New Boat - Alumacraft 1648 NCS

[wmk0002]

While I don't plan on addressing the potential need for a jack plate anytime soon as I have higher priority issues, I do retract my statement on the mini-jacker being a likely choice. Seems too 1 dimensional for the price. The Bob's Machine Shop mini manual jackplate seems much better as it has 3 different set-back settings plus height adjustment. Per my query to Bob's Machine Shop on it:

The jack plate has 2.5" of built in lift and another 1.5" of adjustable lift.

We do not have any dealers by you, but you are welcomed to buy direct.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thank you for your interest in Bobs Machine Shop.

Alternatively, the homemade route is appealing to me like the one in the link. I don't have the machining ability nor resources but have a few friends in the business who may can help if their employers policy allows it. Anyone know what the approximate stock material cost would be for this one? Hate to spend lots of money on material, the plans, plus labor and come out the same as just buying one.

https://www.dillon-racing.com/jackplate/

EDIT: Just realized the jack plate is made of just large but basic angle aluminum and simple hand tools. That I can do myself.

 

[wmk0002]

Here is a very poor video I shot the other day of me running the old Sportwin on the boat. In the front of the boat I have the TM, TM battery, front seat, and tackle box. In the middle I had 3 rods/reels, an empty cooler, and my stall mat floor. And in the rear was just me at 165 lbs and maybe 3 gallons of gas. Had the motor trimmed to its highest position and ran in without the hood to mitigate an exhaust leak. It ran 15mph very consistently and would touch 16 if I leaned it out to about 1/2 out from lightly seated (but idle quality took a hit). Motor was turning about 4700 rpms (5000 listed as max of the WOT range). I ran it set up similarly prior to that with my dad in it as well, who is about my size, and saw 15 mph there also.

I just got my 9.9 hp driveshaft unseized and also rebuilt the carb on my 15 hp so I'm eager to see what performance increase I see since both have higher rpm operating ranges and larger props. I would be super happy with 20 mph with two people.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_UfTqvTL3NM

 

[beagler1]

My 20hp hauls azz. Im 350, wife is 170 full tank of gas, 2 batteries, yeti cooler and tackle box!


Sent from Mossy Oak Swamp Bottom

 

[wmk0002]

Time for a motor update. I got the 9.9 hp converted to a short shaft and put it on the boat. On the water it ran about 15 mph at 4900 rpms with me and my dad and a light load. With just me it ran 5400 rpms and did 17mph. This was with a decent shape factory 9.25x10 3 blade prop. It's not a pretty motor but it runs well.

Later I put the 15hp carb on it and lake tested it and only gained 1 mph and a couple hundred rpms. This motor needs the exhaust tube and reed shims to make it a true 15hp plus I think the main jet is slightly oversized being a size 56 but needing a 54 according to the service manual. Not sure how much all of that would help but it needs to hit 6000 rpms to generate the rated 15hp from the power curve.

I also picked up yet another new motor last night lol. It is a 1992 Johnson 9.9 hp, but with a 15 hp carb. From my understanding, these later models used the tuned exhaust and reed shims on both 9.9 and 15 models, I would imagine for cost savings during assembly. It was what I thought to be a really good deal... was super clean, had even 110 psi compression, and ran well on muffs. Another huge factor to me was the cable throttle system on these models. The gear driven one on my 82 models is as terrible as I have read. Hopefully this can be a motor I keep for the long haul and can sell off a couple of the others to offset the price.

 

[Stubborn Dutchman]

Very nice looking rig. I hope you have lots of fun with it and your family. =D>

 

[wmk0002]

Very nice looking rig. I hope you have lots of fun with it and your family. =D>

Thanks!

 

[wmk0002]

I just ordered a hatch from Fish On Fabrications (site sponsor and member) to fit the rear deck opening. I left the dimensions about 5" short to allow for the transom clamps and for cables, wiring, and fuel lines to pass through. I ordered it with a lock on each side. With the gap it wont be totally secured but it will protect my gas tank and battery, which are actually worth $150-200 (although most thieves don't seem to mess with them from the stories I have heard). It will probably be a month before I receive that so in the meantime I am going to try to do some electrical. I have a new Helix 5 SI/GPS just sitting at home I need to install and really want some navigation lights so I can get out at night to beat this heat. Its been miserable here lately and this OD green bare metal starts baking you after about 8 AM.

