# 14ft Fixer upper



## Happyrocker02 (Jun 19, 2016)

Hey guys so I've been reading through all these awesome modifications that everyone has done so I figured I would try to do my own! A little bit of background info. The last time I worked with tools was junior year in metals class. But I'm a quick learner. 

















This boat is in decent shape for the money I spent on it. I got it from a guy off Craigslist that took it from a guy that owed him some money. I've already started to gut it out because a lot of the wood is rotted. I'm wanting to put a platform on the front and back made out of aluminum so it'll be lighter that what it is. 


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 19, 2016)

Whoever owned this boat before had a great idea with the switches and the pumps etc. there is a live well in the middle bench, and a bilge pump wired in the back and the trolling motor and fish finder in the front that had wires ran all the way to the back to the battery. It all looked like a great idea but just very cheaply done..


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 19, 2016)

So I started taking off the front casting platform and taking all the wires out of the boat, along with removing all the screws this guy had put in the boat. I believe I will name it Holey Mary after I'm finished just from the amount of holes in this boat.











So if you look at the front it looks like the guy cut a hole into the aluminum and then stuffed it with packing styrofoam... 










Okay the part I need help on. How do I get the transom off the boat to put a new one on. I tried drilling a few of big rivets out last night but my lord it takes forever.. Is there an easier way? And the bottom ones are below water level.?







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## fool4fish1226 (Jun 19, 2016)

:WELCOME: Great boat keep the pics coming


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## Kismet (Jun 19, 2016)

Congratulations and welcome.

Allow me to quote from my Alumacraft Model F thread:

_



Stripped the old wood transom off, destroying an historic carpenter ant community, est. 1995.
Image

Went after the transom, taking out the rusty and frozen bolts and screws. I stopped counting at 26. Maybe 6 or 8 were necessary. Go figgur. Finally took the sanding disc to the electric drill, and scoured some serious corrosion, but mostly discoloring and physical damage by the wholesale screwing that went on. (Gotta be a better way to put that.) Washed down, dried, wiped with rubbing alcohol, and took out JBweld, my forever friend. I'm letting it set for a couple of days, the weather here being unsettled, with alternating cold and warm fronts.

Click to expand...

_
There's no easy way, but you will grow as a person of character and determination.


(Well, maybe)

Best wishes.


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## gunz (Jun 19, 2016)

A sharp drill but will run right thru those rivets. Remember to stay one size smaller diameter than the rivet shaft. Not the head. 

Put the rivets that are below the water line in wet (covered in your choice of sealants) then buck the tails.


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 19, 2016)

Thanks for the advice! I got some of the rivets out. Enough to take off the top part above the transom. The aluminum piece is cracked on the back so I'll probably just replace it with a whole new piece. Can't wait to get this part over with. 










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## Bobthebuilder (Jun 19, 2016)

Got your self a project there.


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 20, 2016)

Got a little bit further today after work. I took out the back bench because I couldn't get the angle correct when drilling out the rivets. And plus I'm going to redo the back bench anyways.








Soo onto some more depressing news. Which is definitely my fault for not filling up the middle part of the boat when I was buying the boat. I water tested it before buying it. But I kind of have a small leak. So more than likely I'm going to have to have someone weld it for me.







And I might put a brace over it like like a skid plate.. I'm glad I didn't pay too much for this boat! [emoji28] 


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## Charlesp123 (Jun 21, 2016)

Great project! I am a week into my 14' modification. Looks like you have a lot more work than me, but I also had 4 small leaks in the bottom. I found that out by flooding the boat about 3 inches. I just took a metal angle grinder brush to it lightly to get a great contact area for the JB weld I used. Did that last night and today it is as hard as steel and impossible to get off. Your boat looks similar to mine which I found out is a 1985 fisher. If your not aware and I wasn't until researching how to find the serial code on the boat. Near the outside starboard side of the transom on the top should be a serial number unless it has been taken off. I would suggest doing so because of the way the guy sold you the boat. 









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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 21, 2016)

I thought I've read in the forums that you're not suppose to use jb weld below the waterline but if that'll work I'll do it. 


