21ft flat bottom The "Bucket"

[Flat Bottom]

spent another day today welding...cursing...welding...cursing...cursing... and then i ran out of wire, and norco didn't have any more so gotta wait for it to come in. At least i didn't let the sunshine go to waste, got most of the ribs in the bow welded back up, there was a gelcoating of some sort on the inside, which is good, but a pain in the you know what to clean off area's to weld, nedless to say, my welds are by no means pretty, but they feel very sturdy and i will be covering them up with the flooring, so as long as i don't have to sit and stare at them and they hold, then i will be happy.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Well... i'm not reviving a dead thread, just stopped by to say hey to everyone, and hit you up with some progress... bought a house and moved, boat is out back, havn't done much with it over the last year. started school, so money is pretty tight but hoping to start up this spring/summer. Spent a while and dialed in the motor, now its stored inside until i can get the boat setup. Priced out the alluminum a while back, i'm looking at about $300 for the materials needed to weld up the bottom. So i still have quite a bit of work to do but i have not forgotten about you guys!! and hopefully this spring i will have something better to report!

 

[Flat Bottom]

Back Again, Today I got a steal on two back to back fold down boat seats, the coverings are a bit shabby, but price was right $10 for both of them. they should work perfectly. This dang boat is taking me forever to get back up and working. I have to pull it off the trailer and flip it over to weld up the bottom, so I think i'll put it right where i usually park the pickup as an incentive to get it done so i can have some fun this summer.

 

[Kochy]

YAY! I saw your post before on the boat conversion list, I was like dang I sure hope he posts up again since he has a really big boat. Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[Flat Bottom]

YAY! I saw your post before on the boat conversion list, I was like dang I sure hope he posts up again since he has a really big boat. Can't wait to see the finished product.

I know, this thing has been taking me forever! My intentions of course were to have it done long ago... but then the house came, the engagement, etc... It needs to get done though. This thing is such a blast when it's in floating conditions! stay tuned as I will be working on her soon... I'll try to get some pics up of the boat seats I picked up. Nothing fancy, but should be perfect for what i need.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Got a pic of the seats I picked up... plus a few pics of my 15 hp mariner. The block had a piece chipped out about 3 inches long. I finally got around to molding her pack up with some JB weld. It worked way better than I had thought. New Head Gasket and she's purring like a kitten.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Well, I got my first bit of progress done in quite a while. Got the boat off the trailer and flipped over. When I cut the tunnel out I did it by eye, so it wasn't very square. I want to butt weld/ seem weld the new piece in so I squared it all up pretty good, should make fitting the new piece alot easier. Besides the obvious Huge hole in the bottom of the boat, the rest of the bottom is in pretty good shape, not too much pitting, and only 1 crack that I had no idea about. I'm getting pretty pumped as a new "wind" of motivation to get this thing going has hit me pretty hard.

 

[hsiftac]

Looking forward to more progress Flat Bottom. When you add the new bottom piece in will you be adding continuations to the strakes as well? or will you just weld in the flat piece and leave it at that?

 

[bigwave]

I think the welds look good.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Looking forward to more progress Flat Bottom. When you add the new bottom piece in will you be adding continuations to the strakes as well? or will you just weld in the flat piece and leave it at that?

I will be leaving the new piece just plain flat

I think the welds look good.

Thanks, I'm trying


Here's a couple of progress updates, she's coming along nicely.

 

[JBoze]

Looks good. Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Little more progress, The aluminum sheet I'm using puckered alot when I welded it in. I figured it would but what do you guys think? I had to cut a relieve line down the center of the new piece because it bowed to much, now i'm just sucking it up to the angle pieces, but I ran out of wire today so... maybe I'll get some more done tomorrow. Slowly but surely... guess i'm gonna have somewhat of a wavy bottom

 

[BrazosDon]

Flat Bottom, is the thickness of the metal that you're welding in the same thickness that the boat is made of? If not, there will be a deferential distribution of heat between the two pieces of metal causing the metal to warp the thinner metal. Also, you might be welding in one area too long so the metal can't cool sufficiently as you weld. Remember heat range and speed. The trick there is to weld about an inch then go to another spot(maybe on the opposite side) and do the same thing and keep doing that until the welding is done. Also practice on some pieces before you start on the main project. Practice makes perfect

 

[Flat Bottom]

Flat Bottom, is the thickness of the metal that you're welding in the same thickness that the boat is made of? If not, there will be a deferential distribution of heat between the two pieces of metal causing the metal to warp the thinner metal. Also, you might be welding in one area too long so the metal can't cool sufficiently as you weld. Remember heat range and speed. The trick there is to weld about an inch then go to another spot(maybe on the opposite side) and do the same thing and keep doing that until the welding is done. Also practice on some pieces before you start on the main project. Practice makes perfect

Thanks for the feedback Brazos, Both old and new are 1/8" thick. Nothing on the cutout, or my welding job is perfect I weld aluminum like I'm tightening lug nuts, all over the place. but you are right. The pucker is a combination of the boat's bottom not being level, a little un square, and of course heat. But at least I got the dang thing in there, now just have to fight it a bit.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Got the last piece of the puzzle bent today, 66degree angle, got a bit more cutting and welding to do but she's nearing the point of water worthy once again. Guy at norco said the alchoa (sp?) plant that is the main provider of my beloved 5356 aluminum wire burnt down so there is a national shortage of the wire. Luckily i should have 3 more 1lb rolls coming tomorrow that is under a different name so other than it raining today, i'm waiting on wire to get the project wrapped up.

 

[fool4fish1226]

Starting to take shape and looking good too =D>

 

[Flat Bottom]

Yeah, it's been a long time coming

 

[bigwave]

I am curious. You are welding that piece back into the hull. Why don't you weld some angle iron over the smooth area on the bottom, It seems that you could get close to the original strakes with the correct size angle iron. To me it seems that that much smooth area might affect the boat, and maybe even let the ass end slide under a hard turn. I have already made up my mind, I will learn how to weld aluminum for my next project. It makes me jealous watching this build, like you I do not have that much experience with welding, but I do have some good ideas. I don't mind making mistakes, but I sure do wish i had the ability to weld on my current mod.....why you ask? I would make the boat bullet proof for years of hard use, might even put in some rocket launchers and battering rams for the weekend clowns around here....... :lol:


Good job so far
Kevin

 

[Flat Bottom]

I am curious. You are welding that piece back into the hull. Why don't you weld some angle iron over the smooth area on the bottom, It seems that you could get close to the original strakes with the correct size angle iron. To me it seems that that much smooth area might affect the boat, and maybe even let the ass end slide under a hard turn. I have already made up my mind, I will learn how to weld aluminum for my next project. It makes me jealous watching this build, like you I do not have that much experience with welding, but I do have some good ideas. I don't mind making mistakes, but I sure do wish i had the ability to weld on my current mod.....why you ask? I would make the boat bullet proof for years of hard use, might even put in some rocket launchers and battering rams for the weekend clowns around here....... :lol:


Good job so far
Kevin

I have alot of experience welding... just not aluminum, and it's a monster of it's own lol. I hear what your saying about the strakes, but I think i'm gonna give it a try without them, mainly $$ but it will still have side runners, i dunno we'll see. I hear you on the battering ram and rocket launcher mmmmmmmm..... Hopefully My work now will last a long long time on the boat.

 

[Flat Bottom]

Progress report, just about in floating condition some of the welds are uglier than I would like but oh well just a little more welding and a big transom board away from seeing if it will indeed float. This thing is a pain in the ..... To flip over.