Modest Mods on Gregor 1244 V

I came across this Gregor 1244 welded V last summer. It’s a 1979 with an Evinrude 9.9 of the same year. The tin was smaller than what I originally had in mind, but in nice condition overall and pretty much stock. The hull has a 15 inch transom and is rated for 20 hp. The motor started right up and ran, and with a good coolant stream. The trailer was just ok, and not set up to properly accommodate the boat. Long story short, they followed me home.
My objective was to improve the fishability of this small boat. An important part of that is getting rid of the clutter of tanks, anchors, ropes, PFDs and the like. I had two requirements for the resulting mods: retaining all of the boat’s original floatation capacity and minimizing the amount of added weight. None of the things I did here is really new; I borrowed liberally from TinBoat members (thank you!) and others. But I thought it might be helpful to see them in one place and applied to a smaller V hull. Plus, I have no real skill in any of this, or any tools more exotic than an electric jig saw; so these mods would be easy for anyone. Sorry, no pictures of the boat before I began, but here is a picture after the first bit of sprucing up, with the details below.



The interior of the hull was taken down to sound paint (which was sanded) or bare metal (which was primed) then painted (Rustoleum) everywhere with a new color. Pumice grit was added to the paint going on the floor. All existing plywood (5/8 inch) was sound and well-sealed. So it was removed, sanded, painted with two coats of a new color and reinstalled. The existing hardware was removed and replaced with SS. No carpet or vinyl before or after mods.

The aft bench was modified to provide storage and a home for the battery. A middle section of the enclosed foam was cut out with a hacksaw (using very light pressure on the blade) and removed. The open foam cuts got a quick spray of primer to keep them from “shedding”. They were finished with 1/4 inch plywood, which was sealed and painted. Finally, a ¾ inch thick perforated rubber mat was cut to fit the new storage compartment floor to reduce vibration and keep the contents away from any water that might get into the boat.

Foam Cuts


Test fit of 1/4 inch ply, before finishing


Rubber mat in compartment floor


The plywood bench top was removed, a section cut out to serve as a lid for the storage area; then resealed, painted, and reattached. A continuous aluminum hinge was used to secure the lid along the aft edge. No new framing was necessary. A cam lock was added, though its main function will probably be to keep my fishing buddy from eating my sandwiches. The original FF (a ‘bird TCRID-1, circa 1979) was re-mounted for better ergonomics. Swivel seats were bolted directly to the fore and aft benches with SS hardware. Oversize washers were used to reinforce the bottom of the benches. The seat on the aft bench was mounted to starboard and positioned to allow the seat to clear both the side of the boat and the hatch when lifted, regardless of the swivel position.

FF and aft seat mounted


I changed the battery setup. The PO used an auto battery (located behind the aft bench) to run the FF. Since it was only powering sonar, I replaced that set-up with a smaller, lighter 8 amp sealed lead-acid battery from Cabelas. I mounted it in a Tupperware container with foam on the bottom and sides for vibration protection. A hole was drilled in the side to run the leads out and then sealed with silicone. They were connected to the FF with a quick-connect fitting so I can easily remove the entire battery assembly. I also keep the charger in this container so I can conveniently recharge the battery on longer trips. Finally, I mounted a 12v convenience outlet on one end of the container to recharge cell phones, portable GPS units and the like. The hole for the outlet was also sealed with silicone. The leads were finished with heat shrink at the battery terminals and a top layer of foam put in place before the lid was put on the container (neither is shown in the next picture). Light, compact, waterproof and easily portable, the battery now lives under the aft bench.

Battery Setup


The middle bench was modified in the same way as the aft bench, except the hinge is on the forward edge of the bench. The storage compartment was made large enough to accommodate a 6 gal. gas tank or a modest cooler. I carefully measured before doing this to ensure the lid would clear the tops of the tank and cooler. No new framing was necessary. I am currently using this space for the storage, as a 6 gallon tank was unnecessary for most of the trips I take. I went with a 3, and positioned it behind the aft bench on the port side. BTW, the 6 will also fit behind the aft seat if needed.

