flyingvranch
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- Mar 21, 2014
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I bought an old 1967 Montgomery Wards Sea King a few months ago. It had several bullet holes and was in sorry shape. I wanted it because this was the same year model boat that my Dad and I fished in when I was a kid. I also bought a 1968 Evinrude 18hp Fastwin to match the motor that we used back then. I have heavily modified the boat to suit the single purpose of river fishing limb and trotlines and jug fishing. Its very sentimental for me to go fishing in the same river in the same fishing spots in the same boat and motor that my Dad and I had so many good times in 46 years ago.
That being said here are some pictures!
This was the boat the day I bought it. Someone has used it for target practice apparently. She looked to have had a hard life....
I custom built the trailer and the boat is easy to launch and load. The 18 HP Evinrude pushes the boat right at 29 mph with me and a full tank! I normally put around much slower. I added electric start to the motor as I'm getting too danged old to mess with the pull start. LOL
Here is the front deck made of Russian Birch ply. All of the wood in the boat is encapsulated in West System epoxy and varnished with 4 coats of spar varnish. All of the hardware is stainless marine grade. I've yet to install a small bungee to keep the tank in place. The epoxy procedure was the most time consuming part of the rebuild because every surface underneath and exposed had to be coated and encapsulated and sanded.
Battery storage area;
Here is the main wiring junction box with the cover off. This was all Home Depot stuff.
Here is the rear seat and depth finder mount. I kept the depth finder down low and out of the way of damage of low tree limbs when landing large unruly catfish.
The seat bench is actually a pre-made pine stair tread cut to fit from Home Depot. It's dead flat and stiff and laminated. It also underwent the epoxy / varnish treatment.
A final view of the business end of the boat. I wanted to keep the boat completely open in the mid section as it's small already and I wanted room for jug boxes. I almost always fish alone anyway. I am considering constructing a middle bench seat that is removable by hanging it over the gunwales on each side. Then I could store it away off the boat until it's needed if I want to carry a fishing buddy.
Many thanks to all of the folks on this board who have gone before me and inspired me with some good ideas!
That being said here are some pictures!
This was the boat the day I bought it. Someone has used it for target practice apparently. She looked to have had a hard life....
I custom built the trailer and the boat is easy to launch and load. The 18 HP Evinrude pushes the boat right at 29 mph with me and a full tank! I normally put around much slower. I added electric start to the motor as I'm getting too danged old to mess with the pull start. LOL
Here is the front deck made of Russian Birch ply. All of the wood in the boat is encapsulated in West System epoxy and varnished with 4 coats of spar varnish. All of the hardware is stainless marine grade. I've yet to install a small bungee to keep the tank in place. The epoxy procedure was the most time consuming part of the rebuild because every surface underneath and exposed had to be coated and encapsulated and sanded.
Battery storage area;
Here is the main wiring junction box with the cover off. This was all Home Depot stuff.
Here is the rear seat and depth finder mount. I kept the depth finder down low and out of the way of damage of low tree limbs when landing large unruly catfish.
The seat bench is actually a pre-made pine stair tread cut to fit from Home Depot. It's dead flat and stiff and laminated. It also underwent the epoxy / varnish treatment.A final view of the business end of the boat. I wanted to keep the boat completely open in the mid section as it's small already and I wanted room for jug boxes. I almost always fish alone anyway. I am considering constructing a middle bench seat that is removable by hanging it over the gunwales on each side. Then I could store it away off the boat until it's needed if I want to carry a fishing buddy.
Many thanks to all of the folks on this board who have gone before me and inspired me with some good ideas!
