12' Sea Nymph Makeover

Hello, first post here. I started this build after looking for a small boat me and my son could fish out of. Wanted something small i could throw in the back of the truck. well I found a boat but then decided to make it a little more usable and next thing i know its no longer an easy throw in the back of the truck deal anymore. actually i probably would have started with something a little bigger had i known i was going to put this amount of work into it.

The boat i found was sold to me from an older man that had bought the boat new in michigan in 1978. he bought it and a 1978 johnson 9.9. i especially liked this boat after looking at several others because it was really wide in comparison. ive had flat bottoms too but i really like the way this vhull rides in open water and it sits high in the water.

we used it a bit and i wanted to add some lights, trolling motor etc so i started looking for a motor with a charging system. came across a honda motor in like new condition that i bought for a song. not long after winter was here and the build began. heres some pictures from the for sale ad when i bought it.

i found and bought a ski doo trailer and got it home. the trailer i thought was going to be too short (and probably is) but i was able to move the axle back and the crank tower forward a good bit since these pics and it works a lot better now.

i took this pic so i could get a "plan view" of the boat so i could draw it in ACAD and figure how i wanted to lay it out

adding supports and making deck template

frame and upper deck for trolling motor

live well, battery box and electrical/plumbing box.

i was concerned after laying all of the decking weight in the boat of how it was floating in the water so i made several trips to the water to make sure i wasnt wasting my time on something that wasnt going to work or be practical. but i kept on because it still floats like an empty beer can and the heavy 4 stroke still gets it on plane with me and my 11 year old son. actually didnt lose but 3 mph top end speed (not that speed was concern) but i was worried about it still planing out ok .

i used a series of valves to fill, aerate and pump old water out of the livewell. i still need a timer tho. sorry pics are backwards

trolling motor install

finishing up wiring

nav lights and fish finder

transom and jack plate. prob didnt need the jack plate but it makes the side imaging on the sonar work better getting the motor out of the way. made boat perform alot better as well

still have to finish flooring, make dry boxes in the deck and find some seats. almost ready!

Wow ... sure puts the retrofit of my 12' ark waaaaaay down the list ... IMPRESSIVE work and looks well planned and executed!

But now that you got her done ...

lol i was standing there last night looking at it and wondered what the hell i was thinking doing all that to a 12 ft boat. honestly i thought the casting deck was useless but i am 200lbs and surprisingly enough can walk all around. ill hafta get a video or you wouldnt believe it

but your right. maybe ill get enough brownie points for giving this boat to my sons and she will give the go on a bigger boat haha

Wow this is a cool build. Great job.


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I appreciate you sharing. Have you tested that live well plumbing set up? Do you have a rough estimate of the cost on all the components for the plumbing?

Looks great. I like the idea of fusing the benches. Did you use any vertical supports? Reason i asked, looks heavy duty with the aluminum you used. Looks great, and glad your motor still does it.

thanks guys for the kind words, first boat ive done like this and my son and i had fun working on it.

thomasdgs said:

I appreciate you sharing. Have you tested that live well plumbing set up? Do you have a rough estimate of the cost on all the components for the plumbing?

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the live well works good. if anything else i prob could have used a smaller pump. when it aereates its kinda loud. next time im out ill get some video of it. cost wise i cant remember. it wasnt much for the pvc valves and hose and the pump was bought on the cheap as it was an open box return. the livewell itself was kinda pricey tho.

ncfishin said:

Looks great. I like the idea of fusing the benches. Did you use any vertical supports? Reason i asked, looks heavy duty with the aluminum you used. Looks great, and glad your motor still does it.

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i did not use vertical supports.... yet. the aluminum channel was heavy and i did test it with laying a peice of 2x across the 3 braces to see if i could bounce and flex them but i couldnt. so i decided to hold off. and i used 3/4" plywood as well. so we'll see. my 11 yr old will be spending most of the time up there anyway. only thing i was concerned with it the rivets eventually possibly working themself loose. i may go back and tig around the support clips. only time i think not having vertical support will be a problem maybe is if an adult is sitting in the seat up front. but two of the six holes in the pedestal flange is bolted thru the aluminum channel and has the plywood sandwhiched between. prob wouldnt hurt to add a vertical support under the pedestal tho n play it safe

thanks again guys!

Dang nice. For starting out with a plane Jane idea, you sure went all out.
Couldn't tell for sure, but with that small trailer, make sure your bunks are all the way back to the transom to support that motor.