Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

[Zenvalo]

Hey all! Been a member for a while but haven't had a question for a while, so here goes...

I'm trying to find out info on my lil' 14 footer, specifically weight, but year, make and model would be nice too. The details I can give you about it are minimal, but let me know what you think.

It doesn't have a HIN so I'm assuming it's older than a 1972. The only tag on it reads: Fiberglass Products and Engineering Co. Wyoming, MN. Serial# 14 6434.

It is a 14' fiberglass basic, basic, basic fishing boat with foam filled plastic bench seats. The side walls on it are very thin. No thicker than that of an aluminum fishing boat. The sun shines through even with a nice coat of blue/green paint over it.

The thickest parts are the flat bottom which is maybe 3' wide and maybe 8' long before it starts V-ing and I would estimate thickness to be 1" - 1 1/2" and then the top 4 1/2" of the transom which is 1 1/2" and the lower 12" is 1" thick.

I'm just looking for some estimates as I havn't found anything similar online and there isn't a place to actually bring it and weigh it around my area.

I would compare the build style to that similar of a fiberglass canoe but wider with a transom at 4' and the widest point being 4 1/2'.

I know it's hard to figure out an exact weight, but some educated guesses would be great! I'll attach a couple pics to hopefully make things a little easier to figure with.

Thanks a lot ahead of time for your estimates!

 

[Peter Eikenberry]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

There was a Fiberglass Products in Anoka MN. they went out of business in 1976. But they made the type of boat you are talking about.

Take the boat on a trailer to the scales. Weigh it. Take the boat off the trailer. Go weigh the trailer. Subtract trailer weight from the total. That equals boat weight. make sure you take everything out of the boat including the outboard when you do this, to get an accurate boat weight.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

The previous reply was spot on how to get the weight. But it depends how close you really need to be.

That trailer weighs about 175 pounds, so if you take the motor off and empty the boat, the weight with the trailer should come pretty close.

On another note though.......that trailer is wayyyy too short for the boat. Keep that motor on with a load in the boat, and add some water to boot and you'll end up with a deformed hull. The bunks should extend to the transom to fully support the weight of the motor.

 

[Zenvalo]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

Thanks, no scales nearby me and at the moment no way of pulling it to one. Just looking for an estimate of weight. The motor weighs about 60lbs (9.5 Sportwin). The trailer is longer than it looks in the picture. I suppose I could move the winch post up further. I am trying to keep tongue weight down, right now I'm at 50lbs. Would moving it forward a foot put a lot more weight on the tongue?

 

[Zenvalo]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

Thanks, no scales nearby me and at the moment no way of pulling it to one. Just looking for an estimate of weight. The motor weighs about 60lbs (9.5 Sportwin). The trailer is longer than it looks in the picture. I suppose I could move the winch post up further. I am trying to keep tongue weight down, right now I'm at 50lbs. Would moving it forward a foot put a lot more weight on the tongue?

Ok, I moved it a foot forward and that added 25lbs to the tounge weight. Does this look better? (See Pic)

 

[Fisherball]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

The transom should have trailer frame under it or the thin sides of the hull are all that are supporting the weight of motor & the forces of travel. (bouncing over road bumps, wind, etc.)

Scab (or sister) some wood the same size as bunks to the end of the bunks so they extend under the transom with lag bolts (at least 4) or replace bunks with longer boards. What you did made it better but weight of motor needs to be on the bunks.

 

[Zenvalo]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

The transom should have trailer frame under it or the thin sides of the hull are all that are supporting the weight of motor & the forces of travel. (bouncing over road bumps, wind, etc.)

Scab (or sister) some wood the same size as bunks to the end of the bunks so they extend under the transom with lag bolts (at least 4) or replace bunks with longer boards. What you did made it better but weight of motor needs to be on the bunks.

I can just make some bunks a few inches longer out of new 2x4's without a problem. Does it matter that the transom is angled back as it goes up? Is this mainly only an issue for fiberglass boats? The trailer was set up that way when I got the combo. I've seen a lot of aluminum that aren't supported all the way back so I was just curious.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

I can just make some bunks a few inches longer out of new 2x4's without a problem. Does it matter that the transom is angled back as it goes up? Is this mainly only an issue for fiberglass boats? The trailer was set up that way when I got the combo. I've seen a lot of aluminum that aren't supported all the way back so I was just curious.

Very true - a lot of boats aren't supported. Also true, a lot of boats were turned into junk by unsuspecting owners.

The way you have it now looks OK. Don't worry about it. 75# should be manageable. It'll probably trailer better now.

My guess is that the boat weighs about 600# + or - 200. If that's close enough, OK. If not the scale is the only way to go

 

[Zenvalo]

Re: Looking for more info on my "Little Hooker"!

Very true - a lot of boats aren't supported. Also true, a lot of boats were turned into junk by unsuspecting owners.

The way you have it now looks OK. Don't worry about it. 75# should be manageable. It'll probably trailer better now.

My guess is that the boat weighs about 600# + or - 200. If that's close enough, OK. If not the scale is the only way to go

Thanks a lot! I'll have to get it to a scale sometime or another. I was able to take the boat off the trailer on dry land by myself as well as put it back on though it was a bit of a struggle for me being 6'1" and 215. Me and another smaller guy were able to pull it up a nearly vertical 10ft river bank with a rope. It's just too hard for me to judge. Any other opinions are always welcome!