# Project Greenie – Making it mine.



## beyondhelp

This is what I started with:
















The first thing to go was the seat up front as it was extremely flimsy and the kids insisted on riding up there even with it threatening to tear off. 
The OD green paint was next, it was so unbearably hot to stand on that standing on a wet towel was painful. Between that and itchies every time you touched the boat, I painted the inside.


----------



## beyondhelp

This helped and I was happy for a while.  But, you can see there was a bunch of rot and some questionable construction going on underneath the deck up front.








More than I thought so I tore it out…


----------



## beyondhelp

I think I patched 50+ holes in the bow alone. 








Painted some more and we’re back on the water…


----------



## beyondhelp

I have been enjoying it in the most recent version for some time now. But, as usual I had a few issues to look after. Not pictured are a few cracks and such in the bottom that have occurred over the last 25+ years. Most importantly I wasn’t happy with the way the boat was balanced. It always seemed to squat in the stern and I always feared being swamped.


----------



## beyondhelp

Not much freeboard at the transom.








Especially when the girls are climbing around on it. If it looks like this with them on it, it can’t be any better when I am driving.


----------



## beyondhelp

Compounding my fears was the fact that the water in the front two sections wouldn’t drain very quickly to the stern where the bilge pump lives.
So, I tore everything apart. I knew the benches had wet foam in them but I was amazed at how much it weighed. A one foot cube weighed around ten pounds ad it was all wet. So it came out.


----------



## beyondhelp

So here’s what I’ve got now…








This picture was taken a while ago, I built decks front and rear and a slightly raised floor with two stringers and glassed everything in roughly. But, I didn’t like the way it turned out and I discovered some bad spots in the floor that I had to address before I covered it up permanently (ish) 
So I stripped everything out again, flipped the boat and ground 5 or 6 colors worth of paint off. 
Blue, Dark Green, Metallic Green, Latex Green, Olive Drab Green etc… you get the point.


----------



## beyondhelp

After grinding lots of paint off and sanding until I gave up, I repaired a bunch of screw holes cracks chips and bad stuff on the bottom of the boat. At one time someone glassed a few layers of mat down the keel and never faired it in. So I sanded and filled the rest of it the best I could knowing that the bottom won't ever be perfect. I'll settle for watertight. I'll post a pic of the newest green once I find my camera.


----------



## beyondhelp

Here’s what I am using for inspiration, I really like this boat and wish I had regular controls instead of a tiller, this would be it. 








I really like this as well. 
















I think I am going to end up with something similar to these. 
My budget will be the limiting factor.  The more I need to spend, the longer it will take me to finish so I am trying not to get too “creative” and incorporate a lot of features that will take forever to fabricate. Hopefully it won’t look too homegrown but after all is said and done, it will always be an ‘80’s Gamefisher. Kiss principle all the way. 


Here’s what I’m after. I want a lighter weight and balanced boat with plenty of room for the kids. I need the flexibility to jam a bunch of camping gear in the boat as well as a comfortable fishing platform. No plans for a trolling motor. I’m not attached to the platform either, I like it but only used it to sit on.
I was thinking of putting the battery up front and / or the gas tank up there under a short deck along with the anchor and coast guard gear. 
I want a flatter floor and some structure to stiffen the boat up where I cut out the benches. I hated having to step from bench to bench when docking or fishing etc… almost killed myself a few times.


----------



## Brett

Self bailing hull would be simple to build at this point.
Stringers and deck glassed in place. Foam filled.


----------



## beyondhelp

That's exactly what I'm after. I've been looking for information on how to convert this to self bailing but haven't had much luck yet. I'll be foaming the floor and may build boxes at the corners like the Inshore 16.

To clarify, I have studied the construction techniques etc... But not how to locate the drains. How do I decide how high to locate the subfloor? I don't want alot of weight so I want to keep the subfloor as low as possible, keeping as much gunwale height as possible.


