Fisher 1860AW... New Boat -- New Construction

[russ010]

Had a 101 Rip Tide on my 19' center console; boat had an 8' beam and wieghted over 2500 lbs and that TM would pull it around at 8mph; Could hold my ground and make way in the Jetty aginst a ripping outgoing tide. I love that motor, heck I loved that boat!

well... I hope these 2 motors will be enough for our electric only. I'm not going to put more electric motors on the back with that jack plate. I think what I'm eventually going to do is get a "real" electric outboard - but that will be a little ways down the road. I want to get a 35-40 tiller steer as well

My plan as well, a ray would move them nicely, trying to maybe buy a pallet of them agm batterys, need a bunch for them big motors.

Right now I have all 7 batteries in the back of the boat, lined in the center going towards the bow. I have 3 Odyssey Trolling Thunder for the 101 Fortrex, and then 3 of the MK Batteries (found in motorized wheelchairs) for the 101 on the back. If I can get to 5mph, I'll be happy. Not sure what the hull speed is, but that's a lot of boat so hopefully it's hull speed is around 6mph

 

[russ010]

Well, I had a lot more written down and all the images included... but it seems I can't just post straight from Photobucket anymore and it automatically resize for me -- and I can't download PIXresizer to this work computer... so here are some pics just to show what's going on.

And all thanks to bassboy1 custom fabrication (he pretty much took what I told him I wanted and created it for me. Nothing I would have done different with what he came up with. Great communication and I couldn't be happier. Dawson, you've got some skills is all that I can say.

Here's where we are right now...
12 total compartments:
6 in the transom on the port and star board sides for storage. One will be dedicated to elctronics (3 Genius Noco Battery Chargers, Structure Scan, and who knows what else...
1 huge center transom for 7 AGM batteries (3 for Transom TM, 3 for Bow TM, and 1 for accessories)
1 center hatch behind the livewell so that I can get to all of the livewell plumbing
2 - 8' rod lockers
2 - for storage of cooler (closest to front deck) and then another for all the Plano boxes holding my baits

Here is the transom







Rod Lockers...

 

[bigwave]

Wow Russ, that thing is already looking sweet. So I have to ask.....how much would that cost to do what he has done for you? I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[russ010]

Wow Russ, that thing is already looking sweet. So I have to ask.....how much would that cost to do what he has done for you? I can't wait to see the finished product.

It's hard to put a price on anything like this because it really goes boat by boat in my opinion. Alot of what he is doing for me is custom because I want to be able to access nearly every bit of the boat, so the majority of the money is in the material - and for some reason, aluminum is spiking in price. I only wanted a few of the bins to be waterproof because I already know what I want in them, so the rest didn't have to have as much work done besides bending. I'm not even sure what is in it as far as sheet count - but you can figure anywhere between $250-300 for the sheets being used. Actually - I don't even know what he's used up so far. I will let Dawson say how many sheets of .090 and 1/8" he's used. My guess, total cost for material will be in the range of $1200-1500.

This boat has got a lot of hours in it, and I've been with him for a lot of it so I know now what a PITA it can be when nothing is square to work with. I trust Dawson a lot more than I do anybody else because I've known him for years and have seen nearly all of the work he's done on boats (a lot more than you'll ever see him post about). I wouldn't have a problem just giving the boat to him and letting him do his own design, but I've fished enough tournaments over the years to know exactly the setup I want. I just told him how I wanted it, did some rough sketches and let him work his magic. We're not cutting any corners, so who knows how many hours we've logged into this thing.

If I had the time to do it myself, it would not have looked as quite as nice as it does now. I had it framed out (to an extent) before I gave it to him with angle and square tube, and just told him to take out the material I had put in and just bend the sheets. Reason being is because I don't have to worry about re-bucking rivets a few years down the road.

 

[bigwave]

Well I have to say that I understand the whole custom thing......you get what you pay for. I was just curious to a ball park figure, which I figured would be at least 1500, I know how much the aluminum cost. I think I have over 300 bucks in tubing alone on my boat. It is really looking good. =D> =D>

 

[russ010]

Well I have to say that I understand the whole custom thing......you get what you pay for. I was just curious to a ball park figure, which I figured would be at least 1500, I know how much the aluminum cost. I think I have over 300 bucks in tubing alone on my boat. It is really looking good. =D> =D>

lol, I had already bought 10 sticks of 1x1 tube at 21' long, and I have 5 sticks of 1x1 angle that are 24' long... I think I'll have some leftover

 

[theyyounggun]

Dawson does some incredible work.

The build is looking great!

 

[bassboy1]

I'm not even sure what is in it as far as sheet count - but you can figure anywhere between $250-300 for the sheets being used. Actually - I don't even know what he's used up so far. I will let Dawson say how many sheets of .090 and 1/8" he's used. My guess, total cost for material will be in the range of $1200-1500.

Bigwave, the BOM (bill of material) on Russ's boat was as follows:

.090
5x10 - 1.75 sheets
4x8 - 1 sheet

.125
5x10 - 1.75 sheets

.063
5x10 - .375 sheet

1x1x.125 angle
25' - 1 stick

I'm not going to publish any material prices, as I'm expecting an increase upon the first of the year (but hope I'm wrong, seeing as we had a significant one fairly recently) and they'll no long be relevant. I will say, however, that unless Russ was factoring in the 15 sticks of angle/tube he previously bought that aren't getting used, the materials cost will be a significant amount less than the 1500 he mentioned.

 

[Jr Branham]

Dawson,
I'm curious, where was the .063 used in this build??

jr

 

[bassboy1]

Dawson,
I'm curious, where was the .063 used in this build??

jr

Drop in box for the tackle trays.

 

[bigwave]

I understand the way the market fluctuates with metal, we by stainless and galvanized cable all the time. I am truly amazed at what you bass guys do with your rigs. I was also curious to what kind of brake you use to bend all the lids and such. I saw one that PSG-1 made with a bottle jack I think. In your opinion how could I make simple bends in sheet aluminum in my garage and how do I do it. I have some ideas for my next build and would like to try my hand at sheet aluminum. The boat looks great so far Bassboy.

 

[bassboy1]

This is the brake I use. Chicago Dreis and Krump BPO 612-6. Capable of bending 6' of .125 (or 12 gauge steel), and pans (hatch lids) up to 6 inches deep. Weighs well over 2500 pounds. My machine is about 30 years old, and I'm not going to say how many thousands I paid for it, but it was an excellent price.

If all you are doing is making straight bends, something like PSG made could be handy (and if you already have a bearing press, there are a handful of shorter brakes made to slide into those), but if you need to start making pans, boxes, etc, cheap and easy get thrown out the window.

 

[russ010]

Here's more pics resized....

 

[Bugpac]

Looks good russ, from my experience, u may regret battery placement, yours is a flat bottom tho correct? I tried against the deck in mine with all 4, 400lbs. Didn't work! Glad to see high quality work, I'm still puzzled about mine.

 

[Bugpac]

O ya, yours makes me wanna do another 1!

 

[russ010]

Looks good russ, from my experience, u may regret battery placement, yours is a flat bottom tho correct?

No... it's a mod-v ... I think it's exactly like yours - just the front deck is a little wider or something. I know there's a few differences between the two from when I saw yours that morning at Lathem, I just don't remember what was a little different.

I'll have 7 batteries back there... so I'll have about 350 pounds in battery weight

 

[Bugpac]

I originally had mine against the front deck, when i stood up there the transom was 8" above the water, and my 15 wouldn't pick the bow enuff, it just plowed, i moved them back 24" and found the sweet spot, when we modded it i split the difference, 2 against the deck 2 in the rear bench, now i wish i had another 100lbs on the front. With 2 people its close, i just need more hp, with electric only i gain 3/10ths if the rear guy sits on the tackle box right behind me. I thought the batteries were in front on yours you should be pretty good. All my batteries weigh a 100 lbs each, i was debating adding 2 more but likely wont. No more modding to mine, if i get a hair up my bung, ill just build an entire boat. No more length just width

 

[russ010]

I originally had mine against the front deck, when i stood up there the transom was 8" above the water, and my 15 wouldn't pick the bow enuff, it just plowed, i moved them back 24" and found the sweet spot, when we modded it i split the difference, 2 against the deck 2 in the rear bench, now i wish i had another 100lbs on the front. With 2 people its close, i just need more hp, with electric only i gain 3/10ths if the rear guy sits on the tackle box right behind me. I thought the batteries were in front on yours you should be pretty good. All my batteries weigh a 100 lbs each, i was debating adding 2 more but likely wont. No more modding to mine, if i get a hair up my bung, ill just build an entire boat. No more length just width

isn't the next step up a 2072?? or for me it would be fiberglass with a 250-300hp on the back :lol:

 

[Bugpac]

Ya fiberglass would be the next best thing, 18/72 build from the ground up would be sweet, i really wanna build a whole boat, dunno that i ever will tho.

 

[russ010]

just got back from Dawson's... man do I have some work ahead of me.

I've got to wire and carpet it - then attach the hinges -- on 12 lids. But this is what I asked for, so I'll complain until it's done!

The lids are just sitting there, they look like the don't fit, but they haven't been hinged or carpeted yet - and the carpet I have is some think stuff. I'm pretty sure it's thicker than 20oz carpet.

These are in no particular order - I just went out and started snapping pictures. It's 35* outside right now, and I think I'll stay by the fire the rest of tonight and figure out how I'm actually going to mount and wire everything.

Open area in the middle - it's pretty close to 4' x 4'

These are HUGE storage compartments. The one closest to the bottom has a waterproof drop in - something I highly recommend. I think I could get in a fetal position and hide in there if I wanted too...

Here's the drop in..

Here's the upper compartment which is open to the floor and the hatch underneath the front deck - underneath the front deck is where I'm going to put a junction block and distribution block for the electronics and other electrical items that will be up in the bow of the boat.

8' rod lockers on each side with 6' lids. Most of my rods are 7-7'6".

inside shot of rod locker

Here is the rear deck storage area - all accessible by hatches exept for about 18" in the middle closest to the bottom of the picture.
All hatches will open towards the gunwale except for the lower right lid. This is where I'm mounting 3 battery chargers, HDS Structure Scan and I dunno what else. this will open into the boat because of the side it will be in and I want to have easy access to just plug up and go.

And the CMC PT-35 hydraulic tilt/trim jack plate