Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

[intothewild]

Hello,
I'm about to embark on a winter project of converting my 1989 Cajun Fiero Fish and Ski to a bass boat. I'm hoping to increase the fishability and storage space on the boat. So far the scope of this project is making the front of the boat a flat platform, putting easier to use hatches in the platform, putting a lift in between the consoles for a little more storage space.

Here are a couple pics that show what the front deck currently looks like:

Here are the steps I plan on taking:

1. Remove the current hatch doors/seats
2. Create a template out of cardboard for deck addition (will cover current floor of front area and former padded hatch cover/seats)
3. cut deck out of marine grade 1/2 inch (or thicker) plywood using template
4. treat deck with something to waterproof it
5. carpet deck
6. create hatch doors for storage compartments, and live well and center section (currently floor of open bow) that open towards outside of boat (the current big swinging seats now are a pain to open when on the water)
7. carpet hatch doors
8. add some mechanism to hatch holes in deck to catch hatch doors (probably wood underneath deck overlapping hole slightly)
9. add latches to hatch doors
10. add lights to all the hatches with a master switch at the console and refridgerator style switches that turn lights on when hatch is open
11. add some material (rubber, wood, ?) to underside of deck to make it level with current deck
12. create carpeted peice of wood to put between 2 consoles to add small storage space underneath

I'm thinking this will make the front easier to walk around on, the hatches easier to open and will add a little storage area to the boat. I should have just got a straight fishing boat but here I am and I like a good project anyway.

I still need to do some reading as far as the details - like exactly what material to make the deck out of to avoid rot, etc. but I wanted to post this up here now to see if anyone has any comments, suggestions, etc as I've never done anything like this before. If there is anything in my plan that jumps out as idiotic please let me know now before I waste my time and money.

Also if there are any other improvements you can suggest I make to make the boat better for fishing I'm all ears. Thanks

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

3/4 " Marine Plywood above the waterline will last a lifetime. you seem to have a good plan. good luck!

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

It's basically a bass boat now....are you going to leave the passenger console in place? And are you going to remove the two rear seats and extend the deck?

CW

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

You don't need marine grade plywood, ACX grade will be fine. I'd go with 3/4" plywood for a more sturdy/durable build.

Waterproof your plywood with epoxy resin, it's very strong/durable, easy to work with and has a very low odor with little or no fumes.

You may want to take a look at the Nautolex marine vinyl instead of carpet, this stuff it great and I highly recommend it.

 

[intothewild]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

@Cadwelder - it pretty much is a small bass boat now except for the front deck. I don't want to remove the passenger console for resale purposes and because it adds some nice storage. It doesn't have rear seats - so the back of the boat is good to go.

Also the boat porpoises with 3 people at full speed (if I don't trim it up to a certain point it pulls bad to the left - and it porpoises at that point with 3) and I plan on putting the 2 trolling motor batteries in the compartment that will exist where the floor of the front area currently exists. I'm hoping this will help with weight distribution. The batteries are currently in the rear passenger side hatch.

@jigngrub - thanks for the tips - I'll check out that stuff out

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

This place has the best price on the epoxy:

http://www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Sounds like you have a good plan. Only thing I'll add is try to plan it out such that everything can be brought back to stock if desired. Will really help with the resale. Should make for a fun winter project.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Yep, my bad..didn't look at your picture close enough...your rear deck is fine. Sounds like you have a good plan. Keep us posted.

The reason I asked about the passenger console is most newer bass boats don't have them (optional on many) but most go without it. Good luck

 

[intothewild]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Slowly but surely making progress. With the cardboard template I can really start to picture what the front deck is going to be like - and I like what I'm picturing.

View attachment 121852

View attachment 121853

 

[bbodin]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Your pics are not showing up. Go through the tutorial on adding pics completely.
Looks as if you never uploaded them to the web. You may see them cause they are on your computer. I made this same mistake.
The tutorial is on the first couple of pages of my restore thread.
Nice boat BTW.

And about the passenger console, unlike what was said above, most newer boats are sold without them because of the price. I personally, and most people, would rather have one.

 

[bbodin]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Here, I added the link to my signature.

 

[intothewild]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Thanks for the tip - let me know if this worked:

 

[Decker83]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Yes the pic's worked. Nice looking boat.

 

[bbodin]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Pics are working now.
As far as the front deck - Looks good. But, Once you get the deck built I would lay carpet over the entire front. The lines from the edge of the present deck will look weird and stand out alot. Now to mention small things like hooks, weights etc. will get caught up on the crevice. You will not be happy without doing it. Trust me. My last boat was not completely re-carpeted and it was terrible.
Do whatever makes you happy though. That's just my two-cents.
Well, Now after re-reading your first post I see that you do have this in mind. Maybe I should pay more attention!! LOL!

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Is this going to be perminant or will it lift in and out? Looking good either way. I know a couple guys that made the extension like that removeable.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Hey intothewild,
Just came aboard to check out your ride...NICE!

I like your idea and would like to give you a suggestion.

Cadwelder asked if it would be removable and I came up with a removable version of your idea...
check out my kidergarten sketch...

you could just build the live well to fit in the foot well area, and just change the current seat hatches to carpeted hatches, use most if no all of the hardware that's already there, and when you just want to cruise or sell the boat, everything could go back to original, for minimum expense, and the new owner would also be able to use your conversion idea...

Best Regards,
GT1M

 

[intothewild]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

I plan on making it removable. I'm going to use 3/4" plywood; the depth from the deck to where the hatches sit is just under 2". I plan on making it one piece with 4 holes - 2 to for the existing hatches, 1 for the existing livewell and another for the new space that will be created in the middle. I'm planning on cutting the plywood with the holes for the hatches, covering it in carpet, coming up with something on the bottom of the deck to support the hatches - maybe some sort of sheet metal or wood to overlap the bottom of the holes so the hatch door stops at the right spot and creates a stable, flat surface. When all that is done I'm going to use something (rubber, wood,?) under the new deck to raise it up to the level of the current deck so its one flat surface. It won't actually be attached to the boat and should sit in its place as long as I get it tight making it removable. I was also thinking of putting a carpeted deck in between the consoles since I know people are just going to shove junk under there anyway but I can't think of a way to do that without drilling into the consoles.

GT1000000 - thanks for the sketch. I thought about your idea for a while and seriously considered it (except I'd use the livewell space for storage since the boat already has 2 wells) but I'm worried that it will be challenging to get the 4 hatches to line up perfectly flat if they are independent of one another. I haven't ruled it out - especially since cutting out one big peice to fit the space is going to be challenging and a bit daunting and awkward to move around and work with.

 

[intothewild]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

So its been awhile but I'm back on the project as bass season is right around the corner. I've made a template using some scrap wood (see below) and I think I have everything I need to finish up the deck:

I plan on using the following aluminum under the hatches opposite the hinge to stop the hatch flush (hopefully)



I'm thinking of using the following carpet from home depot - its labeled outdoor, is pretty cheap and matches the boats carpet reasonably well. Any thoughts on this type of carpet?


Here's the template I've created. Once I get it cutout of the real wood, carpeted, get the hatch doors on and the aluminum underneath to stop the hatch doors I'm going to have to put something underneath the whole deck to get it flush with the front part of the existing deck. I'm thinking of lining the outer part of the bottom of the deck with wood to bring it up to the right height and putting some cross-bars to help stabilize the middle.



We'll see - I'll post more pics as I make progress

 

[Decker83]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

I think that is the same carpet on my deck boat. I know I bought it from Lowe's. I did not have it covered all the time and it did not last very long before it started to rot.
Take a look at my thread and you can see what it did. I had it down about 4 to 5 years.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Converting Cajun Fish and Ski to Bass Boat

Just bought the exact same carpet for my bunks...let you know in a few days, months, years, decades...how well it holds up...:redface: