Grandpa Reeds old boat

[im playing with this old monarch boat. It was my grandpas. It’s a 16/48 but it’s a 1969 monarch from Monticello Arkansas. He bought it used in 72. And we did a lot of crappie fishing out of her. So far I’ve stripped it back to basics foamed the floor with the 2” polystyrene and built free aluminum floors side panels and rail caps. I got some scrap from work and the aluminum is the skin off an 18 wheeler and the caps are from the floors that hold everything together I took off the 69 Johnson and found an 86 25 horse tiller steer. I have a huge trolling motor for the front. But I’m going to run the 50 pound one for a bit to see if it does the job. Planning on a big front deck as soon as I find some cheap hatch lids to build too. Any suggestions? Going to cover the aluminum with foam stuff and steel flex the outside this summer.

Think very carefully about each item you add to your boat. Weight adds up very quickly on these little guys and makes a big difference in handling. I learned the hard way.

I removed 150 pounds. And the boat is rated at 1250 pounds

Sounds like you're doing it right.

Years ago I had a 16 ft Ouachita that I've mentioned here before. With a tiller 18 Evinrude it was fun, light and quick. So I improved it. Small aluminum console, plywood/carpet floors, bait well, trolling motor, 2 swivel seats....on and on. Oh, and I put a 30 Mariner on it with remote controls and push/pull steering.

Turned it into a pig. No faster now with the 30, plowed the turns, took more water in chop.....nowhere near as nice a boat. I learned.