16ft Mirrocraft V-hull build!!**Finished!!!**

[moberg12]

That blue and grey looks very nice. =D>
Thanks for the update.

Thanks for the compliment!! I was surprised I didn't hear from you when I updated the trailer thread as I know you were watching it. I used the same paint on the trailer as I did on the boat except the gray on the trailer isn't a perfect match with the steelflex but it is close enough. I left the boat sitting upside down all last summer and the sun faded and chalked the steelflex quite a bit. Let that be a lesson kids...Steelflex is not UV resistant!! I'm less worried about what the boat looks like below the water line now and more focused on getting it actually in the water. I told my girlfriend 45 days. I hope I can keep to that schedule.

I've built race cars faster than this boat!! That could also be my problem though...race cars need attention and don't leave much extra time. I did have a long talk with the race car recently, and I explained to her that I will finish this boat before she will see the track again....she then refused to start :shock:

Stay tuned hopefully the updates will start coming quick!!

 

[bigwave]

Looks real good, I love these old mirrorcrafts. Hey you going to sebring this weekend?

 

[moberg12]

Looks real good, I love these old mirrorcrafts. Hey you going to sebring this weekend?

I wish I was but I'll just be watching it on TV while working on my boat.

 

[moberg12]

Spent the day working on the boat. Well half the day, I didn't start until 2pm. I ended up getting a lot of the framing done.

Hopefully I"ll get the framing done tomorrow!!

 

[jasper60103]

Looking good. You'll be break dancing in no time. :LOL2:

 

[moberg12]

Looking good. You'll be break dancing in no time. :LOL2:

I hope so!! The boat seems bigger now that I've started the framing, there will be plenty of room for break dancing 8)

 

[fool4fish1226]

Great start will be watching this one =D>

 

[moberg12]

Small update. I spent a little more time working on the framing, but for the most part I just stared at the darn thing :? Trying to figure out where to put hatches, where are the batteries going to go, where will you mount the seat bases. Right now much more of my time is spent pondering than actually working. It is only a blank canvas once, and I want to make sure I account for everything.

I think the next step is to put in the flat floor between the decks. That will give me a base to finish the rest of the framing.

I know everyone loves pics:

I framed up the openings for two Tempress hatches. I'm thinking of building a platform in the middle to mount the batteris. Still need to add a couple vertical supports. I can stand on the deck as it is but I'd like it to be good and strong!!

Got the trolling motor deck cut. I plan on staining it before I seal it!! The good news is now that the trolling motor deck is done I know how far to extend the front of the lower deck.

Not much work was done to the back!! The fuel tank fits perfect though!! I'm trying to decide whether or not I should extend the rear forward a bit for more of a platform. I plan to fish out of the front of the boat but I don't want my fishing partner to be cramped in the back.

Feel free to throw me some ideas!!

 

[fool4fish1226]

Lookin good, I know all about that standing around staring thing takes up alot of build time. I would bring the rear deck out one more rib IMO.

 

[bigwave]

I did not sit and stare at my boat this weekend. I actually cleaned my garage up and made room for the boat to be sprayed. I plan on making my rear deck one rib forward of the seat mount. That extra 8" or so makes the boat feel more stable on my 14 footer. You framing looks good, I almost changed my mind and went with the wood framing, but I just don't want to have to re-do it. That is why my project is slow, buy the stuff a little at a time. I look forward to your progress.

 

[moberg12]

You guys have convinced me, I'm going to extend the rear deck one more rib.

Bigwave: I plan on coating all the decking with spar, that way it should last a long time. I am getting tired of buying strongties though, those darn things add up fast!!

 

[bigwave]

Hey I noticed that you were using the strogties? They are not galvanized are they? I had that crap in my boat before I started my mod......boy do they cause electrolysis.

 

[moberg12]

Hey I noticed that you were using the strogties? They are not galvanized are they? I had that crap in my boat before I started my mod......boy do they cause electrolysis.

