# HOUSE's 14' Crestliner V-haul MOD (photos added)



## HOUSE (Dec 20, 2010)

Hey guys,
I've been a big fan of this site for a long time. You guys are awesome, and I hope I don't bother you with too many questions about my latest project 

I bought a 14' Crestliner v-haul to work on this winter. I think it dates back to 1959, it has a new 9.9hp Mercury outboard on it which runs great. My original plan before I found this site was to rip out the benches and simply put a floor board down and a front fishing deck like this: (before & after) *photo removed* 
but now that I've seen all of the projects on this website, I've got much bigger plans!

I'll post as many photos of the project as I can. I'm starting it tonight with my friend in my 20 degree Ohio garage :shock:

I think I'll combine 3 of my favorite designs from this site (devilmutt, benjineer, bassnbrian) and see if I can make something like this: *photo removed* (I hope you guys don't mind if I borrow your layouts to save time. My Microsoft Paint skills are far from "Bob Ross" quality!)

I'll upload the real pictures of my boat when I get home and start getting dirty...

Thanks in advance for any advice!
-House

UPDATE: New Photos Added!
I finally uploaded the first pictures to photobucket. You can see them all here: https://s185.photobucket.com/albums/x123/WAREHOUSE77/BOAT/

I'll attach the most pertinent ones below:
video clip after ripping out the benches:




































































*Update: THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN AHEAD OF TIME:
1) Piano hinges should match the diameter of your plywood if you plan to mount them inside the 2 pieces of wood rather than on top.
2) Use 1/2 plywood to cut weight if there is ample support under it. Use 3/4 inch for everything that needs support.
3) Use a cheap staple gun to nail down your carpet as you glue it. Much easier than using clamps.
4) Don't be afraid to rivet. It's fun!

FINAL PICS:
1) LAYOUT:


----------



## charliep (Dec 20, 2010)

Welcome house. I am looking forward to the pics!

charlie


----------



## LonLB (Dec 20, 2010)

Looking forward to seeing the progress.....
I'm going to be doing the same thing this winter as well. I'm starting with a 16ft Sea Nymph.
I'm going to go pick it up next week so I should be able to start a thread then...

I'm looking forward to watching your progress. 8)


----------



## HOUSE (Dec 21, 2010)

Okay, I gutted her last night and stripped down layer after layer of dirt and grime. I didn't get a chance to upload any photos yet, but I took quite a few that I'll post later. I've got my plywood laid out and cardboard boxes cut to shape.

Quick question: 
-I've got a really bad back and I'm looking for a comfortable front fishing chair for the front platform. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good chair that has decent back support? I don't mind dropping a few bucks on this part of the project.

Thanks!
House


----------



## HOUSE (Dec 21, 2010)

I added the only pic I have on my work computer  I'll upload a billion more as this project goes along, I promise =D>


----------



## JonBoatfever (Dec 21, 2010)

Looks good!.....im new to this website =D>


----------



## Brine (Dec 21, 2010)

Looking forward to watching your progress HOUSE


----------



## jasper60103 (Dec 22, 2010)

Sweet! I'm looking forward to your mod. I have 16' Crestliner semi V as well.


----------



## bassnbrian (Dec 23, 2010)

looks like a nice build =)

Ironically...I am redoing my boat design from last year .

I am a youth pastor and thus I constantly have 2-3 teens or teens and parents out on the boat...and in the small space of my 16 footer it was rather difficult getting around people.

So....I am removing the side storage units, raising the floor a bit and adding float foam and storage beneath the floor. Then adding 2 removable seats in the center as well as the two seats on the back bench.

Loved the storage on my build...but with 4 people on the boat...id rather have a bit more comfort.


----------



## HOUSE (Dec 23, 2010)

Well, my Army buddy and I worked on it for a good 2 hours yesterday, I took a ton of photos but I haven't put them on Photobucket yet, sorry! We took a lot of accurate measurements and I have to change my post to a 14foot build!!! oops! It measured 14.5', I must have measured the outboard motor with it the first time, lol.

So, here's the original floor plan concept when I started:




and here's what it is looking like nearing completion:






I have a few questions from you boat building veterans:

1) Have any of you built your own trolling motor mount? I have a simple BPS Prowler that clamps to the side, but I'd like to drill a floor unit into the front aluminum bow by my chair. I haven't researched this yet, maybe one of you can jump start my search.

2) I'm still looking for any good suggestions on comfortable fishing chairs. I'm thinking about getting crazy and modifying a really comfortable restaurant-style swivel chair that's really cozy, but I'm sure there's a great boat chair out there. I'm heading to BPS later to look.

3) Foam. How effective is adding a layer of foam under my plywood? What is the real concern for it, is this more for getting my boat to come up on plane when I'm moving or is it for stability in the water?

Thanks guys!
Photos coming, I swear 

-House

(edited 1/6/11 with updated floorplan)


----------



## LonLB (Dec 23, 2010)

1) In my opinion, Just buy a bow mount. Keep the transom motor on the transom. For one, have both is really nice sometimes, and a bow mount is made for it. No custom fabbing, and the pedal operation is nice too.
With that said, buy used. No doubt about it. Trolling motor prices have gotten OUT OF CONTROL. Last time I was looking there was a guy local to me with a 65lb I think it was Minn Kota Powerdrive with AutoPilot for $350. Still in the box. I've seen bow mounts as low as $75.

2) Most fishing chairs are pretty decent. Even the cheap ones that are padded. Personal preference, and cost is going to be the driving factors.

3) New boats use foam for a bunch of reasons. NONE of them are for the convenience of the owner.
It is mostly used because it is required for flotation. Basically if your boat completely sinks, many are equipped with enough flotation to keep them, 'barely' afloat.
Many new boats 'do' use it for structural strength, and for noise reduction.

I actually think attaching it to the backside of the floor like you mentioned could have some benefits as long as you don't attach so much that it hits the hull when you install the flooring.
If nothing else it should make things quieter.


----------



## benjineer (Dec 27, 2010)

Good luck! Looks like you have some nice ideas already. I've only fished out of mine a couple of times since the current mods, and I'm already thinking of redoing everything from the front deck back. The possibilities are endless and so is the amount of money you can sink into one of these!


----------



## DuraCraft (Dec 27, 2010)

I like your boat House. I also have a very bad back and severe neck pain too, but actually do okay on my old bench seats with a flotation cushion as a seat. It gives me freedom to move around as I need, and I think that helps my back. I find that being confined to the swivel seats don't work so good for me. Anyway, looking forward to seeing your project.


----------



## HOUSE (Jan 2, 2011)

DuraCraft said:


> I like your boat House. I also have a very bad back and severe neck pain too, but actually do okay on my old bench seats with a flotation cushion as a seat. It gives me freedom to move around as I need, and I think that helps my back. I find that being confined to the swivel seats don't work so good for me. Anyway, looking forward to seeing your project.



I went to BPS and found a seat with pretty good lower back support: https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Tourney-Special-HiBack-Boat-Seats/product/10205163/-1633065

I'm thinking I might get a different one for the front that has more of a bucket seat feel to it that I found in their catalog. I'll let you know if it's comfortable when I head out on the water.


----------



## HOUSE (Jan 3, 2011)

Long overdue, I edited my first post and added photos. I have a photobucket page in progress with everything so far. Link:*https://s185.photobucket.com/albums/x123/WAREHOUSE77/BOAT/*

*Latest work:*
I'm waiting for my friend to help me cut through this front aluminum sheet to free up space on the front bow. I'm going to leave 24" of it and sand down the edge to leave a small platform to attach my trolling motor. I think it's 3mm thick aluminum, and I'm going to cut it down right about where this sheet of paper is seen in this photo:






secondly,
I have to decide if the beat-up side hinges are strong enough to support any weight, or if I should just remove them:





(I'll try and resize my photos so the actual images aren't so large!)


----------



## HOUSE (Jan 9, 2011)

I finally started cutting some wood! I'll use this post to catalog the rear floorboard build.


