# My 10' Gamefisher build/work in progress.



## Mizzie (Jul 30, 2012)

Hey everyone, 
I have decided to put my build 'journal' on here. It is not finished and is not nearly as nice as the projects I've seen on here, but it's my little project and I love it! :mrgreen: 

Ever since I sold my old 12' jon, I've been looking for another one. I have a 17' Whaler for saltwater but nothing for fresh. I didn't want a nice one, I wanted one that I could "save" and give a second life. I also wanted one that was cheap enough to leave budget room for plenty of fixes. A couple of weeks of Craigslist searching and I found it. 1987 10' Sears Gamefisher semi-v. The seller had it listed as "in great condition"... Horrible condition would have been a better description!

The boats bottom was coated in what looked like old roofing tar or something. It was full of leaves, dirt, old bees nest and had a big fiberglass patch in the bow and was overall, junk. I tried haggling on the price, guy didn't want to work on the price so I left. I got a call a few hours later saying that somebody else came to see it and declined the boat as well. He said he was sick of dealing with it and if I didn't want it that it was going to the scrap yard in the morning. Long story short, I bought it for less than half of what he had it listed for. However, I still feel I overpaid, but I felt bad for the boat. :roll: I threw it in my old rusty utility trailer and took it home.

Here it is the day I bought it... Isn't she pretty?















He notified me that there was a couple of small leaks, so I took it to the pond to see exactly where. Sure enough, the big peeling fiberglass patch was leaking as well as a small leak near the transom. When I got it home, I sanded her down and peeled off the fiberglass patch, to my surprise, what I thought was a minor leak, was a BIG hole!

Halfway through sanding, This stuff was a pain to get off! (I leaned about aircraft stripper when it was to late!)











Here's the keel rip! Can't believe somebody thought a fiberglass patch was going to hold this!







So I began searching for ways to fix this, I thought welding was going to be too expensive so I pondered other fixes. After posting a thread here, a couple of members talked me into welding. After some calls to a few places I found a Marine repair shop that did the job quick and reasonably priced.


Here she is after welding.














Testing the new weld!






I then caulked up some seams and got ready to lay some bed liner on the hull under the water line for peace of mind and abrasion protection. (I know some guys are against using this stuff but it worked great on my last boat, I do a lot of beaching and fishing in weedy areas).














edit: more new pics below!


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## Mizzie (Jul 30, 2012)

I then started searching for an outboard, I ended up finding a nice little low usage Mercury 2.2hp outboard, I wanted something more towards 4hp but this engine was so clean under the hood and priced so right that I couldn't pass it up. It moves me along decently and I'm 210lbs, with a passenger it slows down a lot but still moves at a decent pace, sure beats rowing which is what I was doing the first few times out!

Loading the boat into my utility trailer was starting to take a toll on my back, especially trying to load it by myself. I needed a trailer... Searched for one and ended up finding one that was perfectly sized for my boat, with an extra long tongue to ease in loading (extra tongue length means I could also put a larger boat on this if needed). I put new bearings/races/seals as well as a new 2" coupler (original was 1 7/8"s).

Here it is with the new goodies. The trailer helps a lot! 






I then wanted swivel seats! The bench seats began to hurt my rear end after a few hours out haha.
I picked these up at Walmart, They don't match the boat yet but once I paint her they should fit nicely.
































Last, but not least. I wanted to fix the rotted gunwale wood. I had an old beach chair with big teak arm rests on them which were perfect size. The beach chair was ripped so I figured, why not. It also had a cup holder and storage back which I reused in the boat!

Old wood. 






New (I have since cut the bolts to size).











I still have a list of things on the agenda.

This week is:

*New transom wood.
*Paint inside and out.
*PVC rod holders (currently making right now).
Carpeted lower floor as well as small front and rear decks for storage and looks (not for standing up and fishing on). The front deck will only be big enough to hold an anchor and some other things. I'm thinking about 2 feet long with a hatch so the front swivel seat passenger still has plenty of leg room. The rear deck will be full size from transom to forward part of rear bench seat and will have storage hatches. Both will be made as lightweight as possible.
*Small navigation lights and night time fishing amber lights, to keep weight down I'm going to use a small lawn tractor battery for these since I will rarely use them.
*Few more odds and ends, I am going to keep improving on the boat. I'm sure eventually I'll want a bigger boat but she's the perfect size for me for now.

I hope that you guys liked my budget build so far. Any suggestions, negative or positive are always welcome.


Thanks for looking,
Mike


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## Mizzie (Jul 30, 2012)

P.S. Yes the boat is registered! I don't want to put the registration/number decals on until after paint is done (would be a waste of good decals). :fishing: .


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## JRyno10 (Jul 30, 2012)

The boat cleaned up nice, can't wait to see how it turns out!


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## Mizzie (Jul 30, 2012)

JRyno10 said:


> The boat cleaned up nice, can't wait to see how it turns out!




Thank you so much. When I seen the keel damage I almost gave up on her! I still have some dents here and there but after a full day with a ball peen hammer and a 2x4, I've gotten out as many as I could. So the new paint job is going to show some imperfections but anything is an improvement over the paint situation right now!

Mike


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## JRyno10 (Jul 30, 2012)

I have a 10ft flat bottom that has a bit of dents but I mostly left them alone. I'm interested to see how your storage turns out, maybe it will give me some ideas!


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## Mizzie (Aug 4, 2012)

Here's a little update to the build. She's getting there!

Yesterday I bought some self etching primer, Rustoleum satin hunter green for the exterior and Rustoleum almond for the interior. After sanding and cleaning the area I applied my first coat of the hunter green. It's a great color, but not what I had in mind for my boat. It was also to glossy for me. I searched for Rustoleum camo paint at my Lowes with no luck before I bought the hunter green. 

So this morning I pulled the boat out of the garage to apply the second coat, but first I sat and looked at it.... If my boat didn't have so many dents than this would have been a great color. So I scratched the idea of the hunter green and went to my local hardware store. They didn't have the color I wanted either so I had them mix up a flat OD style green which is as close as we could get to the color I wanted. I love it.

Here's a pic with the fresh Hunter green (again, it's a great color.. I love it. but it doesn't fit the idea I had for my boat and makes my dents stick out way to much. I think I'm going to paint my utility trailer with the remainder of the paint).












I sanded down the nice new shiny coat of paint! I felt bad doing it, I hate to waste things... But I thought of it as a nice base coat haha.







First coat of my new green! As soon as I started re-painting it, I knew I was happy with it.












My original plan was to paint the outside green, with the rub rail and insides Rustoleum Almond. Sort of a copy of what member 'inlovewithsurfin' did on "Buckshot". I love that color scheme, but once I used the self etching primer on the rub rail (the primer is an olive color). I began to consider the idea of painting the whole boat the new green. Also because I thought almond may have been too light for the look I wanted.


























I didn't paint the floor yet because there is still a lot of dirt and sanding particles on the bottom that I need to vacuum or air blast out before painting the floor and throwing on a final coat all over the boat tomorrow. Everywhere that's painted, I used a tack cloth. I ran out of daylight today so I couldn't get the floor cleaned up. 


Here's a little before new paint/seats/gunwale wood and (so far) after.












I love it so far! Still a lot to do... Second coat/finish paint, put in a carpeted floor/storage, add a couple of rope cleats and other odds and ends. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated!


Thanks for looking,
Mike


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## Mizzie (Aug 4, 2012)

I forgot to add that I also cut new wood for the transom. The old wood was soft and rotted. New stuff is half inch birch wood, I had it mounted just for mock up/pics... It's not exactly lined up or mounted correctly in the pics... It will sit even when formally mounted. I also cut off the little extra chunk hanging off on the right side of the back piece.

I took them off while I paint because I think I want to keep the natural wood look and just seal the wood. Not sure yet, might end up painting it. 











I thought about making the wood cover the whole inside of the transom for extra strength but considering I have a 2.2hp and the transom itself is very thick, I stuck with the original template. If I add a larger motor in the future, I may replace the inner wood but we'll see! 

I'm looking for a quick dry sealer to use on the four lower below the water line transom bolts! I really rather not use 5200 and wait the 7 day cure time before I can take the boat out again! (granted I'm going to give the paint two days to cure). Any suggestions? I was considering marine quick cure epoxy and large washers smothered in the stuff....


