Chris' 12' Valco

[ChrisBoat]

Figured I would start a thread on it. I had a 14' Valco with a 7.5 Honda on it for years from childhood to a teenager. I loved that boat. I eventually picked up a runabout and got rid of the Valco. Now years later I have had two other, a 1968 MFG Fiberglass and a 1956 aluminum something that I got rid of about ten years ago when I got my family boat. I like my 21 foot runabout but for fishing it just doesn't cut it. I had a budy with this 12' Valco sitting in his yard and he wanted it gone but I didn't have a motor so I was not all that interested. So last weekend I was out of town doing some work and ran across a yard sale. The guy had a 14' aluminum from the 50's with an 8 horse for 125 bucks, no trailer. Luckily I was towing my dump trailer so I grabbed it and tossed it in the back. I was not so interested in the boat because like many from that era they had low sides and that was the main reason I got rid of my last one. I called my buddy to make sure he still wanted to get rid of the Valco and he did. I stopped by my sisters and donated the 14' to her and her family, they were excited. I picked u the 12' and got it home today. So far I have torn out the old carpet they had glued down to the floor and washed it. I have a little utility trailer that I use for trash hauling on my property that I plan to rebuild and make into a boat trailer. Enough for now, here are a few pics of my scores. So far I am into it for 325 bucks. I can't wait to be fishing from it.

 

[Johnny]

I LIKE IT !!

Is Valco a West Coast company ? I don't think I have ever seen one here in Florida.

Nice clean body to work with. Kudos on grabbing the 8 horse !!!

 

[Ictalurus]

Love the Valco's. =D> =D> =D>

I always enjoy when the west coast guys rebuild one and post on the site. If i can ever find one in my area I would grab it in a heartbeat.

 

[ChrisBoat]

I wish it were a 14' but those don't come along very often and when they do they seem to hold a lot of value. I love the style of the Valco's and they seem to have a deeper hull and for some of the places I fish that can come in handy.

I am in the process of gathering parts and deciding how I want to build it. I would love to remove the center bench if anyone knows if that is a possibility or if it will screw things up. I want to set it up for two people fishing. I would like to do a deck up front and a bench in the back and thats it.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Last I heard Valco went under or sold out many years ago. They were out of California here and I see them from time to time.

 

[kcsphil]

Looks like a good platform to start from!

 

[ChrisBoat]

Don't have much of an update except I bought a bunch of misc parts for my build. Once I get my golf cart axle back in and it out of my garage the boat will come in and get ready to go.

 

[Tallpine]

Love them Valcos. I have had three of them. My last new one was a 13ft that I ordered custom from the factory in 1996 with a walk through center seat. Yes they were bought out by Klamath boats.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Am I facing any structural issues if I remove the center seat? I would like a small casting deck on the front and the bench in the back.

 

[Ictalurus]

Am I facing any structural issues if I remove the center seat? I would like a small casting deck on the front and the bench in the back.

It looks like you may due to lack of ribs in that boat.

However, there are still options. You can remove a portion of the middle seat and leave enough material to provide support. Leave the sides that connect to the hull and create a step up to your deck. Tin boat member Bufford did something like this on a 12' four or five years ago, might be worth a search.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Am I facing any structural issues if I remove the center seat? I would like a small casting deck on the front and the bench in the back.

It looks like you may due to lack of ribs in that boat.

However, there are still options. You can remove a portion of the middle seat and leave enough material to provide support. Leave the sides that connect to the hull and create a step up to your deck. Tin boat member Bufford did something like this on a 12' four or five years ago, might be worth a search.

I'll do a search for it, plan was to leave the bottom couple inches for a floor brace. Also was going to extend the front bench back a foot or two for a larger casting deck.

Is there any issue welding to these boats making an all aluminum subframe? or should I build and bolt/rivet things in? I have easy access to welding and I think that would make a more solid boat. I just don't want it wiggle cracks in later.

 

[1lhorn]

Is Valco a West Coast company ? I don't think I have ever seen one here in Florida.

Valco, Klamath and Gregors are beloved tin boats in California.
Love the boat. Can't believe your friend didn't want it.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Is Valco a West Coast company ? I don't think I have ever seen one here in Florida.

Valco, Klamath and Gregors are beloved tin boats in California.
Love the boat. Can't believe your friend didn't want it.

He is the upity type and the boat to him was a piece of junk in the corner. He was gonna scrap it or make a sandbox out of it. I like to think I saved it.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Today I picked up a trailer finally. I had plans on building one but for 150 bucks it a good start, now I can just modify it to fit the boat perfect.

 

[ChrisBoat]

It was for a 14'er and they moved the axle forward a few inches for some reason. Plan is to clean it up and move the axle back and fix some old rust spots. Other than that not much until maybe next season.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Haven't done much of anything with the boat lately, been busy with work and life. Have been buying and gathering parts and pieces so when I do get the time I have everything I need.

 

[ChrisBoat]

Well its been two years since posting and the boat has done very little. I ended up moving out of California up to Idaho. Hopefully this summer I can get to working on it. Been tossing around the idea of putting a Seadoo motor in it since I now live on a river.

 

[ProduceMan]

Nice little Valco, it even has the brackets on the transom for beach-launch wheels!