Duck Boat - Work In Progress

[Plane Driver]

Hey All,

New to the site. Came here to 'steal' ideas and tap into the wealth that I've seen that you all have to offer. Currently started working on my duck hunting boat project with my crew. 12' Alumacraft Jon boat, upside down on the side of the road for $75 - I figured what the heck?

Currently drilled out all of the rivets and removed the rear and mid bench seat and all of the rotten foam from underneath. Re-installed rear bench seat with nuts and boats and 3M's Marine Sealant (works great, I've used this process numerous times before).

Future plans (dependent on 'travelling schedule') include two pedestal boat seats, one rear bench boat seat, Herculiner coating on interior and floor, wiring from battery for NAV lights (all LED), 2 LED Swamp lights (docking lights), interior red LED lighting, beaver tails welded onto rear, gun racks, and of course the blind. All powered by a Johnson 8.

Affectionately she earned the name of 'Perfect Storm' after northern Michigan's winter storm, mid duck season of 2010.

Working on drilling out the rivets to remove seats and foam.

And of course the little guy, Deke, was present the entire time.

More to come gentlemen!

 

[Gunmedic]

Awesome pooch. Have fun.

 

[BaitCaster]

Beauthiful dog. Nice boat too!

 

[dixie_boysles]

beautiful dog!

 

[Critter]

Nice boat, Looks like a nice on for that project. Where are you in northern MI?

 

[cmatthews_jm]

Awesome pup! and looking forward to seeing this build, good luck!

 

[Plane Driver]

Hey gang - hit some recent snags with moving to a new area and then having to get the boat out of storage. Now, I am unable to post pictures from my iPad to the website. Any advice? Thanks

Other than that I have the entire boat primed and painted and have all I need for nav lights and batteries and motor so the project is coming along!

 

[pwshepard]

Hope you get the pic thing figured out. Here's a link to the project I completed a couple weeks ago: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=21455. Maybe you find a couple ideas.

Good luck.

 

[Plane Driver]

Alrighty fellas sorry about the delays! I finally figured how to do this wight the iPad haha

This is the boat washed prepped and MEK'd - and no I did not sand it - this is the way I bought it!

Another shot Pre-primer and paint.

 

[Plane Driver]

This photo shows neutral self-etching primer on entire interior.

 

[Plane Driver]

This is after a few coats of paint from the body line up and the exterior body line up.

 

[Plane Driver]

On to the navigation lights. I ordered them off of an LED distributor - they are 12VDC sealed and completely waterproofed.

The OD looks quite dark in this picture but is seems to be a little lighter in the sun.mi drilled two small holes on each side to run the wires back to the battery and the switch panel.mi also routed as many of the wires as possible through the seats and I also tucked them behind the aluminum bracing.

The lights installed.

Port and Starboard running.

 

[Plane Driver]

I brought the wires back through the ribs and under the aft seat since I plan on putting the battery into a box I'll be building this weekend.

 

[beas]

Nice work! Got a link to the LED's? They seem like a perfect setup to me!

 

[Plane Driver]

Hey Beas -

To be honest I don't. I'll do some looking for you though - they were $6.00 plus four for shipping. I got them off of a supplier on eBay and I hope they will work out. I wanted something very low profile (and not gaudy and chromed out) but they are flexible strips so I epoxied them to the hull and they are hard to see when they aren't on - which is perfect for duck hunting in my opinion. I'll do some research you and pm you.

 

[Plane Driver]

My box work has taken an interesting turn lately. I've decided to make them removable so I can still utilize a full boat when I need it. I started off with measuring and cutting a base board for the floor and for the port side of the boat it will be compartmentalized for battery, gas, wiring, fire extinguisher, and room to fit a cooler and my Avery Blind Bag. The starboard side of the boat will be used for shotgun storage. My plan is to mount a removable flip seat on the port side. I'll work on finishing the boxes and hinging them and then carpeting over them.

I'll plan on maybe drilling some small holes for drop in pins and I'll also have small cleats on the box so they will fall into alignment along the structural ribs.

 

[beas]

Thanks man. They look like they would be low profile and out of the way of a flat deck.

 

[Plane Driver]

Dry-fit/mock-up of the storage boxes.

Completed storage boxes. Starboard side for guns and rods and the port side for battery, gas, cooler, and blind bag. All I have left to dp is treat/coat the wood and I'll be ready for the waterfowl season!

 

[Plane Driver]

Here is the bottom and the sides of my boxes coated with Herculiner

Here is the interior stern section coated with Herculiner

 

[fastcajun]

you might have to move your gas and battery around. that will be alot of weight on one side of the boat vs the other side.