Ideas / information on converting my boat

[honers1958]

One day old member here....but have spent a few days looking over different posts in different forums but seem to fail in finding what i really want to find...so with that...here is my dilema....

I've purchased a 16' ... Sea King boat....not sure what year it is but don't think that really matters....it may...but will soon find out....it's your basic ole deep "V" boat....and of course I want to put a front and back deck....mount my trolling motor on bow....live well / ice cooler in the back

Looking thru all the different posts i've found many awsome looking projects in their completed stages.....but i've yet to find "detailed" directions on how to do this....now what i'm looking for is something like "Converting your boat for Dummies"....my knowledge for carpentership is pretty slim but my ideas are enormous....

what i want to do is put a deck on the bow to about a foot from the middle bench seat and begin the deck for the stern about a foot from the middle bench....

on the middle bench....if possible....i'd like to keep only about 4' of it so that i could add storage units on each side...one for poles and maybe one for my tackle boxes....

now for my question....will this be possible without adding alot of extra weight to my boat....and is there a website out there that can sort of steer me thru the different procedures i would need in order to do this....

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

Welcome to iboats.

Have you looked at the completed projects? You will see some great work there

 

[honers1958]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

yes....and i was definately impressed what one can do to a plain jane boat.....my boat has been well kept....only thing that really would need changed would be the bench seats....but....i'm sorta tired of the bruises on the inside of my legs from stratteling the seats in order to cast....

do you know why i cant view some of the pics in those posts...some i can and some i cant.....

still need simple ABC's on how to go about getting the layout and all put together....

wish there was some way i could post a picture of what i would like to do to my boat so maybe someone would see it have ideas for me

 

[jonesg]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

go to home depot, get some cheap sheets of blue insulation foam, cut with a bread knife and make some mock ups of what you want, when you're happy transfer the outlines to ply. You can glue the foam with 5 minute epoxy to make up the width you need.

sometimes its easier to do it this way than drawing and commiting the drawing to wood without seeing what it really translates to "in the boat".

 

[honers1958]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

Jonesg.....now that's a darn good idea.....imagine cardboard would work just as well if'n i wanted to be cheap....

another question....since my boat is in excellant condition....how much extra "support" would i need....specially since i want to take most of the middle seat out.....cause if i could get away with having to apply more braces it makes the project even easier.....

my plan was to leave the seats as is and actually start my deck using these as braces...that would be how low the front and back decks would sit below the top of the boat.....would that be enough support....

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

Hello honers..

Welcome to iboats.

Could you possibly take some pics .. for our visualization .. please

YD.

 

[honers1958]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

sure can....actually nite fishing tonite and should be able to get the pics sometime tomorrow or Friday.....

 

[redfury]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

You can take the center seat out as long as the front and back stay in place. When you add your casting deck and side storage cabinetry, then tie them in with the outer hull and get your strength back.

A picture would definitely help everyone visualize though.

As far as weight goes, no matter what you are going to be adding weight, but as long as you don't over engineer it, then you'll be fine.

You can use aluminum angle for support for the wood instead of using more wood to save the cost of wood and maximize space. A few rivets and a little sealant will go a long way in an aluminum boat.

 

[honers1958]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat









here are the requested pictures of my fish catching boat....the ideas that i had in mind are as follows:

had a hard time trying to figure out how to get these pics to the forums specifications....but think you might be able to get the idea...

1) 1st pic is basically a full view....

2) 2nd pic my intentions were to have a standing deck from the bow of the boat to about 2 feet from the middle seat...

3) 3rd pic is actually the back of the boat looking toward the front....once again i want to deck from the back to once again about 2 ft from the middle bench....

4) now for the middle bench....i would like to keep about a 3' seat with storage on each side....one side would store by rods and the other would be for whatever else the wife wants to take along....while the seat would serve the purpose of retaining the grandsons when i take them fishing......oh and this would also be for the wife who sometimes will take a lawn chair and straddle it for the sole purpose of "getting a little sun"...correct me if i'm wrong but i'm guessing i will have to make me a frame for the storage and this would fit around the seat which would again be extra support.....

5) in the back of the boat......if possible the live well.....i've thought about putting the battery on the other side but also like the idea of putting it up front under the spot light....maybe make a box that would fit right under it and have the post up thru the board where the spot light sits......

well this sorta sums up my dream on this boat....i've received a couple real good ideas but hope the pics can broaden the horizon as to what i want....

tks again for all your help on this

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

id convert it to a motorcycle. Just kidding! Its the first thing that came to my mind when i read the title.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

If I understand you, the project is to add a platform to the front, and a platform to the back, and leave about 5ft open in the middle of the boat with a bench seat in it. Sounds do-able to me.

A good way to start is to scavenge some cardboard boxes from down-town merchants. Furniture and appliance stores have the biggest boxes.

Then create a mock up of your design in cardboard. This will give you an idea if the design leaves enough space in the middle, how big the storage areas will be, and other details.

If you like what you see, then use the cardboard as templates on 1/2" cdx and cut the pieces. Cover the cdx in glass and resin and assemble.

Good luck!

 

[honers1958]

Re: Ideas / information on converting my boat

well i've got my gameplan together....drew me out a layout of how i would like it to look....now it's time to put it all together and see what i can do....found a real nice post that shows me what i need to know when it comes to making the decks....along with a pretty neat idea on getting the correct arc....

another simple question....since this is a "V" bottom boat....and let me say that i don't know my own boat as well as what i thought....it's actually only a 14'er and not a 16'er....but i have a great opportunity to purchase a new trolling motor and with my plan of mounting in on the bow i was wondering approximately what size of shaft would i need....the one i'm looking is a 50lb thrust with a 36" shaft....this gonna be to short for my ideas....