----------



## Brett

Stringers are a basic installation.
1x6 set on edge, trimmed to fit the hull shape.
Sealed with resin. Bedded in resin paste/putty.
Fillet the hull stringer joints with resin putty.
Glass stringers to hull.
One stringer down the keel
another to port, and one to starboard.
Hardest part is getting the tops of the stringers all level.

Don't change the drain, build a sump to fit it.


----------



## topnative2

use to have a greenie-----i built a deck between the front deck and middle seat and placed the 6gal tank underneath it and the ride and transom height improved a lot
I am impreesed w/ your ideas and effort and can not wait to see the results
good luck-----measure twice 

k


----------



## snooknreds2

very cool project. I like how you are going to simplify the layout of the boat.


----------



## beyondhelp

Thanks! 

I didn't get much done this weekend because I was helping the wife plant trees. I'm hoping to get some sanding and grinding done so I'm ready when payday comes.


----------



## beyondhelp

Ok so I said I wasn’t going to get too creative nor was I going to add a bunch of difficult to fabricate features. Well, I deviated from the plan slightly. Please revisit this picture and this quote:



> I really like this boat and wish I had regular controls instead of a tiller, this would be it.












I figured out how to achieve this goal after all. 

Sadly, my best friend passed away several months ago leaving his derelict boat in my yard. His family finally decided to let the boat go as it would not have been economical to rebuild it. The boat was a center console with a 50hp Honda 4 stroke on it.  

I carefully disassembled the boat and saved several key pieces to assist me in rebuilding my boat. Before you call me a butcher please understand. As I cut open several sections of the boat including the floor were full of water. I had to wait 10 minutes for it to drain before I could finish cutting. I was amazed at how heavy the chunks of foam were. They “bled” water as I carried them to the curb.

I was left with a console, the rear deck and some miscellaneous chunks of fiberglass. And a 50hp Honda 4 stroke with built in trim and tilt, steering and all the controls. 





































With a little creative cutting and repositioning, I am left with this mock up. Rest assured the scraps of fiberglass in the bow will be replaced but I wanted to see how it looked and if the deck placement would work. I will be putting a center hatch in for the anchor locker and will probably plumb one compartment to be a live well/ cooler once I get it water tight. 





































Before I place my order, I need to know if E-Boat (the folks from www.boatbuildercentral.com) will handle walk in customers. I am going to pick up some epoxy and other supplies in a week or two and would love to save on shipping. 

Once I pick up some supplies I am going to start working on reinforcing the keel from the inside of the hull and adding the stringers and floor. 

ps. I know it looks sketchy now but this is the preliminary mock up to get the concept going.


----------



## rkmurphy

This is getting interesting...can't wait to see more.


----------



## paint it black

Looks like you got an idea and are sticking to it. It's looking like it's shaping up nicely.


----------



## Brett

While looking at boat porn this morn, found this...










I can see why you'd want to restore and customize your's.
It's a good looking hull when cleaned up.

link to the rest of the pics:

http://www.myfishpix.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/27706/cat/538/page/6


----------



## beyondhelp

It's hard to believe mine ever looked like that. Mine has had more holes drilled and patched improperly, cracks and everything else done to it. But it has a "personality" and it's paid for. 

Even with all the mods, repairs, repaints and such I'll still be in it for less money than I would have to spend to buy a running Carolina Skiff or even a Gheenoe and that's including the initial purchase price with motor and trailer. The 50hp Honda etc... was priced such that I couldn't pass it up.

I dream of restoring / modifying an Aquasport 22-2 and turning it into something like what Gause is building. But, I wanted to learn on something smaller.


----------



## rkmurphy

> I dream of restoring / modifying an Aquasport 22-2 and turning it into something like what Gause is building. But, I wanted to learn on something smaller.


I have the same dream. The flatback 22-2's are probably my favorite boats. I saw a Gause today, as a matter of fact, and I almost got emotional because of how beautiful it was. That style of boat is my dream boat. However, I don't have the patience to rebuild my own...so it's either pay someone or buy a Gause or Dorado. Only the future will tell...

