# 14 ft. Alumacraft T14V Project



## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

I've got a 2005 Alumacraft T14V, absolutely nothing wrong with it but you guys know how it is once the "tinkering" bug sets in. I bought this boat new and have been thinking about decking it out in the front and the back for some time now. This spring I decided to bite the bullet and go for it. I started by sanding and priming in preparation to apply Herculiner to flooring.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

I used a wire wheel and my drill to scuff up the surface so the Herculiner could adhere.


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## ominousone (Mar 23, 2010)

I just attach a photo, it's right below where you post. Just make sure that you attach and add the photo.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)




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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)




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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

So after sanding and priming, I applied the Herculiner in a gray tint. It cost a little more than the black but I didn't want black floors in my boat so I splurged a bit. It turned out pretty good, at least I am happy with the results. If you use this stuff make sure you tape your lines good and remove that tape before the stuff dries. A gallon went a surprising long way. I was able to apply three coats using the supplied brush and roller.












The boat has no leaks but with this stuff on I think it'll be a while before any of the rivets start letting water in. This Herculiner stuff is pretty cool. It covers well after the 1st coat and creates a rubberized surface that provides traction and noise deadening.


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## MeanMouth (Mar 23, 2010)

looks great! I too just added Herculiner to the interior sides our our jon, and will be doing the floors as well. Nice job and keep us updated!


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

Here are a couple photos I left out accidently.









I ended up cutting the plywood where it comes down into a "V" towards the bottom of the boat. I decided that if water got in the boat I didn't want the wood just sitting in it and absorbing it.

I gave the Herculiner a few days to dry and started on the front deck. This is definitely going to be a work in progress for some time. Since I have no previous experience with boat modification or metal working I opted to use wood since aluminum was a little too expensive and I have no idea how to cut it, attach it, etc. I used pressure treated 2x4's for the framing along with galvanized hardware. I also used 5/8 exterior grade ply for the deck itself. I double and triple coated all wood with a waterproofer made by Behr (it was suggested over the Thompson's by the paint guy and Home Depot). I wanted to add covered storage to the boat since I like to keep most the accessories (ropes, life jackets, etc.) on board instead of loading and unloading all the time. I live in southern Utah and the desert sun takes its toll on things that are left out and not covered. I'm also thinking of moving the battery up front for weight distribution since I run a 15HP 4 stroke Johnson that is pretty heavy. I used indoor/outdoor carpet from home depot and used staples and carpet adhesive to apply. I created a small dry storage bin above the bench where I can keep little gadgets safe and dry. I used some stainless cabinet hinges to attach the door. The large storage door is attached with a couple of painted door hinges and rests on the framing for support. I left some small gaps on the sides to lift the door because I didn't want any type of handle in the middle of the floor where you cold possibly trip on it. I plan on attaching a seat base to the space to the left of the small dry storage compartment where I could put a seat with or without a pedestal.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

So now I plan on doing something similar to the back (and possibly the middle bench) with covered storage. I'll keep things updated as time goes by. I'm also going to add wiring for lights, bilge, etc. and have no idea how to do that so I'll definitely be asking for advice on that.


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## ober51 (Mar 23, 2010)

Looking good.


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## Nevillizer (Mar 23, 2010)

Good job so far, keep it up.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

I headed out to the closest lake on 3-15-10 after work. We just got done with a week of low to mid 70's and I couldn't wait any longer to try it out. Here is the first test run with the front deck installed. My best fishing buddy really seemed to enjoy it.

https://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae247/UtahBassKicker/Mobile%20Uploads/?action=view&current=0315001728.flv


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## Troutman3000 (Mar 23, 2010)

I used to love riding on the boat with my dad. Nothing better.


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## Troutman3000 (Mar 23, 2010)

UtahBassKicker said:


> So now I plan on doing something similar to the back (and possibly the middle bench) with covered storage. I'll keep things updated as time goes by. I'm also going to add wiring for lights, bilge, etc. and have no idea how to do that so I'll definitely be asking for advice on that.




How did you attach the bracing to the floor? Did you attach it to the ribs????


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

Troutman3000 said:


> UtahBassKicker said:
> 
> 
> > So now I plan on doing something similar to the back (and possibly the middle bench) with covered storage. I'll keep things updated as time goes by. I'm also going to add wiring for lights, bilge, etc. and have no idea how to do that so I'll definitely be asking for advice on that.
> ...



