Modest Modifications

[FishinsMyLife]

This isn't going to be some huge, jaw-dropping, deck-adding conversion, but I figure I'd post my progress to keep me working on it, if nothing else.

I've had a 12.5 fiberglass (blasphemy, I know) jon boat for a couple years now. I used it for pond-hopping and river-running. I threw it in the back of my brother's truck for transportation. He doesn't drive it anymore, so the boat has sat unused for a year or so. I'm off at school now, and the need for the boat has hit me. I've gotten the itch for killing some ducks, and of course the urge to catch fish has never left me.

Ideally, I'd be running a 1442 with a 25 or so on the back, but I'm working with what I have on my limited (college) budget. Over Christmas break, I've pulled the old boat out to get it ready for the water. Since I driver a Jeep Wrangler, I don't have the luxury of a truck bed, so I've been looking for a trailer. I picked one up today for $100. It can use some rust removal and hardware replacement, but it'll work.

After a lot of cleaning, sanding, and prep work, I'm starting to repaint it in the old school Mossy Oak Bottomland since I'm using it to get on some ducks. I've got the base color down so far. I'm probably going to add a manual powerpole type anchor system since that caught my eye in another thread. I may or may not add a blind and a frame, I haven't decided yet. Some additional storage is in order too. I'm stuck with a trolling motor (and a paddle) for power.

I'll try and keep this thread updated with my progress on the trailer and the boat for those who are interested.

Here are a couple pictures of the boat before any work.

Some fish pictures to keep it interesting.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Well,it catches fish !That's a very good start.

 

[PartsMan]

Neat boat you've got there!

Keep an eye out for a good deal on some ores and locks.
They are kind of expensive new but you can get around much better than a paddle.

 

[FishinsMyLife]

I know y'all like the "stand the boat is sitting on up front :lol: A propane cooker's burner, a couple bricks, a cooler, and a couple more bricks wrapped in a t-shirt to keep it from messing up the bottom of the boat.

The trailer still needs some work. One of the arms for the side bunk snapped off when I was driving it home, sending a 1 foot long piece of metal and a 5 foot board into the street behind me. The guy that ran over it drove up beside me all pissed off, but he didn't stop when I told him to pull over so I could apologize, so oh well.

I had to move the bunks in a notch so my boat would fit on them, but that turned out to be a little more complicated than just loosening some nuts..The nuts and bolts were extremely rusted, so I had to take to them with a chisel and the back of an axe head (what I had on hand :lol: ). I smashed my hand and took a good chunk of meat out between my middle and pointer fingers, but I got that hardware replaced, and nothing else NEEDED replacement for use, so I went ahead and got the boat wet for the first time in a while.

I still need to do the black on the camo, but I don't mind the way it looks for now.

I took it out on the river yesterday and caught one little trout while I tried out my pushpole (thanks Thad for the idea on that one). It pushes the boat faster than a paddle and with not too much effort, so I'm a fan.

I need to rig up some kind of holder right under the lip of the side of the boat on the outside with a couple small pieces of PVC that are slightly larger in diameter than the pole itself, if that makes sense..Any ideas for attaching a little PVC ring to the side of the boat without drilling?

 

[jspansel]

VERY COOL! Love the dog pics. Looks like a fun little boat.

 

[lbursell]

Nice looking little rig. Looks perfect for small water fishing. I like what you did with the camo. Are you sure your "fishing partner" doesn't own the boat. He looks like he's ready to take over as Captain.

 

[FishinsMyLife]

Added some pushpole holders to the side of the boat earlier today. I took 1.25 inch PVC couplings and epoxied them on the side of the boat. Also note the trolling motor leaning against the window (the one that's giving me trouble..), the deer skull in the bucket in the background (Euro mount), the pallet (firewood), and the tarp (that I pulled out to cover the boat from the rain the other day, but it had dried deer blood on it from a year ago that ended up getting wet and getting all over the boat) :lol:

 

[G3_Guy]

You've done a great job with your boat... it really looks awesome! I love the dog pictures too!! What kind of dog is that?

 

[FishinsMyLife]

The dog's an Australian Shepherd. Smart as a whip.

 

[Doug]

I like them, great mods on a small budget. I also like your dog, great companion.

It's enough to keep you busy between classes and studing.

Doug

 

[BaitCaster]

Great boat. Great examlpe of a grass-roots project done well.

I chuckled at the "no standing" signs until I saw how narrow it is!

 

[FishinsMyLife]

Yeah, it's 32 inches wide on the floor, so not the most stable boat. With some practice, it's no problem standing to pole it and to walk from the back to the front to get it off a log, but in the open water, walking will get you wet :lol: I taped over the "NO STANDING IN BOAT" stickers before I painted the boat and kept them just because I think it's funny the previous owner/manufacturer had to put them on there.

I'm eventually (read as: when funds permit) going to get a small mudmotor or cheap outboard to go on the back. It's only rated for a 3HP, so I won't be flying, but anything is better than a 30lb trolling motor.

 

[PartsMan]

I'm eventually (read as: when funds permit) going to get a small mudmotor or cheap outboard to go on the back. It's only rated for a 3HP, so I won't be flying, but anything is better than a 30lb trolling motor.

If you don't find a good used deal you could try one of these.
Not a "mud motor" but not water cooling to plug.
https://www.ioutboardmotors.com/25hpoutboardmotor2stroketest.html

 

[FishinsMyLife]

That's similar to what I was looking at. I run a lot of small rivers with submerged trees and something that's easily raised and lowered while running is ideal. Bookmarked that link =D>

 

[Topgun]

Or you could just put a prop on a weed-eater. :lol: