My new project Update New Pics Finally Completed Yippie !!!

I brought this boat a few days ago. How would you fix this up? I have serval ideas. Just want some feed back from you all.

Hi and welcome,
What I would do first is gut it out completly and throw away everything that is not useable. Are you planning on flooring it and adding a deck to it? Or are you just planning to clean it up a bit and fish it as is?

All those old OMCs had a bent shaft like that. For a good reason too. You notice that the shaft enters the trolling motor at the very front. If it were a straight shaft, and it went in the very front, it would fight you when you went to steer it. Now, with the bent shaft, it is as if the shaft went in the middle. If you draw a line straight down from the straight part of the shaft, on down to the motor, that will be where the turning point is. Therefore, you have better leverage, and can turn it with less force, when under power. I have a slightly older one, that I picked up a yard sale, that I am converting to a transom mount.
If you give me the model number, I can contact someone who can get the thrust, and the voltage, and I can find the year. They were pretty good motors too. Very simple design, and some of them (the black ones) are still sought after by many bass fisherman these days. If you do decide to "throw it away" I wouldn't be opposed to taking it off your hands.
I like the design of that boat - no bench seats to mess with. I see the inside of the gunwales have an aluminum box. I assume this hides some structure, but I would like to see another picture or two.
Jim pointed out throwing out everything that isn't usable. At this point, all I can see that is trash is the spare tire (your trailer has 12 inch tires, but that one there appears to be 10 inches - you can use a different size spare on a single axle rig, but that one appears to be a bit worse for wear anyway) and that crab net. The rust on the seats can be fixed with a quick brushing, with a hand wire brush, and touch up of paint, if the vinyl isn't that bad. I would go ahead and remove that blue carpet, and see what is under it. Even if you were planning on using it as is, you may find something that needs work, on the bottom level deck.
Your galvanized trailer appears to be in good condition. Did that come with it, or did you buy that separately?

Good Luck, and keep us posted.

PS, I noticed the Ga. registration numbers. Where do you live? I am in Cartersville.

That is an interesting trolling motor. Nice project boat you've got there, and it should provide many hours of fishing pleasure.

Clean it up and give it a paint job and it will look sweet! I did the same thing to mine.

The answers above say it all - strip away all you can and brush the rust and grime. I would deck out the front at least (if not the entire boat) A little TLC and maybe some paint (if you care, I do not) and you are ready to fish!

Have you done anything to it yet?

Hi and welcome to the site. Nice boat and you should be able to build that one anyway you want without seats in the way.

Im still here. I been rabbit hunting and working on the boat. I completely to stripped the boat took the seats out and the trolling motor off. Im in the process of sanding it down and repairing the transom. I would like to know will a self-ecthing primer work on my galvanized trailer to prep it so I can paint it. Im going to paint the trailer black and the boat burgundy. Add a minn kota 40lbs bow mount motor and 2 36lbs minn kota transom mount. A eagle 480 graph and 120 qt cooler with aeration for livewell. Navigation lights and deck it too and little more odds and ends. I will try to post pics as I go.

firefighterfree said:

Im still here. I been rabbit hunting and working on the boat. I completely to stripped the boat took the seats out and the trolling motor off. Im in the process of sanding it down and repairing the transom. I would like to know will a self-ecthing primer work on my galvanized trailer to prep it so I can paint it. Im going to paint the trailer black and the boat burgundy. Add a minn kota 40lbs bow mount motor and 2 36lbs minn kota transom mount. A eagle 480 graph and 120 qt cooler with aeration for livewell. Navigation lights and deck it too and little more odds and ends. I will try to post pics as I go.

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Cool man! Lets see some rabbit pictures!

coming right along

I like the color! Thats gonna look sweet when done!

That paint job looks really good.

Dang Dang man love the color. 8)

nice job on the paint In my opinion you done the hardest part.

could ya tell me the size of the boat :?:

I love the open floor plan, I would keep the floor low, cause I like sides on my boats. Just high enough for some simple storage, New seats cause its too nice of a paint job :lol:

two coolers in the middle, one for you and one for the fishey. maybe raise the floor a little higher right under the coolers and install a cd/radio system 8)

pole holders, rod lockers(on the sides) some night lights

cover it all with some nice carpet.

Killer job man

FishingBuds said:

could ya tell me the size of the boat :?:

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Its 1976 Fisher Marine 14' 38 inches at the bottom

Wow, great job! Doesn't even look like the same boat you posted in the beginning.

Looking great and love the color.

Framing Pics

Very nice job. What is under the alum framing?