Keep it up with the skiff, though...can't wait to see its progress.


----------



## flyfisheraa573

No offense...screw the boat...I'm digging the caddy in the garage!!!!! What are the specs on that yacht?!?!

Btw...the boats looks to be coming along very nicely! Keep up the great work!


----------



## beyondhelp

> No offense...screw the boat...I'm digging the caddy in the garage!!!!!  What are the specs on that yacht?!?!
> 
> Btw...the boats looks to be coming along very nicely!  Keep up the great work!


The Caddy is a 1968 DeVille Convertible. It was my dad's. He and I are going to start bringing it back to life in the fall. Small boat project first.  ;D

Here it is a few months ago when I was moving in.


----------



## flyfisheraa573

Beautiful!!!!! Seriously!!!! One of my favorite cars....I have always wanted one...and have the recurring daydream that I am going to find one tucked away in a barn that belonged to some old lady that is let go for a deal....haha...that's why it's a daydream!


----------



## B.Lee

> Before I place my order, I need to know if E-Boat (the folks from www.boatbuildercentral.com) will handle walk in customers. I am going to pick up some epoxy and other supplies in a week or two and would love to save on shipping.


Yes, they will allow you to come pick up your stuff. Select will call when you order, and call ahead.


----------



## snooknreds2

Yea Gause built boats are great looking and functional boats. I personally know the Gause family and they are probably the nicest people I have ever met. Very friendly and open hearted!!


As far as your project it is starting to take shape.. I love it!! 
Just be careful about the live well being up front. If the bow bounces while running you will be getting a constant shower of saltwater. Every boat is different, but I have been on one or two with the live well up front and every time it is the same story.


----------



## paint it black

> Yea Gause built boats are great looking and functional boats.  I personally know the Gause family and they are probably the nicest people I have ever met.  Very friendly and open hearted!!
> 
> 
> As far as your project it is starting to take shape.. I love it!!
> Just be careful about the live well being up front.  If the bow bounces while running you will be getting a constant shower of saltwater.  Every boat is different, but I have been on one or two with the live well up front and every time it is the same story.



Keep the lid closed? This happened to us cause my friend is a huge procrastinator and he never re-bolted his livewell doors back on. It's been months. To this day, he still hasn't bolted them back on. He just sits them in the space and they fit snug with the carpeting. 

:


----------



## beyondhelp

I had to take a break because I had family in town and the weather was less than perfect. I managed to get some work done yesterday and I'm really motivated to get going on it.

I removed a bunch of bad fiberglass and adhesive and found another horrible patch job.

I got the stringers laid out, I just need to pick up some 1x3's for each side. I'll patch the problem areas I keep running into this week and get everything ready to glass in the stringers once I get some more supplies.


----------



## 1BadPFS

Sweet rig bro, lookin forward to seeing how it turns out.


----------



## beyondhelp

Thanks! No progress for this week. Can't do much with all this rain. At least the fiberglass dust is getting washed off. I tilted it up to dry it out and do a little grinding. Didn't get very far.....


----------



## beyondhelp

I guess it's time for an update. I'm learning that the build threads I have consumed really make this kind of work look easy. I have alot of respect for those of you that make your builds look so clean and sanitary. 

My project isn't quite as professional looking but I think it will get the job done. I have managed to glass in the stringers, install the foam and messed around with molding a small tray just for fun. I think the tray will get glassed into the bench seat or console somewhere. 

Next step is to install the deck pieces, they are cut and glassed on one side. I hope to have that done Wednesday, I took the day off so I could burn off some vacation time before I lose it.


----------



## Brett

> I have alot of respect for those of you that make your builds look so clean and sanitary.



;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

It's not that we didn't make a mess, it's that we were scared to touch the camera until we had cleaned up.
Didn't want to ruin a camera with filthy hands! Besides, pics were of the build, not the mess next to it!


