1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

[jasoutside]

AOK, so, I was technically working on this boat yesterday so I thought I'd go ahead and get a rebuild thread running on it.

This boat came to be when I missed my deadline on finishing the Sea Nymph for our family vacation to the U.P. last summer.

I was one sad fella hanging out on the lake for a week straight and no boat. So, I drove around the little town of Curtis in search of something that could float and fish. I threw my Evinrude 15 HP kicker in the back of the truck just in case I found something.

This little Mirro Craft was what I cam up with...

Here's her maiden voyage about 3 minutes after I bought her...

She'll make a great fishing utility!

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

I knew you couldn't just work on the Islander, ya just gotta have a mistress don't ya.layball:

Hope you got some time to use her on your holiday.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Overall this boat is awesome. Just the right size for the boys and I to sneak away for a day of fishing. We ran it for the whole week and it was great, no leaks, solid, like it!

Her transom was totally rotted out, so I just clamped up a board for the motor, served the purpose for our vacation. You can see the seats are rotted out too, stern seat cracked/folded...

I was loving my new anchor...

Docked at the cottage...

We had some great fun!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Alllrighty, fast forward to yesterday.

I'm kinda wanting to use this boat up here in the Tittabawassee for the walleye opener this weekend. I'm not so sure if it'll work out though, we've had major flooding over the past couple of weeks and I think the river may be a blow out, she's waaaaayyyyy high still. Anyhow, I'd like to have it ready just in case. All I'm looking to do at this point is have the boat safe for the water for the summer, full rebuild this winter.

So, the transom. You can see it's wrapped in alum...

(Transom caps off) It's also kinda locked in place by these tabs that were folded over after install...

I folded them back to get the transom out but could see that the alum would just crack on me trying to get them back in place. I cut them off eventually. Transom out...

2x4 unsealed dimential lumber for a transom? Wrapped in alum to trap the water? Yup...

Transom plate off too...

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

That's real mess, obviously they weren't too worried about rot down the road. Shouldn't take to long to put her back together so she is sea worthy.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Now, again, all I'm looking to do is run this for a few months till the rebuild. So, I grabbed a fat 1 3/4" scrap piece of oak I had in the shop, dropped it in, bolted it up, transom caps back on...

Major hack, redneck, backyard, shadetree boat building right there:facepalm: But, it's all good for now:thumb:

I left it a few inches tall to eat up some of that long shaft I have on the Evinrude.

Here she is, I just need to hook up some lights, bolt on the new license plate, stick on my registration, gas n' go!

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

The only guy on Iboats that can do a rebuild so fast he hasn't enough time to answer posts to his thread.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

The only guy on Iboats that can do a rebuild so fast he hasn't enough time to answer posts to his thread.

:becky: Sorry bro, I have one more post:laugh:

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Now up there in Curtis, right across the street from where I bought that boat, there was a brand new 2012 Mirro Craft sitting for sale. Check it out...

The dealer just got it in and was setting up a bimini topper so I snapped a couple of quick photos.

That ^^^^ is going to be my rough goal for this boat when I tear into it this winter. Though, I'm nearly certain it'll be bare alum on the hull, no paint to scratch. I very much want this boat to be a true fishing rig. Something I can run hard, beat on, get muddy, worm guts, fish blood, leave outside, hose off... You know what I mean eh:thumb:

So, durable vinyl deck, walk through center section, bow casting deck, fuel tank up front, batt at the stern, some storage, flotation, simple, basic, bomber - that's what I'm looking for here.

But, no more work on this boat till it's cold again!

Cheers fellas:joyous:

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Jas, Here's an OLD wood workers Wood sealing trick. Boiled linseed oil has a LOT of solids in it. The MS thins it and carries it deep into the ports of the wood and then the solids kinda expand and seal the pores of the wood. If you mix it 50/50 with mineral spirits and put multiple coats on some douglas fir until it starts to Pool up then wipe it off and then let it dry for a couple of days and then apply 3-4 coats of Marine Varnish, Your boys Grand Kids will be able to enjoy that transom. Or you could use the plywood and seal with epoxy too!! Just thought I'd let you in on my German Granddads Wood sealer trick he taught me years ago.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

That's real mess, obviously they weren't too worried about rot down the road.

Yah, that basically fell apart in my hand when I pulled it out of that alum wrapper:embarassed:

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

MMMMMMMMMMM,..............................Tiller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Or you could use the plywood and seal with epoxy too!!

I'd go Starboard if it weren't so stinking expensive. Bah, ply all sealed up should last till I'm worm food:thumb:

MMMMMMMMMMM,..............................Tiller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And yes my friend, this boat will certainly be a tiller:excitement:

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Finally,......................


Now all yous have to do is learn how to fish out of it going backwards,........................................

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Finally,......................


Now all yous have to do is learn how to fish out of it going backwards,........................................

Yah, walleye fishing surely.

But, I really want to start fishing steelhead in our northern rivers through the long Michigan winters too...

I bank fished (waders) some, in a boat will be a whole lot nicer!

:thumb:

 

[series60]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Finally,......................


Now all yous have to do is learn how to fish out of it going backwards,........................................

Fish out of my 1970 MirroCraft going backwards all the time

​

 

[boatnut74]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

That should work well for fishing with the boys. I think you need to throw that 90 on there since I think it's a little underpowered

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

That should work well for fishing with the boys. I think you need to throw that 90 on there since I think it's a little underpowered

Where would he put the battery???????,............................

 

[third times the charm]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

Where would he put the battery???????,............................

Oh know don't,:facepalm: the dreaded b word. That will fill the thread with 6 more pages. Well got have for the down riggers too, you know.

That's a great little fishing boat. You will get a lot more use from it then you think.

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1975 14' Mirro Craft Utility Rebuild

I'm sure there is room in there for three batteries, but where to put them,:violin::kiss: