$500.00 budget, Free 60's Alumacraft, first project

[Spencer31st]

Pier is now a boathouse, and in honor of Columbus day (which I have off) the Santa Maria and I will take a long trip Monday.

 

[Brine]

Congrats. Best of luck on the maiden voyage.

 

[fender66]

Looks great! Awesome job! =D> =D>

 

[Spencer31st]

Hokie Pokie's got nothing - this is what it's all about! :lol:

 

[Brine]

You Da Man!

=D>

 

[fender66]

Hokie Pokie's got nothing - this is what it's all about! :lol:

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

 

[Spencer31st]

Your boat looks exactly like mine. I have my Grandfather's 1961 Alumacraft. Just pulled it into the garage and getting ready to make it a winter project for my son and me. Thanks for the pic of the boat on the water. Gives me a general idea of how the boat rides and the water level. Please let us know how it rides with the finished mods.

Rides great with two adults and a dog in it, hopefully this will help you see how it rides loaded.

 

[fender66]

Looks great to me. Congrats on a successful project. Now show us some fish pictures. :wink:

 

[Spencer31st]

Not a tin boat but I thought you all might appreciate our camper at Talladega last weekend, needless to say - it was a BIG hit!

 

[thorny]

Hey Spencer, Very nice job! I have an 50's or 60's Alumacraft model F and she looks very close to your Alumacraft. I'm in the middle of the build with her and was going for a similar deck and floor build. Do you have any more pics of the frame up on the deck and floor? Also I am curious about image #4, there appears to be a drain hole in the hull and it looks like it is supposed to be there. Do you have any close up pics of this. I ask because in the exact same spot on my hull someone rivited a thick peice of aluminum patch over it along with some sort of sealant. I would like to see if this is what was covered up on mine. I also have the through hull plug below the transom. Not sure why there would be two holes back there but I saw yours and was curious. Thanks in advance.

 

[jjkc]

Great looking boat, and nice work!!

 

[kinshin250r]

great job!!!! how has the paint held up?

 

[Gators5220]

Nice little fishable boat, where u under budget?

 

[Spencer31st]

Little update 7 months after putting it in the water,

Hasn't leaked one drop of water in it and has stayed in the boat house floating the whole time, I didn't have the drain plug so I put a plumbing fixture in the bottom with a 1" plug and coated it all with the same water proof paint as the hull.

It really has been a fun little boat and I use it so much that I had to replace the front trolling motor with something bigger. It is a 40 LBS thrust Motor Guide from Wal-Mart. Originally $499 but since the box was torn they sold it to me for $299. It never hurts to ask!

 

[Spencer31st]

Good times!

 

[fender66]

That's great! Hope you have lures tied to her feet. She could land a limit in one swim. :LOL2:

 

[novaman]

Wonderful, Simply wonderful! Congrats on a beautiful project =D> =D> =D> Nice to see such budget restraint, now if only You could teach that to our government. :wink: Great to see the family pics, that's what lifes all about 8)

 

[Spencer31st]

How it sits now, put some accessories on it. Rod holder, Fish Finder, new trolling motor, battery and box. Took a dash mounted battery meter and cut a hole in the top of the battery box, siliconed around it and mounted. Works well, out of the way and keeps me from staying out too long.

Onboard batter charger also: pull in, plug up, and it's ready to go the next time.

 

[Spencer31st]

I also put battery powered LED lights under the seats, light the boat up nicely without blinding you. It's also easy to tie knots at night since all you have to do is hold the lure below your knees. They rotate with the seats so whichever direction you are facing you have light.


Total cost still under $1000.00, doubt I'll ever get rid of this boat.