# Ripping my boat apart. 2003 G3 1648 Side console TAKE 2



## minicuda (Apr 18, 2010)

I first got this boat about this time two years ago. Here she is at the dealership.





I brought her home and all I wanted to do was get her on the water as quick as possible. Some corners were cut to save time and money with plans to rebuild later.
Here she is on the water after two years of use.




She has served me well and caught tons of fish. Its time to give her the quality she deserves. Before she can be built up she must be torn down. Destruction pics will come later this evening stay tuned! 2 brand new sheets of diamond plate will be delivered Monday.


Link to a ton of build pics over 100:
https://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s273/minicuda/1648%20G3%20mod/


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## dyeguy1212 (Apr 18, 2010)

i look forward to seeing your progress


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## minicuda (Apr 27, 2010)

Well last monday I went down to the steel company to pick up my diamond plate and a mistake had been made and it wasn't in yet. I made it back there to day to pick up a sheet of 4x8 .063. Stopped buy home depot and picked up a sheet of pink foam insulation for the floor. I'm going to have to duble it up to get the thickness I need no biggy.
Been working on an adjustable jack plate. So far it has only cost me six bucks. My local metal scrap yard is owned by one of the board members of The Church I work at. He takes real good care of me when I need metal but he wasn't there one of the days I went so I had to pay for one piece. 





This is the start of the jack plate 2 pices of square tubing one fits inside the other after ripping the wider piece on the table saw basicly turning it into a piece of channel.





cut both pieces in half with a chop saw you can kind of see where this is going. They are bit to big so I need to trim the length down a bit.

Here are some pics of the tear down


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## minicuda (Feb 28, 2011)

Well I have a tendency to get things working at just go crazy using the new toy and forget to post progress. Its been along time but I've got alot done to my boat and it's getting closer and closer to the machine I want it to be. Figured I'd post an update and see what you guys think. I put in a diamond plate floor with foam insulation underneath. Built a custom diamond plate console. Built 2 jack plates first was was a jack break really but we won't get into that. And purchased a bimmini top off ebay for a whooping 50 bucks. I think I want build front and rear decks out of diamond plate. And weld on some rails up front and in back. Was also toying with the idea of a wind shield. We used this boat all last summer in the current configuration and it works great it s really light and fast 30 mph on the gps with 2 people. I go back and forth on adding the decks because of the weight. I use the boat mostly for kokanee fishing and some bass fishing from time to time.


Custom jack plate. Some aluminum channel, stainless nuts and bolts, plywood, fiber glass resin and carbon fiber.















Custom diamond plate side console with in dash fish finder gps combo


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## minicuda (Feb 28, 2011)

Dang batt in lap top is dying and photobuckett is acting crazy more pics tomorrow.


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## jhodge09 (Feb 28, 2011)

wow thats looking awesome really wish you had more pics showing the process. you planning on doing any speakers and a radio? get progress cant wait to see it done


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## KMixson (Feb 28, 2011)

That is looking sharp. I like the jack plate setup you have made.


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## hsiftac (Feb 28, 2011)

looks really nice, i like what youve done with all the diamond plate and the custom jack plate is awesome. What are your reasons for the jack plate?


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## minicuda (Feb 28, 2011)

jhodge09 said:


> wow thats looking awesome really wish you had more pics showing the process. you planning on doing any speakers and a radio? get progress cant wait to see it done



I got some more pics of the progress I just got to find em. Yes I do want to put in a cd player and speakers. I also have a cell phone amplifier and cb I want to install.


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## minicuda (Feb 28, 2011)

hsiftac said:


> looks really nice, i like what youve done with all the diamond plate and the custom jack plate is awesome. What are your reasons for the jack plate?



My motor is a long shaft way to long for the short transom on my boat. By raising it up the prop is in the proper position for top speed. By putting further back it puts the prop in cleaner less turbulent water also increasing top speed and helps the hole shot a ton. I actually think I could raise it up one more notch and gain a little more. I gained over 5mph with this jack plate set up.


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## SlowRollin' (Feb 28, 2011)

Definitely need more pics of that side console. Clean and sharp!

Your entire mod looks amazing. Can't wait to see the end product, again.

T.