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 7, 2011)

My poor boat has been neglected for a month! I just now started back up on it. Several questions for anyone that can help.

I'm trying to figure out the best place for the gas tank. It wont fit in the back very well under my transom unless I change my frame design. I'd like to move it up to the front since I have more room, but I'm not exactly sure how people have been doing this. Are you using just automotive fuel line? I would think this would help my weight distribution. My friend just wants to set it up top on my transom by my motor, but I think that is a waste of space.

Here are my two favorite options:
Option 1 - extend the transom out another foot and move my design forward (I lose room though):





Option 2 - mount the fuel tank behind my livewell and under my seat, running a fuel line under my deck to the back:





(picture with the cooler/livewell):





Suggestions?


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 13, 2011)

I got some good work done on the boat this weekend. I cut most of the front aluminum piece with a circular saw (Ferrous blade) and a Dremel (diamond cutting wheel). I was able to score it enough that it made a clean cut (picture at the bottom). I also removed the back section completely since the wood on the transom was rotted, and the aluminum tray back there was taking up 1-2 feet of space. The boat is completely stripped now, looks a heck of a lot bigger, and I'm now ready to start building! 
:lol:


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 13, 2011)

*6 questions:*
*1)* Paint the inside? Should I seal the inside of the boat while it is stripped? I can scrub it down with some Mineral Spirits and a scour pad. What should I use to coat the floor so it wont leak down the road? It has some sort of paint in it now that is coming up when I scrub it, but I was thinking of painting some sort of resin in there like the Spar Urethane. What do most of you guys line your boat with on the inside?

*2)* Paint the outside? The paint is starting to flake off in spots, especially the joints. I'm afraid that down the road this might allow water to leak into the riveted areas. Can I put another coat of paint or enamel over the old one or do I have to strip it down and paint it from scratch? ...I think I already know the answer to this question 

*3)* Transom: Should I replace the old wood or just put a new piece of wood around it? The motor is secure not because I have aluminum around the original wood. I'm thinking it might look better to have a nice piece of wood sandwiching in the old wood.

*4)* Gas Tank: Now that the back section is removed, I think I'm going to keep it in the back and build a storage compartment and back fishing platform next to my back seat. Do you think it's worth putting the gas tank up front to help lighten the load?

*5)* Replacing missing rivets. I've got 3 missing rivets on that front aluminum plate. I was thinking about just using screws but rivets would look nicer. I don't have a rivet gun so I'm not sure what my options are here. Suggestions?

*6)* Aluminum crossbeam: I want to add some support since I've removed the benches. I'd like to run a piece of aluminum across the middle where my raised front deck begins by my cooler. I'll have to drill 2 or 3 holes in each side and bolt the crossbeam in place. Any suggestions how to do this step? I've been making most of this stuff up as I go based on other builds. This step scares me. I think I'm going to need a 55inch piece of aluminum. How thick should I get it? What kind do I buy? Can I get this at Lowes or Home Depot? Do I need L-shaped mounting brackets for it or something similar?

Update: I found Sgt. Stiglitz's mod which should be helpful with this step: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=15880 He said "I think I used 1 inch and 1 1/2 aluminum 1/8 thick angle and some 1/2 square aluminum along with just a cheap rivet gun from Lowes" which answers one of my questions.  
-Here is the rivet gun he used: https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-riveter-set-38353.html


----------



## Decatur (Feb 13, 2011)

You definately made the boat look bigger by cutting that bow cover! Looking forward to your progress. Good luck.


----------



## jasper60103 (Feb 13, 2011)

HOUSE said:


> *6 questions:*
> 
> 
> *4)* Gas Tank: Now that the back section is removed, I think I'm going to keep it in the back and build a storage compartment and back fishing platform next to my back seat. Do you think it's worth putting the gas tank up front to help lighten the load?



I moved my battery forward and it made a big difference, esp since I normally fish alone.


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 13, 2011)

jasper60103 said:


> HOUSE said:
> 
> 
> > *6 questions:*
> ...



LOL I wish I had read that post before I just painted THIS! doh! 
-Maybe I can put my batteries behind my front fishing chair 
Thanks for the reply!


----------



## Brine (Feb 13, 2011)

1. Gluvit https://www.marinetex.com/gluvit.html

2. If your reasoning for painting the outside is more about leak protection than cosmetics, use Steelflex https://www.fascoepoxies.com/ Regardless of what you decide to use, you need to remove all loose paint. This may or may not mean you are sanding down to bare aluminum. 

3. If the transom is soft, I'd replace it. If it's sound, but cosmetically unappealing to you, sand and paint/stain and spar urethane.

4. I'd rather have the tank in the back. Just me.

5. A ball peen hammer and a sledge will install 3 rivets provided you have access to the back of the rivet. 

6. Sounds like you have a plan


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 13, 2011)

Brine, that Gluvit stuff is exactly what I was looking for! Amazon seller has it for $45 bucks. Does that sound about right? I think I can paint it on the areas where my hull is riveted together instead of coating my boat's entire inside area. Thanks for the tip.
You got me thinking about my questions today...I think I'll wait on painting the outside since it is just cosmetic. The gas tank area in the back might serve as a good fishing platform so I think I'll build it back there. The transom wood is old but holding so I'll reinforce it with a good solid inner piece of plywood. I needed to hear someone else's opinion. 

-I'm still scared about the *rivets *though. Do I just drill a tiny hole through the boat first and then punch the rivet through? Sorry to sound so stupid, but I've never seen a rivet gun before. I'll youtube it tonight. I want to rivet the aluminum crossbeam into an L-shaped bracket on the side of the hull, a little higher than where my benches were placed. Do you think 3 crossbeams/L-brackets can support the weight of the front fishing platform? I'm thinking I'll still have to build the frame down to the bottom of the boat in the center.

Thanks again everyone for the replies. I'm heading out to my garage now to mess around with it :shock:


----------



## LonLB (Feb 13, 2011)

I bought my Gluvit from a seller on Ebay. Wholesale Marine I think it was. Price was $42 to my door. Watch shipping costs, because some places charge a pretty penny to ship it.


----------



## Brine (Feb 14, 2011)

I think you're right about where to apply the Gluvit. Just hit all the seams/rivets from the inside. No need to cover the whole bottom of the boat, and that price is what I'm use to seeing it for. Like Lon said, make sure to check out shipping costs.

I don't know that I have clarity on your rivet application ~ pics would help. There are two kinds of rivets (primarily). 

Pop rivets and Solid Rivets. Pop rivets are installed with a manual operated hand tool ($20 at Home Depot), and are typically only used above the waterline (like for attaching aluminum angle/sheet etc...) I have seen them used below the waterline in conjunction with 3M 5200 Marine Sealant.

Solid Rivets are installed by hitting the head of the rivet with a hammer/pneumatic rivet gun/air chisel) while holding a heavy piece of steel/sledge hammer/bucking bar on the backside of the rivet that the tail of the rivet "smushes" against until tight. If done properly, solid rivets once set do not need any type of sealant, but in your case, it would provide a little bit more insurance that the rivet is water tight.

The dome shape of solid rivets have a matching shaped tool that is inserted into a pneumatic rivet gun and would be the way to go if you are trying to match existing rivets cosmetically, but a ball peen hammer should allow you to accomplish the same thing (just takes longer) without beating the rounded head of the rivet flat (as might happen with a regular hammer)

You can also use nuts/bolts with some 3M 5200 if you think the value of using the rivets isn't worth the hassle.

Post some pics of where you're trying to drill the holes if you get a chance.


