My New 1448 Flat Bottom Project.

[SaltyBuckster]

I'm going to bed early tonight to get started on the boat tomorrow morning.My brother and a friend are going to tear it totally down and start sanding it,inside and out.I'll be working on the trailer.I'll be sure to get lots of pics.I want to ask a couple of things.Does anyone know of a cheaper place to get 4.80 x 12B wheels and tires for the trailer?It has the 4.80 x 8B on it right now.In Arizona there is a lot of driving to get to a lake.I can't find them anywhere here.Thanks

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Here they are.I finally got to get on the boat this morning.Lots more to do then I thought.I'm kinda lucky I guess.There is an aluminum guy right in the next building and he came in to check it out.I'm going to show some pics of what I found on the bottom of the boat.I got it gutted,cleaned it out with a water hose and scotch brite pad.Got the old wooden deck torn out.Must have lost at least 75 pounds.After getting the deck torn out and seeing what was under it,I have changed my mind about doing things.I'm open for suggestions.As for now,just a good sand and paint for both the trailer and boat,then the mods to follow.I got a case of the lighter green Camo Rustoleum spray cans and some self etching primer in Rustoleum also.I don't think that I'll be using it for a while though,lol.Here's the beginning.Hope you enjoy the show.Ha.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Here's a pile.lol

In the front right on the center rib going back it looks like it was run into a rock.Looks to me like someone tried to use a torch to weld it,it's a real mess.Tomorrow morning I am going to dolly inside the rib from the insiide with a dolly on a stick,check for some other places,like the front hook that looks like it was welded by the same guy.I'm going to get it straightened out and cleaned up so the the aluminum welder can do his thing.I was'nt thinking that I had to do anything like this,but,it is what it is.I'll be getting pics of everything that gets done tomorrow.The show will go on,lol.It is a true 1648,lol.

 

[DaveInGA]

Don't get discouraged by the dings/dents/tears. Even though it's a pain, you can get it repaired and have a very nice boat in the end. A 1648 is definitely a boat worth the time to fix it. I'd love to have one of those as an electric lake boat myself.

I can't tell what all you did on the trailer. Do you have pics?

 

[SaltyBuckster]

I have'nt done anything to anything yet,lol.Just a teardown.The trailer is pretty sound.It had a new set of tail lights and a new wiring harness put into it.The bearings were all good.I'm going to put a new set of bunks and carpet them,paint the trailer and some new rollers in the middle.I put a couple pieces of 1/4 angle at the jack in the front and welded them on to hold it tighter.The trailer was to skinny for the new jack that they had put on.That's fixed.All of the add ons were new.Just 4 little tears on the bottom of the boat that will be aluminum welded tomorrow.Then I'll be at it again.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Was a kinda slooow day working on the boat today.Welded some angle on the trailer to let the jack swing back and lock while trailering.Put in some new hardware to make it secure.Works out perfectly.

Used some 1/4" angle to make the tongue wider and let the jack swing back and lock while trailering.

The center rib was crushed flat.I metal finished it back to where it looked pretty original again.Right behind that was a place that someone had used a torch to weld a little tear.I ground that down and the aluminum welding guy will be there Friday to help me out with a couple of places.When he gets done welding the tears I'm going to repaint the whole inside.Minus the top gunnel,so that I can flip it on it's top again and work on the outside and bottom this weekend.More pics on Friday night.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Full day on the boat today.Outside is all prepped,starting working on the inside.Lots and lots of old carpet glue to deal with on the sides and the benches.Used a wire wheel to take it off then sanded everything inside and out with a DA sander with 150 grit.I wire wheeled all the ribs inside to get anything out of the ribs that was stuck in there.Looks pretty sweet now.ONE coat of paint on the whole boat.Pretty easy sanding.Especially for a 1977 boat in Arizona.

Outside sanded down ready for primer

Shows all the carpet glue inside

Front end is DONE

Killer handtied Jig to break up the monotany,lol.
Another full day tomorrow sanding the rest of the inside.Waiting on my Lab Metal to get it ready to primer.Not till next weekend.I wanted to have the inside done by Sunday,but you all know how that goes.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Worked on the boat for about 3 hours today.I will never put treated plywood in an aluminum boat again after what I saw from this one.That old deck that they had on the front of this thing,when I tore it out and started sanding it was all rusted in front of the rib where they had the wood against it.The whole way across the front of the boat.Even with a wire wheel I could'nt get to clean metal..Of course there are rivets across the same rib coming in from the bottom.I was wondering why they had some kind of putty on all of them rivets,I know now.It's funny how you can see a little story behind all of the things that you find when fixing up an old anything,lol.Got some self etching primer on some of it today.

