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

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Ringo Steele

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

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

Nice work man!
 
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.
 
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!!!
 
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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