Monark rebuild

[thad.]

Hi! I have been reading a bunch (and using the Search button) and I'm really happy to find this forum.

I recently purchased a 16 ft Monark that I am gutting and turning into a stripped down marsh fishing machine. It had already been converted from a console to tiller steer. I'm going to leave it like that for now and concentrate on making it as efficient as possible for speckled trout fishing.

I stripped out all the old carpet, dry rotted deck, mis-matched seats, and plywood casting deck on front. I'm not going to paint it (for now) and getting all the carpet adhesive out is an ongoing struggle. I usually only have a few minutes here and there to work on it.

I had no idea of all the possibility in rebuilding an aluminum boat until I saw this forum. Now I'm worried that I may be missing some great, easy, inexpensive mod. Any cool, cheap ideas that y'all want to throw out there?

 

[thad.]

I didn't notice this until after I bought it. Looks like somebody used too long screws to screw down the deck and missed the channels.

 

[thad.]

I just realized that the pictures in the first post are in reverse order. It looks like I did the crappiest restoration in the history of aluminum boats!
LOL.

The bottom picture is what it looked like when I bought it. The top picture is after I ripped everything out.

I would really appreciate some ideas!
I'm torn between making a bench with storage and just a pedestal seat aft to run the motor from. I can't decide between two seats or three. I'm trying to decide whether to bring the front deck further back for a casting platform. I have to build a trolling motor mount and I need some cool wiring ideas for lights, etc.

Tell me what I should do!
Thanks for your help.

 

[tccanoe]

Welcome aboard. Monark makes a good boat. Looking at this one, I think I would take all that flotation, that is built up port and starbard, out. Build up a deck fore and aft with flotation below. That way, you would have more deck space to move around and place hatches, a rod locker and a live well. That's just looking at pics. I don't have eyes on the boat so don't give this idea more than a grain of salt. But welcome.

 

[DuraCraft]

I just realized that the pictures in the first post are in reverse order. It looks like I did the crappiest restoration in the history of aluminum boats!
LOL.

The bottom picture is what it looked like when I bought it. The top picture is after I ripped everything out.

I would really appreciate some ideas!
I'm torn between making a bench with storage and just a pedestal seat aft to run the motor from. I can't decide between two seats or three. I'm trying to decide whether to bring the front deck further back for a casting platform. I have to build a trolling motor mount and I need some cool wiring ideas for lights, etc.

Tell me what I should do!
Thanks for your help.

Hehe, I wondered about that. Order of posting. But, man, I think you will have a great boat; you already do! And, as you go along, it will get better. Keep us posted.

 

[thad.]

Thanks, guys.

At this point I think I am suffering from Analysis Paralysis. There are sooooo many cool possibilities that I can't seem to wrap my head around even one.

I was totally against painting it but after reading about the roll and tip method of painting I think I'll tackle it in the spring. I'm back and forth on Steelflex. It doesn't have any leaks but that crappy patch job on the bow has me worried. I don't even know what it was patched with or if Steelflex would adhere.

I'm pretty sure I don't want carpet. I catch waaaaaaay too many fish to want to try to clean all that slime out of carpet.
8)

I guess I will put flotation in the floor. My local Lowe's doesn't have 2 inch foam. I'll check the one across town tomorrow and then decide between two part, foam board, or none. And then decide whether to put 1/2 or 3/4 plywood down.

I'm assuming that the gaping whole in the starboard gunwhale is where the steering console used to be. I guess I'll rivet a thin sheep of aluminum over it.

What's killing me is that it is Prime Time for specks in the marsh and I can't get caught up with work to go. The first chance I get it's going no matter what it looks like. By the time the fish see how ugly it is they'll be flopping on the deck and headed for the ice chest!

 

[tccanoe]

Thad, Like I said. If you're going to put flotation and a deck down, I would pull all that aluminum out with the flotation on the sides. I would not patch the spot where the console hole is. I would just take it all out and start over clean. You have a big stable boat there and it seems to me that your space could be put to better use. Can you tell if your old flotation is water-logged or not? That might be the telling factor. Looking back at your pics, I can see the front deck is mounted on the (for lack of a better word) flotation-housing. That would be an easy way to bring the deck back with less bracing needed along the way. It's probably enough flotation as is if it's in good conditon. I can see why you're in overload. I'll shut up now.

 

[thad.]

OK, I missed what you were saying at first. I like the idea of ripping out the flotation compartments or whatever they are but I would still have to cover over the ribs on the sides. I'm not sure that I will gain a lot of space, unless I'm missing something.


I found one leak.


