I bought this as a beat up, leaky, hole-filled hull back in February. 6 months, many hours of hard work, lots of welding & far too much money later.......
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat001.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat002.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat003.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat004.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat005.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat006.jpg)
I'm unsure what year the hull was built, but I'm guessing late '60s - early '70s. It's an 1850 with 20" sides. All 1/8" aluminum hull. I put in a wooden (yeuch) sub-floor to save a little cash. I coated the outside of the hull with airboat bottom paint (I don't recall the brand now) & had the interior sprayed out by Speedliner (Including under the subfloor.
The deck is 6' x 6' all welded aluminum (2x1 sides, front & back. 2x1 crossmembers every 12" & 2x2 angle fore-aft braces every 18". 2x2 box legs) with an 1/8" aluminum floor, screwed every 6" I painted it with roll on bedliner from Lowes.
The rail is built from 1" ERW conduit & the lights are E-Conolights 150W HPS.
I've run 2 lengths of LED ropelight around the inside of the gunwales.
I cut out the center seat to make 2 stub-seats & create a lot more floor space.
The console I reclaimed from a junkyard & mounted myself.
Engine is a 2004 Force 50hp & the troller is a 55lb 12v run off a DLS-45 Iota converter.
The camo job is rattle-can crap, but it's cheap!
I'll post up a couple of night-shots as soon as it gets dark!
Very cool sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
That's great Rob....your hard work paid off with a great boat that looks like it will light up the night! Awesome buddy :clapper:
rob
great job very professional looking
the only problem i see is with the squared up front if you step out past the side of the boat it may become pretty unstable
(at least it did on owlbaits 1660)
we ended up 45 ing the front corners
now go fill that ol girl with fish
kevin
Nice set up for sure. Can't wait to see it get wet and some pics!
Great Job,looks like a winner.
whoa rob dude, AWESOME float! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
First thing I thought about too Rob. Be careful on those corners until you see how stable she is. What kind of fish bucket are you going to use? Check out your weight ratings and think about how much your deck weighs. My boat was way over the rated limit at one time! Have fun and put some blood, guts and slime in her!!!
Serious rig with all those lights and set up. Awsome.
Robo,
Great place to sip coffee and eat pound cake, Dude! :)
Here's a few night shots.....
I bought this as a beat up, leaky, hole-filled hull back in February. 6 months, many hours of hard work, lots of welding & far too much money later.......
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat008.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat009.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat013.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/boat015.jpg)
That thing can really through out some light.
Now that is a boat to be proud of. You did a great job on that one.
That's a serious rig! Looking forward to the action pictures :thumbsup:
LOOKS GOOD. NOW GO HAVE SOME FUN.I LOVE MY BOWFISH'N
TXCP.
Can I come over and play? Nice work Rob!
That is one awesomely cool boat right there!
I looked into the LED rope lighting and that stuff ain't cheap! I really like the idea though. I've been wanting to put a floor in my 16' Lowe too. I'm trying to find an alternative to wood because of it being so heavy. Would really like to have an aluminum sheet metal floor, but I'm afraid it would be very expensive.
Looks like all your hard work paid off very well. :thumbsup:
Wow that is a nice job!!!
That is a great looking setup Rob
Awsome boat Rob - I would think all the weight you added will also make it ver stable but if you have issues with stability standing out on the corners you could try adding styrofoam under the floor in the bow(if there is room). Beats the heck out of my canoe that is for sure. Also, if you have not alreasy though of it and I am guessing that you have, I would put in a switch board to control the lights so you are only using the lights you need at any one time. This will keep most of the skeeters and other bugs in one spot and not everywhere.
Looks like room for two - do you take passengers if they buy gas???
Bob Urban
Nice work and looking good Rob. Carp beware!
Nice boat Rob!! Shut the grow op down when you took all the lights outa basement :D Get the motor to run on shine yet??? Have fun and don't fall out.
its going to look like aliens have landed on what ever body of water you are on!
WOW! Great rig, Rob.
Carparama Cruiser. Livin the good life, great job Rob!
You would wait till I move!
Looks great, man. Thats a lot of hard work to be proud of right there.
Looks liek all it needs now is some fish eggs and guts ;)
Nice boat :thumbsup:
Nice rig!! I'll bet you have done that before.
I think Wille Nelson would play on that stag! Sweet Rig!!
Awesome job, makes me a bit jealous!
No worries about standing out on a corner guys....... as long as Uncle Robbie is on the opposite corner...... :laughing:
Seriously, this is a very nice rig Rob has built here. Really like the thick bedliner coating on the inside and the choice of lights he made. It was 75% when we saw it in person last, turned out very nice Rob !
Wow Rob - Great job on that. Lots of fun in your future my friend!
QuoteOriginally posted by Shaun:
Can I come over and play? Nice work Rob!
I was thinking the same thing Shaun.
ROB, I like the way you roll brother.
Great lookin rig!
Great job!! Fixing the unfixable rocks. Killer flatboat for bowfishing. Get you on the Trinity River & you'd need a barge to carry the fish.
Very nice Rob!
I think the carp in TN are in for some trouble!
Looks great, enjoy!
:thumbsup: Superb!!!
Very nice Rob.
How do you keep the 2 lights under the deck from breaking? I would think they would get hot and water would break them.
Again, great job.
The 2 under deck lights are a pair of offroad driving lights. They're only 12v so they don't get too hot at all. Thy're really just there for night-navigation. Piloting the boat with all the lights on is a pain.
Man that is a sweet rig you have there.Nice job and good luck.
NOW I see what you were all fired up about!
Great looking rig!
Nice looking rig Rob. :bigsmyl:
Then share some pics and :campfire:
Great job!
I'm IN.
Don't forget the back up light!!!
Very nice rig!!!!
ha ha that is a serious Rig! Very nice brother
Great Job :readit:
Rob,
Great job -- just awesome my friend. Maybe the next time, I'll have to be your driver!!!!
Larry
Awesome job Rob :thumbsup: