My new 12' SmokerCraft

[mnort07]

I acquired a plain old 12' smokercraft last year from my grandparents and fixed it up from what it was what i got it to make it decent to use...and look at for that matter. lol... I would like to make some modifications to it and would just like some ideas on how to do some stuff. I would like to put in small front deck to put a pedestal seat and maybe a radio and livewell/cooler area. It has 3 seats, 2 big and the front small v-seat. Any help on how to make this happen would be greatly appreciated, and I could use any input at all. Thanks alot.


P.S. I'll post a picture of it soon on here.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: My new 12' SmokerCraft

you have a 12 foot boat. It can only carry a limited amount of weight. Wood decks, extra seats, livewells all add up quickly. A 20 gallon live well will add 160 pound when full of water so that alone is like an extra person in the boat. A radio requires a battery. Even a small battery can add 25#. Better think about this a little more.

 

[clarkbre]

Re: My new 12' SmokerCraft

A 12? boat is a great size with lots of opportunity to modify it exactly how you want it. It sounds like you?ll be using it mainly for fishing and just hanging out. So, as far as what you want to put in it, a front deck is a great way to add storage underneath and a nice platform for a low pedestal seat. Realistically, if you cut a ?? piece of plywood to contour the bow of the boat, you?ll be looking at adding maybe 35#. I did this on my 16? Lund and it works awesome?best modification I ever did. The livewell may work but it just depends on how much you truly need one. It?s really just adding weight to the boat but it will be low so it will affect the center of gravity in a positive way. The radio?I?d just bring along a good portable radio. If you?re camping or caught in a rain storm it?s always nice to be able to take out the electronics. Here?s a couple pics of the bow deck I built for mine.

 

[roscoe]

Re: My new 12' SmokerCraft

A word of advice, place the raised seat near the rear/center. Any further forward will make it very unstable. BTDT. And then only raise the seat a few inches above the current bench.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: My new 12' SmokerCraft

Every taken a wave over the bow in a small boat? I have an it did not have a live well up front. 16 foot MirroCraft ProStriker. Trolling the shoreline of the St Croix River that separates Minnesota & Wisconsin. A 50+ foot cruise went buy and the wake nearly swamped my boat even though the cruiser passed 600 yards or so from me. I hear the rush of the water in time to spin the troller to pull the bow toward the wake. Got very wet feet as the roller came over the bow. Had I not heard the rush of the water my boat probably would have rolled. Think about this carefully. One person in the bow (especially alone) creates a very unstable platform. At 160# of water is two people up front. This simply is not safe in a 12 foot boat with what I would guess has very little freeboard.