dave shady
Well-known member
Hello all, Just found the board when searching on Steel Flex for the bottom of my rivited old Big V-Bow Project. Looks like Im going to have the painter put it on the bottom first next week. Have some rivet issues after water testing the boat. I should of done the test before the new floor was put in but..... live and learn. Nothing TERRIBLE but need to seal her up.
Heres a few pics of my project.
This is what she looked like NEW in 1978 8) She is not gona look like that when Its done.
Dandy nice outfits could of been the Bradys out fishin eh.
The boat is just has ribs on the bottom and over the years someone cut out the center seat. When i got the rig 2 weeks ago it had a 3/4" plywood floor with a 2x4 under cut like a wedge to support it. they rivited tabs along the 8 feet of center area our of aluminum angle and used the right rivits then attached a 3/4" plywood rod lockers to each side of the boat.The front was 2 layers of 3/4" plywood cut to the shape of the bow the very front small seat was removed and some brackets were again rivited to the sides under the floor down low was an oak almost 3" thick x 8" tall cut on the radius of the front end. on top of that they had built another compartment that was the height of the old seat that had the largest 2" wide steel strap hinge to make a compartment for a trolling motor battery. Needless to say this was a HEAVY HEAVY section of wood.
The rear they cut out the front of the seat and left the rear support to be the new front and decked that in 3/4" plywood and had a hatch to access the battery and the gas tank. They butchered it perty well under all that plywood with not much thought. Now what they did was STURDY but after I have removed it all it FILLED the back of my Dodge Ram Pickup to the dump.......
How it bought it
Hundreds of pounds of wood removed
Where I am going from here.
I have removed all the wood and rebuilt the back how I want it out of aluminum stock. This will all be welded in and then reinforced and then decked in 1/8" alum sheet.
The main 8 foot open floor will have 1 1/2 square tube for a floor support structure, that will be 12" on centers and will have 2-3 of the ribs bent to come up the sidewall to re-enforce the sides of the boat from where the seat was removed. That will also be decked in 1/8" aluminum with foam sheets underneath. This should stiffen up the boat perty good.
The front will be framed up in square tube and angle to make a full front deck the same height as the seat about. They will weld in a battery compartment for the front motor as well. They are going to weld all holes in the transom from the yeats of transducers being screwed to it as well as all holes in the sides from old bolts and stuff. The front bottom of the boat where there was some wear to the alum strip to protect the bow from rocks and ice will be fixed a bit as it is a bit worn from wear.
I have found a good fabracation shop that does this kind of work often and comes highly recomended. Lots of work to be done. I have done as much as my skills and tools allows me to do. Monday I drop it off at the fab shop and let them have at it. They are also going to bend and make a motor mount for the Minnkota I piolt motor for the bow.This boat will be fished out of and Diver Duck hunted in the fall so I want it sturdy and simple. I think it will handle the open water well and we will get some good use out of it.
Snuck in tonight to see how its going, very happy with what I am seeing. All the old holes for the past 30+ years put in the sides of the hull have been filled, front deck built and re-enforced well. they put 1/4" plate under where the seat will mount.
The stern of the boat has all been welded up the stuff I added then beefed up from there. they even made a nice radius's on the corners of the gas/battery well. the main beam for the floor has been cut in and leveled out and they will start on the Ribs tomorrow, deck that and bend and weld the trolling motor mount for the front.
Updated floor layout is getting welded in. Different that what was in my headbut I will say stronger and better. He even has some 1/4" tabs that go from the main tubes to the old ribs on the floor its is SOLID! But not done yet. Also added the 1/4" plate where the seats will be screwed down. so Ill have 3/8" of aluminum there for the screws.
Ill add again he was not done yet, Still center braces going in yet. I had to stop inand drop off the new I-Piolt MinnKota motor for getting the motor mount right. Got the Rig back from the FAB Shop yesterday, stoped at painters and got my bid
on the paint and Hydro-Turf for the decking. Got home did some wire brushing on the mainly trans area where there was
old glue to get the hull clean and ready for them to prep then do their thing. Got it all done and will take to them before i leave for a business trip today.
Heres a few new pics. Got the motor mount on and its PERFECT! They even had the motor mounted on there already but
I forgot to get a pic. In a hurry to get it cleaned up and ready to go. I will get the trailer back for 5-7 days to work on it
at least!
Cant wait to get it into its new Camo paint. I know no LUND RED on this hull. Its being painted in a brown pebble finish with
light gray and black cammo of sorts. Hydro Turf in a dark gray on the inside decks also. Illowa Pro-Drive –Phowler builds
boats just down the road from me and they are doing the paint. Their boats look GREAT and its a durable finish. 2 -3 weeks
It should be on the River..... I HOPE!