----------



## firecat1981

Not me Brett my camera is covered in epoxy. Now my trick was to always shoot from the angle that showed the least mess, so when you look through my pics and see a pile of crap.....That's just the tip of the iceburg!!!!


----------



## Brett

I kept a pair of food prep gloves just for camera work....
my kid would skin me if I screwed up the digicam!

                                      ;D


----------



## beyondhelp

I think I have gone through 100 of those blue nitrile gloves already. I can't wait to get the floor in. I'm so tired of leaning over the side of the boat and / or climbing around inside with all those little fiberglass needles. One of those under a fingernail hurt worse than any of my broken fingers and my dislocated shoulder put together.


----------



## flightmedicjh41

I had one of these boats, they are great. I always wanted to do some of the things you are doing. I cut a hole in the front deck for a storage place and took out about 50 lbs of the wet foam. Not trying to insult you but make sure that these stringers are strong. I am pretty sure that the seats and front deck are the only stability that these boats had. For this reason I ended up not doing my project and got rid of the boat . It looks great and I am looking forward to seeing this come to completion.


----------



## beyondhelp

No insult taken. This was like a wet noodle with everything cut out.

I have my fingers crossed that the stringers are strong enough. When running the boat in original configuration you could watch the floor ripple and flex as it hit waves. Now those areas are well supported with additional fiberglass and the stringers. Since these pix I have added the plywood deck with glass on both sides tabbed in. I still have alot to do before the floor is done but the racking and twisting has been reduced quite a bit. Once I have the deck, console and bench in I am sure it will be more solid than before. 

I just got back from out of town so I am itching to get working on it. But the next step is grinding so I'm going to wait until the weekend I think.


----------



## Justin_K

beyondhelp

Have you made any progress on this boat lately. I am very curious to here how much the stringers and floor being glassed in have helped the strength of the boat when running at speeds. 

Also what size engine are you running on this boat.

Thanks


----------



## beyondhelp

Progress slowed to a halt with the miserable heat. 

At the moment I have the entire floor in, I just need to do some grinding before adding a few layers of glass to strengthen everything up. I have noticed a big difference in the overall stiffness so far. Mostly from the shear properties of the floor being tied into the sides and stringers. 


I plan on running a Honda 50 4 stroke. (BF 50) but I am thinking I will test it with my 25 tiller before then. I will post an updated picture when I get the chance. It has finally cooled off a little so if we don't get rain I'll be working on it this weekend I hope.


----------



## Tsport

Good work so far and can't wait to see another update. Honda 50 you say? Might be a little heavy don't you think?
Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## FSUfisher

The 2009 Honda BF50 weighs 205 lbs for a tiller, 214 lbs for full steering.
In comparison, the 2008 Evinrude 50 2-stroke weighs 240 lbs (for tiller I presume) 251 for controls.
2009 Yamaha 2-stroke weighs 189 lbs, 4-stroke weighs 250 lbs.
Mercury 2-stroke weighs 204 lbs, 4-stroke weighs 247 lbs.

Honda is surprisingly light for some reason, I found this out recently myself.


----------



## beyondhelp

> The 2009 Honda BF50 weighs 205 lbs for a tiller, 214 lbs for full steering.
> In comparison, the 2008 Evinrude 50 2-stroke weighs 240 lbs (for tiller I presume) 251 for controls.
> 2009 Yamaha 2-stroke weighs 189 lbs, 4-stroke weighs 250 lbs.
> Mercury 2-stroke weighs 204 lbs, 4-stroke weighs 247 lbs.
> 
> Honda is surprisingly light for some reason, I found this out recently myself.



I was also surprised at how light the Honda was. Between the waterlogged foam, the super heavy poling platform and the placement of the batteries etc... all of the weight was at the stern. I figure by relocating the batteries and the fuel I should be able to offset a good portion of the weight. If it's too heavy I'll have to look at converting my 25 Mercury to remote.


