# Ready to get working on my first boat



## ChitownBasser (Feb 7, 2012)

Hello everyone. Love the site here. I've gone back and read almost all 54 pages of this forums. Some really great work is being done. I found this site through a Youtube video and I have been obsessed since. 

A little about myself. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL. From an early age I was hooked (pardon the pun) on fishing. I absolutely love it. Being from the city, I didn't have a lot of opportunities to get out on some water. I did a little lagoon fishing but mainly waited for camping trips to get my fix. Plus, I was the only one in my family who liked to fish. I was on my own and self taught. I was strictly shore fishing. Watching people on boats, hoping one day that would be me. After 31 years of life, I am still a die hard fisherman. I would choose fishing over food and sleep. Sorry I could go on and on. 

So I bought my first boat ever this past Friday. I always wanted a boat and I told myself "you only live once, this is the year". After scowering Craiglist Chicago and surrounding areas, I found a decent boat that I liked. According to the title, it is a BSN 14' Rebel. It's a starter boat for me. Nothing extravagant. I've included some pictures in the post. With the help of my brother in law, I plan on modding the boat to suit my needs and comfort.

Here are just some random thoughts...

I plan to use Steelflex on the bottom half of the outer hull for sealing purposes. The prior owner said there was a bit of water beading (a paper towel's worth) on the inside from seem of the hull. Most posters swear by this. I have to call in an order in the next couple of weeks. I am in no rush due to the cold weather that will be here in Chicago for the next month and a half.

I plan to use Rustoleum based paints on the outside upper half and inside.

*I've left a lot out as far as prepping and processes. I will post thoughts and questions along the way

Thanks*


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## Jdholmes (Feb 7, 2012)

Pretty boat. Welcome to modding and congrats!

If it was me, and this is just because I am not loaded and try to save my pennies, I would skip on the steelflex. All you have is a bit of water beading on a seam? Use a less pricey solution...

But if you are set on it and have the extra cash to take away from other areas of the project it does seem to be a good product.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 7, 2012)

I appreciate the feedback Jdholmes. I am not set on the Steelflex. Still planning it out. I might just do the regular steps of prepping everything, priming, and painting. And putting some Gluvit on the inside seem or 5200 sealant. I am not worried about the money too much (not that I have a lot). I want to do it right and have a nice boat for the next 5+ years.


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## sixgun86 (Feb 7, 2012)

That is a pretty & even matches the trailer! You might just have the smallest leak which really wouldn't require you to use gluvit/steelflex like what JD mentioned. Unless you plan on beaching the boat or the underside is in rough shape I wouldn't even worry about it. If you are planning a full on paint jobs then It would be a good time to do it though.. Be sure to tighten your rivets before coating or sealing. If you fill it with water a bit and watch the underside you will be able to locate your leak easily. 

:WELCOME: to Tinboats


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks Sixgun. I am working on getting the supplies. I plan for the painting near the end of winter. I don't want to be painting in the cold garage in 30 degree weather. This weekend I want to at least get something done so I will be measuring out the framing for the decks and flooring. They will be totally removable. Pictures to come.


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## Brine (Feb 7, 2012)

Welcome to the site, and congrats on the rig. 

Before you do anything, you need to do a leak test on the boat and verify that what the seller mentioned is in fact the case. If you find some areas are leaking, try bucking any rivets that may be involved with the leak first, then do a leak test again, and post up any pics of problem areas. 

I used Steelflex, but it wasn't to stop a leak (and it shouldn't be used for that purpose in my opinion). I used it to make loading the boat under electric only power a bit easier, and as a preventative measure.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks Brine. Rivets scare me. I know what a rivet is but I know nothing about them. I wouldn't know where to start. Not sure what bucking means. I will do a leak test by the weekend.

On a side note. What are the positives and negatives to painting a Herculiner on the lower interior? I seen this done on other mods. Fairly easy to buy ($30) at any auto store.


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## Brine (Feb 7, 2012)

Yah... rivets scared me too, but after popping a couple thousand during my build, I got over it. #-o 

Bucking a rivet is simply tapping the rivet on one side while holding a heavy object (like a sledge hammer) against the other side. All your doing is re-tightening the rivet. If it's near the centerline of the hull (beyond arm's length to reach both sides), you'll need an extra hand. If you run a search for "bucking rivets" on here, you'll likely find plenty of discussions on it, and I believe there is a video as well. 