It actually isn't attached to the floor. The point of the framing in the bow of the boat where the three 2x4's meet created the perfect fitting where the frame would rest against the the interior of the boat where I have applied the Herculiner. I then drilled a 1/2" hole in the middle 2x4 and used rope to tie it to the handle on the bow. You can see the rope in some of the previous pics and I'll put a pic of the framing on this post. I attached the framing to the existing bench with some L-brackets and screws. All in all with the framing attached to the bench, the framing resting on the Herculiner, and the rope support, the deck is a solid as I could ask for.


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## Troutman3000 (Mar 23, 2010)

Ok Cool,

I may look into something like that because I dont want to put another hole in my boat...


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## idahoguy (Mar 23, 2010)

It is looking really good! What size motor is on that bad boy?

Seth-


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 23, 2010)

idahoguy said:


> It is looking really good! What size motor is on that bad boy?
> 
> Seth-




Thanks for the kind words. I have an 2005 Johnson 15HP 4 stroke.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 25, 2010)

So I'm thinking about tackling the wiring job but seriously have no idea how to even start. I have a battery but have always just hooked up the TM and sonar directly. I want to set up a toggle switch panel and add nav lights, a couple lights on board, and a bilge pump as well as a 12V plug so I could use a spotlight, etc. Would I need a toggle for the sonar or can it still be attached to the battery since it has it's own on/off switch? Also can the TM stay directly hooked up to the battery or do I need to add plug to it? Could someone kinda walk me through the process using really simple words and patience so an idiot like me could understand. I've looked at some diagrams online but I don't understand all the terminology. What cables will I need and in what gauges? Where do fuses and breakers fit in? Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.


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## Rat (Mar 25, 2010)

I think Russ has some really good basic wiring diagrams he has worked up; I am sure he will be along in a little bit.


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## Rat (Mar 25, 2010)

Have a look in this thread:
Electrical/Wiring Diagrams


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 27, 2010)

Thanks for the info Rat. Those diagrams will come in handy. So all black wires should be ran to the negative directly on the battery? Where is the bet place to add fuses? Will most switch panels come with fuses? What exactly is a bus bar? Is a breaker necessary? Any more help would be appreciated. Thanks guys. It's amazing what some of you have done with jon's and v's. This is a great sight!


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## bassangler33 (Mar 27, 2010)

Best bet pick up a 50 amp breaker @ auto pts store or marine supply. I just bought one this week it cost $6 come right from battery to it then out to what ever else motor ect.mine had markings on it which wire went where


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 1, 2010)

Alright, while planning the wiring routes for my lights, bilge, etc. I decided to do a little work on my trailer. Seeing as how I usually fish alone or with my two year old little boy, I've been wanting to add some trailer guides for some time now. Well thanks to Hydrilla, I was able to run to Home Depot and pick up a few item to make some on my own instead of dropping $100 for a pair from the boat shop. Some of you may have already seen this done but when I saw it on Hydrilla's aquatic ride, I had to try it for myself. Basically all it is a ladder stabilizer (I'd never heard of one before this) which can be found in the ladder section at the Depot. It cost me $25 but also comes with some of the hardware needed to mount. Then I got a 10' section of 2" PVC pipe ($6) and two 2" caps ($1 each). I walked out of Home Depot with about $35 less in my pocket.

When I got home I cut the stabilizer in half using a hacksaw. Then I cut the PVC into 40" sections. Then I drilled a hole in each cap and glued those on to the pipes. Next I slipped the PVC on to the stabilizer half and, voila, trailer guide posts. Haven't attached yet since I'm playing Mr. Mom tonight while the wife is at work but I'll attach tomorrow and add another pic or two. I'll probably run back to Home Depot to get a couple more u-bolts to attach the guides securely but this is what I have so far...










Thanks again Hydrilla for the idea and advice.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 3, 2010)

Started the rear deck. Here's the basic framing, I'll add some more pics tomorrow.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 4, 2010)

Got some more work done today. I finished the rear deck framing and waterproofed it. I had to paint some of the framing gray since it will be viewable from the rear of the boat. You can see in the picture that I attached the rear of the framing to the transom support. After getting the framing done, I started cutting the plywood for the actual deck. I'll waterproof that tonight and possibly do carpeting tomorrow. I also still need to attach the trailer guides I made.


