Ready to begin my build. Looking for a bit of advice.

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Foster0724

Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2017
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
I am ready to begin building out my 16 foot Polar Kraft. Here is my starting platform.
boat1.JPG
boat2.JPG
boat3.JPG

My plan is to:
1. Extend the front deck back 1 rib.
2. Cut out center section of center bench and have a seat/storage compartment on either side.
3. Add a deck to the rear bench
4. Add a floor.

I have already picked up a Minn Kota Maxxum 55 lb 42" 12v bow mount trolling motor. I am hoping the shaft is long enough. I have time to return it still if I need longer.

My questions are:
1. Should I do the decks or the floor first?
2. Should I remove the front deck and re-frame with support for a pedestal seat? I know I need to build the very front up for the trolling motor.
3. Should I use lumber or aluminum angle for the framing?

Any and all tips and advice is welcome.

Thank you
Shane
 

Attachments

  • boat2.JPG
    boat2.JPG
    115.6 KB · Views: 1,182
Im new to the whole tin boats scene, but based on my many MANY hours of reading everyones builds ill try to answer.

1) I would say due the deck first if you want the deck supported off the bottom of the boat, since they you can build your floor around your supports. If you want the deck to be built off the floor, you would obviously need to build the floor first, I just wouldn't do it this way cause if you wanted to remove the floor at some point to replace/recarpet, you would have to remove the whole deck first.

2) what is the front deck currently made of? is it aluminum or wood? If aluminum, i would leave it and add in the seat. If wood, and the wood is bad, i would pull it to have it be one piece. I would leave the deck at its current height, and just build a support up to the egde for the trolling motor mount. Lots of examples of that in here.

3) seems like everyone here will say use aluminum - less weight, more durability, etc. If you plan on keeping the boat a long time, seems like a good investment. Mine is a 2-3 year boat til i can step up to something better, so i opted for wood. However is still did the wood right (correct type, sealed, etc). No one likes a half *** job.

Have you taken it out much yet? Maybe float in it for a while, that deck seems pretty big, maybe it wouldn't need extended?
 
The deck isn’t as big as it appears. I’ll have to get measurements. With the foot control for the TM I will probably be hanging right on the edge of the current deck. My dad bought this boat 32 years ago when I was 12 and he gave it to me so my son and I (who is now 12) can build it out as a bass boat. A lot of memories from the past and now I can create some with my son.
 
good for you man, thats great to ave the history behind it. Build it well and you'll have it to pass on you your kid and keep it rolling
 
Foster0724 said:
I am ready to begin building out my 16 foot Polar Kraft. Here is my starting platform.

My plan is to:
1. Extend the front deck back 1 rib.
2. Cut out center section of center bench and have a seat/storage compartment on either side.
3. Add a deck to the rear bench
4. Add a floor.

I have already picked up a Minn Kota Maxxum 55 lb 42" 12v bow mount trolling motor. I am hoping the shaft is long enough. I have time to return it still if I need longer.

My questions are:
1. Should I do the decks or the floor first?
2. Should I remove the front deck and re-frame with support for a pedestal seat? I know I need to build the very front up for the trolling motor.
3. Should I use lumber or aluminum angle for the framing?

Any and all tips and advice is welcome.

Thank you
Shane

Extend the deck.
Remove the center section completely, you will have plenty of storage under the front deck and rear deck. Plus build rod lockers down both sides of the boat.
IF the floors will be under the front deck/rear deck, do them first. If not, it doesn't matter. Although the floor could give you a place to add framing for the decks. However, that makes removing the floor more difficult
Aluminum framing. Factor in more floatation.
down the road should it ever need to come out (rot). You will have to remove the deck framing to remove the floor.
Also run several large pvc pipes from front to back for wiring, sonar Ethernet connections, live-well plumbing, etc. Now is the time to plan for electrical and plumbing. Once that deck goes in, adding those items gets difficult, especially if the floor isn't easily removed.

Looking forward to the build. Might want to study some old Bass tracker boats for ideas.

Edited to add: Build in a plan to add at least one, if not two on board chargers. Todays electronics are sensitive and it's best to keep the trolling motor circuits completely separate from everything else. There are numerous reports about interference through the on-board chargers. As factor in the possibility of adding a 2nd group 31 trolling motor battery. 12volt may be enough today. However if you don't add a second battery to the plan, it may be extremely difficult to add latter on. I went from a 55pd trolling 12volt trolling motor to a 24volt 80 pound TM, and will never go back. My two group 31's last all day without breaking a sweat in 20mph winds. Fuel for thought.
 

Latest posts

Top