Middle bench cutout...sorry for the blurrrrrr


During all of this, I still had to feed my CL habit and I just happened to find a like-new Calkins galvanized trailer. It followed me home. Easily set up for the Gregor, I serviced the bearings (with Buddies), and fitted a new winch strap. I added the guide-ons shown in the pics. I know, I bought them rather than building them… sorry. BTW, the LEDs at the top of the guides are invaluable when maneuvering in the dark. This is the setup in the pics. Finally, the rude was serviced at a local shop: new pump kit, carb kit, plugs and starter rope; nothing cosmetic yet.

Guide-ons mounted

Total weight added to the boat so far is about 7 pounds including sealer, and paint; plus 18 pounds for the two seats. But I saved probably 20 pounds using the smaller battery. Call it a net addition of maybe 5 lbs.…not too bad.

Next step: "sea" trials.

I like the body lines of the bow, looks great. The batt box you've got is interesting as well.

Got any water pics?

Gregor makes a good looking boat.

Jdholmes said:

Gregor makes a good looking boat.

Click to expand...

X2, they are good looking boats. Clean lines, looks like they cut through water like a knife through warm butter. If I ever see one for sale east of the MS, I'm going to jump on it.

Nice boat and mods BTW. =D> =D>

I actually tried to buy one when I was visiting southern California last year but the guy wouldn't come meet me when I called, even though I had talked to him earlier that day and said I definitely wanted it. He was keeping it at his business and wouldn't drive from home.

Okay, so we're off on The Maiden Voyage. Here is how she looked pulling out of the garage. Gear already aboard included an anchor, lines, 2 PFDs plus the required throw-able PFD, tool kit, fist-aid kit, bailing bucket, jackets and lunch. No fishing gear on this first run, but the clutter factor had clearly been reduced. The gunwale tie- down and transom saver were not yet in place when I took the picture.





No pics of the boat wet and that will have to wait a bit longer; much of the water around here is still hard on top. The test run went very well. The boat didn’t leak a drop and planed readily with me and normal gear aboard. The motor trolled down nicely and it pushed the boat surprisingly fast (sorry, no GPS). My task then was to use the rig a few times to determine what else was needed. After two or three trips I had my list for Phase Two:

• Replace the floatation removed earlier to create the storage areas.
• Rod racks, additional cleats and a bilge pump are needed. I determined the location for each on my test runs.
• FF doesn’t work at higher speeds; I suspect the transducer needs to be repositioned
• I need a more elegant way to secure the aft end of the boat to the trailer. A long ratcheted strap placed over the
gunwales worked, but needed frequent adjustment and was slow to use.
• Anchor storage at the pointy end (and more general storage) would be nice, as would a sound-deadening
floor treatment
• Cosmetic improvements on the outside of the hull and the motor are needed
• Motor needs a kill switch/lanyard

Progress on the list is underway. I have juat started replacing the aft bench top with a single piece of 5/8 inch ply that extends to the transom. This will provide cover for the gas tank, additional storage and a chance to replace at least some of the floatation removed earlier. I will post updates pics as I move ahead.

Suggestions are very welcome, and especially input on these issues:
• How can I quiet the rattle on the Down-East rod holders that came with the boat? They work ok but aren't quiet.
• Ways to cover the small gap between the new hatch lids and the tops of the benches. The gaps are just wide enough
to grab fly line.
More soon.

PhaseTwo: To gain additional covered storage, the top of the aft bench has been replaced with a single piece of ply that extends behind the bench to the transom. Support at the transom consists of 1x2s attached to the transom with SS brackets. Because of the outward slope of the transom as it moves up from the floor, the 45 degree angle of the brackets has to be “adjusted” to allow the 1x2s to sit parallel with the plywood extension. Using 1x2s seemed light-duty, but it turned out plenty strong given the short unsupported span (13 inches). All plywood is 5/8 inch exterior grade, sealed with urethane. The newly decked area was not intended for standing, but it is plenty strong if one wanted to do so (say for sighting fish or too much coffee).

Two hatch lids were cut out then secured using continuous hinge. I used 1x2s attached to the underside of the ply to frame the hatches. There is room on either side for a 3 gallon gas tank or additional storage. An OEM 6 gallon tank will not fit under the new decking, although it would if I added an inch or so to the height of the new deck. I placed perforated rubber mat on the floor to keep stored items above any accumulated water and to dampen vibration.













All of the remaining space was filled with Noodles as replacement flotation. By splitting them length wise and stacking with the convex surfaces all facing the same way, I was able to significantly increase the amount I could get into the available space compared with leaving them whole. Since this flotation is not "trapped" under flooring, I wanted to be sure it wouldn't escape in the event the boat swamped. So the Noodles were glued into bundles, then glued to the transom and interior walls of the stern area. Finaly they were strapped in using industrial grade Velcro. By volume, I was able to replace all of the foam that had been removed from the aft bench, plus some that had been removed from the middle bench. I left the drain plug area readily accessible, and visible from the driver’s seat ‘cuz I like to SEE if there is any water accumulation. I added a cup holder (gotta’ stay hydrated!), and a grab handle was added beside the aft swivel seat to keep the driver on the job in rough water or aggressive maneuvering.









The motor cowling had its share of scratches and dings. Rather than painting it and applying new decals now, I carefully “freshened” it up using permanent markers, then applied wax and buffed. You can see the result…good enough for my purposes until next winter. The prop, lower unit, etc. also will be refinished next winter.





Gunwale tie downs made by BoatBuckle were installed on the Calkins. They have a built-in ratchet, are very secure and are quick and easy to use. Except for the obvious convenience, they are really overkill on a hull this size…but I can always remove them and use on the inevitable future (larger) project.



So far, the mods have yielded about 8 cubic feet of very usable covered storage at a cost of about 14 pounds of weight added to the boat (excluding mats). About 70% of the foam I removed to create the storage has been replaced. The rest of the foam (and more) will be replaced soon when I modify the pointy end. But for now it is time to put this effort to good use, though I will be careful to stay well under the rated capacity of the hull till all the flotation has been replaced. The ice is mostly gone and I am heading out. More posts to follow, but not till I catch some fish.

Nice work RickyBobby! I like those gunwale tie downs. I may have to pick some up. I've been using a strap across the beam which sounds awesomely bad when going down the highway. I usually just toss my anchor over it and the line seems to keep it from vibrating. It's plenty tight, but the wind still hits it just right and it sounds like the trailer is coming apart.

Looks great Ricky. Thanks for the advice.

Well, I'm back from the first outings of the year. The boat and motor ran well, clocking a shade over 20 mph (gps), so on to the next stage. I needed to replaece the remainder of the flotation that was taken out to create the under-bench storage areas, and I wanted to take advantage of the potential storage at the bow. There is a lot of room between the bottom of the front bench and the floor. So I cut some 1/4 inch ply to cover the openings and filled the space with noodles, split length-wise. The result is that I have now have more flotation (by volume) than was in the boat originally.









The last picture shows how the new ply at the front of the front bench was notched. Hopefully, this will serve as effective and convenient anchor locker. The foot of the mushroom anchor rests under the notch and is secured agaainst the front of the bench using industrial grade Velcro. This should be quick and easy to deploy; plus the weight of fthe anchor is kept low in the boat to maintain a lower center of gravity. On days when I use the anchor, it will rest on the new bow decking (see below) when underway. For trailering, I will reposition the anchor in the locker. BTW I use a bow anchor roller, so the anchor will always be rigged to the roller. And the "free" end of the anchor line is always tethered to a cleat. I will do a follow-up post to let you know how well this works.

The area in front of the front bench was framed in using 2x2s which were mounted to the existing seat surface with SS brackets. The new deck surface is exterior grade 5/8 inch ply, sealed with urethane and painted. Some additional floatation also was added to the top of the front bench. A hatch lid was cut out and secured with continuous hinge. A perforated rubber mat was placed on the floor under the new deck to help keep stored items from getting wet. The area now serves as an anchor locker and affords some general storage. The seat really only functions facing aft. But in a number of guest rides, it was almost always used in that direction, so that compromise didn't bother me. Finally, another cup holder will be installed and a grab handle added to the side of the front swivel seat to minimize involuntary passenger departures in the event of rough water or aggressive manuvering.
















I did not paint the exterior of the hull because I did not want to have to RE-paint the hull. So it was cleaned with ‘Toon Brite” (which didn’t do much). The remaining oxidation was removed using 400 grit, then 800 grit sandpaper. The hull will soon be polished... with lotsa’ elbow grease. Finally, new registration numbers will be added.

So this was my minimalist approach. About 11 cubic feet of covered storage was realized. I keep the following onboard in the covered storage: 3 gal. gas tank, 2 anchors, manual bilge pump, battery, tool box, first aid kit, cooler, 2 jackets, bailng bucket, 2 PFDs plus one throwable PFD, tacklebox or fly vest, lines and fenders. There is no carpet and no vinyl. Net weight added to the boat for all mods was about 32 pounds , including mounting hardware and paint. All of the original factory flotation was retained or replaced, plus some extra. And it was appropriately distributed to ensure a level orientation should the boat swamp. Again, none of the things I did here is really new; I "borrowed" liberally. But I thought it might be helpful to see them in one place and applied to a smaller V hull. Plus, I have no real skill in any of this, or any tools more exotic than an electric jig saw; so these mods would be easy for anyone. This 12-footer now is more fun to use and much more convenient to fish from, but still performs about like it did before the mods, and with the same horsepower.

So I am now totally, absolutely and finally done. Unless....

=D> !!!! Looks amazing dude. I love the simplicity. Well done.

Great job. Looks like you managed to get a lot of useful storage out of that 12' boat.

I appreciate the comments...will post updates as I tweak the boat. Now I am going to get busy using it.
Rick

rick,
really nice job on the boat. really nice attention to details. dang, 20 mph on that 12 footer with a little 9.9 thats pretty cool. love following this post.

How do you like the G-Lox rod holders?

Thanks, dkonrai it has been a fun project. As far as speed, I think it is a pretty efficient hull; plus the OB only weighs about 75 lbs. I have thought about getting a 15 hp of the same year (same weight but 50% more juice), but I am concerned it wouldn't troll down like the 9.9 does. The hull is rated for 20 hp, so the manufacturer did have fun in mind vbg. And carefully managing the weight of added mods goes a long way to preserve (or even improve) original performance.

Ictalurus: I like the G Lox a lot..never had a rod come loose even with some pretty heavy pounding. That said, I have only used them in the horizontal position. My only concern is that the foam might get brittle in a situation with sustained exposure to sunlight, but i don't know since mine are pretty new and I keep the boat in the garage when not being used.

As an update, the anchor locker under the front deck works great; the anchor is convenient and never comes loose. When I launch, I move it to the point of the bow on a triangle of rubber matting. I use a locking roller and the setup is quick and easy.

Hey neighbor, Great job on your boat, you should hire out.
As you said "now time to go enjoy it"!! ofcourse that was before the water froze.

I did go ahead and squirt some mystery oil to lub up abit and will wait acouple and see whats up.
After 7 years sitting, I imagine there (could) be some things to fix, so my attitude is good going in.

All my life I have ended up fixen my autos or motorcycles so the leaning experience will be fun, fun? did I say that.

Hey anyway you have a good looken boat there.

Stay Safe and lets wish for an early thaw.

17ft'r

Thanks, 17ft'r, I appreciate the comments. I've been following your thread on the cold start, so do let us know how it turns out.
Not sure where you are located, but if you are close you know we are getting more ice lately...4 degrees this morning.

Thanks for taking the time to show your project. I am starting one next week and really appreciate seeing how other folks have set their rigs up. I had no plans of painting mine, but your rustoleum job looks great!
Thanks, eb

Hey, I'm happy you found it helpful. As an update, the paint has been in use for 2 seasons and is holding up fine, even on the floor. I'll watch for your build thread.
Rick