First Post : My California Project 12 ft. Blue Gill

Hi the name is John and live in Calif just north of LA in Ventura County I have been lurking for a bit looking at ideas and learning. Had a good idea of what I wanted to do with a small aluminum boat, But this site has helped in a big way refining my Ideas. Thank you all for the poached Ideas :wink:

I was given a 12 foot aluminum boat by a friend that knew I was looking around. The boat as I got it was in rough shape all the wood is bad! But the boat itself is in great shape.

Tell me what you think!







I have cleaned it up a bit!





Fitting new wood for the Benches before paint!

A couple of coats of paint on the inside of the hull and she is looking like a usable boat again!


I want to make her a little lake boat for Bass fishing and Hooping for Bugs at the break wall. So she needs to be versatile Salt and freshwater. The size is perfect because I need to park the boat in the garage. We live in a Townhouse and there are HOA regs Bla Bla Bla

Next I need to find a 4-5 hrs four stroke , then a steering console and motor controls

John H

gREAT progress! Looks sooooo much better.

My only critique....a steering console? On a 12 ft. 4-5 horse tinny?

I'd suggest just sticking with a nice little tiller motor.

Jdholmes said:

gREAT progress! Looks sooooo much better.

My only critique....a steering console? On a 12 ft. 4-5 horse tinny?

I'd suggest just sticking with a nice little tiller motor.

Click to expand...

Thanks Jd

As for the tiller idea I have a 9ft tender off of my 28ft sport fisher, here is the problem with the tiller with 3 fused vertebra in my lower back twisting is a problem I sit sidewise in the blowup boat for that reason! Makes fishing off the thing a pain, so this is why the console steering and controls have come about plus it will be really cool on the little tinny :wink:

Let me know later when I get it all together what ya think

John H

Looking good

that blue looks awesome 8) matches the house in the background!!!

Does not look like there is any flotation foam in that boat. Plenty of room under those seats for foam and would make a big difference in safety.
Tim

Wow! We are neighbors! Actually I am in Riverside, Ca and also am working on an older 12 ft aluminum boat, but my boat will be used primarily for Bluegill and crappie fishing at my close by lake, Lake Perris. You can see my boat here under "My California 12 footer" Hey keep the progress photos coming. I need to get more ideas.

earl60446 said:

Does not look like there is any flotation foam in that boat. Plenty of room under those seats for foam and would make a big difference in safety.
Tim

Click to expand...

Tim your right I have the foam in the garage. The photo was from when I was power washing the inside out .

But I am thinking of adding some spray in foam in the bow under the front seat anybody done this before and how did it work out?

John H

Just make sure you use closed cell foam. Foams like great stuff are not closed cell and will hold water after time, not that closed cell foam is 100% perfect but is a much better choice imho.

I was able to get a little more work done on the build last week

Front seat where my wife will sit this is removable



My seat not removable



Steering mocked up to see how it feels



I have not been able to get back to the project for a week and with Christmas so close we will see if any time can be spared to work on it, maybe this weekend I can bang out a few hours on it. I’m really not in a hurry as I’m waiting on parts for the steering to come in the mail. Any way this is where I’m at with it to date.

John H

Nice work