My Basket Case ( 12' V Hull Restoration/ Conversion)

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simbelle

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
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Location
Clermont, Fl.
Hey People, I have been trolling the sight for a little while now picking up pointers and answers. Now I've decided to join and share my experiences and hopefully gain some new knowledge. Without further a due here is my story. After going threw withdraws for about a year and a half after selling my 19' center console, (Man. I loved that boat!), I picked up an old 12' aluminum V hull, 15hp motor, trailer, 30lb thrust Minn Kota and Series 29 battery (both battery and trolling motor are less than a year old). Thought I was getting a great deal but after stripping some paint I'm thinking it was only a good deal.

Not sure of the maker of the boat but it looks like the one in Berto's link: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=27433

Except t isn't in near as good shape. First thing I did was fill it with a couple inches of water to see were the inevitable leaks were. found 3 leaks one on the bow, and one in the rear in the keel and the last being in the rear keel runner type thing on the left, but nothing real serious, however after better inspection I found a significant patched hole in the rear next to the second stringer from the stern ( Plz don't ask me why I didn't look under the boat). Also after scrapping away paint and chalk and whatever I found that the 3rd and 4th stingers had breaks in them. I know what your thinking and believe me I thought it too: "Sell the boat for scrap and put out a couple hundred bucks and buy another boat!" This all being said I do have one thing in my favor, my cousin is probably the best welder in the world!

Here are some pictures of what I'm starting with. I will add more of the inside tomorrow. This should be fun.
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my attempt to use some of that "Miracle low temp aluminum welding rod on the bow leak that had evidently been patched sometime in the past. Not a good Idea in hind sight
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same thing on left runner thingy. (actually worked).
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patch of G5 and fiberglass mesh from West Marine. Sanded down pretty smooth and tight
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old patch that is really pretty good but may or may not be replaced with with a welded patch.
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Plan is to finish removing paint inside and out, have my cousin MIG weld the cracked braces, the hole, weld aluminum channel runners for flooring (going to put them about 12" apart {48" beam} and lay 1/2" epoxied plywood) and slightly elevated front deck. Coat all seems inside and out with Gluvit ( actually complete outside to above riveted sides). Prime inside and out paint inside with a bilge paint (maybe) and the outside with Pettit Easypoxy. also need my cousin to extend my trailerr a couple feet and move the axle. I believe it was originally a Jet ski trailer.

Anyway that's my plan and I welcome your critique and opinions.
I will post more top side pictures tomorrow.
 
TOP SIDE
You can see were some I removed a 1x4 someone had screwed to the sides, lots of 1.4" holes on the top.need to extend that tonque so I don't back mt SUV into the water; alsocould extend rear of trailer 2'. We'll see.
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other side
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all old wood removed fro transom, more holes
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transom, will remove top fasteners on brace add a stainless steel drain plug and re fasten.
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only one original bench seat remaining. wood benchs that had folding pedestal seats removed.
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big hole in bottom from the inside< plan is to weld a patch
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cracked bracing, to be welded
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another cracked bracing, to be welded
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lots of holes, plan is to use Marine Tex grey with fiberglass mat on inside and just Marine Tex outside and sand. too much?
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One question I do have is: Styrofoam panels under flooring, are they glued to hull? I was thinking I could glue them to my epoxied flooring between the bracing thus leaving better drainage in the hull. Good/Bad?Indifferent? It will be a while before I get to that point and I'm sure I'll have a few more questions.
 
Sure, your plan will work fine simbelle as long as the decks never come free, the foam/air will be trapped in the hull to aid in floatation. Be sure you use closed cell foam board such as the pink/blue/green insulation panels at Lowes/HD.
 
This was my first boat, or looks a lot like her (not the exact boat but model) which was a 69 Sears boat 12ft v-bottom, but a lot of companies made boats just like this one.
 
You really should take that boat to a professional welder and have them fix and reinforce those ribs and keel breaks. If you are just planning a row boat you might get away with some cheap patching but running and pounding from and outboard and waves, the cheap patching is not going to cut it and will fail in very short order. Amazing how much an aluminum boat bottom flexes and bends when under way in even the slightest waves.
 
Ya thanks, I was planning on having my cousin fix the ribs. I will grind down my patches on the keel and see what happens. I know I can get the fiberglass mat off but its aluminium welded under neath I just didn't get it water tight. (dripped when flipped and filled)
 
Bad news for me! Just talked to my cousin and he doesn't do MIG welding. Crap! Guess I'll give it a shot with the low temp alumaweld sticks again. The videos show tat hammered bonds do not break on the welds. Not sure boat is worth price of having it welded, but I'll call around. :(
 
You might check here and see if you can find someone that does side work that's a welder, some of that shouldn't be a big deal to weld as long as you clean the spots up beforehand...like for instance sand it and clean it with acetone do the prep work so to speak.
 
Yes, decided to just do more prep on whole boat: tried to fix one brace myself and completely botched the job. Going to pick up new aluminum stock for the repair and take it to see what a local welder can do. Original bracing is 1/16 or less thick I could match or go heavier. Ordered box of 100 of stainless steel Truss head bolts, washers and nylon lock washers to put in rivet holes. Amazing how cheap they are from a supplier compared to Home Depot, Lowes or West Marine. Working a lot now at Christmas time so everything is taking longer; would like to get it painted by Feb 1 because I'm moving. Not sure were yet though! LOL
 
Picked up some 1" X 1/2" X 1/8" aluminum channel to run directly next to the broken ribs. Plan on bolting it threw the hull ~ every 4" with #10 X 24 X 1/2 " stainless steel truss head bolts; of coarse there will 5200 b/w the head and the hull and hill and the channel. talked to a couple welders and they either wanted too much or I didn't get a confident feeling about them. Besides 10 bucks for the braces and 15 dollars for 100 SS bolts, Nylon lock nuts and washers don't hurt too bad for this old peace of @$#%! :lol:
 
If leaking is the issue your worried about, you could do what I eventually plan on doing to my boat, coating the inside with bed liner. Just my two cents.
 
I have a gallon of Gluvit just wating to be used; still sanding grinding stripping and wire brushing years of of paint and chalk. Guess if I wasn't so frigging ornary I might have a friend or two who would be willing to help me out....then again, maybe not. :LOL2:
 
Ya that stuff is pretty sweet, my advice lay on a layer of 5200 caulk on the seems first, and layer it a couple of times, of course prep work is the most important so a little sanding and acetone always helps!

I dunno if I mentioned it before but this I believe is a 12ft sears boat, this was the first boat I ever owned and we actually ran over to the bamahas a couple of times in it! Crazy I know but I was young and dumb!
 
That is crazy! I use to get shaky 10 miles out in my center console; but I'm a fisherman not a sea captian. I could do without the the big deep water; I love the intracoastal. Ya, I read that and I believe your correct sanded down the transum and found an engraved hull #and that it's rated for a 7.5 hp motor, I got and old 2 cycle Sea king 15hp that runs pretty good that came with it and only wieghts about 50 pounds, if that.
 
Ya I had a 15hp johnson, and it ran like 32mph by myself wide open throttle, which is fast for a little boat like this! It was crazy I agree, but I was very young like 15-16 yrs old, and not the smartest person in the world lol, as we all were at that age! What are you gonna do with yours flats fish?
 
Yes, flats mainly from Mosquito Lagoon down to Fort Pierce on the east coast. Lived in Ft. Pierce for about 15 yrs and waded a lot of area's , so I now the spots both shallow and deep. Besides it's the best Snook fishing on the East coast and maybe the best all species fishing on the intacoastal waterway. I will probably drop it in on the local lakes for some Bass and Speck action once in a while also. If I ever get it done. Have to find another place to live, turned in my notice here where I've lived for last 7 yrs.
 
Ah yes the joys of moving, god I dread having to move from my place like six months from now! I used to live in Vero before moving to gainesville for college, so I know those waters really well.
 
Got a friend who lives in Vero; I know it well. Got the outside of the boat all down to bare metal. Man it took me a while to figer out what worked best on 30 years of paint I used a wire wheel ( best around the rivets, Orbital sander, (ok and nice finish for painting), Aircraft stripper, it was OK , this boat just add about 4 different layers of paint to it, Finally put a sanding pad on my 41/2 inch grinder with 50 grit paper and made short work of it; Just have to have a light touch and keep it moving. On my Broken Braces on the inside I bought 2, 1 foot sections of 2 1/4, 1/8 inch thick channel and slid it up under and around the 2" braces and bolted it through the hull with stainless steel truss head bolts / nylon lock washers and 5200. Stronger than than factory.
 
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Did a little more since i took these pics. Completed stripping outside down to metal and coated with 2 coats of Gluvit.
 

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