MMF'S-1990 Tracker TX-17 Alum Build (FINAL PIX 10/22/11)

[reedjj]

Really cool.

 

[mmf]

Thanks reedjj, still alot of work ahead!

 

[mmf]

Well, nothing done the past 2 days, it has been almost 100 degrees when I get off work and in the full sun where it is. I think I'm gonna move it under a shade tree so I can get something done in the afternoons after work. I was going to do just that awhile back but I started thinking "tree sap and bird crap", don't want either getting in the boat but maybe I can suffer a little... #-o

 

[mmf]

Got the other side panel cut out fitted and riveted in this evening thanks to a break in the heat, terrible storm yesterday with intense lightning, fried my DSL router and a networking card, just now back on the net. I will post pix tomorrow....

 

[mmf]

After 100 degree temps, it turns cool a 64 degrees but raining so no work this evening but I managed to take a few shots of the side panel......

this is the original panel now underneath the new one and now longer too

new side skinned over with another panel

Tomorrow I am going to cut the bottom bench seat composite boards and attach them with stainless screws and nuts from McMaster-Carr. The area underneath the bench seat will be filled with pool noodles to add a bit of floatation. I did not put ANY floatation in the floor area, I want to keep that area completely clear for drainage and I don't want any water soaked mess later down the line. Still have to attach the console after I cut out another piece of DP for the area right in front of it, it will be for storage and have one of the original aluminum hatches mounted on it except it will have a DP cover riveted over the top of the hatch, after that on to putting in the rear floor.

 

[fish2keel]

What a slick rig! I would love to own this boat! Keep up the good work

 

[mmf]

THANK YOU fish2keel! been alot of work and more to go..........got some more work done today, finished the bench seat made of composite "wood" imitation. This stuff is $25 a board but has a 50 year warranty and is made of recycled plastic bottles. I like it but it is expensive, I wish my porch deck was made of it but I would hate to see the price! Any way here's the bench seat I made, fastened with 1/4" stainless hardware.......

Had to drill a couple of access holes thru lower seat back so I could get to the nuts and I also bolted the middle filler panel where the old livewell used to go, I wanted this removable just in case I ever need to get to the underseat area, there will be a larger size hatch door right over top of this area when I am finished so I will be able to get to the bolts and nuts.

temporarily set the rear deck covering over top of the rear deck to get a view of what it might look like overall, although, it will have the large fuel tank battery hatch and the other storage hatch cut out when it is finished along with a seat base........

Got to back-up next and make the DP for the forward console and attach the console as well, will post as I go!...............

 

[fish2keel]

That board is nice! I have it on a pier. The stuff is amazing but the price is hard to swallow.

Whats the info on that seaark in the back ground?

 

[mmf]

That board is nice! I have it on a pier. The stuff is amazing but the price is hard to swallow.

Whats the info on that seaark in the back ground?

That is my big fishing boat. I use it mainly for striper and big catfishing. It is 24 ft. long and has a 8 ft. beam. It is powered by a 150 HP Mercury Black Max and has a 9.9 Yamaha kicker motor. I have not modified as of yet but I will put in a floor sometime but it will cost me on that one. I also have thought many times of putting in a pilothouse cabin in it too and increasing the length of the front deck. One of these days in the future I will get to it, but I must sell a thing or two to fund that one, like the 1959 Lone Star I have for sale (beside the Tracker) pix of it here: https://picasaweb.google.com/111968...&authkey=Gv1sRgCJ7Frea--7maBw&feat=directlink

 

[mmf]

This morning I got my front console storage area cover all cut out and installed except the lid is not finished yet, also had to make and install 2 braces for the decking to attach to on the fron and side. Tracker had their hatch frames mounted over top of the flooring and they would look like crap if I did them that way so I attached the hatch frame from beneath the deck. I am covering the original hatch door with DP but the hinge does not work out correctly so I am going to mount some surface mount stainless hinges on the lid, they will look nice and work much better that the el-cheapo aluminum piano hinge tracker used, now I need to buy some on Ebay, I found them for around $8 a pair. Here is some pics of today's progress..........

hatch area showing the crappy tracker hinge

 

[mmf]

Well I have been re-thinking the existing hinge on that lid...I might just try trimming the DP cover to right past the hinge line (I'm being a tight wad now). It might not be too bad after I drill the rivets out to remove that old piece of carpet behind it and re-rivet it back, it will leave a gap at the hinge area but once it is painted it won't be so noticable, besides, it's just a fishing boat anyway, huh?

thinking also about drilling 3 holes (see arrow on pic) to add three more rod tubes here in an effort to eliminate the extra hole still here too.............

