# 1979 FM160 16' sea nymph (1658) (UPDATED WITH PICS)



## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

okay i have been lurking around this site for almost a year now getting ideas. i have begun my project but first i need an answer to a quick question. DOES THOMPSONS WATER SEAL REACT WITH ALUMINUM?????????? i just read somewhere that it does now i am worried. help please!


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## dyeguy1212 (Mar 6, 2010)

no, it doesn't


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

oh thank god! okay now i will work on getting pics of my fully watersealed floor on here LOL.


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

okay here is what i started with. it doesnt look too bad on the surface but its is cluttered and NO storage. also the front deck was just a bit small


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

when i got the floor up it was a disaster. the front had about 200# of water logged foam in it. lots of work getting it all out


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

so i hit up the home depot and wanted to compare their prices on thompsons to walmart. the guy at the counter said he wasnt sure if they had any because they arent going to carry it anymore. the first can he pulled out was the same price as walmart but was last years stock. then in the back of the shelf there was a can marked down from $73 to $27. i snagged it up. when i got to the counter it rang up at $18. WOOO HOOO!


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

so i spent a few hours getting everything cut out. i couldnt use the old pieces as a template because the previous owner wanted to save a few bucks by running a 4' wide sheet of plywood lenght wise in a 5' wide boat (hence the 2x6 supports so he had something to mount to) here she is with her new floor


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

so i tried to get an idea of where things are going to go. i decided on putting the rod locker back in. it had one when it rolled out of the factory. it will help with support also


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

i mocked up the console to make sure i had room to walk and i got started on the rod locker when the battery died in the drill so i called it a night. i will pick it back up tomorrow.


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## rasmotherman (Mar 6, 2010)

reading all of the threads on here is what gave me the idea to tackles this project. tons of info and some good guys lending their advice. thanks to everybody on the site. here are a few of my catches from the boat last year


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## dyeguy1212 (Mar 7, 2010)

Thats the same thompsons I'm using. Got it for 6 bucks a jug at HD. Man is that stuff ugly though haha


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## rasmotherman (Mar 8, 2010)

dyeguy1212 said:


> Thats the same thompsons I'm using. Got it for 6 bucks a jug at HD. Man is that stuff ugly though haha


yup but it will workyou cant beat the price


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## dyeguy1212 (Mar 8, 2010)

Got that right. I actually prefer something with a little color so I can tell what I've done once vs twice, and spots that I miss/chunks of wood that chip off are instantly brought to my attention.


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## rasmotherman (Mar 8, 2010)

ok a few pics of the little i got done. i did get a good bit of head scratching in though. im not sure what im going to do with the LW yet. it needs some work. might go with the high quality plastic LW. you will notice that i ripped everything off from this site and i will continue to do so. im not sure what to do with the bow yet. not much to attatch to. my buddy went with a bulkhead which would solve the problem but i would have to drive an hour to get another sheet of ply...and im lazy. ok enough with the babble and on with what everybody loves...THE PICS!


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## rasmotherman (Mar 8, 2010)

here is all i got done


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## rasmotherman (Mar 8, 2010)

i will lock everything together tomorrow. i have to lay out all of my hatches also


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## rasmotherman (Mar 14, 2010)

okay more progress. i had to figure out some better bracing on the slope of the bow which took some time. the front deck is now completely framed in. i still have to do the rod locker. carpet will come down the line. everytrhing from the deck up has to be watersealed. i will have more done tonight.


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## rasmotherman (Mar 14, 2010)

the framing


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## rasmotherman (Mar 14, 2010)

hopefully i will get some more done tonight. it is going slow but everything is coming out great.


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## dyeguy1212 (Mar 14, 2010)

Nicely done =D> 


You got smart well before I did. I used strong ties for the vertical bracing for majority of the mod, instead of just throwing a screw into the ends... Makes it a heck of a lot cheaper and gets the job done just as well


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## rasmotherman (Mar 15, 2010)

i used them in the areas i expect to have the most abuse. those things are too pricey to do the whole thing. i wish i could have.


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## rasmotherman (Apr 1, 2010)

i have finished a good bit since my last post. all i have left to do is hinge the rod locker and front 2 hatches. i also have to wrap up the wiring. the trailer needs bunks added to the front half of the trailer. the old set-up just isnt sufficient. hopefully i will get it all finished this weekend. work will be picking up and dont know when i will be able to get back at it. i will get pics up soon


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## wasilvers (Apr 2, 2010)

Great job, I have the same boat - but have only got as far as pulling the interior out. I plan to put the livewell exactly where you have yours as well as a rod locker on the side. 