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## BottomDweller (Apr 4, 2010)

Looks great man! I'm planning something similar with my back deck as soon as I get the transom replaced. Do you anticipate standing on the back deck while fishing or is it just for looks and to conceal tank etc.?


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## BottomDweller (Apr 4, 2010)

Utah..2 other quick question...Where did you find the gray bedliner and did it make walking around in the boat quieter? I haven't decided if I am going to carpet or use bedliner on the inside bottom of mine.. I do know that I am however doing steelflex on the bottom outside.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 4, 2010)

BottomDweller said:


> Looks great man! I'm planning something similar with my back deck as soon as I get the transom replaced. Do you anticipate standing on the back deck while fishing or is it just for looks and to conceal tank etc.?



I don't plan on standing on it a lot. It will be able to support the weight of someone standing on it but it's mostly for storage for the gas tank and battery. I plan on running wiring for lights and a bilge pump too so it'll conceal that stuff also. I'm going to mount a toggle switch panel on the face of the decking when the wiring is all figured out, that's why I put the 2x4's on the front of the framing.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 4, 2010)

BottomDweller said:


> Utah..2 other quick question...Where did you find the gray bedliner and did it make walking around in the boat quieter? I haven't decided if I am going to carpet or use bedliner on the inside bottom of mine.. I do know that I am however doing steelflex on the bottom outside.



I found the bedliner on Ebay for about $115 I think. I'm not sure I'd recommend it though. I've only had it on for a month and it's already separating from the surface in some places. I spent hours on the prepping and followed the instructions to a "T" but it still didn't work like I'd hoped. It does create a nice surface for traction and noise deadening but the fact that it's already coming off is quite disappointing. I'm planning on doing carpeted floors on top now to try to preserve the Herculiner for as long as possible. I will also be letting Herculiner know about my disappointing results after hours of hard work that turned out to be wasted time. Any other questions let me know, I'm definitely not an expert on this mod-ing stuff but it sure is fun.


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## BottomDweller (Apr 5, 2010)

Thanks for the response UtahBassKicker...Have you taken a look at steelflex? If you did not want to carpet, you could use it. I might end up putting it on inside and out.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 5, 2010)

BottomDweller said:


> Thanks for the response UtahBassKicker...Have you taken a look at steelflex? If you did not want to carpet, you could use it. I might end up putting it on inside and out.



I've heard of steelflex but have not ever used it for anything. I'm kind of liking the idea of have level floors since I take my 2 year old fishing with me quite a bit and he's constantly tripping on the ribs of the boat. Also having floors will make it easier to hide the wiring. Thanks for the suggestion, if my rivets start leaking I'll definitely look into steelflex.


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## idahoguy (Apr 5, 2010)

UtahBassKicker-

I am in the process of building the same trailer guides you have there. I am working on the best way to attach these to my trailer. Have you come up with anything yet?? I might end up attaching them to the top of the fenders....I am unsure if that would be stout enough to hold them with driving and such. What to you think? Great looking boat by the way.

Seth-


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## Troutman3000 (Apr 5, 2010)

UtahBassKicker said:


> BottomDweller said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the response UtahBassKicker...Have you taken a look at steelflex? If you did not want to carpet, you could use it. I might end up putting it on inside and out.
> ...




Steel flex as the interior floor would be very slippery, its more of a sealer than a floor medium.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 5, 2010)

idahoguy said:


> UtahBassKicker-
> 
> I am in the process of building the same trailer guides you have there. I am working on the best way to attach these to my trailer. Have you come up with anything yet?? I might end up attaching them to the top of the fenders....I am unsure if that would be stout enough to hold them with driving and such. What to you think? Great looking boat by the way.
> 
> Seth-



I bought a couple of extra u-bolts and am planning on attaching mine to my trailer frame. Hopefully I'll get that done tomorrow and I'll post some pics of the finished product. It's hard to say whether the fenders are stable enough for mounting. I think mine would be but I guess it depends on the trailer.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 5, 2010)

Troutman3000 said:


> UtahBassKicker said:
> 
> 
> > BottomDweller said:
> ...



That's what I thought. I'll eventually be doing removable carpet-covered plywood floors. I will use steelflex in the future on the exterior for sealing purposes. Thanks Troutman.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 9, 2010)

I got the rear deck done and the trailer guides attached (finally!). Here are the updated pics...


