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Pollution

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Hey all, so this weekend, I purchased my first boat!!! Woot for me! (I've wanted a boat for 15 years +, and at 35, the day is finally here!)

Got a sweet deal (I think) on a 12' Sears 60122 aluminum jonboat + trailer + TM + Battery for $345. here it is in my garage:
Lmncv.jpg

ZpyXX.jpg


The outboard came from a boat garage I ran across on my way home and cost me $250 (tested, it runs great). 5.5 HP. Dunno the brand, all the ID plates are missing.

The boat itself is in all but perfect condition. The bottom is scratchless, I think the guy I bought it from only used it in farm ponds and then only rarely. The only issue is the front bench, which has a tear on either side towards the bow, less than an inch long. And the front seat is reinforced to the front thusly:
DgyjK.jpg


(Tear in front bench)
aiHSp.jpg


Other than that kind of tear on each side of the front bench, the thing is all but pristine. I think I got a hell of a deal.

NOW, the problem is that neither the trailer, nor the boat are titled. Which means, no boating for me until I get that taken care of (about a month for the trailer, no VIN#, and who knows with the courts for the boat). Which means that I have time to play with the boat before I can really use it....

SO, having found this site the other day (OMG, so very cool, I'm in awe) I decided, HELL YES I WANT ONE JUST LIKE YOURS!!! hehe

SO, here's the basic layout I came up with:
NOiYg.jpg


I want the livewell (read cooler with a pump in it) to be able to be easily slid in/out. So a bungie will be in place there.
Rod lockers will open in towards the center of the boat. Yes, that's not ideal, but I'm looking for a big open center, but still have a bench with a purpose there. All my rods break down so 3' or so should do fine. This was done rough and not really measured YET. That's what cardboard is for :D
The Store bits near the bow are planned to be 2 or 3 "glove boxes" that should hold some plano's or whatever.

I plan on painting the bottom 1/2 in black or grey steelflex and then the top red with blue bump walls (for a splash of color, hehe).

Blue carpet on all the flooring, and grey for the sidewalls.

I just picked up a few dirt cheap ladders from a pawn shop for framing (cause lighter than wood = good). 3/4" plywood for the decking (untreated of course) and some 2x2's for other framing needs.

NOW, here's where I start bugging everyone with questions.

1) How the hell does one attach framing to the boat, especially the bottom? I mean, won't it leak? How do you keep it from doing so?
2) Is marine carpet REALLY better than indoor/outdoor? in/out seems a lot cheaper to me and I am on a budget here. I know about hook issues with in/out, but I'm willing to deal with it to save the cash.
3) Does my design look balanced? Weight wise? I figured, put the fuel tank on the right, and the trolling motor on the left, that will keep most of the weight balanced in that respect.
4) I've read up on most of the projects here, and can't figure out how the compartments you guys are building close and don't just fall in on themselves. Is there some trick to supporting the cover? Just a bracket or something and I'm too blind to see it? Or what?
5) Wiring.... erm... yeah... wut? I'm pretty good with my hands, I can build this, no worries, but electricity and me don't get along. point me...please...
6) Anything else I'm not considering here?


Any and all help/advice is appriciated. I'm planning on starting this up tomorrow or so (removing benches, sanding, etc...)
 
The boat looks great and you got a heck of a deal.

Only suggestions I have are to be carefull how high you put the front deck and fishing seat. A 12footer isnt all that big and you dont wanna be way up in the air on the front (where the V is) it will be kinda tippy.

Second suggestion is with a smaller boat, and a smaller motor you will probably not need that much space for a fuel. Im not sure if your sketch is to scale or not but.....I would think that with a 12 footer and a 5.5hp motor a 3 gallon tank will be plenty of fuel and keep your weight down.

I did not permenantly attach my floor to the boat. It will pull out easily for cleaning or replacement if needed. Mine is a flat bottom jon so the floor was easier to do than yours will be. Check out the build links page for all the V hull mods. You should be able to find one similar in size and layout to yours than you can get some ideas from. So many guys on here have serious skills when it comes to fabrication and wood working.

Are you going to clean the Aluminum up and make it shiney with www.sharkhide.com or go with a paint job?
 
Pollution said:
Hey all, so this weekend, I purchased my first boat!!! Woot for me! (I've wanted a boat for 15 years +, and at 35, the day is finally here!)

