1966 MirroCraft 3614 Project

[oakchas]

So...Finally! It's done! Well, almost... this was the maiden test voyage. to make sure all electronics worked, all the live well plumbing worked, and that it floated. This pic was shot after the maiden run, waiting at the ramp to pic it up. My wife's son standing in the shallows with her while I back up the truck.



What went right:

• Seats. posts move from mid to front on the water without too much difficulty.
• Live well works, aerates on timer, drains as it should (on the trailer)
• No plumbing leaks
• All electronics work: battery switch, trolling motor, nav and anchor lights, search light.
• It works as a rescue vehicle (see note below)

What went wrong:

• Nothing until we got help from strangers who cranked it onto the trailer so hard they ripped open the factory landing ring on front of boat! We had to limp home carefully, with the winch strap hooked around the motor to transom mount to keep from losing the boat off the trailer, even with a back strap holding her on the trailer.

Okay so the maiden voyage consisted of staying pretty much in this cove off the main lake. A couple were trying out their new jet ski and flipped it over. They righted it, went to shore across from the ramp and couldn't back off the sand edge with both aboard. We picked up the one who remained behind and delivered her to the ramp.

What get's fixed: the bow ring (taking this to a welder). And a new gas can.

I had some problems with the original tank leaking air and couldn't get the motor to keep siphoning gas from tank due to an air leak around the hose inlet to the tank... once the air leak sealed, it kept running for at least an hour tooling around this cove and a little bit into the main lake. After it's all done, more pix of the interior and a few more details... this has been a long process... but finally, Ransomed has had her maiden voyage!

 

[oakchas]

Ok... Pics... Heavy... Big...

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[oakchas]

If you go back to the beginning, you'll see I was able to meet the goal... With a few tweaks. Batteries (2) had to be exposed, opposite the live well.

I built an extension rod for the fish finder from a flag holder, a 1" dowel (inside 1"pvc), a pvc 45°, a 1x1/2 pvc x flip bushing, a 1/2" iron pipe street 90°ell, a 1/2" close steel nipple, and a 1/2 steel floor flange... It puts the Humminbird Helix 5 DI G2 GPS with Navionics right at eye level for the helm.

Cabela's big man seats, on Attwood adjustable height pedestals, with an extra socket on the step-up deck.

Original empty weight was 210 from the factory. After all decks and carpet, and seats.... 280... Yay! I'm about 40 lbs under max weight with full live well, trolling motor, 2 big batteries, 8 hp 2cycle 'Rude motor, 6 gal gas full, and two heavy folks aboard.

I'm very pleased... And wifey liked the work so much, she bought me the new fish finder!

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[oakchas]

I love the remote controlled Trac anchor winch, it works great! I'm going to add a disconnect to the searchlight, so I don't have to bring it when not planning night fishing. There is a plug in for underwater lights in front of the Battery bay.

Now, if they'd get the rain out of the forecast, I could actually take my wife fishing....

I'm pumped up... Sure took long enough!

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[oakchas]

One pic shows the valving for the live well, it fills and drains from the same inlet. Overflows out port side. Fill switch is three way... On, off, timed... It doesn't drain while full, but aerates through spray bar at top of well...

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[oakchas]

Okay, a better side by side before and after.

 

[jasper60103]

Nice transformation. Good work. =D>
You gotta love those helpful strangers at the ramp :LOL2:
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bridge4]

Great job, looks like you have a lot of nice days fishing ahead of you!

 

[oakchas]

Thanks so much guys...

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[oakchas]

Okay, two fishing trips.... each time fish were caught and released. Nothing worth keeping. Lost the anchor on the first fishing trip.... Here's what happened. Brought the anchor up into the anchor winch and bloop! Thar she went. Rats! Looked like it tore the anchor off of the anchor rope. So when I got it home I looked it over pretty carefully. The anchor rope provided with the winch was frayed on the end... but I could see where it was NOT spliced around the thimble (which was now gone) but the end of the rope was pushed into a hole in the weave higher on the rope. not good, not permanent. So, bought a new anchor. Tied a SS snap link onto the end of the anchor rope with an anchor bend. Put a new SS anchor shackle on the anchor. Works like a champ.

On the second trip, filling the live well from the aerator leg did not work, initially. Filled it from the drain line side, no problem. Subsequent timed aeration worked fine... apparently a "vapor lock" in the line feeding the aerator fill side leaving both valves open when filling on the drain end filled both lines... and no subsequent difficulties.

 

[Bridge4]

Okay, two fishing trips.... each time fish were caught and released. Nothing worth keeping. Lost the anchor on the first fishing trip.... Here's what happened. Brought the anchor up into the anchor winch and bloop! Thar she went. Rats! Looked like it tore the anchor off of the anchor rope. So when I got it home I looked it over pretty carefully. The anchor rope provided with the winch was frayed on the end... but I could see where it was NOT spliced around the thimble (which was now gone) but the end of the rope was pushed into a hole in the weave higher on the rope. not good, not permanent. So, bought a new anchor. Tied a SS snap link onto the end of the anchor rope with an anchor bend. Put a new SS anchor shackle on the anchor. Works like a champ.

On the second trip, filling the live well from the aerator leg did not work, initially. Filled it from the drain line side, no problem. Subsequent timed aeration worked fine... apparently a "vapor lock" in the line feeding the aerator fill side leaving both valves open when filling on the drain end filled both lines... and no subsequent difficulties.

No way to know if it will go wrong until you test it out! Good to hear they were both relatively minor issues you got straightened out.

 

[akboats]

Looks great i like the way you have the decks set up. I dont like how some come all the way to the top i would end up prolly kicking something offon those.

 

[oakchas]

Bridge.... Yep, you're right... Learn by getting it out there.....

AK.... Thanks... I copied the newest version of mirrocraft's 14 footer.... Only thing I would change is to move the aft seat back 4-6"...

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[murphy67]

Awesome build and work!!

I am planning to start my 2nd boat "build"/restore on a similar 14ft tinny hopefully before winter sets in(looking to finish by summer 2019) and might borrow some of your ideas for the flooring and such, thanks for the great read!