I ripped off the rotten plywood deck extension. This compartment is all that's left. It isn't attached to the sidewalls. They run up to it.

The transom seems solid, but it sure is ugly. Not sure what to do about all the holes and patches.


I don't need a livewell. I'm going to make a removable bait well out of an ice chest. I only need bait in the summer.
I need space for an ice chest for fish.

Rod storage is nice but rod holders will do.

I need a fish finder. I'm leaning toward this one:
https://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=739339&categoryId=0&parentCategoryId=0&subCategoryId=0&indexId=0&itemGUID=6176b008ac10705653c0f47a2d40d097&destination=/checkout/basket.jsp
I don't need anything very fancy. I just need to be able to locate channels and dropoffs.

I like the idea of a bench in back with dry storage. I have to decide whether to mount a seat or two on it. I have to make sure I can run the motor from where I'm sitting. A really jacked up left shoulder will make that interesting.

Also, neither Lowe's here in town has two inch foam. I'm going to Jackson tomorrow so I'll check there. I need to find a local source for aluminum tubing, I guess.

Thanks for *any* input or ideas!

 

[tccanoe]

Thad, Look at the post "Alumacraft 1648 (updated 9/7/10)" down below. It's close to what you have and looks good. Exposed ribs are no problem but you could cut the aluminum you pull off to flat sheeting and put it back over your ribs. Then bring your flooring up two feet or so and put expanding foam under that with storage placed in the floor and seating where you want it. That would give you a nice big walk around stable safe boat.

 

[BaitCaster]

Nice looking project boat. I'm looking forward to watching your progress.

 

[thad.]

Nice looking project boat. I'm looking forward to watching your progress.

Thanks. I'm not sure how much I'll get done before spring. Right now is prime fishing time so any real spare time I get I hope to be on da bayou.
Before long it will be too cool to Steelflex and paint.

 

[seasprite]

Nice Boat!! What a find. Well built boat. You have the before pictures, now were looking forward to the during and after. I'm in the same process of restoration on my boat. Winter is coming as I rush to get as much done as I can. You have yourself a nice vessel there, stick with it. This forum is a fantastic resource.

 

[benjineer]

Thad, I'm in Laurel. Call Laurel Machine and Foundry for metal. I got 25ft sticks of 1-1/2" x 1/8" structural angle for under $50 ea. I don't think they charge much to cut it if you don't have a way to handle it. There's also a Garmin color gps/fishfinder on h'burg craigslist boat section for $400. Might want to look at that. There's also a 12V SW TM on there. I have the same exact use in mind for my project. I haven't put it in the salt yet, but the time is near. Caught some nice white trout last Sat. in Gautier.

 

[tccanoe]

Thad, You've got a nice solid platform to build on. I'm not trying to push you. It's your boat and you should do it the way you want to. I'm glad other tinners are chiming in with ideas and assistance. Who would of thought all those years ago when Bass Tracker started making working-man/woman fishing boats it would lead to this kind of mod site. How cool. Who knows what this could kick off.

 

[thad.]

Thad, You've got a nice solid platform to build on. I'm not trying to push you. It's your boat and you should do it the way you want to. I'm glad other tinners are chiming in with ideas and assistance. Who would of thought all those years ago when Bass Tracker started making working-man/woman fishing boats it would lead to this kind of mod site. How cool. Who knows what this could kick off.

Oh, I didn't take it as pushing. I asked for ideas so thanks for the input!

Thanks, Benjineer. I'll definitely check out Laurel Machine and Foundry.

 

[DaveInGA]

Answers to a couple questions you had in red:

I stripped out all the old carpet, dry rotted deck, mis-matched seats, and plywood casting deck on front. I'm not going to paint it (for now) and getting all the carpet adhesive out is an ongoing struggle.

Look in my build for chemicals/solution to getting the carpet adhesive out. Link in my sig below. Should solve the carpet glue problem.


I had no idea of all the possibility in rebuilding an aluminum boat until I saw this forum. Now I'm worried that I may be missing some great, easy, inexpensive mod. Any cool, cheap ideas that y'all want to throw out there?

Best thing to do is to read through the restoration links at the top of this forum. Here's a quick link to that:

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3156

 

[thad.]

Thanks, Dave.

Carpet adhesive is just about gone. Just needed more than 10th minutes at a time to work on it. I had a bad stomach virus yesterday so since I had to stay *close to home* anyway I knocked a lot of it out between pit stops.

I have gone through most of the restoring threads looking for ideas. I'm gonna fish in it a little while today and try to make a decision on the layout.

 

[thad.]

Well, I blooded the boat this afternoon.
Went down to the coast for a little while and caught 2 reds and 3 flounders.