Mike


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## JRyno10 (Aug 4, 2012)

Looking good! I too used inlovewithsurfin's color scheme, it is a good one! On all the bolts in my transom, including the ones for the handles, I did use large washers on both the inside and outside of the transom. I also used this stuff in the below picture. So far so good and I do not believe it will fail me. It advertises waterproof, its flexible, and shrink/crack proof. It was 5$ from ACE Harware and very easy to apply you also do not need a caulk gun. I just applied a generous amount to the washer and after tightening down the bolt I wiped away the excess.


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## Mizzie (Aug 9, 2012)

Thanks for your kind comments and help. It seems you're the only one interested in my build haha. I must say I'm a little disappointed! I see people on here slap a $10 sheet of plywood on a boat and get tons of great comments. But for some reason my little build must deserve none haha. Either way, I love my little boat and will keep modifying and improving on it! :mrgreen: 

I ended up using epoxy for the bolt holes, Letting it cure for a few days and will let ya know how it works out! 

Thanks,
Mike


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## muffin (Aug 9, 2012)

thats a nice looking boat ya got there. inspiring, even. i think you made a great choice with the color scheme as well. i cant wait to start seeing some pics of it out on the water!


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## nlester (Aug 9, 2012)

Looking good, I really like the colors.

I would not overdo the deck in the front. I have a removeable deck that is at the same height as the front seat. It gives me good access for my terminal tackle and a place to prop my feet up if I am out for awhile. Even with the deck, I have plenty of leg room and a foot rest to boot. I would not get the deck too high. 

I am thinking about filling the void under the deck with foam and removing my center bench seat. I am trying to figure out how to fasten the post for center seat replacement and not mess up the intergrety of the hull. 

Keep improving your boat and giving me ideas before I have to start on mine.


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## Mizzie (Aug 12, 2012)

Thanks for the replies and kind words fellas! 

I got out of work early today and finally got out on the water, went to a nice spot that I haven't fished in a while (first time there on the tin). Although I had zero luck with the fish (tried everything in my tackle box!) it was still a good time. I realized today that I really need to hurry up and build a floor and rod holders! The floor gets cluttered really quick and things start sliding around and getting in the way. I figure once I build my floor and a storage space for the anchor, life jackets, and tackle boxes it will be a lot more organized.

New transom wood did great today, not a drip of water from the bolts.

Mike


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## Mizzie (Aug 12, 2012)

nlester said:


> Looking good, I really like the colors.
> 
> I would not overdo the deck in the front. I have a removeable deck that is at the same height as the front seat. It gives me good access for my terminal tackle and a place to prop my feet up if I am out for awhile. Even with the deck, I have plenty of leg room and a foot rest to boot. I would not get the deck too high.
> 
> ...




I thought about removing my middle seat as well, I'll have to see how yours goes first haha. And I agree about not over doing the deck. All I have planned is a low lightweight carpeted floor that spans the length of the floor. While up front I want to make a raised deck (at the height of the bow seat) that only goes back about a foot further than the front seat so there is still plenty of leg room for a person sitting on the middle bench swivel seat. (Pretty much the same size and height as the deck you added to your boat). This deck will not be used for standing on obviously haha, it will be for storage with a small locker for rope, anchor, etc. 

For the rear of the boat I want to build a lightweight tackle compartment and a hatch which can hold PFDs. It looks elaborate in writing but is really very simple and lightweight. Everything I have planned should add no more than 30 well distributed pounds to the boat. If at any point I go over a certain weight, I will rethink my 'floor plan'.

I'm also trying to think of rod storage or a way to keep them secure when trailering. I usually put everything in my truck in fear of it flying out on the road but it would be nice to figure out something cost effective to keep them in the boat.

I'm going to begin work on the floor this week.


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## DJBombar (Aug 12, 2012)

Boat looks great Mike. What kinda prep did you have to do to paint the interior of the boat?


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## Mizzie (Aug 16, 2012)

DJBombar said:


> Boat looks great Mike. What kinda prep did you have to do to paint the interior of the boat?


 

Thanks! The interior was already painted a grey color and it was sticking very well so what I did was was sand/scuff up the paint everywhere, blew out as much paint dust out of the boat as I could with my air compressor, hit the surface with a tack cloth, cleaned with a water/vinegar mix and finally a tack cloth again before laying down the paint. Any areas that I went down to bare aluminum I touched up with some self etching primer to create a toothy surface for the new paint to adhere to. I've read articles and post where people make it sound like rocket science and turn a fishing boat paint job into huge project. It's really actually simple with a good amount of prep your good to go. haha. Good luck!

