# Benjineer's Lund S-16 Mod



## benjineer

Here are the before pictures. I bought this in July in WI and hauled it back to MS. From what I can tell, it is a '77 model with '85-'87 model motors. I plan to remove most of the middle bench and adding a floor, front casting deck, and bow-mount trolling motor. Planning to make this a bass and inshore saltwater machine. I'm not going to get super fancy with it. It will be carpet-free, but it might get some new paint. I'll try to post here and another site I've been getting ideas from. Thanks for looking. Advice and ideas are welcome. That's what I'm here for. This is the 3rd boat I've worked on. The others are on my personal website at benjineer.com.


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## benjineer

Here are more pictures of the progress. Trying to get up-to-date since I was already posting on another site. Someone had asked how you operate two tillers at once. Here is a pic of the clamps that are on each for "cruise control". The steering is linked with a tie bar.

Stripping it down and removing most of the middle bench. I decided to leave some for support, etc. for now.



That gave me a 28" walk-through space. Then I went back and cut some more out which left about 29-1/2". The little benches will be about 15" wide. I had the pieces I cut out folded into some end caps for the small benches and some L-brackets for mounting other things. Here are some pics of the floor going in and out. I'm still not satisfied with it, so it is coming out to get more support underneath. I'm not attaching the wood frame to the Al floor braces, but it will not be removeable when I'm done. The floor is 1/2" treated with 2x4 stringers. It's heavy right now, but the wood is still wet. As purchased, it topped out at 19mph with two guys and a light load. 17mph when we added two more. I've got a feeling I'll be wishing for more power when I'm done, but what I have will have to do for now though.





Here's one of the fuel tank where it goes. This is after I added a sending unit and reconfigured for proper venting, of course you can't see that part for the bottle. More on the fuel tank later.


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## nathanielrthomas

Twin 9.9 engines??!! :idea: :idea: How fast do those babies push that tin? You got me thinking brother....


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## benjineer

nathanielrthomas said:


> Twin 9.9 engines??!! :idea: :idea: How fast do those babies push that tin? You got me thinking brother....



I ran it as-purchased on a lake in WI that my inlaws live on. With about 6 gal gas and 350lbs of people it ran 19mph GPS. 17mph with about 650lbs of people. I only ran it once with just me, but didn't check the speed. It planed higher and felt faster, so I'm guessing around 21. I also pulled my wife on a tube and was pleasantly suprised. I think I could've tossed her off if I'd been trying. The boat is rated for a 40HP. I do have an '05 Johnson 9.9 long shaft I could put between them if there is room. Wouldn't that be crazy? Probably wouldn't be safe if I couldn't link the throttle cables together somehow. One engine wide open doesn't do much, so if you need to slow down in a hurry, killing one will do it.


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## free jonboat

benjineer said:


> nathanielrthomas said:
> 
> 
> 
> Twin 9.9 engines??!! :idea: :idea: How fast do those babies push that tin? You got me thinking brother....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ran it as-purchased on a lake in WI that my inlaws live on. With about 6 gal gas and 350lbs of people it ran 19mph GPS. 17mph with about 650lbs of people. I only ran it once with just me, but didn't check the speed. It planed higher and felt faster, so I'm guessing around 21. I also pulled my wife on a tube and was pleasantly suprised. I think I could've tossed her off if I'd been trying. The boat is rated for a 40HP. I do have an '05 Johnson 9.9 long shaft I could put between them if there is room. Wouldn't that be crazy? Probably wouldn't be safe if I couldn't link the throttle cables together somehow. One engine wide open doesn't do much, so if you need to slow down in a hurry, killing one will do it.
Click to expand...


how would u steer all 3 engines :LOL2:


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## benjineer

I'd need a tie bar for trips or weld something on the existing tie bar. I might have to start over because I'm not sure there's room for a third with the spacing as it is. I seriously doubt I'll go there. If 20hp is not enough, I'll probably sell them and buy a single 35 or 40.....or 2 20s...hmmm.


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## Troutman3000

First Off, Nice TIN!

I would sell those tens in a heart beat and get something bigger and with one set of controls. Using that setup all the time would be tiresome and not very fun after a while. Seems like a lot to pay attention to while trying to drive a boat.


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## perchin

I'll be keeping an eye on this one...... Not to be a downer, but if that plywood is Pressure Treated, get it out of there soon!!! PT ply will react with the aluminum and cause pitting and corrosion fast.


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## benjineer

Troutman3000 said:


> First Off, Nice TIN!
> 
> I would sell those tens in a heart beat and get something bigger and with one set of controls. Using that setup all the time would be tiresome and not very fun after a while. Seems like a lot to pay attention to while trying to drive a boat.



Thanks! It's not as difficult to operate as I thought it would be, although I agree that a single would be simpler. It would be annoying if doing a lot of starting and stopping like pulling a tube or something. Here's the drill when running them both. Crank them both, go to full throttle with both, then don't touch the far one until you are ready to stop. You can alter speed dramatically by backing off on the one engine, since it will not stay on plane with just one. If I'm staying in one general area and just moving around a little, I just pick one engine up and use the other one.


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## benjineer

perchin said:


> I'll be keeping an eye on this one...... Not to be a downer, but if that plywood is Pressure Treated, get it out of there soon!!! PT ply will react with the aluminum and cause pitting and corrosion fast.



Thanks for the advice. I've been reading some about that. I'm planning to pull everything out and put some fresh paint inside the boat and on the wood as well. I will do my best to keep it out of contact with bare aluminum. I may even put some rubber coat or bedliner in areas where there could be rubbing. Is marine plywood ok? That is what was on the bench seats, and I plan to re-use some of it.


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## benjineer

perchin said:


> I'll be keeping an eye on this one...... Not to be a downer, but if that plywood is Pressure Treated, get it out of there soon!!! PT ply will react with the aluminum and cause pitting and corrosion fast.



I really like that yours is all aluminum. That is nice. Mine will probably get stripped and redone in the not-too-distant future. I'm just too undecided on the layout and to anxious to use it to go that far right now. The final build will probably have side storage like yours, and removal of the rest of the middle bench. I guess I could have gone with non-treated wood if it's that temporary.


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## cavman138

wow we always joke around about having twin 9.9's. I didn't know there was a boat that actually had them. That's pretty funny.


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## benjineer

cavman138 said:


> wow we always joke around about having twin 9.9's. I didn't know there was a boat that actually had them. That's pretty funny.



Whoever did this planned it that way. The engine serial numbers are really close. They must have bought them new as a pair. The transom has some rot as you can probably guess from the aluminum plates on front and back. It's plenty sturdy for the little guys, but if I start looking at a single 30-40, it will require some more work. Looks like I've got to take a break for now. Promised I'd make some progress on our bathroom this weekend, and work is sending me to CA all next week.


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## Jim

You need to paint that boat and motors ferrari red! :beer:


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## benjineer

Ok, need some help here. What size aluminum framing would you recommend for the casting deck? I was thinking 1-1/2 x 1/8" angle because it seemed to be the most popular on here. Also, if I wanted to deck it with aluminum, what thickness would you use? I attached my front deck that will hold the trolling motor this weekend. It is made from some al treadplate. I know I'm doing it out of order, but I had that ready and wanted to see what it looked like. I can take it back off to work on the casting deck. I also mounted switches and gauges, but did not hook them up. I will try to get some pics up.


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## benjineer

Here are a few pics. I decided the floor will be done after I finish some of the necessities. I put the little board in there (last picture) to keep from getting cut on the remains of the bench.


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## benjineer

I got my aluminum and got to work on the boat all day Saturday. I got most of the framing done for the front deck. I still have to add a couple more cross pieces. I think I will put two where my pedestal base will be, so I can screw directly into the framing. I also have to put one at the front about where I have the hinge laying. The area in front of the tank will be storage. 

I also got all the stickers removed from the outside.


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## Ranchero50

For the decking with that spacing you could get by with .063 but .080 would be better, .100" would be overkill. Looks like a cool build.