I'm not a fan of Herculiner in boats. It's a bit too agressive of a texture for my taste. I applied it to my trailer though, because I liked the idea of non-skid for walking on getting in and out of the boat and my old trailer paint job got trashed driving on gravel roads to many of the lakes I fish.

Help me understand why you are considering it, and I may be able to guide you to an alternative.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 7, 2012)

Brine said:


> I'm not a fan of Herculiner in boats. It's a bit too agressive of a texture for my taste. I applied it to my trailer though, because I liked the idea of non-skid for walking on getting in and out of the boat and my old trailer paint job got trashed driving on gravel roads to many of the lakes I fish.
> 
> Help me understand why you are considering it, and I may be able to guide you to an alternative.



I just want a coating for the floor of my boat. Not for visual purposes. Decking and floor board would likely cover the Herculiner.


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## Jdholmes (Feb 7, 2012)

I used rustoleum bed liner on mine - cheaper and it gave it a nice hard surface.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 7, 2012)

Jdholmes said:


> I used rustoleum bed liner on mine - cheaper and it gave it a nice hard surface.



Jd was that on the inside? If so, how high did you apply it?


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## Jdholmes (Feb 7, 2012)

Yah it was the inside just the floor. 

I used the spray cans...it was quick and easy...good coverage. I think I used 3 cans...

You can roll it on too, but I preferred the spray.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 8, 2012)

I hit up Menards today for my mod. I bought some 2x2s for my decking, stainless steel screws (not cheap), and some Thompson's Water Seal. I started my templates for my flooring and deck. Not too hard. This weekend I plan on working on that.















Also, I mentioned in my first post about minor water beading in the seem of the bow. Here it is in the picture. Looks like the prior owner used a sealant. He said it would only soak a paper towel's worth in a day of fishing.
Question: Do I reseal (after I clean out the old sealant) with 3M 5200 or maybe some JB Weld? Or something else?


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## Jdholmes (Feb 8, 2012)

Yeah I would try cleaning it out good, rebuck the rivets in that area and then 5200.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 8, 2012)

Thanks JB. I will definitely go back and re-read re-bucking posts for research even if wary about it. Just seems like a hard spot do do so due to the curve of the bow.


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## cartech5 (Feb 8, 2012)

I also used rustoleum bed liner the roll on kind, not as rough as hurculiner and I think it turned out great, I did the Whole inside of the boat with it, including the walls where poles and stuff couldnt chip it.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 8, 2012)

Sounds good Cartech.


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## cartech5 (Feb 8, 2012)

Im sorry im typing from my phone haha


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## Brine (Feb 9, 2012)

If you're going to deck the boat, keep in mind that the textured coating will hold dirt/debris more than not having it, and putting a deck above all or part of it will make cleaning it/drainage to the bilge that more difficult. I used a paint with a teflon additive on the hull for this reason (and because it was free :lol: ). I had visions of dirt just sliding around on the paint like an egg in a teflon pan and shooting through the drain. I'm sure the paint helps, but because I painted it white...... It stays dirty.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 9, 2012)

Thanks Brine. Another thing to think about. I didn't even think about that. My decks and flooring will be removable. Cleaning debris should not be hard. 

Question: How important is it to have a bilge pump?


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## Brine (Feb 9, 2012)

ChitownBasser said:


> Question: How important is it to have a bilge pump?



It's not important until you need it. #-o


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 9, 2012)

I got ya. It guess it beats using a cup to bail yourself out.


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## skysail (Feb 10, 2012)

Hey nice boat. I live near Chicago, and I'm starting to work on my first boat too, you recommend any good lakes with launches?


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 10, 2012)

Skysail, there are so many that I plan on hitting that I once was limited to just shorefishing. When my boat is ready, I will be launching as as many weekends as I could. Where you do live by?

I live in the city, outside the UIC area. It's funny you asked that because I took a drive today to a city boat launch on the Chicago River that would eventually lead to the lakefront. $25 dollars to launch. Crazy right? Some lakes I will be launching at will be Wolf Lake, Busse Lake, Calumet Lake, Tampier Lake, Skokie Lagoons, just to name a few that I have shore fished. So many more. Plus when I upgrade my motor, I will be hitting the cooling lakes. I would love to hit Lake Michigan for some smallies around the Shedd. Not sure were I could launch for free or a reasonable price.