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## minicuda (Feb 28, 2011)

Some more pics for you guys.

Floor seats and console





The whole deal




The above pic is how she is now. Still alot to be done but she's very functional which makes it hard to work on cause I'm on the water when its nice enough to work on the boat.


Ok found some console construction pics.














The first thing I did was make a pattern of how I wanted it to look out of poster board. Poster board is way cheaper to make mistakes on than diamond plate and easier to cut.

Next transfer patterns to diamond plate and cut out with table saw. Curves were done with a bosch jig saw with metal cutting blade. Any where you see a bend they were all done by hand no press break in my garage. First I slightly score the backside with the table saw where I want the bend. By scoring it it gives the metal some where to go and makes it easy to bend by hand also keeps the bends real smooth and straight.










Purchased some aluminum angle to make tabs to screw to. Later I ran out and found it was easier to make the tabs from scrap diamond plate using the score and bend method described earlier.





Screwed that bad boy together with stainless screws. At first I was using standard stainless sheet metal screws and predrilling all the holes. Later I switched to self tappers and it was way better and faster. I broke alot of heads off the sheet metal screws non off the self tappers. I could have used rivets not sure why I didn't.




The way it is in this pic it was a little flimsy for my liking so I made a new top piece with a bend that overlapped the back and a bent trim piece to cover the seam in front that overlapped the front and top. Made it way more sturdy and also cleaned up the look alot just looks more finished with the new top pieces.
















You can kind of see the overlap on the top in the pic below. She is a mess this is right after 4 days of camping and fishing.


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## dyeguy1212 (Feb 28, 2011)

That diamond plate is badass!


Does it hurt your eyes though? My 1x3 piece on my livewell blinds me here and there, can't imagine what that thing would do.


Should tell the ladies its good for tanning 8)


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## basstender10.6 (Feb 28, 2011)

That boat is looking awesome. I really like those chairs and the floor. nice job!


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## minicuda (Feb 28, 2011)

dyeguy1212 said:


> That diamond plate is badass!
> 
> 
> Does it hurt your eyes though? My 1x3 piece on my livewell blinds me here and there, can't imagine what that thing would do.
> ...



Thanks!
It hasn't been a problem yet. Once it gets a little of the red clay we track in and out of the boat on it it doesn't shine that much. We almost always have the top up on hot days so that helps to. When its clean next to the house it's crazy bright. Cleans up real nice with the garden hose. My carpet I had before actually cost more than the dp. I think I'm into this build for less than the last one and I was trying to go cheap last time. Just goes to show ya do it right the first time.


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## minicuda (Mar 1, 2011)

Posting all these pics may be motivating me to order some aluminum and do some more work. I use this boat in some pretty big water and it gets pretty ruff sometimes. we do a lot of trolling at slow speeds 1.5 mph in some real choppy stuff. We get a bit of splash over the back some times trolling and alot over the sides right by the console at high speeds. I'd like to basically raise the sides of the boat front and back by welding on rails and plating them in. I'd leave the center between the back seat and just before the console the same height they are now. Still toying with the idea of front and rear decks not sure if I want to add all the weight. What do you guys think?


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## minicuda (Mar 1, 2011)

What you guys think? Any ideas input?


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## reedjj (Mar 2, 2011)

Looks great. Nice work with the diamond plate. 

You mentioned making the sides taller for trolling in rough water. You may want to look into a Deep-V for that kind of fishing. It would def be a smoother ride than your flatbottom. Besides.... you know you want another project boat Lol.

When I lived in coastal NC I had an Alwelded Flat bottom Center Console. It was great for the flats, backwaters, intracoastal, creeks, even the ocean. BUT when I was on Recruiting Duty in Ohio, and tried to use it for fishing the lakes there (Ceasars Creek, and Grand lake St Mary's) It beat the heck out of me. It was only enjoyable in very calm condiitions. Deep V is the way to go for those waters.

How does that 25 push your 1648? Any problems?


