1992 Polar Kraft MVT-1751 with a 1992 Evinrude 60 HP…my first tin boat project

[LDUBS]

I cut & trimmed the notches in my new floor. It turned out pretty good, it needs a little trimming in a couple spots.

My goal is to have a tight gap everywhere with enough room so the metal floor does not touch the sides and ribs.

I might run a bead of 3M 2200 around the perimeter, to secure & seal the installation.

I need more angle stock for the rib at the leading edge of the tunnel.

That looks terrific. My boat has a strip of aluminum that follows the contour of the hull along the floor level. They used a flexible U-channel edge trim where it meets the hull -- kind of like what is pictured below. I mention this as it may be an alternative to the 2200. Not necessarily better, just an option.

 

[Axhammer]

I drove up to Norfolk yesterday, to buy more aluminum from Matt, at Professional Welding services, AKA Tricked-Tins on YouTube. Now I have more 1.5” angle (.125”) for the floor support structure.

I would like to put the hulll on the trailer this weekend and take it to the creek and put it in the water for a leak check. That means I have to finish the trailer first.

The trailer needs the wiring run for the lights. I want to lower the front of the bunks, so it sits lower in the front. I have to mount the winch on the front as well, and make sure everything lines up, when this boat hits the stop at the winch.

As far as that rubber seal pictured above, that stuff may end up on some locations on my floor. That stuff is great to use where the floor might contact the the hull skin or the ribs, as an anti-chaffing product. Metal on metal chaffing is something to avoid.

 

[Axhammer]

I put the boat in the water to do a leak check.

My welds are not leaking. The area adjacent to both drains leaked. It is a slow leak, more of a seep.

I’m not sure what to do. I’ll clean up the metal the best I can and see what I find.

I don’t think I will find any cracks, but you never know.

 

[thill]

What kind of drains are they? Welded, Flared or Compression?

From the pic, it looks like flared tube drains. Easiest thing to do is replace them with a flare tool. Save the spacer collars, if you can.

Smear a little 5200 or other sealant around the tube and inside and outside of the hole, insert the tube, put the spacer on and then flare it. Wipe off excess sealant and you are done.

You can probably YouTube it if you aren't familiar with the process.

I hope it goes well for you. Nice hull!

 

[Axhammer]

The drains have heavy weld beads on the exterior. I haven’t cleaned up the interior drain area yet, but I’m pretty sure there are thinner welds on the interior. That means they are welded tubes. I’ll try and get some pictures soon. I need to get off my butt and get back to work on this project. I kinda for distracted.

 

[thill]

So you either have cracked welds, or more likely, split tubes. Did you try putting the plugs in from the outside? That may stop it, if the tubes are split.

Are the plugs old and dried out? Any corrosion holes visible?

I hope you figure it out.

 

[Axhammer]

I got sick with Covid last month. I have never had it before, it took me down hard for a couple weeks.

My Mom passed, she was 89, and put up with me for over six decades. Bless her soul.

My youngest kid graduated from Appalachian State in Boone, NC.

Between driving back home to MD, and out West at to Boone, I have put some miles on the road.

Since my last leak check, I flipped the boat over and double checked all of the exterior rivets and welds.

I flipped it back upright, and inspected all the interior welds & rivets. I ended up re-welded some of the interior welds.

I wire brushed the area around the two drain tubes, and double checked the tube welds after cleaning it up. After a thorough inspection I decided it was time for another leak check.

My kid is visiting for the holidays, so it was easier to flip the boat with my him helping, plus I used him to help with the leak check. I put Nick in the boat before I backed down the boat ramp. I had him focused on looking for leaks around the welds and adjacent to the drain tubes, in the transom. He reported it was not leaking, so I waited a few minutes and had him check again, when he found a slow drip coming from one of the drain plugs. I didn’t have the plug adjusted tight enough, to prevent the leak.

That was good news, even though I should have known better, and put the plugs in tighter (the first time).

The good news is my hull is not leaking, having passed the leak check.

Time to watch some football!

Merry Christmas to All !

I will be getting back to work on this thing as long as we don’t have a crazy cold snap…lol

The WX was beautiful today, at the boat ramp !

 

[Zum]

Just binged read your entire post, good read....nice work.
On my tunnel, 1 drain(port)is shut from the outside and the starboard side is done from the inside, probably because its a tiller. Ive opened it a few while running, normally in a hard rain...I have no bilge pump installed(1 in the shed though)
I often wonder why there are no ribs going lengh ways, kinda connecting the ribs. The water should still make it to the stern and should stiffen the.flex abit.
Anyways glad your feeling better....condolences on your mothers passing

 

[Still Afloat]

I got sick with Covid last month. I have never had it before, it took me down hard for a couple weeks.

My Mom passed, she was 89, and put up with me for over six decades. Bless her soul.

My youngest kid graduated from Appalachian State in Boone, NC.

Between driving back home to MD, and out West at to Boone, I have put some miles on the road.

Since my last leak check, I flipped the boat over and double checked all of the exterior rivets and welds.

