New Mods

After joining this site y'all got the bug to bite me and I had to do some updating to my tinboat. I haven't done any thing to it since I first got it so here is some pics of what I did today. I used some aluminum from old RV awnings for framing supports. excuse the crappy cell pics...lol





















then , I am a tight wad and ain't no way I was paying $23 for a seat base each so I made some from steel plate (3/16") and covered them with some diamond plate..

ouuu diamond plate

Let us know how those work, seeing as they are just the steel tube, and no brass or plastic bushing. Be interesting to know if they try to flop around, or squeak or such. May wanna give that steel a coat of paint, so it doesn't rust, and leave rust lines down the deck.

steel was painted first. also reinforced. there not going to flop around. Just gotta lube em every once in awhile to keep them from seizing up and making noise. I made my jack plate out of steel and coat of paint like these and haven't had any rust issues as of yet. Diamond plate was free, as was the awning parts and mostly all the materials. I used cherry rivets and stainless screws (also free). Only thing I've had to buy as of yet is the pin plate from the front seat and pedestal. I also updated my nav light with a newer type socket as the old one was rusted , and I picked up a telescopic anchor light on ebay cheap.. just need to get them all wired up , I think I'm going to cut into the center bench to put my trolling motor battery as it was just sitting up against the front bench. the diamond plate was perfect to reinforce the benches to add the seat bases as the benches are to thin to mount this type of base with out it tearing the screws out.

are you gonna carpet the diamond plate... dont you think that the diamond plate will be super hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter?

maybe hot in the summer, but probably not any hotter than the black bedliner. as fas as cold in the winter, this is SW Arkansas , it doesn't get all that cold for all that long ..Although I may decide to carpet it later on . depends..

Great job thus far, and way to go about not wanting to get ripped off with the prices on those seat bases! I can't believe what they ask for those!

Great job! 8)

Great job so far.
How heavy is that diamond plate compared to wood?
For some reason I was thinking it was heavy :?

FREE DIAMOND PLATE?!! Where do you live? Oz? Wow!

I am looking at about $125 Canadian (about $100 US) for a 4x4 3/16 sheet. I would LOVE to build with diamond plate... just not certain that I can afford it.

Do not cover it up with carpet. It looks WAY too nice. If it gets too hot, fish in the shade. If it gets too cold, ware socks!

Amazing concept and work. I will be doing the very same thing to my rig. I have a 14ft that I want to put a front and rear casting deck. I think that my boat would be described as a modified V. It has a V bow but is a flat bottom. Float in a 3 inch puddle.

How much weight do you think you added with you mod?

Craig

Zum said:

Great job so far.
How heavy is that diamond plate compared to wood?
For some reason I was thinking it was heavy :?

Click to expand...

it is 3/16" diamond plate. I'd say it weighs allot less than wood.

cprince said:

FREE DIAMOND PLATE?!! Where do you live? Oz? Wow!

I am looking at about $125 Canadian (about $100 US) for a 4x4 3/16 sheet. I would LOVE to build with diamond plate... just not certain that I can afford it.

Do not cover it up with carpet. It looks WAY too nice. If it gets too hot, fish in the shade. If it gets too cold, ware socks!

Amazing concept and work. I will be doing the very same thing to my rig. I have a 14ft that I want to put a front and rear casting deck. I think that my boat would be described as a modified V. It has a V bow but is a flat bottom. Float in a 3 inch puddle.

How much weight do you think you added with you mod?

Craig

Click to expand...

50lbs or so up front and maybe 80lbs or so in back .. my boat is rated for a 35hp and I have a 74' 25hp Johnson , as most y'all know that 25 weighs about what the 18 hp did back then ..

I did a couple other things to it today. just haven't gotten pics yet..

BASSNUT said:

Nice job, just don't forget to put sunscrean on,you might get a sunburn from the glar :lol:

Click to expand...

LOL!!!

THat would be a good way to get nice women to pay for a boat ride with you; Advertise it as a suntanning bed! Now to convince them to go for the "Full Body" tan without tan lines...

[-o<

cprince said:

BASSNUT said:

Nice job, just don't forget to put sunscrean on,you might get a sunburn from the glar :lol:

Click to expand...

LOL!!!

THat would be a good way to get nice women to pay for a boat ride with you; Advertise it as a suntanning bed! Now to convince them to go for the "Full Body" tan without tan lines...

[-o<

Click to expand...

something tells me I wouldn't be catching fish...........lol

Something tells me youd prob end up catching the local diseases haha. I dont see too many "classy" women falling for that one, but hey if you ever need i can hook you up with some of my third shift specials lol (my usuals i end up arresting)

I don't think my wife would like that too much ....lol

update on my progress with better pictures.

A rod holder I made awhile back I mounted to the side.




got the hinged portions of the back deck mounted to the hinges.




I rewired and mounted my starter switch to the front side of the seat base.




I also rewired the switches for my livewell, nav lights , livewell light and pump out for the livewell.



I cut out the center seat top (part of it) to put my front trolling motor batter under it .




and then made a diamond plate lid to cover the hole.



A few pictures of the core sample from my livewell wall when I cut out for a switch (in case anyone is interested it my livewell wall design.).

Nice work! 8)