# My first jon boat builld Fisher Marine 16 ft xtra wide



## highvoltageva (Nov 5, 2012)

I have been reading on here for a while and finally decided to get me a jon boat to rebuild. The PO removed all bench seats and installed square aluminum framing to deck it out as a bass style boat. I personally don't like it decked that much. I will be removing all but a few pieced of the framing. I am going to leave 3 cells open in the bow and deck over them and install hatches for storage. Just want the platform to be bigenough to stand on if need be, but plan on putting 2 pedestal seat in the centerline. 1 near from 1 near back. here are a few pics after getting it home before starting to clean it up and see what i really have. any tips or advice is appreciated as this is my first boat since fishing with my dad as a kid.

click the link below for pictures after purchase

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]


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## hotshotinn (Nov 6, 2012)

Interesting.You have 53 views and no responces.Makes yous feel warm and fuzzy inside does it not?

Nice boat and build you got going on there. =D>


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## highvoltageva (Nov 6, 2012)

it is what it is. I started today with cutting away some of the aluminum framing and will begin putting the decking on soon. thanks for looking.


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## wasilvers (Nov 7, 2012)

So the prior owner started the rebuild but didn't finish? Nice foundation to build on.


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## Attwanl (Nov 7, 2012)

got a good boat to start with ...16 extra wide.....


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## Loggerhead Mike (Nov 7, 2012)

How wide is extra wide?

Good looking rig


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## JMichael (Nov 8, 2012)

Your boat probably didn't have any bench seats to start with. The majority of Fisher Marine boats I've seen had open floors with pedestal seats. Here is what mine looked like at the start of my mod. 







It does look like you're missing some of the short braces that tie the floor to the side at each rib and all of your floor and side foam. I've already removed the side panels and foam in this pic.


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## highvoltageva (Nov 8, 2012)

wasilvers said:


> So the prior owner started the rebuild but didn't finish? Nice foundation to build on.



Yes, he welded the framing in but lost interest in the project. I picked it up for $125.00. It has a few dents in it from a tree falling on it but the beefyness of the boat kept it from suffering major damage, just a few dents to the top rail.

Yes, Some of the braces are missing, but i have gone in and replaced those old rusted screws on the remaining braces with stainless steel hex head screws that look right nice.




Loggerhead Mike said:


> How wide is extra wide?
> 
> Good looking rig



The boat is 48 inches wide across the bottom and almost 70 inches wide across the top and the transom. 


I am going to be asking for some honest opinion here. I plan on putting 3/4 treated plywood as decking on the front and to box in the front and then use it as flooring for the remainder of the boat. But my biggest decision is weather or not to put a single pedestal in rear or to build a storage box and mount a flat swivel plate on top. I will have plenty of room to do whatever because i will be removing all the framing in the back( I measured it today and i will have just over 9ft of open boat)  as i want my seats to set down low in the boat and not up on top of the deck as the PO had planned. My dad is in his 60's so I want it to be extra stable for him and I. Also I will be powering this machine with a 15hp 2cycle Johnson tiller motor? what do you guys think. Thanks for posting.


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## highvoltageva (Nov 8, 2012)

forgot to mention. I also picked up 2 brand new Wise Highback Deluxe seats today for $100.00 for the pair. Bought them off a guy that works with me. He bought them about 1 yr ago had them on his boat 4 months and kept them under SEAT covers when not in use but took them off as he did not like the color. And they have been sitting in his garage since and are in emaculet condition. :mrgreen:


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## lefty (Nov 8, 2012)

I have heard treated wood puts pinholes in the aluminum. That regular plywood with sealer is better. 3/4 is hefty. If you are just doing the front deck and floor. 1/2 inch will probably do. Also for the money look up ACM panels. Its a lightweight alternative to plywood. Ive found other simular products but this seems to be the best.
Also forbyour rear seat... id just mount a kingpin pedestal base and seat mount. No pedestal. That way you can take the seat out for whatever reason. Just my two cents.
Im sure more folks will comment.