I flipped it back upright, and inspected all the interior welds & rivets. I ended up re-welded some of the interior welds.

I wire brushed the area around the two drain tubes, and double checked the tube welds after cleaning it up. After a thorough inspection I decided it was time for another leak check.

My kid is visiting for the holidays, so it was easier to flip the boat with my him helping, plus I used him to help with the leak check. I put Nick in the boat before I backed down the boat ramp. I had him focused on looking for leaks around the welds and adjacent to the drain tubes, in the transom. He reported it was not leaking, so I waited a few minutes and had him check again, when he found a slow drip coming from one of the drain plugs. I didn’t have the plug adjusted tight enough, to prevent the leak.

That was good news, even though I should have known better, and put the plugs in tighter (the first time).

The good news is my hull is not leaking, having passed the leak check.

Time to watch some football!

Merry Christmas to All !

I will be getting back to work on this thing as long as we don’t have a crazy cold snap…lol

The WX was beautiful today, at the boat ramp !

View attachment 118394

That’s a cool boat. Do you know the thickness of the aluminum on the hull?

 

[Anthony B]

I just binged read the entire thread. I can't tell you how helpful this has been, I have a 1982 1760 PolarKraft that needs a rebuild and I have been dragging my feet due to the need to remove the rivets for the back bench and mid boxes. I have to replace the power trim motor now, so it is a good forcing factor to start my project. I live in Western NC and that cold snap definitely hit in early January, hope everything is well with you.

 

[Axhammer]

It was supposed to be warm today, perfect boat painting weather I thought, because earlier in the week, it was forecast to be 70 this weekend. I think it hit about 60 today, at the most, with a wet dreary overcast sky.

I final sanded the hull with 120 grit on my electric orbital sander and wiped it down with acetone.

I rolled on a couple coats of Khaki colored paint. I used about a third of the gallon I bought. It’s Total Boat Aluminum Boat paint, water based one-part polyurethane formula that doesn’t require primer.

I have my kerosene torpedo heater blowing hot air up under the bow. The hot air should be captured under the open shell of a Boat, heating the aluminum quickly. Hopefully the added heat will help kick it off, because it was not drying with the cool low 50’s degree air outside.

I went with the light color to help with the hot metal when I use the boat in the summer time. I can always put some darker colors on it if I decide to apply a camouflage scheme.

 

[Axhammer]

After running the heater for about an hour, the paint is dry to the touch. It turned flat as it dried, no more gloss like in my picture above. I’m happy with how it turned out.

 

[LDUBS]

Sure looks good.

 

[Axhammer]

The paint is dry, to the touch after running the heater for a few more hours.

 

[Axhammer]

I lowered the front of the bunks on the trailer today. I left the rear brackets at the height I had them. I cut a couple inches off the front brackets. I loosened the middle brackets and readjusted the middle brackets. It still has a tilt but the boat should sit on the trailer closer to being flat.

I need to get this boat flipped over so I can start working the inside.

 

[Axhammer]

I flipped the boat over and put it on the trailer. I mounted the winch post, for the hand winch. The whole setup looks out of whack. I’m thinking about moving the hand winch, over to the back side of the vertical post, this will raise the winch, allowing more of a straight pull, as the boat hits the stop. If you look at the way its mounted now the bow eye is getting pull down, instead of forward.

 

[LDUBS]

I agree with your thinking. The way it is, seems the winch would be pretty useless with the boat still a couple of feet away from the bow stop. Even re-mounting the winch on the top front of the post would allow you to winch the boat all the way on. Either way, I would install a secondary safety chain from where the winch is currently mounted with just enough slack to clip it on to the bow eye. Fully loaded, you would have the winch strap hook and the safety chain hook clipped to the bow eye. Purpose is to hold the bow down in an abrupt stop. Otherwise it could slide up over the winch into your vehicle. Seems extreme but we see enough pic's of that happening to make it a best practice.

 

[thill]

I apologize for not reading this entire thread, but I recommend that you install a bow eye just below where the boat contacts the winch roller.

The new bow eye will be what you winch the boat up with. It will also secure the boat to the trailer better, in case of an accident

I have done this for several customers and they are always very happy with the results.

You can get a quality 3/8 inch bow eye on Amazon for something like 15 or 20 bucks.

It probably takes a 1/2 hour to install including sealing and making backing plates. Use the biggest Fender washers you can find to distribute the load properly.

You will be glad you did.

 

[LDUBS]

I apologize for not reading this entire thread, but I recommend that you install a bow eye just below where the boat contacts the winch roller.

The new bow eye will be what you winch the boat up with. It will also secure the boat to the trailer better, in case of an accident

I have done this for several customers and they are always very happy with the results.

You can get a quality 3/8 inch bow eye on Amazon for something like 15 or 20 bucks.

It probably takes a 1/2 hour to install including sealing and making backing plates. Use the biggest Fender washers you can find to distribute the load properly.

You will be glad you did.

This is a terrific solution (skip Post #2 and go directly to this).

 

[Still Afloat]

With eyes then we can say, “Aye Aye Capt’n.