# Little Texas Modifications



## pauldanielm (Oct 4, 2012)

This is my 14' MirroCraft that I got from my dad who lives in Texas.  He has had if for years and decided to give it to me this past December for Christmas and I have been waiting for it to get here since I live in Virginia now.  Finally got it over the summer and me and the wifey fished out of it just like it is for about 3 or 4 months. I decided that I didn't like how we had to have everything either on the seats or out on the floor. I decided to Mod it up to my liking. My wife is actually going to help me with this its going to be a group project so I hope she doesn't quit on me when we first start. All input is welcome with this mod. Please post lots of things about it. I had more pics of it before I started but an update on my iphone made my iphone go back to its original setting so lost it all. UGHHHH :fishing2:


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## pauldanielm (Oct 5, 2012)

So here are my thoughts. 

1) Make storage for all of the fishing gear that I have.
2) Build a deck so that the bottom of the boat is flat. (very nervous about this because I have never built anything in my life)
3) Wanting to put up lights in the inside so that I can see when we go fishing at night. 
4) Want to paint it and make it look new.

I want to keep it simple to make it easy for me to do and I am on a tight budget


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## bigwave (Oct 5, 2012)

Welcome, You will have all the help you need right here on this site. There are many mods to look at to get some ideas. Ask lots of questions and you will learn how to make the boat the way you want it. 

P.S. there is a secret mirrorcraft club here on this site.......Good luck.


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## blb515 (Oct 5, 2012)

I look forward to the build. I noticed that your wife had a SFA shirt on, did yall go to school there? I gaduated in '98 from there. Good Luck on the build.


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## pauldanielm (Oct 5, 2012)

My wife went there for about 2 years. We were dating during that time. Then we got married and she came to Virginia with me. Miss Texas


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## pauldanielm (Oct 8, 2012)

Well I was supposed to start this weekend but due to rainy conditions not going to happen. Very disappointing. Well Maybe it will quit raining today a little later to get a little work done on it. Hopefully.


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## IDAHOAUGER (Oct 8, 2012)

Looking forward to your progress on your boat!


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## Vermonster (Oct 9, 2012)

Welcome to the site and congrats on the boat! 

I can't be sure, but those look like pressure treated 2X4s in the picture. Don't use those if they are. Short story is that type of wood will ruin your boat as it causes the aluminum to pit.

If you are going to paint, I would do that first since you have a blank slate. The boat will be light and easy to maneuver around. You can always touch up where you had to drill and rivet any mods.

If you're going to use wood - remember that it adds weight and treat it with minimum 3 coats of spar urethane. Use exterior grade plywood or marine wood if you can afford it.

Aluminum is more expensive, but it is also faster to work with as you don't have to seal it. It will also last forever. It's lighter obviously too.

Remember to add foam for floatation in case you get swamped (it's also a requirement legally I believe).

Have fun and take your time and you will be happy with the results!


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## pauldanielm (Oct 9, 2012)

The wood I got was from Lowe's 2 x 10 x 14 #2 Prime Treated Lumber is that the pressure treated wood you are talking about? I read about that on other post around but when I went to Lowe's it never said pressure treated. :shock:


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## bigwave (Oct 11, 2012)

Primed wood and pressure treated wood are different. If it is primed wood I would think that it would be ok. Primed wood is paint ready and should not be pressure treated. I am not even sure if there is such a thing as primed pressure treated wood.


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## pauldanielm (Oct 11, 2012)

OK thanks for the info Big Wave!!!!


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## Ringo Steele (Oct 11, 2012)

pauldanielm said:


> The wood I got was from Lowe's 2 x 10 x 14 #2 Prime Treated Lumber is that the pressure treated wood you are talking about? I read about that on other post around but when I went to Lowe's it never said pressure treated. :shock:


...

Judging from the wording "Lowe's 2 x 10 x 14 #2 Prime Treated Lumber " I would assume that it is grade #2 prime, pressure treated lumber. See this link: https://www.lowes.com/pd_201525-432...L=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=


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## fool4fish1226 (Oct 11, 2012)

Ringo Steele said:


> pauldanielm said:
> 
> 
> > The wood I got was from Lowe's 2 x 10 x 14 #2 Prime Treated Lumber is that the pressure treated wood you are talking about? I read about that on other post around but when I went to Lowe's it never said pressure treated. :shock:
> ...



+1 Ringo you just beat me to it

2 x 4 x 8 #2 Prime Treated Lumber

•For use in above ground contact 
•Used in residential, commercial and industrial applications 
•Easily painted or stained 
•High-quality oil- and latex-based paints/stains are recommended 
*•Hot-dipped galvanized or stainless-steel fasteners and fittings are acceptable for use with Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) treated wood *•Standardized by the American Wood Protection Association 
•Top choice #2 prime lumber has virtually no wane, which provides a very high appearance


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## pauldanielm (Oct 11, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the info :!: :!: I thought I didn't see it but there it is black and white.. ](*,)  . Guess tomorrow I will go and return the wood for the Top Choice 2 x 4 x 10 Whitewood S4S Dimensional Lumber which is actually cheaper than the one I got. Again thanks that would have came out bad later on down the road.


