1974 Ouachita 1448 Restore/Rebuild

Hey y'all, I'm new here.

Wanted to share a new project that I finally decided to undertake. I bought a '74 Ouachita 1448 for $100....and thought what the heck. Bottom is good. No leaks. Plywood on transom will have to be replaced. Bow is rough.

I will post pics as I get through the restoration/rebuild process, I'm really stoked about this project though.

But for now, here are the pics of the boat arriving at the homestead, and I took off the wood stuck on the bow, removed some old galvanized screws from the hull, generally removed anything that rusted/could rust.....and got her ready for rebuild.

I apologize for the order these pics were posted, start at the bottom and then work your way up....boat rolled into the shop this morning 8)

Beautiful Pup!

Is your avatar a spaniel?

That would be my Boykin Spaniel, the South Carolina state dog! Awesome duck dog and best flushing dog I've ever owned.

Nice to see another Ouchita build on here! I'm working on a 1236, not sure if the year but I know it's older than a 1971. I'm hoping to get mine on the water this weekend. If you need any ideas take a look at my post, it's titled Ouchita 1236 upgrade. Good luck and have fun with the build!

Thank-you sir, I like what you're doing there.....Ouachita's were great boats in their time. Can't wait to get it back on the water in "better than new" condition.

OK, I've been hard at it....here's the bow after cutting out the old, beat up aluminum....

And grinding it to get it ready for welding the new bow into position....

And two shots of the new material...solid....better than new...and tomorrow I start with the transom.

After that, I hope to have the casting deck and live well welded in next week. More pics to follow.

Drake Old School Camo will be applied and I hope to have this baby in the water by mid-May.

Setup for the new platform...bow completely rebuilt...

1/4" deck cut and shaped ready to weld into place.....

Old transom completely cut out....one new 1/4" sheets welded into place over original transom....3/4" marine plywood set....primered and rhino lined...getting ready to weld brace back into place...

View from the rear, getting ready to weld two handles back into place.....amazing how mid-May turned into mid-June but I should have her painted and in the water by 4th of July weekend....finally!!!!

Watching intently, I have a '73 Ouachita 1448! Only mine has two benches and a bow deck, kind of interesting seeing three benches, that had to be a bit crowded. And you are right about them being great boats, mine still doesn't leak a drop.

Yeah, the 3-bench configuration was a bit awkward--especially with two hunters+gear and a dog. This makes a lot more sense as now I can store under the front deck and have two benches to better distribute weight.

These are very well-built boats as I discovered as I really had to work to cut out the bow and transom. It's absolutely dry and there are no loose rivets at all on the boat. Amazing considering its age and the abuse it's taken over the years.

Closeup of the transom...1/4" plate welded in...one last spot to finish....this thing is SOLID...

New deck welded in place....1/4" aluminum sheet....zero flex.....

Diamond plate replaces the original live well hatch...used a 32" stainless piano hinge mounted forward so it won't flap during trailering. Will be using a grinder brush to get these surfaces ready for primer and paint...

Priming/painting next week....more pics to follow.....right now I'm into this thing at about $500 total (including trailer). Not bad.

Nice work there. I am also doing a Ouachita, a 1648 that is in need of some aluminum welding on the stern. I have been thinking of having the stern sheet replaced because previous owner used treated plywood on it. I also need to weld in some decks. I wish I had a mig welder of my own but that is a big ticket item for me. I may take it to my Brother-in-Law or a mobile welding guy has been recommended. Keep up the good work

Kris, do what I did: take out the old plywood, but be careful not to destroy it because you will need it for a template for the new marine plywood. Sand and prime it with oil-based primer and coat/paint to your liking. Grind, weld any holes and smooth out the existing transom...don't cut it out. Don't remove the drain!!! You should be able to weld a new sheet of 1/4" aluminum right over it like I did. I will post pics of the finished transom hopefully today, I hope it gives you some ideas.

The end result will be a transom that is as/more solid as anything out there right now. Let me know if you need any additional information but Ouachitas are great boats....if you update them they can last another 40 years no sweat.

OK, finally finished with the transom, have prepped the aluminum for priming. I have one closeup for those interested--note I have installed one more 1/4" plate inside where the motor will go. Used a stainless piano hinge mounted forward for the diamond plate seat hatch...it turned out really well. Lastly, I am fabricating a custom bow-mount for a trolling motor with some scrap...that will be next. Then, some custom grab handles for the gunwales up front.... 8)

Getting ready for priming/painting this week, ready to give my orbital sander a workout!!!!!