Alumacraft Tampico Restoration

[hvymtl939]

Well, since I recently finished my pontoon project, and can never leave well enough alone, it's time for another boat build! This one needs some backstory.

When we bought our house, we were pleased to discover that less than a mile away was a 170 acre public lake. One that allowed gas motors of any HP rating. Score!

So, we decided we needed a "little boat" to take out to Lake Olathe for the times we didn't want the hassle of putting our bigger boat in the water. We ended up with this. It was a 1967 14' Glasspar with a 20 hp Johnson. Just a great old aluminum boat. It wasn't pretty, but it was built like a tank and we got a lot of use out of it.

Fast forward about a year and a half. My father in law ends up buying a 14' 1987 Fisher Flat Bottom Jon. He didn't have a place to store it, so offered me free use if I could keep it at my house. I agreed, but this meant the other 14' had to go do to space concerns.

We ended up rigging this boat to be a mini fishing missile. Trolling motor up front, 2 folding seats, 35 hp Evinrude with controls and console steerings. It's a stupidly fun little boat, and will run mid 30s with just me in it. That said, after a year's worth of use, it's not really meeting our needs. Here's how it sits today. Captain said he had to be in the pictures.

As fast as fun as the Jon is, it's just a bit too small and unstable. My son is 3, and my wife doesn't like to have him in the boat since it's so close to the water, and he's just a tumble from going overboard. My FIL is in his early 60s and has had a few back surgeries, so the instability of the jon posed an issue for him as well. After our last fishing trip, my wife and I agreed we probably never should have sold our V hull, which we didn't have these issues with. She gave the green light, and the hunt was on.

 

[hvymtl939]

Last weekend, while wasting time on craigslist, as I always do, I came across this old girl in the barter section. Looked just about like what we had before! It had seen better days, but the price was right.

Shot the guy a message, and we worked out a deal. For some spare ammo I cleaned out of the safe, and a bit of cash, he dropped her off at my house this morning. Here she is, showing off in front of the pontoon.

So, our plan for now is paint, new transom with reinforcements to handle bigger power, and other cosmetic work. Then we will derig the Jon, and move everything to this. I would also like to build a casting deck up front, or at a minimum, a spot to mount a foot controlled trolling motor, as the tiller steer one on the Jon is a bit of a pain in the ass.

 

[sberl]

Looks like a fun project! We have a similar boat (that has seen better days) at our place in northern Wisconsin. I hope to finish my current project up sometime this summer and maybe give that one a little TLC over the winter.

 

[briangcc]

Growing up my uncle had a 16' (or maybe 17') tiller steer Starcraft with a 9.9HP Rude. Man the memories we had in that. All the cousins hopping in and going fishing.

Looks like a fun project!!

 

[hvymtl939]

Thanks guys! Like I said, I wasn't looking to take on another quite so soon, but when the right deal comes along...

Plus, we have 2 other boats we can use in the mean time, so we can really take our time and make this one something special.

 

[poconojoe]

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought Jon boats were more stable than V's. Then what do I know.... Anyway, enjoy your project! The good thing is that you don't need to rush things since you have other boats!

 

[Sea18Horse]

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought Jon boats were more stable than V's. Then what do I know.... Anyway, enjoy your project! The good thing is that you don't need to rush things since you have other boats!

Was thinking the same thing. Granted the V hull has more freeboard and higher sides, which maybe with the "Captain" on board is the bigger factor. But I too would think the jonboat would be the more stable. Looks like fun!


Cheers...................Todd

 

[hvymtl939]

No, you guys are spot on. The jon is a bit more stable, but the freeboard and higher sides make a big difference. That's more our issue than anything else. Plus, the jon sucks when there's more than 10 mph worth of wind and chop, which being Kansas, is 99% of the time.

 

[poconojoe]

Makes perfect sense! Have fun!

 

[hvymtl939]

Makes perfect sense! Have fun!

Thanks! Was hoping to make progress this coming weekend, but Dad informed me he's bringing up one of his boats for me to work on LOL! Glad we don't have an HOA.

 

[hvymtl939]

So, let's talk bench relocation/elimination.

From my understanding, the benches on aluminum boats like these serve 3 purposes. Place to sit, place to hold floatation foam, and hull structural stability.

With that in mind, who has either moved or eliminated benches, and if you did, what did you replace them with. My end goal is something along the lines of this.

