NEW BOAT!

[muzikman]

Well Fellas,
New here and love it already!
Recently bought my second boat; had a 12' Bluefin that was given to me last year, but fished it as it was. This year, I ran across this one - a 1983 Mirro-craft model F3604 14 ft. and it was near perfect shape. Came with oars, 3 seats with swivels, an anchor and a 10 HP Johnson Sea Horse (which was no good i.e. broken main shaft and numerous other breaks). BUT -it all cost me only $100! A steal in my mind.
I bought it on a Sunday, and the next day I sold my old boat for - you guessed it - $100.
I also have a trailer from before that I bought from a friend for $150. Then, my boss told me he had a nice little outboard to sell; a 1964 Evinrude 3HP weedless in great shape. He said he'd take $100 for it, so I said sure!
SO --
for $250 I ended up with a very nice setup, since the first boat was free and I ended up selling it for the cost of the second.
Here are some pics;





My plan is to take what I am learning here from all the fantastic work you're all doing and build my own fishin' machine over the winter months, which we have many of up here in Michigan. But we also have many, many lakes here that are calling my name, so I look forward to fall!

Meantime, I'm taking her out as is as soon as I can for some casual fishin' time and to get familiar with the boat.
I look forward to posting progress pics beginning sometime in October.
Meanwhile, goin' fishin'!!

 

[Kismet]

Congratulations!

Nicely done.

Now...just for your consideration: use the boat as is, see what you NEED for your uses of it...not what other elaborate modifications have done. The two are often quite different.

The 3hp looks to be in 1960's; I love the motors and always recommend that, even if you get a bigger engine, you keep the little 3 because with minimum maintenance, you will have it forever and it will always perform for you.

Folks have different opinions, but I always thought smaller semi-v's didn't like a front deck set-up, makes for a tippy perch.

Check and lube or replace the bearings in the trailer NOW. There are few things more frustrating, and often dangerous, than a frozen wheel on a boat trailer as you go down the road.

Shop long and hard for the larger engine you are going to want. There are some astonishing bargains to be had, especially now at the season's end. I like ten hp, but I just putter around; certainly a more-than-sufficient propulsion system. I also prefer Evinrude/Johnson, but hey...your choice.

Perfect for the hull size would be an 18hp Evinrude, and they are legendary in their durability.

Have fun, be safe, and use it a lot before you invest monies into rehab.

=D>

 

[Ail]

Heck of a deal for all of it. All of that money you saved will be sunk in to the rebuild before you know it.

 

[earl60446]

Looks like you got a nice setup there, already a nice fishing rig. I would agree that raised decks on small boats can make them tippy. Although 14ft might be acceptable. I personally like to have my feet on the main deck sitting on a nice swivel seat. Wish I had a nice 3 hp like that, be a great trolling motor. Trailer looks longer than needed, easily remedied if you want to, may not be needed.
Congrats
Tim

 

[muzikman]

Kismet;
Thanks for the sage advice. You are right regarding a front casting deck - too unstable. Trailer bearings are already done; purchased the trailer a while before the boat. Also, been a mechanic for 27+ years, so got all the mechanicals covered
Whatever I do, it will be simple as far as mods go because this boat is in such near perfect condition as it is....hate to chop it up too much!

Earl60446;
I plan on just putting a flat floor in it - just enough to be easy on the ankles, that's all. I don't want it any higher than that. And you're right about the trailer - it's a bit too long right now. But it is adjustable, so no problem there.

In any case, I hope to put her in the water this weekend and do some bluegill hunting while testing her out, so wish me luck!

 

[BrazosDon]

Great looking boat. You will love that motor. You can see by my avatar the motors I run. Think I would push the bunks up even with the back of the boat, easier for loading and unloading and more support for the bottom of the boat. I had to do mine that way. Have fun with it and good luck.

 

[GYPSY400]

Nice boat set-up! Those old mirro-crafts are pretty bulletproof.
Yeah the trailer is too long, but that can be fixed easily by shortening the bunks, and moving the winch. As far as the boat, its a little small for a casting deck, but what I suggest is making the front bench extend to the bow, and having a little storage compartment (a small casting deck per se). and then making the middle bench a walk through, just because I hate stepping over that all the time...
But the joy of it all is that you can make it your own, I'm just giving a suggestion.

 

[muzikman]

BrazosDon & Gypsy;

you are both right - I'll probably get the trailer set up first. The bunks need to be angled to the side as well to match the curve of the hull. was set up to haul my former tin, which was a 12' semi-V. I moved the winch post ahead to go pick up the new tin, but wasn't quite sure about placement, so that's where it ended up.
I'm looking forward to my initial run of the motor. Have to give the carb a good breakdown and cleaning first, though. Pretty gummed up. Been hanging on a wall for a few years. My "outboard-expert buddy" tells me I'm gonna love it, too. Shouldn't be any issues other than cleaning up. Been working on these for years in my job; just never owned one myself 'til now.
Gypsy - I had the same thought about a forward (non)casting deck. I like the idea of storage up there. I also like the idea of a walk-thru center bench. these are two definite things in my initial list I've been jotting down as I look through everyone's mods here. Lots of great ideas floating around (no pun intended....well, maybe a little :wink: )
Was planning on doing some work on the trailer this weekend, but raining pretty hard when I got up and doesn't look to be letting up for a while....a few days of it, they said. Can't next week either as we will be vacationing......oh, well, at least I'll get some fishin' in while we're gone! Look out lake perch!!


Muzik

 

[muzikman]

Here are some shots of the inside of the boat, with a few questions afterward;








I am thinking of removing the center bench for a walk-thru...but I read a lot about the possibility of that affecting the structural strength. Do you think it will be an issue?
I don't know if you can tell from the pics, but the floor inside has many cross-ribs riveted in place. (this is a HEAVY boat!)
seems to me the structural integrity would not be affected much from ONE seat removed??

Also, I really like the idea of keeping the cupholder platforms in the rear of the boat by the transom...and they are filled with foam, so thats even better.

Regarding the floor;
I want a flat floor to stand on, so after doing some figuring I decided that if I made the floor come up JUST to the bottom of the seats, that would give me approx. 16-17 inches from the "new" floor to the top edge of the boat.
Does that sound like a good height to still be stable?

.....opinions?
.....ideas??

Any and all are welcome!

 

[Loggerhead Mike]

Love the motor, slick rig

 

[Kismet]

Muzikman...low, simple, no-carpentry floor with 1/2" exterior plywood, with spar varnish:

Pool noodle support with pipe insulation edging:
https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj297/Kismethimself/Boats/noodlessupportingfirstdeckwithpipeinsulation.jpg

Carpeting with paint trim to match floor paint:
https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj297/Kismethimself/Boats/alumafromrearcarpetpaintseatscupholder.jpg

More floor, absolutely no movement in use or trailering:
https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj297/Kismethimself/Boats/vintageoarsbothfromleftwithstoragebox.jpg

Done deal:
https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj297/Kismethimself/Boats/alumaatdockearlymorningjohnson10hpfromrear.jpg


Have fun, be safe.