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## KevinWI (Feb 10, 2012)

Bilges are nice on those mornings you go out to your boat beached on shore or at the dock after a long night of rain. Just walk in and flip the switch....Also if you're prone to staying out in the pouring rain while fishing. Other than that if you have your boat on a trailer and pull it out every fishing trip, the boats self drain, so you're not using the bilge.


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## skysail (Feb 10, 2012)

I live in the southwest suburbs, hickory hills, its not too far from the city. I fish tampier lake, maple lake, bullfrog lake, saganaskee, the des plaines river, they are all really close to me. I also fish montrose and burnam harbor sometimes. I was just wondering about lakes that allow engines because tampier and saganaskee are electic only i think. I would love to take my boat on lake michigan like you said, but im afraid of waves and big boats. I bought a lowe 1436 and I have a yamaha 8hp for it. I guess I would be alright if it was really calm.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 11, 2012)

Sky, it's definitely worth a shot to go out on the big lake for BIG smallies, when it's calm. You live around a lot of forest preserve lakes. Also I am not sure where you could launch on the Desplaines River but there is some fishing to be had there (pike, bass). Also jump on 55 and go out to the cooling lakes.

Today I have started my back decking after getting some supplies at Home Depot. Strong ties are not as expensive as I thought. It will be completely removable btw. Layout seem to be going okay.







I bought an aluminum angle bar to split in half and attach to the transom. My back of my deck frame would rest on the angle bar attached with two screws to hold my deck down. It's still a work in progress. I am working on some cross bars for further support.

My question is how should I rest the frame on the rib of the boat (look at picture below)? Should I notch out the wood to curve to the rib of the boat? Should I use some sort of bracket to hold my wood footing? Keep in mind that I don't want to attach my wood frame to the boat. BTW in the picture, nothing is screwed yet. My leg piece might end up being under the actual long cross bar as opposed to the side like in the picture.


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## ChitownBasser (Feb 12, 2012)

After a weekend of progress, everything is coming together.






The back decking is complete. I was having trouble with my leg supports but my brother in law used a circle creating drill bit on the bottom of the leg to contour the rib. Having the cardboard template helped size up the 1/2" plywood. Cutting wasn't too bad. Ended the day early with some Thompson's seal on the back deck and the floor.






Now onto the front deck and figuring out my storage layout. The plywood for that should be done by the weekend and then I could move on to the carpeting. Due to the cold weather, I am saving the paint for the end.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 5, 2012)

I finished the next phase of my boat today. All woodwork and carpet work are completed. I am glad too. That carpet glue was all over the place. I am not a carpenter but I do okay. Very pleased with the way it turned out. Not perfect, by no means. But decent. Installed my Perko hatch pulls(love 'em). My switch panel is mounted but not hooked up yet. I also add a $10 cargo net from Walmart to give some extra storage. Here are some pics.




































































































Next up is body work, body prep/prime, and paint. I bought 5 cans of self-etching primer. Is that enough for inside and out? Once it's primed, do I just paint it with some rustoleum paint? What about adding thinner to paint? What effect does it have? I read that some people do this.


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## fool4fish1226 (Mar 5, 2012)

Lookin good =D>


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## Jdholmes (Mar 5, 2012)

Looking great! I love the cargo net idea! 

I would say you are going to go through around 6 cans....I think I used 3-4 for my interior.

And you don't need to thin the paint, once your self etching primer is on there just paint away. I haven't done my whole boat yet but i did the rear to test and it seems to be adhering great.


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## Jdholmes (Mar 5, 2012)

And I did the interior as well, just sprayed canned on top of the self etching and it is holding really well.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 6, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I will be working on this in the coming week.


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## DyerBassman (Mar 6, 2012)

Looks great! I also love the cargo net idea ( great way to use every inch possible). I live in Dyer, IN (just over the border) and I am just starting a mod on my. 12' Alumacraft. There are a ton of small lakes out here that you should check out, too. I did decent last year bass fishing in the area.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 7, 2012)

DyerBassman, howdie. I am somewhat familiar with that section of Indiana (not fishing-wise though). I used to live in Plymouth, IN. So this may be a stupid question but when taking my boat into other states, there is no other registrations I need to use my boat in other waters? I understand that I need a fishing license in which ever state I am in. Do all states require fishing licenses? I would like to vacation down in Kentucky Lake one year. Do you own both IL and IN fishing licenses? 
Good luck with your mod. I tried finding a smaller cargo net but this one serves its purpose. I am still looking for 10" by 10" cargo material for the underside of my hatch doors. Now that would be using as much space as I could. I may have to just make my own.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 7, 2012)

Okay. Sorry to go back to the paint thing but I have a couple of more questions. Any advice or tips would be appreciated. The inside of my boat seems to be in its original aluminum state, do I have to sand it before priming? I have 200 grit just in case.






The outside. It appears that there used to be some kind of blue paint or primer under the red paint. I am using a stripping wire wheel drill bit. This red paint is not coming off easy. With some muscle I could eventually finish it. Just looking for an easier way. Do I have to strip the red off before priming? Can I just sand the outside, wiped with acetone, and prime? The bottom is unpainted btw. 






I am almost done but this paint thing seems tricky.


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## DyerBassman (Mar 7, 2012)

ChitownBasser said:


> DyerBassman, howdie. I am somewhat familiar with that section of Indiana (not fishing-wise though). I used to live in Plymouth, IN. So this may be a stupid question but when taking my boat into other states, there is no other registrations I need to use my boat in other waters? I understand that I need a fishing license in which ever state I am in. Do all states require fishing licenses? I would like to vacation down in Kentucky Lake one year. Do you own both IL and IN fishing licenses?
> Good luck with your mod. I tried finding a smaller cargo net but this one serves its purpose. I am still looking for 10" by 10" cargo material for the underside of my hatch doors. Now that would be using as much space as I could. I may have to just make my own.



As long as your boat is registered somewhere, I believe you could fish it anywhere ( not 100% sure, but it makes sense). As long as you have a valid fishing license for that state, you should be fine. I didn't have a IL license last year, but I may get one this year just to give myself more options.


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## Jdholmes (Mar 7, 2012)

Indeed...there is an easier way. . If your paint is holding good there is no reason to remove it. The 200 grit is fine to scuff off the oxidization, clean it with some acetone and you are good to go. Some guys like to take it down to a pressure washer as well.

Anywhere you do have bare aluminum you will have to use self etching primer to get good adhesion.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 7, 2012)

Thanks for the info JD. Almost have everything figured out.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 11, 2012)

I was pretty productive the past couple of days. I prepped the inside of the boat for painting by giving it a light sanding. Put some 3M 5200 on the hull seam of the boat and some of the rivets just as a precautionary measure. Primed the the inside with Rustoleum self-etching primer (2.5 cans). 












I bought some Rustoleum Sunrise Red paint for Menards. Two cans of the red and black. I put down 3 coats of the red. Not as easy as it sounds. I had to jump in the boat at one boat. 








Inside red is done. Hit the trim with the black.





Now I am waiting to hit the black up again before bed. By tomorrow, I should be able to flip the boat over and prep it for painting. Hopefully complete painting by next weekend.

BTW Right now I am keeping the bottom bare. Eventually I will paint it black or spray some Rustoleum bed liner in there.


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## esoxkid06 (Mar 12, 2012)

that thing is looking pretty good!


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 20, 2012)

UPDATE! PICTURE HEAVY This past weekend was great. The weather in Chicago has been record breaking. It also allowed me to finish up my painting. 









































































The final product minus a few touch ups. I plan on stencil painting my tags and reviving the "Aqua Queen" logo on the back sides. Not too hard of a project. I rolled the bottom of the boat and brushed the tighter sides of the boat. 




































Now on to the electronic portion of the build. BTW I only went thru 1.5 quarts of the red paint and 3/4 of the quart of black for the inside and outside of the boat. The white paint, I believe, was a pint. AND you can't go wrong with green frog tape. I ran out and used some blue tape and white tape. Not the same.


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 20, 2012)

I like the paint, good job!


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks Utah. Almost at the end of the project. I can almost feel the water beneath my feet.


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## bigwave (Mar 20, 2012)

Wow that looks awesome chitown, I am not a red kinda guy, but the way you combined the colors looks real retro to me. I like it =D>


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks bigwave. My trailer is red, so that was my starting point. I just went from there. Kinda got a Chicago Bulls vibe, not intentional. Plus I wanted to add some cool stripes or design of sorts on the side.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 28, 2012)

UPDATE! Almost there.
I pretty much finished the electronic wiring and hook ups. I still need to clean up some wiring and get something to hide wires. But the hard part is done. I also want to get two more red led lights for the middle of the boat. Here is the video of the lights.



I installed my trolling motor and fish finder wiring/transducer. My stern light base and anchor thing also installed. I picked the middle of the boat as the spot for my fish finder. More pics.








































































































Besides a couple of small things, it is just about ready for the water. I have to get the plates for my trailer. Hopefully, Easter weekend will be the maiden voyage. Pics of that to come later.