Mike


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## DJBombar (Aug 16, 2012)

Mizzie said:


> DJBombar said:
> 
> 
> > Boat looks great Mike. What kinda prep did you have to do to paint the interior of the boat?
> ...



Thanks buddy I'm thinking painting is a few weeks away for me.


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## beginnerfisherman81 (Aug 16, 2012)

your boat is coming out very nice. I have a question for you thought you said in one of your posts that you caulked up the seams at the bottom what did you use because i would like to seal the seams on my 12 ft also just to make me feel better when i take it out. thanks


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## DJBombar (Aug 23, 2012)

Hey Mike how is the under coating holding up?


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## trueblue1970 (Aug 23, 2012)

Coming along nicely...Im looking to get the same seats, in that color. All the shops around me have a dark brown plastic though and didnt find them online.. Looking good though!


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## Mizzie (Aug 23, 2012)

beginnerfisherman81 said:


> your boat is coming out very nice. I have a question for you thought you said in one of your posts that you caulked up the seams at the bottom what did you use because i would like to seal the seams on my 12 ft also just to make me feel better when i take it out. thanks



I used 3M 5200 There were no seam leaks but I lined the seams with this just for peace of mind. It takes about a week to fully cure which is the only downfall. There is a quick cure version but I'm not sure on the cure times.


DJBombar, The bed liner on the bottom is holding up great! I beach it on gravely shorelines all the time. Most of the ponds I go to don't have a tie up dock at the boat ramp so I usually beach it while I go grab my truck/trailer. I only put on one good coat and it seems to be holding up great, I'll probably hit it with a second/last coat once the season ends just for extra durability.

Trueblue, Thank you! I actually wanted regular grey seats at first to match my boats original grey interior but the Walmart location that I went to only had one in stock and there wasn't another one that had them locally. So I bought these, painted the boat to match 'em and I'm happy I did!

If you can't find the seats you want, try ordering them from Bass Pro Shops. They're more pricey but I'm pretty sure they have the same style seats last time I was there. Or you could always improvise and paint your boat to go along with the other color seats! Either way good luck! Post a pic of what seats ya get!

Thanks for all the kind comments so far everyone! I actually got a nice comment on the boat the other day while fueling up my truck before going to a new pond. Made me pretty happy! Wish the fish liked the boat as much because I didn't catch any that day. :mrgreen: 

Thanks,
Mike


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## Mizzie (Dec 16, 2012)

Figured I'd update the thread with a few new pics. The boat and motor did great all season, used it up until November before winterizing and putting away for the winter. 


I ended up picking up a fish finder for it, only got to use it a couple of times before the season ended but it was nice to get to know the water depth, contour and such of my usual lakes/ponds (which is why I wanted it). It's an older model but is great as it has both bottom and side view transducers. It's a Fishin' Buddy 2200 by Bottom Line, not the best quality or high tech fish finder but it does the trick and I like that it's portable so I don't need to bring along a battery (excess weight) or drill a hole for my boat. It mounts to the side of the boat via a bracket similar to a trolling motor and can slide out of the bracket for quick removal which I like. 








Here's the boat framed up for shrink wrap, sure the frame is overkill but why not? :LOL2: I figured I'd make it extra sturdy and just reuse it next winter. Thinking of trying to fit the Johnson 115 or Mariner 175 in the background on the boat next spring, good idea? :roll: :mrgreen: 







Cut to size and ready for heat.







Finished product with cross ventilation vents and all! haha. 







She's nice and snug for the winter! Can't wait until spring! 

Also picked up a 6hp Johnson for the boat for next season, over the winter I'm going to bring it into the shop and do a complete mechanical and cosmetic restore on it. Keeping the Merc 2.2hp as well as a spare. Next spring the floor/carpet will go in, I was too backed up with projects this season. #-o 



Thanks for looking!
Mike


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## JMichael (Dec 16, 2012)

I like your Gamefisher. Up until this summer, I had a 12' Gamefisher with a 3.9hp Mercury on it. That thing would go 6mph no mater how much weight you put in it. How much is this shrink wrap stuff that you used?


