Crusty Mono
Recruit
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2017
- Messages
- 3
I purchased a 1985 Smoker Craft Big Fisherman 14' with a 1978 Sea Lion trailer and 25 hp Johnson outboard all for only $300. Boat doesn't have any wood in it and I am planning to fix it up. This time around I will be investing more money and time into the process. This means that I will be using better materials and doing thing correctly. I started by registering the trailer and boat in PA (where I live). Then i began to take the boat apart and clean it up. i am planning to use 3/4" plywood that is sealed, not pressure treated, as my casting deck. It will extend from the front of the boat to the end of the last bench seat. I will add several hatches for storage. I want to add a fish finder and new trailer to the boat as well.
I typically fish electric only lakes because that is what is close by, and because I don't have an outboard (until now). I was thinking of using a quick release bracket to switch between my current 55 lb Powerdrive and the 25 hp Johnson for lakes that allow outboards and getting a 112 lb Terrova to use on the electric only lakes. not having an outboard in the boat would make up for the extra batteries. i would wire them to the back of the boat to disperse some weight.
I have already run into several issues, and would like your advice/help.
- The boat is more than 48" wide and a regular shot of 4' x 8' x 3/4" would be too small. What I really need is a 5' x 12' x 3/4" sheet of plywood.
- In the front of the boat, there is no platform for a trolling motor. not sure if i want to use carpeted plywood or aluminum yet. this is what I am talking about:
- I know how to make a support system for the front of the boat because the bench only extends so far and there is nothing else to support the weight of myself.
- the live well thing and other hatch in the middle of the boat are suspended on the side of the boat one only one side and the whole thing shakes real bad when any pressure is applied, and i don't think it will be stable enough to stand on.
- i would prefer a level casting deck, but this boat is made to have a floor built in, and having both is too much weight, but it relies on the floor for structural support.
this is not my boat but it is the only image i could get onto this thread that looks like the boat, minus the carpet it is exactly the same. I made a drawing of what the birds eye view is like, but not to scale yet. the to horizontal beams are benches and the rectangles are the live well hatches and the vertical lines are the floor supports.
I typically fish electric only lakes because that is what is close by, and because I don't have an outboard (until now). I was thinking of using a quick release bracket to switch between my current 55 lb Powerdrive and the 25 hp Johnson for lakes that allow outboards and getting a 112 lb Terrova to use on the electric only lakes. not having an outboard in the boat would make up for the extra batteries. i would wire them to the back of the boat to disperse some weight.
I have already run into several issues, and would like your advice/help.
- The boat is more than 48" wide and a regular shot of 4' x 8' x 3/4" would be too small. What I really need is a 5' x 12' x 3/4" sheet of plywood.
- In the front of the boat, there is no platform for a trolling motor. not sure if i want to use carpeted plywood or aluminum yet. this is what I am talking about:
- I know how to make a support system for the front of the boat because the bench only extends so far and there is nothing else to support the weight of myself.
- the live well thing and other hatch in the middle of the boat are suspended on the side of the boat one only one side and the whole thing shakes real bad when any pressure is applied, and i don't think it will be stable enough to stand on.
- i would prefer a level casting deck, but this boat is made to have a floor built in, and having both is too much weight, but it relies on the floor for structural support.
this is not my boat but it is the only image i could get onto this thread that looks like the boat, minus the carpet it is exactly the same. I made a drawing of what the birds eye view is like, but not to scale yet. the to horizontal beams are benches and the rectangles are the live well hatches and the vertical lines are the floor supports.