Why not just rejet the carbs, then have twin 15's? $40 for 10 more HP is a prety good deal.

Jamie


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## benjineer

Ranchero50 said:


> For the decking with that spacing you could get by with .063 but .080 would be better, .100" would be overkill. Looks like a cool build.
> 
> Why not just rejet the carbs, then have twin 15's? $40 for 10 more HP is a prety good deal.
> 
> Jamie



Thanks for the advice. I've been watching your build also. I hadn't thought about rejetting. Is that all I've got to do? Just buy the jets for the same year model 15hp? I think I'm going to just go with some good ACX 15/32 ply for now. It's $30 a sheet at Lowe's. Besides, it won't make such a racket when I drop things on it. I now have a deadline to get this thing at least usable and legal. My dad and I got invited to go with a bunch of guys to one of the MS delta lakes the last weekend in October for crappie and catfish. I have to at least get the front deck on and the trolling motor and other electrical stuff hooked up. The floor can wait if it has to. I also want to repaint the outside before I put the new stickers on.


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## Ranchero50

Thanks for the compliment on my build.

Between jets and some Boyensen reed valves that thing should fly. I did the reeds on my old 9.9 and it made a huge difference in performance. 19mph seems pretty slow. Would it plane out? My 1448 when overloaded with wet plywood wouldn't with the single 9.9, yours with twins should get up and go.

Jamie


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## benjineer

It was planing. The gas was suspect though, since it had water and who knows what else in it. The engines sounded good when running, but they would die if they sucked up some water. I haven't put it in the water since dumping and cleaning the tank. I'll be adding a filter/separator before I'm done. I hope I get to run it again soon to see where I am. It doesn't have to be a speed-demon. As long as it will stay on plane when loaded I think I'll be satisfied. The boat I use on the coast will only go about 30, which is way too fast if it's choppy. That's the only place I frequently fish where I would be going very far, so speed is a minor concern. That said, I can't resist going after another 10hp if I can get it just by swapping out the jets.


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## benjineer

Sand and paint over the factory red paint or remove the red and start over? It has some bare metal where it's been scratched, but it doesn't seem to be flaking off on its own. I've got two quarts of blue Interlux brightside polyurethane that came with my other boat. That's what I want to use in place of the red.


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## Ranchero50

That's a lot of feathering to get a nice surface.

One thing I lucked into was a case of Rust-oleum's textured paint for plastics in sandstone for $2 per can. The stuff sticks great and leaves a nice texture, almost like a fine nonslip. I'm thinking about spraying the whole boat in it, then going over that with a darker tan that'll match my carpet and seats.

Stripping is time consuming and you really have to clean anywhere the stripper can hide or the new paint won't work out so well.

Jamie


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## benjineer

Stripping doesn't sound fun at all. I will probably just sand lightly and put some paint on. I know it won't be perfectly smooth with all the dents, but the fish won't care. I bought an electric sprayer at a salvage store, but I'm afraid to try it on the outside, since I've never used it. Figured I'd try it on the inside. I've got some rustoleum dark smoke gray that I'll probably lighten with some white Interlux which also came with my other boat.


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## benjineer

Here are a couple of shots with the decking on and the trolling motor mounting plate in place. I still have to do a little trimming on the hatch section. I think I should have made it a rectangular hatch and had one continuous piece of decking instead of 3. I refuse to buy another board and start over though. I plan to seal the edges with silicone to keep some of the water out.


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## benjineer

Ok, here it is with the decking installed and TM mounted. The round black thing is the fuel filler. The tank vent is installed thru the hull below the TM foot. I figure I'll be less likely to snag it with the fluke anchor there. I forgot to take a picture of that. Pedestal base is recessed into the deck with router. Deck is thin, so I put more al angle underneath to bolt base to. Deck paint is Rust Oleum smoke gray with Kilz2 primer underneath. I plan to put something non-slip on the deck then spray the whole interior in that color when I'm done with other mods. I might decide to lighten it a little. I'm thinking exterior paint may have to wait for a while. It's time to start fishing!


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## benjineer

Took it camping this weekend. Weight was ok with 7 gal of gas. Ran with one engine much of the time. It does pretty well getting around a small lake if the other one is picked up. Not sure it's planed completely that way but not lugged down or pushing water like my fiberglass boat did when it was overpropped. I didn't get to do a speed test  , but it is plenty fast with both engines running. The trolling motor did great and the front deck is pretty comfortable to fish from. It was real shallow pulling up to the campsite. I just smiled when a big bass boat got stuck trying to get in there. Engines need a tuneup for idle issues. Need to get a seat in the center for distance travel. It lists too much with someone on a side bench.


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## benjineer

Ranchero50 said:


> Thanks for the compliment on my build.
> 
> Between jets and some Boyensen reed valves that thing should fly. I did the reeds on my old 9.9 and it made a huge difference in performance. 19mph seems pretty slow. Would it plane out? My 1448 when overloaded with wet plywood wouldn't with the single 9.9, yours with twins should get up and go.
> 
> Jamie



I've been looking into this, but it doesn't look real promising. The reeds I can do $30ea, but the carbs are confusing. There were at least 3 basic carb designs from what I can tell. It shows that the 15 is a separate carb from the 6/8/9.9. The parts blowups show that other parts are different too like pistons. From what I can tell, the motors are 86 models. Serials start with 0A944. I looked it up on mercurypartsexpress to try to figure it out. It has more detail as to which parts are for which HP. Oh well, I'm going to use it some more before I do major engine work.


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## benjineer

I'm going to use as-is a little more, but I'm liking a Mirrocraft layout I just saw. This would require totally removing the middle and rear benches. If I use tall side boxes like they did, I won't need the support arms. I never considered making them that high. That might be just right and give me some much needed storage. It would also make it really easy to put a one-piece floor in. It would have to be aluminum though, since the side boxes would attach to it. Too hard to remove if it rots.


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## benjineer

Here are pics of the tank vent and trolling motor plug.


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## benjineer

Finally added a temporary floor. I plan to add more aluminum angle and put in an aluminum sheet floor after I run it a while and decide if I'm happy with the layout or want to try something else like the pics I posted above. The 3/4" ply is like adding the weight of an extra person. This was some really nice old ply that was given to me (risers from a school play). Had to disassemble but not bad for free lumber. I know the work is a little sloppy, but it's a flat floor. It's amazing how much space it seems to add. The best thing is there are no braces for me and my little boy to trip over. Floor is 48" wide at the back, 46.5" middle, and 39" front. 82" long.


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## benjineer

I don't think the floor has hurt me much on the weight. I took it out Saturday just me and my little boy. It ran 13mph on a single engine. It still sat high enough in the water to not load the engine up. My GPS battery died, so I didn't get to test it with both running. I was waiting for my dad to show up before I tried it. Plan to get a real test this weekend. My dad and I are going to a big lake, and we'll be carrying large ice chest, more fuel load, etc. I'll have new batteries in my GPS then.


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## Troutman3000

Keep working until you get it how you like it.


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## rook

Im diggin the Twins. Thats hilarious. I read something about inshore fishing and see that you are from South Ms. Where abouts?


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## benjineer

Hey! I'm in Laurel, but I mostly fish saltwater anywhere on the MS coast. The drive is about 2 to 2-1/2 hours to anywhere down there. I'm hoping to do some trolling for specks this winter. I've never tried that before. I'm hoping this rig will be just right for that.


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## rook

Small world I was in Laurel last weekend working on the Chick-Fil-A in the mall there. Sawmill Mall or something. And you are correct it took me exactly 2 hours to get there for here. Not a bad drive. Hell I live 15 minutes from some fine inshore fishing and I drive 2-3 hours going over to La. all the time. Go figure.


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## benjineer

Yep, I keep saying I'm going to buy that LA license, but just haven't yet. I hear it's much better fishing over there.


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## jasper60103

The more I see your rig, the more i like it. 

Just an idea if your concerned about weight,
I moved my battery to the bow to help balance out my rig because I mostly fish alone. I bought a 20' set of jumper cables and put battery lugs on the ends.


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## benjineer

Thanks Jasper. I considered putting the battery up front, but I think that would be too much up front. I'm only about 150lbs, so I think I need the weight in the back. The balance is good as-is. If you look back on page 1 you'll see I have about a 20gal tank under the front deck. It's only had about 6 or 8 gallons in it, but so far it is working nicely to keep the front down. The battery is a large starting battery. I may swap it out with the deep cycle I have on my other boat, since it's primary use will be to run the TM. I already had the piece of wire for the trolling motor, so it was easy to hook it up to the battery where it was. 

The boat is also really stable side-side. I put my little boy on one of the side benches to do his business, and there was no chance whatsoever of tipping or sinking the side even with both of us leaning over it.


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## jasper60103

Yea, I have an 30 hp motor and TM on the transom. 
So moving my heavy deep cycle battery to the front was a big help. 

You will really appreciate all that open deck space, and having a low deck (or flat floor) is more kid safe in my opinion. I stand up and fish all the time and I'm about 267# now. No worries about falling in. 

Enjoy.


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## jdsgrog

I like what you're doing with the boat. I was thinkiw did you make hong about doing the same thing with mine. I actually have a 76 lund s-14 and was thinking about cutting down the middle seat. One question, what tool did you use to cut the aluminum?

Oh, BTW, I have a '67 Johnson 33hp on my boat (rated for 35hp). I get about 27mph with just me in the boat (total weight with boat, motors, two batteries, 9 gallons of gas, other gear, and myelf).


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## benjineer

I started with a 4-1/2" grinder with a cutoff wheel but discovered a jigsaw worked better. Get a few blades because it gets slow with a dull one.


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## benjineer

First trip to the saltwater in my tin. First keeper redfish. First limit of redfish. Great day of firsts! They measured 22", 23", and 26". All caught within a few feet of each other. My 2-yr-old had a blast watching the commotion and then playing with them in the cooler.


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## DuraCraft

Man, Ben, you did good! You posted this today, 12/13/10, WOW, don't tell me you went in this freezing weather!!!


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## benjineer

DuraCraft said:


> Man, Ben, you did good! You posted this today, 12/13/10, WOW, don't tell me you went in this freezing weather!!!



No way! It was Friday, caught the last fish at 3PM. Nice day, but started getting cold. We went back on Saturday with my dad in his boat. It was getting windy. No luck at all. Would have been a wasted trip without my little boy to entertain us. Guess I hit it just right on Friday.


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## DuraCraft

Good. I am in Byram, (south of Jackson) and never fished for reds. It's about 3 hours from me, but one of my goals is to fish those waters in my 14' tin. I cross the bridges there on hwy 90 and I-10 often, always looking over at the waters there, but I have no idea at all where to fish, put in, or how to fish for reds. I need to just go and try!


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## thad.

If y'all want to go just let me or Specks and Reds know. If we can't go we can at least point you in the right direction.
I'm dying to get back down to Delacroix. This cold ought to have the specks stacked up in Oak River. I got the fever baaaad.

Dying here!


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## benjineer

I caught those in Pascagoula. I put in at the Pascagoula River Front Park (shipyard exit on 90 bridge) and went up the East Pascagoula river in a bayou off Lake Catch em All. There's lots of marsh in that area. There's also oyster beds and rubble reefs south of 90. You can see it all on Google maps here. There aren't a lot of secret spots, so I'd be happy to share. It's about being in the right place at the right time which equals a lot of guesswork and luck for those of us who don't fish it every day to keep up with where the fish are. Get on the saltwater forum at bullnettlenews.com. There's a lot of local knowledge on there. There's a lot of people fishing jon boats in that area. You just have to watch out for big wakes and make sure people see you. You can't catch em if you don't go try.


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## jasper60103

Nice catch. Mann, I envy you southern boys!


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## DuraCraft

thad. said:


> If y'all want to go just let me or Specks and Reds know. If we can't go we can at least point you in the right direction.
> I'm dying to get back down to Delacroix. This cold ought to have the specks stacked up in Oak River. I got the fever baaaad.
> 
> Dying here!



Thad, me too! Cabin fever bad. And, ben also, thanks for that information! That's just what I needed to know. I think I have seen that boat ramp off of Hwy 90. I will be too busy until middle of January, but I think I can go then. I will be doing some research on red fishing.

And, if anybody goes, please post more photos! It helps...

jasper, come on down!


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## thad.

It's Trout Time, now!


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## DuraCraft

thad. said:


> It's Trout Time, now!



Oh me, and I can't go now - don't tell me it's going to be like so many times before for me - They were bitin' yesterday, and they'll be bitin' tomorrow - while I am fishing TODAY...


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## CarlF

Great minds must think alike!
I plan on going up north this summer and getting a boat for fishing & duck hunting over here in Mobile Bay & MS Sound. 
If I cant find a Grumman 145ss or a Sylvan Alaskan 15DLX, I am going to try to find a older Lund S or WC that I can mod to a walk-thru.Probably wont add the casting deck, but will cut the notch in the middle bench. 
I found a Grumman last year but the oil spilled kept me from being able to get it.
Nice job on the Lund!


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## benjineer

I've only used it a couple of times, but I'm starting to wish it was a CC. Just feels weird sitting down so low when I'm used to standing up and being able to see better. I wanted something small, light, and simple though, so I guess I should keep it that way. May upgrade to a single engine when I can. It's a good 1-2 man boat for the river and marsh. I have no fear of getting stuck on a high spot, and boat wakes and chop are not too scary either. Good luck finding what you are looking for. You may not have to look as far as you think. Since I got this one, I've noticed some old V boats sitting in yards and a couple on the local craigslist. There are definitely more up north though.


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## thad.

DuraCraft said:


> thad. said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's Trout Time, now!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh me, and I can't go now - don't tell me it's going to be like so many times before for me - They were bitin' yesterday, and they'll be bitin' tomorrow - while I am fishing TODAY...
Click to expand...


They're stacked up in the marsh and the redfishing is *crazy*. They're catching limits of reds off the side of the road. Check out the reports on rodnreel.com. I know they're not lying because I went down there a couple of weeks ago and we caught reds until we were tired of catching them.


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## reedjj

benjineer said:


> I've only used it a couple of times, but I'm starting to wish it was a CC. Just feels weird sitting down so low when I'm used to standing up and being able to see better. I wanted something small, light, and simple though, so I guess I should keep it that way. May upgrade to a single engine when I can. It's a good 1-2 man boat for the river and marsh. I have no fear of getting stuck on a high spot, and boat wakes and chop are not too scary either. Good luck finding what you are looking for. You may not have to look as far as you think. Since I got this one, I've noticed some old V boats sitting in yards and a couple on the local craigslist. There are definitely more up north though.



I am thinking of trying to find a V-hull like yours and doing this to it. It would need to be at least a 16 footer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NShOP0XFCRk

Its Crazy! This boat retails for about $20,000. You could build one for under $6k. Tinboats is an awesome website!


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## benjineer

reedjj said:


> I am thinking of trying to find a V-hull like yours and doing this to it. It would need to be at least a 16 footer.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NShOP0XFCRk
> 
> Its Crazy! This boat retails for about $20,000. You could build one for under $6k. Tinboats is an awesome website!



Yeah! I didn't get as good a deal as a lot of guys on here, but when I started looking at new prices, wow! I paid less than a new boat costs and got a nice trailer, two motors, and an aluminum fuel tank. Can't wait to start tinkering with it again.


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## Froggy

That is a real nice rig you got there, will be following that one....


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## benjineer

Latest update: Sold one of the 9.9s. The remaining one will get me around the lake, but it's slow. I'm trying to do some horse trading and get me a 25-35.


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## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> Latest update: Sold one of the 9.9s. The remaining one will get me around the lake, but it's slow. I'm trying to do some horse trading and get me a 25-35.



