yak_n_fish
Active member
Hey Y'all
Great site! I'm very glad to have found it and have already learned a few tips and tricks. I am very impressed with the mods and rehabs that have been done on the boats. =D>
I'm posting a couple of pics of my "flat boat" in hopes that it will help me finish the project.
The story behind the boat is that my Dad bought this for my brothers and me back in 1983 for use around our little camp in Pass Christian, MS. My brothers and I loved this boat to death (that is we beat the snot out of it every day in those summers) and did almost nothing to maintain it. We cruised the bayous and Bay St. Louis with the Johnson Seahorse 15hp engine that took a lot of abuse and very little maintenance. Fast forward to 2005 when Hurricane Katrina made landfall basically on top of our house there and put this boat about 10 ft up in an oak tree. Fortunately, the anchor rope had wrapped around the tree and held it there, even though the chain holding the bow handle had ripped it from the bow (chain was around the tree for security purposes). The house was reduced to a slab, but our little boat was there in the tree. I climbed up, cut it down and eventually purchased a trailer and towed it home. It has sat in my back yard since then and only recently I've started the project. The engine sat underwater for a few days but actually didn't move far from where it had been stored. Amazing that an entire house can blow away, but a 15hp engine will lay just about where it was.
As you can see, the transom wood was split and the port side was banged up pretty good. I have started the process of replacing the transom with 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood that I have coated with West Systems. The engine was torn down, scraped all of the corrosion from around the cylinder heads and throughout the water jacket so that it will actually cool the engine, and carb rebuild is in the plans. I still need a few more coats of epoxy on the transom wood and then I plan to replace the brackets and engine mount plate with Stainless Steel bolts, washers and nyloc nuts. I was leery about using the SS hardware below the waterline because of the potential for corrosion, but since this boat will be trailored to and from the water, I'm hoping it won't be an issue. I looked into getting solid aluminum rivets, but that seemed to be a lot of hassle and needed special tools, patience and experience with riveting that I just don't have.
I plan to use this boat in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta river system as well as the saltier water of Mobile Bay.
I am also planning to paint the boat after I've replaced the transom. I bought 3 spray cans (all they had) of self-etching primer from Autozone, but I'm wondering if that is going to be enough to do 2 coats on this rig? I am also planning to use Parker Duck Boat paint from Cabelas. I want a duck boat look without the camo patterning, for now. After having seen all of the great mods that y'all have done, I've also started thinking about a storage area in the middle bench seat and possibly even decking? Also thinking about upgrading the trailer to 12" wheels.
Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself, say "Thank You!" for having an awesome site/forum and also ask for input. I appreciate any suggestions and wisdom that y'all have to offer.
Cheers,
yak_n_fish
Great site! I'm very glad to have found it and have already learned a few tips and tricks. I am very impressed with the mods and rehabs that have been done on the boats. =D>
I'm posting a couple of pics of my "flat boat" in hopes that it will help me finish the project.
The story behind the boat is that my Dad bought this for my brothers and me back in 1983 for use around our little camp in Pass Christian, MS. My brothers and I loved this boat to death (that is we beat the snot out of it every day in those summers) and did almost nothing to maintain it. We cruised the bayous and Bay St. Louis with the Johnson Seahorse 15hp engine that took a lot of abuse and very little maintenance. Fast forward to 2005 when Hurricane Katrina made landfall basically on top of our house there and put this boat about 10 ft up in an oak tree. Fortunately, the anchor rope had wrapped around the tree and held it there, even though the chain holding the bow handle had ripped it from the bow (chain was around the tree for security purposes). The house was reduced to a slab, but our little boat was there in the tree. I climbed up, cut it down and eventually purchased a trailer and towed it home. It has sat in my back yard since then and only recently I've started the project. The engine sat underwater for a few days but actually didn't move far from where it had been stored. Amazing that an entire house can blow away, but a 15hp engine will lay just about where it was.
As you can see, the transom wood was split and the port side was banged up pretty good. I have started the process of replacing the transom with 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood that I have coated with West Systems. The engine was torn down, scraped all of the corrosion from around the cylinder heads and throughout the water jacket so that it will actually cool the engine, and carb rebuild is in the plans. I still need a few more coats of epoxy on the transom wood and then I plan to replace the brackets and engine mount plate with Stainless Steel bolts, washers and nyloc nuts. I was leery about using the SS hardware below the waterline because of the potential for corrosion, but since this boat will be trailored to and from the water, I'm hoping it won't be an issue. I looked into getting solid aluminum rivets, but that seemed to be a lot of hassle and needed special tools, patience and experience with riveting that I just don't have.
I plan to use this boat in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta river system as well as the saltier water of Mobile Bay.
I am also planning to paint the boat after I've replaced the transom. I bought 3 spray cans (all they had) of self-etching primer from Autozone, but I'm wondering if that is going to be enough to do 2 coats on this rig? I am also planning to use Parker Duck Boat paint from Cabelas. I want a duck boat look without the camo patterning, for now. After having seen all of the great mods that y'all have done, I've also started thinking about a storage area in the middle bench seat and possibly even decking? Also thinking about upgrading the trailer to 12" wheels.
Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself, say "Thank You!" for having an awesome site/forum and also ask for input. I appreciate any suggestions and wisdom that y'all have to offer.
Cheers,
yak_n_fish
. We have been limiting out the last 4 trips and it should get better the colder it gets.
