# Ouachita 16DSV mod starting...update 4/30/13



## Ringo Steele (Feb 23, 2013)

Hi folks,
Well, I finally got up the nerve to start cutting into my Ouachita 16 semi-vee, after a couple of years of debating a mod. 

The first stage is modifying the center of the three bench seats to have a walk-through design. 

Following that, I will be installing a flat floor from the rear bench to the front bench. 

Planning a casting platform from the front bench to the front triangle seat at seat height. 

Possibly followed by some storage built in between the center and front benches on each side. 

Here's a few pictures of the first stage (that I am hoping to be able to complete tomorrow!). Notice the seat foam...the top end was on the port side and was a little too close to a brush fire many years ago. I found two small puddles of melted foam in the bottom when I opened up the bench seat.


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## Bass n flats (Feb 23, 2013)

Nice and clean so far. Are you planning any storage in the sie boxes?


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## PBRMINER (Feb 24, 2013)

Nice! I've been thinking about doing this to my 14' Ouachita


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## Ringo Steele (Feb 24, 2013)

Bass n flats said:


> Nice and clean so far. Are you planning any storage in the side boxes?


 The side pods are being filled with the flotation foam. There will also be foam under the lower section (2" sheet). I am planning to make some storage boxes that will fit in between the pods and the front bench on both sides. The opening between the 2 pods gives 24" walk-through, and the pods are still 16" wide, so they retain the capability to be used as seats, or I can place a cooler between them for seating. I am trying to have as much versatility as possible with what I have to work with. Well, back to work on it now! Supposed to be 60 degrees and sunny today. I hope to get a good bit completed on stage 1.


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## Ringo Steele (Feb 24, 2013)

Stage one completed! :mrgreen: (Please excuse the dirt, haven't had time to clean it up yet :wink: )


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## Pweisbrod (Feb 24, 2013)

Wow, that looks great! Nice work! I like it when people keep the sides of the center bench, still have a spot for somebody to sit in a pinch, and retain strength of having the bench there.


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## Ringo Steele (Feb 25, 2013)

Thanks PW. Glad to see that Big Red is coming along. I wish my hull was more the size of yours when I am in the intercoastal waterway and the snowbirds are heading north (summer) or south (winter). They throw a pretty mean wake!


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## alanbird_87 (Mar 11, 2013)

Have you tested your boat since the mod? How does it handle/could you notice a difference?


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## Ringo Steele (Mar 11, 2013)

Haven't had a chance to try it out yet, as my motor needs a carb kit. Just trying to flex the sides by hand, it doesn't have any more give to it than it had originally. I don't anticipate any issues.


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## alanbird_87 (Mar 11, 2013)

Nice...that sounds good...I wont mess with it now but later on in the year when i wont be fishing as much...Thanks for your info


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## Ringo Steele (Mar 20, 2013)

Well, I finally made a little progress on phase 2...I got the rear floor completed. Cypress 1 x 4s, Minwax Ipwick pine stain, and 3 coats of spar urethane. I used 1/8" x 1" aluminum angle riveted to the benches for supporting the ends. 
One section down, 2 to go (in this phase anyway :mrgreen: )


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## bigwave (Mar 21, 2013)

Wow that cypress looks really nice. =D>


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## Ringo Steele (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks! It turned out well, and it was even cheaper that the clear pine at the Home Depot. $5.96 for the 1"x4"x8' boards. The knotty pine was the only thing they had that was cheaper, but the cypress is what I wanted anyway for its rot resistance.
I was looking for that classic nautical look in the floors, or I would have gone the plywood route and topped it with the "Deck Restore" coating.


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## alanbird_87 (Mar 21, 2013)

Wow... thats some nice flooring you got there...Looks really good


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## vahunter (Mar 21, 2013)

Man I'm loving the floors! Thumbs up!


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## Pweisbrod (Mar 21, 2013)

Congratulations on having the nicest floors on tinboats, and certainly the nicest floor ever in a ouchita :shock: :shock: :shock: 

Nice work man!


