# The Flats Tracker Project (1983 Bass Tracker) FINISHED



## rook (Apr 22, 2010)

Been keeping my eye on CL for a while trying to find something that sparked my interest and was in the right price range. In other words something that was cheap, but also something that was a good base to start a new project on. Well last weekend I ran across a 1983 Bass Tracker 16ft with a 1983 Mercury 50hp 4-cyl. The price was right and I just couldnt pass it up. Needed alot of work but was actually water ready. Good tight motor with good compression and the hull was in really good shape. Boat was all original down to the trolling motor and everthing was in working condition. Shes not much to look at but just give me a little while. 











I started stripping it down pretty much the moment I arrived home. The floor was rotten and the carpet was in rough shape and I wasnt real happy with where the console was located. At first this started out as just a replace what was bad and paint but the further I dug the more the picture I had in my head changed. Actually its still changing. But as for now Im finished up ripping everything out and after a little mock up of the new "addition" I bought this weekend we are gonna pull the motor and get ready for paint. After paint is when the fun begins. I will keep this thread updated with pics as the progress goes. Im thinking of going to "flats boat" route but will see. Its definately going to get a center console instead of the side console and im shortening the back deck about 14". 

Getting the back deck tore apart was a job in itself. I never imagimed that it was all alum with no wood. 





Inside completely stripped (well as far as I need it to go atleast)


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## Froggy (Apr 22, 2010)

Looking forward to the mod, good luck


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## dixie_boysles (Apr 22, 2010)

looks just like my fiance's Dad's boat! He redid his entire inside. Even mad a rod locker for it!


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## 270Handiman (Apr 22, 2010)

That's a great layout! It sets up perfect for a mud motor.


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## rook (Apr 23, 2010)

Got the Poling Platform fitted last night. Had to make sure of the mounting location before I pulled the motor and started the paint process. Going today to pick up a free (I love that word) 14 gallon alum built in fuel tank from a friend. Got to figure out how to make it work and then off with the motor and its time for playtime with the orbital sander and grinder!! I can see a redfish stalking and quacker killin machine in the makin.


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## sturdi87 (Apr 23, 2010)

rook said:


> but the further I dug the more the picture I had in my head changed. Actually its still changing.


 hah story of my build as well! Good luck! But looks like you found a great "base" to start from!


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## cavman138 (Apr 24, 2010)

Nice boat to start with, can't wait to see what the finished product looks like.


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## Outdoorsman (Apr 26, 2010)

Nice boat....looking closely at your first picture...I have never seen a TV Satilite Dish mounted on a Bass Tracker before.... :lol: 

Seriously...I am on my way (tonight after work) to look at a 1980 Bass Tracker II..looking at your pics gives me an idea of how she is made.....looks like I might be joining the club....

I will start a new tread with with pic's if all goes well.


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## jdrautoworks (Apr 26, 2010)

Outdoorsman said:


> Nice boat....looking closely at your first picture...I have never seen a TV Satilite Dish mounted on a Bass Tracker before.... :lol:
> 
> Seriously...I am on my way (tonight after work) to look at a 1980 Bass Tracker II..looking at your pics gives me an idea of how she is made.....looks like I might be joining the club....
> 
> I will start a new tread with with pic's if all goes well.



I would look very closely to the bow for cracks, and the first rib on the bottom of the boat from the left (drivers side). I a currently restoring a 80 BTIII and two problems I've found out is the bow is a week point for cracking. And on the BTIII they ran the trolling motor wiring under the floor and the insulation breaks down from water and arcs on the boat causing holes in the hull not to mention electrolysis... Just my two cents.....


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## rook (Apr 27, 2010)

Ill take a look at that as well on this boat. All the wiring on this rig was through the walls. But I will tak a closer look at the bow.


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## remmi597 (May 3, 2010)

I just got a 1983 with 50 merc the back end has no deck, watching to see how you do yours. Looks like an intense project.


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## rook (May 17, 2010)

A little progress, between showers this weekend was able to get the new trailer bunks and guides on as well as finish prepping the hull for paint. After doing a little research I ended up on the phone with a local company (Research Products) about what I need to do to get ready for paint. The duck boat that I did last year was factory painted unlike this one which is bare alum. Anyway after calling around I end up with a product called "Luma Brite". Man this stuff does its job and does it well. After getting all the stickers and sticky of the hull I applied the first "coat" of this stuff. Let sit 5 minutes and wash off. Then one more time and just look at the pics. It cleans, degreases and etches all in one step. Good stuff!!

Old 





New






Luma Brite 





Before










After first wash









After second wash


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## Anonymous (May 17, 2010)

Note to self ... Luma Brite.

Thank you sir.


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## rook (May 17, 2010)

Its good stuff man. All the info is on the bottle so look at the pic to get phone number. Its made here locally but Im sure they can ship. Silver Ships, which is a big ship builder down here has done away with sandblast by using this stuff. I mixed mine 8:1 and it started foaming as soon as it hit the hull.


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## rook (May 17, 2010)

Oh yeah I forgot an important update. Sold the '83 Merc 50 and picked up a '90 Mariner 50 w/tilt and trim.


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## 270Handiman (May 17, 2010)

rook said:


> Oh yeah I forgot an important update. Sold the '83 Merc 50 and picked up a '90 Mariner 50 w/tilt and trim. Sold the Merc for $800.00 and bought the Mariner for $1000.00. Spent $200 but got a 7 year newer model and tilt and trim.



Good job on the motor swap! The older these motors get, the harder it is to get parts for them. The newer the better.


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## cavman138 (May 17, 2010)

wow man that boat is shining. Great job.


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## rook (May 24, 2010)

Got some painting done this weekend. Got the bottom and sides painted and it flipped back over and on the trailer. Actually got one coat on the topside last night but do not have pics yet. Its amazing what a little paint will do!!!

First Coat





Second and back on the trailer.


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## rook (May 27, 2010)

Gonna try and hang the motor tonight if I can get some help. Got my hands on a old jack plate that was in rough shape. Was able to salvage half of it and make the other half out of 4" Alum L-bracket. Gonna be about a 6" backset so should get the prop into a little "cleaner" water. The boat had a plywood backing plate between the motor and the transom. With the jack plate I decided to go back with a 3/16" alum plate instead. Sealed up all the old holes with 5200 and got it installed last night. Now if I can get the motor hung then I can move on to getting the center console fabricated and get this thing put back together. 

Jack plate 





New backing plate


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## Troutman3000 (May 27, 2010)

Looks great man.


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## Nevillizer (May 27, 2010)

Wow, you really done a heckuvajob :!:


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## BYOB Fishing (May 31, 2010)

Nice project!! I just bought an '83 17'6" bass tracker on CL, so I'll be watching...

Matt


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## WTL (May 31, 2010)

Enjoying this thread, partly because I think I saw that boat on CL...I check the mobile and pensacola cl every day even though I'm not in the market for a boat. Looks like you are doing a great job.


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## rook (Jun 1, 2010)

Made a little progress on the boat this long weekend. Finally got the jack plate and motor installed.







Then came the livewell. In the original layout of the back deck it ran bow to stern in between the drivers seat and passenger seat. With the new layout it will be port to starboard and will be used as the seat. After a little plumbing work I think its gonna work like I wanted. I also had to drill 9 rivets out during tear down so i had to get those sealed back up as well. Some small stainless bolts and 5200 done the trick. 















I have been trying to figure out for the last couple of weeks what to do about the center console. Well the other day it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had an old beat up truck tool box in my alum scrap pile and after some modification it produced a good start to a console. Gonna re-enforce it will plywood and make the top out of Mahogany (boat will have several accents made form Mah)















After a wash with Luma-Brite and I cut it down another 4".


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## 270Handiman (Jun 1, 2010)

Great work on the console! That should turn out to be very nice!


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## perchin (Jun 1, 2010)

That is a great idea...... there are a lot of them old tool box's laying around too!! :mrgreen: 
GREAT JOB =D>


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## dyeguy1212 (Jun 1, 2010)

awesome =D> =D>


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## yak_n_fish (Jun 1, 2010)

Boat is looking great, rook. I saw the boat pics on ACFA a little while ago. Smart thinking with the toolbox!

Also...Nice meat haul from the marsh! Sad to think about what's in the future for the coast, especially over there.

yak_n_fish


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## cavman138 (Jun 2, 2010)

pretty smart thinking with the truck box. Looks great man


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## wolfmjc (Jun 2, 2010)

impressive, looks like new. =D>


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## rook (Jun 3, 2010)

Got the top to my console started today. Got the mahogany glued up this morning. By this afternoon it was ready to plane, kerf, biscuit and glue up. still have a little work to do on it after it comes out of the clamps in the morning but a good start. 






After planing and kerfed to allow top to fit over Alum. 









A couple of biscuits and some Gorilla glue and it will be as strong as one solid piece by morning.


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## rook (Jun 7, 2010)

Got the console finished up today for the most part. Got one more coat of varnish to put on, which will matke 1 coat of sanding sealer and 4 coats of Jack Tar (Marine Spar Varnish). Now to figure out how to make my controls work with the center console. I ended up adding a slat across the inside to mount all my switches and help keep them out of the weather for the most part. 



















I had some help with the painting on the console. 






Finished Console


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## Brine (Jun 7, 2010)

Superb! =D>


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## flintcreek (Jun 7, 2010)

Nice looking rig. Original use of a old tool box. I like the color, what brand paint and what color did you use? My brother did one of those old Bass Trackers a couple of years ago, I really like fishing out of it. Getting to be several of us Alabama Tinboaters on here. 

Flintcreek.


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## bassboy1 (Jun 8, 2010)

rook said:


>


I'm digging the pipe clamps with the feet on them. I can't even mention the number of times I have been single handedly biscuiting/gluing something, and the %&$* clamps wouldn't stand upright long enough to get everything aligned and tightened, especially when balancing over the edge of a bench, as the handles won't turn otherwise.


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## perchin (Jun 8, 2010)

Heck yeah...... lovin that you brung in the woodworking. I'll give ya a tip about your clamps, I see ya got glue all over em. I always put a strip of masking tape on mine, that way the clamp slides up and down the pipe cleanly for life. Great job on the project, and good choice on the correct finish... to much bad info out there on poly being acceptable.


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## Anonymous (Jun 8, 2010)

Dang! 

I love me some redfish.


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## rook (Jun 10, 2010)

Alright guys wish me luck. I gots me a LA Saltwater Series redfish tourny on saturday and as of yesterday my fish are still in the same area. Got a 55 mile run one way to get to them but they are tourny winning fish. Gonna try and check on them tomm on the way into La. Cross your fingers they stay for two more days, and they need to be hungry too. Nothin worse than spotting and casting to fat fish and then get completely ignored. Its like watching a $2500.00 check swim away from your lure.


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## Brine (Jun 10, 2010)

Good Luck rook!

I'll be pulling for the check to bite!


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## rook (Jun 11, 2010)

Time to start putting it back together. Got some carpet and electrical done over the last couple of days. Also got the livewell in place and secured. Im havng to wait on some parts for my throttle box and steering before I can get the console complete and the floor down. Hopefully they will be here sometime next week.


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## BaitCaster (Jun 11, 2010)

Looking good. Luv the console.


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## Nevillizer (Jun 11, 2010)

Its coming together quite nicely.


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## rook (Jun 14, 2010)

Well we put in a good showing. Took 5th out of 34 boats. Not a win but in the money. My whole goal was to beat everybody there that had matching shirts on (the sponsered teams). We pretty much spanked their arse. WOOOHOOOO


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## Troutman3000 (Jun 14, 2010)

rook said:


> Well we put in a good showing. Took 5th out of 34 boats. Not a win but in the money. My whole goal was to beat everybody there that had matching shirts on (the sponsered teams). We pretty much spanked there arse. WOOOHOOOO




NICE!