Cleared the deck of tools and stripped and primed the inside edge around the deck area.I'm thinking of just putting a piece of well sealed and carpetted 1/2" plywood in that area and putting a 3/4" pedestal base in it to the rear of the deck.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

The front half is about there.Time for the center and back tomorrow.I was planning on having the inside painted this weekend,primered is my new goal.Wait until you see that rear bench !!lol.I'm scared just thinking of it.You'll all see.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

I got a nice 6HP Johnson sitting in my garage, I upgraded to a Tahtsu/Nissan 8HP.............I'm just down the road from you. I got the Nissan in Scottsdale yesterday for $550.00......

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=15880

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Nice motor there Sarge.Would be perfect for the limited horse power lakes up north.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Got some more done today on Project X , lol.Got the front inside painted to the center bench.Got all the carpet glue out of the entire inside of the boat,Hurray !!What a pain.By Sunday night the whole inside will be done painted.The outside is already sanded.Just waiting on my "Lab Metal" to fix the gouges and tears and then some self etching primer, then to the water to check for any more leaks before painting the outside and starting the mods.Here are some pics of what happened today.

Front inside painted

Center and rear glue removed and sanded

Here's the nastyness on the rear bench.Still figuring the best way to fix this up.Any suggestions ??

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Here's the front deck area.I stripped the edge down to bare metal and primed and painted the edge.I'm going to extend the deck back to the rib further back for support.It will probably extend it back about another foot and a half.It's going to be all made of aluminum.No Wood.

That's why I did'nt paint the deck.
Now,fix the rear bench,paint the rest of the inside and fix the cracks.Then into the water to check for any other leaks.It's almost a boat again.The paint that I used for the inside is Rustoleum Camo Green.It looks better in person.I like it.

 

[DaveInGA]

Here's the nastyness on the rear bench.Still figuring the best way to fix this up.Any suggestions ??

Here's a couple:

1. Cut out the beat up torn section as a square and replace it with a fresh piece of aluminum. Weld the new piece in and sand smooth.

2. Work the old metal flat and smooth as much as possible, weld it up, then cover the entire bench with a fresh piece of aluminum.

3. Install a deck with fresh metal over the old section and weld it in.

4. Remove the bench leaving enough on the edges to attach framing to. Build up a rear deck with framing and storage to replace the bench seat. You could build in fuel storage, some switches/fuses/wiring and insure your flotation is up to snuff. Use whatever portion of the original bench metal that's good in the new construction.

Of the four options, I'd probably do number four if I owned the boat.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Thanks,one of the 4 for sure.I'm taking the day off today from the boat.But,still doing some planning for tomorrow.That is pretty much the only thing that has to be fixed to get it in paint.Then the inside will be painted.After that is done,back on the trailer and finishing it up.Pretty much just painting,redoing the bunks,then putting it all back together with the new wheels and tires.I think that it is going black with the upright guides in the back being yellow.That's my plan anyway,lol.I have to weld a step in the rear in front of the tire so I can get up into it easier.I do have 2 prostetic legs.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Got some more done today.Repaired the rear bench by repairing the bent up stuff from the inside,drilled 1/8 " hioles at the ends of all the cracks in the aluminum to stop the cracking,ground it all down then rivited on a new piece of thicker aluminum.I etch primed the top of the bench and also the new piece of aluminum that I installed so the primer would be face to face.

I also sanded and painted the front deck because it bothered me.lol.

I really like the way it is coming out.Heck it looks like a new boat.

I painted the guides Fl. Yellow.Getting ready to go to the trailer next.Black trailer with the Fl. yellow guides on the back and black carpeted bunks.Getting better every trip that I do something to it.I like it,ALOT !!

 

[RBuffordTJ]

This is a great project.

Bufford

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Bufford I took a look at the work that you did on your tinny.Very nice.It made me decide to do the bottom of mine in the Steelflex.I have a couple little tears that I will be fixing tomorrow with the Lab Metal that will be here today.Just have to decide on a color.Thinking OD Green for mine.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

I had to change my boat thread title after measuring it.The title on the boat says unknown and after seeing this I went to measuring it up.I thought that it looked like a short 16 foot,lol.Changed all of my outboard hunting.Of course the 15 hp Johnson passed me by while lookimng for a 25,what an idiot I am at times.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Got a lot done today.Inside is all painted.No more glue or sanding between rivits and ribs.I'm almost ready to start doing some mods to this boat.

This is the Lab Metal that I was talking about.Came UPS yesterday.Did'nt know how it would act.But was very pleased.Very easy to apply and I made a special tool to apply inside the ribs.I took 3 paint sticks and glued them together.Vise gripped them for an hour or two,then I sanded them down with 80 grit to form and bevel to fit perfectly inside the rib.

Inside all done.I love it.