SuzukiChopper
Senior Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2004
- Messages
- 782
So here I am, 3 years from when I tore my boat apart, new stringer, added ribs for extra hull strength, new floor, new 1 1/2" transom, instead of a full back width splashwell I built up the back as a platform (battery on one side, storage on the other, splashwell in the middle) and built a tackle cabinet into it on the inside (since been removed and thinking of a removeable cooler from the top now with just an inspection panel where the cabinet used to be). I also modified an '82 or '83 johnson power tilt and trim to fit my '72 johnson 100hp (was told by about 3 or 4 local people it couldn't be done, phhttttt), put in a permanent 19 gallon tank in the bow, added a ladder, etc, etc.
Yesterday I went and purchased a bow mount trolling motor and took it out for a test drive, I love it!! Been wanting one for years. Now, my boat is a closed bow and hopping over the windshield to put it down and then bring it up SUCKS. I knew it would and have been wanting to cut open the bow of my boat since I started this project. The trolling motor just re-enforces this idea. I don't need to have a whole lot of room up front for people to sit while underway and in fact just want to mount one pedistal seat for fishing (main use of the boat other then cruising around). I would have room infront of the gas tank under the floor for the trolling motor battery (inside its own structure). The dash has a section in the middle when cutout would be perfect for the passage way to the bow (think they may have actually had an open bow model?) and the windshield would be replaced with bass boat style windshields (not a flip open). When cut, the two dash sides would be supported by 1/4" - 1/2" ply and fibergassed in, and in the bow area 2x2's would be used about every 1' or so as a frame (hull or bow floor to the top) and fiberglassed in and then 1/8" or 1/4" play to line the area screwed to the 2x2s (possibly glassed in as well). The bow floor would be fiberglassed to the hull. On the bow side of the dash would be a removeable panel to get at the gas tank, the bow floor will have an access panel for the trolling motor battery, and the right hand side bow walls would have a removeable panel to get at the trolling motor mounting bolts and any forward running wires in the boat.
I'm kind of hoping you can picture what I'm after, I can definitely take pictures when the ol' lady comes home (keeper of the camera), but if you can picture it, any thoughts?? I don't want to hear it can't be done either because anything can be done and the time, effort or money (for this project) does not scare me. More looking on feedback of the methods I want to pursue.
Yesterday I went and purchased a bow mount trolling motor and took it out for a test drive, I love it!! Been wanting one for years. Now, my boat is a closed bow and hopping over the windshield to put it down and then bring it up SUCKS. I knew it would and have been wanting to cut open the bow of my boat since I started this project. The trolling motor just re-enforces this idea. I don't need to have a whole lot of room up front for people to sit while underway and in fact just want to mount one pedistal seat for fishing (main use of the boat other then cruising around). I would have room infront of the gas tank under the floor for the trolling motor battery (inside its own structure). The dash has a section in the middle when cutout would be perfect for the passage way to the bow (think they may have actually had an open bow model?) and the windshield would be replaced with bass boat style windshields (not a flip open). When cut, the two dash sides would be supported by 1/4" - 1/2" ply and fibergassed in, and in the bow area 2x2's would be used about every 1' or so as a frame (hull or bow floor to the top) and fiberglassed in and then 1/8" or 1/4" play to line the area screwed to the 2x2s (possibly glassed in as well). The bow floor would be fiberglassed to the hull. On the bow side of the dash would be a removeable panel to get at the gas tank, the bow floor will have an access panel for the trolling motor battery, and the right hand side bow walls would have a removeable panel to get at the trolling motor mounting bolts and any forward running wires in the boat.
I'm kind of hoping you can picture what I'm after, I can definitely take pictures when the ol' lady comes home (keeper of the camera), but if you can picture it, any thoughts?? I don't want to hear it can't be done either because anything can be done and the time, effort or money (for this project) does not scare me. More looking on feedback of the methods I want to pursue.