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## JMichael (Nov 9, 2012)

lefty said:


> I have heard treated wood puts pinholes in the aluminum. That regular plywood with sealer is better. 3/4 is hefty. If you are just doing the front deck and floor. 1/2 inch will probably do.
> Also forbyour rear seat... id just mount a kingpin pedestal base and seat mount. No pedestal. That way you can take the seat out for whatever reason. Just my two cents.
> Im sure more folks will comment.



+1. I install vinyl siding and many times my customers will want me to wrap treated 4x4 post with aluminum so they look good. I warn them of the issues with treated lumber and aluminum but they want it any ways. I've gone back after a few years and seen where it's eaten completely through the aluminum in some places already. 

(I removed the comment about the ACM panels because I don't know anything about them.)


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## highvoltageva (Nov 9, 2012)

Thanks for the advice with the treated lumber. What kind of paint do you guys use for the interior and exterior of you boats and also primer or no primer. Thanks


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## highvoltageva (Nov 10, 2012)

I will be adding new pics this afternoon


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## Hammy (Nov 10, 2012)

Looks like you have a good boat and frame to start with and plenty of aluminum too.

Hammy


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## JMichael (Nov 10, 2012)

When painting bare metal, use a self etching primer.


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## highvoltageva (Nov 10, 2012)

I have some pictures to upload. I have finished cleaning the inside and sanding it to a roughly smoothed surface. My plan is the spray the floor and up the walls about 3 or 4 inches with Rustoleum Rubber undercoating to deaden the sound on the bottom of the boat.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157631977299782/

Thanks for looking.


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## JMichael (Nov 11, 2012)

45 minutes of time and no scrubbing involved. I mopped on a diluted solution of alumabrite and pressure washed it off. Went from this----






To this. The inside looks almost as good as the outside. 






Search the build threads for what others have used or done to get their results and it will likely save you a lot of work/headaches/dollars. Or you could just ask what others have done and get good suggestions to help you out.


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## kfa4303 (Nov 11, 2012)

WOWZA! That looks great. I knew alumabrite was good, but I didn't know it was that good  Where did you buy it?


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## JMichael (Nov 11, 2012)

kfa4303 said:


> WOWZA! That looks great. I knew alumabrite was good, but I didn't know it was that good  Where did you buy it?


I had a buddy to get mine for me. He has a crop dusting service and salesmen are always dropping by to sell him industrial cleaners/chemicals and other supplies. I'm not sure where you might find it locally.


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## highvoltageva (Nov 11, 2012)

That does look awesome. If i wasn't going to repaint boat olive green color then i would do that. it have a few to many imperfections to have a bare aluminum finish. I just got back from HD with some self etching primer and the rubber spray in undercoating to coat the floor on the inside and the primer to coat the inside and outside to prep for paint. thanks for looking.


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## highvoltageva (Nov 24, 2012)

After a few weeks of working on my boat. i finally got the front deck built and the outside painted. I will post pictures in the morning as it is to dark now to take them. I am going to wait untill spring to paint the inside with tan spray-on bedliner. thanks for looking


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## highvoltageva (Nov 25, 2012)

Here are the pictures after painting and building the front deck. I will be taking her out tomorrow after work to see how she does on the river. hope you enjoy. thanks

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157632097526493/

you can see the rubber trucking mat i put between the ribs for now. that is there untill the spring when i install a complete plywood floor through-out the bottom and then paint the interior with tan truck bed liner. I will be using restore deck finish on the plywood floor and deck.


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## Gators5220 (Dec 6, 2012)

Man that's a nice big jon boat, what are you gonna do for power on that long term?


