1975 15' Jon Boat Project

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WIGoldenEye

WIGoldenEye

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Tow years ago I modified a 1975 Sears Gamefisher Flat Bottom. Link: https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=30359

It turned out awesome, but it sank when I was duck hunting this last fall. I was able to recover the hull and anything that floated. I am working on rebuilding it for fishing and duck hunting this year. Here is how it looked before it went down.
 

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One issue I had with it was weight. I could never get up on plane and sometimes had water come over the front. I made just about everything out of wood as I didn't have a welder or anything to cut metal.
 

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I have the framing done for the front deck using aluminum. Are there any other ways I can save weight? will adding foam help? How thin of plywood will support pole seats?
 

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Not sure what all you did to sink it. My 12 foot boats I load up with 6 dozen decoys and have no problem with 2 guys and gear huntin. But I'd say go wth the aluminum for sure.


Otherwise, question: is your boat welded? My buddy has a 13ft gamefisher and thinks it's that bc it barely was legible but apparently said that on the back end and his whole boat is welded. My gamefisher is all riveted.
 
Boat sank due to rough water conditions. Weight wasn't the main cause, but it also didn't help. Main reason I want to light weight is so I can get on plane with my 9.9.
 
Hopefully you guys weren't stranded in cold water, crap.


it's a sheer miracle that I didn't sink my small 12ft boat on one of the lakes I fished this winter. Glad to see her still up and going though. I was kind of expecting you to say that you shot a hole in the boat haha.
 
Luckily we had two boats in our hunting party and were able to get to the other boat before it sank. Had just enough time to tie a rope on the hull so i didn't lose it.

Where are you at that you can get a boat in during winter? I was drilling through 3 ft of ice to go fishing here in WI.
 
WIGoldenEye said:
I have the framing done for the front deck using aluminum. Are there any other ways I can save weight? will adding foam help? How thin of plywood will support pole seats?
Click to expand...

You can use 15/32" ply for the decks with proper spacing of braces. Also, you could put a drop down brace under the seat base for extra support with thinner ply. Use 1/4" ply for your bottom deck, just make sure you have the blue or pink foam board underneath and level with the ribs. I switched out a lot of ply on my build for thinner material with no carpet and was able to take 80 lbs out of the boat.
 
I got the front deck just about finished and picked up a newer used trolling motor. Ended up using 1/2" plywood for the decking. Plenty of storage under the deck and much lighter than before. Even had quality control come check my work, my black lab that is.
 

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