Heres a few pics of my project.
This is what she looked like NEW in 1978 8) She is not gona look like that when Its done.
Dandy nice outfits could of been the Bradys out fishin eh.
The boat is just has ribs on the bottom and over the years someone cut out the center seat. When i got the rig 2 weeks ago it had a 3/4" plywood floor with a 2x4 under cut like a wedge to support it. they rivited tabs along the 8 feet of center area our of aluminum angle and used the right rivits then attached a 3/4" plywood rod lockers to each side of the boat.The front was 2 layers of 3/4" plywood cut to the shape of the bow the very front small seat was removed and some brackets were again rivited to the sides under the floor down low was an oak almost 3" thick x 8" tall cut on the radius of the front end. on top of that they had built another compartment that was the height of the old seat that had the largest 2" wide steel strap hinge to make a compartment for a trolling motor battery. Needless to say this was a HEAVY HEAVY section of wood.
The rear they cut out the front of the seat and left the rear support to be the new front and decked that in 3/4" plywood and had a hatch to access the battery and the gas tank. They butchered it perty well under all that plywood with not much thought. Now what they did was STURDY but after I have removed it all it FILLED the back of my Dodge Ram Pickup to the dump.......
How it bought it
Hundreds of pounds of wood removed
Where I am going from here.
I have removed all the wood and rebuilt the back how I want it out of aluminum stock. This will all be welded in and then reinforced and then decked in 1/8" alum sheet.
The main 8 foot open floor will have 1 1/2 square tube for a floor support structure, that will be 12" on centers and will have 2-3 of the ribs bent to come up the sidewall to re-enforce the sides of the boat from where the seat was removed. That will also be decked in 1/8" aluminum with foam sheets underneath. This should stiffen up the boat perty good.
The front will be framed up in square tube and angle to make a full front deck the same height as the seat about. They will weld in a battery compartment for the front motor as well. They are going to weld all holes in the transom from the yeats of transducers being screwed to it as well as all holes in the sides from old bolts and stuff. The front bottom of the boat where there was some wear to the alum strip to protect the bow from rocks and ice will be fixed a bit as it is a bit worn from wear.
I have found a good fabracation shop that does this kind of work often and comes highly recomended. Lots of work to be done. I have done as much as my skills and tools allows me to do. Monday I drop it off at the fab shop and let them have at it. They are also going to bend and make a motor mount for the Minnkota I piolt motor for the bow.This boat will be fished out of and Diver Duck hunted in the fall so I want it sturdy and simple. I think it will handle the open water well and we will get some good use out of it.
Snuck in tonight to see how its going, very happy with what I am seeing. All the old holes for the past 30+ years put in the sides of the hull have been filled, front deck built and re-enforced well. they put 1/4" plate under where the seat will mount.
The stern of the boat has all been welded up the stuff I added then beefed up from there. they even made a nice radius's on the corners of the gas/battery well. the main beam for the floor has been cut in and leveled out and they will start on the Ribs tomorrow, deck that and bend and weld the trolling motor mount for the front.
Updated floor layout is getting welded in. Different that what was in my headbut I will say stronger and better. He even has some 1/4" tabs that go from the main tubes to the old ribs on the floor its is SOLID! But not done yet. Also added the 1/4" plate where the seats will be screwed down. so Ill have 3/8" of aluminum there for the screws.
Ill add again he was not done yet, Still center braces going in yet. I had to stop inand drop off the new I-Piolt MinnKota motor for getting the motor mount right. Got the Rig back from the FAB Shop yesterday, stoped at painters and got my bid
on the paint and Hydro-Turf for the decking. Got home did some wire brushing on the mainly trans area where there was
old glue to get the hull clean and ready for them to prep then do their thing. Got it all done and will take to them before i leave for a business trip today.
Heres a few new pics. Got the motor mount on and its PERFECT! They even had the motor mounted on there already but
I forgot to get a pic. In a hurry to get it cleaned up and ready to go. I will get the trailer back for 5-7 days to work on it
at least!
Cant wait to get it into its new Camo paint. I know no LUND RED on this hull. Its being painted in a brown pebble finish with
light gray and black cammo of sorts. Hydro Turf in a dark gray on the inside decks also. Illowa Pro-Drive –Phowler builds
boats just down the road from me and they are doing the paint. Their boats look GREAT and its a durable finish. 2 -3 weeks
It should be on the River..... I HOPE!