1997 Fisher Freedom 200 restoration

[MrBoo]

Hello!
I found this site from another boating forum. That forum didn't seem to be too interested in my tin restoration Ha! Anyway, I have wanted to build a lake striper boat from the ground up, so to speak. So I didn't want to put a lot into the purchase. I liked the Tracker Partydeck\Fisher Freedom hull. I liked the width and would have preferred a 22 ft but the 8.5 ft beam and 20.6 length will work just fine. Also, the modular design made a rebuild possibly easier. The first set of pics are of the boat as I purchased it. It was obviously neglected but that is fine with me as I would have had a hard time ripping out a bunch of decent interior. LOL I have quite a few days into the demolition and I'll post those in upcoming posts. I've done a lot of homework but have a ton of questions and am always open-minded to better ways of going about things. Pre-warning: I haven't performed a ton of searching on this site yet.

 

[MrBoo]

Day one of demolition.. Aside from some trailer work. Taking out the trash and benches. I also got the aft panel removed.

 

[MrBoo]

Day Three: Start of deck\carpet removal. Weather and a death of cold, it was a short day. Ha!

So the foam is water logged and will need to be pulled. I like the idea of the stability properly installed foam will provide but I also do not want to end up with more water logged foam down the road. The boat will be stored in a covered wet slip so it will not be exposed to weather like it was in the past. I've looked at other options and am open to the best way to add flotation. Flotation is required as this will sit in at least 80 ft of water most of the time.

 

[LDUBS]

This is a very unique design. Kind of like a patio boat deck on a mono hull. I like the openness for a fishing platform.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to following your restoration. Thanks for sharing.

 

[MrBoo]

Next I cleared the bow. The frame is very solid! Most of the deck screws are in fantastic shape. Very few are rusted.

My initial thought is to go with exterior plywood and glass it. The bow will be glassed as a single panel. The first two sections mid ship will be glassed together and the stern sections will remain in removable panels in case I need to gain access to the fuel cell. The screws will all be exposed and the bow section could be pulled if needed. The first two sections mid ship could be pulled up together if absolutely necessary but I hope to take enough precautions that won't be needed.

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

+1 on cool boat. I heard of someone putting the flotation foam in vacuum bagging, so it never gets wet. But as long as it is off the hull a half in or so, it should stay dry.

A 4 stroke motor would be the bomb on that big boat!

 

[MrBoo]

This is a very unique design. Kind of like a patio boat deck on a mono hull. I like the openness for a fishing platform.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to following your restoration. Thanks for sharing.

You are welcome! The space is what I am after. Things can get tight when four people are all fighting stripers at the same time. LOL It will look completely different once the sides are off. Wait for the open deck pics coming in a post or two! The space is incredible. I also like the sharper dead rise at the bow to cut large boat wakes and softer rise at the stern. This is known as a very stable hull. We'll see how dry it is once it's on the water.

 

[MrBoo]

+1 on cool boat. I heard of someone putting the flotation foam in vacuum bagging, so it never gets wet. But as long as it is off the hull a half in or so, it should stay dry.

A 4 stroke motor would be the bomb on that big boat!

I've seen some info on bagging the foam. Once I get it pulled I'll have a better idea on what to do. One idea I had was to put a false bottom across the bottom supports and foam on top of that. That way water can easily pass under the foam. It may be a horrible idea and I am open to alternate ideas.

As for a motor, it will get two. I plan to add a kicker for down rigging\umbrella rigging.

 

[LDUBS]

Things can get tight when four people are all fighting stripers at the same time. LOL

A problem we would all like to have! :LOL2: :LOL2: :LOL2:

 

[MrBoo]

Things can get tight when four people are all fighting stripers at the same time. LOL

A problem we would all like to have! :LOL2: :LOL2: :LOL2:

Yep! Usually, I just have people trying to help while I'm putting lines out. I run 16 rods many times when I have people on board so hitting a school can certainly send a bunch of rods down at a time. Usually one or two, but I am planning for "worst case" LOL

 

[MrBoo]

Here the console has been separated and prepped to be removed. The rest of the deck has been pulled up, carpet removed, inspections, then the panels laid back down. I must say, the wood cold be in worse shape based on the condition. No doubt, it was time to be replaced, but it was still in decent shape other than not having any holding power at all for screws.

I'll use the existing deck panels as a template for the new floor. Of course I have to plan for the difference between carpet between the panels. I'll treat all the support beams and add some sort of rubber or weather stripping to the supports before the panels are replaced. Or I am open to great ideas on what to do. I am pretty sure I do not want the panels directly on the metal unless there is a good reason to do so.

 

[thedude]

Great project. I don't know anything about Fisher. What kind of outboard?

Look up the seaark big easy. I think you need a dining table right in the middle. And for sure a big shade bimini!

 

[MrBoo]

Great project. I don't know anything about Fisher. What kind of outboard?

Look up the seaark big easy. I think you need a dining table right in the middle. And for sure a big shade bimini!

I'm still trying to figure out cup holders. If people want food or drinks, they can hold it. I need fishing room! Ha! I've looked over the SeaArk boats. A 2272 was an option for a long while but they are hard to come by. the 2072 could have worked and the 2472 was a tad long. I could have also fished a Sea Ark on the Cumberland River. I want the console more forward and this one will move about 2 ft forward. I don't know why the put the console so far back in the big Easy boats. I get that it's a modified V and it's more comfortable back there but just about everyone that I can think of who would be a candidate for the Big Easy would probably prefer the console forward as least some. I'll have seating for four on a rainy day and six in good weather. Four is the most I like to take out anyway.

This will have a six or seven ft Bimini with a full enclosure. The front of the bimini will be a foot or two shy of the front deck and the front cover will snap at the floor of the front deck. I am thinking of adding a drain channel where the lower front floor meets the front deck to send all the top water below deck to make the floor a little more dry but I haven't finalized a design yet. Maybe it's overkill?

 

[MrBoo]

Oh, the current outboard is a 1986 Mercury 135 in the Black Max mold from what I can tell. Everything points to this being a work horse of a motor. I am removing a ton of weight from the boat. That may be a literal number considering how much water seems to be soaked up in the upholstery, flooring and foam. I run large bait tanks so I'll be adding 40-50 gallons of water along with all my gear when its said and done.

I would prefer to move up to a 150 for primary power then I'd like to add a 6.5 kicker. No more than a 9.9. I am torn on what to put back there. I love four strokes but they are heavy. Same with the modern two strokes. I wouldn't mind a two stroke as long as I had a kicker. Would prefer the kicker to be as quiet as possible. With the added motor weight and the bait tank weight on the back, that's why I didn't think moving the console forward a little would hurt much other than my bottom. I am open to motor opinions!

 

[steelflight]

new guy here but I would happily suggest a small electric troller as your kicker. quieter. not too much more weight and quite reliable. watching this build for further ideas.

 

[JohnT]

This is awesome build looking forward too seeing where this boat build goes, keep up the good work, do you have any more pictures?