the back than in the front??? Without knowing for sure how it floats, it could throw the level of your floor off a bit. If I had to guess, it probably will sit lower in the back??


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## Topgun (Dec 20, 2010)

fender66 said:


> Or....have you considered finding the mark on the outside of the boat rather than on the inside, then, measure down from the top rail to your outside marks then.... transfer the mark to the inside with the same measurement. Then...you can run a flexible straight line from mark to mark?
> 
> The biggest problem I see could be not knowing how the boat floats. It might sit lower in the water in the back than in the front??? Without knowing for sure how it floats, it could throw the level of your floor off a bit. If I had to guess, it probably will sit lower in the back??




Good ideas, guys. Thanks.

And a good point, fender66. I've thought about this and I figured that for ease of construction I'd just make the floor parallel to the bottom of the boat and adjust balance by moving batteries, etc. once I get it on the water. Seem logical?


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## RBuffordTJ (Dec 21, 2010)

Man what a great boat to start off with. I would love to find something like that when I get done with school and have time to tinker in the evenings. 

Steelflex is a good thing for the outside bottom, a good number of us here use it and like it, and it took care of a couple little seepy places when I coated mine, it is now bone dry inside.

I love the motor, those old Johnsons are great motors and run forever. Just change the waterpump, check compression and change that lower unit lube, then see what happens. The carbs will need rebuilding probably, but that is very easy.

Can't wait to see how you progress.

Bufford


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## fender66 (Dec 21, 2010)

> I figured that for ease of construction I'd just make the floor parallel to the bottom of the boat and adjust balance by moving batteries, etc. once I get it on the water. Seem logical?



I honestly don't know. I'm not familiar at all with how level these boats float. I've only owned flat bottoms. I'd really hate to have a floor that's too slanted though. It will wear you out a lot faster.


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## tccanoe (Dec 21, 2010)

Getting the floor level in the bottom of the boat is the best thing to do ( I think). If the boat floats at a little angle, I don't think it will make much differance that you can notice when you're fishing. If it's flat and smooth, free of tripping-over stuff, you will be happy with the outcome. I still have a plastic boat to fish out of. They are great. I think I've caught more fish out of it because I can get it into places where there are few or no other fisherman. If your new boat don't leak, don't fix it. You can stealflex it anytime down the road if you want, but right now, get it fish ready. Welcome aboard, you're on the right track.


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## Sgt. Stiglitz (Dec 22, 2010)

Here is what I did to mine. My bottom curved also and I couldn't figure out how to do a flat bottom either till I saw others here what they did......I built my gas tank into the middle bench area. If I need to remove it, all I have to do is remove a few screws and pull up the decking........It gets fill through a twist off cover.........

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=15880


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## Topgun (Dec 22, 2010)

Wow! That turned out really nice. I may have to 'borrow' some of your design. What's the length and width of your boat?


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## Sgt. Stiglitz (Dec 22, 2010)

Says 14ft boat it's more like a 13'6" and its 54" at the widest....... #-o


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## WantABigBass (Jan 22, 2011)

Can't wait to see your progress. It is a good looking boat. 

FYI, My 14' Shallow V sits lower in the back. I have the battery under the front seat to balance it out a little. I also only have a 3 gallon tank in the back but a 4 stroke motor. It will run all day on 3 gallons. I will be at your stage in about 2 weeks.


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## bcbouy (Jan 23, 2011)

you might be able to rent a laser level at your local home depot


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## Topgun (Jan 30, 2011)

Long overdue for an update! I've been searching around for a cheap aluminum source and boy was I rewarded for my patience! Placed a 'wanted' ad on craigslist and scored about 150 feet of angle and square tube aluminum in various gauges for $50. Believe it, I was ecstatic!

In the meantime I did some sketching of designs, acquired a livewell liner, built a motor stand and _finally _started some framing work. Has been enjoyable but time-consuming. Every single piece is a custom fit and I'm going through a lot of rivets! Please feel free to provide your input on the design so far.


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## wasilvers (Jan 30, 2011)

wow, that's some kind of livewell, if it ever leaks, it might sink the boat! :roll: 

Looks good - the center beam looks high, but that just makes sure there's extra room for floatation. 

And yes, these V boats have curves EVERYWHERE! On mine, the only straight surface is the transom.

And you might not need to put the batteries all the way in the front. With the livewell and seat in the middle to front, The motor will weigh down the back a bit, but if you have a troller in front too, that's a lot of weight. If it was me, I'd mount most everything in it's estimated place, take her to the lake and start playing with the battery placement. If the batteries are too far in front and the livewell filled, you might have trouble getting on plane. I'd guess that the batteries would move to be close to the livewell (if you have a front trolling mobor)


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## Topgun (Jan 30, 2011)

wasilvers said:


> wow, that's some kind of livewell, if it ever leaks, it might sink the boat! :roll:
> 
> Looks good - the center beam looks high, but that just makes sure there's extra room for floatation.
> 
> And yes, these V boats have curves EVERYWHERE! On mine, the only straight surface is the transom.




The livewell will be about 15-18 gallons depending on what I choose for the water line. The plan is to try it a couple inches from the top and see how much sloshing there is. I may end up with a couple different lengths of standing pipe for differing conditions.

The center beam is 6" off the bottom. This will allow the floor to intersect with the widest part of the hull and thus have the most square footage. And yes, lots of flotation is a must. There's no way I'm going to put this much effort into a project and risk having it sink to the bottom! #-o


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## Topgun (Feb 12, 2011)

Had a chance to get some more work done on the boat so I thought I'd update the thread with some more pictures.





The knee brace had a piece broken off and the transom was bent from the weight of the outboard. I used the trailer winch and some "tapping" to straighten the transom and then beefed it up with new plywood, an extra brace and some plate aluminum for the outboard clamp screws.


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## reedjj (Feb 12, 2011)

Very nice work!


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## wasilvers (Feb 12, 2011)

reedjj said:


> Very nice work!



x2! I'm a jealous!


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## Topgun (Feb 13, 2011)

wasilvers said:


> reedjj said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice work!
> ...



Thanks, guys.  But nothing to be jealous about wasilvers. You've got a darn nice mod yourself! =D> 

I'm actually a little 'stalled-out' right now figuring out what to do with the rear seat and deck. I'd like to have that area covered, but also as accessible as possible. It's just gonna be a lot of framework to have it all be sturdy but 'hatched'. The area in green under the seat I'm thinking would be good for tackle storage. Any good ideas or links on what to do here?


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## Topgun (May 14, 2011)

The project is trudging along. Got the livewell plumbed, interior painted and the floor cut and carpeted. I also made a pedestal out of some scrap steel for the front seat.

A couple tips on cutting the floor and carpeting:

I used cardboard templates for making the floor boards. I spent a lot of time sanding and trimming to get a nice, tight fit. Don't obsess over this; the carpet will hide imperfections here. But DO make sure to leave an allowance for the width that the carpet will add to your boards. I underestimated this and had to peel the carpet back from the edges and make "adjustments". This would have been much easier before the carpet was done.


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## Ictalurus (May 16, 2011)

The boat is coming along great. That is one killer livewell, you may have a noticable starboard list when that thing is full! The seat post is solid.


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## Topgun (May 16, 2011)

Ictalurus said:


> The boat is coming along great. That is one killer livewell, you may have a noticable starboard list when that thing is full! The seat post is solid.



Haha! Thanks for the complements. Everyone has something to say about the livewell. I honestly couldn't justify the money for a giant cooler or traditional liner, so I went with what was free. Capacity on the well is 15 gal. so the weight full will be under 150 lbs. Hopefully this will be offset by the biased rear seat and battery / fuel tank placement. Time will tell! This build is being done on the tightest budget ever! Thus the homemade pedestal too. I've got it painted now and I think it's gonna work out just fine.


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## FFDOZIER (May 16, 2011)

Man the boat is looking great, including the homemade livewell.


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## Topgun (Jul 17, 2011)

Way past-due for an update. The interior is done with the exception of the bow storage. I'm waiting to get the new trolling motor before finishing that. Had her out on the water last Friday and everything worked great. No leaks and the balance was perfect with water in the livewell, but listed a bit to starboard when empty. Gonna scuff and paint the exterior now. Any suggestions for a color?


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## Topgun (Jul 24, 2011)

Still looking for ideas on finishing the exterior. I'm thinking about either a light tan or raw aluminum. Opinions?


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## ober51 (Jul 24, 2011)

Great build =D> 

I'm partial to the aluminum look over the tan, but that's just me.


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## Topgun (Jul 25, 2011)

I was leaning that way too (the aluminum look). Does anyone have experience with painting an entire boat hull with metallic paint? The previous owner did just that but it's a very thin and uneven finish and looks especially bad now that the interior is done. My thoughts were to scuff what's there and then roll on some oil based "aluminum" paint (the same stuff I used on the pedestal). My concern is that over a big span it may be difficult to keep even. Opinions or experience?


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## Spook (Jul 26, 2011)

great idea on the livewell , just a little constructive criticism and you may of already addressed this but what about some kind of insulation for the barrell to keep from heating up the water so quickly during the summer?


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## Topgun (Jul 26, 2011)

Good point on the livewell, and I did consider this, but the water is exchanged when it's running so it really shouldn't get too warm. Time will tell..


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## agentxman (Jul 30, 2011)

Question for you. Did you put any Styrofoam under your frame?


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## Topgun (Aug 1, 2011)

agentxman said:


> Question for you. Did you put any Styrofoam under your frame?




Yes, I put some scrap pieces of foam under the deck, but I doubt that it's enough to prevent sinking. This boat will never be on water big enough to be too far from the shore and I've since installed a bilge pump so hopefully I'm okay.


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## wurkinman76 (Sep 22, 2011)

I have personally fished out of this boat and it is awesome! Just needs a place to put my beer and a waterproof compartment for cell phones since it ALWAYS rains when we go.


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