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 9, 2010)

Here are the storage hatches...













Here is the space I've reserved for wiring and a switch panel...Do you fellas think this will be enough space for a switch? I've never installed one before and could only find cut-out dimensions, no depth dimensions.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 9, 2010)

Here is the final product of the self-made trailer guides...





I used the supplied u-bolts along with other carriage bolts that I had to attach to the trailer frame...





I also attached the guide to the bunk supports for reinforcement.





So that's it for now. I plan on doing some stuff to the middle bench in the future. Plus, I still need to attach my seats. More posts and pics to come!


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## sturdi87 (Apr 9, 2010)

Looks awesome. Great Job!


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## BottomDweller (Apr 9, 2010)

UtahBassKicker,
With your framing on the rear of the boat, did you bolt the 2x4s into the transom/through the boat for support or are they just resting on those vertical 2x4s for support? I am trying to decide how to do mine and wanted to understand how you did yours.


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## ober51 (Apr 9, 2010)

The only thing I did differently on my guide ons was that I connected the two pieces of ladder stabilizer under the trailer with a piece of PVC pipe. It helped with the little bit of movement/wiggle that was there.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 9, 2010)

BottomDweller said:


> UtahBassKicker,
> With your framing on the rear of the boat, did you bolt the 2x4s into the transom/through the boat for support or are they just resting on those vertical 2x4s for support? I am trying to decide how to do mine and wanted to understand how you did yours.


I built the parallel or horizontal framing first. Then, on the furthest 2x4 to the rear, I measured straight down to where the transom support was and I took that measurement and cut a vertical 2x4 that bolted right to the transom support and screwed that to the horizontal framing.

You can kind of see it this picture...





So the vertical 2x4 is bolted directly to the transom support and screwed to the upper, horizontal framing. On the sides I ran the front-to-back 2x4's level with the rear bench and they did not touch in the very back but there are some small styrofoam filled aluminum boxes (you can kind of see these in the picture too but you can really see what I'm talking about if you look at some of the pics on the first page of this project) on my boat so what I did was cut a small 2x4's (about 6 inches or so) and screwed that in vertically to the side 2x4's and then those rested on the aluminum boxes. I attached the 2x4's to the boat with some "L" brackets and that was it. I hope this helps. If not let me know and I'll take some better pictures for you.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 9, 2010)

ober51 said:


> The only thing I did differently on my guide ons was that I connected the two pieces of ladder stabilizer under the trailer with a piece of PVC pipe. It helped with the little bit of movement/wiggle that was there.



That's a good idea. Maybe I'll do that with the section of PVC that I have left over. Thanks ober51.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 9, 2010)

sturdi87 said:


> Looks awesome. Great Job!


Thanks buddy.


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## sturdi87 (Apr 9, 2010)

Eventually I'll have decks like that!


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 12, 2010)

So I took the rig out this last weekend with my 2 year old. I was surprised at how well the boat still planed with the added weight of a rear deck. The new trailer guides worked like a charm as well. A funny story...finished up fishing for the day, tied the boat to the dock and took my 2 year old to the truck with me. I put him in the front seat while backing up the truck. I jumped out to get the boat on the trailer (once again the trailer guides worked perfectly), cranked it up on the trailer with the winch, ran back to the truck, pulled on the handle and.....nothing. Locked! My two year old locked the doors with the trailer still in the water with the truck running! After a few choice words because of my stupidity, and a few minutes of trying to coach my son into pushing the unlock button I remembered that I had a spare key attached to my frame with a hide-a-key. Unfortunately it was hidden on the rear of the truck so I got soaked retrieving it but at least I didn't have to call the wife to bring a spare. Stupid me! Lesson learned I guess, but I should know better. Just got in too big of a hurry. Needless to say, the hide-a-key is now located on the front of my truck so if something like this happens again I wont have to get soaked getting the key.


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## phil (Apr 16, 2010)

It looks great. I have a sylvan I would like to do something with. How did you connect the wood frame for the front deck to the front of the boat and the seats?


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 17, 2010)

phil said:


> It looks great. I have a sylvan I would like to do something with. How did you connect the wood frame for the front deck to the front of the boat and the seats?


The nose of the frame actually rests right on the hull of the boat. I drilled a 3/4 in. hole in the center 2x4 and threaded a 1/2 in. rope through it. I then drilled some 3/8 in. holes in the nose piece on the boat. I knotted both ends of the rope and used some steel clips and attached to the holes drilled in the nose piece. 





Then I used some small "L" brackets and screwed one end into the 2x4 and the other into the bench. I used the "L" brackets all across the bench, the pictures only shows some of them. The others are covered by the decking. I've had the boat several times and the little casting deck is as sturdy as can be.





Hope this helps. This seems to be a popular question in this forum.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 17, 2010)

I made one more minor adjustment, I switched my transom mount motor to a bow mount. It was a simple change, all you have to do unscrew one bolt, turn the head of the motor, line up the holes and put the bolt back in. It's nice having the extra weight up front and having the control from the casting deck but I wish the handle on the Minn Kota could pivot up and down like the older model I had.


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## ober51 (Apr 17, 2010)

UtahBassKicker said:


> phil said:
> 
> 
> > It looks great. I have a sylvan I would like to do something with. How did you connect the wood frame for the front deck to the front of the boat and the seats?
> ...



Looks great - just wondering if you used a buffer between the L brackets and your aluminum bench? The reason I ask is because unless they are aluminum, they may cause corrosion. Rubber gasket material worked great and can be cut to size, for future reference.


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 18, 2010)

I actually didn't use a buffer because I was under the impression that the paint on the bench would be enough. Do I need to rethink this?


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## UtahBassKicker (May 5, 2010)

Well I haven't had much progress lately but I did put the rubber gasket material between my steel brackets and the aluminum. I also placed carpet between the wood and boat where there was contact. I think I have the pressure treated wood issue taken care of. I did mount a seat base on the front deck but now I'm looking for advice for what height of pedestal to use. I think I'm going to go with the plain 13" but I'm also contemplating one of the adjustable height pedestals. I figure with the seat+seat base+13" of pedestal I'll be setting at about 19" which seemed pretty comfortable when I tried it out. Any input is welcome. Also, I think I'm going to purchase a hydrafoil to see if it'll help the boat get on top of the water instead of push it's way through it.


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## BottomDweller (May 6, 2010)

ober51,

Wondering how much of an issue I have with the transom I just replaced. My boat is aluminum. My transom is wood. I used stainless steel bolts to secure the wood transom board to the boat. Is this going to cause alot of problems? Do I have an option here? It seems that using anything other than stainless steel would eventually rust out but stainless does cause some corrosion with aluminum. My project is completed currently and I have secured my bolts with 3m 5200. I would hate to remove everything but will if this is going to cause alot of problems.


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## perchin (May 6, 2010)

They factory build aluminum trailers with SS..... I would have to imagine you'll be fine. :wink:


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## UtahBassKicker (May 11, 2010)

So not a lot of changes since the last pics but I did get the seats mounted so I wanted to keep ya'll updated. Also wanted to add a pic of my last trip to the lake. My wife took the picture without me knowing. At least you can see the pedestal in action!













In case you didn't read my whining post in the "Watering Hole", no fish were harmed in this picture taking process (unfortunately).


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## perchin (May 12, 2010)

Your boat makes me envious...... clean, stable, and loving the looks of that outboard. Nice job =D>


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## BottomDweller (May 12, 2010)

Utah,
How did the guide ons work this time?


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## UtahBassKicker (May 12, 2010)

perchin said:


> Your boat makes me envious...... clean, stable, and loving the looks of that outboard. Nice job =D>


 Thanks. It's still a work in progress. I want to do some cut outs on the middle bench and drop in some empty battery boxes to use for storage, I've found that you can fit 4-5 Plano boxes inside your typical battery box. That way I would have more room in the boat since I wouldn't have to tote around my big lunky tackle box. Also still need to do wiring for lights and bilge and add a level, flat floor. The motor was a new edition to the boat this year. I previously had a '97 Yamaha but it was only a 5HP so I decided to sell it and this 15HP Johnson 4 stroke showed up for $1200 so I jumped on it. The guy even delivered it from about 5 hours away (he had to head my direction for some business meetings).


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## UtahBassKicker (May 12, 2010)

BottomDweller said:


> Utah,
> How did the guide ons work this time?