 

[perchjerker]

Sweet boat...I think a 1648 will be my next purchase.... What about the 35hp?

I haven't messed with the 35hp at all yet. Right now I'm just trying rig it out the best I can and get one of these 3 smaller motors going for use on a new lake they are opening near me which has a 10hp limit. As soon as I get at least one of these going good, I'll move onto the 35hp...at least that's the plan.

the boat looks great but wait...

"new lake they are opening near me"

what is this about? Do they build lakes near you like they build department stores? LOL

I never heard of that before up my way

 

[wmk0002]

Sweet boat...I think a 1648 will be my next purchase.... What about the 35hp?

I haven't messed with the 35hp at all yet. Right now I'm just trying rig it out the best I can and get one of these 3 smaller motors going for use on a new lake they are opening near me which has a 10hp limit. As soon as I get at least one of these going good, I'll move onto the 35hp...at least that's the plan.

the boat looks great but wait...

"new lake they are opening near me"

what is this about? Do they build lakes near you like they build department stores? LOL

I never heard of that before up my way

Ha, never realized how that sounded! But yes, they (the powers that be?) decided that the area I live needed another water source for drinking water for the sustainable future. We already have another small lake which is a dedicated water source and has a 10hp limit plus additional rules against swimming/wading, docks, chemicals usage in the watershed, etc. The addition of this lake was actually very controversial, not only because it displaced a few homes and family land, but because it is in the heart of rich agricultural area and now those farmers in the watershed have way more EPA red tape to jump through.

This one will be 650 acres and is about halfway between my house and the current lake so I can be to the ramp in less than 10 minutes. I believe the dam was completed last fall and they were expecting it to be to full pool by late this fall, however, this past Christmas we had torrential rains and the lake practically filled in a week or so. It's pretty crazy to think about actually....640 acres becoming covered by up to 100' of water in a matter of days.

They stocked bass and bluegill this spring plus the river already had fish present. The boat ramp is already built and there is a biking/hiking trail around the perimeter. It's still closed to the public (aside from the trails) as they finish up stuff around the dam but they plan to open it up this fall. Of course fishing will suck for a couple of years but I am eager to get out there and start marking waypoints and maybe try out Humminbird's Autochart program and build my own map. Having it so close will also be incredibly nice as I can fish it easily after work and it will make it easier to quickly run over and test out small motors which I enjoy working on...plus I think it will end up being a good fishing lake when it's said and done judging by what all brush piles and cover they left before flooding.

Here's a link to the project site if anyone is curious.
https://www.duckriver.org/

 

[perchjerker]

that's really cool.

where do you live? I do not see it in your profile.

 

[BigTerp]

I just ordered a hatch from Fish On Fabrications (site sponsor and member) to fit the rear deck opening. I left the dimensions about 5" short to allow for the transom clamps and for cables, wiring, and fuel lines to pass through. I ordered it with a lock on each side. With the gap it wont be totally secured but it will protect my gas tank and battery, which are actually worth $150-200 (although most thieves don't seem to mess with them from the stories I have heard). It will probably be a month before I receive that so in the meantime I am going to try to do some electrical. I have a new Helix 5 SI/GPS just sitting at home I need to install and really want some navigation lights so I can get out at night to beat this heat. Its been miserable here lately and this OD green bare metal starts baking you after about 8 AM.

You'll love those hatches. I got a hatch frame and 3 hatch lids that span from port to starboard on my bow deck and a hatch with drop in liner for my rear bench from FOF. Quality stuff!! It was really nice that I could measure and determine the specs needed and they were made to order.

 

[wmk0002]

that's really cool.

where do you live? I do not see it in your profile.

Cullman, Alabama which is in the northern part of the state.

 

[perchjerker]

ok thanks

I went to that website but could not figure out the state from a brief look at it

looks a cool project!

 

[wmk0002]

ok thanks

I went to that website but could not figure out the state from a brief look at it

looks a cool project!

It's definitely been neat to watch the progress of it all.

 

[wmk0002]

I just ordered a hatch from Fish On Fabrications (site sponsor and member) to fit the rear deck opening. I left the dimensions about 5" short to allow for the transom clamps and for cables, wiring, and fuel lines to pass through. I ordered it with a lock on each side. With the gap it wont be totally secured but it will protect my gas tank and battery, which are actually worth $150-200 (although most thieves don't seem to mess with them from the stories I have heard). It will probably be a month before I receive that so in the meantime I am going to try to do some electrical. I have a new Helix 5 SI/GPS just sitting at home I need to install and really want some navigation lights so I can get out at night to beat this heat. Its been miserable here lately and this OD green bare metal starts baking you after about 8 AM.

You'll love those hatches. I got a hatch frame and 3 hatch lids that span from port to starboard on my bow deck and a hatch with drop in liner for my rear bench from FOF. Quality stuff!! It was really nice that I could measure and determine the specs needed and they were made to order.

Thanks. I'm pretty excited...I just hope I took good measurements!

 

[wmk0002]

I got to try out the new motor yesterday. That thing is so much more powerful than the older 9.9 I have. With the same load and 2 guys the 9.9 was doing only 14-15mph @4900 rpms with a 10" prop. With this 15hp and a 8" pitch prop we were hovering right at 19mph @6800 rpms. I will have to see how the 10" prop works on this motor as I need to get the rpms down a few hundred plus it is way underpitched for a single person. Hopefully I can get it propped to run 23-24 with just me and at least 20 with 2 guys with a single prop...then save the 8 pitch for 3 or more guys which will be rare.

 

[wmk0002]

Man, it has been forever since I posted in this thread. Really, I haven't made much more progress. Just used the boat as it was pretty heavily throughout the fall and occasionally this winter. I primed and painted the hatch, however, I never installed it. I also never installed the rear pedestal base. One thing I did do was install my Helix fish finder and transducer. I also cut and painted a sheet of aluminum to act as a floor in the stern area where the gas tank and battery will go.

I will get some pictures up with details soon.

 

[wmk0002]

This is a mod I did last fall that I failed to document on here. Luckily I took a few pics during the process and they were saved to my Photobucket.

This mod was adding a small floor to the small space in the stern where the gas tank, battery, and a few other things go or will go. As you can see the area has a 1 & 1/2" rib right in the middle. Also (not sure if the picture portrays it) but try to notice that the right side wall is a little crooked which made cutting the floor to fit a little harder.

The hardest part of this was simply getting material. For whatever reason, my dad happened to have a road sign in his barn. I believe one of my brother's friends grabbed it and somehow it ended up at my parents' house. Anyways, it was fairly thick aluminum so I just decided to use it since it was free. I cut it to fit using a jigsaw and metal cutting blade and filed the edges by hand. I cut a notch in the rear middle to allow for room to install the plug and to add a bilge and possibly thru-hull livewell pump.

I cut it so the sign face would be down so I could paint the bare aluminum back side. I lightly sanded the aluminum and cleaned it but probably didn't prep it as I should. I used self etching primer first and then painted it with a can of factory touch up paint I got from my dealer for free. I don't have a good picture so just reference one farther down.

The idea was to attach the floor directly to the rib in the middle as well as to the two angled transom braces and add a support for the front edge. For the front support, I ripped a 2x4 stud in half (or whatever dimension aligned with the height of the rib). Then I coated it in many coats of spar urethane. Then I simply attached it to the underside front of the floor with a few sheet metal screws.

Here is what it looked like with some of the fasteners in. The gap in the upper right hand corner reflect the misalignment of the side wall I mentioned. The board I used as a brace in the front is not attached to the boat anywhere. Te flooring is pretty rigid plus the weight of the battery holds it down. So far I have not noticed any vibrations coming from it when underway. The grommet in the top middle is for the power leads for my Humminbird Helix 5 I now have mounted on the rear deck.

Here it is with the remaining fasteners in and my 3 gallon fuel tank and battery box dropped in. I have since fastened the battery box down. I am happy with the results...I still have room for a bus bar, aerator, bilge, a 6 gallon tank if needed, and a dry storage box for things like tools/emercengy supplies/etc. I have a hatch for this area I got from Fish On Fabrications which is already primed and painted and ready to be installed and which will be my next task.

 

[RedHatRedNeck]

Wondering if you could provide 2 measurements if still possible. What is the length to where the original front deck stops from the bow and how far between end of front deck to front of rear seat? Thanks.

 

[Catch Release Repeat]

Bow nose to edge of front deck

Overall length between decks


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