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## Bashepard (Jun 20, 2010)

Hey man, Love the console ingenuity. How did you attach the wooden top to the aluminum body? "L" brackets or something? Any chance of an underside picture?

Thanks, 
Brian


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## rook (Jun 21, 2010)

Correct of the L-Brackets. I just cut them out of some 3/4" lineal L-bracket I had. Cut them about 3" long and screwed them in to the plywood and to the top.


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## nyjay75 (Jun 21, 2010)

Nice job. Looking forward to seeing the end result.


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## rook (Jul 8, 2010)

Had a chance to take a couple of quick pics yesterday. Got the floor down and the console and steering installed. Bottom machine and transducer installed. Switches installed and battery trays down. Got to get all the wiring hooked up and fuel system ran and then its just a matter of getting the front and back decks and hatches figured out. Shouldnt be long and she will be ready to go, where I dont know (thanks BP), but ready to go none the less.


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## altimas (Jul 9, 2010)

Wow it's really looking great! Have you been able to fish any with the oil crap going on?


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## rook (Jul 13, 2010)

Yeah for the most part. Mobile Bay is still open and oil free (for now). You can fish down around the island but south and west of the island are catch and release only. Then you have the issue that about half our boat ramps are closed because they are being used as staging areas. So its an adventure, but managableable. Live bait is all but impossible to get your hands on, and this time of year it is a must. The worse part is that my hunting grounds (Bayou la Batre) is getting some oil. So we are still up in the air about our duck hunting season around here. My hunting partner just happens to be one of the head marine biologist for the Marine Resources. He sent me a text earlier saying he was taking a CNN reporter out today. He is gonna try to get in some stuff about our marsh down in the bayou when it comes to duck hunting. The media has not really hit on that and I want to know what they are gonna do when the thousands of ducks start showing up in a couple of months. Its gonna be devistating unless a miracle happens and they have got most of this sheet cleaned up. Who knows, its just plain depressing.


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## rook (Jul 15, 2010)

Well finally got all of the electrical finished. Still have to get a few fittings for the fuel water seperator but that about all of the fun stuff. Now its just getting the front and rear decks layed out and built and it will be ready to hit the water.


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## altimas (Jul 16, 2010)

That Console is AMAZING! Awesome job! Giving me a lot of Inspiration!


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## rook (Aug 2, 2010)

Got the back deck cut out this weekend. After alot of debate I ended up goin with 3/4" on the back deck, was thinking of making the livewell hatch lid out of the plywood, but ended up just ordering the hatches (Livewell and Front storage) from Tempress. I am going to re-use the "Bass Tracker" Hatch lid from the original boat just cause I think its pretty cool. I stripped it down and am in the process of re-painting it now. On the original deck you it wasnt backed with anything so you could see through the lid into the compartment. I am doing to back it with a carpeted peice of plywood to make it a little stronger and to keep it from being "see through". 

Yes im using ice chest as sawhorses





Hunter standing guard

























I didnt so much as set the deck in place and turn around before Hunter decides hes ready to go. I think hes itchin to get in a duck blind as bad as I am.


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## rook (Aug 2, 2010)

Oh yeah.....I dont think I have had the pleasure of introducing Hunter to my new freinds here on Tinboats. He is my 4 Year old Chocolate Lab, my partner in crime you could say. And he is a duck hunting machine. Come duck season yall will be seeing more pics of him in action. Man Im ready to kill a duck. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 

Couple from last season. 








Action Shot




And ofcourse the money shot. I lost count of the birds he retrieved this year but it had to be 50 or more. We had a great season last year. Hope that we can repeat that again.


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## Troutman3000 (Aug 2, 2010)

Thats a very beautiful pup you got there.


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## SVOMike86 (Aug 5, 2010)

Dude, your boat looks fantastic! Gonna be a killer on the reds...


