1960'ish Sea King New Life.....

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Let me start off by saying cool site.......I have had a few boats in the past. A Sea Ray 160, a little Addictor 190 and now this Old Sea King. I moved to Az. back in 2005 to relocate for my work. Took a paid move. Love it here in Az. but had to sell the Sea Ray. No water when I moved here. Lakes are rated at 10 HP and under......

I picked this old sea King and trailer up two weeks ago. I want to add a deck and floor to the little Sea King. I have pulled out the bench seats and made cardboard templates for the decking. My questions are:

How do you make a template of the bow. I laid the cardboard on top and traced around it. This come out sort of the wrong size and shape, but it is close. For support, I was going to tie in Aluminum Structural Angle to where the seats were attached to the sided of the boat.
Are you guys just drilling holes in the sides of your boats and pop riveting the aluminum brackets to the sides? I don’t have a seat up front so I need to add some brackets but haven't done it for fear of having to drill holes in the boat. #-o If you are using pop rivets, and are they water proof? I replaced the dinky wheels and tires with some spoked ones from Harbor Freight. I have carpet and seats on order. I have an old U-Haul 85' Johnson 5 HP that runs great.....Boat came with a trolling motor and permanent tags on the trailer.........I have new decals for the engine cowl as soon as I get the paint to my liking.....I plan on sticking a hatch between the bow and the third seat for stuff. The open space is just to save cardboard. On the engine, I had to replace the spool. I loaned it to a friend who also move to Az. from Kalifornia over ten years ago. I just recently got the motor back from him.......... =D>

 

[Brine]

:WELCOME: to TinBoats Sgt.

Nice little rig ya got there. I did the template for my bow like you did by lay the cardboard on top of the rails, which didn't make a good fit either so I cut the template long ways which allowed the template to overlap itself in the middle and was a close fit. From there, I just used a scribe to follow the contour of the hull and transfered the exact shape to the template. Someone on here posted this process, and could probably be found using the search feature.

Make sure to check our the mods section to get some inspiration here: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3156

Also, the boat seems to be hanging off the back of that trailer a good bit. You don't have much weight hanging on the transom with those motors, but you may want to consider how to help the situation while you're in the modding mood.

Good luck with the rest of the build.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Ok I pulled out the old benches and went to Home Depot for aluminum after my Cabala’s order arrived. I got two seats, carpet and hardware. I think it would have been lots lets expensive if I had just bought a boat already finished out! Someone here said that they didn't realize how expensive these little boats really are. I can vouch for that #-o

The framing went really easy and fast. I did almost all of it in about five hours. I still need to reinforce the bow area and the two side storage areas. I really hate you guys that have nice flat John boats. You don't know all the fun your missing on a semi-V hull....... :shock: I will frame in the seating areas then do my floor when the time comes. I used 15/32 inch thick plywood for the decking. With all the aluminum framing it is more than strong enough. Under where the seat bases will go, I plan on adding a square of the original bench seats for more support for the wood screws. All the wood will be screwed to the framing....I need to re-cut some of the flooring. My template shifted while I was cutting it yesterday and now the right side won’t match up. I tried to do the floor as one piece but I couldn't slide it under the seat frames. Plywood isn't expensive. I was going to put the framing on top of the old bench seats, then the plywood on top of that, but I thought that might make my seats too high for the boat. So I did the decking in the original place where the benches were. I have only raised the seats the height of the springs......I was funny, I just started cutting aluminum and riveting it in place and was almost done for the night, when I thought, Crap, is this stuff square? I only had one 45 degree angle that was off a hair up on the right front. It wont matter because it will be covered with wood. I paid 750.00 for the boat and trailer, the motor (6hp Johnson) I had, The seats, carpet, hardware, and aluminum have almost exceeded the cost of the boat. Too late to stop now.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

