My 1542 jon boat project/

[bassboy1]

I wanted to make something that was small enough to be used on elec. only impoundments, yet big enough to be used on large reservoirs, and in the ocean. I also wanted it to be able to practically fish for bass, troll for stripers, run for reds and trout in the flats, and hold 20 or so crappie rods under a bridge late at night.

I settled on a Yazoo 1542 mod vee. I ended up with a 1975 Evinrude 40 as the main powerplant, and a MK 40 pound All Terrain as the bass fishing trolling motor. I will also mount my '88 Evinrude 4 deluxe on it as a kicker for striper fishing (assuming it will push it to just over 3 mph - not sure of that right now - if it doesn't it is just an excuse to increase my collection of outboards that currently consists of just 10) Also, I will at some point get 2 70 pound MK transom mounts for electric only. I sized the fuel hatch to hold 4 group 27 batteries, when I have the 40 horse off.

Read all about it, and view the pictures here. Keep in mind, I am 15.

Also, check back every few months. This thing will never be finished as long as I own it, as I cannot leave good enough alone. It will constantly evolve.

http://www.shareaproject.com/p....html

[SwatDawg]

Great job... I like the layout of that site

[Mike C]

Great job nice use of the scrap metal .

[Scrapper]

WOW..and your 15?? You want to come to Nashville and be in my agri classes?? Love kids that like to do projects..you did a great job!! Think I'll start calling you pop rivet! How many rivets did you pop? Had to have gotten a bit tired. lol. Great Job!! Have you gotten to fish out of her yet??

[bassboy1]

Oh boy. I estimate somewhere between 1500 and 1700 rivets. Probably about an even split between 1/8 diameter, 5/32, and 3/16 (the real hand killers). Holding on the wiring chase is about 40 #8 x 32 rivnuts, and brass screws into them. I killed two pop riveters, and also broke the rivnut installer twice.

I haven't yet fished out of her, but she saw two test drives last week. Then, last Friday, she saw a whole weekend in the water. It was the annual scout troop get together on the lake (not technically a scout trip - just a get together in which scouts and their parents spend a weekend on the lake together - that is how we get away with some non scout approved things), so she spent the weekend pulling tubes.

I think that means we need a boarding ladder too, as getting in is a pain, and seeing as I have 3 younger siblings, it probably will see quite a bit of tube pulling. When I planned it as an all around boat, I never thought about tubing behind it.

I am probably going to mount my kicker on starboard instead of port, as my weight distribution is a tad different than I thought it would be. I am going to have to do a bit of modification on a couple sections of carpet, but having never installed carpet before, I knew I was going to run into some snags. Few more minor things that will need to be changed/updated, but nothing major. Really am happy with how it turned out overall.

[Trent_in_BG]

Great job.

[Ted Martin]

very cool. awesome job