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## rook (Aug 6, 2010)

Thanks SVO, she has come together nicely. I cant wait to take it back to the guy I bought it from and show it off, he wont recognize the boat. Its always nice when the picture in your head works its way into the project. Should have the decks finished by the weekend and maybe even a test run.


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## Ta5teless (Aug 7, 2010)

Where did you get the Poling Platform? I am thing about buildling one or do i order it?


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## rook (Aug 9, 2010)

Found it on Craigslist over in Pensacola. $150 if I remember correctly. It came off of an older Hewes Redfisher. The angle on the transom is different on this boat so the platform is going through a modification itself before it will be ready to install. It will sit on and bolt through the top edge of the transom and we are adding two more supports from the platform to the deck where it will have another contact point to the boat. IMO I think it would be too unstable only bolted through the transom alone. Not only that but it put an awful strain when I got my fat arse on the platform.


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## rook (Aug 13, 2010)

Well I put it in the water yesterday afternoon for the first time. Still not fishing ready but Oh so close. Got a little bit of tweaking to do. Idle needs to be adjusted a bit and the motor is jacked up to high. Kinda figured it was a little high but planning on putting a good anti-cavitation plate on it when I have the money. Couldnt trim it up much before it started porpoising. Also Im a little more transom heavy than i would like so Im going to move the trolling batt up front and go with 3/4" plywood on the front deck instead of 1/2" to balance the weight more. But even with all the small tweaks to be done I had it to 36mph on the GPS. Was hoping to get 40mph but maybe after the weight and cavitation issue is worked out.


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## rook (Aug 18, 2010)

Well got the batt re-arranged and the back and front deck all but finished. Still have to figure out what I am gonna do with the back hatch and still have some wood work to do up front.


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## BYOB Fishing (Aug 29, 2010)

rook said:


> Then came the livewell. In the original layout of the back deck it ran bow to stern in between the drivers seat and passenger seat. With the new layout it will be port to starboard and will be used as the seat. After a little plumbing work I think its gonna work like I wanted. I also had to drill 9 rivets out during tear down so i had to get those sealed back up as well. Some small stainless bolts and 5200 done the trick.




Do you think you could post a few photos of the livewell plumbing? That part has be a little confused on my '83 tracker. I'm not sure what pump to buy and how the lines have to connect.

Matt


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## rook (Sep 2, 2010)

The only pics I have of the livewell plumbing are on the first page of the thread. Top line is the inlet coming from a basic livewell pump on the transom the bottom line is the drain. Mine does not have a recirculating system on the livewell, the more I think about it the more I wish I would have went ahead and installed a recirc now.


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## rook (Oct 1, 2010)

Well for the most part finished. Havent been able to work on it for a while but only had a couple of odds and ends to tie up. Got the back "Bass Tracker" hatch on, the front deck and trolling motor pretty much done. Gonna try to put it in the water this afternoon for a test run. Then if everything goes well try to get a little slime on the deck on Sunday.


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## rook (Oct 1, 2010)

Got a free upgrade today. At my place of employment there is kinda a standing moto "bring your boat to work at your own risk". I kinda started that a couple of years ago when my boss/ the owner had his carolina skiff up here and I rigged the kill switch to look like it was attached but wasnt. He didnt figure it out until he had killed the batt. oops. So I bring my new project up to the shop today and while Im gone a fellow employee decides to move my boat, which I unhooked before I left because Im a moron, to the road and put a for sale sign on it. But boy did it backfire. Seeing that the forklift was closer than his truck he decides to just use it to move the boat. The details on what exactly happened next are still kinda of foggy. Not getting the whole story but it concludes with me having a new tongue and trailer jack installed by the time I arrived back. Note this was only about 30 minutes of me not being here. Man I work with some idiots!!! Ofcourse then, as I said, I started it!! :mrgreen:


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## Howard (Oct 1, 2010)

Great story, they work fast :lol:


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## Flatsdaddy (Oct 2, 2010)

Sweet boat, nice work.

