Q-14 (semi V) AeroCraft Project

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Scott Mac

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Location
Midland, MI
Well I have been checking out this site and "WOW" there are some awsome projects. I have so many new ideas it is hard to pick which ones I will use on my boat. I picked up an AeroCraft Q-14 for a great price and will convert it into a fishing machine. I intend to document the progress and ask for help along the way. I look forward to sharing.
 

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That is a 1956 10HP I bought for $100.00 last summer. I rebuilt the carb and relpaced the seals in the lower end and of course the impeller. It runs great and I plan to repaint and decal it. It's a keeper.
 

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Nice little platform to start with, nice mount on the trolling motor can't beat that, what you got planned for that boat?
 
That little platform is part of the boat, that mount is temporary to get me through until ice-up. I am basically a river rat and small lake fisherman and will start my conversion after the Christmas holiday as soon as the ice prevents me from getting in and out. The Walleyes are coming in from the big water (Saginaw Bay) and now is the time to target them. The perch fishing has picked up and they are one of my favorite eating fish…yum yum! As far as the boat, I am going to keep it simple by removing the two forward benches putting a flat floor in and boxing in the sides. I will have to elevate the front floor but not too high because I do not want a high center of gravity up front. I will also box in the rear area at the driver position. Add carpet, bilge pump, lights, 2 folding swivel seats and some storage compartments and by then it should be spring. That will put me back in the water in time for the Walleye opener. That is a cycle that I am O.K. with.
 
Getting Started.
 

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Got it primed and ready for the Top Coat tomorrow.
 

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Scott Mac said:
Getting Started.
What style and grit wheel did you use to get the bare bright finish? I prefer the bare polished aluminum look. Need to do mine.
 
I used a course wire cup (5") on a 7" electric grinder. This old girl had 48 years of oxidation on her. I plan to leave the nose and bottom bare as I will be pulling it up on shore sometimes. That is when the docks are out at the local boat ramps. I have hand sanded the nose starting with 150 and will go up until I get the finish I like or I lose patience whichever comes first. At that time I will hit it with some aluminum mag cleaner then wax the crap out of it. It will oxidize over time but I hope once a year scrubbing and polish will keep it looking good. We will see.
 
Applied the first coat of Rust-Oleum Top Side Paint in battleship grey. It now takes at least 24 hours to cure before a second coat can go on.
 

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Second Coat is on. I'll let her cure for a few days then flip her over and start on the inside.
 

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Started on the inside yesterday with the wire wheel in the areas that will not be carpeted. Also used an angle grinder to hack out the front and middle bench.
 

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Sanded out the areas that will require paint on the inside and sprayed with 1st coat of Self-Etching Primer.
 

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First Coat of Top Coat (rust-oleum) for the inside.
 

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Thanks Fender! I am very lucky to have a 22,000 square foot facility to do a project or two in. My boss (owner) is very cool and lets me do my thing in there. I guess that is a perk of being the facility manager also. Another nice perk is that we build deep cycle batteries so I get those for free too. Is that a jet drive on your outboard? How happy are you with it? The water is sooo low around here that would be great. The charter guys run those on the rivers on the west side of the state for steelhead all winter long. They can fly along in like 6" of water...it is wild, but fun.
 
Scott Mac said:
Thanks Fender! I am very lucky to have a 22,000 square foot facility to do a project or two in. My boss (owner) is very cool and lets me do my thing in there. I guess that is a perk of being the facility manager also. Another nice perk is that we build deep cycle batteries so I get those for free too. Is that a jet drive on your outboard? How happy are you with it? The water is sooo low around here that would be great. The charter guys run those on the rivers on the west side of the state for steelhead all winter long. They can fly along in like 6" of water...it is wild, but fun.

Yes...that is a jet drive. I love it when it ran. I blew it up in Aug 2012 and will rebuild it after the first of the year. Can't wait to get it back in the shallows. I've missed a lot of fishing this year because of the drought and shallow waters that I won't take my bass boat in.
 
Finished the inside paint and now I have to figure out what the final design will be. There are so many great ideas in this site it is hard to figure it out. I think I have a plan so I very roughly laid it out using cardboard. It looks to me like a useable floor plan. I have to think it over in the next few days.
 

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Now it's time to frame in the floor.
 

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Laying out the floor and starting on the side lockers. I am using 5/8" outdoor rated plywood (NOT pressure treated). I picked up a gallon of Spar from Lowes on the way home and will start treating all the wood prior to gluing the carpet.
 

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