Lowe 14' flat bottom 6' wide mods needed (COMPLETE) *PICS*

[Brine]

Not that this is the right solution for you, but here is what I currently use.

Those 30 gallon coolers go on sale at Walmart at least twice a year. I think I paid $45 for it a couple years ago. They come in Green or White.

The pump in the cooler just gets dropped overboard to fill up the cooler, then placed inside and used as an aerator. At the end of the day, the spraybar is placed outside and the water gets pumped out. No holes required in the boat, and any remaining water in the cooler can just be dumped out by taking out the cooler.

The lexan was leftover from a job at work, and I used extra fuel line to wrap the inside edge. It lifts straight out when needed.

 

[Brine]

Just checked, they are $52 Retal.

 

[cybereyes]

That looks like a pretty nice setup Brine, I think I would prefer to go the extra mile on this one and install a permanent job built into my deck though. I was thinking however of getting one of those large coolers and building a pre made hole in the deck somewhere in the middle of the boat to slide the cooler right into. It could act as a seat/cooler. I have lots of ideas running through my head though. HOPEFULLY this weekend I'm going to start stage one by replacing my transom and painting the boat, and maybe taking some measurements for the wood. Then I will probably order a livewell so I can cut the right size hole for it. I plan on either putting it right in front or right behind the front bench seat and incorporated into the deck.

 

[Brine]

That looks like a pretty nice setup Brine, I think I would prefer to go the extra mile on this one and install a permanent job built into my deck though. I was thinking however of getting one of those large coolers and building a pre made hole in the deck somewhere in the middle of the boat to slide the cooler right into. It could act as a seat/cooler. I have lots of ideas running through my head though. HOPEFULLY this weekend I'm going to start stage one by replacing my transom and painting the boat, and maybe taking some measurements for the wood. Then I will probably order a livewell so I can cut the right size hole for it. I plan on either putting it right in front or right behind the front bench seat and incorporated into the deck.

Yep, I've seen a few folks take the lid off of these and make them permanent.

 

[BLK fisher]

Welcome to the site. Alot of good ideas here.

 

[RStewart]

I do however like this

Pro Bass Bait and Fish Keeper
$319.00

Its a little bigger at 38 inches long for a little more and the one you may have been looking at was this one.

Pro Bass Tournament Series - 40" Smooth Top
$289.00

Its actually 40 inches long for $289 and has a removeable seperator. This might actually be the one for me because it looks like the other one they are charging you for the diamond plate top yet its still called smooth top. Dont get that one. Anyway, at 40 inches this is actually a bigger box for $10 bucks cheaper.

the pro bass tourney livewell is the one i was talking about. bigger for less money.

 

[cybereyes]

Ok I have finished phase one, replacing the transom and painting the boat, I have also begun phase two of cutting out the plywood to make the floors and the deck. I have to water treat it next and finish cutting the back portion where the motor is going to go and then cut out all the holes for the seat mounts and storage, then I'm going to start wiring it and finally putting on the carpet and mount all the accessories. I will post pics in the next few days. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to bolt the seat posts down and make them solid.

 

[MikeA57]

PIX, PIX, PIX!!!!

 

[ford4x4dad]

WOW!!!!! :shock: can't help you with mods but that is a short barge!!!! never seen one, really cool!!!!

 

[cybereyes]

These are the pics so far. I still have to cut out the holes for the seat mounts and the storage bins, then I have to wire everything up for the batteries. Oh and I still have to brace all the flooring in, so far I have just cut out the blanks and set them in the boat for fitting. Once all that is done it will be time for some carpet. Oh and I have to cut holes and run hoses for the live well too.

 

[cybereyes]

WOW!!!!! :shock: can't help you with mods but that is a short barge!!!! never seen one, really cool!!!!

Short?? Well its 14 feet, and 6 feet wide at its widest.

 

[MikeA57]

Thanks for the pix cybereyes!! The reason I am interested in this thread is because that is just like my boat (1448 Lowe Big Jon), except mine has a livewell in the front bench seat. I'm working on the trailer now but will be resurrecting her soon so my boys and I can go fishing. You've got a nice looking layout there. I especially like the decking you did at the back of it where the gas tank and batteries go. (at least, that's the way my dad had it set up but he didn't have that area decked.)
Once I get it back from over at my Mother-in-law's place I'll take some pictures of it and post.

Mike

PS: Ford4X4dad, you're right she kind of is like a barge; she's got a pretty rough ride on choppy water but she's a strong, wide, high sided boat and she works great!! Very stable.

 

[cybereyes]

Here is where I'm at so far right now. Its coming along nicely. Almost to the wiring part. Oh boy.

 

[cybereyes]

A couple more

 

[MikeA57]

That looks real good cybereyes!!! How did your brace the rear deck? Is it just a lip across the transom or did you brace it downt he sides too? Did you run a center brace down it? How are the hatches going to open?