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## Mizzie (Dec 16, 2012)

JMichael said:


> I like your Gamefisher. Up until this summer, I had a 12' Gamefisher with a 3.9hp Mercury on it. That thing would go 6mph no mater how much weight you put in it. How much is this shrink wrap stuff that you used?




Thanks for the comments! and yea mine moved alone very nicely with just the 2.2hp so I can only imagine the 6hp... Might have to break out the wakeboard! haha just kidding.

About the shrink wrap, I go to college for Marine Service Technician certification so I just brought it in and shrink wrapped it using the schools supplies. You can buy it yourself in rolls but would need a high heat propane torch or a ryepac gun (not like the ones you'd use around the house to shrink wire tubing or anything haha these things are pricey!) It's also very easy to blow a hole through the material if you're not familiar with it. This came out great because I've done several of them, my first few boats I did weren't wrapped so pretty. :LOL2: 

You can get your boat professionally wrapped at a marina/dealership etc for between $5-10 per foot (the normal price is usually around $7 per foot around here). It's more pricey than using a tarp but looks better, vents better and Reusable if you just cut the bands, and a slice down the back you can simply roll it off, take the frame apart and reuse it all next winter just retie the bands and tape up the slit. On larger boats you usually just get new shrink wrap every year but on such a small boat it's easy to roll and fold away the wrap for the summer.

If you have a Marine Tech school near you call them up, they usually do it for free or very cheap as part of training for the students, I'd call soon because right now is when they would be going over winterizing and shrink wrapping.


Thanks again for the kind words! Makes me happy to know I saved this boat from the scrap yard.

-Mike


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## plt3145 (Dec 17, 2012)

=D> Hey Mizzie, you have answered my prayers! [-o< I have a 12 foot 1980 Blue Fin and have had so many questions that I could not visualize the end result. Man, you made that look sooo easy. I am just a week-end plunker when it comes to fishing and boating. Just learning to fish, but I soon realized ya' had to get on the water for some real fun. Anyway, your ideas are great and not to involved...especially for me. I like the size. I am goning to use only a trolling motor for my get around girl and as you know space and weight are a commodity. By the way , did I say that I liked your set-up? :mrgreen: What did you do for your stern compartments? And here is a question for ya or anybody else...how are you holding your fish? Meaning, I don't plan on using a livewell and am curious about what you use and where yu are placing your catch? Drop a picture of your holding or bucket placement! Would ya please...or any body else with a 12 footer! #-o


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## Mizzie (Dec 17, 2012)

Thank you so much for your comments! My build is a joke compared to most of the boats on this site but it's perfect for what I wanted. thanks for the props on the setup! I do plan to put a carpeted floor and some storage in the spring as well which should make it look a bit nicer. I don't plan to put a casting deck on it because being a 10' vhull it would probably be to tippy standing on a high deck. a low floor will be fine though, the boat itself is surprisingly stable I can stand & fish without issues.

About a live well, I just catch & release because al of my local lakes aren't really the cleanest lakes out there.. If I were to need a live well I'd probably just get a decent size cheap cooler and buy a portable aerator. Simple and cheap and it can second as a seat, foot rest or cutting board/table Haha.

Can't wait to see your build! Did you make a thread for it yet? Good luck & have fun.

Mike


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## nlester (Dec 19, 2012)

Mizzie said:


> Thank you so much for your comments! My build is a joke compared to most of the boats on this site but it's perfect for what I wanted. thanks for the props on the setup! I do plan to put a carpeted floor and some storage in the spring as well which should make it look a bit nicer. I don't plan to put a casting deck on it because being a 10' vhull it would probably be to tippy standing on a high deck. a low floor will be fine though, the boat itself is surprisingly stable I can stand & fish without issues.
> 
> About a live well, I just catch & release because al of my local lakes aren't really the cleanest lakes out there.. If I were to need a live well I'd probably just get a decent size cheap cooler and buy a portable aerator. Simple and cheap and it can second as a seat, foot rest or cutting board/table Haha.
> 
> ...