 The guides have been awesome. Ever since adding them loading the boat has been a breeze, even with my two year old with me. We had 20-25 mph winds my last trip out and still loading went very smooth. How have your's worked out for you?


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## Froggy (May 12, 2010)

Great Job man!!


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## BottomDweller (May 12, 2010)

You know, to be honest with you I haven't made it out since I put them on...I've been working to replace this transom. It has taken longer than I thought with our new 8 month old around. I'll get out there soon. Take care man


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## UtahBassKicker (May 16, 2010)

Froggy said:


> Great Job man!!



Thanks Froggy. How's your boat working out for you?


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## FishyBC (Jan 6, 2012)

Very nice job. Hopefully you have had more than just that one trip out and "harmed" a few fish since then.
I just discovered this site by accident and am hoping to do pretty much the same mods as you. I have a couple questions for you.

1) Do you find the that front and rear decks are too high or just the right height ? I am wondering if I would be better off keeping the center of gravity even lower if possible.
2) Do you like the carpet or would you go a different direction if you could do it again ?
3) Anything else you would do or do differently to save a rookie from making mistakes ?

Pretty scary but I've started looking at old boats now thinking, that one would turn out real nice if you did this and that to it.
Maybe I should finish this first one off and see how I make out ;-)
Thanks to you and all the folks on this site. I can't wait to turn heads with a very different boat if I do things as nice as ya'll have here.
FishyBC


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## UtahBassKicker (Jan 7, 2012)

FishyBC said:


> Very nice job. Hopefully you have had more than just that one trip out and "harmed" a few fish since then.
> I just discovered this site by accident and am hoping to do pretty much the same mods as you. I have a couple questions for you.
> 
> 1) Do you find the that front and rear decks are too high or just the right height ? I am wondering if I would be better off keeping the center of gravity even lower if possible.
> ...



The height of the decks have worked out well. No stability issues. I don't use a pedestal on the rear deck so I can't say much about being up higher in the back. I'm sure the lower the better as far as stability but no issues or concerns on the height of mine. 

I like the carpet. I wish I could've afforded a higher quality of carpet but it has worn very well and been very durable up to this point.

I can only think of two things I would do differently if I were starting over. First I would've mounted the rear seat more in the center. The original thought was to offset it so the tiller control was easier to reach but I've found that having the seat in the mount and my seat in the seat causes the boat to tilt to one side pretty heavily. I usually just sit on a cushion now and don't use the rear seat much. The second thing I would do different is adjust the size and placement of my hatches because when the seats are in place in the mounts, the hatches aren't able to open all the way making it a little difficult to access that space. Not a big deal but I'd definitely do it different next time.

The build has held up great over the last couple of years. I do wish I could've use aluminum instead of wood but I'm no metal worker and I couldn't afford the extra cost of aluminum. I do know that spending time with my boy on the boat is time very well spent. Catching fish ain't too bad either.  

Thanks for reviving my build thread. I haven't looked at it lately and I almost forgot how much fun it was to do.


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## fishingmich (Jan 21, 2012)

Hey Utah! I like the way you did your decks and haches. I plan on doing mine the same way. I purchased a 16' Smokercraft and trailer last fall for $400. My decks will be almost identical to yours. What kind of hinges are those on your hatch lids and where did you find them. I really like the look of them. When my hatches are dones I don't want the hardware to be seen.


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## Karyn (Jan 21, 2012)

you did a nice job! Looks great and functional


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## UtahBassKicker (Jan 21, 2012)

fishingmich said:


> Hey Utah! I like the way you did your decks and haches. I plan on doing mine the same way. I purchased a 16' Smokercraft and trailer last fall for $400. My decks will be almost identical to yours. What kind of hinges are those on your hatch lids and where did you find them. I really like the look of them. When my hatches are dones I don't want the hardware to be seen.



Sounds like you got a good deal. The hinges are a stainless steel cabinet hinge that I picked up at home depot.


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## UtahBassKicker (Jan 21, 2012)

Karyn said:


> you did a nice job! Looks great and functional



Thank you. It's worked out great so far.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 13, 2012)

Decided to go to work on my middle bench today. This project kinda hit a standstill after I got my decks done a year or two ago. I mentioned adding battery boxes for storage in my middle bench forever ago and went for it today. I learned two things: 1)Cutting aluminum with a jigsaw is efficient but extremely LOUD! And 2) There is no good way to remove floatation foam. :x 

Well I started by marking where I wanted the boxes placed. Once that was decided I went to work with the jigsaw. This is what I ended up with...