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## pauldanielm (Oct 17, 2012)

FINALLY!!!! After going back to Lowes and deciding to hold off on the wood for now and to paint the boat first. I am painting it in two colors. Top half is a meatallic blue and the bottom is going to be black. I have pics for the top right now but have not had time to post them yet. We are painting the bottom this weekend. I have a question If I use a truck bed liner for the bottom do yall see any problems with that? I want it to deaded the sound on the bottom. I know that is what the foam is for but i want to deaded it even more.


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## pauldanielm (Oct 19, 2012)

Well here are the pics I promised. Going to paint the bottom half this weekend!!! Cant wait.


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## bigwave (Oct 20, 2012)

Looking good =D>


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## pauldanielm (Oct 27, 2012)

Well Hurricane Sandy is really messing things up for me this weekend. Probably wont be able to paint the bottom again this weekend. If its not school its the weather. We shall see though.


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## pauldanielm (Nov 2, 2012)

I found some pics of my boat before we started this project. Here they are.... Does anyone know where I can find the Sea Bird Logo for my trailer?


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## Brine (Nov 2, 2012)

If you haven't done so yet, make sure there are no leaks before adding any type of bedliner to the floor. I used something similar, and yes.... it does help with sound deadening. Good luck with the rest of your build.


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## pauldanielm (Nov 5, 2012)

Brine said:


> If you haven't done so yet, make sure there are no leaks before adding any type of bedliner to the floor. I used something similar, and yes.... it does help with sound deadening. Good luck with the rest of your build.



Thanks Brine for the info. I already made sure that my boat doesnt leak around any rivets or anything just cant wait to start up again.


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## ifish4redd (Nov 5, 2012)

looking good :fishing2:


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## pauldanielm (Nov 27, 2012)

So yesterday me and the wifey decided to go and paint the bottom and the trim of the boat with the black paint. It looks amazing!!!! :LOL2: I cannot wait to put up pics of this thing so yall can see what I am talking about.


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## pauldanielm (Dec 7, 2012)

OK finally I can show you the pictures of my progress. I think it turned out better than I expected. I LOVE IT!!!!

The first two pics are of the boat painted with the black on the bottom


The last two pics is the trailer painted black with the blue on the hubs.


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## shawnfish (Dec 7, 2012)

my suggestions...side boxes added to hide side support where benches removed. storage under front deck and 2 back boxes for storage, small bow deck for tm. and floor.....simple but gets the job done. materials cost around 150.00 (ply,hardware,carpet etc...)


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## Gators5220 (Dec 12, 2012)

Super clean nice boat brother! =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>


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## pauldanielm (Jan 14, 2013)

I havent been on here in a long time now and I am stuck in a rut. Starting to question how high should i go with the deck? I was thinking all the way up to the curve around the boat or going up to the bottom of the bench seats so that I could still put them in? I am a little nervous becuase it is a V-hull. Then I was only thinking of doing 3/4 of the boat and then do something else in the front? Any input is welcome here. 


I like that layout that you have shawnfish. I like the idea of the side boxes for storage and hiding the supports. 


And thanks Gators 5220 for the complitment. I have had a tough time becuase of not having time to do any work on it. I want to finish it up before the end of feburary becuase i want to take it out and see how she does.


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## harleydoc (Jan 14, 2013)

Boat is looking good I live out in Va Beach and about to start an over haul of my boat as well.


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## pauldanielm (Jan 16, 2013)

Nice your right around the corner from me. You do alot of fishing around here? I wanted to try some new places around here but we always go to Bob's Fishing Hole to fish.


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## harleydoc (Jan 16, 2013)

pauldanielm said:


> Nice your right around the corner from me. You do alot of fishing around here? I wanted to try some new places around here but we always go to Bob's Fishing Hole to fish.


 

I got a few places to fish maybe we can get together one day a go out.


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## pauldanielm (Jan 23, 2013)

Sounds like a plan. Right now its way to cold to work on the boat and to make things worse I got sick from being outside this past weekend. Really bad cough and sore throat. Cant wait to get better. I usually never get sick.


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## harleydoc (Jan 30, 2013)

With duck season over I am about to get knee deep in my boat and pull out the old foam get the carpet out of it place the transom wood and decks and paint and non skid the deck push I need to rebuilt my carbs and just do a good tune up on my motor. I will be building a motor stand in the next few days to get my motor off my boat. All hand on deck for lifting it off the boat.


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## pauldanielm (Feb 1, 2013)

Thats great let me know when you start so that I can keep up with your boat.