----------



## beyondhelp

I'm still plugging away... Now that the weather is more friendly I'm able to make some progress. 

Seems like sometimes I end up grinding away half the material I put down but I can see progress. This is the first half of the front deck. The panel you see will be a bulkhead in between two compartments once I get some more plywood and add some more glass in there.

I'm trying to decide where to locate the fuel and batteries. I want to balance the weight as much as I can. I am thinking batteries up front and fuel in the stern but I can't decide. Either way has it's pros and cons. Keep in mind I am using a portable fuel tank.  I welcome any suggestions.




















The bench seat isn't glassed in, I just screwed it in to get an idea of placement and make sure the sides were where I wanted them while attaching the floor etc.


----------



## Capt Dan Medina

Id throw the battery or batteries up front... they are going to weigh more than your fuel and as you burn fuel throughout the day itll lighten up the load..... Also, fuel next to batteries is usually not a good idea.... one little spark and kaboom..... How big a tank are you looking to put in her? Both those motors sip gas and I would presume your not going to be making long, offshore runs.... Also, are you planning on putting the livewell up front?


----------



## firecat1981

you can do like I did and put the battery and gas tank up front in seperate compartments seperated by a bulkhead. I did this for weight balance and I'm glad I did. However if I had 2 batteries I would have put them both up front, and the gas tank in the rear since the batteries weigh more. Just my $0.02


----------



## beyondhelp

I was thinking batteries up front, keep the wiring to the trolling motor short. Use the extra space to store life jackets and stuff. The front compartment will be for the anchor and lines etc... 

I'm not planning on having a livewell. I'll use a portable one when needed. I want to be able to use this thing one day soon and I keep changing and adding things that delay the outcome.  

Besides, I've been taking weekly fly casting lessons for about as long as I have been building this thing. At this rate, I'll be an expert.  ;D 

I was hoping for a 12 gal tank if it goes up front. But there's plenty of room under the bench for 2 6 gallon tanks in the stern. I'll also be able to keep an eye on the fuel supply if it's in sight. 

I'm probably going to hang the Mercury and rig it for the tiller motor while I save for a manual jackplate and such. I have to get in touch with Tom C since I have no idea what that will cost.


----------



## beyondhelp

Here's a reminder of what I'm going for, to help keep me motivated.


----------



## CatchBravo

Very impressive good job lines tight! ;D


----------



## beyondhelp

Ok, I'm still making progress on this... I even brought in reinforcements. Dad has gotten in on the fun and he and I have done several things. 

Since last update, I have added several layers of fiberglass cloth and resin to the decks and they are mostly done save for some cosmetic work. We made setback plates out of some aluminum I beam. The motor is hung for now so I can determine the location of controls wires etc. The console is coming together now, I need to decide where the gauges are going to live and finish the "pocket" where the controls are going to sit. Here's a few pictures, not much to see for all the work. 

Console cut and paste


















Setback Brackets


----------



## beyondhelp

To do next... Finish bench seat, sand and fill and sand cosmetic stuff. Build splash guard for top of transom. Finish console and rigging. 

I'm still thinking about rod holders on the port side and I need to dunk it so I can figure out weight distribution before I decide where the batteries will go. Making progress.... 

Trailer has new lights, tires coming soon. 

Oh and I renewed the registration and trailer tag to make code enforcement happy so I'm hoping to get it in the water soon.


----------



## Spectre

It looks like your project is coming along well. I am sure that as you move forward your fiberglass skills will improve. Keep up the good work, and keep us posted as you move forward.

Cagey


----------



## Capt Dan Medina

coming along nicely!


----------



## beyondhelp

Time for an update. It has been a long time since I posted an update but I haven’t been slacking. 

Let me catch up a bit… 

I “cut and pasted” the rest of the console together which I posted some pictures of.  Dad and I took some aluminum “I” beam and made a bracket to attach the 20” motor to the 15” transom. No worries there it seems plenty strong and nothing bends or deflects when I lean on the motor. There is 2 ½” of wood and aluminum in the transom. 










