$500.00 budget, Free 60's Alumacraft, first project

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Spencer31st

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So, my wife and I bought a house on a lake and we love it. But we don't have money for a boat yet and fishing from an empty boathouse pier is getting a little old. But things have a way of falling into place.

I was helping a friend do some work on his house and he was talking about cleaning up his back yard and hauling some things off to the dump, couldn't let him haul that boat and trailer off so he said that if I would come and get it, it was mine. Put a hitch on the 4-wheeler and bumped the flat tired trailer down the street to the house. It was pretty rough but I thought it had potential.

A little research later (and maybe you all can help me with this) I think that I have a 1965 Alumacraft. Here is what I started with.
 

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I have another buddy that ownes a water proofing business, he came over with a few different paints for us to try on the hull after I got it straigtened out a little (didn't need much). I will come back and say what we used after I find the can but after I got it painted I couldn't be more happy with it. No leaks and it went on smooth and thick. Seems to be flexable enough also.
 

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Went with a red oil based for the trim and transom (Roll Tide!)
 

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Water tested, no leaks and it is a suprisingly stable boat.
 

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Now for the hard part - the inside... This is the test fit for the decking, I didn't take a picture of the bracing underneath before I got all excited and started laying carpet. BTW - this is just a simple design, no storage, livewell, cooler, or any other cadillac options. Just wanting to pull out of the boathouse and fish for a few hours.
 

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So for yall that have done this before you know - this is where you feel like you are doing something. This is where it sits today, I still need to paint the upper portion above the carpet and run the wiring, lights, trolling motor, etc. but I couldn't be more pleased with it so far.
 

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Total to date:

Boat: Free
Trailer: Free
Paint: $10.00
Wood: $60.00
Carpet: $40.00
Seats and pedistals: $40.00
Trolling Motors: $100.00

Total: $250.00

I got two foot controlled Johnson Trolling Motors from Craigslist for $100.00, both work great and I have already reversed the gears in one of them so that I can run it on the back. The guy wanted $100.00 each for them but when I offered him $75.00 he said that he would sell them both to me for $100.00. Sounds like he just needed $100.00.
 
Your boat looks exactly like mine. I have my Grandfather's 1961 Alumacraft. Just pulled it into the garage and getting ready to make it a winter project for my son and me. Thanks for the pic of the boat on the water. Gives me a general idea of how the boat rides and the water level. Please let us know how it rides with the finished mods.
 
Love the colors.
I wish I was only $250 deep into my build so far! Are you going to add any lights to it?
 
Just the minimum lights required by law, the wife bought me those tap on battery powered LED lights to mount inside if I need a little light. They work out pretty good, they came with a base that you can screw in but remove the light to change the battery or keep out of the weather.
 
Really nice man =D> =D> If i could offer any advice, it would be to cut an access hole to the space between the benches. I know you didn't want storage, but give that a few trips out and you'll be tired of tripping over life jackets. Great looking boat and excellent job on the carpeting.
 
Can't see it in these pictures but the back of the boat behind the rear seat to the transom is left undecked for a battery and life jackets. My fishing buddy is 6 so he will be wearing his at all times :)
 
Close, it's a '67 289 Fairlane 500 convertible that's been converted to a GTA 390. Or commonly known as a "money pit"
 
Got a little work done last night and this morning. Took everything out and painted the inside last night with the same waterproofer that I used on the hull. Put the carpet in for hopefully the last time.

Found a little tackle box that goes on top of a 5 gal bucket and had an idea. I cut a hole and placed it flush there, pull it out and you have access to the storage area below the deck. I can also replace it with a 5 gal bucket with a battery powered livewell pump from Academy if I want to keep some fish (rarely do though). Good water proof cell storage and fits between my bracing I built without having to modify it any.
 

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Another view
 

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