Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 41 to 53 of 53
  1. Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Brooksville Fl.
    Posts
    3,903
    #41
    Great job ! On the boat and the rescue.

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Nederland, Tx
    Posts
    13,617
    #42
    Awesome job man. God bless you for the work you did and your right about that motor!

  3. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    NE, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    53
    #43
    Incredible story, courage, and sacrifice!

  4. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    MS
    Posts
    9,285
    #44
    Hi Mike.

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Fenton, Mo.
    Posts
    5,039
    #45
    Wow very moving you did an awsome job

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Kingwood, Texas
    Posts
    23
    #46
    Having the opportunity to run the boat during Harvey really gave me some motivation to get back to work. With my new miracle motor, I finally have a fishing rig with all your standard functionality.

    I knew going in to this deck that doing this would require a complete redesign of the console mounting and quite a bit of light fabrication. I finally settled on a design and went to work.

    The framing is made from 1/16" x 1.5" angle aluminum paired with 1" square aluminum tubing for the upright supports.



    The extension adds 37 inches of fishable decking and supports up two 8' fishing rods, three 7' rods, and four 6.5' rods. I'm using the same 3/4" plywood I used for the front deck. Once I finish mocking it all up and instal hardware, I will wrap everything up in fiberglass to keep it water tight.



    Some of the rod holders on the right side will be a little tricky to get rods in and out, but I tested it out during the mock up and it works...I'll put my flexible, slower action rods and my daughter's fishing poles on that side.



    The rod locker lid will have to take an odd shape to fit around the console, but still open wide where it hinges up front. The console will be installed using raise tabs I riveted to the aluminum framing and will then screw into a 2x2 wood frame incorporated into the molding of the console.





    The space under the console and on the passenger side will be left open for foot room while cruising. The area in front of the console is going to be a built-in cooler. I'm going to line that box and the hatch lid with sheet insulation, and then order a drop in cooler insert so I can easily empty melted ice. On the opposite side, in front of the space where the passenger's feet will go, I'll add some walls using 1/4" plywood wrapped in carpet. That space will be another utility storage space for my gear.



    Still need to square up the decking and cut a little relief to make room for the 20 oz carpet that will meet at the seems.



    I noticed the new deck section sits a little lower than the front deck even though the framing for both the existing front deck and the new extended deck sit flush. You can kind of tell what I'm talking about in the picture below. I suspect this is due to the added thickness of the fiberglass and carpet that's already on the front deck. The front deck also has carpeting around the vertical bulkhead where the PVC rod guides start. That probably adds at least another 1/8-1/4" of rise. If the deck doesn't sit flush with the front panel after I glass it and add carpet, I think I may be able to shim it up a bit with some leftover strips of carpet or aluminum. Adding strips of carpet between the aluminum frame and the wood deck would also help absorb some noise.



    You'll notice that the two storage hatches on the front deck on each side of the trolling motor tray are currently hatch-less. When Harvey arrived, I had yet to wrap these in fiberglass and did not have enough time to allow the resin to cure before going out the next morning. Needless to say, the plywood lids I had planned on using got soaked and delaminated. So I also need to rip some replacements from some 3/4" ply I have left.

    That's about it for now! I am going to wait until payday to order the carpet I need to finish up. Until then, I have a number of cosmetic odds and ends to work on:

    -Cut out the hatch lids for the cooler space, passenger side storage box, and replace the two front lids that were ruined in the rain.
    -Create 2 console trim panels: one to cover the old gauge holes and a second one to replace the weathered switch panel. I plan on using lexan/plexiglass and then wrapping in carbon fiber vinyl.
    -Apply UV-resistant texture vinyl sheeting at the bow to give the front end a finished look. Will have to remove and reinstall the trolling motor for this.
    -Rivet driver seat panel into place
    -Reinstall hinge on passenger seat panel and rivet into place.
    -Replace cracked factory bilge hose between pump and thru-hull fitting. Right now, I have a cheap plastic hose routed to my livewell - which is clearly less than ideal - but it was the only viable option I had at 3AM as I prepped for the flood!
    -And last and certainly the most important task: get learned up on carburetors, setting idle right, etc. so the motor will idle without having to engage the throttle before it dies.
    A Work In Progress:
    2000 Tracker Pro Team 165
    1996 Force 40 2-Stroke
    Build Thread: http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=787416

  7. Member CastingCall's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    5,056
    #47
    Excellent work on the design, and aluminum framing! That is a cool looking project. Looks like you did a nice job flaring PVC tubing too.
    For the lids, consider ripping narrow plywood "frames" to epoxy under the lids - these would act as your spacers to bring everything flush, and also lend more stiffness and support to the lids (especially if you also add stiffener strips down the center of the long hatch lids). Along with using epoxy resin vs. polyester resin, you'll end up with lighter, stronger and stiffer lids.

    Be sure to radius the edges of the plywood - fiberglass cloth does not conform around sharp edges well.

    Awesome job on your rescue efforts too!

  8. Member Tarheel14's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Lake Mead. Henderson,NV
    Posts
    11,457
    #48
    Thanks for the service and dedication and self sacrifices you made. God bless you. And yes God is Great and He is always there to help you.
    " A Few Good Fish"
    Please check out my youtube channel
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuuwIthNWDweOTGjtkfOVGw

  9. Member eliteangler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Jones, OK
    Posts
    1,042
    #49
    Awesome thread!! Hats off to you Sir!!
    Sam Dunaway
    2005 Triton TR-21X
    Powered by Suzuki 250SS

  10. Member Hez's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Apopka, FL
    Posts
    2,886
    #50
    Hey man - what an awesome person you are...and the sacrifices you made...are unspeakable.

    I was born in Houston, raised in Conroe...and lived in the Spring/Woodlands/North Houston area until 2011, when I moved to Florida.

    People like you...make me proud to be a Texan...what a great story...and you are a Hero.

    Wishin' I was fishin'...


    1990 Ranger 374v
    1996 175 HP Mariner - Magnum EFI
    25p Tempest - A45 model
    80 lb 24v MinnKota Maxxum
    Humminbird Helix 10
    Humminbird Helix 7
    Garmin EchoMap 106sv w/ LS
    Dual 8' Power Poles



  11. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Nixa, MO
    Posts
    3,223
    #51
    Awesome job...

  12. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    North Jersey
    Posts
    220
    #52

    Thumbs Up

    Awesome write up and Story. Props too you sir.
    07 STRATOS 176XT

  13. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Columbus OH
    Posts
    93
    #53
    miracle motor is incredible
    Framing work looks great

Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123

Tags for this Thread