12' 1976 Harber/Sears V-hull conversion

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

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

waterant

Active member
Joined
Oct 25, 2023
Messages
31
Reaction score
32
LOCATION
Woodbridge, Virginia
Hi guys,

Thank you for the wealth of knowledge and experience of this forum.

I wanted to share my take on the 12' boat conversion and see if you notice any issues with my approach or have any suggestions.
I had to go with 12' because it will be my transportation/exploring dinghy on a bigger boat during the summer, and it has to fit on a 12' deck.
It will be my fishing / fun boat in spring and fall to use on the small waters of Ontario.

Original purchased package

1701869520346.png


1701868376076.png

All cleaned up:

1701868554814.png

I will put Fasco Epoxies Super Slick 2000 Epoxy Bottom Coating below the waterline and keep the top side bare as brushed aluminum.

After taking out the seats and old foam, the boat weights 105LB
I want to keep track of the weight because the boat with the engine will have to be raised and lowered by my deck crane with 500LB capacity.

1701869876529.png


When I started working on the subfloor, the first problem I noticed was with the drainage.

If I do this again, I will look for a boat with drain/reinforcement ribs going from the bow to the stern for proper drainage.
On this boat, if left as is, there would be 1" of water left in each section, and this is not acceptable for me.

To address this, I was thinking of using rigid foam to fill most bottom sections and fiberglass and epoxy resin to flatten the middle channel but because the boat is almost flat in the second 50%, there would be a lot of epoxy involved.

So, I decided to cut out the drain in each rib and reinforce each rib it with the aluminum angle to compensate for the lost rigidity.

Here is the cutout and reinforcement:

1701869121119.png

Each rib has a second angle for the subfloor plus the subfloor itself. I feel like this will be enough to keep those ribs from collapsing.
This is not ideal, but I could not think of any other solution here to keep water flowing to the bilge pump.
I also filled the space under the floor with rigid form panels and high-density polyurethane-based (it's structural after curing)

1701869327172.png


Old transom was replaced with 3/4 HDPE plastic for the main piece and motor mount panel.
I decided not to do the transom cutout because i'm still within the outboard engine specs height, and it will give me 2" more freeboard on the stern.
I put 1/4" rubber gasket between the motor mount and the transom to reduce the vibrations sent to the hull.

1701869580039.png

The front section is almost done.
The small port compartment will have the battery, and the large compartment will have a plastic box with a closable drain to use as a cooler or dry storage.
I'll foam under and around the big box to add rigidity and keep it stable.

1701869382917.png

I'll cut a hatch in the front V deck piece to keep a small anchor and the rod in this front compartment.

This is what I have so far.

I used mostly 1/16" 1-1/5" aluminum angles.
1/8" 1-1/2" angle is used for the front seat base cage

I'm debating adding livewell plumbing to the big box in the bow. I would not have to use it if I did not need it.
It seems like a livewell will be an overkill for such a small boat. I'm not planning on doing the tournaments in this boat.

Question:

Would you put a livewell in?
If you would, would you put it into this big box in the bow (with an overflow drain somewhere in 1/2 of the height so it would not fill full of water)
or add a separate smaller livewell somewhere closer to the middle? Again, the plumbing will not take up much space and it does not have to be used.

How useful livewell on such a small boat if you are not doing the tournaments?
 

Attachments

  • 1701869227945.png
    1701869227945.png
    685.2 KB
Some more progress

The floor is in and front hatch for the anchor cut out.

I used 1/4" foamed PVC for the floor because it's supported by the beams and the foam almost 100%. I'd prefer aluminum sheet there but one sheet of the 0.06 is almost $400 and anything thicker is even more expensive.

I do not like plywood because there is no way to keep it waterproof with all the holes which will be made by the frame on top.

No wood is in this boat.

1000019952.jpg

Back deck and seating bench roughed in

1000019969.jpg

1000019970.jpg
 
Framing is almost done and it's about time as I ran out of aluminum angles.

I had to modify the transition from the back deck to the middle seats section because 90° angle were was hitting the back of the seat.

1000019980.jpg

1000019977.jpg
 
Hi guys,

Thank you for the wealth of knowledge and experience of this forum.