----------



## arkansasnative (Feb 14, 2011)

I noticed nobody really answered your question about the seats so i figured id put my 2 cents in... If you dont mind spending a little extra money i would highly recommend the high back tempress seats! they're so comfortable me and my girlfriend sat in them in my living room floor just to watch tv one day! The BPS spring classic sale is coming up soon so if you can hold out a little bit longer they might go on sale... i bought mine on sale last year. My way of thinking is i don't mind spending a little extra money on things that can be transferred to a newer boat. (Seats, Fishfinder, Motor, Etc...)

heres the link to those seats... last year i think i got them at like 65 a piece
https://www.basspro.com/Tempress-HiBack-All-Weather-Boat-Seat/product/52421/-1018916


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 14, 2011)

Man, this forum is amazing. Thank you so much guys for the replies...it's giving me the false confidence I need to really get in there and convince myself that I have a clue what I'm doing! lol 

okay, the rivets are definitely above the water line. I'm going to use them to secure L-brackets to the sides where my benches used to sit (only a little bit higher up). I'm going to try and place 3 reinforcing 55" aluminum crossbeams under my front deck. One in front of my cooler/live well, the second under my front seat, and the third up near the front of the boat. I just don't know if those 3 beams alone will support all of that weight, so I might end up building a wooden frame under them to help spread out the weight. I'll try and paint a quick picture on my lunch break here at work.

I love those chair suggestions. The look like a warm leather recliner, hehe. The only consideration I have with them is that my friend's aunt works at Bass Pro and she can get me 40% off anything BPS brand! I was leaning towards their high-back chair, and like you said I think it is definitely worth splurging on the better models since I can re-use them.

Thanks again guys.

I've ordered my gluvit last night from West Marine, so I'm going to scrub my boat down tonight and apply that stuff this weekend. Once it's down, I'll paint the inside to block out UV light and start working on the decks! The back deck should go fast...I just have to cut out a matching transom piece and build the frame for the rod holder and storage. I'll bug you guys again once I get to the front fishing deck. That is going to be the most interesting part due to all of the storage cabinets.

cya in a week!


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 14, 2011)

here's my rudimentary layout for the aluminum crossbeams (red). The L-brackets (purple) will need to be riveted to the hull above the waterline. Will 3 crossbeams support a chair and my weight or should I add vertical supports down to a piece of plywood on the base below the front deck?


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 18, 2011)

I just got done sealing the entire insides with Gluvit...feeling kind of dizzy hahaha. I was surprised that one can was enough for all of the joints. I think it was 50 bucks well spent. I'm going to throw a coat of paint over it like the can suggests in 48 hours. I'll post pics after the paint job when it's looking nicer on the inside.


----------



## Decatur (Feb 18, 2011)

I don't believe my hull has any leaks, but I'm going to apply Gluvit to the inside to be sure. Hopefully I'll never need to Steelflex it!


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 24, 2011)

Here are some pictures of the Gluvit and what it looked like after I sealed and painted it. I covered it with silver Rustoleum paint and it really made the inside of my boat look new.






I was afraid to remove a rusty screw on the bottom so I just coated over it and I'm pretty sure it's not going anywhere: 





front:




back:










-Tonight's project is to find a way to build the frame into this back piece of transom wood and hide the gas tank. The transom wood is not perfectly vertical, so I'll need to find a way to cut the 2x4's at an angle or shim some L-brackets to support my back fishing deck. I wish I wasn't such a rivet-pansy! I'm scared to poke holes in the hull :roll:


----------



## atuck593 (Feb 24, 2011)

It's comming together nicely...I have a 14' Starcraft V-Hull very similar to yours. Was the Gluvit easy to work with? I am debating on using it or not? Did you have more than enough to cover the joints, because I would like cover some of the floor around the rear bench too? Any help is great...it's torture up here in PA with the weather and all not being able to start.


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 24, 2011)

atuck593 said:


> It's comming together nicely...I have a 14' Starcraft V-Hull very similar to yours. Was the Gluvit easy to work with? I am debating on using it or not? Did you have more than enough to cover the joints, because I would like cover some of the floor around the rear bench too? Any help is great...it's torture up here in PA with the weather and all not being able to start.


 Yeah, I'm in Ohio so I'm feeling you on the cold! We had a taste of warm weather last week and it's back to cold rain today, grrrr. I had to open my basement door and allow some heat to get into my garage just to keep from freezing to death while I worked on the boat.

That Gluvit stuff was awesome...I just poured the catalyst agent that came with it right into the Gluvit container, mixed it up for 3 minutes, then started painting it on. You have 90 minutes before it gets too hard. I had enough to cover every single rib in my boat's floor with just a little bit left over to hit some spots on the bottom of my boat where joints are. The fumes are horrible though, I actually had to throw my contacts out because I felt like they were coated with mace when I put them in the next day. I wore a mask and had the garage door open too! Nasty stuff...make sure you wear gloves. I bought some cheap nitrile gloves from Walmart's auto section for 5 bucks that worked fine.

I'd really suggest spraying it with silver paint afterward. It says it will protect if from UV light, but it also holds the paint really well and made the boat look 10 times newer.

more pics tomorrow when I start the actual frame...good luck with the Gluvit!

-House


----------



## atuck593 (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanks I think it will be worth the money, time, mess, and smell for the Gluvit as I plan to put a floor and decks in the boat. I don’t want any leaks under there. Your right the weather last weekend was just enough to get your hopes up at least until trout season rolls around…but then winter came back with a few inches of snow on Monday. I did see a few guys though brave the high water from the snow melt last Friday and make a valiant effort to get their boats out and a few casts in on the Susquehanna River. I look forward to seeing your progress with the boat since we have similar set ups, especially with your framing for the decks. I want to find the best way to maximize strength but keep the weight down.


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 27, 2011)

I blew another $60 bucks at Home Depot last night, lol, it sure goes fast!

-I bought a cheap rivet gun LINK: (https://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Hand-Tools-Fastening-Tools-Rivet-Tools-Rivets-Rivet-Tools/h_d1/N-5yc1vZapud/R-202061308/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)
-5mm aluminum rivets LINK: (https://fp.vendaria.com/vpop/VpopViewer.html?uid=100204004&iid=AddpfzvImumvmKvJJIIKfwKILumLKv&bg=FFFFFF&nm=BZOpener&err=0&title=&pf=t&fr=t)
-eight 2x2's 
-20 small 1inch L-Brackets (corner braces)
-8 larger 1.5inch corner braces LINK: (https://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=202033938)





I could not believe how expensive those freaking L-Brackets/braces were! The 20 pack for the wood joints cost $8, but the 8 larger ones that I plan on riveting to the side of my boat for the deck support were almost $4 for a 2pack. 40 bucks for some bent metal! lol. 
I was looking for a 20pack of 2inch braces similar to the ones used in Crappie_Slayer's build. I need to go to Lowes instead and get some StrongTie braces. I found them online after I got raped at Home Depot:
https://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=97194-72913-A23Z&catalogId=10051&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=1115047
or maybe these: https://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=96871-72913-A21Z&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=1114951&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=rel&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1





As to the actual boat, here are my 3 most recent photos with the gas tank finally mounted and floor board screwed in place:













*Questions*: The largest rivets they sold at Home Depot were 5mm (3/16?) aluminum rivets. They do not sell steel rivets in the store, and I don't know if I should even use steel ones on the aluminum hull. *Do you guys think the ones I got will be strong enough to hold those braces to my boat? * (I will have vertical 2x2's to help support the weight.) *Also, I've never riveted anything before, do I just drill a small hole through my boat first and then pop in the rivet? It's above the water line, do I need to seal it with 5200 or epoxy? Should I put something between the strongtie and the actual boat aluminum like rubber or a sealant?* I will search the forums, but any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

*Next projects: 
1) cut a board with my leftover plywood to go under that gas tank for support. 
2) cut another board to go under the cooler and attach it to the main plywood for support. 
3) rivet the side braces and attach the 2x2 framework.