What are your plans for seating? I was thinking of a folding bench seat that would fit the driver and a one passenger. 
Where will batteries go? front/rear/both? I was tyring to figure out a spot and thought of putting the batteries right in front of the livewell, but opening the floor up for them - rather than on the raised flooring. I would only have to raise that part of the floor a little bit (call it a step) and can put the batteries LOW and centered in the boat, but still easily accessible.

Looking forward to your future posts.

Will


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## wasilvers (Apr 2, 2010)

One more question, are you using 1/2 ply or a different size? Just curious...

Will


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## huntinfool (Apr 2, 2010)

Looking good!


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

wasilvers said:


> Great job, I have the same boat - but have only got as far as pulling the interior out. I plan to put the livewell exactly where you have yours as well as a rod locker on the side.
> 
> What are your plans for seating? I was thinking of a folding bench seat that would fit the driver and a one passenger.
> Where will batteries go? front/rear/both? I was tyring to figure out a spot and thought of putting the batteries right in front of the livewell, but opening the floor up for them - rather than on the raised flooring. I would only have to raise that part of the floor a little bit (call it a step) and can put the batteries LOW and centered in the boat, but still easily accessible.
> ...


as for seating there will be 1 seat put in the back and thats it. this year will be spent on electric only lake. i hope to get the motor work done soon, then i might add a low back deck with folding seats under the deck. the batteries will be just in front of the LW. i had thought about butting them in the floor but i wanted them up front and it was just easier to put them under the front deck. BTW mine is a 1979 FM160 Fishing Machine


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

wasilvers said:


> One more question, are you using 1/2 ply or a different size? Just curious...
> 
> Will


the floor, deck, and all of the hatch lids are 3/4". i believe the specs say it will carry over 300# per sq ft on a 24" span. i didnt want to have to add stringers in the back and the span to the center rib was 26". it feels real solid (im 280#). the face of the deck and the rod locker is 3/8"


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## wasilvers (Apr 3, 2010)

Thanks for the reply - Mine is a 1978 SS-161 - here's the link to my start of a build- I've been busy with tax season, so not much work getting done for another couple of weeks.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=12113


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

these sea nymphs are sturdy boats. what is the width of yours at the floor? it looks a little more narrow than mine. i am hoping to get this thing finished soon. right now i am waiting on my father in law to pick up the wiring stuff. that is about all that is left. i will be carpeting it later in the season. i cant wait to just set it in the water to see how i did on weight distribution. i also need flotation. right now i have NONE. im not too worried running with only the trolling motor. i know it doesnt leak and trolling wont let me hit anything hard enough to put a hole in her.


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

ok more pics


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

more


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

the hatches


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## dyeguy1212 (Apr 3, 2010)

Looks great =D>


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

last 2


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

i made a short video. it isnt real good but you can get the idea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Urm8mqYU2s


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## rasmotherman (Apr 3, 2010)

what do you guys think about the rod locker? it wasnt how i originally planned it. if you watch the video i explain why (partially) it also added stability. i can stand me 280# up there and it doesnt buckle


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## luvdlake (Apr 4, 2010)

nice job! I especially like the rod storage box. I think I am going to incorparate that same set up in my boat. I also like your livewell cheap and gets the job done. I was wandering is there a pump that pumps water into the livewell. I see there is a pump for recirculation or aireation. Well any ways you done a great job so far. Keep them pics coming.


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## rasmotherman (Apr 4, 2010)

luvdlake said:


> nice job! I especially like the rod storage box. I think I am going to incorparate that same set up in my boat. I also like your livewell cheap and gets the job done. I was wandering is there a pump that pumps water into the livewell. I see there is a pump for recirculation or aireation. Well any ways you done a great job so far. Keep them pics coming.


i have a long hose in the hatch next to it . i just have to slip off the "spray bar" then attatch the long hose and drop the pump over the side. to empty i just drop the hose over the side. the cost was: "LW" $9, bilge pump $15, 20' of hose $16. so a total of $40 for a 22 gallon live well. the hose was hard to find. the ones they sell for the bilge is $15 for 5'. i searched everywhere and found one at home depot in the lawn and garden (outside). it is for a pond. for the spray bar, i found a plug for the end, in the isle their hoses are in ($.66) so make $40.66 for the whole thing


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## rasmotherman (Apr 4, 2010)

the rod locker ended up giving me a good bit of storage under the rods. the center 2 sections will have shelves to hold my plano boxes. it will open from the front. the down side is that it only holds 4 rods


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## rasmotherman (Apr 9, 2010)

i just thought about how easy you flat bottom guys have it. getting a flat floor on that bow was such a pain. you guys can just slap some ply down and you are done. also my sides flare out so i had to cut an angle on everything to get rid of the gaps. Also to all the GUESTS checking this out: go ahead and register and share your mods!