I wanted to share my take on the 12' boat conversion and see if you notice any issues with my approach or have any suggestions.
I had to go with 12' because it will be my transportation/exploring dinghy on a bigger boat during the summer, and it has to fit on a 12' deck.
It will be my fishing / fun boat in spring and fall to use on the small waters of Ontario.

Original purchased package

View attachment 118157


View attachment 118151

All cleaned up:

View attachment 118152

I will put Fasco Epoxies Super Slick 2000 Epoxy Bottom Coating below the waterline and keep the top side bare as brushed aluminum.

After taking out the seats and old foam, the boat weights 105LB
I want to keep track of the weight because the boat with the engine will have to be raised and lowered by my deck crane with 500LB capacity.

View attachment 118159


When I started working on the subfloor, the first problem I noticed was with the drainage.

If I do this again, I will look for a boat with drain/reinforcement ribs going from the bow to the stern for proper drainage.
On this boat, if left as is, there would be 1" of water left in each section, and this is not acceptable for me.

To address this, I was thinking of using rigid foam to fill most bottom sections and fiberglass and epoxy resin to flatten the middle channel but because the boat is almost flat in the second 50%, there would be a lot of epoxy involved.

So, I decided to cut out the drain in each rib and reinforce each rib it with the aluminum angle to compensate for the lost rigidity.

Here is the cutout and reinforcement:

View attachment 118153

Each rib has a second angle for the subfloor plus the subfloor itself. I feel like this will be enough to keep those ribs from collapsing.
This is not ideal, but I could not think of any other solution here to keep water flowing to the bilge pump.
I also filled the space under the floor with rigid form panels and high-density polyurethane-based (it's structural after curing)

View attachment 118155


Old transom was replaced with 3/4 HDPE plastic for the main piece and motor mount panel.
I decided not to do the transom cutout because i'm still within the outboard engine specs height, and it will give me 2" more freeboard on the stern.
I put 1/4" rubber gasket between the motor mount and the transom to reduce the vibrations sent to the hull.

View attachment 118158

The front section is almost done.
The small port compartment will have the battery, and the large compartment will have a plastic box with a closable drain to use as a cooler or dry storage.
I'll foam under and around the big box to add rigidity and keep it stable.

View attachment 118156

I'll cut a hatch in the front V deck piece to keep a small anchor and the rod in this front compartment.

This is what I have so far.

I used mostly 1/16" 1-1/5" aluminum angles.
1/8" 1-1/2" angle is used for the front seat base cage

I'm debating adding livewell plumbing to the big box in the bow. I would not have to use it if I did not need it.
It seems like a livewell will be an overkill for such a small boat. I'm not planning on doing the tournaments in this boat.

Question:

Would you put a livewell in?
If you would, would you put it into this big box in the bow (with an overflow drain somewhere in 1/2 of the height so it would not fill full of water)
or add a separate smaller livewell somewhere closer to the middle? Again, the plumbing will not take up much space and it does not have to be used.

How useful livewell on such a small boat if you are not doing the tournaments?
What ever I keep, I eat, so livewells are not needed and I don't tournament fish, so for me they are extra storage !
 
Some more progress

The floor is in and front hatch for the anchor cut out.

I used 1/4" foamed PVC for the floor because it's supported by the beams and the foam almost 100%. I'd prefer aluminum sheet there but one sheet of the 0.06 is almost $400 and anything thicker is even more expensive.

I do not like plywood because there is no way to keep it waterproof with all the holes which will be made by the frame on top.

No wood is in this boat.

View attachment 118194

Back deck and seating bench roughed in

View attachment 118195

View attachment 118196
Unless you leave it out in the weather, plywood won't wear out in your lifetime. I have a 1992 Sylvan with a plywood floor from the factory, all original, no sign of any deterioration !! Prior boat was a 1983, replaced rhe floor because it set out in the weather....don't let horror stories and lack of maintenence scare you away. However, that floor looks good...not sure I know what you are using ?
 