First Off, I would like to thank, "kmercury" =D> . He gave me pointers on the floor of my Sea King. I wasn't sure how to do a flat floor in a Semi-V Hull. Finished up all the aluminum framing today. Installed the frame work for the floor. Thompson's® Water Sealed the plywood, glued and tacked the old red wood seat pieces where I will install the seats. This gives me almost two full inches of solid wood for the screws for the seat bases. Got most of the floor and side panels installed in the back of the boat. Started carpeting the bow and right side.......I quart of carpet glue does not go far #-o . I don't think I will have enough of the blue carpet to finish all the side panels, if not, I will do them in a dark grey..........A few more days and I will be through with it. I still need to paint the insides. I will after I get all the deck carpeted, maybe tomorrow. After that, maybe I will try some of the Steel Flex you guys talk about. I still haven't found any of the Self Etching Primer. I have been to Lowes, Home Depot and Wally World. No one has heard of it.........Surprising how light the boat still is with all this stuff in it. One day I will find a reasonable 9.9 Johnson and retire my little 6 HP……..But for now it will have to do….I don't plan on installing a live well but there is plenty of room for one later......The deck panels will be removable. The gas tank will be fixed under the middle seat and there will be a hatch to service and fill it.....There will be another hatch on the left side. On top of the old seat brackes I plan on getting some tread plate aluminum to cover them up with. Nice how the carpet fills any voids in the decking. Someplace I have an electric jig saw but I can't find it. All the cutting has been with the skill saw...... #-o

 

[devilmutt]

I still haven't found any of the Self Etching Primer. I have been to Lowes, Home Depot and Wally World. No one has heard of it

Check the shelves in the automotive dept. at Walmart, same place they sell the body filler.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Getting there little by little. Found the Self Etching Primer today at Wal-Mart in the Automotive Dept, thanks, Devilmutt. Masked the sides and painted the insides while the decking was drying....Got most of the carpet finished today. I will have to order about 3 feet more to finish under the benches. I think I will do them in dark gray. #-o I have a new decal kit for the engine cover I need to put on also. Paint looks a little splotchy till it dries......I have most of two cans of primer and almost two cans left of the paint. Only used a little over a can of each. I have enough carpet to finish the back deck, side and middle seat. I didn't account for the places under the benches...... :shock: It's nice to be able to work on this in the garage.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

You got that boat looking very nice.A little too much decking for me,lol.I'm doing a wide 16 footer right now.Just the front deck is all that it's getting.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Just about finished! I ran out of blue carpet. I figured I would. I didn't take into account the sides under the benches when I ordered it. About a 6'X3' piece of Cabela's Premier Marine Carpet in Charcoal should finish the carpet. All I need to do is finish securing the decking to the frames. I have two hatches on order and a screw off cover.
I got two of these......https://tempress.com/#!/~/category/id=442191&offset=0&sort=normal in dark gray. One will go over the center bench to give access to the gas tank and the other will go in the left rear side for storage. For just a little cheap aluminum boat, I think it turned out ok. I have plenty of storage space in the stern for a live well if I want to go that route. I need to find a bigger reasonable 9.9 or a 10 HP outboard. A couple of deck mounted cup holders and maybe paint job on the outside and I will be finished. Who am I kidding, :---) these things never really get finished, there is always something to add.......A bimini would be nice. All in all, it took me like 5 days from start to finish. Yea the side floor on the right is a little short. It was actually the side for the storage area on the left but after adding the carpet, yea this carpet adds over a half inch to whatever you glue it too, it was too big to fit and I didn't want to waste the decking or carpet. When I fill in under the rear bench, it will be covered and you won’t even see it......The carpet is all the same color, the different shades are just the camera flash......for the deep cycle battery, where are you guys getting your wiring for the electric motor from? Yea I gotta redo the lettering on the bow, the last owner painted those. A little acetone should take care of them!

 

[jasper60103]

Wow, that turned out great. Hard to believe you did that in 5 days. Good job.

 

[Loggerhead Mike]

great lookin rig

was that deer skulls i saw in the side of a pic? look'd like some nice'ns!