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 13, 2012)

Then I built the frame, spar urethaned it, and screwed the boxes to it. Then I slide it into place and screwed it to the original bench. Looked like this...


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 13, 2012)

Here's the storage idea behind all this.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 13, 2012)

I also built a front and rear cover for the bench out of ply, spar and carpet. Going to make lids tomorrow. I'll post some updates then. Eventually this will all lead to the flat floors that I'm planning so my boy will quit tripping on the ribs of the boat. Peace out for now!


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 13, 2012)

So I was able to get all the pieces cut, urethaned, carpeted, and put together. I'm happy with the results and the added storage. Here are some pics...


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 13, 2012)




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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 14, 2012)

I also added this badboy (pole holder)!


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## TimRich (Mar 14, 2012)

Very nice! You've done a great job on your tin! Can't wait to get my deck and floors done.


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## fishingmich (Mar 14, 2012)

My hero! =D> Most of the inspiration for my build came from this build. Excellent job Utah! I'd love to fish out of it sometime.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 18, 2012)

Hey TimRich and fishingmich, thanks for the compliments. 

fishingmich, how is your project coming? I'd like to take a look at it. What's the title so I can search for it?

Tim-your boat is coming along nicely, I recently commented on your thread. Keep up the good work.


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## Firescooby (Mar 18, 2012)

AWESOME build man!!! Awesome!!

You've given me a few ideas....thanks!!


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## TimRich (Mar 19, 2012)

Thank you sir, I saw that! Hoping to get her in the water soon!


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## fishingmich (Mar 19, 2012)

Utah, it's 16 ft Smokercraft. It's spmewhere around page 4. Haven't goten much done to it. Bought it last fall, did some stuff to the trailer, took out one of the benches and that's about it. The weather here in Michigan is finally starting to stabilize so we can get started on it again. The only problem I have is that when I want to work on it, my son wants to take our other boat out fishing. Once I get all the wood urethaned, it won't take us long to get it finished. Us being me and my chief engineer. (My 10 yr old!)


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## fishingmich (Apr 18, 2012)

Hey Utah! I noticed you mounted that transom mount tm on the bow. I did that to a previous boat I had and to help with control a little bit, I bought a momentary on off switch from BPS. It's a Bigfoot tm switch and they're pretty sweet. You can just bump it to move your boat or you can lock it down for continuous use. I mounted it to a piece of plywood and carpeted it to match the carpeting on the deck. Mounting it to the plywood lets you move it around so it's not in a fixed spot, so you don't trip on it. Would definitely do it again if my Powerdrive V2 takes a $**t!


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 19, 2012)

fishingmich said:


> Hey Utah! I noticed you mounted that transom mount tm on the bow. I did that to a previous boat I had and to help with control a little bit, I bought a momentary on off switch from BPS. It's a Bigfoot tm switch and they're pretty sweet. You can just bump it to move your boat or you can lock it down for continuous use. I mounted it to a piece of plywood and carpeted it to match the carpeting on the deck. Mounting it to the plywood lets you move it around so it's not in a fixed spot, so you don't trip on it. Would definitely do it again if my Powerdrive V2 takes a $**t!



That's a good idea. I'm not very familiar with different sorts of switches (or anything electrical for that matter) but it sure sounds convenient. I just might have to look into it. How much does one of these switches cost?


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## fishingmich (Apr 19, 2012)

They're less than $20. Just found one on ebay for ya. $14.95 + $3.95 shipping. Just search for "Bigfoot trolling motor switch". They're easy to hook up, they have directions right on the packaging. Only 3 wires. If I can do it, judging by your boat, you can do it. When my MK Powerdrive takes a $**t, I'll replace it with a reversed transom mount on the bow, with the Bigfoot switch.


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## gwconrad86 (Apr 19, 2012)

Very nice... You spared no expense on this puppy...... Like the storage area in the middle for the tackle, great idea...


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## UtahBassKicker (Apr 21, 2012)

gwconrad86 said:


> Very nice... You spared no expense on this puppy...... Like the storage area in the middle for the tackle, great idea...



Thanks. It's worked well so far.


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