New to me boat!

Hi Guys and Gals,
Im pretty new to the site and thought It would be great to hear some ideas on what to do to my new to me boat and share some pics. Its a 80 16.5 Sea Nymph with a 78 Johnson 55 on it. It currently has 4 bench seats, with a side console/Steering wheel. Boat is nice and solid and in pretty good condition with no major dents but has a couple leaky rivets I need to tighten. Engine runs great and with 2 people has hit 37mph which to me is pretty quick in this little thing.

Well I got it home and already fixed it up a little more to my tastes but want to redo the inside and redo the paint inside and out. I just did a quick little rattle can job on the topside and add on's for the rest of this year. I would like to pull the center bench, deck the floor add a couple pedestal seats in the center and a casting deck upfront and some kind of storage under it. Still not sure what to do with the rear bench.

Really not sure how I should go about this. Easy way seems just plywood over the front benches take out the center bench, weld in some alum cross braces and plywood over that. Problem is I dont have a TIG and Im not convinced how good it would look. I want it to look legit when Im done.

Or Do I just leave it alone and repaint the thing and call it a day.

Thanks for any input and here she is!
Mike
When I got it home

after a little tlc new paint, seat ropes, etc.





Since then I added another seat next to mine a fish locator and put in a bilge pump.

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Here's a couple more pics.

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Looks good here!

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Thank you!
So far she has been a blast. I have had it out a few times and even took it up north fishing over labor day weekend and put a few pike & bass in it. Hoping to get out of work early today and on the water.

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Tightened up the rivets and she is leak free after a 12hr test on the water yesterday. That was the good part, the bad it was cold, I lost my new glasses, fish were not biting and Im pretty sure my starter solenoid is shot.

When you turn the key you can hear the starter solenoid click but no power gets to the starter. If you jump the power directly to the starter it fires right up so I know the starter is good and we were able to get on the water. Checked all the wires and it all looks intact with no corrosion anywhere. Weird part is it will work every once it a while. Ordered up a new solenoid and hope that fixes the problem up.

All in all we had a great day that could have only been better. Much better then working all day.

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Nice improvements! Looking good!

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Look's good! The solonoid will fix it,they work/not work at random like that. Be sure to check/clean all the connections though.
Grub

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Nice looking SN. Sounds like the right fix for the starter solenoid. Poor connections would be the only other issue.

On pulling a seats, the seats are structural to the hull. If you pulled one you would need to create some form of side wall support that would tie in to the floor. It wouldn't have to be welded, it could be riveted or bolted.

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Thanks guys!

64 good idea! I hadn't thought about riveting the supports in. That's how I'm going to do it. I'm going to pull the drivers bench seat get some boxed alum tubing cut them to length, miter the ends and rivet them to the cross ribs(there's prob a technical name for the ribs) Do you think Ill need something going up the sides of the hull from the floor also? Or would the cross braces for the floor be enough If I just pull the drivers bench and ply over the front two? Ive read all about what type of wood and epoxy, screws, flotation foam and carpet/adhesive to use so I'm good there.

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BTW this is my first somewhat real boat. My Dad had boats and my friends have had boats but I have only had a 12 Jon with a 4hp motor that you had to turn 180 for reverse lol.

Besides my Pops boats & rentals this is pretty new to me. Although knowing general mechanics has helped a few times. Such as the starter solenoid crapping out, the throttle linkage falling off and the starter bendix gears lock nut coming loose so the starter wouldnt work. That I had to figure out on the water... boating is a new passion. PS dont get me started on the other stuff I have faithfully wasted money on. LOL

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Oh yeah and after 7x out on the water the Fusion spray job is holding up great. Im pretty impressed. The STOP LEAK I TRIED WAS GARBAGE. Even though it was a small rivet leak it sucked. The rivets needed to be re-tightened dont try and get around that.

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You should have some bracing or support that ties into the side and down to the cross support. Maybe use the existing seat bracket or go higher and build in a little storage.

If this is a passion, you will never waste a dime on it. :watermelon:

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Great looking craft. I wouldn't change a thing. Just go fishing.

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Thanks guys,

Ive decided just to paint it and look for another boat that already has decking down the road. Im thinking dark gray bottom and a lighter gray for the interior. I also got my new starter solenoid today so Ill change that out after work and a third seat. Cant decide where I want it in the boat though. Most the time theres 2-3 people so figured it would be nicer for the third person. Lastly I want a windshield but not sure where or what to get that will look factory.

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Got the starter solenoid in and it starts up first crank. Putting the seat on the bench infront of the other seats. That way I can use the front and rear to cast off of.

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64osby said:

If this is a passion, you will never waste a dime on it. :watermelon:

Click to expand...

Lol all my projects turn out as a passion. My car, sleds, guns, hunting, fishing, etc etc etc. Thank goodness Im not married! lol