Looking Good Mizzie - Per our previous conversation, I almost found out how sensative this boat is when my fish finder started to slide on one day and when I bent over in my seat to grab for it, the boat tipped until the top of the gunnel was even with the water. I think this is inherant in a lot of the small semi Vs. Be careful. 
I have a cooler that just fits sideways between the front and back seat. It sits against the side of the boat and gives me plenty room to get between the front and back seat. In Texas a lot of us forgo the livewell in the summer and put the fish right on ice. I also got a cheap, round water cooler that I would like to convert to use for shad this year.

Will a 6 hp work? I know that it is only rated for 5hp and below. Maybe a 6hp in a 2 cycle?


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## Mizzie (Dec 19, 2012)

Interesting, surprisingly I've yet to complain about the stability of mine. Not as stable as my old flat bottom but I can stand up in the middle & cast without worrying about falling in Haha standing up towards the bow is a little more tipsy Haha. But I usually don't stand up unless I'm spotting fish or something, I reach over the side to pull anchor or pull in fish all the time I'm a good 210lbs and the side with my weight on it still stays a decent amount above the water. It sits higher in the water then my old 12' flat bottom did! Haha 

If I remember correctly you have a twin of my boat but with higher mounted seats? may be that your seat pedestals are to high? I thought about getting 7" pedestals but decide to mount my swivels directly to the benches to keep center of gravity lower.

About the 6hp. an external tank 2-stroke 6 is certainly lighter than a four stroke 5hp so I'm not worried about it Haha. I just rebuilt the transom mount this season but will probably beef it up a little more come spring so I don't get any flex back there. There is center and corner braces along with the transom wood I believe it's more than sturdy enough 1hp shouldn't sink her Haha (knock on wood).

Any new floor or storage mods? Ever decided if you're removing the center bench yet? 



-Mike


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## nlester (Dec 19, 2012)

I am still thinking about removing my center seat but I like going back to a basic jon boat when ever I have the need. I am thinking about making my little bow shelf permanent and foam filling it so I can remove the center seat but still keep my floatation. If I do that, I will go back to my short post for the seat and I will probably keep it on a removeable slide. Now both my seats are mounted to the bench seats with slides and they are easily removeable. I might build a removeable bench seat from the old bench seat, so that I can use it as a basic jon boat on occasions. I don't see that I would gain anything by removing the rear seat. 

I like my wood slat floor. It is light and keeps my stuff dry. I also like the slat shelf in front. I may build an aluminum box for the slat shelf to rest on to hold the foam. I also need a niche under the shelf for my battery.

I used my boat for 4 years and did not question it's stability until one day when I had to lean to one side suddenly with my hand on the gunnel. I weigh 180 lbs and the sudden shift to one side with my weight on the gunnel almost put me in the water so I got rid of the 7" post. I have no doubt that a casting deck would be out of the question. I think that I would be okay with the 7" post if it were fastened to the bottom of the boat. I am still thinking.

Enjoy your boat this spring. It looks good. I am lucky enough that I will use mine a few times this winter. I just have to be careful to stay out of the cold water. Where I fish mostly is within sight of an attended gate house so help is close by if I need it. I keep a whistle and a small air horn in my life vest.


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## plt3145 (Jan 8, 2013)

Hey Mizzie, I'm thinking bout using truck bedliner on the bottom on my 12 footer also. How did your's hold up and what brand or kind did you use? Your build still does awe me! =D>


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## Mizzie (Jan 8, 2013)

Thanks for your comment. I don't consider this to be an awe worthy boat compared to the other builds on here which make my little boat look like a joke haha. But she's mine and she finds the fish so it makes me happy. 

I used Rustoleum truck bed liner which has a smoother texture so there's no drag like with some of the thick chunky kind of bed liner paints. It's held up great and I only put on one coat. Before I bought the little boat trailer I used to have to beach the the boat and basically drag it up the bank, slide it into my utility trailer and it still looks fine. I also have had to scrape over some submerged logs and such when creeping into shallow coves/sandbars and all and haven't had a problem. 

A few of the guys on here are against using bed liner and I understand their dislike if you're using it to try to seal leaky rivets since that's only a band aid but if your rivets are all good and you just want some extra protection it's good stuff.

Thanks again for your compliments on the boat! 

Mike


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Jan 8, 2013)

I like how that boat sits in the water. Looks like she's ready to zoom off!


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## Mizzie (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks! I too like the stance of it in the water! haha. For the little 2.2hp it certainly moves! I recently picked up a 6hp for the boat so that should be fun! Hanging on to the 2.2 as well as she's been good to me!