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## perchjerker (Jun 21, 2016)

I would have it welded

even if the JB weld held, it probably wont for long due to the flexing and stress in that area. 

I would not chance it


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 21, 2016)

perchjerker said:


> I would have it welded
> 
> even if the JB weld held, it probably wont for long due to the flexing and stress in that area.
> 
> I would not chance it



I am just going to weld it. Just bought some rods that'll be here in 2 days to do it. Hopefully I'll have the transom off and at least have it sanded by then. 


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jun 21, 2016)

Happyrocker02 said:


> perchjerker said:
> 
> 
> > I would have it welded
> ...


If you bought some of those brazing rods you melt with a propane torch don't use them. They are much harder to use and if you over heat the aluminum you will cause more problems.


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 22, 2016)

lckstckn2smknbrls said:


> Happyrocker02 said:
> 
> 
> > perchjerker said:
> ...



Are they that hard to use? Have you used them? I want to at least give it a shot. 


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## onthewater102 (Jun 22, 2016)

Yeah the skins on these aluminum boats are so thin that when you get them hot enough for the braze to work they deform and cause more problems then you solve (speaking from experience.)

If you're going with aluminum decking to save weight (which is the WHOLE point to these tin boats anyway right?) I hope you dump that lumberyard worth of half rotted framing support in the process. If you have an air compressor solid rivets are so easy to set and so much stronger than pop rivets.


What type of boat is that? You've got 3 transom buttress supports - bench seats installed OVER support ribs - that thing is built like a tank!


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 22, 2016)

onthewater102 said:


> Yeah the skins on these aluminum boats are so thin that when you get them hot enough for the braze to work they deform and cause more problems then you solve (speaking from experience.)
> 
> If you're going with aluminum decking to save weight (which is the WHOLE point to these tin boats anyway right?) I hope you dump that lumberyard worth of half rotted framing support in the process. If you have an air compressor solid rivets are so easy to set and so much stronger than pop rivets.
> 
> ...



I'm not sure what kind of boat it is. I'll look when I get home. And I plan on removing all the benches and putting a platform on the front and back. Just removing the benches so I can have storage underneath.

So how should I fix the crack on the bottom? I'm open for suggestions. And I'll try to clean up the crack in the next couple of days so we can get an idea of what we're actually looking at. 


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## onthewater102 (Jun 22, 2016)

I'd take it to a quality welder and have it TIG welded, but that's going to cost you a bit but you won't be revisiting it the future.

Slapping goop on it will just require a future reapplication of goop when the first round of goop either separates from the aluminum or cracks as the aluminum moves and flexes.


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## perchjerker (Jun 22, 2016)

you can fiddlefuck around with it all you want I would get it welded correctly and then dont worry about it anymore


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 23, 2016)

perchjerker said:


> you can fiddlefuck around with it all you want I would get it welded correctly and then dont worry about it anymore


I like the way you word it! I'm going to find someone to weld it for me


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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 23, 2016)

Finally got the transom off. Thought it would be in much worse shape than it actually was.
I hope the worst is over because those big rivets would be the death of me. I'll probably start making a new transom this weekend. I prematurely ordered a fish finder so hopefully it'll give me enough drive to hurry up and finish the boat so I can take it out before the end of summer. 

And I think I might have found someone who can weld the crack in the bottom for me. 
Oh and can anyone figure out what kind of boat this is? 
I'll attach a pic from the number off the boat 




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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 23, 2016)

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## Happyrocker02 (Jun 29, 2016)

It's been almost 2 weeks since I posted and update on the boat. I through out my back last week but I still made some headway. I bought some wood and made my transom. It's currently letting the glue settle. 

I've made a list of things I need to do in order so I don't rush this thing and halfass it. 

1. Get center bench out. 
(Hard part is that the previous owner used it as a live well and drilled a hole along with pop riveted the crap out of it aswell. ) 










So I think will will grind off the rivets holding the top part of the bench in in place and then cut close to where the hole is. That way I get rid of all the extra aluminum from the bench. And when I water test it, if it leaks I'm just going to set the boat on fire... (I'm beginning to go nuts over this thing)



2. I'm then going to put the transom on and get it screwed and riveted into place. 





3. Fill All 132,658 holes and then water test this thing! 

4. Braze all the cracks I have found (I should've done a closer inspection before buying because some don't look so well).

