Here she is. I got a great deal for her. Essentially, I only paid 150 bucks for the boat, motor, and trailer. I traded a generator for it on craigslist and thats all I paid for it. Its a 1968 Duracraft (title says 16ft but its closer to 14ft) and a 1968 Johnson electric start.
The trailer on it is pretty good. The only thing I need to do is get a homemade title for it and bearings for the wheels. As well as a spare tire. It is made with an unusual wheel so this may be hard to find.
The motor did not run. I changed the spark plugs and cleaned the carb. Now, it fires right up. I need to replace the water pump and give it a tune-up. I also would like some advice on batteries. I'd like to know if my 20hp Johnson motor would be okay if I used a smaller battery such as on a ATV or lawnmower.
The boat... WILL need to be painted. As you can see someone painted her as if they was making a custom boat for Barbie (the doll). It has a dent in it as shown in the pics. I have already banged that out (best I can). Sand her down and paint her. The transom is good but not great. So while I am sanding her down I will go ahead and replace it. I am going to put a carpeted floor in (noise reduction and comfort). [Thanks "pony" your rebuild of your Alumacraft is a perfect example] I also will be building a storage area up front. I am debating on the seats. I already own three old school high back plastic seats that are in great shape. So I haven't decided on using them or buying new cushion seats. I am adding some vintage navigation lights and courtesy lights and installing a place to mount a foot control trolling motor. I am also debating on rather to place the battery up front or in the back (weight distribution).
This is going to be a long project and I will update my post with my progress. I would love tips on the "how to do's".
This is the order in which I plan to tackle the project:
1. Motor, I want to give it a test run on the water. I might identify problems before hand.
2. Woodwork/Carpeting. All of this is going to be removable.
3. Sanding... Sanding... and oh yes... more Sanding
4. Prime and Paint.
5. Install new Transom Mount Motor
6. Electrical
7. Accessories and Seats
Here is the dent I mentioned. It has a small crack in it around 1/4 inch. Not sure if I should seal it with a sealant of some type or patch it. I cannot bang it out better because it is behind the center bench.
Well count on a FULL size Marine deep cycle battery. If you are going to run electronics and a trolling motor you will need the amps and ability to re-charge.
Ignore that dent..... well if it is not too deep after you have sanded .... you could use jb weld to fill it a bit. Once you repaint it will be hardly noticed. You can get the small crack welded which is a good idea.
Trailer bearings are pretty typical and easy to get. If you are concerned you might get new hubs and change the wheels to updated newer ones.
Consider the idea of using dura-cote or line x bed liner on the bottom of the boat. It is non-slip and quiets things quite a bit.
__________________ "When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care." Randy Pausch 1960-2008 The Last Lecture
Just a few observations. I know it is just for photos but that boat should be tied down to that trailer.
That center seat is "structure" now you were considering removing it in another thread..... I would leave it in for side support. Take a look at Tashasdaddy boats. He installed a steering lever for ease of use. That boat has many ways you can configure it.
Aluminum boats will bounce and lift off while on a trailer!
I built the lake on FLW that is on the right on your way out the back gate..... then it was stocked and now I understand there are real nice bass in there but last time I was there in 93 they were not allowing boats on it with power....aside from arm power!
__________________ "When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care." Randy Pausch 1960-2008 The Last Lecture
here is my boat. 1960's LoneStar 14 ft, 1955 15hp evinrude, ezglide stick steering, J/E remote control. cut plywood panels to go between seats, and just added some firring strips to the underside of the ply for support. they are just loose laid, for easy cleaning, and retrieving your favorite lure. also shows, the frame for covering, with tarp.
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Thats some great work! Being a new boater... I have yet to see a stick steering. That wood trim is a great idea also. I was debating on how I would mount some things to my boat.
we all need to support iboats marine store when ever possible. you get, competitive prices. fast shipping, top notch customer service. also it provides us, this great FREE forum.
I have changed my plan and decided to start the with the sanding/painting. I plan on using tashadaddy's advice and use Rustoleum. The dent has been banged out and repaired with a few layers of JB Weld. It looks better (not perfect)... but better.
I also have decided to use 1/2 inch thick mats on the floor (the kind used for placing weight lifting equipment on). I already have a 6' by 4' foot piece perfect for the job. Not sure if I should secure it to the floor or not... I'm still debating.
I am finished with 90% of the paint job (I'll post pics tomorrow). The Rustoleum worked great. I still have a couple touch ups... but so far I am more than pleased. The inside still needs one more coat (I was a can short).
I do have a painting question....
I am painting a metal gas tank to match the boat. Will the Rustoleum hold up with a little gas spillage? I have seen gas melt away some paint effortlessly (especially common spray paint). I don't want that to happen to me... I'd like to paint the thing only once. Will Rustoleum hold up?
we all need to support iboats marine store when ever possible. you get, competitive prices. fast shipping, top notch customer service. also it provides us, this great FREE forum.
Okay... After a few days of sanding off old paint and icing the muscle cramps that followed... I finally got the dent banged out. I also built up the dent the best I could with some JB Weld. The picture shows how it looked before and after I painted over it... as well as the bottom of the boat.
Here is the boat with the new paint job... seats mounted... and the motor rehung. I also replaced and packed the wheel bearings.
Since, I decided not to conquer the transom now (it still was basically solid)... I decided to become creative to give it more of a smooth finish. After I sanded it down and removed all the previous paint... I basically puddy'd in some caulking to fill in the "roughness" which allowed for a better painting surface. It still had a few deep cracks.
I will begin on the storage compartment this week. I'm bit short of cash right now so it still will be a while before I order my water pump. I'm overly eager to take her for a cruise.
That has taken shape very nicely. I would leave the floor mats out for right now until after the maiden voyage. This will allow you to see any leaks if they happen and mark those spots with a sharpie marker. Since the interior is white hit walmart and get a small tube of 3m5200 to smear around a leaking rivet (When it is dry and out of the water).
the water pump impellar will probably run less than $10.
__________________ "When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care." Randy Pausch 1960-2008 The Last Lecture
Great Idea on the RV Roofing Sealant... I have another boat I use to catfish with. I put a new floor in it but have yet to put carpet. I think that may be better yet for catfishing... it should be easy to clean up.
Duracraft Aluminum Boat Project
I also will be building a storage area up front. I am debating on the seats. I already own three old school high back plastic seats that are in great shape. So I haven't decided on using them or buying new cushion seats. I am adding some vintage navigation lights and courtesy lights and installing a place to mount a foot control trolling motor. I am also debating on rather to place the battery up front or in the back (weight distribution).
The Dent
Re: Duracraft Aluminum Boat Project
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