I also spent some time fabricating supports for the bench seat and somewhere along the line my brother and I installed some rod tubes on the port side. 

Then, I spent a lot of time attending to holidays and family needs. Turns out, having a project to divert your attention can be therapeutic. So I sanded and grinded and itched a lot. Then I repeated the same over and over until I was tired of sanding. I even got my dad and my brother in the fun a few times. 










A week ago I got motivated to do something besides sanding so I cleaned the carburetors and rigged up a temporary fuel supply. With a little coaxing and the motor fired up and idled nicely. I will do a full fluid change, plugs and impeller but it sounded good. 

So that brings us to this past weekend. As I mentioned, I am sick of sanding.










More than that, I keep hearing all these reports of the great fishing I am missing. So, I quit sanding and painted the inside on Friday. I figured once I get out on the water I won’t notice the flaws as much. 

Before: 










To paint the boat, I used a gallon of Rustoleum thinned to the maximum according to their instructions. I have had decent luck in the past with it and it fits the project theme as well as my budget.  I added some non slip additive to about a pint of it and rolled that on the decks. Then, I sprayed the boat using an automotive style spray gun. I think it turned out well. Once it cures for a while (a month?) I’ll throw a coat of wax on it to help keep it from chalking and staining.










After:











Between painting sessions I went to the Marine Connection Liquidators and blew my allowance on supplies to rig the boat. I was able to buy leftover stock wire harnesses for $2 a pound so I grabbed a suitable chunk out of the bin with enough different colors and the correct gauges for $12. All of it is tinned marine wire and a good bit of it was tagged and wrapped in plastic. Recycling at its best. 
I’ve decided to put one battery under the console for now. If I end up wanting a trolling motor I’ll put two more up front. 

Sunday after all the Easter festivities were done I found myself with some free time so I got started rigging and wiring.  Gauges are tach, water pressure, voltmeter and trim angle (for now since I had it). 










With any luck I should be able to get it fully rigged this week. I’m waiting for a replacement ignition switch so fingers crossed that will be here tomorrow… It won’t be long now.


----------



## makin moves

thats a lot of work looks great!!!


----------



## gnuraider

I am really impressed with the way this is coming along...nice work!


----------



## Amsoil_Man

Where is Marine Connection Liqudators located? I have heard of this place before but could never find it. Is it an auction or garage sale?


----------



## out-cast

> Where is Marine Connection Liqudators located? I have heard of this place before but could never find it. Is it an auction or garage sale?


Marine Connection Liquidators
2970 North US Hwy #1
Fort Pierce, FL 34946
(772)465-6460
Hours Tues - Sat 8AM-5PM

http://www.themarineconnection.net/


----------



## beyondhelp

Thanks for the assist Out-Cast. I was working on the boat instead of surfing the internet tonight... 










Wiring is done! I had to make a switch panel as the top of the console was too thick to directly mount the switches. Once everything is squared away I'll pull the plate back off and polish it up. Switches are for Courtesy lights, Fish Finder, Bilge (on-off-auto) and Nav lights. I had some inline auto style fuse holders so I used those which saved some space. 




























I found some cool led courtesy lights at Wal-Mart and stuck them in the console.










Not much room left under there. Hope I can still squeeze the teleflex cable in there somewhere. 










Oh and, can't see them but there are nylock nuts on the battery posts under the rubber boots. Thanks for all the tips I have learned here!


----------



## Amsoil_Man

Looks amazing. I may install guages on mine soon enough. Thanks for the pictures. 

Thanks for the info on Marine Liquadators by the way


----------



## mark_gardner

coming along nicely


----------



## beyondhelp

My favorite part of this project is also my curse. Not one penny of this project was financed or put on a credit card. Unfortunately that means I have to wait until next week to buy the water pump rebuild kit... 

I have a week to clean out all the wasp nests I found in the lower unit when I started pulling it last night.


