# Finally got my 12ft project on here



## BtsNhoS (Aug 2, 2011)

Hey guys, been watching this site for months now getting ideas and supplies to build my boat. I got an old 12ft jon boat from the Navy for free that they were throwing out about 4 years ago. Since a few months ago we had just been trolling around with a little trolling motor but now i decided to actually make a boat. The NUMBER ONE thing about this boat is that i did not want to spend alot of money since i dont have it. About 90% of this boat came from craigslist and including the motor, seats, trailer and supplies it cost about $500 bucks total. The first thing i did was purchased a trailer on craigslist for 100 bucks and i found a 9.9 johnson on craigslist that i traded a 42" LCD tv for, pretty good trade since i never used it and had a 50". The trailer is obviously to long for the boat but i will make it work, i got some new lights from Northern tool and im going to cut the end of the boat to make it fit, i also plan on adding some PVC pipe for guides...eventually. 
The inside of the boat is basic and i patched most of the leaks with JB weld on the bottom and on the inside. 
Next, i stole another guys idea, Bufford's 12 foot modification, (who i think got it from someone else) by cutting out the center seat to make a deck. This made ALOT of noise inside the parking garage and my apartment complex wasnt to happy, but oh well. i measured the area i wanted to cut plus an inch so i can fold the insides in, 
once the center seat was measured and marked out, i decided to make a change to the front of the boat also. Since about 6 months ago i have been in a huge drought when it comes to catching fish, this made me drink more beer while i fish so i decided to have a spot for a cooler...or 2. 
i wanted to make the other side a hatch for storage but i ran into some cutting problems and instead we just put the life jackets in it, or another cooler. 
after this i started cutting everything and making a huge mess. 

once the center seat was cut i bent the insides down so i wouldnt get cut. 
after this i cleaned the inside out and started sanded it and wiped everything down and started applying the first layer of rhino liner. I used about a gallon and a half and put on two thick layers, this took a really long time. 



next, i decided to add a 3/8" piece of plywood to the back seat, i used 3/8" for the entire boat which i polyurethaned first. It wasnt until i had the back seat totally on (when i finally got it in the mail) that i realized the center seat was way to high and unstable so i moved it, the picture shows it in the center but i moved it to the stbd side of the boat with a swivel and saved the 7" pedestal, so i would be able to swivel the seat i built a makeshift platform with the wood and was able to painstakingly attach the seat. 


once i got the back seat on i added the wood on the floor and casting platform with the 3/8" platform and 2X4's. I forgot to take photos of the 2X4's that i put as a brace for where the center seat was; i ran four 2X4's about forward-back and also outlined the cut-out of the prior seat with the plywood, we then added the 13" pedestal with the seat. I used a 1.25" size screws to secure the deck and i used 3" screws for the stern seat and 2.5" for the bow seat. again sorry there are no good pics. 


after cutting my hand many times i decided to get weather stripping for any sharp cuts, after this i rhino lined all the wood and i built my own trolling motor mount using a 2X4 cut in half and a piece of plywood, this was also rhino lined. 


. finally after all this we did all the touch up for the rhino lining and added the carpet using .5" staples. 
and the final finished product...
. the next thing i am doing is adding the steelflex, thanks to the info from Bufford's 12 foot modification, it should be here any day now and its the same color of the boat, i also have the fish finder installed on the back seat on the port side, plus there are rod holders on the starboard side with two mushroom anchors on the port so we can sit sideways on the river and fish. The titling and registration is in the mail and im waiting for my stickers to get back, unfortunately i am running into alot of trouble with my motor lately, im going to post some questions on the motor forums on here, let me know what yall think, thanks for looking.


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## Ranchero50 (Aug 3, 2011)

Cool little build, now get it wet and enjoy it some...

Jamie


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## BtsNhoS (Aug 3, 2011)

yeah ive taken it out a few times, the motor keeps messin up though, i rebuilt the carb and put a new pull cord on it, but now i think the prop is messed up because when i turn up the throttle faster than idle it doesnt do anything but rev, i think the prop doesnt spin when alot of torque is on it.


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## Ranchero50 (Aug 3, 2011)

Should be simple enough to test, put it in gear, pop the engine cover off and hold the flywheel while turning the prop. Shouldn't be any slip...


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## BtsNhoS (Aug 3, 2011)

yeah i need to try it again, if it slips would it just be the prop or the prop+other pieces?


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## BaitCaster (Aug 3, 2011)

Nice job. I think you need a bigger trailer though! :LOL2:


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## BtsNhoS (Aug 3, 2011)

haha yeah i know, im going to cut the back of it (extra 2+ft) and i moved the winch back to meet the boat, but hey it was $100 bucks so i cant complain to much :beer:


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## ohiolunker (Aug 3, 2011)

I love the pic before you cut the back bench. 'Storage' 'Beer'. That's a proper jon boat. :beer:


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## BtsNhoS (Aug 3, 2011)

haha thanks, steel flex is going on tomorrow ill get some pictures up when its complete


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## MikefromSliderG5 (Aug 5, 2011)

Sweet boat! Nice job on it. Good luck with your motor.


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## architorture (Aug 7, 2011)

Your project looks great. In regards to your motor, did you hit something with the prop on one of your outings? It sounds like a broken shear pin to me, which is a really simple and quick fix.


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## BtsNhoS (Aug 7, 2011)

no i didnt hit anything (i dont think) it just started doing it after a day on the lake, i will check it over tomorrow and tell you guys what i find


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## BtsNhoS (Aug 29, 2011)

well my motor isnt fixed yet, when i hold the flywheel i can spin the prop with relative ease. is this a shear pin or something else? also, does anyone know where i can a repair manual for it? thanks


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## jonmac3569 (Aug 30, 2011)

Look under the "motors" forum. I think it is the first link, it will take you to online manuals.


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## Jonboat Jerry (Aug 30, 2011)

Nice Boat! =D> 
+2 on the shear pin, they are made out of soft brass. 
I had a twin, that if I accidently reved it up and then put in gear, it would snap the shear pin.
Easy fix though.


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## fender66 (Aug 30, 2011)

Love that first shot with the boat on the trailer. That trailer makes the boat look very, very tiny. :LOL2: 

Great job...now go catch some fish.


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## BtsNhoS (Aug 30, 2011)

well i just cut the back of the trailer so now it doesnt look as big haha, now my motor wont even start  it sucks im sick of the thing. and i will message him about the repair manuals thanks


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## Howard (Aug 30, 2011)

Pretty cool getting a tin from the Navy, neat story


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## BtsNhoS (Sep 16, 2011)

well i just traded my POS 9.9 for a for a 1986 johnson 7.5 long shaft. i took it out today and it worked out ok, but since it is a long it seems like im gettin some cavitation going on or something because it seems like the motor wants to go but cant, its not hittin anything, any ideas?


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## Howard (Sep 16, 2011)

Where does your cavitation plate line up with the hull? take pic if possible


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## BtsNhoS (Sep 16, 2011)

hard to say but it seems to be exactly 90 degrees from the transom, im thinking it has to do with the small surface area of that boat? would that have anything to do with it? thanks


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## BtsNhoS (Sep 20, 2011)

figured out what was wrong with my motor just needed some adjustments, also build some bunks and guides with 2" pvc pipe, works really well and makes it alot easier to load when im by myself or in the wind. Here are a few pics. 


i used two outdoor floor mats for the carpet.


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## BtsNhoS (Sep 20, 2011)

and for the guides, same process...also notice the steelflex


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## fender66 (Sep 20, 2011)

Great idea....but that tire looks scary. :shock: :LOL2:


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## BtsNhoS (Sep 20, 2011)

thanks, na the tires are new (er) only about 200 miles on them, the fender is beat to hell i will fix it next spring (the whole trailer i will fix) i do need to replace the bearings though along with one of the springs.


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## HUSKERBOATER (Oct 3, 2011)

He probably thought the fender was the tire... I did at first and it looks like one of those slick gocart tires. LMAO I also like the beer hold and the fact that you worked on this in a parking garage. Reminds me of something I would do. Also having a longshaft on a shortshaft transom is better than the other way around. Maybe you can find someone to trade with on Craigslist. Looks good though and the best part is you didn't have to throw money at it.