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 6, 2011)

I'm starting to see progress finally  I finally dedicated a complete afternoon to the boat and had a blast in the process. I found an old mp3 player that had my old work out songs, so I fired it up and this is what I got done:

1) My first rivets! I was kind of nervous drilling holes in the boat, but it ended up being much easier than I expected. (I removed the duct tape):









2) Side braces. I used the L-braces that I riveted to the hull to fix side braces to the frame. I used cardboard and a scrap 2x4 to make these exact. Getting the top level was a real pain in the butt. I had to bend the braces with a vice:









3) Side framing/rails: 









4) Starboard storage compartment complete:









*Notes:
I think the biggest thing holding me back so far was my inexperience with woodworking. Today I just said "screw it" and started cutting wood and screwing screws. I loved it and realized that most mistakes can be fixed or redone. Thanks to everyone so far that has replied to my questions, I feel like I'm actually making progress now. Next up, re-mount the back brackets (too low), finish the rear fishing platform, & finish the portside rod-holder & frame. This is going to be a challenge because I need the lid to be about 6ft long! I would have started it last night but I ran out of screws! :shock:


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 6, 2011)

Updated floor plan schematics (based on available frame locations):





-Red=framework/support:


----------



## Ictalurus (Mar 7, 2011)

=D> =D> 
Looks good house, congrats on your first rivet. That boat is gonna be sharp.


----------



## acedog1234 (Mar 7, 2011)

nice looking boat. how did you make those floor plan drawings


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 8, 2011)

acedog1234 said:


> nice looking boat. how did you make those floor plan drawings


I have a lot of free time at work, so I used MS Paint to make those floorplans on my work pc, hahaha. Waaaay too much free time. Google has a free tool called Google SKETCH that is pretty easy to use and has much more functionality. It's not quite Autocad, but it might be a step up if you want something more advanced that is free. I just wanted something simple, and Paint allows me to get the basic idea down on paper. (I also printed out pictures of Crappie_Slayer's build which have helped me a lot).

*Question*:
-I attached the metal side braces with rivets and did not put anything behind them to sit in between the aluminum and steel. I see a lot of guys using rubber or 5200. Is corrosion going to be an issue down the road? I'll probably spray the joints down with Spar Urethane just to keep water out from behind them. Also, has anyone built a rod holder before? I'm not sure how to support a 7foot hatch #-o (I'll search the forums and see what I can find...)


----------



## acedog1234 (Mar 9, 2011)

thanks that program is hard to use but i will figure it out


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 10, 2011)

acedog1234 said:


> thanks that program is hard to use but i will figure it out


If you are using the Google Sketch program, make sure you print out the "cheat sheet" that they offer. It really helps by showing you what all of the buttons do. Do you have any sketches uploaded of your plan?


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 10, 2011)

3/10/11: Got some more work done last night, and I think I'm slowly making progress. We are getting some freezing rain tonight, so it looks like Mother Nature is buying me some more time before water temps around here will break 50 degrees. Here's that latest photos:

Right side storage is supported and complete:






livewell is tightly framed:





7" rod holder is braced and feels secure:





and finally, here's a fake action shot to put a face with my name:





*Next projects:*
1) Seal all of my screw holes with silicone and finalized the work so far. I might just paint over them with more spar urethane instead. I still have to seal the wood that I used so far for this framework anyways.
2) Back fishing platform: I need to find a way to support the area above my gas tank so I can stand on it. I didn't extend the plywood base all the way back so there is nothing down below to build a frame off of #-o
3) Seal the side braces that I riveted to the hull. I didn't put anything behind them and I'm worried about the steel and aluminum reacting over time. I think I can minimize air/water exposure by sealing the edges around them with silicone.
4) Front fishing platform: :shock:


----------



## Decatur (Mar 10, 2011)

You gotta love those fake action shots!


----------



## acedog1234 (Mar 10, 2011)

HOUSE said:


> acedog1234 said:
> 
> 
> > thanks that program is hard to use but i will figure it out
> ...



no not yet but im working on it


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm stumped again...
#-o 
I started planning out the front fishing platform and I have no idea how to support this thing. I ended up cutting a 2x6 out and replacing the front bench so that I can use it as a base to build a wooden frame. I planned on riveting 2 more cross beams, but I don't know where I'm going to put them yet. I have to devise a plan for some sort of wooden cage, but since my v-haul is so steep, I am not sure how to make it level to the bottom of my boat. I've seen guys rivet the floor with aluminum angle...I might have to do that.

The back deck is pretty much ready to be covered with plywood. I ended up working on it last night, but filled my time building a support platform for my livewell/cooler. I figure people will be sitting on it and it will need a good base. I put 4 screws into the stud under my plywood that you can't see...here's the finished product:










*later tonight, I'm going to try and employ Crappie_Slayer's floorboard rivet idea:


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 17, 2011)

I started the front deck last night. As with everything else in this boat so far, I was totally making it up as I went  I riveted in 2 more Simpson Strong Ties and built the initial frame. I still have to go back and find a way to run vertical supports down to the floor of the boat. Here's a picture of the half-finished frame...not all of the wood seen below is cut and screwed in yet. I also added the ratcheted strap around the boat because I noticed it was flexing out about 1cm. I think in the process of adding my back frame, I bowed out the boat a little. I think I corrected this by putting a new bench back in and replacing some of the rivets holding the front aluminum plate in place. 

I might take her out this weekend and get her wet just to see how stable she is. The front deck is going to sit pretty high on the boat, but I've got quite a bit of weight planned to sit low in the front. I might use 1/2 inch plywood in the front to make the top lighter and 3/4 inch plywood in the back. I don't think she would notice a quarter of an inch...  

Latest frame:




Latest layout:


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 21, 2011)

Big change in the front deck...my friend came over who has a 14ft boat and said the top platform would be too top-heavy so I dropped the concept down to the level of the front bench. I'm still going to add a tall chair up front & run the side storage up to the front. I think it will look cool and allow me to fit longer poles in my rod holder. Also, I took the livewell/cooler out and built a ramp there to the front. I can put the livewell back in if I want to. I found a smaller cooler that I can use for a bait bucket that I will probably build into the side of my boat. I'm going to carpet the floor, so disregard the dirty wood in the picture below:






On a different note, I went out fishing for the first time to my favorite reservoir. The water levels were up almost 10 feet and the water visibility was less than a foot. I lost my new swimbait while trying to enter the contest... doh!


----------



## GARAGE (Mar 25, 2011)

Let me tell you HOUSE, I think lowering that fishing platform in the front was maybe the smartest thing I've ever read out here aside from removing the mounted cooler. You can put a cooler in a boat any time you need to, but when you aren't using it, it's nice to have the extra space. Fishing at the top level of your boat would have been pretty scary should you catch some nice boat wake. How many hours did this take you? My daughter really likes fishing and I was thinking about having her fix up our old boat like this as part of her Girl Scout project this summer.


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 27, 2011)

Busy week...didn't get much done on the mother ship until today. I put in some work on the front deck and it's ready for plywood soon. I have one last section to add under the removable ramp and I'm done with the framework. I don't really know how many hours I've spent on her so far...I spent more time looking at it and trying to figure out how the heck to do things than actually cutting wood. I'm not a craftsman by any means  I'd like to think that I could have done all of this in 3 or 4 solid afternoons if I had a clue what i was doing! It has been a really rewarding experience so far...even better if she still floats.

Here's the latest pic from the front section:


----------



## GARAGE (Apr 9, 2011)

My daughter finally finished her boat today, complete with rod locker, live well and two fishing chairs. She had a little trouble getting the carpet fitted around the edges, but it turned out really nice. We are planning on taking it out crappie fishing tomorrow morning. 3 weeks was all it took her thanks to looking at your plans. She pretty much did the exact same thing as you. Is yours done yet". They are having the judging for her project in June. I'll be sure to have her credit your plans in her victory speech.


----------



## HOUSE (Apr 10, 2011)

I've been out fishing so much, I forgot about the boat sitting in my garage! oops!
I was able to apply a coat of spar urethane to the entire frame this weekend. I also finished the floorboard and built a front compartment for the batteries. Here's the compartment, lined with carpet to keep stuff from falling under the floorboard and a pvc pipe to let me run wires to the back of the boat:





Next project:
1) cut out the 1/2 inch plywood for the top decks.
2) figure out the wiring
3) carpet
4) GO FISH


----------



## HOUSE (Jul 12, 2011)

I took a long break from my mod due to lots of fishing! I picked up some carpeting from the hardware store and currently I'm installing it...not fun. I'll add some pictures tomorrow. She's almost done


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 5, 2011)

HOUSE said:


> I took a long break from my mod due to lots of fishing! I picked up some carpeting from the hardware store and currently I'm installing it...not fun.  I'll add some pictures tomorrow. She's almost done



9/5/2011: Still carpeting the thing...taking forever! I never want to carpet a boat again lol.