 

[DaveInGA]

Looking good man! Stick with it to finish those last details. Your color combination looks great. It's one I'd like to have, but just too hot for me here in Georgia for anything but white and tan.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Yea those are deer heads and Javalina heads. I'm BP here in Az. Been doing it for over seventeen years. While I am out hunting people I find lots of stuff like that. Somehow they follow me home and end up decorating the front yard. Found a dead illegal once............They wouldn't let me keep the skull.......... #-o
On my side stoage areas, I am going to see if I can stick hinges on them so the whole cover can lift up.
Here is what my little project cost me including the boat:

665.13 Seats, seat pedestals, stainless bases, Cabela's Premier Marine Carpet Saphire
42.49 Gallon Carpet glue stainless screws, metal cutting blades (x3) for the radial saw, new plywood blade for skill saw.
59.47 Hatches
122.93 more Decking and aluminum, rivet gun and rivets, unopened Jig Saw.
71.42 hardware stainless screws, Thompson's water sealer
295.74 aluminum and plywood for the deck, hole bore
309.64 Bimini Top (Not ordered yet)
44.99 Cabela's Premier Marine Carpet Gray

$1611.81
1303.81 without the Bimini
Boat and trailer: 750.00
Total:

2361.00
2052.00 without the Bimini

 

[DaveInGA]

I think your boat is turning out great. Are you going to put a blue/grey paint scheme on the outside of the boat to match the internals? I think it would look great painted just above the gunwales.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Yea blue and gray would look nice. I don't know what paints you guys use on the outsides. I would get a sprayer as I already have a compressor. I dont think I want to rattle can it........My charcoal gray carpet should be here this weekend. I will have the wood work ready for it when it comes. So far I have used a gallon and a quart of carpet glue! I put a hatch(screw off) over the gas tank last night. I want to hinge my side storage areas but they are not square and follow the curves of the boat. I don't know how that would play into the solution......

Thanks.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Access hatches installed, sides cut just waiting till next weekend to finish it and my carpet to arrive..........I really wanted to install hinges on the sides and have the whole side lift up, but I couldn't get the hatch to open properly because they are right up against the boat........ #-o There will lots of storage room in each side for lots of stuff! There are two aluminum oars in the rear storage area right now.

 

[DaveInGA]

Looking good man. :beer:

 

[tccanoe]

Sarg, Sarg, Sarg, you got a sweet little package there for less then three grand. You know the quality and workmanship is top o' the line. It's one of a kind. When people are sitting on their bench seats with a sore arse, you will be all comfey. The dog is going to LOVE it. One note. Your motor looks like a long shaft. The cavitation plate, the big plate just above the prop, should be even with the keel, the bottom of the transom. If you go to a 9.9, make sure to get the short shaft. I think it's 15 inches from the bottom of the motor to the cavitation plate is a short shaft and 20 inches is a long with 25 inches being extralong. At 6 hp I don't think you'll see much difference but you know. Nice job on a good boat.

 

[cavman138]

Wow, hard to believe you got that done so quickly. How did you use that much carpet glue? I don't think I even used a 1/2 gallon across my entire boat. Either way, that thing is looking good. The blue carpet is sweet, almost looks like velvet.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Finished. I installed new bearing and seals, finished up some small details like the Outboard decals and boat registration, raised the transon an inch, all I could do. =D> I think it is ready to stick in the water. I want to add a Bimini and that will be it for a while......For just a little cheap Sea King V-Hull, it turned out all right..........I case you wondering if I made a mistake or not on the gray carpet panel in front of the middle bench seat, it doesn't go all the way across so I can stick two aluminum oars in the storage on the left side..........The outboard is a 1984 Johnson De-rated 5 HP. Belgium Made. All the internals are marked with a 6 but the serial number says it is a de-rated 5. I don't think it makes much difference. Never saw a 1984 5 Horse Johnson.........

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Very SWEET !! Have fun with her.