5. Bend the front flat to original shape 



this is suppose to be a flat bottom [emoji6]

I might paint this depending on if I get close to finished before the end of summer. I would love to take this thing out before the end of it. 
I really would like to finish with something that looks like this.


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## onthewater102 (Jun 29, 2016)

Don't lose your mind along the way. Many of these finished projects took a long time and were reworked several times along the way.


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## Happyrocker02 (Jul 5, 2016)

I have a buddy coming over to look at welding the crack for me today. 




crack was bigger than expected. But still manageable I believe. 






After everything welded I need to bend the front part of the hull back into shape. I might do that before I weld.




Boat is looking really good otherwise


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## onthewater102 (Jul 5, 2016)

Definitely do that before you weld just in case you accidentally open another fissure in the process.


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## Happyrocker02 (Jul 10, 2016)

Got it back from the welder today and it's looking gorgeous! Haven't water tested it yet but I'll probably get that done by this evening.




He told me anything I want welded just circle it and he will get it done. 
Guy was in the sheet metal Union for 20 years he said so I trusted his abilities. 















Next in going to order some steelflex and get that put on. Then I'll get the transom screwed in then buy the aluminum and figure out how I want to do my platform. Still deciding if I want the rod locker or not. Issue is my 7 foot long poles. 


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## perchjerker (Jul 10, 2016)

I see you did not fiddlefuck around 8) 

arent you happy you didnt? =D>


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## onthewater102 (Jul 11, 2016)

I wanted a rod locker too but gave up on it in the 14' boat & went with the topside straps & a horizontal holder shown in my build thread.

I'm going to figure how to layout my 16' to add one because that will be the boat I travel with and I want the ability to lock all my gear in the boat while I'm staying @ a motel.


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## Happyrocker02 (Jul 11, 2016)

onthewater102 said:


> I wanted a rod locker too but gave up on it in the 14' boat & went with the topside straps & a horizontal holder shown in my build thread.
> 
> I'm going to figure how to layout my 16' to add one because that will be the boat I travel with and I want the ability to lock all my gear in the boat while I'm staying @ a motel.



I probably won't do a rod locker. More room for storage and I won't be traveling far with this boat. So I might just do the topside straps. The plus side of that is that I can get to them quicker


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## Happyrocker02 (Aug 10, 2016)

I got the new transom out in place and bolted in finally. Bery slow progress on the boat. Really busy summer moving my gf from Kansas to here in Missouri along with transitioning to my new job. 
I sanded the bottom and have it prepped and ready to get a new bottom! I bought some Fasco super slick to put on the bottom and have it all taped up and ready to go. 





You can see the welds a little better in this photo










And I put some 2 part marine glue around all the bolts just for added protection. 





Once I get the Fasco put on I will be flipping it over and making templates for the decks and then buying aluminum for the deck framing. 
So one thing people keep telling me is that I should get a motor for the back and I don't really want one. I just wanted to go all battery powered with the front trolling motor. But now everyone has me second guessing and maybe in the future I would want one. 
I was going to have 3 batteries in the back of the boat basically right inside the back bench. 
Should I change that just in case I get a motor later? That way I would be able to distribute some of the weight? 
Or should I just put it back there right now and worry about it later? I didn't plan on wanting to make changes to it later


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## onthewater102 (Aug 10, 2016)

Batteries in the back of a flat bottomed boat is the way to go - the only issue is emergency flotation you won't have with 3 batteries back there so I would try to get that volume of foam really close to where you've got the batteries going. Perhaps along the sides and then across in front of the batteries if you're building a deck in the back - batteries in the middle, room for a gas tank to the rear and foam along the sides and across the front? You need roughly 1 cubic foot of foam for each battery - another two if you're going to add an outboard - and that's just in the rear section of the boat for the point load of those items...you still need foam spread throughout the rest of the boat for the weight of the boat, trolling motor, other gear and occupants.


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## Happyrocker02 (Aug 13, 2016)

What size motor would fit this boat? Anyone?


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