16' Lowe V Conversion

[kcatto]

Man that thing is sweet..... thanks for getting the full body shots of the boat..... I have been busy family, holidays etc.... but that thing looks great.... I was contemplating a newer boat, but like you said I cannot even get close to the kind of boat I am building for anywhere near the money.... besides mine is a 1969 and costs me $8.00 a year to tag, so bonus for an old boat again and they are small enough to launch single handed if need be....

Please fill me in about the curling cutting board issue, I was planning that route in my little budget, and your brake is great looks heavy duty...

 

[assaultcraft8993]

I have a 1961 16' Lonestar ( at leats that's what others say it is)..You have given me some great ideas for the conversion on mine. Been contiplating cutting out the seats and restructuring the inside. Been busy the whole winter starting my own business havent had the time to really get into it...Great looking boat and thanks for some ideas..

 

[Gators5220]

Nice lookin boat man, what does she run?

 

[kcatto]

I did notice it sits quite high out of the water.... does it feel stable when you are front on the deck standing or does it feel tippy???

 

[CLM]

Sorry guys, weather turned cold on our last fishing trip and the boat was tucked away for the winter. If we ever get rid of this $#*& snow then I will get the aluminum on the rear deck and carpet the lower floor and front deck. Not going to tackle the livewell or rear carpet until June-ish.

My vehicle ADD kicked in a little and I am currently trying to get this 1950 Pontiac wagon on the road after a 30 year slumber in a friends shop. He passed and I bought it out of his estate and trying to get it ready for car shows and fishing trips this year. Got the flathead 8 running last weekend, about to start on cooling system, brakes and wiring.

Also picked up a little hybrid travel trailer to take with us to some of the car shows and camping/fishing trips. It is light enough to be towed by the wagon or pull tandem with the boat behind it and the Raptor. Had started looking but wasn't planning to buy anytime soon. Then found this 2012, fit our needs perfect, looks brand new, and was half the cost of the new ones yet has better features (power awning, nicer cabinets, etc).

Anyways, the boat does float very shallow. The only time it feels tipsy is when by wife is sitting in the riding spot with me on the front deck. Once she moves back to the rear fishing seat it balances the boat very well. I think adding water to the livewell will accomplish the same thing when I am fishing alone. Kind of a ballast for the boat.

I bent my prop the first trip out with the console done. It was still running 20mph on gps with it bent, then I bent it worse loading it in the wind on the same trip. (new boat, new trailer, new lake, guide poles hitting the trolling motor, not familiar with what was under the water around the boat launch). So I hammered it out and ran it still getting about the same speed on the next outing, but not revving right because I screwed up the pitch while hammering. I now have a new prop on it and will get a new reading the first time I take it out. I shortened the guide poles after that trip and it loaded like a dream the next trip in the wind.

 

[kcatto]

man that pontiac is a beauty.... when it comes to hauling tandem, i do not like that... I prefer a slide inbed truck camper when hauling the boat....

 

[CLM]

Thanks. Yeah, I have never towed tandem before. Going to build a hitch for the back of the trailer and try it. I'm kind of afraid the single axle trailer will make the combo fishtail a little. If so, we will have the hitch there to be able to put a bike rack and just pull the boat with the wagon.

 

[CLM]

It's been a productive weekend, got the Pontiac wagon driving around the neighborhood finally after 30+ years in a barn. Then got the rear deck in the boat, rear doors made and new seats in. Then spent the day at the lake with friends. Will spend some more time working on the boat tomorrow.
The wife even held an umbrella so I could finish the deck in the rain so we could head to the lake.

 

[CLM]

Spent some time today modifying the Bimini top frame that I picked up last summer. Shortened it, narrowed it, replaced most of the hardware and put new straps. Took all of my measurements and should have time this week to sew up the vinyl. Will have less than $60 in it when finished and it provides a lot of shade for my wife to read. Plus is as out of the way as much as possible for me fishing and when folded down it tucks away nicely.

 

[CLM]

Pulled it out in the street so I could get the camper out and took a profile shot.

 

[kcatto]

That bimini top frame is NICE! that is exactly the top I was thinking for my old starcraft.... to give my wife and daughter some much needed shade when they are done fishing. very nice.... where did you buy it or did you scavenge it?

Are you going to sew your own top or have a shop sew it? canvas or nylon? great project one of my very favorite builds to date to follow...

 

[CLM]

Thanks! I bought the frame off of Craigslist from a neighbor about half a mile away. It has been sliced and diced to fit the size and shape that I wanted. Making the top myself out of automotive vinyl. Mainly because I have this roll that I paid $2 for at auction. If it doesn't last, I will try something else. Picked up a couple of industrial machines at the same auction. Cleaned one up and used it, restored and upgraded the other and use it more. Did my first car interior last year on a friends '49 Ford Shoebox.

 

[rscottp]

Boat looks great! What kind of sewing machine? I have a consew that I love.

 

[CLM]

Thanks! My favorite of the two is a Singer 111w154 with a Sew Quiet 5000 servo motor.

 

[CLM]

Quickly realizing my sewing setup is not laid out to work well with large pieces. I triple stitched the 7' center seem in order to make the material wide enough.

 

[kcatto]

Now I am SO jealous, I had a juki, and a tippman sewing machine. but I had to sell them when I got hurt and needed the money. at the time I never thought I would be able to use them again due to my injuries... but i healed more than the doctors expected and dang now I want another one... I have been looking on craigslist....

 

[Gators5220]

Boat's lookin good man!

 

[CLM]

Then you will be real jealous when I tell you I paid $2 for my 111w154. Went to an auction for an old custom van shop called Godfather's Vans here in St Louis. Paid $40 for the first one, but this one was under a leak in the roof and the top was swelled up about 6" thick. Bought it for parts, then after it dried out everything worked. So I took the frame apart, sanded and painted, made a new top out of a reclaimed solid wood door, new timing belt and put the servo motor on it. Also bought a ton of vinyl for $2-5 a bolt.

 

[kcatto]

I am super jealous at $40.00 but $2.00 is just plain pain full. LOL.... I paid $600.00 for, my juki and close to $1k for my tippman.... I must look at some auctions... the bolts of vinyl is an amazing deal as well.... I have a few old sewing machines that a buddy gave me they are not industrial quality... still looking...

My grandmother and my mother taught me to sew as a little boy, funny thing is I cannot use a pattern I just look at a picture and sew it up, or reverse engineer pieces take the old ones apart and use as a pattern leaving enough on the edges for seams... Outside of gunsmithing, reloading, restoring old trucks, motorcycles and now boats it is my most used skill....

 

[CLM]

Here's a few shots of what it looked like before, during and after. Also my sewing table that is made from all reclaimed/recycled/free stuff. The top on it is an old green chalk board. Works great to sketch out ideas and keeps the kids entertained when we have friends over playing pool.

I'm self taught and still learning the whole sewing thing, first time touching a machine was about 18 months ago. I spend my free time working on old cars and boats, and restoring or building all kinds of other stuff (pool tables, furniture, etc). So I pick up any tools or skills that I can pick up along the way to finish projects.