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2010)

i tried to make up a wiring diagram but it was just mess of red and black lines on a page. i wired everything up except the speakers for the radio. i found an old power inverter and stole the buss bar out of it. with a little mod it works fine. i bought 4 light up switches @ $4 a piece. one of the was junk and nearly fried everything. jumping the fuse with a screwdriver is a bad idea. the ground for the switch (to make it light up) was contacting the power inside the switch. so i have my running lights on one, fish finder and radio on one, live well on one, and i have a spare. i think i will be putting lights along the floor on the extra one. i will use the running lights for trucks cause they are cheap. i also have a docking light i will need to wire up. i didnt run my ground through the boat because i dont want the issues that may come with it. all the wires have been wrapped with that wire keeper stuff. it looks all nice and neat. i plan on finishing up water sealing and wrappingup loose ends tomorrow. then i have to get the trailer right. i think i came up with a cheap idea tonight but i will have to look at the trailer to see if it is possible. this plans total cost would be less than $15. doing it the "right" way would be around $100


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2010)

the budget on this was shot from the start. i was hoping to have 5-700 but instead i am right at $200. i think i have done pretty good with having so little in it. looking at the before pictures i can even believe it is the same boat. so what do you guys think? anything i missed? (other than carpet and flotation)


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## Queencitybassman (Apr 15, 2010)

Man this boat is great looks awesome cant wait to see the finished product with carpet. V-bottoms are tougher then flat bottoms to fix up. How did you make the floor flat.. I am trying to work out methods of doing mine right now, it is a pain but i guess i should of thought of that before i bought the boat. Also the livewell is perfect and exactly what id like to incorporate on my 15 foot V-bottom can you give me a step by step how to set it up as I am new to this and I am using a cooler.


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## rasmotherman (Apr 16, 2010)

Queencitybassman said:


> Man this boat is great looks awesome cant wait to see the finished product with carpet. V-bottoms are tougher then flat bottoms to fix up. How did you make the floor flat.. I am trying to work out methods of doing mine right now, it is a pain but i guess i should of thought of that before i bought the boat. Also the livewell is perfect and exactly what id like to incorporate on my 15 foot V-bottom can you give me a step by step how to set it up as I am new to this and I am using a cooler.


with the floor i just made sure the bend was facing up and sat my fat rear on it while i secured it to the ribs. there is still 1 spot that sets a little higher but im hoping it will even out with time. the LW can be done many different ways. mine is the easiest (and cheapest) way.

first i cut a piece of pond hose the length of the LW plus enough to reach the bilge pump. then i zip tied it to the height i wanted it. then i put a plastic plug in the end of the "spray bar".then i zip tied a piece of steel to the bottom of the bilge (if not it will float up). i keep 15ft of hose in the hatch next to it. when i want to fill it, i unhook the "spray bar" hose from from the bilge then attatch the long hose. i can drop it over the side and hold the hose over the LW to fill. then i do the opposite to empty.

IF i had the money i would have done it right. there are a ton of ways to do it better just check out youtube or google "homemade livewells" 

i cant wait to check out your build. keep up updated


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## flipte (Apr 16, 2010)

Awesome Job. cant wait to see your boat finished.

i was wondering though, you removed all the foam and didn't replace it? isn't that vital to the boat?
I've also seen other projects that people removed the seats to create a flat deck like your and others warn about removing the bench. The bench is a crucial part of the boats structure and keeps the boat from folding in half creating a "Jaws" trap.

Don't mean to be negative, just thinking saftey.


planning on carpeting?


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## rasmotherman (Apr 16, 2010)

flipte said:


> Awesome Job. cant wait to see your boat finished.
> 
> i was wondering though, you removed all the foam and didn't replace it? isn't that vital to the boat?
> I've also seen other projects that people removed the seats to create a flat deck like your and others warn about removing the bench. The bench is a crucial part of the boats structure and keeps the boat from folding in half creating a "Jaws" trap.
> ...


foam is coming asap. the little bit that was in there wasnt doing anything. right now i fish an electric only lake so it would take a huge mistake for her to take on water. there were never benches on this boat. sea nymph used side lockers to sturdy the hull. as for carpeting, i will be getting the home depot indoor outdoor that they stock at the store (not the grass stuff). it is $.54 a sq ft. i am just waiting till i have the extra cash to do it. hopefully it will all be done soon.


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## flipte (Apr 19, 2010)

Awesome!
Wasn't sure just wanted to make sure u stayed safe!

Have you tested it on the water?


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## 2007NNBS (Apr 19, 2010)

does your cd player work good mounted like that?


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## rasmotherman (Apr 21, 2010)

flipte said:


> Awesome!
> Wasn't sure just wanted to make sure u stayed safe!
> 
> Have you tested it on the water?


she hasnt been on the water yet. i still have to get my trailer right.
the radio is a good old fashioned TAPE deck. someday i will be able to afford a fancy "CD" player. my neighbor may be selling me the extras i need for the trailer. till then im stuck bank fishing


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## rasmotherman (May 5, 2010)

well, i got the bunks finished up. no pics yet though. the company i work for makes semi trailers. since i work in the FAB department i get "scrap" aluminum at scrap price. i cut 1/4"x2"x2" angle for bunk mounts. we shear up UHMW for one part so i took the 24" strips and made full length "EZ- GLIDE" strips. i just have to wire up the trolling motor and get out there. ........more to come soon (just bought my first house so im going to be a little busy)


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## dyeguy1212 (May 5, 2010)

ostpics:


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## wasilvers (May 5, 2010)

rasmotherman said:


> i just thought about how easy you flat bottom guys have it. getting a flat floor on that bow was such a pain. you guys can just slap some ply down and you are done. also my sides flare out so i had to cut an angle on everything to get rid of the gaps.



LOL - I have the same boat and the same problem. Kind of wish I had gotten a jon boat after doing the front deck. Still have to lay plywood too.


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## rasmotherman (May 9, 2010)

dyeguy1212 said:


> ostpics:


im falling behind i know. new job, buying a home, and 3 little girls under the age of 6, has my schedule pretty packed. i will get more pics before i start the carpet. sorry guys


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## rasmotherman (May 15, 2010)

okay im taking her to the lake tomorrow. i will bring the camera. maybe make a little video. main goal is to see how she floats. if it goes well i will try to do some fishing. wish me luck guys.


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## wasilvers (May 16, 2010)

Good Luck!


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## rasmotherman (Nov 3, 2010)

welllll hellllo guys. not much has happened since my last post besides a new roof, insulation, floors, and drywall. throw in a few others like a hot water tank and you will get the picture. most of that is on hold untill winter so that got me thinking boat. i only took it out the one time this year and she filled up with water. from the PO beaching the boat, he wore out the alum in the front. it isnt really visable but there are tiny pin holes that, once i took the foam out, are providing a steady stream of water in the boat. i happen to work at a company that builds aluminum flatbed and tanker trailers so i will get that welded up when we slow down this winter. the carpet is going in this weekend. i will also be plumbing in a permanent LW. im not real happy with the current set up. she is a little heavy in the bow so i want to move the batteries to the back and find a 9.9 to throw on it. thats about it. more to come...


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

okay tons of work done. she is ready for the water except for some cosmetic stuff. i used to be half owner of this boat but that wasnt very satisfying for many reasons so i bougt out my father in laws half. she got a little beat up due to a leaky roof. this is what i had to start out with this year


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

she neededd a good cleaning


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

had to replace the one hatch lid


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

mostof the carpet is done


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

so i did a horrible job cutting the plywood for the bow of the boat. there was a big gap on both sides. at work i drew the bow of the boat up on 3d modeling software. then i designed this for the front and had the guys burn it out and bend it.


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

this is what it looks like installed


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

a few looks at the front deck


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

okay this is pretty much everything i have done. i also purchased a 9.9. the lake i camp at has a 9.9 limit. i also installed a bilge pump and plumbed that. the radio that was in it was an old tape deck. i added a cd player with a hookup for my cell phone. i will try to put a pic of that up soon.


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

so last year i found out i had a pretty bad leak. the flotation foam was stopping it from taking on too much water. so i bought the alumaweld rods from harbor freight. they work great. easy to use and strong as heck. i was surprised. so this is where i am at right now. she is water ready but still needs a little carpet work done. it has been a long road to get it done. now i just need to fill her up with crappies. i will update the finished product. thanks for all the help i have recieved on here.


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## rasmotherman (Apr 10, 2011)

just as a reminder, this is what i started with. the front deck was about 18" long. now it is about 5 1/2 feet


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## wasilvers (Apr 20, 2011)

So cool! I love the diamond plate. Looks good and im sure she'll fish even bettet now.


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## jvanhees (Mar 24, 2013)

Love the diamond plate


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