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## Ringo Steele (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks for the complements, folks! :USA1:

More to come in a couple of weeks. It's end of the fiscal quarter at work, so I probably won't get much done for several days.


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## Passport (Apr 7, 2013)

REALLY nice floor!! How do you make the cut on the seat so straight? Also, how do you figure out the height?
Please keep the pics and info coming!!!


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 8, 2013)

Thanks for the complements! 
As far as cutting the seat straight, (and in my boat, straight is a very relative term, as not much is) I just found the center of the bench, measured out the opening width along one edge and used a square to get the cut line on the bench top. For the sides, I measures measured down the sides from the bench top to get the height I wanted for the floor. I again used the square to get the lines perpendicular to the bench top (It would have been easier with a flat floor like a Jon boat has!). The floor height was based on the curvature of the bottom, and I wanted it where the bottom makes the transition to the sidewalls. It ended up about 4" above the keel line in the floor, and about 1/2" above the ends of the floor braces.

I am about through with the spar urethane on the middle section, so should be getting that assembled in the next couple of days. I am also working on the front section as well. I will post more pictures as it progresses.

thanks for lookin'!

Ringo


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## thewalleyehunter (Apr 8, 2013)

I LOVE that floor! =D>


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## SMOOTHboar (Apr 8, 2013)

Those floors are crazy awesome! Best I have seen yet. I love the look. And the split bench nice touch there. How did you cut bench? I dont think my Ouachita seats are riveted. But I have a simlar idea in mind. KUDOS!


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 8, 2013)

The tops of the benches on mine are riveted to the sides of the bench. I just drilled out the rivets after I got it marked up for the cuts, took off the bench top and used a reciprocating saw for the cuts in the bench sides. I actually used a Dremel Tools vibrating cutter to deep-score the lines on the bench top and then snapped it off clean like breaking glass. A little file work cleaned it right up.

Got a good bit done today. The middle section is completed, and the front is designed and the sub-frame is under way. I'm sti debating on running the front v-shaped section boards linear like the rest, or running a king board and angling the rest. Decisions, decisions! #-o :mrgreen: 

Anyway...here a couple more pix...(cell phone :roll: )


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## SMOOTHboar (Apr 8, 2013)

Looks nice! Maybe I missed it but how are you attaching the floor to the ribs? Are you using screws or rivets? In one picture, I noticed you had some kind of stringer that the cypress boards are run on. Can you post a pic of how you have the planks put together?

Thanks.


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 8, 2013)

The floors are resting on 1 x 1 x 1/8" angle aluminum angle riveted into the faces of the benches. The individual boards are screwed to two 1"x 2" strip running across the underside of each floor sections. The Cypress boards are each about 30" long between the benches. I thought I might need a center brace running down to the floor, but the boards have almost zero deflection with my full weight on them, and I run about 240. The floor sections are not fastened into the boat an any fashion at present, as I wanted them removable for storing out of the elements when the boat is not in use. I am investigating some sort of latching mechanism to lock them down while underway, trailering, or (God forbid!) it ever gets swamped. Maybe something as simple as stainless barrel bolts, or something similar, stationed at each corner.


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## kryptonica (Apr 10, 2013)

I expect you will continue to post progress photos starting today. I demand you finish this because I need more pics.


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 10, 2013)

Back at work today, so it may be a couple of days... :mrgreen:


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## sgt tee (Apr 14, 2013)

You did a beautiful job on the floor, I would like to see pictures of the under structure if I may, I am no carpenter, but I know nice work when I see it, I also sent you a pm


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 14, 2013)

I am making good progress on the front section, but have to do a slight design "modification" for the tapered edges. I'll try to get some pictures in a couple of days, and also show the support mechanisms for the panels.

Only one moor board to buy! [-o<


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## DOBSONFLY (Apr 21, 2013)

=D> looks awesome anxiously awaiting the finished product! Keep up the good work!


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 21, 2013)

Making progress...got the stain on the front floor section today. I'll get pix up soon.


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## SMOOTHboar (Apr 21, 2013)

More pictures needed that are not thumbnail size. I'd like to see how the blue beauty is progressing.


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## thursdaymike (Apr 21, 2013)

Man that floor looks good! My only concern would be tackle falling between the cracks. But it does look sweet!


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 22, 2013)

Here's a phone pic of the front section. I'll post real pictures when I get home after work... :mrgreen:

It might be a week or so before I can get back to work on it though, my wife is having back surgery on Wednesday. [-o<


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## SMOOTHboar (Apr 25, 2013)

That is great looking.


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## Tusker (Apr 25, 2013)

Love the floor work =D> . Great looking color as well.


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks guys! I actually got back from the hospital today (wife's surgery went well, BTW) in time to put the 1st coat of spar on the front section. the color stain is MinWax Ipwick Pine. Along with the spar urethane, it gives the wood a nice warm tone similar to the well aged Pickwick pine paneling that was in my dad's den back home.


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## pauldanielm (Apr 26, 2013)

Glad everything went ok with the wife's surgery, your boat is looking amazing!!!


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## jvanhees (Apr 26, 2013)

wow awesome looking floor and great idea =D>


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## SMOOTHboar (Apr 28, 2013)

Glad to hear the wife is on route to recovery!


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 28, 2013)

Thanks for the well wishes, guys. She came home form the hospital today.

I did manage to get the final coat of spar on the front section yesterday, so all that's left on it is the reassembly. I'll post some pix of the completed floors in the boat as soon as the weather clears, which might be a couple of days the way the weatherman is talking.


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## Ringo Steele (Apr 30, 2013)

Well, I finally got the floor completed! Here's the pictures to prove it... :mrgreen: Phase II completed.
It sure makes it easier to move around in. I weighed it today too...78 pounds. I was going to guess around 100, so I am happy with it!
I decided to keep the front section as a floor instead of a seat-height deck to keep it a little more stable. I also use this boat in the intercoastal waterway and sound, so there is sometimes larger wakes to deal with.

Now...what can I do next??? [-X :lol: Phase III...


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## SMOOTHboar (May 2, 2013)

Those floors are really really great looking! I love those dudes. 

So for phase 3 you gotta step up and jack one out the park!!!


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## DOBSONFLY (May 8, 2013)

Floors look great! =D>


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## Ringo Steele (Jun 23, 2013)

Well, its been a few weeks! I finally got to take the boat out for its first run with the new floors installed, and it works great. the cutout in the middle bench doesn't seem to affect the structural integrity at all as far as I can tell, and the flat floor with the walk-though it fantastic! The added weight doesn't seem to have changed the boat speed or balance any. I am getting 17 mph on the GPS with me at 250, a friend at 200+, trolling motor, battery, gas tank, and fishing gear. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. :mrgreen:


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## Ringo Steele (Jan 8, 2014)

Hard to believe it's been over 6 months since I last posted on the build, but not a lot has been updated. I did get to build some trailer guide posts and a cover support, but money and time has been in short supply. I haven't even been fishing but 3 or four more times..._That's gotta change!!!_ Here are a few pix of the posts and cover support...


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## bikerider (Jan 7, 2020)

Any updates on the boat? The floor you made and walk through seat design look great! I bet they are very practical too.


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## Ringo Steele (Sep 14, 2020)

Wow! Can't believe it's been so long...life has been busy!
Anyways, unfortunately, those beautiful floors did not last but a couple of years, due to poor quality of the marine spar urethane I used. Water infiltration got them pretty quickly. I replaced them with plywood (For now). Time to replace the transom board I installed back in 2011, as the 105 epoxy got sun damaged (did not know it had no UV tolerance back then) and let the water seep in. Live and learn! 
Anyways, good to be back on the forum!


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## zachw (Sep 20, 2020)

Just a note to say I have that same hull and I love it! Never seen another like it, but I would sure love another with the same shape but wider beam and thicker metal. It’s just a super fun, sweet handling boat. And it’s gotten me out of some tougher water than I had any business being in.


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