# Codeman's 14' Lonestar V Conversion. (TM mount to start)



## Codeman (Jun 29, 2008)

Well I started on my V bottom conversion this evening. I decided since I had the scrap laying around that I could knock out my TM mount for the front of the boat. 

Start with nothing.






Add a few odd pieces of angle iron from the scrap bin.






Tack them together and do a test fit. Hmmm looks like i need to make some angled spacers.






A couple of washers and a small piece of pipe, Ok thats covered.






Add a piece of square tube for the rear brace/ mounting holes and weld it up solid.






Add a chunk of wood for it to clamp to, and we are in business.






Looks decent to me.






It still needs to be painted, but I will wait till I have a chance to try it out before I go to the trouble. Hopefully it will get to see some water time this next week. I may still need to add a backing plate or something on the bottom side of the aluminum. The out side edge is very strong but even with some huge fender washers the inside flexes a bit. I'll just have to try it and see if it needs anything else. Well next come finishing the floor so I have a flat spot for your feet in the front of the boat.


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## Jim (Jun 29, 2008)

Nice work there man! =D>


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## Ouachita (Jun 29, 2008)

I had a rig like that on an old Lone Star at one time. I cut a triangular piece of plywood to go underneath so that the pull on the bolts would be spread out over the entire area instead of at the bolt locations. That should stop your flexing. Hope I explained that good enough.


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## Codeman (Jun 29, 2008)

That is exactly what I was thinking about doing. Or using a big flat piece of steel to sandwich it all together with.


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## Waterwings (Jun 29, 2008)

Looks good! Only a recommendation, but you may want to get some sheet rubber (1/8" thick maybe) and cut strips to place between the new steel mount and the aluminum foredeck where it's mounted. It will add some anti-vibration cushioning, plus aid in preventing electrolysis (would take a little while) between the dissimilar metals. The plywood backing plate under the deck, as mentioned above is a good idea! 8)


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## Quackrstackr (Jun 29, 2008)

Waterwings said:


> ....may want to get some sheet rubber (1/8" thick maybe) and cut strips to place between the new steel mount and the aluminum foredeck where it's mounted. It will add some anti-vibration cushioning, plus aid in preventing electrolysis (would take a little while) between the dissimilar metals......



Get out of my brain! :shock: :mrgreen: 

+1 on the backer for underneath, as well.


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## Waterwings (Jun 29, 2008)

Quackrstackr said:


> Waterwings said:
> 
> 
> > ....may want to get some sheet rubber (1/8" thick maybe) and cut strips to place between the new steel mount and the aluminum foredeck where it's mounted. It will add some anti-vibration cushioning, plus aid in preventing electrolysis (would take a little while) between the dissimilar metals......
> ...



Great minds think alike


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## brewfish (Jun 29, 2008)

Looks good! :beer: The only suggestion I have other than what the others have said would be you might want to consider using a thicker piece of wood and then using a paddle bit drilling a couple of shallow holes into the wood. Then when you attach the tolling motor the round ends of clamps would go into the holes preventing the trolling motor from accidentally slipping off the mount in rough water. I was out in a friends boat with a similar setup and after taking a couple big hits from waves the motor popped off the mount and went straight to the bottom.


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## Codeman (Jun 29, 2008)

Thats a god idea. I was trying to figure out how to secure so even if it did come loose so it wouldn't fall off. I think I am going to put a piece of wood on both sides too.


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## Codeman (Jul 1, 2008)

I changed the name of this thread and I'll just keeping adding my progress here. And now I'll back up and show what I am actually starting with. 

This is what I have, the title says its a '65 Lonestar it looks to be a 14' Commander to me, not 100% sure the year is correct. Also sitting on a Lonestar trailer that is in excellent shape. I have a 76 Model Merc 9.8 hp 110 motor as well as the Minn Kota trolling motor pictured above. I acquired this boat from my father in law. As far as the boat goes I have $0 in the way it sits. Not bad but there is more to the story that I won't get into here. LOL One of the previous owners did the carpet floor work that has been done and pretty much lost interest. So this is my starting point.

Boat and trailer. Oh and by the way these photos were taken last fall I'm not south of the equator. LOL 






Shot from behind, my father in law did replace the transom when he acquired it back (he owned it twice).






What most of the inside looks like right now.











My plan for now is to finish the floor inserts and deck from the front seat forward and make some storage under it. I also want to set it up so a cooler/ livewell can be secured in this area of the floor behind the front seat. It obviously needs paint on the out side as well but that part can wait. I hope to get the rest of the floor and the decking done in short order, coaching/ playing on a church league softball team is killing me on time right now.


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## Codeman (Jul 4, 2008)

Well after having it in the water and fishing out of it for a few hours yesterday, I have made some changes to my plans. The TM mount worked out great I need to put some wood on the inside and out to give the motor a little more to clamp to but other than that it work fine. I will not be decking from the front seat forward now, not nearly stable enough. I'm going to finish putting the floor down and raise the front seat a bit. I am going to put down some deck behind the rear bench and set up a pedestal in the center of the bench for guy in back. Having a couple of motor issues that I need to deal with but all in all it did fine. I am glad I took it out before making any huge changes that I might have regretted.


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## Jim (Jul 4, 2008)

Good call man! I honestly think the floor is what makes the boat anyway in my opinion.


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## Codeman (Jul 6, 2008)

Look it actually floats!






And I caught something out of it. LOL This was the monster for the day.


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## Zum (Jul 6, 2008)

Nice pictures,,,thats a silvery looking fish.


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## Jim (Jul 6, 2008)

Great pics codeman! What kind of fish is that?

:beer:


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## joho5 (Jul 6, 2008)

drum or big shad?


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## Codeman (Jul 6, 2008)

I won't lie and say that I know for sure but my brother says its a white bass. Honestly I haven't fished in years I am having to re learn alot of things. All of my motorsport hobbies have gotten way to expensive because of fuel costs so I basically dusted off my nearly free boat and decided to take up fishing again. I am finding it very relaxing where used to I got bored very easy, maybe I'm getting old. :?


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## Waterwings (Jul 7, 2008)

Cool pic of your rig! .......................and I've never seen a fish like that either. :?:


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## Zum (Jul 7, 2008)

I think it's a drum,by the long dorsil fin and mouth.


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## Codeman (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanks zum I believe you are right. Its been confirmed its a drum. Regardless it was fun to catch then I let him go.


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## Codeman (Jul 21, 2008)

OK I am finally making progress again. I finished my trolling motor mount a week or so ago for starters and it works prefect now. Brewfish thanks for the tip on the paddle bit that worked out nicely. Here are the finished pics. (Yeah I know it still needs paint) 












Ok if you missed my thread in the motor section, I also added a different power plant to the old girl, I've got a vintage Buccaneer 12hp to go with the Vintage Lonestar boat now. Runs pretty sweet.






And I also started on my front floor section with some storage tonight. I decided to go with steel #1 because I had it piled up in the shop and it shouldn't have any issues holding up my weight. Its all pretty thin wall so weight won't be an issue. Got a $3 Wal-Mart special plastic tub for a storage bin. It should hold pretty much anything I'd put in it. 











I hope to get the floor in it this week and maybe do some fishing next weekend. Thats my update for now.


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## switchback (Jul 21, 2008)

Looking good. Kinda looks like my boat. The only thing I would do if using steel against aluminum is put some clear box tape between the steel and aluminum to keep it from corroding the aluminum. I work on 18 wheeler trailers and we have to do that before we use steel on alum. for this reason.


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## brewfish (Jul 21, 2008)

Looking good, can't wait to see how it turns out. =D> That TM mount looks nice and sturdy, I plan on doing to the same thing to my mount with the holes. I still can't forget seeing my buddies expensive salt water TM taking a dive off the bow of the boat in rough water :shock: #-o


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## Codeman (Jul 30, 2008)

Ok regardless whether or not I score the flat bottom jon boat that I posted in the boat forum this one needs to get finished. I worked on my floor just a bit more tonight and got the decking and storage lid done and mounted my front pedestal for the seat. 

AS usual here are the pics.
Seat mounted just a little higher to match the floor. Much more comfortable this way.





I decided to keep plenty of support for th floor so I cut the opening just a little smaller for the storage bin.











My plan is to make a panel and carpet it to mount here and cover where the battery will be and it will give me a place to mount my fish finder that I scored for cheap (Humminbird 300tx for $30) as well as anything else I need to. 





Forgive my quicky photoshop job. 





Well thats it for tonight I hope to finish all of the floor and carpet before the weekend is over, looks like it will be too friggin' hot to be on the water anyway.


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## Waterwings (Jul 30, 2008)

Good progress! 8) 

As switchback stated above, a layer of thick boxing tape between the steel and aluminum will prevent corrosion (electrolysis).


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## phased (Jul 31, 2008)

Looking really good.


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## RCP (Jul 31, 2008)

That does look good I am working on a similar Lonestar project myself right now. Mind if I ask how wide your boat is? Mine is similar (14') but had a side steering console that I ended up removing because i felt like it took up to much room and wasn't usable with the modern motor I swapped onto the boat.


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## Codeman (Jul 31, 2008)

It measures about 44" in the floor.


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## Bass fisherman (Nov 26, 2010)

hey codeman i just got done building a bracket like yours for the tm for my v boat. My question is i see ur tm speed contol handel and the propeller are facing the same direction. Its there a way to do this. when i used my tm in bow the speed control handle is facing me but the propeller is facing the other way.


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## Codeman (Nov 27, 2010)

If it is a Minkota Endura, it is as simple as taking out the screw that holds the control head on turning it 180* and putting the screw back in. This boat is gone but I'm still using the trolling motor on my new boat.


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## alumacraftman (May 19, 2011)

looks real good..have fun with it.that's what it's all about.


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