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 5, 2011)

Question: what kind of hinges do you guys use for your compartments? I'll search the forums for ideas...these will be used for the compartments in my frame that I am currently carpeting.


----------



## Brine (Sep 5, 2011)

Aluminum Piano Hinges from Aircraft Spruce.


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 5, 2011)

Brine said:


> Aluminum Piano Hinges from Aircraft Spruce.


Thanks Brine, I'm reading through all of the search results now and piano hinges definitely seem like the way to go. Sorry to trouble you with that post. Other than the hinges, I think she's almost ready to rock and roll. I bought 2 x 3ft hinges online there. I'll use a Dremel to cut them down to size. I chose 3/4" hinges to match the thickness of my plywood. I'm going to mount them to the inside cut using some stainless deck screws and some sealant to keep them airtight.

9/5/2011: Next project is the front fishing chair and a pedestal. I think I want both up there, but the posts are expensive. Bass Pro sells them for $50-$100. Do you know of any inexpensive alternative? I really just need a 2-3ft aluminum post to add/remove in front or behind of my fishing chair. (I'll be searching the forums for this too, btw). Thanks again for your time.


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 26, 2011)

Brine! You called it, dude, these piano hinges are exactly what I needed. The customer service from Aircraft Spruce was amazing and they had really fast delivery. I just resumed carpeting and plan on doing the hinges later on. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel! I tell you what though, you guys really weren't lying when you said that carpeting SUCKS! I have put it off all summer long because I didn't have the right tools for the job. Someone suggested that I get a new box cutter to cut the carpet, and a staple gun to staple it in place after I glue it down...those two suggestions have really helped. Thanks guys for all of the advice. 

Here's the latest picture from the front deck (before I cut hatches):





9/29/2011: I got the right side hatches carpeted last night and made final cuts on the front fishing deck. I'm going to carpet the front tonight.
9/29/2011: I ordered 12 green LED lights from China for night fishing. Estimated shipping date, 3 weeks! lol: https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160497086578&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
9/29/2011: I need to start planning ahead for my wiring. I'm reading that 12gauge should be used for just about everything. My battery will be up front, so I can hook my trolling motor directly to it. I can probably do the same thing with my fish finder. I have to find a way to wire in my lights, though.
10/3/2011: I bought some black spray paint to paint the 13" seat pedestal that was looking old and rusty. I have to buy 1 more swivel plate for the seat to rotate. I might also raise my back seat a bit so I can see over the front of the boat. To do this, I think I'm going to build a small storage compartment under the back seat to store my wallet and phone.
10/9/2011: I got the front hatches cut out and carpeted. Almost done!


----------



## HOUSE (Oct 13, 2011)

CARPETING IS DONE! (Finally!)
10/13/2011: Man...carpeting wasn't really that hard once I got a new box cutter and a staple gun, but my back sure hurts...jeesh. 

Here's what I have left to do:
1) Hinges and handles for all of the flaps.
2) Spray Paint under each flap (silver) so I don't see wood when I lift them up. 
3) Front deck: Bolt down the chair and seal off the front fishing deck with carpet so stuff doesn't fall under the deck and rattle around. 
4) Back deck: Carpet the floor. Enclose the insides of the back compartments using metal instead of wood from "borrowed" street signs that my brother gave me. I have to bolt down the chair, but I think I am going to create a small storage box under it to store my cell phone and camera.
5) Mount the fish finder and trolling motor
6) Run wiring for lights
7) Paint the trailer, check lights.
8) Finish everything just in time to store it for winter! lol

Here's how the boat is looking as of 10/13/2011:


----------



## fool4fish1226 (Oct 14, 2011)

Great job =D>


----------



## Ride_Klein (Oct 14, 2011)

Very well done. Clean, simple, and effective. Those spaces under the decks look like they'll fit a plastic filing cabinet or smaller rubbermaid almost perfectly.


----------



## HOUSE (Oct 17, 2011)

thank you, thank you  
This has been the LONGEST project I have ever encountered! You would think by now that I would have built myself an actual Tracker boat. I am definitely the worlds "longest-procrastinating-boat-builder" alive.

Question:
Does anyone know if there is a law regarding how low in the boat the back seat has to sit? I vaguely recall reading that the captain's chair has to sit lower than the edge of the boat for safety reasons. I wanted to build a small storage box under it, which would make it sit 3 inches higher than in my last photo, which would be well above the edge of my boat. Am I crazy?
:---)







updated floor carpeting: 10/23/2011:




updated front panels (still need to carpet them) and began storage compartment under the captain's chair:


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 19, 2012)

2/19/12 I finally got back into the groove with my boat. I haven't really worked on it in probably 2 months due to it being so darn cold in my garage! Here are some pics of the latest carpeting and hinge work. I still have to screw everything down, but I think she's coming along nicely. 

By the way, I really do envy you guys that make modding your boats look so easy...there are so many things I have to keep going back and re-doing because of my lack of experience...grrr. I can't wait until my next mod 





.




.




.


----------



## jimmy fins (Feb 19, 2012)

Looks good House. =D> I know what you mean about the first mod. But the wisdom you learn is priceless.


----------



## Jdholmes (Feb 19, 2012)

Looking nice.


----------



## HOUSE (Feb 28, 2012)

2/28/12: Got some major work done on the boat this weekend > Carpet, done! Hinges, secured! Internal compartments, painted! Front fishing deck, secured! Rear captain's chair storage box, complete! Internal hull, painted! Flush pulls for the compartments, ordered! Band-aid on left leg from new hammer drill slipping, installed! 

I'm left with the terrifying task of running the wiring without blowing up my garage. I feel like Jack Bower from 24 every time I splice a wire, except I have no clue what the hell I'm doing. I'm going to post a picture of my intended wiring setup in the "Electrical" thread. Please take a look if you have the time and toss in your 2-cents. That's the final frontier for this mod, and I can't tell you how excited I am to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel 

Here's some updated boat porn:






























Here are the pull handles I ordered for the flaps from Amazon.com @ $3ea plus shipping. I think I got 5 shipped for $21bucks total:





Leftover projects:
1) Wiring 2) touch-up paint 3) mount fish-finder & trolling motor 4) cup holders 5) rod holders 6) LED lights 7) Anchor/Ropes 8) FISH!


Finally: Here is my preliminary sketch for my wiring setup. I'm going to post this in the Electrical forum for advice, but feel free to comment here too. When I get it all finished, I'm going to make a guide for future newbies with pictures and links to help them. I read through all 50 pages of that forum and feel like I'm finally comfortable tackling the project, but still about 5% uncertain as to whether or not my boat is going to explode.


----------



## fool4fish1226 (Feb 29, 2012)

=D> House your almost there!!!!!!!!!!! The boat is looking great


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 1, 2012)

I spent 2 hours trying to get my anchor light seated properly...I had the darndest time getting it to sit flush with the carpet. Here's how it looks lit up:





I also re-sketched my wiring schematics and simplified it a good deal. I posted a thread about it in the Electrical forum and got a lot of really helpful feedback. Here's a picture and a link to the electrical post: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=24045&p=245502#p245502


----------



## goinhtn63 (Mar 2, 2012)

House
Great job on the mod. I have the exact same boat and am wanting to do the samething. I am currently working on my trailor and when its done I will start with the boat. Hopefully I can pick your brain as I go along with it. 

Kevin..


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 6, 2012)

I worked on my LED's last night and could not get them all running unless I ran a separate positive wire to each LED strip...pain in the butt! but at least they wont all go out at the same time. Here's my finalized wiring diagram with the actual parts I used. I'm going to make a wiring "guide" for other rookies and post it in the Electric forum with some helpful links and explanations. As to my boat...I got the 5 flush pulls in the mail so I'm going to add them to all of my flaps. I also painted yellow racing stripes down the sides after a long night out drinking...luckily, they turned out pretty sweet so I'll upload some pictures tomorrow.


