# 15' 4" Gheenoe Transformation



## kdhs10 (Jun 16, 2008)

Pictures aren't working for me.


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## wely (Dec 19, 2010)

Or Me!


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Another attempt:


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Shifted photos to photobucket and amazingly, it works.  More photos from the start of the  project.

Wanted to remove the seats due to cracks at base and to open up the deck of the boat.  Used 4 1/2 grinder with cutting wheel.


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

After removing all the seats, I sanded the entire inside of the hull starting with 50 grit, 80 grit then 120.  I then glassed some of the old seat areas.  My original idea was to put down 4 oz of glass to add support.  Local boat fabricator recommended not to.  OPINIONS??????


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## Lil_Tate (Dec 18, 2006)

are you going to be adding flotation foam back into the boat?


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Yes, I plan on adding 4# AeroMarine expanding foam.  The product description says that it will add 58# of flotation per cu/ft and is suitable for structural support.  By my rough estimations that will add over 120 pounds of bouyancy.  I plan to pour the entire floor (up to the boat flat ridge).  By removing the seat foam, I only removed about 15# of flotation; so an increase of over 105 pounds.  It should also make the boat a bit more rigid.

Any ideas or recommendations?


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Posting photos from last weekend's work:


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Looks like a fun project. Can't wait to see the final product.


One bit of advise. When you remove all of the supporting structure hulls have a tenancy to twist or warp. Do everything you can to make sure the boat is strait when you glass in the new materials.

Good luck!


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Great advice.  Once again, thank you for the help on the phone and on the forum.

QUESTION: Best LAYOUT plan?????? I want as much flat space as I can to accomadate fly fishing.  
1.  Do I put a cooler as the center area or install a permanent center box? 
2. Do I put the battery in the front to even the load?
3. Without a permanent center box, how can I move the fuel to the middle?

I am planning to put a small storage area in the nose with a hatch.










And make a square bilge pocket in the stern.










ANY IDEAS, ANYONE?


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

Are you still planning on using the remote setup on the motor? Eliminating this and going tiller style would actually give you the "open" room you are looking for. It looks like the motor has a stick steer setup and let me tell you this is going to be a major pain when your flyfishing having the controls on both sides of the boat. If it were my boat and I fly fished this is how I would set it up. 
1. Go tiller with an extension for the motor. 
2. Mount Yeti cooler seat in center of boat to distribute your weight while driving.
3. I prefer to run my 6 gallon fuel tank up front near the nose cap area when fishing alone. 
4. Use imagination for your battery area. If your not running a whole mess of things then a small gel battery can be easily concealed anywhere. The bilge area however is a must. 
Good luck with the build your moving alone nicely.


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

@afterhours2,
Thanks for the recommendations.  Currently I am still planning to us the stick steering due to thats what I have.
1.  I have considered converting to tiller but I have not found a stick for the Honda.  I have the local marine shop that a I use looking for me right now.  My motor has a black plastic part on the right side (looking at the motor) but I do not know if mine is tiller capable. 
2.  I am slowly converting to the idea of the YETI as the center area.  As stated before, my only concern is the storage area issue.  When I fish tournys, I will have to use the cooler as the livewell (or another cooler/box).
3. I also have a 6 gallon tank that I could use as you recommended.  The only reason I was going with the 3 gallon was the smaller size.
4. The only electronics I will be using for during the short time will be: motor, trolling motor (Minn Kota 45# with maximizer) and hummingbird 385I.  I plan on mounting a solar trickle charger for maintaining the battery.

Questions:
1. Do you still recommend the nose cap storage area?
2. Do you use a kennedy style tie down or something else?
3. Do you have any pics of your set-up? I would like to see them.
4. Does the gas tank get in your way of fly line? And with it up front, have you seen more deterioration of your lines due to ethanol?  Several people have recommended keeping the rubber fuel lines to the shortest length possible.

Once again, thank you.  I finished wiring the trailer with pipe-lights last night, so back to the deck work.  After I RESIN the deck boards, I will be at the decision point of no return.


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

Im sorry but I should have cleared up that I don't actually have my highsider set up this way but that was just my thoughts on making your boat as comfortable for you as possible based on your fishing needs. My highsider still has the center livewell and both compartments. I do however spend my time on my yeti cooler in the center driving the boat and tend to use it for a casting platform. If it were myself, I would hunt the yeti site and buy a mount made for the cooler you purchase. I would just trust them better for stability. As far as the fuel tanks go, I have a 3 and 6. The fuel lines were ran under the rail the whole length of the boat. Other than a prime issue based on the distance every once in a while, the setup works great. No major issues yet with the ethenol. Hope this helps a little and again sorry for the misinterpretation of my setup. I would just shoot for the simplest/open setup because eventually a highsider gets easily cluttered. Good luck


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

@afterhours2
No apologies required. Every idea or recommendation helps me in the long run.  Some I will adopt, some I will not and others I will regret not doing over time.  Like I stated, I really like the cooler idea, my mind just cannots get past the storage issue.  I am in the military-->everything has a place and everything is in its place mentality.

