new boat project with pics

[thudpucker]

Here's a thought.
Move that front seat up, and flatten the floor out all the way to the Front seat.

 

[driveshaft22]

Big days work. Doesn't look like it tho. Back storage area done. Im going to work my way forward. A question about the casting deck.. should I use the seats as a guide for level or the gunwales?

 

[thudpucker]

Good looking work. Lot's of careful labor there.
Are you doing your own welding there at the house?

Make the seats a comfortable distance off the floor. Don't cramp your knees. That way you can stand up quickly which might help keep the boat upright. :LOL2:

 

[Ranchero50]

I figured the builder knew how the hull would float and built the seats to sit level while floating so I used the seats to determine the floor level on mine and it worked out fine.

 

[fender66]

Are you doing your own welding there at the house?

Not trying to steal the answer to this, but it looks like it's riveted together.

Looks very nice!

 

[driveshaft22]

Another big day in the sun on the tools. Spent more time measuring and working out position than anything else. Not easy having no straight lines to work off. I have to trim some bits and add more to the fascia for the access panel. Its not too bad now I have all the floor supports finished. My concern now is the height of the front deck from the floor, its going to be a big step up, which is not too bad for me at 6'3" but the missus is exactly 5' tall.

 

[driveshaft22]

update

 

[shawnfish]

I downloaded google sketchup 8 and im having a hell of a time figuring out how to use it, a bit more complicated than windows paint but from your design drawings looking so much better than what windows paint can do im gonna learn sketchup 8 . and your boat is looking great and the open design is awesome! the one thing im wondering is with the size and weight of the boat is 20hp going to be enough power for getting you to and from your beautiful islands? seems a bit under powered to me my boat is 16ft long but much smaller than yours and im sure a lot lighter and my 25hp is just enough to get me around when the wind picks up.

 

[driveshaft22]

Hi thanks for the reply.

Sketchup takes a fair bit of practice to get the hang of. Curved things (like boats) are the hardest. Box shapes are easier. Because it works to scale you can type in the dimension with the keypad and hit enter, or find out how long a bracket is using the dimensions or tape measure function.
I use it to make flat plans for cutting out complex shapes from sheets. Saves heaps of time.

I had the same thought about the motor. But I got it for $100 and then rebuilt the gearbox for $338 plus I live way out in the bush where these things are not easy to come by. I'll give it a good test and then decide to keep it or upgrade.

Keep at the sketch up, if you get really fed up, I can send you the boat plans I have already drawn and you can have a go at modifying them to suit your own design. Then you will be saying....man how did you draw that???... And Ill say spend 12 hours at it over a few days...

 

[driveshaft22]

This is the rooftop camper tent I was talking about mounting on the trailer.

 

[thudpucker]

Thats a good idea.
In AK we saw a bunch of home-mod's on trailers.
One like that, was on a Boat trailer. He launched the boat, and the Trailer became a big Tent Camper.

It looked good to me and seemed to work well too.

I have had Google Skechup and the new (not Google) version and I just 'aint smart nuff' to make it work.

 

[driveshaft22]

Hi all.

Im having some trouble deciding where to put the livewell and how big to make it. The livewell will be used mainly for bait because the fish I plan to catch are over 3' long and will go in the 70 litre cooler ive got.

So my concerns are:

1. How big to make it
2. Position in the boat to keep everything nice and balanced
3. Plumbing. Ive got the pump....but I like the idea of a pick up pipe that will fill the tank while moving and use the pump for circulation, not filling.

I think Ill use one of the seat thwarts that was removed and fold it up to make the tank.

Any ideas or pics would be welcome.
Thanks.

 

[driveshaft22]

Update... about 70% of the framing done

 

[driveshaft22]

Here is my design for the livewell, not sure about the dimensions yet, and will have another in/out at the bottom opposite the one drawn in. The larger is the outlet / water leveller.

Ive drawn in a aerator/bilge pump with a spray bar. I don't think Ill run a bilge pump. The little one Ive got draws 2 amps. There must be a smaller type of pump, Ill have to look into it.

Any thoughts would be welcome...

 

[ggoldy]

driveshaft22 » 30 Aug 2013, 18:36[/url]"]Hi all.

Im having some trouble deciding where to put the livewell and how big to make it. The livewell will be used mainly for bait because the fish I plan to catch are over 3' long and will go in the 70 litre cooler ive got.

So my concerns are:

1. How big to make it
2. Position in the boat to keep everything nice and balanced
3. Plumbing. Ive got the pump....but I like the idea of a pick up pipe that will fill the tank while moving and use the pump for circulation, not filling.

I think Ill use one of the seat thwarts that was removed and fold it up to make the tank.

Any ideas or pics would be welcome.
Thanks.

Could you simulate the livewell conditions in an old aquarium, or even a 5 gallon bucket, (with bait) for a day? Determine how much bait can survive, in the least amount of water, under the worst conditions you may experience. Then the size of the livewell would be determined by the maximum amount of bait you would want to carry. A constant influx of fresh water would greatly reduce the size needed.

Just thinking

 

[driveshaft22]

Update. 85% framed. Im not 100% happy about the cast deck structure, but I am a bit of a perfectionist. I can walk around on it the way it is with no movement, so by the time the ply and the compartments are added im sure it will be fine. My middle name should be "Overkill".
Still for my first ever boat build its going pretty well.

 

[MiPikeGuy]

Awesome boat, amazing fishing spot, and I love your rooftop tent idea! I might just have to copy that

 

[Jim]

coming along awesome! I would think about a portable bait cooler myself. That way if not needed, you dont have to bring it on the boat. I saw one at cabelas yesterday that looked really nice made by Engel

Engel Bait Aeration cooler. $60 at cabelas

https://www.engel-usa.com/products/live-bait-coolers/live-bait-cooler-30qts

 

[driveshaft22]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Those engel coolers look good. They don't seem to be available in Aus.

I do have a battery powered bait pump, but the engel has a cig plug which is way better than batteries. Maybe I can mod the air pump and a normal cooler. I would rather have a built in hard wired one tho. Ill keep thinking about it over the next few days and see what I come up with.

 

[driveshaft22]

Update.. got the anchor well installed made from one of the old seats, its not pretty but it'll do the job. Started installing the shelves. Have to have all the inner pieces in place before any sheeting.