16 foot Crestliner Project! Updates with Pics!

[riverduck]

Hi All,

First off, awesome site. I have learned alot here already. My project consists of a 16 foot Crestliner and a DT 25 1982 Suzuki outboard. The motor is up and running and has been fully checked out so no issues there. My goals for the boat are for it to be a boat I can fish out of with 2 others and also duck hunt out of. Some guys here have boats they do both out of but they seem to be mostly Jon boats so I would love to see some semi-v rigs!


The boat already has the middle seat out (i think it was probably a console steer prior but is now a tiller) and my plans are to put in a new floor with some rod/storage lockers on the side with pedestals seats with the lock and pin type bases throughout with multiple bases so I can move the seats around wherever I want. Also plan to update wiring with a new switch box and coat the whole inside with Grizzly Grip.

So far I have ripped out the old floor and a bunch of spray foam the previous owner put in and powerwashed the inside. Lots of old paint is coming up on the bottom but I am not too worried about it as it will be under the floor. Found 2 leaky rivets that need to be replaced and that is next in line.

My questions right now are:

How to install the new rivets. I know to drill out and have some experience with Rivets but not closed end. All the videos I have seen show installation with the large, scissor-type tool. I have a smaller pliers-type riveter. Can I still install closed end rivets with this?

Second, seating. I have been reading up on this too and have seen the speed rating as being 5 mph. I want these seats to be my primary seats but I am not sure exactly how to re-inforce the mounting so they don't torque and twist in the plywood floor. The boat has old, aluminum floor braces tHat I can attach 2x4's or whatever to add below the floor to provide a more solid base for the seats. Will this be enough? I reallt don't want to have to build up that front seat to accomodate seat bases. I am already looking at adding in 4-5 already so don't want to break the bank on these things!

More questions and updates to follow!

Chris

 

[WIGoldenEye]

I would be inserted to see a mod v duck boat. Like you said, most are jon boats. Where do you hunt that you can run a mod v? Looks like an awesome project!

 

[jasper60103]

Your boat is almost exactly like mine. Looking forward to following
this mod. Good luck.

 

[mfbear]

Try resetting the rivets that are leaking before trying to replace them. If they are below the waterline don't use any type of blind pop rivet. As for the seats I would use 1/8 or 3/16 aluminum plate.

 

[riverduck]

Hi All,

A bit of an update. I have stripped down all the old seats and floor and now have a bare boned shell. Nice suprise was that there is already floor bracing in the boat so will make my life a lot easier. When i put the motor on the first time and tightened it up, some brown water started trickling so I knew something was up with the transom. I have pulled it out and cut, glued and clamped the new one but no varnish yet.

A couple of questions on the transom. Should I wait to varnish it until after I have drilled the harware holes or varnish, then drill , then coat holes with more varnish? I have heard 3 coats is good. Am I right? Does it have to be spar varnish for the transom or will varathene work? It is completely enclosed in aluminum so no exposure. The only worry is scratched from existing rivets into the aluminum coating for water penetration.


I have one rivet to rebuck and seal with 5200 hopefully tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion mfbear. Next step after the rivet is to add some bracing as I want to put in pedestal seats (kingpin type) but want a sturdier set up so they can be used for cruising speeds. I am going to look at picking up some 1/8 aluminum sheet to attach to bracing under the plywood floor and then screw seat bases in. Does that sound like enough strength for the seat bases to make them safe?

I have attached a couple of other pics of a hole in the rail tha I am not sure how to fix. I can't get at it from below so I can't tape off and put JB weld on so not sure how to pug it enough to get the weld in there. There is wiring in the rail so I can't go too crazy or plug the whole thing up. Suggestions?

Also have attached a pic of the bow. I plan to cuththe cover back a bunch so I can put a deck and seat up front for some one to sit and cast and run a trolling motor eventually.

Hey WIG,
I hunt Long point in Ontario and Lake ontario itself so deep water not much of a problem (although low last year). Where in WISC are you form? I used to live in Baraboo for a couple of years as a kid!

One last question, the PO cut down the front seat considerably. I would like to build it back up. I was thinking of a 2x2 frame and then a plywood shell. Is that what any of you would do? Can't break the bank on aluminum for that!


Chris

 

[Alex_c]

Try resetting the rivets that are leaking before trying to replace them. If they are below the waterline don't use any type of blind pop rivet. As for the seats I would use 1/8 or 3/16 aluminum plate.

Why not? A 1/4" blind aluminum rivet with a steel mandrel has a tensile strength rating of 1100 lbs. Put some 5200 or epoxy on it and you have a very strong and leak proof connection if done properly. Yes brazier rivets are better, but there are other solutions. If you have ever tried to pop a 1/4" closed aluminum rivet with a steel mandrel. you know that they aren't $%&@ing around!

 

[riverduck]

Hi All,

A few updates. I have the floor in now and have gotten a bit further than these pics but pictures of Spar drying on wood aren't exciting so I will leave them out for now. I got the new transom in and she is tight and stiff now! Will outlast me I think. Very satistfying yet time consuming job! I would have never guessed I would have spent so much tim waiting for stuff to dry!


The rear seat is shaping up nicely and actually has the inside framed in with wood now. Floor is down and tight. Those floor braces from the original floor made my life soooo much easier. The front deck annd rear seat cladding are done ane ready to go in when it stops raining later this week. Side lockers are mostly done but I have run into a bit of a snag. When looking at marine batteries today, I realize that my lockers are not tall enough to accomadate the battery as I had planned. So I am looking for options. The front seat is open so may put battery in there for future trolling motor. Can I run my lights, fishfinder, cig lighter, and swich panel off a smaller battery? I have heard some mention of lawnmower batteries being enough for this type of stuff and a deep cycle marine battery for the trolling motor. Total newbie to electrical so all suggestions are welcome.

Sealed all the holes with Alumaweld and they look to take the Deck Restore I am planning to lay down on the deck and sides well.

 

[wwcenturion]

I really liked the bow cover. Too bad you couldn't find a use for it in your existing mod plans. I am sure whatever you do come up with will be more functional for what you plan to do with the boat.

Watching eagerly.

 

[riverduck]

Have gotten lots done since last post.

Front seat has been rebuilt and is solid as rock now. I can stand on it with no fear.

Battery well built into front seat (wiring to go in next weekend).

Plan is to rip out existing wiring and rewire through gunnels. I have a 6 switch panel and cig lighter to place in for now as well as a new Hummingbird 570 DI to wire in (thankfully my Brotherinlaw is an electrician and will help me wire it in.)

Side locker are secure and I will attach lids with Piano style hinges I scavenged from a boat salvage yard. Lids to seats and lockers will go on post-Deck Restore. I tested the deck restore stuff on metal and spar finished wood and it is sime seriously sticky stuff that dries hard. The stuff has the consistency of sour cream in the can and will spead thick. I think I will still give a quick scuff to shiny paint and will prime bare spots but I think that is all that is needed to be done.

When I built in lockers and front seat, I made aluminum brackets and rivited them to the sides . I used a generous oamount of 5200. As you can see form the pic, some ran on the outside of the boat. I plan to paint the outside soon and want to know, can I just pare it down with a wire brush, prime and then paint it?

By next post, Carpentry should be done with lids cut, Deck restore should be down and outside primed. It is a fricking heat wave here right now so tough to work when it is 35 degrees C out!


Chris

 

[Pweisbrod]

Looks good. My duck boat is a v hull. Check sig.


Nice work so far.

 

[riverduck]

So, the interior of the boat is 95% done with a few things that I need to do i.e Lights in lockers, replace a latch, add a latch, etc but here are a bunch of pics of what she looks like now. Did have the boat out once and broke a throttle cable so the motor is in the shop but will be ready soon! Over all, really happy with the layout and mostly happy with the choice of Deck restore for the decking. Time will tell on how it will hold up. I did several test patches and it seemed to have great adhesion so I opted to just lay it down without sanding, but with some priming of exposed bare metal and caulking. I really think that the stuff needs a couple of weeks to really cure and harden. I had a couple of issues with it peeling off where the cover pulled on it when I had to cover it when it rained and it will need some touching up. Any way, have a look at the pics and all comments/questions are welcome!

 

[jasper60103]

Great progress.
I like the seat well/storage. I noticed you used a different type of
hinge on front and back seat. Do you prefer one over the other?
Does the seat feel solid? Thanks.

jasper

 

[riverduck]

Hey Jasper,

The difference in seat hinges was because of the offset of the seat lids and that I wanted both of the seats to open towards the middle of the boats for easier access. The other reason was that the front seat was flush to the bow side of the seat and could easily accomodate a hinge on the outside of the seat which I felt was sturdier. For the rear seat, the lid was flush with the bow side as well but I wanted the seat to also open to the middle of the boat so the hinge had to be on the inside of the seat and lie flat in order to keep the offset and allow the seat to open facing the middle of the boat. I salvaged most of the hinges from a marine salvage yard and bought the one for the rear seat seperately. I could have possibly used the same style of seat hinge but felt the flatter hinge I used was a better fit for the rear seat.

Chris

 

[jasper60103]

riverduck » Yesterday, 9:12 am[/url]"]Hey Jasper,

The difference in seat hinges was because of the offset of the seat lids and that I wanted both of the seats to open towards the middle of the boats for ieraccess. The other reason was that the front seat was flush to the bow side of the seat and could easily accomodate a hinge on the outside of the seat which I felt was sturdier. For the rear seat, the lid was flush with the bow side as well but I wanted the seat to also open to the middle of the boat so the hinge had to be on the inside of the seat and lie flat in order to keep the offset and allow the seat to open facing the middle of the boat. I salvaged most of the hinges from a marine salvage yard and bought the one for the rear seat seperately. I could have possible used the same style of seat hinge but felt the flatter hinge I used was a better fit for the rear seat.

Chris

Thanks, Chris.