15' Lakesport Flats Tiller Conversion

[zachw]

About a year ago I snagged this 2006 15' Lakesport for cheap. It was side console with a 50 hp 1973 Evinrude Lark motor. At the time I didn't know anything about the motor but figured the boat was cheaper than if I bought the aluminum and started from scratch. Turns out I'll get rid of the motor and just keep the hull.

I'll be converting this from side console to tiller steer for use as a hunting, river, and flats fishing boat. Should be fun.

My plans:
- remove everything (done!) the pour in foam had filled in the space under all of the ribs, so the boat didn't drain. Nightmare to clean out.
- strip paint, old foam, etc and fix a few cracked welds, reinforce as needed
- transom pods and jack plate (most likely, still thinking about this)
- frame out a new front deck,large storage box on the port side, battery compartment, partial rear deck over the fuel tank, some kind of storage on the starboard side (probably narrower)
- aluminum floors and hatches

 

[LDUBS]

Nice boat and that had to take a lot of elbow grease to remove all that foam. Are you going to replace it with expanding pour in foam or foam sheets? In my always humble opinion, if an enclosed area and you can get away with sheets I would take that route. Then if you ever have any reason to remove it down the road, it will be easy.

If you want to sell the side console, it seems like there are always guys looking for one.

 

[zachw]

Nice boat and that had to take a lot of elbow grease to remove all that foam. Are you going to replace it with expanding pour in foam or foam sheets? In my always humble opinion, if an enclosed area and you can get away with sheets I would take that route. Then if you ever have any reason to remove it down the road, it will be easy.

If you want to sell the side console, it seems like there are always guys looking for one.

Definitely foam sheets. Do the pink hardware store sheets soak up any water?

 

[eeshaw]

Oh boy, I'm having a flash back. Looks like what I started to do with mine many moons ago. I can relate to what you've done so far. I went the opposite way though, mine started out tiller and ended up a standing console. Good luck!

 

[zachw]

Oh boy, I'm having a flash back. Looks like what I started to do with mine many moons ago. I can relate to what you've done so far. I went the opposite way though, mine started out tiller and ended up a standing console. Good luck!

Nice. You have a thread on it? Also, did I read you're doing transom pods?

 

[LDUBS]

Nice boat and that had to take a lot of elbow grease to remove all that foam. Are you going to replace it with expanding pour in foam or foam sheets? In my always humble opinion, if an enclosed area and you can get away with sheets I would take that route. Then if you ever have any reason to remove it down the road, it will be easy.

If you want to sell the side console, it seems like there are always guys looking for one.

Definitely foam sheets. Do the pink hardware store sheets soak up any water?

I don't know but suspect there is no such thing as a foam that is 100% waterproof. Polystyrene seems to be commonly used for floats and I think that is what styrofoam and insulation boards are made of. I think the a best practice would be to make sure any water will drain away. Then the foam doesn't have an opportunity to soak it up.

 

[eeshaw]

No thread, I did most of it before joining. The pods are going to be a winter project.