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 8, 2012)

I picked up some rod holders at bass pro this weekend, along with a new BASS FLAG! Tell me this thing isn't sweet:


----------



## Jdholmes (Mar 8, 2012)

That thing is sweet. I know those rod holders are a good deal - they are the same I am getting. I want that flag,


----------



## HOUSE (Mar 22, 2012)

I went to the BMV today and got the title and registration officially completed! My mod is now "street legal"


----------



## ChitownBasser (Mar 22, 2012)

Great flag. I like it. Could you let us know how the rod holders work out? I read mixed reviews on the bass pro website. Thanks.


----------



## Jdholmes (Mar 22, 2012)

Agreed...I would love to hear your review. They are certainly the best deal I have found...puts the, right at 7-8 for each holder (2 in a pack).


----------



## TheDeNomProject (Apr 1, 2012)

Love the Boat man..Great Job! =D>


----------



## HOUSE (Apr 10, 2012)

4/10/12: Almost all of my internal wiring is complete! I installed the switch next to my captain's chair and wired in the bow light, anchor light, LED's, and all I have left to do is run a wire to a future livewell and the bilge pump that just came in the mail. I also designed a creative way to move my fishfinder back and forth from the front of my boat to the back using those Bass Pro Shop rod holders. I mounted it on a 5/7" 5-inch bolt that rests pretty tight in the rod holder. (pictures below). 
Remaining projects: 
1) Wire 5 more LED strips inside the storage containers.
2) Re-paint the inside hull with textured silver paint.
3) Paint the name "MINNOWTAUR" on the back of the boat (after the proper name-change ceremony, of course!)
4) Install bilge pump & possible livewell.
5) Mount spare tire on trailer and weld a "problem area" back together.
6) Finish trailer wiring on my suv.
7) GO FISH

Switch:





LED's:









FishFinder:


----------



## JasonLester (Apr 26, 2012)

Nice.. I like the layout... I have kept mine simple because its less than 14 feet...but I like your setup... I may do something like what you did. I like the ability to take a few of the kids with me and still have some room to move.


----------



## bigwave (Apr 27, 2012)

Looking good house, I like the led's. I can't wait to show you guys the LED light that I just picked up. I know this is going to sound crazy but I just got a 16 foot continuous string of LED's that has a remote control with features like strobe, dance, flash, and you can change the colors to any color you want. Talk about break dancing...... :shock: these things are bad ass and they only cost 35 bucks.....My buddy installs hi end led's for houses and he gave them to me. I will take some video of the lights in action and post on monday......It will blow you away.


----------



## VT-Bass13 (Apr 27, 2012)

i am not really a noob when it comes to wiring things up but i have not done it no a boat b4 i saw that you mentioned that you were planning on writing up a how to, i you have done that id love to read it and what it the advantage up using a ground black ? 


thank for the help !


----------



## HOUSE (Apr 28, 2012)

bigwave said:


> Looking good house, I like the led's. I can't wait to show you guys the LED light that I just picked up. I know this is going to sound crazy but I just got a 16 foot continuous string of LED's that has a remote control with features like strobe, dance, flash, and you can change the colors to any color you want. Talk about break dancing...... :shock: these things are bad ass and they only cost 35 bucks.....My buddy installs hi end led's for houses and he gave them to me. I will take some video of the lights in action and post on monday......It will blow you away.



I can't wait to see that, lol. You'll look like a UFO on the water (or a rave) 
I wish I had bought a continuous strip of LED's rather than individual units...these things were a pain in the butt to wire. I couldn't piggy-back them and had to run individual +/- leads to each of the 12 strips :shock:


----------



## HOUSE (Apr 28, 2012)

VT-Bass13 said:


> i am not really a noob when it comes to wiring things up but i have not done it no a boat b4 i saw that you mentioned that you were planning on writing up a how to, i you have done that id love to read it and what it the advantage up using a ground black ?
> thank for the help !



Here's my guide that I made for electrical wiring. I started it with 0% knowledge what I was doing, and left with about 80% lol. Still much to learn, but this should help you get the basics underway:

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=24267

Good luck!


----------



## JasonLester (Apr 28, 2012)

I have to get one of those flags....can't wait to see you boat BTW....let me know when your going to head out


----------



## VT-Bass13 (Apr 28, 2012)

HOUSE said:


> VT-Bass13 said:
> 
> 
> > i am not really a noob when it comes to wiring things up but i have not done it no a boat b4 i saw that you mentioned that you were planning on writing up a how to, i you have done that id love to read it and what it the advantage up using a ground black ?
> ...



wow very nice thank a lot


----------



## Gators5220 (Apr 30, 2012)

Nice boat love how simple and clean it is, good work! How does that 9.9 push it?


----------



## HOUSE (May 1, 2012)

Gators5220 said:


> Nice boat love how simple and clean it is, good work! How does that 9.9 push it?


Honestly, I don't know yet :shock: I still haven't taken her out due to weather conflicts and work. I think this coming Saturday just might be the day!

I'm going to post a video in a second of the motor running for the first time. That was exciting to see it come to life after sitting in my garage for a full year!

Here's the outboard running after sitting unused for a year.  I was quite thankful that it started up on the first pull! I'm wondering it the impeller is kicking out enough water, though. The water coming out is super-hot. I'm going to post a thread about it in the motor section shortly:


----------



## Gators5220 (May 1, 2012)

It's always a good idea to rebuild a water pump on a boat that's sat for a while. Its relatively inexpensive I think for my yamaha it was like 30 bucks, which is cheap considering what it would cost to replace the motor.


----------



## HOUSE (Jun 7, 2012)

*6/6/12* I got the boat out of the garage at 6am to get ready to take her out and the trailer wiring somehow got caught on the garage and ripped right off! Dang it! I ran up to Walmart and bought a trailer wiring "extension kit" and spliced the wires together using butt-connectors, shrink wrap tubing, and electrical tape...but it was 11am before I had everything going again so we cancelled the trip. 

I'll post picture of this latest "mod" later on. I'm hoping to get her out tomorrow or Saturday now instead.


----------



## fool4fish1226 (Jun 8, 2012)

That stinks when stuff like that happens and good luck with your next attempt


----------



## Silverad04 (Jun 30, 2012)

Let me know how she does on the water, I'm thinking about decking my 58 viking.


----------



## HOUSE (Jul 4, 2012)

UPDATE: 7/4/2012 Maiden voyage was a success!!!

I can finally say that I got my boat out on the water for the first trip and it went pretty well. We hit the docks at daybreak and ran into it hit the water without any issue and the 9.9hp motor started up on the first pull. We had a slight "bump" in the road as we started taking in water pretty hard because I put the plug in too far and it started rattling loose as the motor vibrated. We docked it and re-plugged the drain and we didn't have any more issues. The stability of the boat was awesome! I was afraid she would be top heavy with all of the weight I added, but we had no problem standing on the front and back decks simultaneously while casting. Here's a picture of the "Minnowtaur" at the docks when we started:

Here's a picture of the trailer. It sits pretty low to the ground, but it gets the job done. 





Here's a picture of the boat after we dunked it. My friend's manning the trolling motor:





The boat got up on plane once we got out to open water. We didn't check our top speeds, but I think it was moving 10+mph. We traveled about a half mile from our boat ramp without issue and I caught my first fish on the boat...a whopping 7" white bass  It was 100+ degrees out and without a bimini top, we got fried so we decided to head in at lunch time. I went to start up the motor and couldn't get it to kick in. It seemed to be choking out, so we had to let it sit for 10 minutes. Luckily I had a golf umbrella to keep us out of the sun. It sure was hot when we weren't moving. The trolling motor got us a little closer to the ramp, but even that overheated and kicked out on us. I have a 50amp circuit breaker on it...I have to find out why it died since the battery was fine. Half-way to the boat ramp we got the motor to finally kick in. It seemed to be only running on 1 cylinder and it fired up a good cloud of smoke before the second one kicked in. I'm thinking it might be the spark plug or power pack. I don't think a bad impeller would cause that, but I have one so I'm going to put that in along with some new spark plugs this weekend.

