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nomowork

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...to aluminum boats. I have been asking a guy about his boat in his mother's backyard for a long while now. He talked to his mother and she finally decided to sell it as her husband had passed away about 11 years ago and it's been sitting there neglected. The last sticker was 1992 and it was still in the envelope! They finally decided to let it go for $500. I jumped at the chance and towed it home after replacing the tires/wheels. It came with a 20hp and a 4hp Johnson! It has a side console steering setup (frozen of course) and a crank for the anchor. The hull needs a lot of work to get rid of oxidation but after a little grinding, it looks good in some spots. I opened up the axle bearings and cleaned out the Bearing Buddies. The spindle looks like it's in really nice shape.

This is my third boat (first two fiberglass) that are fixers so I guess I'm a sucker for hard work.
 

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maybe now?

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Mike P said:
Wow, from that angle of the pic at least, the keel don't even look dented. Nice find.

The hull isn't even dented anywhere! There is a lot of pitting but it does clean up with a wire wheel or rotary sander. Lots of work ahead and I plan to paint the hull. I know what it's like to maintain aluminum as I used to play with hot rods before.
 
Update:

Painted most of the trailer forest green. Waiting to get new tongue for 2 inch ball so I don't have to swap between using two different boats. I've never seen a forest green trailer before and green is my favorite color. Should be east to spot if someone steals it. :D

I bought this grinder wheel attachment for the drill at Lowes that looks like a round Brillo pad. It takes off the pits really fast. Some of the pits are lower than the level of the hull's skin and really don't want to grind down any further so, what have others done to sort of level the surface? I used something called Liquid Steel before on cars but there are just too many pits. Do you just leave it and call it character?

Thanks for any advice.
 
Just painted with battleship grey today on top of underwater primer on the bottom and Rustoleum rusty metal primer on the sides. New bunks need to be adjusted and everything else repaired and/or put back in.

Picked up a pair of aluminum oars today from an ad in Craig's List for $35! Not the best looking oars but are functional.

And the saga continues!

newtome3004.jpg
 
congrats!
you found yourself a treasure. the motors alone are a good deal at $500.
nice work too. keep it up.
 
Moved bunks more inboard today and adjusted roller heights.

Tried to fix the rack and pinion steering cable, but it is hopelessly frozen with tons of rust at the motor end, so in the effort of being cheap, this will become a tiller only boat which will clear up some floor space in the process. The power cables to the steering console are pretty much toasted but I'll still keep the electric start though as getting older has its downfall.

My new LED trailer lights arrived today! One step closer to the next Sierra fishing trip!
 
Picked up some new high back seats from Bass Pro Shops today as well as some other goodies. Have to make that long drive worthwhile! :mrgreen:
 
Nomo - you build that motor rack yourself? I'm in need of a rack for a rebuild that I've been putting off and can't come to justify $80-150 on a dolly from any of the marine/outfitter stores.

Don't know why, other than I've been over thinking it, but didn't think to build a simple one myself.

Would you mind posting a few more pics so I could copy your design? What did you use to fasten it together, looks like lag bolts of some sort?

Thanks in advance.
 
azekologi said:
Nomo - you build that motor rack yourself? I'm in need of a rack for a rebuild that I've been putting off and can't come to justify $80-150 on a dolly from any of the marine/outfitter stores.

Don't know why, other than I've been over thinking it, but didn't think to build a simple one myself.

Would you mind posting a few more pics so I could copy your design? What did you use to fasten it together, looks like lag bolts of some sort?

Thanks in advance.

I actually just did a Google search for homemade outboard motor stands and this was the simplest version. I just doubled up on the 2 x 10s because I made it wider to hold two motors. I also made two that was a lot wider to hold the boat upside down while we ground down the bottom side of the hull. Yes, I used 1/4" lag bolts by 3" long and construction grade lumber.

I also borrowed my son's mover's dollies so we can roll the stand around in the garage.

I'll try to take some pics today.
 
azekologi said:
Would you mind posting a few more pics so I could copy your design? What did you use to fasten it together, looks like lag bolts of some sort?

Thanks in advance.
 

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Getting closer to the water.

Seating areas, floors and front bow deck to hold trolling motor are cut, primed and ready to be installed/painted tomorrow if the weather cooperates.
 
Floors, seats and bow platform for trolling motor installed.

Here fishy fishy.
 

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