16' Lowe V Conversion

[CLM]

Thanks! Trying to keep her simple and lite. Can't wait to get the console and carpet in.

Also got my truck back on Friday after the damage from the tornado was repaired. Have to take it back in 3 weeks after the paint has cured so they can put the hood graphic on.

 

[CLM]

I learned Friday night that tig welding aluminum is not as easy as steel. Going to swing by CeeKay this afternoon and grab some 5356 filler rod and gray tungsten, plus see if they have any other tips. Was using 4043 and green tungsten, and kept getting a seam down the back side. Not sure what exactly I am doing wrong.

 

[CLM]

Took a little break from working on the boat to do some fishing, traveling, and working on my '47 Pontiac. But got started back on it tonight and started framing the rear deck.

 

[CLM]

Finally got around to welding on the console. Borrowing a buddies tig and our schedules haven't lined up for the last two months.
Neither of us have ever tig welded aluminum and it is definitely a learning curve. I finished one side and the other side is tacked in place, but ran out of argon so it will have to wait until next week.

Rear deck is mostly framed but ran out of rivets that night, so should finish it tomorrow if the weather cools down.

 

[CLM]

Console is coming along good. Just need to get the fuse box and battery charger mounted under it.

 

[CLM]

Decided to put the boat name on the front of the console.

Picked up a air horn for $19. Nice and LOUD!

 

[CLM]

After way too many hours, the console is wired and ready to go in the boat. I had to use way more red than I wanted, but couldn't find enough colors.

 

[typed by ben]

i like the cutting board doors, creative repurposing for those

do you find that the polymetal sheets are pretty quiet under your feet? id like to do some sort of floor on my boat. first idea is foam, then another piece of .080 sheet over that- but thatll run me $200 in materials alone, just for a floor. if that polymetal runs any cheaper and is quiet it might be a good substitute

 

[CLM]

Thanks, they are a cheap option, also used one behind the electronics in the console. It gave me somewhere to drill and attach stuff with only four bolts sticking through the front of the console.

The Polymetal is extremely quiet, when you drop something on it there is a muted thud. So I highly recommend it to make an aluminum boat quiet. It is light and strong. My lower floor is 1" pink foam between the ribs and polymetal over it, basicly no noise when you drop something on it.

Only thing that I would warn about it is the aluminum is very thin on each side, so you have to be careful drilling the holes to rivet it on, it tears easily when drilling. The 3mm is about $50 for a 4'x8' sheet. Problem is finding it. Best place to check is local sign shops. Mine came from overstock from a friends project at work. They ordered 19 sheets and had 1 left over.

 

[CLM]

Only got about 20 minutes to work on the boat today, but got the console in with a buddy helping hold it.

 

[CLM]

Also, this picture shows why I built the console the way I did. Without it attaching to the floor, I have lots of leg room.

 

[kcatto]

really nice layout of your boat... how wide is the beam on it?

when I was younger and going to college I welded on the finish line or dress out line for exiss custom horse trailers in el reno oklahoma and they would MIG weld everything for strength and then TIG over the top to make the welds pretty.... this is also how they welded dis-similar metals ie stainless trim to aluminum sides....

 

[CLM]

Thanks! Beam is 68" at the front of the console. The front deck is basicly 4'8" x 4'8" at its widest spot. With the seats moved into fishing position the rear deck is basicly 5' square.

I talked with a friend that welds for a living and evidently what I was seeing with the seam down the back is fairly normal for 5052 .100 gauge. He said welding from both sides was the right thing to do. It is very solid now and I didn't have any seems or gaps when I ground down the outside welds.

Once the boat is wired and rear deck covered, I will start on the livewell. Feel pretty confident that I can weld it to not leak.
It will be 44"x14" and 12" deep. Going to be located right behind the seats, in front of the rear fishing pedestal.

 

[kcatto]

nice and welding both sides with 5052 sounds normal to me.... i remember welding a lot on both sides... I am thinking about putting my livewell right behind front deck just in front of console on my boat... I was thinking this would be best with the weight of my motor and 12gal tank in the rear.... but maybe i should re-think this.... trolling battery, front deck, and livewell might be to much weight up front....

maybe you are right in having a mid-ship livewell... I have a deep v starcraft she is 16' at water line... but 17.9 from transom to tip of bow deck....

Your is looking good, lots of inspiration..... thank you

 

[CLM]

When I got my boat the PO had the little console way up in the front. With just my weight up there it really made the boat ride funny, with my wife and the dog in the back it rode better but still didn't plane out well. So I figure with the weight of the trolling motor and battery up front, then outboard/battery/6 gallon tank at the back, that I better keep everything else pretty much mid-ship to help my poor little 25hp out some. Plus it really was the only location for me to have the size of livewell that I wanted and keep it as low as possible. My other thought being that when full it might stabilize the boat a little more when we are on decks, kind of as a ballast.

Mine is 16' across the top from transom to tip. I really had twofootitus and wished I had bought a bigger boat until I fished with my boss. He has a '83 Fischer marine 15' aluminum boat, that can't be more than 5' across the beam. Now I feel like I have a yacht, lol.

 

[kcatto]

I do not know how my boat will ride I have never had it in the water...

but she is pretty deep V... and i have a 40hp mercury (she is rated for 55hp) for the rear and 12 gal gas so i was thinking it might even out.... mine has a factory side console about mid-ship anyway... maybe I get it stripped and up and running enough to take it our and try different positions of weight...

 

[CLM]

Yeah, I got mine in the water and played with sitting position, walking around, deck heights, etc. This helped me a lot with deciding how to lay it out.

Got the first half of one rod holder made.

 

[CLM]

Started making the center rod holder, 3 rods from each end will point towards the middle. You can also see the original braces that I started with.

 

[CLM]

Test fit!

 

[kcatto]

those are nice did you make them out of cutting board or starboard?

the latter is pretty expensive stuff...