Will's Starcraft Part 2: Freshwater to Saltwater!

[skyline223]

I'm bad about "finishing" a project and then ripping it apart and starting all over. Yep, that is what I've done again!

I've had my 1984 Starcraft semi-V finished out as a bass boat for about a season. It worked pretty well for the purpose, but I've started doing most of my bass fishing out of a kayak. After taking the jon boat down to the gulf coast and fishing the grass flats a few times, I've become hooked on redfish and speckled trout! I've decided to repurpose her. So here we go, converting my 12 foot V-hull jon into a center console mini flats boat!

I've been able to run surprisingly skinny water in this boat, and that was with her maxed out weight wise. So this time I am going to take a weight-saving approach as much as possible to further increase the shallow water capabilities. I'll want to keep the decks open and clutter free - no more seats. I want to implement a very small center console. This will still be a tiller-steered boat, but I want the console to house batteries, electronics, depth finder, and switches as to keep the under-deck space clean and open.

To my knowledge I haven't seen a boat quite like what I want it to ultimately be (in 12ft at least). It will still be a slightly cramped boat, but for one of two average size people it should still be decent.

• Primary power will be from a 2014 Mercury 5 hp 4 stroke (just enough)
  Minn-Kota Riptide planned in the future.
  Poling platform planned in the future if possible
  I will most likely repaint the entire hull white to eliminate bare aluminum oxidization issues associated with saltwater use.
  Deck will be hard surface (no carpet)

So the deck issue I still can't quite figure out. I want a full deck but I do not want to carpet it (carpet and sand don't play nice together). I was thinking about doing a standard plywood deck but top it with a 1/4 of particle board painted white. My dream would be a plastic like deck found on most saltwater boats, but I just can't think of how I could do that. Any thoughts?

Here she was as a bass boat


And now here she is all torn apart ready for a rebuild. Amazing how nasty the under deck areas get in one season... (Plus a little zinc chromate on some areas already sanded.)


The goal is to build something along these lines, in a 12ft aluminum package.

 

[DacMan]

I admire your ambition! Kayak fishing is a blast.

 

[jb93]

Can you really stand on top of a 12 foot alum boat and walk around without flipping over? I'd consider re-decking it at the same height as your bass boat build but use .125 thick aluminum with some type of white anti-slip paint job on it. Perhaps you could have it prepped and sprayed with truck bed liner in white? Probably require some bracing between your bench seats, which you could accomplish with alum angle and rivets.

 

[acabtp]

make sure you have somebody taking a video when you try out a poling platform on that 12' :mrgreen:

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I've seen pictures of someone using one of those tube type tailgates for a pickup as a polling platform

 

[skyline223]

I'll admit a poling platform is probably not feasible on this boat, but to comment on stability I've had no problems standing up and walking around the front deck, even in light chop. This hull is surprisingly stable.

 

[rscottp]

Go for it! You know how stable your hull is. Looks like a fun project.

 

[skyline223]

Go for it! You know how stable your hull is. Looks like a fun project.

Thanks!

Well I finally have the hull in fresh white paint. I went with a satin finish since it is easier to apply, maintain, and stays "cleaner" than a high gloss finish. Once the bottom is hardened, I flip her over and do a thin light blue gunwale stripe.



Also my mini fiberglass center console came in! I'll add a small windscreen and then electronics!

 

[DaleH]

Also my mini fiberglass center console came in! I'll add a small windscreen and and then electronics!

...and then new controls ... ...and then a new floor ...and then a bilge pump ...and then a livewell ...and then a bigger livewell pump ...and then an even bigger livewell ...and then an even bigger livewell pump ...and then an even bigger motor ...and then new controls for the even bigger motor ...and then a hull extension ...and then stability pontoons to stablize all the new crap added to provent her from tipping over ...and then a new 4-blade prop, and maybe a foil or wing to try and get the big azz, baddest azzest 14' rig that's ever been on de water above headway speeds ...

And then ... 2-foot-itis sets in you'll get ANOTHER boat to REPEAT the cycle. Welcome to the wonderful world of tin boats :LOL2: ! Of which there is no 12-step program ... so be warned.

It looks great , by the way!