For anyone interested... Here's a short video of the 2.2hp outboard on my boat pushing myself (210lbs) and a passanger (I'd say around 160lbs) along with some gear, on a rather big lake. Obviously won't be pulling any skiiers :LOL2: but it's not as slow as I orginally expected before I first took it out. When it's just me it moves a bit better. I'll post a vid with the 6hp sometime this spring.

Video starts off just chugging along but I 'open it up' a few seconds in.

https://youtu.be/iVYU-J_4TEs

[youtube]https://youtu.be/iVYU-J_4TEs[/youtube]


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## TheMaestro (Feb 15, 2013)

Hey nicely executed restore/buiid! Dont know how I missed this post... I have a similar fishfinder, its the fishinbuddy140c, and im thinking of mounting the bracket permenantly as it has mounting holes for that. Have you thought about that? Im also thinking about some bungee/velcro or clips to store it when undrway....What/where on the boat do you keep yours when moving?


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## Mizzie (Feb 16, 2013)

Thanks for your comments on the boat! About the fish finder. I found it easiest to completely take the fish finder out of the mount when in motion. I had it mounted near the oar locks on my boat so it can easily be seen from both seats. 

I just left the bracket blanked on and took the fish finder itself and put it inside the boat when in motion because when in motion the transducer shaft drags in the water and puts stress on the shaft and bracket. I didn't make anything to hold the fish finder out of the way yet but now that you brought it up i am going to because it sounds like a good idea!

Off hand I think maybe some Velcro steps on the inside side of the boat (like those used for fishing rods). Or maybe some hook brackets of some sort. The shrink wrap will be coming off my boat soon so I'll think up a mounting idea and post pics of it.


Thanks,
Mike


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## JMichael (Feb 16, 2013)

I just picked up a Fishinbuddy 120 a few weeks ago. Have either of you done anything about using an external power source? I'm just finishing up the cosmetics of mine (trying to make my mod look a little cleaner).  I adapted it to hook up to a small lead acid rechargeable 8ah 12v battery I got from Cabella's so I don't have to keep taking it apart to replace the internal AA's or buying AA batteries. I left it so I can still run it with AA's in the future if I ever need to though. I plan to buy a dual purpose battery to run my starter, nav lights, etc in the future so I'll probably end up connecting to that one and do away with the small 8ah battery in the near future.


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## TheMaestro (Feb 17, 2013)

I have the 140c (colour) and i get about 6hrs on lithium rechargables, so not a big issue for me, but i saw your mod and its very well done!


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## Mizzie (Feb 17, 2013)

External power source is a good idea I may have to consider that as well.

I'm getting anxious to take the cover off for the winter and begin modding but winter has been in full swing here this month! Hopefully sometime in March things will settle down. On the subject of batteries.... I am planning to add some permanent mount navigation lights as one of my first mods this season. I used to use the portable 'flashlight' clamp-on style bow and stern lights (like you would find on an inflatable) whenever I was out after sunset. Now I want to do something permanent mount that is ready to go with just a flip of a switch and looks better.

I really don't want to add a big deep cycle battery for such a low draw. So I'm going to figure out a lighter battery option and probably mount it somewhere in the bow to help level the boat out when I'm on it alone. If I do just decide to go with a deep cycle, I may add a small low gph bilge pump just for good measure and to make use of the larger battery. There's been a few times when caught out in the heavy rain with a long ride back in where a bilge pump would have been nice. I always keep a hand bailer on the boat just incase but I'm getting lazier lately! haha

Can't wait to get to get back on the lake, this snow has overstayed its welcome! :LOL2: 

Mike


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## TheMaestro (Feb 17, 2013)

For lights and bilge, you dont need a deep cycle battery... There is an active post on batteries just for running accessories, not trolling motors. These are much smaller in size and weight, and are usually sealed so they wont leak and can be used in different positions...


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## JMichael (Feb 18, 2013)

I've been thinking about trying a battery like my riding mower uses. It powers the starter on an 18hp mower engine so I'm wondering if that would be enough for my 20hp outboard starter and nav lights. I don't have a bilge pump installed yet but that's included in future plans also. I guess I'll pull the one off the mower for test purposes this spring and if it works ok, I'll just buy one for the boat.


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