 

[mmf]

A good friend of mine at work came over this evening and helped hold some screws for me while I crawled in the inside of the boat and installed the nuts on a plate to seal off the lower unused thru-hull fitting hole that was left on the boat. Both of us were pouring sweat as it was 98 degrees and heat index of 105. I'm glad it did not take long to get this done, but I'm glad he helped me because I could not reach around to get it myself like the other one I did before. Now I can start putting the fuel/battery compartment floor back in etc. Bottom left hole on picture is what I covered today, looks just like the other plate on the right you can see.......

 

[Jonboat Jerry]

Beautiful metal work! Nice tight seams everywhere. I was org looking for a Sea Ark 24
when I stumbled on this 20. It sounds like your plans for it, is where I'm going. Nice work! =D>

 

[Derek]

looks good. Wish I could have done all aluminum.

 

[mmf]

Beautiful metal work! Nice tight seams everywhere. I was org looking for a Sea Ark 24
when I stumbled on this 20. It sounds like your plans for it, is where I'm going. Nice work! =D>

that is a nice boat you have too! yea, it will cost a pretty penny to do my sea ark when I am able too. I need to get in some much needed fishing time when the weather cools in autumn/fall, I'm not much of a hot weather fisherman inshore but I will hang with the best of them in salt water (my favorite) I always wanted to live at the coast........thanks for the good words and I'm watchin your project!

 

[mmf]

looks good. Wish I could have done all aluminum.

thank you Darek. I had to sell a couple of my outboards to finance the aluminum project, otherwise I would still be on the sidelines watching everyone else do theirs. I'm just tired of having to replace wood etc on my regular fishing boats and I'm 60 now and I don't have the energy I did when I was younger but I try. Wood is fine if you have a dry place to keep your boat but I do not at the moment although I would like to buy me a couple of those metal carports to keep my fishing boats under, but just don't have the funds for this now!
Thank you for the reply!
PS..I think your boat came out great anyway, you did a good job of it!

 

[Derek]

Thanks, I do have another question, and I might have already missed the answer. Are you putting carpet in this boat? That diamond plate is going to give horrible reflections in the sun, unless toy are trying to tan "where the sun don't shine" up your shorts. In my boat the rear, all aluminum, deck is much hotter under my feet then the wood front deck.

 

[mmf]

Thanks, I do have another question, and I might have already missed the answer. Are you putting carpet in this boat? That diamond plate is going to give horrible reflections in the sun, unless toy are trying to tan "where the sun don't shine" up your shorts. In my boat the rear, all aluminum, deck is much hotter under my feet then the wood front deck.

I have not quite decided as of yet, I have been thinking of just painting. Actually, it does not get any hotter than my big Sea Ark, though both of them get so hot right now in the full sun all day that either one will burn you. I do not fish in the hottest part of the year anyway unless I am at the coast. I mainly fish the fall, winter and spring.

 

[mmf]

OK, the weekend and we have had 115 degree heat index with 100 degree temps, miserable from noon on so I got up and went to the boat.

First I backed up to the console and went to work on mounting it. The original boat had 3/4" plywood on the top and the front edge of the console sat down on the floor at the front of it but since that top thickness has now changed to 3/16" so I found it necessary to remove the plywood mounting brace underneath the console that was glassed in to the console.

Then I installed a piece of aluminum angle underneath the console at the right height for the 3/16" DP, then riveted the angle to the console and installed 10-24 stainless hardware to the bracket and the console support. Next, I riveted the opposite side bracket (aluminum) of the console to the side plate of the boat.

After console was mounted, I needed to seal 5 screw holes where the speedometer and the flasher transducer was mounted since I will not be using these devices, for this I used my stainless steel rivets that are threaded with nuts that I get from Florida Auto Fasteners on Ebay. I seal them with the black PL Adhesive flashing sealer from Lowe's. Messy but this stuff turns into a hard rubber compound that seals excellent. I wait till it has cured then I clean off the excess with a wire brush on a drill.

Next I started re-installing the rear lower floor for the tank and battery compartment, had to do alot of manipulating of the aluminum here to get it to go back in, the upright panel will attach to the seat bracket support when I get it in.

I am going to make me another transducer bracket like this one that is on my Sea Ark boat. It is made from a piece of 3/4" thick aluminum 2 inches wide. I do not want to drill any further holes thru the lower transom.

12 noon now and the metal is hot and I am covered in sweat already so I am getting out until late this evening. This is my sweetheart retriever, Guinaviere. She is my baby and we have had her since she was a puppy. The heat is rough on them too!

 

[mmf]

This weekend I installed the rear pedastal seat support and fitted it underneath with some of the composite board and bolted it back in with SS bolts and nuts. It originally had plywood on the bottom of that part, also installed the large rear fuel compartment hatch lid and rivited it all back up. Now I must carefully cut out 2 hatch openings out of the rear piece of diamond plate and make 2 lid covers out of the cut out pieces. Pictures will follow but it is raining outside now.