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## harleydoc (Feb 1, 2013)

Will do trying to get my father in law let me use some space in his wear house to work and say out of the weather I hate my garage here at the house it just does not have the room I need to work lol


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## pauldanielm (Feb 14, 2013)

harleydoc said:


> Will do trying to get my father in law let me use some space in his wear house to work and say out of the weather I hate my garage here at the house it just does not have the room I need to work lol



I know what you mean. Mine is really small too!! And I have to put my boat project on hold becuase my wife wanted me to buid a dog side table for our puppies. She is evil :twisted: I will post pics of it so that yall can see it have it almost finished then back to working on boat. thank god. [-o< [-o< [-o<


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## Paul Marx (Feb 14, 2013)

Unless it's an old boat it has foam in the sets to act as floatation . I believe all noncomecial boats have to have floatation per U.S Coastguard . I would use 3M 5200 adhesive when attaching the flooring as well as Aluminum rivets when possible. The 3m will keep everything from rattling and also help the flooring from just relying on the screws or rivets. I used aluminum when i did my boat flooring 15 years ago . Last week was the first time I've taken it out and the 3m was still holding strong , but some of the rivets had given up . It took me all of an hour to take it all out , add sheets of foam , reaply the 3m and rivet it back down.


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## pauldanielm (Mar 11, 2013)

Here are the photos of the doggie side table that I made. It only took me a month and half because of work and such. :-({|= The worst part of this whole project was drilling pocket holes for the whole thing, but finally finished!!! Now on to my boat. Cleaned it up on the inside this past weekend and used some cardboard to see how I might like my design. I really like Bigwave's design so going to copy his design. (sorry Bigwave) \/ \/ \/ \/


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## bigwave (Mar 12, 2013)

That table is really cool, great idea...... =D>


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## nlester (Mar 12, 2013)

Really nice work but why don't I see any pocket hole screws in your deck framing?

Maybe you are putting your priorities in the wrong place?


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## pauldanielm (Mar 12, 2013)

Thanks Bigwave!!


Hahahahahah at nlester. Your telling me! My priorities are in the wrong place. At least now I can get back to my boat.!!!


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## pauldanielm (Mar 13, 2013)

Ok so i think i may start over with the painting :shock: :shock: or can i paint over what is there already. I like the colors they just dont show up like i want them to. (i am very picky so my wife tells me :roll: ) and i think if i get roll on paint that it will help it as well as a coat of poly. Or do you guys think if i just spray it one more time really good and then put poly on it do you think that it will have the metallic blue in it? Dont know what to do!!!! #-o let me know what you guys think?


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## bigwave (Mar 13, 2013)

I think it looks fine.....my boat looks the same....although its not a factory look, the paint job will do for me. IMO you can only get a mediocre look out of a rattle can job. I plan on using a spray gun on my next mod with good paint. I feel this is the only way to get the factory finish. My mod is a complete learning experience......I have made many mistakes, but who cares....the most important thing now is getting the boat in use. I made the mistake of putting on too much primer. I think I will throw a few more cans on the outside and call it done. Our boats will have character with all the flaws........JMO.


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## pauldanielm (Mar 18, 2013)

Ok after talking myself out of repainting the whole thing i decided to paint the bottom and go on from here. After seeing her with the bottom painted I love the paint job. I think I was just being a retard about it. Now after that I will be starting my decking this week since I cant do anything with her because of the tags expiring on it and the trailer. Next year I will be ordering them a month in advanced to keep this from happening again but it gives me time to work on her and get her the way i want it.


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## pauldanielm (Mar 22, 2013)

Ok I am finally done with my paint job now. Here are the pics to prove it. I was wondering if you could use Polyurethane to protect the paint and would it be safe to use in fresh and salt water? Things are really going to start moving now because I let the tags on the boat and trailer expire ](*,) so nothing better to do but to get some things done for them.


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## pauldanielm (Mar 25, 2013)

This weekend I worked a little bit on the trailer replacing the bow rollers and the bunks with new carpet. Finished painting the trailer as well. I didnt see anything wrong with the wood that was there so I put a coat of protectant on it and put new carpet on it. It was a pain doing that but it needed to be done.


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## ifish4redd (Mar 25, 2013)

looking good!


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## pauldanielm (Mar 26, 2013)

thanks ifish4redd. its been a long process becuase of weather here in virginia.


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## pauldanielm (Apr 5, 2013)

If the weather holds out this weekend like it is suppossed to I am going to start the decking of the boat at a friends house that has the right tools that I need in order to cut the wood. I really hope it does. I want to be done with it by the end of this month so I can take it out this May and during the summer time.


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## pauldanielm (Apr 26, 2013)

Running into snags I guess is a thing for me. 1. the weather has been off and on 2. it has been chilly and windy 3. i have not had time to even go out to see my boat for the past couple of weeks. But tomorrow I am taking her out and going fishing. need to relax this weekend with some fishing!!! Heading out to the Elizabeth River to go fish!! Never been out there but have heard good things about it. Wish me luck.


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 26, 2013)

Good luck with the fishing. I am looking forward to getting mine completed so I can get back in the water too. I just have to finish the floor and rebuild the carb on my Johnny 15hp :roll: .


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## pauldanielm (Apr 29, 2013)

Taking the boat out was a blast this weekend and fun but ran into some problems, Only caught 1 fish and the paint on the boat started to come off!!! I couldnt believe all the hard work that I did on it and it only lasted one trip. Oh well looks like I will just use the bedliner can on the bottom now and be done with it. Post pics of it after we pulled it out of the water later today or tomorrow when the weather clears up.


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## DOBSONFLY (Apr 29, 2013)

Seems to be a ton of Mirrocraft folks on here the more I search, keep up the good work!


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