HotRod Fisher
Recruit
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2009
- Messages
- 3
Hey boaters!
I am a new member here, but have been a frequent visitor of the site gathering information and ideas for my latest project. I have to say, there is a wealth of knowledge and creativity in the members here. Thanks for all the help, advice and ideas! I would like to share with you all "Barnacle Betty".
My father-in-law and I literally dredged a Klamath 12' aluminum boat from the bottom of the Colorado River in the Parker Strip area at the end of September. We had seen the boat there in the mud at the bottom for about a year and figure it had been there for around 3. After much joking about bringing it up, one day we got a wild hair and decided to check it out. Using his ski boat, we dived down in the 10' of water and tied a rope to it and began to work it loose from the mud. Much to the surprise to us both, we did it. What a mess! It was half full of mud and completely covered in muscles and vegetation. It had a Murc 9.5 on it that was obviously shot, but the hull was in good shape. We scraped, cleaned and brushed it all down and only found 2 pinholes in it. We filled them with marine epoxy and fiberglassed the inside and took it to the marina for a float test. Dry as a bone. I brought it home and that is when the work began.
If you click on the pictures, they will enlarge.
As you can see, it was a mess
Any wood on the inside was completely shot
I built a seat / deck in the stern with a spring loaded seat clamp that can be moved side to side, a deck with a home made live well tank mid ship and a casting deck with a raised seat in the bow.
I had to make a new bow piece, as the original broke off trying to pull it out of the mud. The square extension piece is for the foot controlled trolling motor to mount to.
This is the completed boat with carpet, seats mounted and all painted up. Big difference!
We are fishing a tournament the weekend of the 14th, so I will post some pictures of the old girl in action!
Thanks again!
I am a new member here, but have been a frequent visitor of the site gathering information and ideas for my latest project. I have to say, there is a wealth of knowledge and creativity in the members here. Thanks for all the help, advice and ideas! I would like to share with you all "Barnacle Betty".
My father-in-law and I literally dredged a Klamath 12' aluminum boat from the bottom of the Colorado River in the Parker Strip area at the end of September. We had seen the boat there in the mud at the bottom for about a year and figure it had been there for around 3. After much joking about bringing it up, one day we got a wild hair and decided to check it out. Using his ski boat, we dived down in the 10' of water and tied a rope to it and began to work it loose from the mud. Much to the surprise to us both, we did it. What a mess! It was half full of mud and completely covered in muscles and vegetation. It had a Murc 9.5 on it that was obviously shot, but the hull was in good shape. We scraped, cleaned and brushed it all down and only found 2 pinholes in it. We filled them with marine epoxy and fiberglassed the inside and took it to the marina for a float test. Dry as a bone. I brought it home and that is when the work began.
If you click on the pictures, they will enlarge.
As you can see, it was a mess
Any wood on the inside was completely shot
I built a seat / deck in the stern with a spring loaded seat clamp that can be moved side to side, a deck with a home made live well tank mid ship and a casting deck with a raised seat in the bow.
I had to make a new bow piece, as the original broke off trying to pull it out of the mud. The square extension piece is for the foot controlled trolling motor to mount to.
This is the completed boat with carpet, seats mounted and all painted up. Big difference!
We are fishing a tournament the weekend of the 14th, so I will post some pictures of the old girl in action!
Thanks again!
good luck in the tournament