The outboard came from a boat garage I ran across on my way home and cost me $250 (tested, it runs great). 5.5 HP. Dunno the brand, all the ID plates are missing.A little nervous for you on the motor, but hopefully everything will be good. (post some pics the motor, we might be able to I.D. it, but no plates usually means someone is missing it :shock: )

NOW, the problem is that neither the trailer, nor the boat are titled. Which means, no boating for me until I get that taken care of (about a month for the trailer, no VIN#, and who knows with the courts for the boat). Which means that I have time to play with the boat before I can really use it....
Again, a little nervous for you as I hate dealing with this sort of stuff, but hopefully all goes well for you.
SO, having found this site the other day (OMG, so very cool, I'm in awe) I decided, HELL YES I WANT ONE JUST LIKE YOURS!!! heheYes, tinboats really is awesome


NOW, here's where I start bugging everyone with questions.

1) How the hell does one attach framing to the boat, especially the bottom? I mean, won't it leak? How do you keep it from doing so?
A lot of guys that choose to use wood for framing use angle brackets for mounting hardware to attach wood to the boat. I recommend using rivets rather than screws, but many use screws with no problems. The way to "not cause leaks" is to attach everything to the "ribs".
2) Is marine carpet REALLY better than indoor/outdoor? in/out seems a lot cheaper to me and I am on a budget here. I know about hook issues with in/out, but I'm willing to deal with it to save the cash.Don't know on this, but I bet you will be fine.
3) Does my design look balanced? Weight wise? I figured, put the fuel tank on the right, and the trolling motor on the left, that will keep most of the weight balanced in that respect. Layout looks pretty good. Is the boat wide enough to accommodate the rod lockers?
4) I've read up on most of the projects here, and can't figure out how the compartments you guys are building close and don't just fall in on themselves. Is there some trick to supporting the cover? Just a bracket or something and I'm too blind to see it? Or what? Lots of different ways it is done, but just think of them as doors and door frames (like in your house) but laying down. Same concepts apply.
5) Wiring.... erm... yeah... wut? I'm pretty good with my hands, I can build this, no worries, but electricity and me don't get along. point me...please...Post what all you hope to wire up (tm, lights, etc.) and I'm sure someone can draw up a schematic for you to wire off of.
6) Anything else I'm not considering here?
You have a good start. Just take it step by step (like the other mods you've seen) and ask questions and post pictures along the way. Lots of guys to help you out here. Good Luck and Welcome Aboard!!!!

Any and all help/advice is appriciated. I'm planning on starting this up tomorrow or so (removing benches, sanding, etc...)
 
reedjj said:
The boat looks great and you got a heck of a deal.

Only suggestions I have are to be carefull how high you put the front deck and fishing seat. A 12footer isnt all that big and you dont wanna be way up in the air on the front (where the V is) it will be kinda tippy.

Second suggestion is with a smaller boat, and a smaller motor you will probably not need that much space for a fuel. Im not sure if your sketch is to scale or not but.....I would think that with a 12 footer and a 5.5hp motor a 3 gallon tank will be plenty of fuel and keep your weight down.

I did not permenantly attach my floor to the boat. It will pull out easily for cleaning or replacement if needed. Mine is a flat bottom jon so the floor was easier to do than yours will be. Check out the build links page for all the V hull mods. You should be able to find one similar in size and layout to yours than you can get some ideas from. So many guys on here have serious skills when it comes to fabrication and wood working.

Are you going to clean the Aluminum up and make it shiney with https://www.sharkhide.com or go with a paint job?

Painting, definately. Steel flex for the bottom. I'm thinking Black Steel, Red Rustolium and blue side bumpers. I saw another boat in those colors and they were awesome. A buddy of mine suggested greenish or just plain white for the bottom (try to hide the boat from the fish), so the colors are up in the air right now.

I plan on doing the trailer either RED or Yellow, just cause I'm libel to go night fishing often, and a trailer that's easy to see in the dark is a good idea. Even with the PVC guides with lights I'm going to add, it's helpful to see it in the dark.

Good idea on the removable deck. I was thinking that I'd like to get away without a bilge pump, just cause that's more electric wiring. I was thinking that I'd have a few "key" fastenings that would allow the whole thing to come out all together just so I can clean out any issues on the inside until I'm ready for the pump.

I was also thinking that the height shouldn't be too high either. I'm thinking about having the highest seats sitting at about 3-6 inches below the lip of the boat.

OH, and just cause, the name of the boat at this point is PayLake Dream. (I got kids and have to go to paylakes to have much "luck" so they have fun. I dreamed of getting a boat so I could get beyond shore fishing, hence the name). PayLake is what my fishing buddy calls me thanks to that. We're discussing painting the name in a pink color or a rainbow, something girly just to be funny.
 
imgonnamissher said:
Pollution said:
A little nervous for you on the motor, but hopefully everything will be good. (post some pics the motor, we might be able to I.D. it, but no plates usually means someone is missing it :shock: )

I'm almost 100% sure that the motor is on the up and up. The place I bought it actually does conversions and repairs. But yeah, that was a slight concern of mine too. All I can say is that I have a receipt if it comes to that.