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## BtsNhoS (Jan 29, 2012)

well ive decided that i hated my setup so now im adding alot to the boat, i started by making a custom trolling mount which you guys can see here, https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=23441 and i made a battery holder along with some storage spots on the bow with hatches etc. im going to do the carpeting and painting here soon. here are some pics.



and the finished product ....




im also adding a livewell in the back in a cooler, ill throw some pics of everything on here tomorrow its coming along quick, easy and best of all cheap!!!


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## JamesM56alum (Jan 30, 2012)

That's freaking sweet, you just gave me a buncha new ideas! btw nice husky


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## BtsNhoS (Jan 30, 2012)

thanks, im throwing alot of pics on tomorrow or wed. i changed a whole bunch of stuff. i see your down in pensacola, ill be down there in may.


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## JamesM56alum (Jan 30, 2012)

Sadly im not in pcola any more bro, i live in minnesota but i will be moving back next year in the summer. Me an the wife are going down on 15th of next month to see my family i havent been back in 4 years so its going to be nice to feel the warm weather and smell the salt water.. 

It KILLS me knowing im surrounded by white stuff called snow not white surger sand..


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## BtsNhoS (Jan 30, 2012)

got some more work done on the boat today, the trailer is off getting sandblasted. im doing some really crazy stuff to this boat here soon, i hope it all works, i need to order the parts first 

here is a support board im using for storage of life jackets, anchor line etc. etc. I have a bungy cord cargo net that is fitted to go over it.



this is the stern area that ive decided to built onto for storage...and i have alot of materials left over so might as well. and before anyone says anything i know that the cut where the seat used to be is HORRIBLE. it was a nightmare to do this since my grinder broke, the reciprocating saw went insane so i had to use a circular. im going to clean it up soon.



got the hatches and everything on, bad picture but there are actually two hatches


this also shows the livewell (cooler) and the tackle box storage on the port side and more storage on the stbd, after the photo i added a hatch on the other side just like the port



a view of one of the storage boxes


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## BtsNhoS (Jan 30, 2012)

JamesM56alum said:


> Sadly im not in pcola any more bro, i live in minnesota but i will be moving back next year in the summer. Me an the wife are going down on 15th of next month to see my family i havent been back in 4 years so its going to be nice to feel the warm weather and smell the salt water..
> 
> It KILLS me knowing im surrounded by white stuff called snow not white surger sand..



dang that sucks, im from montana so i love the snow


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## JamesM56alum (Jan 30, 2012)

Yea bro im a summer baby, i was born august the hottest month of the year in florida. I LOVE! the heat lol you should see me during the winter here im like the michelin man all bundled up and full of piss an vinegar.. lol So what r u going to be up to in that neck of the woods



BtsNhoS said:


> JamesM56alum said:
> 
> 
> > Sadly im not in pcola any more bro, i live in minnesota but i will be moving back next year in the summer. Me an the wife are going down on 15th of next month to see my family i havent been back in 4 years so its going to be nice to feel the warm weather and smell the salt water..
> ...


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## BtsNhoS (Jan 30, 2012)

JamesM56alum said:


> Yea bro im a summer baby, i was born august the hottest month of the year in florida. I LOVE! the heat lol you should see me during the winter here im like the michelin man all bundled up and full of piss an vinegar.. lol So what r u going to be up to in that neck of the woods
> 
> 
> 
> ...



im in the navy and ill be going to flight school


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## JamesM56alum (Feb 2, 2012)

Very nice, yep pcola nas is really nice and the people are overly friendly on base. It's kinda nice cause all the other bases around there are full of pricks, im sure alot of it has to do with the aircraft museum and the tourists coming onto base. You go down to Tyndal AFB it's a total different story they'er nazi's when it comes to outsiders.


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## BtsNhoS (Feb 2, 2012)

awesome. got some stuff done to the boat today, livewell is built and everything is prepped for painting in the morning.
i added the latches for .99 cents a piece and they work like a charm. doing electrical tomorrow while the paint drives, its going to be a POS!


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## BtsNhoS (Feb 3, 2012)

well i got the first coat of paint on today and the livewell installed, now just working on the electrical and a good vacuuming and it should be good to go. and my son gets to come home tomorrow!!!!!  




here is some pics of the livewell, works alot better than i expected and it was really inexpensive


got a red light installed to see inside at night


here is the discharge hole...discharging water onto a power cord...that could have been interesting lol oops [-X


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