# 1973 mirrocraft 16` lake fisherman



## diveralex (Apr 22, 2015)

Hello to everyone , I am new to this forum, and have been reading post upon post of great information ! Just thought i could share with you my first boat purchase and ongoing restoration !

Got this boat for 1300$ ( i think thats not a bad price ! Its a 1973 mirrocraft lake fisherman 16 footer complete with console and 60hp 1985 johnson and 9.9 marine 2 strokers. 

I have been working on it now for 3 weekends and just cant seem to stop thinking about what I have to do next. I am a machinist and welder by trade and this boat restoration stuff is so much fun.

So as you can see, ive been working on a flat floor and now i need to replace de floation foam in the seats. Then a new aluminium console and some trailer work. After that fishing time !!!

Pleasure reading you all !


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## FatChad (Apr 22, 2015)

Nice boat, and nice samurai in the background


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## diveralex (Apr 23, 2015)

Thank you  I will post more pictures once i get the floor in !


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## diveralex (Apr 29, 2015)

Progress !

New console is all tacked up, new solenoid setup for up and down trim, flat floor, new flotation and plywood in benches. 

Now I was wondering if I should secure my console to the floor and the bench or only to the bench ( vibration of floor ? ) Anybody have some input on that ? 

Thx ! Pleasure reading you all !


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## Captain Ahab (Apr 29, 2015)

We have the exact same boat!


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## Kevin D (Apr 29, 2015)

Nice boat, I would just attach it to the seat, vibration shouldn't be a issue. I modded my starcraft and vibration was greatly reduced.


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## diveralex (Apr 30, 2015)

Great, thanks for the input. I will start off with fastening to bench only and will test it out !


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## Craigmax (May 1, 2015)

Great bench idea. I have to do the same thing with my project. Do you have any other pictures of the bench build or can describe the process/methodology? Thanks.


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## Captain Ahab (May 1, 2015)

My boat had the console to the bench originally and it was fine


It goes to the floor now because I decked the boat and put in swivel seats


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## diveralex (May 8, 2015)

Progress ! 

Finished wiring , fully welded console , installed seat and got 60hp seahorse shifter linkage unseized (although timing advance braket seems to not come back to original position) and my 9.9 is purring like a kitten. 

Now looking to paint exterior and modify my trailer.

Tested out in the water and that 60 is fast. pretty sure I hit 25-30 mph ! But it drank over 2.5 gallons in 1.5 hours ? is this normal lol , mind you i was at WOT alot.


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## KillerJ (May 8, 2015)

Awesome boat! $1300.00 would have been a good price with just the 9.9. Where did you purchase the foam? I want to replace the bench foam and carpet in my boat (already bought the carpet)


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## diveralex (May 8, 2015)

To be honest i cheaped out, and got blue foam from Rona, ( equivalent of home depot ) built blocks and glued it together with pl foam. This is a budget build


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## KillerJ (May 8, 2015)

I'm definitely on a budget too. I'll check out home depot this weekend, thanks.


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## Captain Ahab (May 8, 2015)

Do not paint the exterior


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## diveralex (May 8, 2015)

really ? why not paint the exterior ? i not to keen on the baby blue mirrocraft color lol !


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## Captain Ahab (May 11, 2015)

diveralex said:


> really ? why not paint the exterior ? i not to keen on the baby blue mirrocraft color lol !




I strongly feel that painting a tin boat is a waste of valuable fishing time and money that could be used to buy gear with. Teh grand thing about aluminum is that you do not need to do anything to protect it - like paint. 


Plus, 80% of your boat will be under the waterline while in use - so no one but the fishy life will see the new paint. 


BTW fish could care less if your boat is painted 



It is your time but I plan to fish as early as long and as often as I possibly can - everything else is just a means to get me back on the water


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## diveralex (May 13, 2015)

Great advice  I might just keep the painting for the winter months or maybe wont even do it at all.


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## jasper60103 (May 13, 2015)

Captain Ahab said:


> ... Teh grand thing about aluminum is that you do not need to do anything to protect it - like paint.
> 
> 
> Plus, 80% of your boat will be under the waterline while in use - so no one but the fishy life will see the new paint.
> ...



Well said. :fishing:


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## diveralex (May 27, 2015)

Took the boat out for its first fishing weekend ! It was great ! Covered more than 38nautical miles on one 25 litre tank ( i did use the 9.9 for trolling ) She performed good in the chop , but even if she is wide and deep , the chop from 30 knot Wind on that big lake was alot to handle.


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## diveralex (May 27, 2015)

Couple pics of the day !


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## diveralex (Jun 5, 2015)

Putting the finishing touches on the boat . 

Built new casting deck for the back and scored some nice Wise seats and a brand new propeller on kijiji. Rebuilt my broken skeg. Now looking forward to hit the water again this weekend !


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## henro (Jun 5, 2015)

Is that plywood you used for the casting deck?


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## Kismet (Jun 5, 2015)

You've created a perfect Fisherman's Boat; nicely done.

As posted earlier, paint is sort antithetical to aluminum hulls, but it can mollify a spouse and calm nit-picky neighbors.

Nice work. =D>


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## diveralex (Jun 5, 2015)

Thx for the nice comments ! To Henro , yes I did use plywood for the floors and casting deck, coated with 4 coats of urethane spar varnish. Over the winter months I plan to paint them over with some sort of grip paint or deck coating.


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## henro (Jun 5, 2015)

diveralex said:


> Thx for the nice comments ! To Henro , yes I did use plywood for the floors and casting deck, coated with 4 coats of urethane spar varnish. Over the winter months I plan to paint them over with some sort of grip paint or deck coating.



How thick a sheet? I used 3/4" on mine and painted it with 2 coats of 4X deck paint from Lowes.


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## diveralex (Jun 11, 2015)

yup, use 3/4 for the rear deck , and 5/8 for the floors.


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## diveralex (Sep 21, 2015)

Updates ! new pictures ! I added a lowrance elite 4 chirp and got a sweet deal for a motorguide ws55 for 100 $ it was broken. I fixed the motor . Plans for next year are adding a live well and possibly painting the exterior so it doesnt look so ragady ! Also made new aluminium corners in the rear, added navigation led bars and a beer  / drink holders !


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## grumpybear (Jul 7, 2016)

what size is the aluminum angle, what size is the square tubing ? I would like to build a frame like this for my boat


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