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## jetmech (Dec 6, 2012)

I see you have have some of your deck built. I am looking for someone to try some light weight decking i have access too. These are old airline floor boards( i have a thread going in the Boat House section) These floor boards are 7 feet long by 19.5 inches wide, They are fiberglass with a honeycomb material in the middle. Would you be willing to try these out and report back here with feedback. I can give up to 3 boards i would just ask you to pay for shipping. Each board at 7 ft long weighs 8 lbs so cutting them down to the 3-4 feet length for a front deck would probably only weigh 12-15 pounds of decking. I thought of this because i am an aviation mechanic and want to purchase a jon boat and use this material. I am just looking for someone that is currently working on a prodject to try it. I have 3 boards now and will have about 40 more in the next 2 weeks. Thanks


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 6, 2012)

Greetings from Halifax, VA.

How wide is that boat in the floor?


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## highvoltageva (Dec 7, 2012)

Gators5220 said:


> Man that's a nice big jon boat, what are you gonna do for power on that long term?



I have a 15hp johnson that i will be running for now. Maybe in the not so near future, I would like to upgrade to a 25.



RiverBottomOutdoors said:


> Greetings from Halifax, VA. How wide is that boat in the floor?



My boat is 48" wide across the floor and about 70" wide across the top. thanks for looking.


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## highvoltageva (Dec 7, 2012)

I took it out a few weeks ago to find I had a spun prop. I have since had it fix and plan to take her out Monday. I will post a video is possible and let you guys know how she handles with the 15hp. I could get it on plane due to the spun prop.


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## highvoltageva (Dec 10, 2012)

:x I took my boat out today and had the same issue as before when the prop was spun..........??????????????? I called the guy at the prop shop that worked on my prop. he said take it home and pull it off and look at it..........SO i did that and found that the 2 center pounch lines that he put on there when i pick it up were still exactly as he put them. so now what. the only other thing i can thing of now is that my motor in up to high on my transom. the cavitation plate is 2" above the bottom of boat and my transom is 20" tall with a short shaft motor. which is probably to tall. I think i am going to have to cut a notch out of the transom to make it work. Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated. thanks


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## highvoltageva (Dec 11, 2012)

I have found a 25 hp long shaft nissan that i will be looking at this friday in a trade for my 15 hp short shaft johnson. From an old friend and he said i could try it on my boat before we finalize the trade. So i will keep you guys posted on the motor. I saw pics of it tonight and i looks great.

Let me know if yall have any info on the nissan motor as im not familiar with them


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## Gators5220 (Dec 12, 2012)

A buddy of mine has a 35 hp Nissan, and it's been a sweet motor for over 10 years of service. That's the only Nissan I've seen on a regular basis, but they seem reliable to me.


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## JMichael (Dec 12, 2012)

My brother has an 18hp Nissan now and I've been around a few that friends have had over the years and I haven't heard any of them complain about anything out of the ordinary with them. I know my brothers starts easy and runs great.


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## highvoltageva (Dec 12, 2012)

Sweet, I like what I hear about this. thanks for the replies


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## Gators5220 (Dec 12, 2012)

Ya I'd scoop that bad boy up before someone else does! :shock:


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## highvoltageva (Dec 12, 2012)

yes'sir, i'm going friday to test ride and purchase


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## highvoltageva (Dec 14, 2012)

I am here to report with great excitement that i made the trade/purchase today with my 15hp johnson to a 25hp Nissan. I took it for a ride here on the river and she was awesome. performed like a top. Start, Idle and Running. Couldn't be more pleased. will post a few pics of it tomorrow.


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## Gators5220 (Dec 19, 2012)

=D> =D> =D>


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## highvoltageva (May 5, 2013)

WOW 
Its been quite a while since my last post. I last posted after swapping out my motor. But i have since dont alot of modifications to the boat. I have added the front deck and the rear seat box which houses the battery inside it. hear are some pics. Only thing left is to paint the all the aluminum you can see on the inside camo tan/flat tan, that will really offset the olive green used on the decking and box. the olive paint is a deck finish called restore. which leaves a rough textured finish so the deck is non-skid now. hope you enjoy. love the feedback.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157633412792227/


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