Again, a little nervous for you as I hate dealing with this sort of stuff, but hopefully all goes well for you.

The boat/trailer is definitely on the up and up. Retired couple living in a very well to do area (damned mansion for a house). The guy said he once had a title, but it's gone now. I THINK he is the original owner, but forgot to ask. I think it will mostly be just a pain in the keester, but overall OK.

A lot of guys that choose to use wood for framing use angle brackets for mounting hardware to attach wood to the boat. I recommend using rivets rather than screws, but many use screws with no problems. The way to "not cause leaks" is to attach everything to the "ribs".

AH!!! So attach to the ribs when I'm ready, awesome! That's kind of what I thought, but better to check.

Layout looks pretty good. Is the boat wide enough to accommodate the rod lockers?

SHOULD be OK, I think. I'm thinking 1' or so on each side for the lockers, leaving about 2 feet or so in the middle. Once I get the seats out, I'll cardboard up a mockup and see how it feels. If it's just too cramped, I'll lose one and be happy with it. What I really want is a way to store my rods and lock em up in the boat for long trips (I go on the salmon run in MI every year and WI for vacation alot.)

Lots of different ways it is done, but just think of them as doors and door frames (like in your house) but laying down. Same concepts apply.

Groovy! I figured it was something like that. I was thinking about snugging in some L-brackets for the support on those. I would like them to handle the about 150 lbs or so in weight. Maybe more. I figure 3 would be enough, or maybe just frame it like a door (good analogy). TY!!!

5) Wiring.... erm... yeah... wut? I'm pretty good with my hands, I can build this, no worries, but electricity and me don't get along. point me...please...Post what all you hope to wire up (tm, lights, etc.) and I'm sure someone can draw up a schematic for you to wire off of.

That would really help. Here's what I have RIGHT NOW:

TM
Sonar
Livewell pump.

I want to add lights for night fishing and maybe some other stuff, haven't thought too much for electronics yet. I'm trying not to have to get more than the one battery if possible. With regular charging, I figure I'll get a decent run out of it with just the first 3. I like the Solar panels someone else had on their boat. That's a really good idea, fragile but neat.


I'll get some pics of the motor. Any help on figuring out the brand would be nifty!
 
great deal on the boat. it looks like you have a game plan.

To address a couple of your questions:

Marine carpet vs indoor/outdoor: I went to Menards and just went with the indoor/outdoor. It held up pretty good, but of course it depends on how hard you use the boat and how it's stored. I've always stored my boat indoors, and I rarely went out in really wet weather (though it held up to a five day trip where it rained every day). If you plan to baby your boat, I see no reason for the indoor/outdoor carpet, considering it's so much cheaper.

For the titling, where do you live (it sounds like MI)? In Illinois, for a boat, as long as you have a bill of sale and previous registration or HIN (hull id number), titling is no problem. The DNR (who handles titling for boats) will merely track the boat. For a trailer, I bought a shorelandr trailer in WI, but the VIN was worn off. So I simply registered it (at the DMV) as a homemade trailer. You will just need to go to the DMV or DNR to figure out the titling.

For wiring: I'm sure a bunch of guys can help you on this forum. It's pretty "logical". When you get to that point, just come on here and ask.

A couple of things you may want to consider: 1) Be careful about too much weight in the boat. You're boat is rated for 555 pounds max. With modifications, you can be adding an extra 100-150 pounds easily with all the plywood and aluminum. Weight adds up quickly in a boat. 2) Remember, when putting a casting deck on, you have to be careful because the center of gravity shifts. With your boat being 12 ft, narrow, and having a lower sheer line, it can be a little tippy, especially on those windy/wavey days.
 
Well, I'm in Indianapolis, IN actually. Wish I was in IL, it's a lot easier there than here.

For titling the trailer, that takes 2 visits from a police officer to do a VIN search + fill out forms twice also a mailing round with the DMV (won't take it in person, has to be mailed). So about a month or so for the trailer.

For the boat, there's no registration at all. Like I said, the guy was using it in farm ponds and never registered it. So no numbers on it. Therefore, I get to go to court to get it titled (joy?).


Decking wise, I've been thinking it over and listening to you guys, and have decided that the floor will be only a few inches up, just to make it flat. The upper decks will be as close to the seat level as possible to reduce tipsiness. That way, the deck will only be 2" or so above the bench level (about 1" for struts, and 1" for plywood + carpet). That'll also help to reduce weight addons, given that I'm only adding a few aluminum bars on the floor and a few on the decking, rather than a big old wooden frame.

I got a line on some ladders today at a pawn shop. About $20 each. I'll start with one and see how that does for materials. I was thinking that for the side benches/lockers, I could use the entire left or right side of the ladder and just cut down the ladder steps/poles for supports.

The plan for today is to hit the pawn shop for ladders, grab me some plywood from Lowes and rivets and screws and go straight to sanding/stripping that trailer. Maybe I'll get lucky and find the VIN on it. :D

I think I've decided to go with RED for the trailer. Probably need to replace the resting boards/carpet too...

Gonna be a fun day!
 
So, it's been a big week for me and this boat. I finally understand what B.O.A.T stands for (Better Obtain Another Thousand). It doesn't help that I'm without a ton of tools that I need. lol

SO, here's where I stand so far:

Started stripping the trailer last week. NOT fun. First I tried some Aircraft stripper, and that worked OKAY, but didn't finish off the job. Tried touching up with a paint/rust remover attachment for my drill...again, not fun. Killed that attachment doing only 2 square feet of paint removal.

SO, I got my hands on an angle grinder with a twisted steel wire attachment. THAT is awesome at getting off the paint/rust. So, the stripping is going along well now. Only had a day to work on it thanks to the weather (my garage window is RIGHT where I end up working, so if it's open and it's raining, I get wet). I'm about 50% done now. I hope to finish the stripping next go around. Looks like there are 3 coats on that thing. Primer + Black + Blue + White. Le Sigh.... Got the top and insides ALMOST done at 90%, so just need to flip it over and do the bottom and finish off some of the sides.

Then I need to get some of that rust converter stuff (not cheap) to turn the rust into metal. I decided to go ahead and do the trailer in truck bed liner. Walmart had enough to do the job for only $20 or so. And even if it chips, it's cheap to fix and patch up.

I also got some parts I needed to finish up my "equipment" needs. Mainly, a nozzle to the gas tank with a quick release to the primer hose (surprisingly hard to find). Got the fish finder installed to the boat, found myself a crappy ladder to chop up for framing at a pawn shop for $20, some replacement tail lights for the trailer (some were busted), just generally nickel and diming myself to death.

On the bright side, as far as modding goes, I only need some plywood (cheap) brackets, a rivet gun with rivets, boat paint, and carpet. So, the cash flow is soon to be easier to deal with.

Also, I still don't know the outboard maker. SO, here's some pics, can you guys figure out which motor that is?

moBWS.jpg


uGODq.jpg


jneLS.jpg


ODhO1.jpg



It works well, I tested it when I bought it, and after I got all the parts for the gas can/hose. Just don't know which motor it is, or how to care for it. So any info on it would be awesome.
sxab8.jpg


ap6ys.jpg
 
Nope, that's the problem.

Plates are gone, been painted over, can't find anything for ID.

I'm still 90% sure that it was on the up and up, i.e. not stolen. I did some checking locally,and the place I bought it is pretty well respected. They do custom mods for jonboats, and have a pretty good business going. They do great work, and I plan on heading up there for hints/help when I get stuck with my project.

Hey, here's another question. How do you get the decking attached to the framing? I mean after you carpet it? Just drill a screw through the carpet? Or should you carpet after it's attached?
 
I carpeted first and then screwed it down with stainless steel screws. Follow the link below if you would like to see how I did it.
 
For me, I just carpeted after I riveted the floor. But if you want to attach the carpet before you install the floor, you can use stainless steel as gillhunter says, or you can drill through the carpet and through the frames and use rivets. Just be sure to get the right size rivets. You need to compensate for the carpet.

For the motor, I'm pretty sure it's a Johnson based on the design on the front of the cover and the way the shaft and lower unit looks. My guess is '59-mid 60's vintage. What confuses me a little is the fuel hose fitting. It doesn't look like an omc fitting. It looks thicker and only single "prong". Someone may have switched it out.

To care for the motor, you may want to go to another forum, www.iboats.com. I learned how to take care of my motor from there. Also the Johnson guys there may know what motor you have.
 
I'm not positive, but that looks like around a 1960 to 1964ish Johnson 5.5. I'll try to do some more looking. For faster response, go check out the OMC site forums or go to iboats forums - the guys on both these sites know all about the old OMC motors and that is definitely a 5.5 Johnson Seahorse. Just don't know the year and Model yet.
 
Double check on the mounting bracket to make sure there isn't a plate there witht the Serial and Model #s. That motor looks like it's been painted and they probably painted over it.
 
Well, I am about 95% sure that this is a 1964 Johnson Seahorse 5.5. It should be either a CD-21 or a CDL-21 model. Try to check for the plate for verification on this. Good luck with her.
 

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