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## minicuda (Mar 2, 2011)

reedjj said:


> Looks great. Nice work with the diamond plate.
> 
> You mentioned making the sides taller for trolling in rough water. You may want to look into a Deep-V for that kind of fishing. It would def be a smoother ride than your flatbottom. Besides.... you know you want another project boat Lol.
> 
> ...



you are right about the deep v for sure. The flat bottom is not the right boat for my fishing and I've known that its just something won't let me move on. If I got a deep v she who must be obeyed would wan't this one sold. Not sure if I can handle that. I get real attached to things I build. But I keep searching c list came close to trading once but it didn't work out.

I have also thought about building an aluminum boat from scratch. I have a close friend who I work for from time to time who has a really nice fab shop with all the needed tools and equipment to build a really nice boat. He wants to build himself one I'm sure I could talk him into us building 2 together. But at this point thats all talk and dreams until the cnc plas hits the metal.


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## jhodge09 (Mar 5, 2011)

minicuda said:


> jhodge09 said:
> 
> 
> > wow thats looking awesome really wish you had more pics showing the process. you planning on doing any speakers and a radio? get progress cant wait to see it done
> ...




awesome when you do this i wanna see alot of pic as i entend to do the same to my jon. can you do that for me?


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## reedjj (Mar 5, 2011)

[/quote]
she who must be obeyed .[/quote]


I know your pain!


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## minicuda (Mar 6, 2011)

jhodge09 said:


> minicuda said:
> 
> 
> > jhodge09 said:
> ...


Yeah no problem be glad to.


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## jhodge09 (Mar 7, 2011)

awesome im also looking for a 16ft flatbottom also i bought a 14' but dont think its gonna be wide enough for the look and functionality that im seeking what do you suggest a 16' of 14'? i wanna do a front deck storage, storage in the back and some rod holders i just dont think a 14' will cut it. with multiple batteries, speakers, livewell, ect. but i wanna do something nice like you've got. really like where ur going with ur project


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## hsiftac (Mar 7, 2011)

what kind of speed are you getting out of it?


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## minicuda (Mar 9, 2011)

hsiftac said:


> what kind of speed are you getting out of it?


30 I think I can get more. Going to play with the prop but I got to get a tach first. I think I can move up one more hole on the jack plate which will also help. I also want to strip the paint and polish her up that alone will add 5 mph :wink:


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## minicuda (Mar 9, 2011)

jhodge09 said:


> awesome im also looking for a 16ft flatbottom also i bought a 14' but dont think its gonna be wide enough for the look and functionality that im seeking what do you suggest a 16' of 14'? i wanna do a front deck storage, storage in the back and some rod holders i just dont think a 14' will cut it. with multiple batteries, speakers, livewell, ect. but i wanna do something nice like you've got. really like where ur going with ur project



I like the 16. Its a good size 14 would be to small for me. We go camping with this boat every summer and have really loaded her down a time or 2. We have to boat into our camp its the only way to get there. I've hauled a truck load of firewood with it across some big water no probs works great. The best thing about it is it's so versatile. We take it to the river, big lakes, small shallow lakes and the bay. 6" to hundreds of feet deep it don't care. Only time I was ever nervous was on Detroit lake in the middle of a huge thunder and lightning storm. I was flying across the water to get off that lake.


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## imgonnamissher (Mar 9, 2011)

Nice boat. I like the way you think. I've been toying with the jack plate idea in my head and trying to go with something similar to your design or get more sophisticated. I can't decide weather to use linear bearings with locking pins/bolts or just go with what you have........hopefully we will all find out soon enough what I decide!!! keep posting the good pics.


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## minicuda (Mar 9, 2011)

imgonnamissher said:


> Nice boat. I like the way you think. I've been toying with the jack plate idea in my head and trying to go with something similar to your design or get more sophisticated. I can't decide weather to use linear bearings with locking pins/bolts or just go with what you have........hopefully we will all find out soon enough what I decide!!! keep posting the good pics.


Linear bearings would be awesome! If you go that route may as well add an electric linear actuator or hydro. That would be really cool. I'd like to add hydraulic tilt to mine at some point. Keep me posted on what you decide to do.


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## imgonnamissher (Mar 9, 2011)

Sure will. I'm thinking the bearing route, just don't know about actuator because of expense. You can check into my mod from time to time if you like. I hope to keep everything updated there. It's titled: "Voyager 1670 Mod" (I think that's what I called it.......) :shock: :?


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