The only other issue I had was pulling the boat out onto the trailer. The bolt on the front of my boat that my winch clamps onto was apparently rusted and painted over, so when I pulled my truck out of the water, it broke off and sent a metal missile flying through the parking lot 100ft over my suv! Luckily it didn't hit anyone or any cars. I had a safety chain on that kicked in and saved my boat from flying off the trailer. I was able to get home using some straps and added it to the list of things to repair.

Overall, the outing was a success. She floats, gets up on plane, isn't wobbly, and the motor seems to run okay other than the possible flooding issue. The next trip will definitely be an evening trip, though, as it is way to hot to be out on the water after the sun comes up. Thanks again to everyone that helped out with advice along the way. I'm going to post the motor issue in the outboard section and see what people think about it. Hopefully it was just flooded and the spark plugs/impeller prevent it from happening again.


----------



## Silverad04 (Jul 7, 2012)

The boat looks good! It gives me some hope about my 14 foot crestliner build. I may be looking into getting a bimini top for mine, I'm not sure the wife will stay out for very long without one. I may have some questions for you, as you are one of the few people who have a crestliner moded boat. Thanks for the update and good luck with that motor! -Rob


----------



## HOUSE (Jul 12, 2012)

Jdholmes said:


> Agreed...I would love to hear your review. They are certainly the best deal I have found...puts the, right at 7-8 for each holder (2 in a pack).



In regards to the Bass Pro rod holders that I got on sale for $9.99: I've been using them for several months now and I would give them 4/5stars. They are definitely not as user-friendly as some of the more expensive brands like Scottie's. However, they have held up pretty well so far. The only big complaints I have with them is that the teeth sometimes don't lock into place very well without having to press down very hard. The other thing is that rotating part that locks your rod in place sometimes comes out of it's guide rail and you have to fumble to get it lined back up. I fear that I might lose a rod someday if one of the rod holders doesn't lock it in place correctly. For 10 bucks, though, I don't have much to complain about!


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 6, 2012)

I worked on the boat again after taking it out a few times. I replaced the front winch bolt with a new one from Academy.com that says it can support 2,000 pounds. I've been meaning to post pictures of it but keep forgetting to since I've been so busy modding my kayak.

Here's a picture of my kayak mods that have been stealing away all of my tinboat mod time!
 
It's a bass pro Ascend FS12 sit on top:


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 6, 2012)

On a related note: I have been KILLING the fish here in Ohio this year. Mostly with the kayak but some with my Tinboat mod. Here's the biggest hybrid this month. Bad pic of me, great pic of the fish! I was exhausted:


----------



## rickybobbybend (Sep 6, 2012)

Congrats on your progress with the tin...and NICE fish. You may think it is a better pic of the fish, but you look WAY happier than it does.


----------



## Silverad04 (Sep 7, 2012)

HOUSE said:


> On a related note: I have been KILLING the fish here in Ohio this year. Mostly with the kayak but some with my Tinboat mod. Here's the biggest hybrid this month. Bad pic of me, great pic of the fish! I was exhausted:


nice fish...I was hopin for some more action shots with the boat!!!


----------



## cvrx4 (Sep 10, 2012)

House, new here with a crestliner. I love your mods, can you give me a closeup of your bow light. I am just trying to figure out how to mount it with the bow cap. I am sure I will have other questions.


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 16, 2012)

cvrx4 said:


> House, new here with a crestliner. I love your mods, can you give me a closeup of your bow light. I am just trying to figure out how to mount it with the bow cap. I am sure I will have other questions.



The only picture I have on my phone right now is this one below. I'll get a close up for you tomorrow, though. I visit the site quite a bit but forget to check on my own thread! Sorry  Feel free to post any other questions and I'll help you out the best I can.
-House


----------



## cvrx4 (Sep 19, 2012)

It looks like it is mounted underneath the cleat. Is there no issue with it being seen? I like the idea I just wanted to make sure it was good to go before mounting it there.


----------



## DON75 (Sep 20, 2012)

HOUSE said:


> I worked on the boat again after taking it out a few times. I replaced the front winch bolt with a new one from Academy.com that says it can support 2,000 pounds. I've been meaning to post pictures of it but keep forgetting to since I've been so busy modding my kayak.
> 
> Here's a picture of my kayak mods that have been stealing away all of my tinboat mod time!
> 
> It's a bass pro Ascend FS12 sit on top:








My grandson and I visited Bass Pro in Ft. Worth last week and I bought the same Ascend for his birthday. I had to leave before he put it on the water. That thing is a lot longer when loading than it looks in the store!


----------



## HOUSE (Sep 23, 2012)

cvrx4 said:


> It looks like it is mounted underneath the cleat. Is there no issue with it being seen? I like the idea I just wanted to make sure it was good to go before mounting it there.



Crazy busy week, sorry for the long delays. I'm usually better at keeping up with this stuff. Yea, it definitely mounts under that cleat, but the bulbs are just wide enough that you can see it from head on. They also pick up a little reflection from the cleat which makes up for it. I'm still not sure why they did it that way, though.

As to the kayak? Yea, lol this thing is a freaking U-boat. I can't even load it into the back of my buddy's pickup truck. I'm glad I got the 12footer over the FS10, though. This thing tracks very well in the water and has plenty of storage space. I think it's heavy though, so I really have to row hard to get it moving, but I don't mind that part. I've added a few more goodies since that picture was taken, too.


----------



## HOUSE (Oct 7, 2012)

10/5/2012: I took the Minnowtaur out on my favorite lake on Friday and she held up great! I had an initial hiccup with the trailer, but it was "user-error" on my part. I forgot to rotate the front wheel up on the trailer and started to drive down the street and it was grinding pretty hard on the concrete. We pulled over and my friend hit me on the back of the head after he noticed what I had done. It melted a bit of the plastic wheel, but after that we got to the lake just fine. 

Also, the motor had given me trouble on the last trip and didn't seem to be getting enough gas, but I think it is because air is getting into the line and then we were priming it too many times and flooding the engine. What's odd is that the fuel line bulb always seems to have air bubbles in it. I think the connection to the motor might be leaking air and the motor just isn't getting enough gas. I bought a new fuel tank and hose last year, as well as a new connector for the hose to the tank, but I did not replace the connector from the fuel line to the motor and I think that is the problem. It's kind of loose. We just squeezed the fuel bulb a few times until the air was gone and it seemed to work. After we figured out how it "wanted" to be primed, it usually started up on the first or second pull. 

*Question: Once you pump a fuel line bulb so the air is gone, do your bulbs stay air-tight and "squeezed" in even after you kill the engine? *

Here's a picture of my buddy holding a big buffalo we caught trolling an umbrella rig. Check out the bottom right of the photo and you'll see how close my rod was to going overboard!


----------



## Brine (Oct 8, 2012)

:LOL2: 

Great pic of the rod.

No offense to your buddy :LOL2:


----------



## russ010 (Oct 8, 2012)

HOUSE said:


> *Question: Once you pump a fuel line bulb so the air is gone, do your bulbs stay air-tight and "squeezed" in even after you kill the engine? *



Mine stay primed pretty much all day. I found the reason my bulb kept having to be primed was because I had air getting into the line. I found the leak on mine where the fitting that goes into the gas tank was not tight. I put some plumbers tape around the threads and put it back in on the gas tank and solved my problem.

Just check all the clamps on the hose, then check where it goes into the gas tank, then check the fittings themselves on the hose - going to the gas tank and where you attach it to the motor.


