Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

[Fcdave]

I am planning to start a rebuild of a 14' runabout from 1964 to use for a fishing boat in SWFL flats. From the condition, it will need new floor from stringer to finish paint. Probably the transom too..... I will cut the Deck back up to the bow to hold my trolling motor and build a lower platform. The stern area will get built in fishing well and storage. Probably place the steering at side slightly back from current position. Since i plan to keep this a utility type finish and not a "Show Quality", I hope to finish this by mid Oct. so i can take it south with me for the winter......if all goes well and i don't get distracted by other things! I'm thinking of putting a late model 30 or 40 hp outboard on it.

I will try to keep a log of the progress here on this Forum.

Any advice will be helpful & welcomed !

 

[Vintin]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Isn't the deck an important part of the designed in strength of the boat? I cringe when I hear of these old boats being cut up. At least its not an aluminum boat!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Sleeper-6 made a vintage runabout to fishing machine. Be forewarned, you will have boat envy clicking thru to his thread:
Project log : Runabout to Fishing machine

Welcome to iboats dry dock

Best of luck w/ your project

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Hi Dave. Welcome to iboats. I did a very similar conversion myself. I took an old '59 Arkansas Traveler runabout and converted it to a Tiller, flats skiff sort of thing running a '66 20hp Johnson. She's no looker, but she works surprisingly well. Can't wait to follow your progress. Check out microskff.com too for lots of great ideas on flats skiffs.

(before)
(during)
(after)

 

[saginawbayboater]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Nice project! I'm aboard for the resto.

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Thanks for the encouragement guys! I pulled the "freebie"boat out of the fields and brought it home today.....hopefully start some rip out tomorrow!

VintageALboatsfan- I'm sure the deck adds strength& bracing to the forward hull.....I will be tabbing in a lower platform and possible side gussets if necessary to accomplish same.

JBcurtoo- yes I saw Sleeper-6 thread.....very good. I will be doing something similar....may not be as polished though!

Kfa4303- nice work....yes, I will be doing a similar build.....this boat happens to be an Arkansas Traveler too....1964 fiberglass 14' Dart I think?

......And I'm excited about it now that its in my yard waiting for me to begin!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Make sure you know what's required to claim legal ownership if you dragged it out of a field. Some states in the US have lots of hoops to jump thru to get ownership of abandoned or undocumented boats. In other's it's fairly easy. Don't forget to ask about trailers too....

If the choice is this modification or languishing in a field to continue to degrade in the UV, I'd rather FcDave did it up to suit him, to any old derelict fiberglass boat.

There are some that are truly unique, interesting or rare. Those shouldn't be cut up, but it takes a real fan of old glass to bring them back. It is so much more work to 'rescue' a 50yr old glass boat. That's why I like what KevFin is up to @Fins in the Belfry

As long as there isn't really bad pitting &/or corrosion, aluminum boats, particularly the pre-mid 60's aluminum, absolutely shouldn't be resto-mod'd, IMHO. They are just too easy to bring back from the brink.

The cut up & butchered FC's & other vintage make aluminum boats are just sad, IMHO, and bum me out.

Let's get some pre-demo pix FcDave! You're holding out on us...

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Sounds like a cool project! Welcome to Iboats FCdave

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Tonight I just hosed out the leaves and took off most of the fittings, which I will save for possible reuse or give forward if any are in need.

Jbcurt00- I have the old reg for boat & trailer....they were from 94. I'm probably going to just reg boat & trailer as homemade since both will be a complete makeover.

I originally thought I would do an honest restor back to its original look, but then decided a 60's runabout layout would not suit my needs at all. There are plenty of these boats out there....maybe the next one will be the restor!i

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Don't normally get paperwork w/ field boats good deal.

You win: Smallest splashwell ever:

Good thinking, @ 'the next one'............:facepalm: Yep that's how it starts...

Muck racking is no fun. Interesting looking bilge area in that ^^^ pix. Is that the fiberglass deck sagging, and a stringer sticking up thru it? Or a knee brace of sorts....

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

The sleepers fade as they run to the stern/bilge area.....down to just fg hull. The bilge area is formed with small ribs and the forward rib abeam has a drain hole to drain the hull from under the floor. There is a rib (knee brace )centered also....I think these act as stiffeners too. I will pull all the rotted floor, stringers and gelcoat to expose the hull and clean it all out to assess the situation. So far the transom is still questionable. I pulled the Al cap and trim and it all looks solid.....not sure of the connection to hull at bilge yet....need to remove gelcoat at interior....but I think if I can save it as is I will. Since I will be redoing that little splash well as a port & starbd well I will be glassing in gussets from transom to hull for added strength. I will raise the transom for 20" outboard as well.

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Here's a pic of that bilge area and transom. I'm hoping once I get all the loose gelcoat off and wood is dried out I will not see any rot, so I don't have remove the transom. There is a large stiffener that runs across the back of transom just under splash well and it also looks pretty good.

Time to do some removals!

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Here's pics of transom, floor and underside of deck.


Time to get the RotoZip saw out!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Based on the deck (floor) condition w/ the big gapping hole, I wouldn't expect to find good things behind the transom or below deck in the stringers.

Esp if dragged out of a field in NY... Uncovered & in the weather wreaks havoc on the wood structure of a boat.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Yeah, My money is on the need for a Full Gut job on this one!!!

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

The rip out ......


Not much wood as I go into bilge area.....it's fg hull with a couple ribs for stiffeners......as it dries out I'm hoping the glass into transom is still good.....just need more with some epoxy ???

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Ok.....scraped out the mushy floor to exposed stringers. No surprise.....They are all mush too and have to go. But before I rip them out I will record their dimensions, profile and locations so I reproduce them exactly.....

Also cut the splash well away and exposed the transom wood.....was wet in places but overall doesn't look to bad at all. Once I grind down the glass/gelcoat along the perimeter I can make final decision to keep or rip out. Right now I'm still thinking a good dry out and then reglass with epoxy and re tab into hull may just be fine?

The center of hull has a buried wood keel that looks mushy and delaminated from glass..... it will have to come out Too !

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Moving right along and making good progress. Here's a bit more info on Arkansas Traveler boats including the DART model. We have quite a few AT members hiding here in the forums as a matter of fact.

Arkansas traveler - Classic Boat Library
Arkansas traveler - Classic Boat Library

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Cool project... Looks like it will have a shallow enough draft for that skinny water in the flats... I was also going to recommend Sleeper-6's runabout conversion, but JBC beat me too it.

Here is a flats boat (Dolphin) I just fished out of a little while back (may trigger some inspiration and ideas for you):



I really liked the Sea Deck on the front cast deck.. Nice and comfortable and not nearly as hot on bare feet as a regular gel coat surface...

This model had the gas tank in the bow (you can see the fuel filler just fore of the front hatch. The connections to the fuel tank were accessible through a little hatch within that front hatch...

 

[Fcdave]

Re: Convert 14' runabout into fishing boat for the SW FL flats

Finished for the day......removed all the stringers and keel.....a lot of hand chisel work since I feared getting into the hull glass by accident.

I need my compressor now to do some air grinding.....have to make a trip to my sons house where he borrowed it for putting hardwood floors down! The delay will give it some time to dry out!