Yea, a 25-35hp should push you nicely. Are you going back to Wisconsin for a motor? Plenty of them up north.


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## benjineer

I don't know if we'll get to go up there this summer. Not enough vacation days and too much other stuff planned. Besides, I'm not sure I can stand to wait that long.


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## benjineer

Ok, I tossed the twin 9.9s and bought a 2003 Johnson 25hp with electric start. I was considering going bigger, but after the first water test today I think it's just right. I didn't check the speed, but it's definitely faster than the twins. Hopefully I'll get some pics up soon. It looks way too nice for the boat it's on, but I hope to get the boat caught up this year.


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## jasper60103

Congrats! Just in time for fishing.


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## benjineer

I just wanted to post a few pics of the current state of my rig. It's still far from finished. I'm still getting ideas on what I want to change rear of the casting deck. Besides the new-to-me motor, I've done a little trailer work. I moved the winch up the post, so the roller is above the bow-eye. I also added the ladder stabilizer pvc guide posts. I'm not completely satisfied with them because I'd like to move them farther back, but I'll have to come up with some different hardware to mount them that way. It really helps getting it centered on the trailer. Saturday, I also raised the bunk boards, so the rear of the boat would sit higher on the trailer. I've nearly swamped the transom a couple of times on steep ramps. Hopefully this will get more of the bottom in contact with the water to float it better. You also get to see pics of the deck addition on our house. It turned out nice and most importantly made her happy.


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## alanbird_87

Cant wait to see your boat when u finally get it finished! 8)


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## benjineer

alanbird_87 said:


> Cant wait to see your boat when u finally get it finished! 8)



Thanks. Me too, hopefully in my lifetime. I'm thinking the next step is to remove the little side benches. They are really just in the way. I'm thinking of adding a small, low center console and a tiller extension handle for stand-up driving. I'm borrowing the idea from the boat Flip Pallot uses on Ford's Fishing Frontier (The Outdoor Channel). The only pic I can find is here: https://www.hellsbayboatworks.com/hb_pro_flip.php#. I just don't feel right sitting down when in the big water. I did some experimenting with an adjustable dolly. It would work well with a grab handle at about thigh/waist level to sort of lean on. I could still see over it when seated, and I could see a depth finder mounted there when at either position. The console itself would only be about a foot wide, since I don't need room for steering. I only need room for a couple of gauges and switches and a sounder. I might try to make it the width and depth of some Plano latchboxes, so I can make some slots to slide them into. What do ya'll think? Anyone done or seen anything like that?


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## River Rider

Looks good. I am sure you will enjoy the single outboard more then the twins. Though I bet you had some interesting looks at the boat ramp with the other set up. I was curious about your fuel tank. Did it come with the vessel or was it made? I was thinking of getting something similar for my boat to put under the front deck to keep the weight off the ass end of mine. Where did you get the sending unit and parts for yours at?


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## benjineer

Fuel tank came with it, but it's not original. I'm sure someone had it made special. Probably a bit overkill for the twin 10s. I bet you could run wide open for days. I got the sending unit off ebay. It was a universal one. You just cut the arm to match the depth of the tank. I think it was a Seachoice brand. Gauges came from ebay also - actually surplus from Lund.


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## jasper60103

That new motor looks real sharp. Again, congrats.


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## benjineer

Woooohooo! Sold the '05 9.9 longshaft kicker off my center console boat yesterday. I hated to let it go, but I'm keeping the remaining Merc that came with my tin to take its place. After the smoke cleared I had what I wanted and just about broke even, so everything is right with the world =D> . (1) '05 Johnson 9.9 longshaft + (1) '86 Mercury 9.9 shortshaft elec. + $100 = (1) '03 Johnson 25 shortshaft elec. Now, to catch some fish!


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## benjineer

Checked the speed on Saturday. 23mph on GPS with just me, my 2-yr old, 40lbs of ice and about 10gal of gas. Not too bad, but I was hoping to get a little more out of it. 13P AL prop. I don't have a tach, but I don't think anything was out of line. Has plenty of power to plane, but not sure it could handle a 15P. Tried hard but didn't catch a single fish.


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## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> Checked the speed on Saturday. 23mph on GPS with just me, my 2-yr old, 40lbs of ice and about 10gal of gas. Not too bad, but I was hoping to get a little more out of it. 13P AL prop. I don't have a tach, but I don't think anything was out of line. Has plenty of power to plane, but not sure it could handle a 15P. Tried hard but didn't catch a single fish.



How does she troll?


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## benjineer

Don't know. Don't do much trolling although I intend to try it. That's a good way to catch/locate speckled trout in the wintertime.


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## benjineer

Well, I ordered another stick of AL angle that I'll get today. I'm still not sure where I'm going with it. I have a renewed interest in bass fishing after preparing for and winning our company's annual tournament the first time I entered. Can't take much credit because I fished with my cousin (who knows the lake and is into tournaments) in his bass boat, but I did put 2 keepers in the boat. I have several considerations to make now. 

I'm reconsidering carpet because of the noise issue. 
I want to move my bow seat back a little.
May want to deck farther back on the front or at least on the sides to strap my rods to the deck.
Need a second tm battery.
Got to get a nice depth finder or buy transducer/cables/mounts for the one I use on my other boat.
Want a depth finder on the front.


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## nadornati

what size aluminum angle did you use?


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## benjineer

1/8 x 1-1/2 so far, but they didn't have it at the local supplier today. I got 1/8 x 1-1/4 this time. That should do ok because I had some places the 1-1/2 wouldn't fit. A 25' piece was $20. Not bad considering the 1-1/2 I bought last year was $40ea. Once I get the framing in, I may try to get a sheet of AL for the floor. I forgot to check the price on that. I'll probably stick with wood on the upper deck though.


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## nadornati

where did you get it for 20$ a peice?


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## benjineer

A local place called Laurel Machine and Foundry. https://www.lmfco.com/


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## benjineer

Ok, here we go again. Just added some framing to the floor and removed the middle benches completely. This is the big one! Ordered a sheet of 1/8 x 4 x 10 aluminum for the floor. I only need about 82", so the rest may get used for the mini tiller console I'm still contemplating. I'm thinking about some very narrow side decks. Just enough to give some support to the sides and protect rod storage underneath. I think I'll deck in the bilge area. Still considering a small second battery just for starting.


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## benjineer

I got a little more work done. Sprayed the floor bracing with plasti-dip to help prevent the floor from rattling. Did a little interior painting and got the floor cut. Here are pics of it laying in with a mock-up of my console. Right now, I plan to build a 12" deep x 16" wide box about 28" high with a grab rail on top at the back about 31" high. I was using the adjustable height dolly to figure out the height. I've got to try to locate a grab rail. I want a 1" stainless one that is set high off the console. I put the perfect one on my dad's boat a few years back. Wish I had it back. The stick of angle on one side is about where the side boards will go. I'm going to try to make the open width 48" That will give me 16" to walk on either side of the console. The distance from the front deck to the back deck is about 81". I have to cut a hole for wiring in the floor and get the floor back out to add some flotation. I may be going with pool noodles since I can buy them at the dollar store for............yep, a dollar.


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## etindoll

Looks great it will be very nice when you finish.


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## benjineer

Console plans


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## benjineer

Got my console built, flotation in, and the floor down. Well, I'm not completely done with the floor. It's not behaving right in one of the front corners. I let the sheet be bigger than the space I had for a flat floor. I intended for it to just float up the sides a little in the front corners otherwise I'd have a gap for stuff to get under the floor. The sheet I bought was thicker than my original plan, and it didn't bend so easily, and I also didn't get it centered. I may have to cut some off. Not sure because I ran out of rivets and didn't finish. I sure don't want to pull it back up and start over.


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## benjineer

Here is the front of the floor where I wanted to roll the edges up. As I said, I was afraid I might have to remove it and cut some off the right side, but I managed to beat in into subjection with a 4lb hammer.


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## benjineer

Here it is with the side bars laid in. I plan to cover them with plywood and maybe attach to the hull in a couple more places underneath. This is a gamble because I'm not sure they will be sturdy enough if someone sits or steps on them. If it don't work, I'll have to try something else. I don't really want to go to side boxes with the console. I don't really have enough room for that unless I offset the console to the right and only walk around the left side. It would work, but it's not what I really wanted.


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## benjineer

This thing is taking forever, and it's getting hard to find time to work on it. Not to mention it's 100 degrees outside. I abandoned the plan for the side rails for now and removed the middle seat brackets/braces. I just can't make up my mind what to do with that part. I'm thinking now I want to add some vertical braces similar to Dave Shady's S-18 and stick standard rod holders on them. I might even get them welded on. I'm anxious to get it back in the water and see how it does, so that comes later. 


I'm working on the small rear deck now. I mirrored the side that already had a board running from the bench to the transom, and I'm adding support for a hinged lid. I plan to put 2 pedestal bases on the bench for driver/passenger and maybe 1 in the middle to fish from. Next, maybe I can do some more painting and get started on the wiring.


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## benjineer

Updates. Repainted interior. Carpet in, back deck finished except for hinged lid. I'm going to carpet just the lid after I get it sealed up with paint. It's only primed in the pic. You can see I've got all the holes cut out in the console. I'm almost ready to start wiring which is going to take a while. I want it usable by this weekend. Family camping trip.


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## benjineer

Getting closer. Sorry about the low quality cellphone pics. I'll get some with the good camera when I'm done. Finished most of the console wiring last night. I hope to finish the other end this evening and maybe even go for a test run.


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## benjineer

We went out for a little ride yesterday evening. It was like a totally different boat. It was very comfortable to drive and easy to move around in. I ran it standing up with my extension handle also. That was pretty comfortable as well. I don't have my GPS and depth finder hooked up yet, so I didn't check the speed. I don't think I lost any since replacing the 3/4 ply with 1/8 aluminum and adding a battery. I've also raised the motor up about 1 to 1-1/2". The cav plate is still slightly below the bottom of the boat, but it's about as high as I can go without adding a bracket of some kind. Hopefully I'll get my electronics running by this weekend and get some better pics and a report. I've got a 25qt marine cooler that fits snugly under the rear deck. I'm planning to plumb it for a live well. I'm not sure it will keep a limit of bass alive, but I think it will be fine for night tournaments or just fishing. It should also work well for minnows or live shrimp.


----------



## benjineer

Now that I'm almost done I decided to review my spending :shock:. I've spent a net of about $3450 since I started this thing a year ago. I did some horse trading with the motors and already had a few things I used, so I have more in it than what I spent. Here's what I estimate I have in it.

$1000 - Boat and trailer
$1950 - Motor
$600 - Trolling motor
$300 - Aluminum
$1050 - Other materials, accessories, etc.
$4900 Total

I might as well say $5000, since I have a couple more seat brackets to buy, hinges for the rear compartment, and a few other odds and ends. I have paint to do the outside when I get time. I also have a fish finder to mount on the trolling motor.


----------



## jdsgrog

looks like things are coming along. i try not to think about how much i spent...it's easier to tell the wife that it was just a "couple of hundred or so."


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## benjineer

Hit 24 GPS with just my little boy and me. I think raising the motor helped. I don't know that I can expect much more from a 16ft boat with a 25hp.


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## benjineer

jasper60103 said:


> How does she troll?



Finally got to use it in that capacity. Trolls down to about 2.5mph GPS. Any slower, and I can't keep it running. Caught a few speckled trout out of it last trip. Only one was caught trolling, but I have some learning to do. I covered about 25 miles and burned very little gas. That makes me want to rethink having a permanent tank that size. 

The boat will run in some pretty shallow water, but not 4". I hit a sand flat going about 20, and I think I've messed up the prop hub. After that, the motor would speed up every now and then and it felt like I wasn't getting traction. I'd like to think I didn't cause it all myself. The prop had a couple of good dings and the skeg was bent a little when I got it. I guess I have an excuse to buy a stainless one now.


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## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> jasper60103 said:
> 
> 
> 
> How does she troll?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally got to use it in that capacity. Trolls down to about 2.5mph GPS. Any slower, and I can't keep it running. Caught a few speckled trout out of it last trip. Only one was caught trolling, but I have some learning to do. I covered about 25 miles and burned very little gas. That makes me want to rethink having a permanent tank that size.
> 
> The boat will run in some pretty shallow water, but not 4". I hit a sand flat going about 20, and I think I've messed up the prop hub. After that, the motor would speed up every now and then and it felt like I wasn't getting traction. I'd like to think I didn't cause it all myself. The prop had a couple of good dings and the skeg was bent a little when I got it. I guess I have an excuse to buy a stainless one now.
Click to expand...


It must be nice getting out on the boat this time of year. Ice fishing season is under way here, LOL. Anywho, sounds like it performs well for you. Just be more careful. I like the way my 30hp motor sips gas too. Only used two 6 gallon tanks last summer. In fact, I run left over gas in the snowblower during the winter. 

Did you cut or fabricate the trolling motor diamond plate yourself? I was thinking if I had a flat bow cover like that, I could move my trolling motor to the bow. My existing bow cover is thin and kinda curved or bow shaped.
Btw, your rig turned out really nice. Enjoy. =D>


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## benjineer

Yeah, it is nice. I hate being cold. It got down to about 25 here last night, but lows are around 40 for the rest of the week. I cut the plate with a jigsaw and folded it on a pressbrake where I work. It bounces a little with the weight of the trolling motor. I think maybe a carpeted piece of 3/4" ply might work better for some shock resistance. The brackets holding the plate up are .060 and have some flex the way I'm using them. I've thought about just adding something to support the head of the motor when it's stowed.


----------



## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> Yeah, it is nice. I hate being cold. It got down to about 25 here last night, but lows are around 40 for the rest of the week. I cut the plate with a jigsaw and folded it on a pressbrake where I work. It bounces a little with the weight of the trolling motor. *I think maybe a carpeted piece of 3/4" ply might work better for some shock resistance.* The brackets holding the plate up are .060 and have some flex the way I'm using them. I've thought about just adding something to support the head of the motor when it's stowed.



Yea, I was thinking I could size it so it sits on top of the gunnels, and add 3/4" ply underneath for more support. Screw it down to the gunnels. You think it would be solid? 
Anyway, yours turned out great. Thanks.


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## benjineer

I considered putting mine on top of the gunnels, but it would have looked unfinished that way. My sawing job was not the smoothest either. If it were aluminum or wood wrapped in carpet, I think it would look fine on top. I've seen a few done like that. If I were to pull mine off and go back with carpeted wood, I think I'd keep it inside the gunnels. I just like the look better. So far, I'm not completely satisfied with the below deck storage and the bow in general. I may find myself redoing it all this summer.


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## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> I considered putting mine on top of the gunnels, but it would have looked unfinished that way. My sawing job was not the smoothest either. If it were aluminum or wood wrapped in carpet, I think it would look fine on top. I've seen a few done like that. If I were to pull mine off and go back with carpeted wood, I think I'd keep it inside the gunnels. I just like the look better. So far, I'm not completely satisfied with the below deck storage and the bow in general. I may find myself redoing it all this summer.



Yea, I see your point. The cut edges wouldn't look that good. Thanks. -jasper


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## GGUG

Love it! Twin 9.9's! Always wanted to do a twin set up. Nothing better than having a spare. What type of performance do you get? I also emailed you pics of my transom as I am having problems uploading photos directly to site.


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## GGUG

Ben the difference between a cast and stainless prop is stainless is not as forgiving. You run the risk of more damage to lower unit rather than the wheel. Buy the hub and have it pressed. So i take it you did away with twins and have a 25 now?


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## benjineer

Yep, it worked, and I liked the idea of a spare, but I wanted simple. It was annoying picking up both motors in shallow water, etc. One motor is just easier to deal with.


----------



## MrSimon

Just read through this build .... great job!!! I love how you build something, try it out, and then tweak it to your liking. 

Do the pool noodles add any support to the floor, or deadening of sound?


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## benjineer

MrSimon said:


> Do the pool noodles add any support to the floor, or deadening of sound?



I have to think they help some. The carpet does too. It's much better than when I just had plywood in there. It's not nearly as loud when my little boy jumps off the deck onto the floor, LOL. At some point I'm going to redo the upper deck and trolling motor mount and probably put carpet there because of sound. I didn't really want carpet, but I think it's just too noisy for shallow water bass fishing without it.


----------



## benjineer

Hit the lake Saturday with Tiny Tach installed. Got up to about 5300 with a very light load. Prop is a 10x13 alumimum. Planning to buy a new prop at some point. Looks like the next size down is a 10.5 x 11. I think I will wait and see how much it is lugged down with two adults. I know it is slower.


----------



## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> Hit the lake Saturday with Tiny Tach installed. Got up to about 5300 with a very light load. Prop is a 10x13 alumimum. Planning to buy a new prop at some point. Looks like the next size down is a 10.5 x 11. I think I will wait and see how much it is lugged down with two adults. I know it is slower.



Yea, I run a 10x13 prop on my rig too. I haven't checked the RPMs yet. 
I estimate about 900# for the weight with just me and gear.
Have any idea of your total weight?


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## benjineer

jasper60103 said:


> Have any idea of your total weight?



Haven't tried estimating it before.
Let's see, for a typical solo saltwater trip
Boat - 325 lbs?
Motor - 123 lbs
Trolling Motor - 50lbs
Batteries - 118 lbs
Floor, bracing, decking, console, fuel tank - 150 lbs
10 gal gas - 61 lbs
Me - 150 lbs
Fishing gear, ice - 50 lbs 

Looks like about 1025 lbs. Could go 1200 with an extra person.


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## benjineer

Hit 5400rpm yesterday with just me in the boat, so I guess going to a 10-1/2 x 11 would give me a big possibility of overrevving. That stinks because I just found a great deal on a new stainless one. I think I'll just hunt for a 10x13 stainless. It should improve performance slightly.


----------



## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> Hit 5400rpm yesterday with just me in the boat, so I guess going to a 10-1/2 x 11 would give me a big possibility of overrevving. That stinks because I just found a great deal on a new stainless one. I think I'll just hunt for a 10x13 stainless. It should improve performance slightly.



yea, it's too bad you can't try before you buy.
I would be tempted to try a 12 pitch.
iBoats got them and free shipping!...https://boatpropellers.iboats.com/Johnson-Outboard-Propellers/?chart=10&engine_id=37&cart_id=316125100 

I know Johny25 has done some prop testing with 11 and 13 pitch, but his setup is a little different from yours. Maybe he'll chime in.


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## benjineer

I didn't realize they were available because I was looking at the parts diagram for the motor. I see they do have them. Don't see a deal on a stainless one like I found with the 11P. If anyone wants it at $139 and free shipping, let me know. I'll send you the link.


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## Silverad04

View attachment 2



So if water gets a the boat, will there be a problem with mold on those pool noodles? I would think they wouldn't being that they are made for water. Does anybody have any insight on this?


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## benjineer

Silverad04 said:


> So if water gets a the boat, will there be a problem with mold on those pool noodles? I would think they wouldn't being that they are made for water. Does anybody have any insight on this?


I don't know. We've got some that get left outside, and they don't get that way. I hope I never have to take the floor out to see.


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## Gators5220

What ever happened to this mod?


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## benjineer

Still tinkering with it. Just took it to the coast for the first trip this year Nov 1st. Came home with a big speckled trout, a decent flounder, and a dozen or so white trout. Trolling motor had died on me during bass fishing, so I just replaced with a used hand controlled one. Did well this trip. My slippery paint was peeling off the casting deck, so I brushed on some porch paint with grit in it. May not last, but it's doing the job. I was reminded of my prop hub problem on a 2 mile run. Gotta get it fixed or get another prop. Fish are biting. Hopefully I can get out there again the day after thanksgiving if it's not too cold.


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## jasper60103

Looks like you caught a nice meal, and wore-out your fishing buddy. :LOL2:


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## Gators5220

Good fishin right there and eats =D> =D> , what did you end up doin with the motors?


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## benjineer

Gators5220 said:


> Good fishin right there and eats =D> =D> , what did you end up doin with the motors?



Thanks! See page 4 and 5.


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## Gators5220

Man, she prob moves around pretty quickly with a 25hp on it, sounds like fun!


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## Pmg 131

I know this is old thread, but how did you attach the stringers to the boat? Did you go through the ribs on the bottom, or did you put the rivets through the hull?


----------



## zipperer

V


----------



## benjineer

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=316391#p316391 said:


> Pmg 131 » May 28th, 2013, 6:36 pm[/url]"]I know this is old thread, but how did you attach the stringers to the boat? Did you go through the ribs on the bottom, or did you put the rivets through the hull?



I know the question is old, but I used the ribs. Only place I went through the hull was at the top on the bow.


----------



## benjineer

Hello all! It's been a while, but it's time to start modding again. I've been pretty happy with the boat, but I want to go faster, and I'm tired of holding onto the tiller. I just traded my Johnson 25 tiller (123lbs) in on a 48 remote (185lbs). It is a long shaft motor, so I have to add 5" to the transom. I'm toying with some options as pictured. One gives me a 3" thick transom, which I'm sure is overkill. I'm trying to make it as cheap as possible, and I already have plenty of 1.5 angle lying around. It's not real thick maybe 1/8", but I think doubled up inside and outside it would probably be fine. I noticed that the CMC brand angles made for this purpose at $155 are 1/2" thick and are supposed to handle a 130hp engine with no wood like I'm doing. Anything I do with wood will be covered with fiberglass resin to seal it. There is already quite a bit of extra 1/4" aluminum plate on inside and out from the previous owners attaching twin 9.9s.




The option below would probably include another angle on the inside. I would also have to build up a little between the 1/4" plates because the engine won't quite fit between them. I have some leftover diamondplate that would work for that. 


This option would be extra heavy I'm sure. I'm only showing one, but it would be double 2x8s glassed to the top board. It would add 1.5" setback, which couldn't hurt. The more and more I look at it though, this seems like it might just be unnecessary. I guess I could try the above and see how sturdy it feels, then I can add the extra boards if needed. That's my current thinking.


I suppose one other option is to get a piece of 3/4" ply and use in place of the vertical 2x8s which would give me a 2-1/4" transom.

Opinions or advice?

Also, I've gotten some rotten wood on the back deck because I haven't treated this thing nicely (no cover or shed). I'm probably going to go aluminum for the deck and maybe move my console forward and add seats in front of the deck, so the whole deck can be better used for fishing. I also have an old bass boat I can scavenge some things from (steering and cables at least). This is going to be fun.


----------



## Johnny

if you go with the outside 3/4" plywood, ensure the edges
are saturated with epoxy or preservative.
- plus -
ensure the grain goes vertical and not horizontal (just for the outside piece).





.


----------



## muddywaders

Ben word of caution.I made the exact same transom extension held on with four stainless bolts with large washers.I did not realize the force pulling on the top two bolts and the nuts and washers crushed the inner skin of the transom despite having new plywood underneath.I know Lund uses a thick piece aluminum on the inside of their transoms but I would recommend another length of alum. angle horizontally on the inside through which the top bolts will go especially if the core of the transom is soft.


----------



## benjineer

Thanks, I was actually thinking the same thing. My extension angles will have 2 3/8 bolts in each side of the lower part and 2 3/8 bolts in the extension board. When I attach the motor, I'm going to at least put a backing plate of 1/8 aluminum on the inside of the new board.

It's going to be a little bit Frankenstein because I refuse to buy any more aluminum plate to get the correct size just because I have a lot of bits and pieces lying around left over from the earlier mods. It will be solid though, or I won't launch it. :idea: You know I'm kind of wondering what that old Evinrude 115 would do on here, sink or swim. It's only an extra 110 lbs, hmmm :twisted:


----------



## benjineer

Well, I got my board all sealed up, and I was all excited and ready put start putting it together. I drilled into the transom at the bottom and ended up right inside the knee braces shown above. I never even thought about it hitting there. Now I have to cut some of them out just to get a wrench in there. Nothing is ever easy.

Update: I also galled one of the 3/8 SS bolts I was using and had to cut it off. Got everything straight yesterday with my air die grinder and a carbide tree bit. Also had to remove the 1/4" aluminum plate on the inside of the transom and cut enough out on one side for the washer and nut to clear. Other side was ok. I also replaced the motor well drain as it was broken, and I added a layer of aluminum to the outside. I know I have no new pics for y'all, but I'll try to get this sewed up today and tomorrow evening, take some pics, and get the motor put on Saturday. Then I have to get the remote stuff hooked up and see how much junk I'm going to have to buy. The bass boat steering I was going to snag is froze up, but maybe I can get it loose. I haven't tried yet, just walked by and felt of it.


----------



## benjineer

Moving along.
My new helper.


I had to put the upper bolts at 1.5" down intead of the recommended 1-7/8". Otherwise, the bottom ones would have been right in the splashwell. 




Something I picked up on a trade in case the old bass boat steering doesn't work.



Still not sure what I'm going to do for trim/tilt. After some cleaning and working the plunger up and down, I got the old tilt cylinder to lock in place. The gas that is supposed to be a lift assist is gone. At least it won't be jumping up in the boat with me if I hit something. I'm going to buy a factory t/t or a CMC type unit.

Update: I have a CMC PT-130 on the way.


----------



## Zum

Nice markings on your pup...I bring my 10 month old beagle with me all the time, their faces are pretty close.
O ya.... good job on the boat as well.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk


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## benjineer

Zum said:


> Nice markings on your pup...I bring my 10 month old beagle with me all the time, their faces are pretty close.
> O ya.... good job on the boat as well



Thanks! We've had rabbit beagles for years, but this will be the first one to be a house pet as well. I live in town, and a pen full of howling hounds in the back yard didn't make for happy neighbors. Sire is mine and AKC heavy Black Creek and Boggy Holler breeding. Dam is my dad's that is just a good pretty rabbit dog that has never even tried to chase a deer. The kids are really enjoying "Daisy". We have an old Sheltie, but she usually doesn't want to be bothered by them.


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## Zum

Seems like on the same page...always had kennel hounds, normally two or three. Picked up a pup around Sept.last year and decided she would be my first house dog. Couldn't be happier with her, hunts great and never makes a mess.



first rabbit at 4 months
I had to put this one down a month ago so I only have the one.


I take the pup fishing with me, she loves watching the bass jump, she fell over board the first time out,trying to get a close look at a bass.


----------



## RedHatRedNeck

This guy is the first pure bred I've had in years. Can't wait to see how he'll do this season. Got him at Christmas at 3mo old. Already workin descent trackin at the ones behind the house.


----------



## benjineer

Those are some nice looking hounds. Hope to get her and her two brothers started this fall. My dad kept them. I'm going to give her a try on the boat also. The Sheltie has been all but banned. She barks at every cast and every splash all day long.


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## benjineer

Found this in an old Lund brochure.


----------



## benjineer

My 19P prop arrived today. It looks like it's never even been on a boat. Not bad for $40.  My CMC tilt should be here tomorrow or Monday.
I went out to my dad's and started stripping my donor boat. Note the can of wasp spray. Only one small nest so far.


It looks like I've got some buying and selling to do. The cables that came with the motor are in good shape but ridiculously long. 16' cables up on eBay if anyone needs them. Bass boat cables can probably be used for now at least long enough for a trial, but they are a little long and are in rough shape. I'm thinking of using the folding bench seat from the bass boat. It's 40 years old, but the vinyl actually looks pretty good. It will need new boards though. What I'm not sure of is how high up I want to sit. Definitely higher than the old bass boat. I got the rotary steering off the console I acquired and found it just barely fits in my homemade aluminum console without having to move the gauges. It's almost as if I planned it that way. I'm going to go ahead and mount it and play around with seat height and and distance. My console will put the steering higher than the bass boat or the other console, so hopefully I can reach it standing without much trouble. There is no room on the console for the tach or speedo, but I have plans to make an angled panel/box to the right of the console for those and maybe a depth finder. Sorry for the lack of pics. I made a sketch of the plans but didn't photo it.


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## benjineer

So I got to play around with it today and take a few pics. I'm wanting to keep the steering wheel on the centerline of the boat and build storage on the right of the console. That is the plan for now.


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## benjineer

Still working on this thing but haven't posted in a while. I've got the console moved where I want it, and I'm framing up for the throttle. I'm going to make a recess for it, which is making this more complicated. It may look a little strange, but I didn't want a normal side console. I have the steering wheel nearly on the centerline of the boat. That way I'll have a better chance of staying dry if I get out in the choppy stuff. Someone came out with a big center console that connected to the gunnel on the right side of the boat which gave you wrap-around seating up front. This won't be that nice, but it's similar. I got the steering wheel installed, but I ordered the 20 degree bezel kit for it, since my console is a rectangular box.


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## benjineer

Well, I've gotten a lot done since my last post whether it looks like it or not. The CMC didn't come. I've learned my lesson about Craigslist scam artists. Stupid tax as Dave Ramsey calls it. Anyway, there will be more on that because I really do want trim. I took it for the first test run today. It did really well and was lots of fun. I tried it first with the 17p prop it came with. I got it up to about 26mph at 6000 rpm. It didn't really sound like 6000, so I need to check the tach or try another one. Brought it back in and put the new 19p on. That got it up to 30 at 5500. Verdict is that I need more prop. I know a 21 was made. I just have to scour the internet to find one.

Next steps:
1. Get the right length control cables (ordered today) and swap out this wretched control I got from the donor boat. If you are in forward gear and the engine dies, sometimes when you go to put it in neutral it slips a gear and gets hung up. Then you have to take it apart to get it to work again.
2. Finish the framing and get the rod box like I want it and carpet that.
3. The seat. Redo the folding bench from the donor boat. Get the mounting frames up for that.
4. Redo the back deck which I let rot after the last mod. It will get carpet this time.
5. Redo the front deck. Maybe change where the storage is. Also redo the trolling motor mount with wood and carpet. The metal is just too noisy.


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## benjineer

Brand new OEM 21P located and on the way. PN 391014 for anyone who is looking and 391015 for SS. I still don't know about the tach function. I never hit a rev limiter, which I've read should be at 6100. I think the tach said I was there. If I'm wrong, I may have just wasted money on the wrong prop. From some things I've read, the boat should run faster with the props I already have. There was no lugging or lack of power with the 19P, and if I shoved it on down at 5500, it would pick up speed quick. The tach is a '77 model Airguide 2-wire with a dial on the back for setting it. I left the dial alone as it was on a '78 Evinrude 115. Shouldn't have to change unless it was wrong on that one also. I do have another tach that came with the console I bought. I may give it a try. It is a Teleflex 3-wire that has no settings and was on a 35 hp Evinrude.


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## murphy67

Just made it through all 10 pages, what a great journey!!  Lots of time and money and effort put into that boat, great job! Thats awesome you are converting from a tiller to a console steering, i look forward to seeing more of your progress!


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## benjineer

Thanks Murphy. I was just looking at yours. I saw you were running 42 with that 70. I'm sure your boat is heavier than mine. What prop pitch are you running? How does it handle at 42? That's about where I want to get to if I can keep it safe.