----------



## bulldog0129

The important question is How's the fishin'?
Bob


----------



## beyondhelp

No fishin yet. But, I got the water pump installed and here's a sneak peek of how my Monday went.....


----------



## paint it black

Looks great!! 
Keep it up!!


----------



## beyondhelp

Thanks! 30mph a 6,000 rpm. I love having electric trim. There are some issues that need to be sorted out but overall I'm happy. 

I need to move some weight up front and maybe add some tabs. Low speed / no wake it rides bow high.  Right now I need to be careful coming off plane to make sure I don't let a wave of water come over the transom. But that has always been an issue. 

I only ran it for around 15 minutes. Just had to try it out. I can't wait to get it out in the daylight where I can see whats going on and where I'm going.


----------



## DarkstarCrashes

Awesome work! I passed what I thought was a Whaler on the way home today so I stopped to look. Turned out to be an old 14' Gamefisher someone Whaler-fied that had been sitting awhile. $150 for the boat and trailer and I was on the way home with another project. You've inspired me to say the least.

Got anymore finished shots?


----------



## beyondhelp

Dangit! I typed a whole reply and lost it... Congratulations on the new boat!

It's barely floating in this pic. 










Dad fly fishing in the background..










Here's my Step Dad with a trout...










My nephew doing a little driving.










Sitting in the mud at Long Point Park in Sebastian.








​Tubing!










I am still tweaking things to get it exactly the way I want it. I am really really happy with the way it turned out. fit and finish may not be factory quality but the fish don't know that and the kids don't care.  

The prop was apparently already spun when I got it, now that it is fixed the boat is way more responsive and planes quickly. At off plane speeds the bow doesn't rise too much. I can run at slightly above idle in 1.5' of water ok but it squats in the stern which limits me I think. 

Future plans include building a set of trim tabs to see if I can get it to ride level at slow speeds. I'm halfway through the trolling motor install. I'm having a hard time getting myself to drill the hole for the plug.


----------



## DarkstarCrashes

That looks great! How are you rigging the trolling motor? That's something I've been trying to figure out, it's a must a lot of the places we fish.


----------



## JimCameron

John, great build thread. After google searches on "Sears Fiberglass Gamefisher" without a lot of info, I find inspiration right here in the MicroSkiff backyard.

About a month ago I acquired a 12' Sears FG Gamefisher "Ted Williams Quality" that is waiting for my return to Annapolis, Md. from Jensen Beach. 

Your thread has got me fired up for the work that lays ahead. Thanks,


----------



## beyondhelp

I'm glad I could give back a little. I have learned a ton from this place. 

My brother had a 12' gamefisher years ago. I don't think he ever finished it and sold it before he went off to college. Rounded nose, solid little boat. 


Next up is an update where I rebuild the deck. I screwed up by mounting the hatch in the deck. The flexing caused by walking on it caused the screw holes to leak and the deck rotted. The rebuild will be different. If I can live without fishing for a few weeks while I redo it. As of now, we use it nearly every weekend.


----------



## BARRY_LARRY

great job ! reminds me of my first rebuild ... 20years ago,now i build boats for a livin (A nightmare is still a dream!)... if you have any questions i'll gladly share what I know...


----------



## beyondhelp

There's lots of days where I dream of building boats. 

I'm sure in reality it's alot like the joke: 



> "How do you make a million in __________ (auto racing, horses, boats etc...)? "
> 
> "Start with two"


Got any details about the ones you build? 

I study rebuild threads wherever I can find them. Everything from the rebuilds on classic mako and classic aquasport forum, hydrostream and scream and fly, iboats, southernairboat etc... (I'm  a computer guy so it helps that I am nearly always online.)

I think the next iteration of this boat will have a full deck in the stern with a hatch to get to the bilge and transom knees, possibly some sponsons for flotation. I think I want to try my hand at some mold making and vacuum bagging, I have the pump just need the peel ply and stuff. 

First is the deck rebuild as motivation and finances and weather align.


----------