----------



## webrx (Oct 9, 2012)

if the bulb is "squeezed in" you need to check the tank vent and make sure it is open and air is able to flow.

d


----------



## HOUSE (Oct 28, 2012)

webrx said:


> if the bulb is "squeezed in" you need to check the tank vent and make sure it is open and air is able to flow.
> 
> d



OMG, I think you may have just solved the puzzle and I am in fact a dumbarse! My friend swore that the air vent needed to be locked down to prevent the gas from evaporating. I should have realized this was wrong after my gas tank nearly exploded in my garage this summer. Unfortunately, we've got a cold spell here in Ohio or I'd go test it out. I'm not sure if we'll get another warm week this year 

Anyways, thanks for the advice. I'm 95% certain that's what's what was wrong. I'm going to replace my spark plugs this winter as well as the fuel line's connectors @ the motor which seem to be loose, just in case.

Thanks again guys.

*One last question for 2012: When I get back to the ramp, my friend said I should disconnect my fuel line and let my motor die. Is he right about that one?*


----------



## Zum (Oct 28, 2012)

"One last question for 2012: When I get back to the ramp, my friend said I should disconnect my fuel line and let my motor die. Is he right about that one?"
I never have,I do know a few people that do.
Heres my take on it...
If you pull the fuel line off,you shut the air off(similar to having your tank air shut off).The motor will stop but all the fuel isn't gone from the carbs,so why bother.I figure keeping it(carb) flooded with fuel would be better because only having alittle fuel will start to evaporate quicker(gum up) then having it full.I don't even drain the carbs when I store it in the winter.For me,treating the fuel(stabil) and keeping it flooded has never let me down(25+ years,some years never even treat it with stabil)

I never looked to see what you have for a motor but if it's fuel injected,pretty sure running it dry is a big no no.


----------



## HOUSE (Nov 11, 2012)

Wow, you guys are awesome. I took the boat out for the 3rd time yesterday and this time I left the air valve on the gas tank open and it started up on the first pull almost every time! Awesome! We only caught 6 keeper crappie, but it wasn't bad for mid-November in Ohio. Thanks again for all of the tips. I still can't believe I missed that one :shock: 

I noticed one more odd thing yesterday. If for whatever reason we didn't get it started on the first pull, it would never start on the second or third pull unless it sat for a few minutes. It seemed like I was flooding the engine, but I wasn't priming it or squeezing the fuel bulb. I was just pulling the cord with the throttle in the 'start' position and the engine in neutral. Does that sound normal? It had really thick white smoke almost every time it started up which made me think it was flooding with that single pull.

-House


----------



## Gators5220 (Nov 12, 2012)

White smoke is gas, make sure you don't choke except for one pull, just word to the wise, white gas, black oil.


----------



## HOUSE (Nov 18, 2012)

I took the Minnnowtaur out for one last trip to troubleshoot the motor and hunt down some crappie. I think the gas is definitely contributing to the problem. I was getting the thick white smoke on start-up and it was also choking out. There might be carb buildup too, so I'm going to dissect it apart this winter and clean it up for next season. I'm also going to only fill up my gas tank 1-2 gallons at a time since I barely made a dent in the 10gallon tank this season. Overall, she handled pretty well out there. I ended up catching 45 crappie and some bluegill, though.

I had an odd issue with my trailer on the way home...the winch system's "anti-reverse" broke and the boat started bouncing around. I strapped it down with some ratchet straps and it seemed okay. I'm not sure how I'm going to fix the winch though. I'll post a close up picture later to show the broken part


----------



## Gators5220 (Nov 20, 2012)

Looks like the tilt on the trailer is also a bit messed up, you can put a bolt through that if you don't want it to tilt, that's what I do for mine while on the road. Sorry to hear about the wench, which you will most likely have to replace, bummer.


----------



## 17ft'r (Dec 29, 2012)

Looks like you did a great job on your boat. I am impressed also with what looks like some kind of (design) soffware? I really would like to look at the software for my boat mods.
Can you tell me what type of software it is and how I can download it?

Many thanks no matter what,

17ft'r


----------



## 17ft'r (Dec 30, 2012)

What kind of "software" did you use for the (animated) boat figure? :?: 

Thanks, =D> 

17ft'r


----------



## HOUSE (Jan 6, 2013)

17ft'r said:


> What kind of "software" did you use for the (animated) boat figure? :?:
> Thanks, =D>
> 17ft'r



Hey 17, sorry for the delayed reply. I'm in Ohio so I've not been working on my boat much in the cold weather so I forgot about the forums here  All of those diagrams I drew were just made with Microsoft Paint. Nothing fancy, just a lot of zoomed in editing. I have used other editing programs before and even downloaded a free one specifically used by boat designers, but it's a lot of work. Google has a free paint program, for example, that is pretty good but it was a little difficult to learn at first. MS Paint is free and easy. You can right-click on my picture on page 1 of my blog and copy the image if you want to use it as a starting point. Once you save it to your computer, just right click on it and choose "edit" and it should load up in MS Paint by default.


----------



## HOUSE (Jan 6, 2013)

Gators5220 said:


> Looks like the tilt on the trailer is also a bit messed up, you can put a bolt through that if you don't want it to tilt, that's what I do for mine while on the road. Sorry to hear about the wench, which you will most likely have to replace, bummer.



Gator, my trailer doesn't tilt, but it has a nasty "curve" in it that causes it to sit very close to the ground. It's a homemade trailer that does the job, but leaves much to be desired  I've found a few "free boats" on Craigslist in my area that come with trailers. I've been tempted to pick one up and swap trailers, I just don't know what I'd do with the POS boat that it comes with.

Also, thanks a lot for that tip: "White smoke is gas, make sure you don't choke except for one pull, just word to the wise, white gas, black oil."


----------



## JMichael (Jan 6, 2013)

HOUSE said:


> I've been tempted to pick one up and swap trailers, I just don't know what I'd do with the POS boat that it comes with.


If it's an aluminum boat and it's not worth trying to repair or sell, just haul it to any scrap metal yard or recycle business and you can pick up a few bucks for it. It should certainly bring you more $ than the gas it takes to haul it there.


----------



## JMichael (Jan 6, 2013)

Gators5220 said:


> White smoke is gas, make sure you don't choke except for one pull, just word to the wise, white gas, black oil.


I've got to disagree with you on this. When oil burns in a combustion engine, it produces a white smoke with a very light blueish tint. That's the reason you see white smoke from the exhaust of all 2 cycle engines whether it's outboards or gas weed trimmers. If in doubt, get your lawnmower running and drop a few drops of oil down the carb. Constant black smoke while running from a combustion engine is a sign that it's running too rich. If it only produces the black smoke at startup, it was slightly flooded. 

If your engine is getting flooded (and it sounds like it is from your description) after one pull and you're not using the choke, I would guess that it's either running too rich or the air flow to the engine is being restricted (like a dirty air filter).


----------



## Silverad04 (Apr 13, 2013)

HOUSE!!!!!!! keep the pictures coming buddy. My wait for a motor has ended!!! I found a used merc 15hp four stroke last week. $800, or so I told the wife. I cant wait to get the viking on the water. Let the modding begin!


----------



## HOUSE (May 8, 2013)

5/1/2013
I got the Minnowtaur ready for the 2013 season and it is running like a champ! I am embarrassed to admit what was causing it to run so "thick" late last year, but here goes... When I mixed my 50:1 fuel/oil ratio last year, I used a measuring cup that I found in my garage. It was labelled 150/250/350 "mystery units" which I assumed like a dumb-arse were milliliters. It turns out the measuring cup was from some protein powder and the units were freaking *grams*, Doh! That's why it was blowing thick smoke and choking out. I had bought new gas last year, but I had forgotten to replace the plugs. I took them out this year and they were as black as my coffee. I put in new plugs, ran some Seafoam through her, and now she is running great! I apologize for not listening to so many of you that advised me to replace the darn spark plugs. It was such an easy fix, I'm kicking myself for looking over it. Anyways...the irony of the story is that I'm selling this boat now to make room for my next tin-boat project that I just bought! Stay tuned for my Tracker Sweet 16 mod  This stuff is addictive!

-House

Next project:


----------



## bigwave (May 8, 2013)

House your too funny.....I am getting ready to start my glass boat soon, look in the watering hole at the boat I found on Clist today....killler deal and I am actually thinking about it. Oooooo if I were single.


----------

