Newbie and yes already modifying

[Jis4jeep]

Hello everyone I spent allot of time on this forum as a guess just reading what I could about Semi V's and Jon Boats. I have never own a boat other than a canoe and know nothing about outboard motors. I do love to fish and hunt....... So I scored a 1975 Aluminum Semi V boat that needed some loving care. Had a 7.5 Mercury Motor and a Mariner Trolling motor plus fish finder. I thought it was a good deal i went saw the boat wasn't concerned with the appearance I knew I could fix it I just wanted to hear he motor. So after a big bucket of water was placed under it he started it right up. I figured ok its good and paid the $500 bucks.............. little did I know. Here are pics.

When I brought it home:

So now she is home and I live on a 2 lake system so I took it out and found out the boat leaks and the motor sucks!!!!!!!
More concerned with the motor I checked out this forum and the other forums and found out to check impeller and sure enough the impeller was bad. Replaced it with what I thought was the right impeller and I later found out that there are two different impellers for a 1984 Mercury. After multiple failed events I finally got the right impeller and all was good. Fish finder was missing power cable, and the trolling motor sucks royally oh and the trailer has rust flaking off the bottom of it when the wind blows. But I wanted this boat.

We turned it over patched the holes gave it some love and after a week of letting the paint cure here she is:

Took it out this weekend to Margarita Lake and had the most fun I have had in a long time. 8 hours on the water is better then any 8 hours I could ever spend in a shop or watching tv. Just the family and I along with our dog and it was great. Caught one trophy bass but I had a blast. Engine needs a little mor work but it was fun.

The trophy bass!

I guess I will be jumping on board with this conversion thing next but for now I just want to enjoy the boat.

 

[devilmutt]

That paint looks great. What did you use?

 

[Howard]

Nice story, enjoyed it. =D> Looks like the kids are having a blast, they will tell the story how Dad got a old boat and fixed it up for them to spend time together, priceless

 

[Jis4jeep]

That paint looks great. What did you use?

Thanks a buddy of mine told me about Rustoleum by the gallon. So I went to the local Lowes and picked up Forest Green I wanted Olive Drab but no go. The container sais 8 ounces of thinner per gallon So I did the math per fill up on the gun. The key is to let it cure. I got some scratches already from where the motor prop leaned against the side when I transported the boat but hey no biggie Ill just touch it up.

 

[Jis4jeep]

Nice story, enjoyed it. =D> Looks like the kids are having a blast, they will tell the story how Dad got a old boat and fixed it up for them to spend time together, priceless

Thanks it was a rough week, my kids are here from Florida for summer break and I really tried to get this boat going and it seemed like nothing went right. From forgetting to push the lock pin in the hitch when we took it out for the test run and sure enough the trailer came undone and smashed into the back of my jeep (Its not like a make custom off-road trailers for living....I do). No big deal except it made another crack after I sealed the original crack. I laugh now because now the kids asked me every 20 minutes can we take the boat out? So they love it and it was worth it, but it was truly a rough journey to get to where we are now. I am hooked now I love being on the water its so peaceful and spending the time with my family is priceless.