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## Jdholmes (Mar 28, 2012)

Wow, fantastic job you are doing.


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## 62kodiak (Mar 28, 2012)

Awesome boat. I have a 15' Alumacraft open C and I am going to build it like yours. Thanks for the ideas.


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## ChitownBasser (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks guys. Really without this website, I wouldn't have known what to do. Everyone's posts have helped out a bunch.


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## Brine (Mar 29, 2012)

Looks great man. =D> 

Most GA Bulldog fans would agree :LOL2:


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## fool4fish1226 (Mar 29, 2012)

Nice work let us know how it fishes


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## bigwave (Mar 29, 2012)

Looks great, I must say the red is growing on me. =D>


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 9, 2012)

FINAL UPDATE. 
The Aqua Queen floats.




After getting my hitch installed and my trailer light wiring installed, it was time so cash in after all that hard work. Saturday morning, I loaded up the boat and headed out to the lake.




It was my first time ever launching a boat. Very tricky. It's gonna take some getting used to. Well I put the boat in the water and she floats great. It was a bit windy out and I regretted not installing my cleats for connecting to the dock. Other than that, I dropped my TM down and headed out. 












Everything was going good. Very stable towards the back where the boat is flatter. It gets more of a side to side action when you move to the front. It should fit 3 persons easily. Before my next trip out, I want to install my older TM in the front of the boat. I think this will help me navigate better when I am drifting and just want a little push. We (my girlfriend's son) managed one decent little bass for the day on a red shad colored power worm. We decided to call it quits for the day after 3 hours. I can tell when kids get bored.




I decided "what the heck", I'll go fishing tomorrow too. Got home and started charging my battery up. Now my battery tester said it needed a recharge. I think I didn't have a full charge for my first trip out. I went out the next day. The ramp was easier to launch at this other lake. Water was like glass at 7 am. 












I fished for about 4 hours. No fish. That's okay. It's great just being on the water. 
That's it. That's my build. After 3 months, spending for parts, and trips to the store, she's water ready. There are probably a few things I need to tinker with in the coming weeks. The paint job already has some scratches on it. I understand it's gonna happen. Before my next trip, I want to install my front trolling motor and my cleats. Now to put some fish in the boat.


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## skysail (Apr 17, 2012)

Hey boat looks great, if you dont mind me asking, which 2 lakes are those in the pictures? I have been out a few times too. Heidecke, Shabonna and the calsag. I still havnt caught a fish. Im looking for a nice lakes with launches like that.


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 18, 2012)

It was Busse Woods. The main pool. It has a great launch. No fish though. Very windy and cool. The first lake was Wolf Lake. The launch there is more trickier to launch. Next up, Tampier.


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## phxbuckeye (Apr 18, 2012)

You did a great job on your boat. We all now the amount of time and energy it takes to get it done from start to finish, but its fun and rewarding. Unfortunately the dollars do add up haha. I have my trolling motor mounted off the bow of my boat and it works great. My fishing buddy sits up front and he usually just stears it. I have my 9.9 on the back. The wind does make it a bit tasking when trying to troll in an aluminum, we have all been there, especially trying to land it on the trailer!. The great thing about these boats is they are essentially a giant lego set, you will always find something else you want to do, especially after watching all the new builds on here. Again, great job! =D>


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks phxbuckeye. It has been very rewarding. And the money did add up. I am happy to have a water ready boat sitting in my garage, ready to be taken out at any moment (for years to come). I eventually want to get a gas powered 9.9 hp motor in a couple of years but I am satisfied with the way it is now. I really couldn't have done it without this site, forum posts, and some members input. Now to put some fish in the boat.


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## fender66 (Apr 20, 2012)

This is a very nice build. Not sure how I've missed this thread.


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## Redfox03 (Apr 21, 2012)

nice rig ya got there. looks very clean. i might have to steal some of your ideas


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 21, 2012)

Thanks Red. You can "borrow" some ideas just as I borrowed from many of the guys on here. Good luck with your build.


