Rat
Well-known member
This hull is a 1977 Polar Kraft 1440 my Brother in Law gave me (what a great guy huh?). She has spent most of here years banging around Reelfoot Lake in west TN. Considering her home lake, and her age, she is in very good condition. My BIL had already removed the midseat, he's a duck hunter, but it came with the hull in case I wanted to re-install it; my plan calls for leaving it out. There are no metal fatigue fractures anywhere on the hull, not even the frames/ribs and no leaks; she is well built. There is a single weld patch at the chine on the port side near the stem, Jeff said he punched a hole in her on a Cypress stump, it has been repaired and doesn't leak.
The transom is in real bad shape and is the first order of business.
The new transom will be built to handle a 20" motor (the original transom was for a 15" motor). I like the height of a 20" transom for driving with a tiller handle extension while standing, the higher transom also keeps following seas out of the boat!
The new transom template.
Since I didn't have the ply I started thinking she could use some decks, so I mocked up a fore deck with some plastiboard.
I haven't played with the height yet, but I think it will end up lower than this image shows. I only crappie fish and don't need the high deck for flipping, but for jigging brush and storage. There will also be an aft deck and maybe a sole, I haven't decided on the sole yet; I can always add it later if I want it tho.
The fit and finish is going to be 'bay boat' style, no carpet, epoxy/fiberglass finish.
So the goal is:
Rebuild transom to 20"
fore deck
aft deck
removable livewell/midship seat
bilge
electrical
The transom is in real bad shape and is the first order of business.
The new transom will be built to handle a 20" motor (the original transom was for a 15" motor). I like the height of a 20" transom for driving with a tiller handle extension while standing, the higher transom also keeps following seas out of the boat!
The new transom template.
Since I didn't have the ply I started thinking she could use some decks, so I mocked up a fore deck with some plastiboard.
I haven't played with the height yet, but I think it will end up lower than this image shows. I only crappie fish and don't need the high deck for flipping, but for jigging brush and storage. There will also be an aft deck and maybe a sole, I haven't decided on the sole yet; I can always add it later if I want it tho.
The fit and finish is going to be 'bay boat' style, no carpet, epoxy/fiberglass finish.
So the goal is:
Rebuild transom to 20"
fore deck
aft deck
removable livewell/midship seat
bilge
electrical