1977 Fisher Marine 14ft Jon Boat...FRONT DECK BUILD

[baseball_guy_99]

Got the mat cut up and fit in. Just have to do a few minor adjustments to get the bolts on the braces to match up.

Took it out on its maiden voyage today. Forgot to bring along my gps...but with me/my buddy/motor/gas tank, I would guess somewhere between 13-15mph. Only had problems with 2 rivets. And they just barely got wet around the flat part inside the boat. So we are going to try to rebuck them tomorrow.

Managed to get a short video out on the water...crappy quality because it was taken on my cell phone.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk3RDv5MzPw

Here are a few pics I snapped...

 

[hyzerbomber]

Fully loaded with your hunting gear, do you feel your carb'd up 15 is going to do the trick? Have been thinking of doing the same thing. For some reason 15's are hard to come by, and not cheap!
Really like the simple idea of the rubber mat for the back section too.

Look-n good!

 

[baseball_guy_99]

I think it will suffice for me. Not going to win any races. The main reason I did the 9.9 with 15hp carb is because when I do decided to fish, the lakes I will fish have 10hp limit. If I want to fish the bigger lakes I'll just steal my dads Ranger.

Got some more work done on the boat yesterday. Finally got the jack switched around to the other side, got 3 coats of urethane on the 1x's, and got the foam all cut up and fitted in.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Finally got started on the wiring. I'm going to be running a 36lb Thrust Minn Kota All Terrain that was given to me. Used 6ga wire to run from the front to the back where it will run through a Minn Kota In-Line Circuit Breaker. Got the plug all wired up and plugged it in...nothing. So we fiddled with it and finally took the plug back apart. My buddy had wired it up wrong so we fixed it up right and it works like a charm. Now I just have to build a mounting block for the TM on the front.

While cleaning out my buddy's garage last week we came across a set of nice halogen fog lights that will go very nicely on the front. Also I will be wiring in 2-12v plug ins in the front as well.

Got the front navigation light wired up and ran the rest of the wires to the back of the boat and ran out of time. I just used a flat-4 bonded trailer wire for the nav lights and will also be using it for the fog lights and 12v plug ins.

Will get some more work and updates done tomorrow.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Got quite a bit of work done today due to the rain.

I have never hated wiring so much in my life! It seems like it will never end...

 

[BaitCaster]

You're making good progress.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Got a lot of stuff accomplished over the last few days...mainly wiring. Miraculously everything works!

I have to finish mounting the switch plate. I cut the hole a little to big so I have to figure out a way to get it mounted.

I have a few more wires to clean up and get covered, run the batteries in series, make a mount and mount the trolling motor, put a floor in, and get seats. Then I will be pretty much finished with the project!

Eventually I would like to build/buy a blind for it. But that will probably not happen until next year.

Here are several pics that I snapped throughout the evening. Sorry for the bad quality I only have my phone to take pics with.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Welp I hate to say it...but my project is done for this year.

I have depleted all the funds I had saved up to do this project...so unless I come across some extra money I'm done for this year.

All I had left to do was floor/seats/blind.

So for now I'm going to throw down some plywood on the floor so I can still use it to get to and from spots when I'm duck hunting.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Been a while since I have updated the boat...Have fished out of it a few times and I do believe its going to be just what I wanted. Now just for duck season to get here so I can hunt out of it.

I mounted the trolling motor. Just used a 2x6 for now until I can fab up an aluminum mount for it. A local boat place sells one for this purpose but they want $100 for it. I think I can live with the 2x6.

I really wish I could afford the Alucobond for my flooring purposes but its just not in my budget right now. So I picked up a few pieces of damaged 1/2 plywood from work for $5 a sheet. This is really in my budget haha! So I have been working on gettin it cut to fit around the ribs. I used a box from a fridge to get a template for the plywood. I'm going to completely seal it with some Spar urethane and then cover it with carpet. It's not the greatest and the carpet will have to cover some of my mistakes I have always been told..."The difference between a good carpenter and a bad carpenter is the good carpenter can cover up his mistakes"

Oh yeah and I finally figured out a solution to mounting my switch plate...GORILLA GLUE! That $h1+ is amazing!

 

[hschne17]

Would you be willing to sell the removable benches out of your boat? I have a 77 fisher marine 15' just like yours and I only have 1 bench I use at the stern. I now have 5 grandboys who always want to fish out of what they call our little boat because its more fun.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Sent ya a pm back.



I have not worked on the boat in awhile now because hunting season is here. I was hoping to have the boat done by duck season which opens up thursday. But that will not happen haha. So I have been helpin my buddy get his boat ready...

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Well I have saved up a little bit of money and decided to go ahead and get the AlucoBond panels.

I'm also still toying with the idea of building a back deck...any ideas? This is what I have to work with.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Started deconstruction of the boat this evening. Took the lights off, the trolling motor off, the outboard off, and everything else that would hinder the ability of the boat to be stored against the garage while I work on the trailer...

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Well I talked with the guy that had the AlucaBond panels and he told me he would call me back when he was able to get to his shop to see what sizes he had. He never called me back and I left him a few voicemails with no returned calls.

So a few piece of BC 15/32 plywood came up damaged at work and I picked them up for $5 a sheet. I got them cut out and started putting the Helmsman Spar Urethane on 'em. Each side got 4 coats and the edges got like 10 coats lol.

Now I'm working on fitting in some 2x3's for support and to give me something to mount the seat bases to.

 

[russ010]

Lookin Good!!

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Thanks Russ! I was hoping the ice would hit us here sooner so I could call into work and get some more done today! But it looks like its not coming til later so I will just have to keep on doing stuff little by little.

Going to try to get a few more of the 2x3's cut and fitted this morning so I can start getting the urethane on them.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Got a little more done this morning. Got almost all the 2x3's mocked up in place. Some still need to be trimmed down to fit and I have to get 1 more 2x3 to finish up.

The spacing on the ones with only 3-2x3's are about 17". I'm using 15/32 plywood. Do you think that will be enough support or should I shorten the spacing and add another 2x3 in there?

 

[Ictalurus]

Nice looking boat. I used 15/32 on my floor with 13" rib spacing. I put blue board foam down between ribs and have had no problem with anything yet.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

Got all the 2x3's cut down fitted in and removed for the urethane (to those of you who do this in future builds...urethane the whole board before you cut it down so then you just have to seal the ends because doing it the way I did is a pain in the @$$!)


I set the 2 back pieces of plywood in to see how well they would fit together after the urethane went on them. They fit together very snug.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Lookin good, someday maybe my boat will be ready for interior work haha... nice progress man.