Project swamp boat: Lowe rover 16

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soggybottom

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 14, 2012
Messages
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Location
Zimmerman MN
So last year I bought a lake house! I’m living the dream, I can walk out my back door and go fishing. Only catch is I live on a bay that’s so choked with lily pads/weeds regular boats can’t get through to open water.

Here it is before the pads get too bad

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My solution is to build a swamp boat! I bought a Lowe Rover 1640 for $700. Included a trailer, 25 horse motor, and plenty of rotten wood.

Here she is after I got her stripped down and evicted all the mice

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I traded the motor for a nice John Deere snow blower, and bought a surface drive to replace it

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I spent the rest of the season fishing out of it as is

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Plans are to add some decking and make it a little more comfortable to fish out of for this season. Stay tuned!
 
I went with a mud skipper kit and a predator 22hp motor. It plows through the vegetation like it’s not even there.
 
The plan is to build a deck from the front bench seat forward (shown in blue), and build a dash on the bow (shown in yellow).

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The dash will hold a trolling motor, fish finder, and nav lights.

The deck will have a recessed tray for the trolling motor pedal, and a hatch or two. I also plan to relocate the battery inside the middle bench seat.
 
Made up a transom plate out of some aluminum scrap to help distribute the weight of the motor a little better.

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Also cut out the opening for where I’m putting the battery

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Framing for the deck is all done. I had some aluminum scraps left over from other projects, so I didn’t have to buy anything. The downside is most of it was pretty dirty/oxidized so kind of a pain to weld.


I thought about welding everything to the boat , but decided to rivet it in instead, and just weld the framing together.

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The overhang behind the bench I might enclose, I might leave open and put netting across. Time will tell.

I reinforced the heck out of the seat pedestal location because I don’t want any movement there

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The decking is going to be 1/8” aluminum. The platform on the bow will also be 1/8”, welded to the gunwales all around. I don’t know if that will be solid enough to keep the trolling motor from bouncing around so I’m still thinking of how to brace it.

Hoping tomorrow I’ll have time to swing by the metal supplier.
 
Finally got around to picking up some aluminum. 1/8” thick 5052

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Made cardboard templates and transferred them to the aluminum sheet

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Once I was happy with the fit I cut in the hole for the seat base and the recess for the trolling motor pedal.

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Still need to box in the recess for the pedal, and cut in a hatch before riveting the deck down. Plan is to weld the bow plate on, but for now I’m out of filler rod so it will have to wait.
 
Thanks! It’s going to be sweet once it’s set up how I want.

Got a little more done tonight. I finished the recess for the foot pedal. Decided not to box the whole thing in, so water would drain.

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I added bracing under the bow plate

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And started to stitch weld the plate in place

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All welded up

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Made some plates to close in under the bow plate. I’m going to make a bolt on cover for the center for access to the wiring.

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I have a 3 day weekend starting tomorrow, so I should be able to get some good work done the next few days.
 
Are you going to have enough room to reach in there and mount a trolling motor? Or are you making a separate bracket on top for the attachment of a trolling motor? The 1/8" aluminum may need more support for a good size bow mount trolling motor.
 
I can just barely fit my arm in to through bolt the motor from underneath. It will be a pain in the butt, but doable. Failing that, I’ll recruit my wife’s tiny arms to do it for me :D .

I was worried about the motor bouncing around, but now that the plate is welded in I can stand on it and bounce around, and there’s no movement at all. Should be more than strong enough.

Dropped into Cabela’s this morning, and talked myself into a new fish finder.

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I was tired of tripping over the ribs on the bottom of the boat, so...

Floors

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And here’s a mock-up with the trolling motor and fish finder

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I’m gonna echo what LDUBS said, that’s some real slick work man. I need to learn how to weld aluminum. Something about the look of an all aluminum build just gets me going!! Can’t wait to see more.

I’m contemplating whether I should build my front deck with plywood or aluminum. Would you say it was worth the cost of that sheet?
 
Thanks for the kind words! I’m really pleased with how it’s turning out.

I definitely think going with aluminum for the decking is worth it for the way I use the boat. It spends 7-8 months of the year tied up to the dock outside in the rain and sun. Wood and carpeting just wouldn’t hold up.
 
Got the hatch cut in up front.

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And my new seat came in

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Time will tell if I like the seat or if I need one with a backrest. I got it cheap on sale though, so I’ll give it a try.

Thinking I’ll put a bungee cord across to keep the life jackets in place.
 
That boat will be really stiff with all that extra metal.

Good idea on a tie strap, I've lost more than 1 PFD from the wind!
 
Scuffed up all the raw aluminum in preparation for paint. Also got the nav light mounted.

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Made a hatch lid to cover the battery compartment

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Hopefully get her all painted this weekend
 
Looks great! Subscribed!
I’m doing an aluminum rebuild also but riveting instead of welding. I’m using thinner material, (.063 6061 square tube for framing and .100 5052 sheet for decks, hull is .080), I’m a decent mig welder with mild steel but I didn’t want to subject the boat to my learning curve with welding thin aluminum.
Your fabrication looks nice, good job!
 

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