I think they are galvanized. The only place they touch the boat is where my vertical supports attached to the ribs. You bring up a good point though, I guess I could swap them for some aluminum angle. Right now they're sitting on steelflex and riveted to the boat with aluminum rivets.

 

[bigwave]

I know what your talking about. The PO of my boat used the same thing for his bracing. My boat is mostly saltwater use, and every place where he put those things had some serious damage.....I opted for the aluminum castle clips. They are powder coated and ready to install. I plan on using aluminum self-taping screw on the ribs just as you did. For thru the hull I will use 3/16 alum rivits. The framing can be purchased at home depot, it is for pool enclosures and they have lots of different sizes. It is costly but I plan on keeping my boat and I dont want to worry what is going on under my deck. I wish I had a scrap yard around here that would sell me aluminum. I have seen other people that got great deals from scrap yards. On a funny note, My 20' aluminum ladder is starting to look like it might need to be cut up. :shock:

 

[moberg12]

Well I spent some time working on the boat yesterday. I finished the trolling motor deck and got the interior framing about 99% complete. It is time to spend an evening crawling around all the framing so I can coat everything in spar. The bottom and sides of the floor I already mounted and all the framing underneath that section already have three coats on them. If I ever do this again I'll be using Aluminum!! I also picked up my pool noodles, I felt kinda silly standing in line with a whole box. There are about 25 noodles under the main floor as of now, and I have a lot more flotation to add.

Okay here are the pics:

I stuck the ruler down then put two additional coats of spar on top, It should never peel up!!

I've got a piece of aluminum diamond plate to cover the front of the console. Even though my motor is tiller operated the console will be used to mount my fish-finder, switch panel, and probably a radio.

It's about time to cut the plywood for the decks!! It is actually starting to look like a usable boat

 

[fishingmich]

Hey moberg! What is the beam width of your boat? It looks pretty closeto the same size as mine. Mine is 66" wide. I was wondering how stable it is on the water. I haven't had mine out yet.

 

[moberg12]

Hey moberg! What is the beam width of your boat? It looks pretty closeto the same size as mine. Mine is 66" wide. I was wondering how stable it is on the water. I haven't had mine out yet.

It has a 63" beam. I haven't had it on the water yet either, but from what I've heard these 16' deep V's are quite stable.

Hope that helps.

 

[jasper60103]

Hey moberg! What is the beam width of your boat? It looks pretty closeto the same size as mine. Mine is 66" wide. I was wondering how stable it is on the water. I haven't had mine out yet.

It has a 63" beam. I haven't had it on the water yet either, but from what I've heard these 16' deep V's are quite stable.

Hope that helps.

Wow, your boat is coming along nicely.
Yea, I feel pretty comfortable standing and spin casting in mine.
Keep up the good work! =D>

 

[bigwave]

Looks good Moberg.....I finally got some more stock aluminum for my boat ...being Easter I could not work on her this weekend. Your decking is starting to shape up....l can't wait to see the finished project.

 

[moberg12]

Looks good Moberg.....I finally got some more stock aluminum for my boat ...being Easter I could not work on her this weekend. Your decking is starting to shape up....l can't wait to see the finished project.

I hear you, I only got to spend Saturday working on the boat.

Our talk about strongties got me a little worried so the plan now is to coat all the framing with bedliner. I can pick it up pretty cheap from my local advance auto. I'm thinking I can roll it on over everything including the strongties and seal everything up!! It should also seal up all of the screws and rivets.

Ordered some 5200 from my local napa, should arrive tomorrow. I've got a few places where I have riveted through the hull, and even though they're above the water line I'm gonna seal them up right. Plus that stuff is paintable and I still need to add one more coat of paint to the outside of the boat. Once the framing is 100% complete I will finish stripping the paint from the inside of the boat so I can give it a nice new look. All the decking I'm planning on coating with grizzly grip in a light gray, I really like how fool4fish's boat "A little Snookered" came out and I really don't want carpet in my boat. The interior sides of the boat will probably be painted white or maybe almond!!

I spent some time tonight completing what I think is the most important mod yet. Check out the pics:

:beer: Here's to hoping I'll be fishing soon!!