New member 58 or 59 super seaman project

[58superseaman]

Hi guys. I've spent a lot of time researching in this forum to prepare for my project. I acquired an aluminum boat and trailer from my uncle for a great price last summer. The boat was used as a duck hunting boat and is painted with what I would call "brush slap camo". I was able to get the boat stripped of parts over the weekend. My plan is to remove all the old paint and take it down to the bare aluminum, how it originally came. What's the best way to do this without removing too much of the aluminum? I'm thinking either a wire wheel or a combination of 100 grit sandpaper and paint stripper.

After I have the paint off and polish it, I'll be putting in a shallow floor and casting deck/storage from where the aluminum plate stops to the third rib. The plate on the bow is not original, but I plan to keep and store my battery up there, with a little modification of course. I'll also be putting a small deck from the last bench to the transom to cover gas tank, bilge pump etc. I'd like to put a roll on bedliner on the floor so I can throw wood in the boat when I'm heading out to camp on a sandbar. The decks will be carpeted.

After the floor/deck is all planned and ready to be installed I'll be wiring for radio and 2 speakers, bow mount trolling motor, bilge pump, docking lights, bow/stern lights, and 1 or 2 power outlets. The radio, speakers, and trolling motor won't be installed until later, since my budget is a bit small for this, but I don't want to have to deal with rewiring after everything is done.

Here are some pictures about halfway through this weekend. I also took the bow cover piece off, separated the wood from the benches, and removed all the random pieces of hardware and useless bolts to be patched.

I'm looking forward to hearing any advice or words of caution you guys may have. Time is running out on this so I should have pictures up every weekend.

 

[58superseaman]

Well I have as much done on the exterior as I plan to do this year. I have to remember this is a fishing boat and the most important thing is that it gets on the water before winter comes again. I decided against buffing it. I'll wax it and call it good for this year. I also put a coat of bedliner on the bottom. There will be a floor/decks so it won't be seen anyway. The part that is still camo will be carpeted. I used pieces of the old benches to keep it rigid when I pulled it back with me this weekend. Hopefully this weekend I get the transom and the woodwork for the benches done. Then I can start framing, wiring, and decking.

I tried two different chemicals to strip the paint. The aerosol Tal-strip Worked MUCH better than the super strip gel

 

[Mr.Green]

Great job so far it's looking good wish I had thought of that to get all the paint off mine. Well all I can say is it's a good thing you didn't go with the wire wheel idea cause it takes for freaking ever, I'm still not done with mine. And you cant go very long with it cause the grinder gets very very hot. Again great job.

 

[58superseaman]

Well, I haven't been posting as many pics as I planned on. You can blame that on some poor scheduling and me rushing to get the boat river-worthy for this weekend. I finished the rear deck and the middle bench with seats. I'll get pictures of those. I was in such a hurry I didn't take any pictures of the framing or anything. When I start on the bow and floor I'll be sure to take some. Anyway, here are some pics of my switch panel for now. It controls nav lights, docking lights, and bilge pump. The bilge pump also has a float switch. I'm going to move the fuses to a separate box that's easier to access and spray some bedliner or undercoating on the plywood panel.

 

[58superseaman]

Here are some pictures of how she is right now. I think I'll be painting between the gunnels and rub rails this weekend. I still have to put in the floor and front deck, paint the inside of the hull, and waterproof my switchpanel but at least it's river worthy. I think I'll also be moving the fuses to a different box as well. I had to have it on the water last weekend because we had a pirate themed party on a sandbar, which is why I'm dressed like a pirate in one of the pictures. It's nice not to have the deadline now!

 

[bulldog]

Lots of work done already!! Looks really good. That paint stripper looked like it worked very well. Keep up the great work and you are not allowed to do any more work without taking pictures!! :wink:

 

[58superseaman]

Thanks bulldog. I've done a little more so here are some pictures.

 

[Brine]

Great job. =D>

Looks sharp.