I would like to move the stern bench a bit farther forward, and mount the steering console in front of it. On that bench, there would be 2 folding seats on flat swivel bases. In front of the console, off the front two benches, I would like to build a casting deck with storage. Is it possible to remove these benches, build a frame out of aluminum, and use that to replace the purposes the benches had?

Just thinking out loud here, but would love feedback.

 

[hvymtl939]

Bored at work, so I used some high tech modeling software to try and capture what I had in my head. Not to scale of course.

 

[hvymtl939]

Well, this project has been sitting under my deck since it came home. Just too busy with everything else in life. Was browsing craigslist "boats for sale by owner" as I often mindlessly do, and one thing turned into another. I'm glad the admiral loves me.

From what I can tell, it's an Early '60s Alumacraft Tampico. 14'. Capacity plate says rated for 4 and up to 50 hp. Right now it's pretty crusty, but I think I did ok for $140. More to come.

 

[Sea18Horse]

Now we're talking! Should do fine with the 35 if you were so inclined. At least for the time being.

Cheers..................Todd

 

[hvymtl939]

Now we're talking! Should do fine with the 35 if you were so inclined. At least for the time being.

Cheers..................Todd

That's the plan for now. I'd like to get a period correct 50, but it'll work.

 

[hvymtl939]

Let's talk transoms. The one on this boat is mostly mulch at this point. From pics I've seen online (and on mine), it seems like rather than having two sheets of 3/4" glued together, it has a sheet on both the inside of the aluminum, and outside.

What's the best way to tackle this? Still epoxy coat? Use ply or hardwood? How would I attach to the aluminum? Bolts, screws, adhesive, all of the above?

 

[jbcurt00]

hvymtl939
per your request, title changed

IMO, 2 layers of 3/4 ext grade plywood (ACX, Aruaco or MDO) glued together w TiteBond3 or polyurethane glue (Gorilla, TiteBond & others make it) and painted w oil based enamel and acrylic hardener should be plenty sufficient to weather use and the elements if stored well covered, ventilated, w the drain plug removed and bow high. And would skip the layer of aluminum.

Unless well stuck w 3M 5200 or 4200, and remains well stick forever, it simply creates a place for water to get in and sit for a long time. That creates a prime environment for the water to become acidic from lack of oxygen and start to corrode the aluminum. Term for that escapes me at the moment, galvanic corrosion IIRC, but I dont think thats right.....

Happens all the time between the transom wood and aluminum transom skin when transoms are left wet and start to rot....

 

[hvymtl939]

hvymtl939
per your request, title changed

IMO, 2 layers of 3/4 ext grade plywood (ACX, Aruaco or MDO) glued together w TiteBond3 or polyurethane glue (Gorilla, TiteBond & others make it) and painted w oil based enamel and acrylic hardener should be plenty sufficient to weather use and the elements if stored well covered, ventilated, w the drain plug removed and bow high. And would skip the layer of aluminum.

Unless well stuck w 3M 5200 or 4200, and remains well stick forever, it simply creates a place for water to get in and sit for a long time. That creates a prime environment for the water to become acidic from lack of oxygen and start to corrode the aluminum. Term for that escapes me at the moment, galvanic corrosion IIRC, but I dont think thats right.....

Happens all the time between the transom wood and aluminum transom skin when transoms are left wet and start to rot....

Thanks for changing it! I'll have to get some better pictures up of what I'm dealing with right now.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought Jon boats were more stable than V's. Then what do I know.... Anyway, enjoy your project! The good thing is that you don't need to rush things since you have other boats!

Depends on how wide the jon boat is. My 1448 that is 48" wide at the floor is very stable I can stand on the bench seat to cast and it barely tilts I would not do that on a jon that was only 36" wide.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Let's talk transoms. The one on this boat is mostly mulch at this point. From pics I've seen online (and on mine), it seems like rather than having two sheets of 3/4" glued together, it has a sheet on both the inside of the aluminum, and outside.

What's the best way to tackle this? Still epoxy coat? Use ply or hardwood? How would I attach to the aluminum? Bolts, screws, adhesive, all of the above?

The inner wood is 13/16" the outer plywood was typically 3/8" but 1/2" will work. When the boat was built the inner wood was made of white oak. I use stainless hardware since the original aluminum hardware is hard to find.