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## murphy67

Benji,
Being honest here, I have no idea on the prop pitch...its the existing prop that came on the motor from Johnson in 1988 not that I think that helps with anything..lol 

Yeah I was hitting low 40's (using my water/pilot fed speedometer) with the 70, however I also "raced" my brother in my dad's 2007 Alumacraft with a 4-stroke 140 on it and my boat took the new ALumacraft out of the hole easy and I was ahead for about 150 yards or so before he took me over and he was going about 45 mph, so I know im right in the low 40mph range. I now have a GPS on my boat so Labor day weekend I will get a proper test at WOT with just me in the boat for a proper "top speed achieved"

As for handling....it handles great at WOT, as long as its not too rough...the Classic Deluxe glides on the water, but if there are whitecaps out there/too rough, I wouldn't be going full with the boat to often, where as a nice Deep-V would really cut into the wake a bit more. I think 40mph is a great speed for a smaller 16ft boat or really any boat for the lakes we have the boats on (750 acre or so, 40 ft deep, not too big/wavy) so I am just so happy that 1988 Johnson still runs like a top!!

Note: I know i can really trim my motor up a bit to and get a bit less water drag, but it adds too much bounce when it really gets up, so I usually trim it up just a bit from all the way down and its a nice median for speed, handling, bounce, etc.


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## benjineer

I decided to get serious and rip all the old boards out of the back. I was planning to use the bass boat bench, but I'm going to be lazy and just bolt the old cheap folding seats in for now. It won't seat me and two kids across but there will be room to step onto the back deck between them. That will be better for fishing purposes for sure.


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## benjineer

Board cut. Got back out to seal.


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## benjineer

Got it all in and ready to bolt down here. Actually got it bolted down and carpeted on Saturday but didn't take any pics. I'll be working on the kids' massive treehouse project this evening, so I won't get to do anything on the boat unless I just happen to run out of treehouse materials. If you look closely, you can see the legs and the tree trunk in the background of one of the bottom pic. I got the new 21P prop put on, and I played with the tach some. I was using the old control that went with the tach. Both were 2-wire. I swapped to the new control, and it has 3 wires. I can't tell that one of them does anything with this tach, but got it to work with two of them. I tried changing the tach setting to what I thought would be right, and it did weird stuff, so I put it back. I'm really determined to use the old matching tach and speedo if they work right.

I'm planning to use the space under the rear seats for storage. I'll probably get a plastic box to slide under to keep miscellaneous items. I'm not sure what else, my tackle bag may not fit, but I'll try it. I'm open to any ideas. 

On the back opening, I had a single hinged cover there. I'm going to put a permanent piece in the middle and have two hinged doors for bilge access. The main reason I'm splitting it is to put the fishing pedestal seat farther back. It's still a small deck but it should be better to fish out of now, since I can just leave that seat installed. It grew by about 15", since I moved the riding/driving seats forward.


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## benjineer

Ok, almost done with the back deck. I just have to get a few more screws and also attach the hinges. Anxious to go for a ride with the new prop, then get to work on the rod/storage box.


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## Stumpalump

I love my 48 hp. Never had an engine that starts and runs so smooth. If you do not want to keep the 19 pitch prop I could use it.


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## benjineer

I finally got my power trim installed after fighting a stuck pin for two weeks or more. Test drive was lots of fun. 21p prop may be too much. Still ran 30 easy but was running 4500. Going to check throttle cable and try 19p again now that I have trim. I may put an old hydrofoil on if can find it. It may help if I get moving any faster. I'm satisfied enough for now. On to the rod box next.

Update. The throttle cable does need adjustment. I just remembered that I was running a different control and cables for last test run when it was definitely opening up more. I didn't check it closely enough when I installed the new one.


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## benjineer

Well, this thing is a project once again. I never finished it like I wanted, then we moved a year ago. I got her in the garage now. Completely redoing the front. It mostly rotted. This time no wood. Pics soon I hope.


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## jasper60103

benjineer said:


> Well, this thing is a project once again. I never finished it like I wanted, then we moved a year ago. I got her in the garage now. Completely redoing the front. It mostly rotted. This time no wood. Pics soon I hope.


Hey, benjineer. I remember your thread. Welcome back!
Looking forward to seeing your next mod.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## benjineer

I have already dropped $600 on it starting last Sunday. I never finished the previous mods. I’ve been enjoying my other boat when I have time and doing some mods on it also. I’m going to pull the helm and steering cable and replace it all. Cable was too long and a new one for this helm wasn’t worth it. I have a teleflex NFB coming that I got a deal on. I’m going to be using 3/8 PVC board from Lowe’s for some of this work at $80/sheet. Key switch is broken, so that is ordered. I never got the tach to work, so I’ll be getting a new one. I have a panel mount trim switch, but I may get the correct one that goes on the control. I’m putting in a Livewell that I think I’m going to build myself from the pvc board and fiberglass. I still have all the carpet needed for the deck left over from before. I have a 12v trolling motor that needs a little work, but I’m thinking of buying a second quick release mount and 3 small batteries, so I can use my 36v Xi5 off the big boat. One thing is for sure. I need to find some things to sell!


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## benjineer

Here we go!


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## benjineer

Compartment flat bottom and beginnings of a live well.


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## benjineer

This is getting real. I’m over $1000 deep in this mod already, but it’s going to be right this time. I didn’t say pretty, but it’s going to be done well. I’m thinking I may scrap the front plate on the console to redo the layout. The steering wasn’t in the original plan. I just picked up a tach and have no place for it. Steering is a little low anyway. Raise it up, gauges to the right and switches on the right and under the steering is what I’m thinking. I have an hds9 carbon on my other boat, so I’m getting another mount, cable, and xducer for this one. That’s going to be a nice upgrade. I may spin my top console plate around so the cup holders are behind the screen.


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## benjineer

A little trim and a lot of foam. Should deaden some sound and shock and keep it afloat if the worst ever happens.


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## benjineer

Where I left it yesterday. Planning to glass the outside of the livewell and work on plumbing before I can put the deck on. I haven’t decided how to get water in and out. I know I want a separate fill and recirc. The drain is going to be the hardest part. I’d like to put a thru hull under the well and go straight up through the bottom of the well and have a plug in it. That’s going to be the only way to completely drain it outside of the boat. What y’all think? I only have 2” under the well. Draining to the bilge is an option I guess, probably the easiest one. I think I can get away with putting my fill pump up front beside the well. It will only work when the boat is at rest, but I think I like it better than running hose all the way to the bilge. Overflow I’m just planning to go straight across from the top of the well to the hull. Also, I was planning to put a hinged access door on top of the deck to get to the pumps and plumbing, but I’m thinking now I’ll just cut out the front of the rod box for access. Still a lot to do in the back end.


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## benjineer

The new dash is finished and ready to wire.


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## benjineer

A little more progress. I also think I got my old trolling motor patched up. It’s an MG SWDS54. It’s been in storage for years, and I finally decided to fix it or junk it. The gearing for the electric steer was rusted up. I got that cleaned and working. Prop would come on sometimes and sometimes not, but you could start it by hand. It just had corrosion on the armature. Sanded smooth and that started working. I put a seal kit in it last night. It still didn’t act right, and I’ve been thinking the foot pedal had problems, but I wasn’t sure. I bit the bullet and bought a wireless remote kit on EBay for $75. That did the trick. Hopefully I can get some good use out of it this time around. I put just under $100 in it this time. $1,452.66 spent total so far with the current work. The biggest expenses were 3 sheets of pvc board, an active-imaging 3-in-1 transducer, and the new steering system.


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## benjineer

A little glass for strength.


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## benjineer

It will do.


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## LDUBS

Sure looks good.


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## benjineer

LDUBS said:


> Sure looks good.



Thanks. I’m looking forward to finally getting some use out of it.


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## Roy

I just read all 11 pages and really enjoyed your progress. I think you did a great job.


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## benjineer

On to the wiring.


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## benjineer

Oh so close.... I hope to get her in the water this weekend. I’m not quite done yet, but it’s far enough along I can use it. New bilge pump should be here today, and I need to get an anchor light socket. After that, the livewell setup is pretty much all that’s left, functionally. I may add a little more carpet and replace the worn carpet on the floor. Rod storage in the side box needs some work.


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## benjineer

Ready for action!


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