12ft early 70's jon boat... "Buckshot"

here is my 1974 Starcraft (i think?) 12ft flat bottom jon boat... picked up the boat and trailer off Craigslist for $200 and then started my modifications.

-first i pressure washed the boat and trailer to get off all the crap from sitting for many years.
-then came a new transom since the old one was rotted away to nothing.
-turned the trailer into a flat-bed to haul my motorcycle as well as the boat.
-added carpeted floors/seats and also a casting deck.
-scored two swivel seats from craiglsist!
-added two tone paint and there she is...
-40lb Minn Kota trolling motor for now.

got to take "Buckshot" out on her maiden voyage today in my buddy's lake. i cant believe how stable the boat is with all the extra weight i added and the swivel seats. even standing on the casting deck is super stable. my buddy is jealous cause my little 12ft with the 40lb thrust motor is faster than his 14ft tracker topper with a 55lb thrust motor! haha...


When I picked her up


My Bronco and newly bought boat!

Had to make sure she floats! lol...











I even let my girl drive (since she let me buy the boat! haha...)


My Fiance is pretty cute...



Thats me speeding faster than my buddy

Nice job doesn't look like the same boat. Amazing what a bath and some new paint does.

Your right your girlfriend is cute.. \/ =P~

Good mod, good color combo too. Did u make storage under the casting deck? How about some cloeup pixs of the boat and your work :WELCOME: :WELCOME:

Nice job, looks clean

i am not finished with the boat yet but i do plan on adding storage under the casting deck. as of now the deck is removable in case i want the added space. i also built a "cooler livewell" that i will post pictures of and other detailed pictures later. thank you guys for the nice comments! please feel free to ask any questions and give any advice or concerns! i am completely new to this haha... next priorities are getting the boat and trailer titled/registered in my name so i am legal and then thinking about buying a 5hp outboard. anyone have any experience with an outboard and a light/small 12ft jon boat? is 5hp too small? mainly fishing in lakes/rivers/and occasional intercoastal/bay on super flat days.

nice.

i'm a small boat/small motor guy, and i'd say 5hp will have plenty of push for your current rig, but that will depend on how much mods (weight) you decide add later. check the boat tag for recommended max hp, do not exceed it.
i imagine you'd want to have more room on a 12ft boat, so i'd suggest getting a gas motor with a built in tank. carrying a small jerry can of extra fuel takes up less space compared to most external gas tanks.

based on the way you mounted your rear seat, it could be advisable to get a long shaft motor, then add an elevated motor mount so that you can operate the motor comfortably without stooping down. short shaft motor is workable too. it's just a matter of compromise.

Good looking Bud Light Platinum! Oh and the boats alright too. lol. Good job.

@ J.P. thanks for the input! i wont be adding too much more weight except a cooler for the beer/fish! lol... unfortunately my boat tag is half missing and the half thats missing is the one with all the important information. so im pretty much guessing on everything i do? i have a HIN but wasnt able to get much information off of that. the guy i bought the boat from has an old 5hp outboard that he will sell me for $100 but it doesnt run right now. he says all i need to do is rebuild the carbs and it will be good to go. i am an automotive mechanic so i have no problem rebuilding the carbs. i just hope thats all thats wrong with it! but for $100 i guess its worth the risk?

does anyone know how to figure out information about a boat based off of the HIN?

I like the swimming pool pic. Is it stocked?

so here is a few more pictures...

this is the transom when i got it...


and here is after i got done with it... 3/4 plywood (non pressure treated)


added a pole holder today!



and a shot of my 40lb trolling motor

Best $25 you could spend on that trailer....and you won't have to "hang it on the fence" to get the boat to drain.


https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-swing-back-trailer-jack-41005.html

I admit to having a HUGE bias, but consider...carefully...getting an older 3 hp Evinrude or Johnson light twin. Thirty-two pounds and as reliable as gravity.

Really a nice looking craft. Well done. =D>

Kismet said:

I admit to having a HUGE bias, but consider...carefully...getting an older 3 hp Evinrude or Johnson light twin. Thirty-two pounds and as reliable as gravity.

Really a nice looking craft. Well done. =D>

Click to expand...

thank you for your advise and compliment! do you think that a 3hp will be powerfull enough to push the boat pretty quick? im not trying to be a speed demon but i dont want to be left in the dust by my future father-in-law with his 9.9 on his 14ft. id like to see somewhere around 15mph?

Frogman Ladue said:

Best $25 you could spend on that trailer....and you won't have to "hang it on the fence" to get the boat to drain.


https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-swing-back-trailer-jack-41005.html

Click to expand...

definately going to look into something like that! the pictures of the trailer propped up on the fence are at the guys house that i bought it at. right now i have it propped up on the hitch of my bronco so it is slanted backwards but that trailer jack is a must in the future!

Looks good!

Naw, the 3 hp wouldn't do what you want.

But they're just cute as hell.

Not sure that boat would be a good choice on the intercoastal and bay water, but whatever your choice, be safe.

Kismet said:

Naw, the 3 hp wouldn't do what you want.

But they're just cute as hell.

Not sure that boat would be a good choice on the intercoastal and bay water, but whatever your choice, be safe.

Click to expand...

ya im not sure that my boat will be a good choice for the bay or intercoastal either lol... i was thinking about super flat days but even then id have to be carefull! thank you for your help! im going on saturday to look at a 5hp for $100 and if its in pretty good shape i may end up getting it. the guy says he ran it last year on a 14ft boat but with two people and against a current it didnt have quite enough "umph". so maybe it will be good for my little 12? if not then i can always clean it up and sell it!

next on the agenda....

-fixing a few leaks i found on her first trip on the water... as well as adding a bilge pump

-focusing on storage!!! thinking about cutting into the back bench and figuring out some way to hold some hard plastic tackle storage cases. also wanting to put a flap/hinge in the front deck for storage underneath.

-need to strap down the battery. it bounces around when trailering and is banging up my boat!

-design/build a mounting bracket for the trolling motor i have now to be mounted on the front. (thanks to this website i have several ideas to choose from!

-then run wiring thru out the boat with quick disconnect for the trolling motor, and a control panel for bilge pump, cooler livewell, and possible lights.

-a few other small odds and ends... cleats, pole holders, maybe some type of mount for a big beach umbrella for some shade? lol...

inlovewithsurfin said:

the guy i bought the boat from has an old 5hp outboard that he will sell me for $100 but it doesnt run right now. he says all i need to do is rebuild the carbs and it will be good to go. i am an automotive mechanic so i have no problem rebuilding the carbs. i just hope thats all thats wrong with it! but for $100 i guess its worth the risk?

Click to expand...

aside from the carb rebuild, it could be wise to check/replace the impeller, spark plugs, gear oil and fuel lines before taking it to the water. good luck. looking forward to more photos.

does anyone know how to figure out information about a boat based off of the HIN?

Click to expand...

you can also search for a similar boat and ask the owner.

so i finally figured out who the manufacturer of my boat is... i went to this website https://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cibmanuals/files/Code/HTML/boatmakeandbrandnamecodes.htm
and was able to find the MIC based off my HIN the first three letters of my HIN are DEM which means Delhi Mfg. Corp.... unfortunately i am having a hard time finding any info about who Delhi is? anyone out there know anything about them? id really like to know my max hp rating and max load/capacity rating!


p.s. gonna do some more work on the boat this weekend and hopefully have a couple of videos to post in the next few days as well as plenty of pictures...