 

[Stump Bumper]

Will, I just reviewed your original build and man, you do fast, quality work. I am curious as to how you plan to tiller steer from a center console? I did read correctly "This will still be a tiller-steered boat" and that "Primary power will be from a 2014 Mercury 5 hp 4 stroke" right? (What happened to the Mercury 100 9.8?) If you are building a full or even a 3/4 full deck, won't you have plenty of storage for the batteries, gas tank, live well, etc... underneath without the console? If so, that's a nice piece of real estate for a depth finder and switches. Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome if it's as nice as your bass setup.

 

[skyline223]

Dale, you pretty much summed it up. The mods you can make to your boat is practically an addiciton. I'm already thinking about how cool a micro power pole would be on the back.. and by tomorrow I will have thought of something else that would be worth starving for a month to add to the boat! :LOL2:

Stump, I appreciate the kind words! The real purpose of the console is to house the electronics, although it will also provide stability for steering with the tiller (extended handle) while standing, example:

The rear deck will still house the fuel tank, life jackets, etc. It is really just the front deck that I would like to keep open. That being said, I'm considering adding tackle storage below the front deck. I just don't want it as cluttered as it was before basically.

And as for the motor, I just haven't been able to get the old 60's Merc to run quite as reliably as I would like for going out in the bay. It is still a fun conversation piece that I enjoy tinkering on, but I splurged on a new 4-stroke Mercury recently for reliability.

Speaking of splurging... here is my new sonar/chartplotter mocked up on the center console!! It is a Humminbird 859ci. I have officially installed a fish finder worth more than the boat it is on.... :shock:

I also added some stainless steel grab rails to the sides of the console... switch panel, windscreen, rod holders, access door, and glovebox soon to come.

 

[rscottp]

Love the sonar/gps for a 30'er on a micro skiff, rock on!

 

[DaleH]

The real purpose of the console is to house the electronics, although it will also provide stability for steering with the tiller (extended handle) while standing ...

By God PLEASE make sure you wear an ignition kill if you insist on steering like that!

We came across a boater in the water one day, who had been steering like that ... until he lost control and went overboard. The boat came back and the OB prop almost took his leg off. When we pulled him out of the water, my Mom saw the damage to his leg and put her hand totally inside his thigh to clamp down on the artery that had been partially severed. They didn't remove her hand from his leg until after he had been on the operating table for 1/2 an hour ...

 

[skyline223]

Dale, that is great advice. I am pretty strict about wearing the ignition kill switch when underway. Prop strike accidents are a nightmare that can be avoided.

 

[DaleH]

Love the sonar/gps for a 30'er on a micro skiff, rock on!

Ditto, hear, hear ! That's a dayum sweet looking unit!

 

[skyline223]

Well the weather has been really sorry here the last couple days, and looks like it will continue to be cloudy and rainy through the weekend, so no paint work for me.

In the mean time I've gotten some more work done on the console. Switch panel, 12V outlets, and windshield are mocked up.

 

[skyline223]

Weather turned out to be OK today, so I got some time to finish up the gunwale paint, applied the new starcraft decals, and then started applying the registration numbers.... until I realized that the vinyl letters I ordered didn't include numbers :roll:

Couldn't help but mock up the console...

 

[skyline223]

Some progress for this morning...

Building up the aluminum reinforcement for the front deck...



Some additions to the console:

Locking glovebox


Stainless rod holders on the front, and I also added a vent to prevent the buildup of any gases given off by the batteries that will be stored inside.


Now for the really tricky part. Starting to build up the deck. I'm going with grade A 1/2" sanded and primed plywood for my decking. I'll seal it and paint it, hopefully by the time I finish it out, it won't look like wood.

Mocking everything up. Console extension has an access door, this is where my breaker panels will be housed. I also decided to add some bass boat-esque steps up to the deck. I'm thinking the console extension might get covered in white vinyl after being sealed... Lots of ways to go!

 

[huntinfool]

I've got a poling platform from a maverick boat. I've posted it for sale here. Not sure where you're calling home now. But if it isn't too far, maybe a deal could be made.

 

[boguesounder]

Man, looking good. You are fast. I'll let you borrow my project boat when your done! Think you could get two done to my one at least. Where did you buy the looking glove compartment? Looks nice.