I was going through my mind Saturday evening of how I would like to do my back deck and I finally arrived at 2 separate hatches like yours instead of a single long one to access the gas tanks, battery and drain plug. I tried to visualize how the openings would work and a long single one would have to have the hinge towards the front of the boat, which means I'd have to be reaching over the hatch to put the gas tanks/battery in the boat unless it's still on the trailer. If a double hatch is used, the hinge could be on the outside near the gunnels and flip up and out of the way. If the boat is on the trailer easy access would be available from the back of the boat. Hinges to the center would work too, but not as well in my mind. The benefit of that would be easy access from the side or the rear but I could also see them getting in the way of the rear seat set in the middle since they would be opened to the center.

 

[cybereyes]

I haven't done any bracing yet actually. That is my next step. First I wanted to have all the pieces cut and carpeted so that I can place my accessories like the trolling motor etc to the top and know what my bracing had to work around. Everything right now is like a bunch of puzzle pieces. When I do the bracing I plan on bracing that entire section between the two hatches in front of the motor, and of course along the sides and rear of the boat. The only issue I will have is where that gas tank sets. There isn't a whole lot of room to brace in the front or rear, because the gas tank sits literally pefect in that hole. I don't think it will be that big of a deal though considering the entire deck is resting on the boats built in bench seat as well as the tops of the boats ribs/bracing that runs along the floor and up the sides of the boat, and I don't think I will be doing a whole lot of standing all the back there unless its right in the center. The battery side will be much better braced as well since I will have more room.

The hatches are going to open from front to rear. I thought about it too and my best idea was to have them open from front to rear so that I could access them easily from inside the boat and from the sides of the boat. This whole thing has been a learn as I go process though since I'm not really much of a carpenter, I'm just good with my hands and I take my time. Oh and I have a lot of tools lol. My biggest obstacle right now is trying to figure out the livewell thing. I thought I had everything for it, but I think I'm going to need more stuff than what came in the kit, so that I can have an overflow and a drain.

I'm also slightly concerned about weight. I'm adding a lot of wood, plus the live well, and all the bracing. I used thinner plywood where I could, but all the upper deck is the thickest I could find so make it sturdy. The boat is really wide and deep, so I'm hoping that makes up for it. The previous owner said it was very stable when in the water and even with his son right up on the edge it didn't tip at all. I've added a lot since then of course, but I think it should be ok. Time will tell. I have bad dreams that after weeks of pouring my time and money into it, I will drop it in the water and when I get in the boat see water coming over the edge lol.

 

[MikeA57]

That is a VERY stable boat, I can attest to that. It rolls and it rides hard in choppy water but I've NEVER felt like it was anywhere near tipping.

I've thought about the weight issue too as my Dad used 3/4" plywood for the deck in my boat when he originally put it together. As I thought about it, I wondered why. The front deck only extended beyond the main aluminum deck about 12 - 15 inches. It seems to me that he could have taken 1/2" plywood and layed it over the deck and extended it to the point he wanted the new deck to end but then he could have put 2 layers of it in the area that isn't laying directly on the deck and had just as strong of a deck. The second layer would be put underneath the first one. Is there some reason this wouldn't work for the rear deck as well? You'd be saving a little bit of weight anyway. (Yeah, I know you've already got yours cut and everything, I'm just thinking out loud here...)

I didn't even consider the hatches opening to the back because I figured the outboard would be too far forward and get in the way and they wouldn't stay open. I don't have my boat at my house right now to check that out, that was just my thinking. That might be the way to go though.

 

[cybereyes]

Yeah I guess you could layer the parts that hang over. I never really thought about it though at the time. The only thing is, with the thicker plywood, you are getting some support from the plywood itself, and then you put the bracing underneath. if you just added another 1/2 inch piece underneath that one section it would technically be thicker, but you wouldn't have any extra support from the plywood itself. Right now I can nearly stand on the thick plywood without any support underneath at all, which I like. Once its braced it will be very sturdy.

 

[baptistpreach]

I think you'll be just fine when it comes to weight. I love what you've done with the boat, it looks just awesome. When he said you had a short barge, I think the emphasis is on the word barge, he was saying it was as wide as a barge, just shorter! I agree, great boat, and I love the work you've done. I think you and I are pretty similar because I'd describe my skills just like you, I just try and take my time, and figure it out! Great work, and I love the color of your boat! Did you replace your transom? If so, did you have to re-rivet the braces? Thanks again.

 

[cybereyes]

Yes I did replace the transom, but I didn't use rivets to do it. I just used stainless steel bolts and nylon locking nuts and lots of marine sealant. I think I have some pictures of what it looked like on the first page, and you can see what it looks like now on this page. It turned out very well, but was a lot of work. Mainly because of those two arms bracing the transom that you see in the floor of the boat. So I had to replace all of those rivets too with the same bolts and sealant which went right through the bottom of the boat. When I got finished I took a dremel and cut off the excess bolt that was sticking up inside the boat and on the back of the transom so it's all even and flush. I think it turned out pretty good.