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## J-MO (Apr 21, 2012)

Boat looks great defiantly a inspiration for the design of mine..Have been debating what to deck and what not to deck and where to place storage..Your boat is a smooth operator for sure..Built not Bought ..thanks for all the info


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## MTord03 (Apr 21, 2012)

Boat looks real sharp! Nice work! I noticed you had the front seat mounted real close to the nose. Are you regretting that at all? Im trying to decide the placement on the front seat on my boat and cant decide where to put it. Thanks


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 21, 2012)

I haven't really sat in the the front seat yet. I have been primarily in the back seat as I controlled my trolling motor. I will be trying the front more as I mount an old trolling motor up there with a Bigfoot foot control pedal. The boat does get a bit wobbly as you move to the bow but not much. I will update on how it is to fish out the front.
I definitely love my storage. I was thinking of adding a few more but I didn't want to overdue it. 
Thanks for the compliments.


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## novaman (Apr 22, 2012)

Nice job ,and I really like the paint like that on the older boats, makes 'em look fast even setting still.


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## bguy (Apr 22, 2012)

glad to see ya at the boat ramp... i'll be there soon...i like the cargo net in front of your rear bench...


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 22, 2012)

Now to put some in the boat like your profile pic, bguy.


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## TheMaestro (Apr 22, 2012)

Hey, awesome mod! I just got my first tinnie and Im about to start my mod. Im using a lot of yourideas, and I was wondering a couole things... Did the 2x2's turn out sturdy enough? What did you do for a floor? And finally, did you in the end install a bilge?


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 22, 2012)

Hey Maestro, thanks. 2x2's, pretty sturdy, so far. I wanted to keep the weight down and I noticed a lot of other modders on this forum use them too. I am a big guy 6 feet, 250 and I have no worries about the sturdiness. The floor is just a removable carpet wrapped piece of 5/8" plywood with some 2x2's under in the shape of a ladder just laying on the floor. I will post a pic for you tomorrow.
No bilge btw. Boat is kept in a garage. I use a cover as much as I can. I don't plan on being on the lake during any downpours. If I ever want to clean out the boat, I could just remove all the pieces.


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## d3vino (Apr 22, 2012)

Great looking boat!


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 24, 2012)

After being on the water twice, I decided to make a couple of tweaks. First I moved my front seat back six inches to make room for my bigfoot switch.





It will a give me some room so that I do not feel like I am sitting on the nose of the boat.
I installed my bigfoot switch for my older front trolling motor. After some wiring hookups, it was done. Not too hard. And it works. Pretty cool. Now whoever is in the front seat can keep us on some fishing spots. with just a tap on the switch.








I was watching a fishing show and I noticed when a guy lifted up his storage hatch, he had some clips with his baits attached. This is my version of it.












Quick access to the baits I am using for the day. EDIT those clips are simple alligator clips from Amazon. A 12pk for $4.50.

For TheMaestro, he are two pictures of my floor. It just sits on the ribs of the boat. With the weight, it doesn't shift or move at all.


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## fender66 (Apr 24, 2012)

Awesome improvements!


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## TheMaestro (Apr 25, 2012)

Hey thanks, that gives me a good idea for my floor. I really like the idea of the bait clipped to the lid, its really a good use of space and handy. Im gearing up with materials to start, so its almost time for me to start my own post on here!


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## ChitownBasser (Apr 25, 2012)

Good luck.


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## VT-Bass13 (May 1, 2012)

were can i find this ?


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## Rock (May 1, 2012)

VT-Bass13 said:


> were can i find this ?



napa has a variety to choose from.. if anyone knows a better place, i'd be interested also...


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## ChitownBasser (May 2, 2012)

I really like Amazon.com for certain things. This is where I got them. Here are the two links.
Switches: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VHWLP2/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00
Fuse box w/ neg bus:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000THQ0CQ/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01
There are different options for the switches. This layout just made it so easy to hook up and I was a noob too. I also took alot from Jay415's post, especially this page: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=22353&start=45
Hope this helps you.


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## ChitownBasser (May 2, 2012)

Oh and some wiring from Amazon and the heavier duty ones from Genuinedealz.com (No shipping, no taxes). The T-connectors, that joined two wires into one, are just from Walmart.


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## VT-Bass13 (May 2, 2012)

ChitownBasser said:


> Oh and some wiring from Amazon and the heavier duty ones from Genuinedealz.com (No shipping, no taxes). The T-connectors, that joined two wires into one, are just from Walmart.



very nice ! thanks for the links


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## Gators5220 (May 2, 2012)

Sick boat man! =D>


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## Rock (May 3, 2012)

great links, thanks!


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## fishfast41 (May 4, 2012)

Damnnn , dude, love that paint job!! Lookin good.


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