I
Unless you leave it out in the weather, plywood won't wear out in your lifetime. I have a 1992 Sylvan with a plywood floor from the factory, all original, no sign of any deterioration !! Prior boat was a 1983, replaced rhe floor because it set out in the weather....don't let horror stories and lack of maintenence scare you away. However, that floor looks good...not sure I know what you are using ?
I used 1/4" sheet of foamed PVC for the floor. It's just a bit softer than plywood but waterproofed and doesn't require any treatment.
Was ~ $70 USD from a local plastic supplier
 
What ever I keep, I eat, so livewells are not needed and I don't tournament fish, so for me they are extra storage !

I thought so as well. I'll just put a closable drain in one of the boxes in case I want to make a temporary livewell there
 
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have a 12' 1960's SeaKing that I've been doing some rehab as well and love all the pics. I've thought about a livewell as well, but it seems I'm not catching enough fish each outing that a cooler (for adult beverages) can't accommodate...Just means consumption of those adult beverages to make room! {:>). Looks great and look forward to seeing more updates. Thanks for sharing!!
 
Hi guys,

Thank you for the wealth of knowledge and experience of this forum.

I wanted to share my take on the 12' boat conversion and see if you notice any issues with my approach or have any suggestions.
I had to go with 12' because it will be my transportation/exploring dinghy on a bigger boat during the summer, and it has to fit on a 12' deck.
It will be my fishing / fun boat in spring and fall to use on the small waters of Ontario.

Original purchased package

View attachment 118157


View attachment 118151

All cleaned up:

View attachment 118152

I will put Fasco Epoxies Super Slick 2000 Epoxy Bottom Coating below the waterline and keep the top side bare as brushed aluminum.

After taking out the seats and old foam, the boat weights 105LB
I want to keep track of the weight because the boat with the engine will have to be raised and lowered by my deck crane with 500LB capacity.

View attachment 118159


When I started working on the subfloor, the first problem I noticed was with the drainage.

If I do this again, I will look for a boat with drain/reinforcement ribs going from the bow to the stern for proper drainage.
On this boat, if left as is, there would be 1" of water left in each section, and this is not acceptable for me.

To address this, I was thinking of using rigid foam to fill most bottom sections and fiberglass and epoxy resin to flatten the middle channel but because the boat is almost flat in the second 50%, there would be a lot of epoxy involved.

So, I decided to cut out the drain in each rib and reinforce each rib it with the aluminum angle to compensate for the lost rigidity.

Here is the cutout and reinforcement:

View attachment 118153

Each rib has a second angle for the subfloor plus the subfloor itself. I feel like this will be enough to keep those ribs from collapsing.
This is not ideal, but I could not think of any other solution here to keep water flowing to the bilge pump.
I also filled the space under the floor with rigid form panels and high-density polyurethane-based (it's structural after curing)

View attachment 118155


Old transom was replaced with 3/4 HDPE plastic for the main piece and motor mount panel.
I decided not to do the transom cutout because i'm still within the outboard engine specs height, and it will give me 2" more freeboard on the stern.
I put 1/4" rubber gasket between the motor mount and the transom to reduce the vibrations sent to the hull.

View attachment 118158

The front section is almost done.
The small port compartment will have the battery, and the large compartment will have a plastic box with a closable drain to use as a cooler or dry storage.
I'll foam under and around the big box to add rigidity and keep it stable.

View attachment 118156

I'll cut a hatch in the front V deck piece to keep a small anchor and the rod in this front compartment.

This is what I have so far.

I used mostly 1/16" 1-1/5" aluminum angles.
1/8" 1-1/2" angle is used for the front seat base cage

I'm debating adding livewell plumbing to the big box in the bow. I would not have to use it if I did not need it.
It seems like a livewell will be an overkill for such a small boat. I'm not planning on doing the tournaments in this boat.

Question:

Would you put a livewell in?
If you would, would you put it into this big box in the bow (with an overflow drain somewhere in 1/2 of the height so it would not fill full of water)
or add a separate smaller livewell somewhere closer to the middle? Again, the plumbing will not take up much space and it does not have to be used.

How useful livewell on such a small boat if you are not doing the tournaments?
For me, personally, on such a small boat I would try and stay with the "need" to stuff. That way it should keep the weight down and the freeboard up. Every decision will be a trade off. Your boat, your decision, Keep up the great work.
 
For me, personally, on such a small boat I would try and stay with the "need" to stuff. That way it should keep the weight down and the freeboard up. Every decision will be a trade off. Your boat, your decision, Keep up the great work.
If I stay with the "need" things, I would just keep the tin as is and put a plastic box in it to store things. But where's the fun in that? 😀

My wife asked me how much I spent on this little boat so far. I told her: "remember the 30-year honeymoon in Europe you dreamed about? Well, now we can go fishing instead"
This wonderful news was not received well 💔

This boat is rated for 3 people and the engine which is 1 person too many anyway for 12' boat. After "upgrade", I reckon it'll still be safe for 2 people. And I will weight the boat after I'm done to know exactly how much I added.
 
Not sure I have ever saw that stuff. .Gonna look it up. 1/4" will hold your weight?
Not at all but it does not have to because it's just "the skin" and all the weight is supported by the beams and foam under it. The trick is to level the foam properly which took some time but the floor weight next to nothing compare to 3/4 plywood i'd have to use without foam support under it.
 
Some more progress today.

Seats with new seat bases and rigid foam for flotation and support were installed back. This is the same type as the pink foam from home depot.

1000020030.jpg

I loosely glued 2" pieces together with construction glue compatible with the foam, cut drain channels and sealed with the water based wood floor finish which I have left from another project.
If you will be buying paint for this anyway, epoxy based garage floor paint will work well to seal the foam and there are some inexpensive options.

1000020033.jpg

second big box with a closable drain was installed, attached and cut 1/2" above the beams to give it a lip or whatever it's called to keep water going around it and not inside.

1000020046.jpg

I added drain holes in every compartment and sealed all the edges with Sika 291 marine sealer.
This was a great find. It's similar to 3M 5200 to be used above and below waterline but it's less expensive and way easier to work with. I've got grey color but it's actually almost black. They have white as well which I will use to seal outside edges before installing the EVA foam.

1000020037.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 1000020034.jpg
    1000020034.jpg
    151.9 KB
  • 1000020033.jpg
    1000020033.jpg
    167.3 KB
If I stay with the "need" things, I would just keep the tin as is and put a plastic box in it to store things. But where's the fun in that? 😀

My wife asked me how much I spent on this little boat so far. I told her: "remember the 30-year honeymoon in Europe you dreamed about? Well, now we can go fishing instead"
This wonderful news was not received well 💔

This boat is rated for 3 people and the engine which is 1 person too many anyway for 12' boat. After "upgrade", I reckon it'll still be safe for 2 people. And I will weight the boat after I'm done to know exactly how much I added.
View attachment 118216
If I stay with the "need" things, I would just keep the tin as is and put a plastic box in it to store things. But where's the fun in that? 😀

My wife asked me how much I spent on this little boat so far. I told her: "remember the 30-year honeymoon in Europe you dreamed about? Well, now we can go fishing instead"
This wonderful news was not received well 💔

This boat is rated for 3 people and the engine which is 1 person too many anyway for 12' boat. After "upgrade", I reckon it'll still be safe for 2 people. And I will weight the boat after I'm done to know exactly how much I added.
whatever you decide on adding just be sure to leave room for some fish...lol
 
View attachment 118216

whatever you decide on adding just be sure to leave room for some fish...lol
I did. 2 huge boxes more than 170L/45 Gal in total. Both with a drain to use as an ice box or close off and make an aquarium. I wonder if keeping fish in those boxes counts as a flotation volume because fish do not sink.
 
Just looking at the number of seat bases, hope you don't plan on taking that many people out on a fishing trip...your boat is probably only rated for two after all your mods.
 
Geez that looks like it's going to be awful heavy. May not even work well for one person.
 
Just looking at the number of seat bases, hope you don't plan on taking that many people out on a fishing trip...your boat is probably only rated for two after all your mods.
Of cause not. I'll have only 2 seats. Extra bases are for optional seating locations. One in the bow can be used with one of the seats on a pedestal.
 

Latest posts

Top