I may have missed it, but what primer and paint did you use? I like that color and would love to go with that on mine.

Did you use the same paint on the top and bottom?


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## weezer71 (Oct 3, 2010)

Very nice work!!!


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## jcb (Oct 3, 2010)

You do nice job on her.I like her very much.If i have more time on my hands in future i going to rebuild my boat.I fish an hunting all the time so time is short supply butmaybe I do it like your boat.


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## rook (Oct 4, 2010)

Flatsdaddy said:


> Sweet boat, nice work.
> 
> I may have missed it, but what primer and paint did you use? I like that color and would love to go with that on mine.
> 
> Did you use the same paint on the top and bottom?




I used a product called luma brite to clean and etch the hull. I started with a unfinished hull so thats all the prep work I did. I used Parkers Duck Boat paint top and bottom, 2 coats no primer. I am pretty rough on boats during duck season and this is the second tin I have done with the Parkers and it seems to hold up well.


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## Flatsdaddy (Oct 4, 2010)

Thanks for the info. That is a great looking boat.


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## jsharp (Oct 15, 2010)

so how did the bot do i love the setup i have an 88 bass tracker that started redoing the floor but after i tore the console and floor out was thinking of putting in a center console how is the stability of the boat


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## rook (Oct 15, 2010)

Stablitly of the boat is great. The center console has flex to it, I figured it would with it standing alone like it is, its bolted down to the floor so Im not afraid of it coming loose but it makes the gps hard to read in a chop. Not any worse than every other tin center console Ive been in, factory or not. Boat will run 35mph per GPS with me, my dog and loaded for fishing. I got into a pond last weekend on low tide that I wouldnt dare trying in my bay boat. I was running in probably 10"-12" wide open and she never skipped a beat. Was trolling in water just a shallow and she will jump on plane in about 18". Its fits my needs perfectly, love it.


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## jasond37 (Oct 18, 2010)

What a fantastic job! It's really a great looking boat, nice work!


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## rook (Oct 19, 2010)

Started working on my floundering setup. Gonna be running 3-200w floods on deck and 2-100w halogens for under water on a small generator. This should give me plenty of light to gig some "flatties". Pics to come soon. If yall have never tried floundering you dont know what you are missing. As a good friend of mine sasy "its like hunting and fishing at the same time!.".


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## fish devil (Oct 19, 2010)

:twisted: Great job on the restoration!!!!!


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## jcb (Oct 19, 2010)

I liles yee boat.You did her up just fine =D> =D> =D>


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## cali27 (Oct 19, 2010)

Very nice job. I love how clean everything looks.


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## mmf (Nov 30, 2010)

That's one great job you did! I have a couple of questions too. I bought a 1990 model just like yours and now you have me wanting to convert it to a center console. I could'nt help but notice you did not touch or mention the inside of the transom. I think tracker on the later models had an aluminum channel transom area but if I am not mistaken the earlier models had a wooden transom, is this correct? Also, what kind of plywood did you use and did you seal it?
Thanks


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## dustin hix (Dec 7, 2010)

how did your home made jack plate work, could one be made out ouf 4 inch aluminum angle? I am thinking of making one to raise my motor up. thanks and nice job


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## mcateercustom (Aug 12, 2012)

I know this post is super old but I was doing a restore similar to this and would like as much help with tips and advice as I can get. If anybody would like to check it out here's the link.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27150

I was wondering about paint and prep for my boat. Thanks


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## Jonboat2Bassboat (Aug 13, 2012)

I see back in May of 2008 you pained your boat. It looks great. My question is what paint did you use? I am in the process of rebuilding my aluminium boat and having a hard time finding paint and primer for use below the water line without costing me $200. My other question is how has the paint you used held up? Please reply if you can. Thanks.


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## Gators5220 (Jan 16, 2013)

Man sick build, u been gettin it wet?


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## wlshafor (Jan 16, 2013)

Nice overhaul


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