Thanks again for the help.  I will post more pics after tonights or weekend work.

Mahalo (hawaiian for thank you)


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## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

firefly i have couple of suggestions and these are just my opions here but id take the motor off before i glassed in the decks itll take the strain off the gunnels making the hull straighter 
also how much freeboard are you going to have with the new deck in there? remember that the higher you go the tippier itll be .... and the more the wind will blow you around when you pole and flyfish just my observations but id keep the deck as low as i could so that id endup with my butt below the gunnels for safety and comfort if your in a chop


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

levi,
Thanks for the recommendations.  I have already taken the motor off.  The only concern now is to keep the keel as straight as possible when I glass it in.  I have cut the wood and put the first homemade waterproofing & resin.

The deck is going to the keel ridge.  It will still have the entire upright freeboard to keep it stable.  I plan on putting in expanding foam to stiffen the boat.  So basically, I am only raising the deck 3" (you can see the sides in one of the photos).


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## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

i know brett had suggested to someone else that they use a half of a piece of pvc pipe to cover the keel and wrap that in glass ....might want to put some cutouts in the sides of it ever couple of feet to aid in drainage i think a piece of 3" split down the middle might be just the ticket if you went that route and im sure it would REALLY stiffen the hull up
are you planning on using epoxy or polyester resin?


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## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

also id weight my motor a full tank of gas, a battery, trolling, motor, and myself add them all together divide by 58 and thats how much foam id use if youve even been swamped youll know why too


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

levi,
I think that I have the center line drainage kicked.  I went to LOWES and got 15 feet of plastic rain gutter drain of pipe (square).  I plan on glassing the entire length of the boat that will serve as support along with the expanding foam.

Thanks for the formula, I will run the numbers.  This is currently what I roughly figure.

cu/ft = 1728 inches
Boat
length=15 foot x 12=180
average width = 30 inches
depth = 4 inches
180x30x4=21600

21600/1728=12.5 cu/ft
Expanding foam flotation value per cu/ft = 59 lbs
12.5x59=737 lbs for bouyancy

I will compare the numbers.  The foam I removed is no where near what I am putting back in.  

Tight Lines
firefly


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Back to the backyard project.  Had 3 surgical procedures done three weeks back that has severly hindered the build.  Started back on the project last Thursday.  This is where I am at now (I will add photos tonight):
1. Installed rain gutter in bottom of boat with one long continous "glass" to anchor in place.
2. Finished cutting out deck boards. Changed both the FWD and AFT layout of the boat.
FWD: brought the nose cap back further to add battery compartment and allow access for line locker.
AFT: Formed and foamed the rear area into two baffle areas keeping the centerline open for gear locker and gas tank.  Ran the baffles all the way up under the rub rails.
3. Foamed the entire decking.  Used my Jeep to hang the boat up-side-down in a tree to ensure proper pour.  To allow for quality assurance, I did the deck in sections, very time consuming (worth every minute). I would install deck, bondo the sides, allow to set and then pour the foam. 
*Swithed from 4# Aeromarine Foam to 2# due to availability.  Aeromarine foam is amazing and easy to work with.
4. Built FWD and AFT deck boards, waterproofed and fitted.
Waiting to hear from my local fiberglass for price to glass.  If two much $$$$$, then the rest of the week will be glassing 101.

Rough notes of foam (Had a lot of questions about the amount of foam and bouyancy totals):
1. Used a complete kit of 4# (4 cuft = 240 # of bouyancy)
2. Used a complete kit of 2# (8 cuft = 480 # of bouyancy)
*Disclaimer: I am using the manufactures values of bouyancy per cuft and expansion rate).

BOUYANCY : 720# MINUS wieght added (about 40 #)=
TOTAL of 680 POUNDS OF POSITIVE BOUYANCY

Friend helping me with the build made comment that the boat needs to be named after a battleship.

A very hardy THANK YOU to my loving wife, brilliant son and good friend "SHEP" for the help.  Without you, I would be way behind. Thanks again.
Ideas, thoughts, questions??????????

Pictures later.


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Decking waterproofing









Gutter glassing









Aeromarine set-up









Hanging the gheenoe









Pouring the foam









FWD PUKA (hawaiian for hole)









AFT PUKA









AFT foam pour results









Deck pictures (without glass)


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## Quad1973 (Mar 24, 2011)

Thanks for your cliff notes while you do this build. I recently bought a 15'4" classic Gheenoe. After looking around at the different websites, I've decided I would like to do what you have started with yours. Would it be possible to get the specs of all the different materials and the application you used to do this mod?

Thanks again!


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

@fishinaddict
Absolutely. I have all the specs, list of materials and a notebook full of ideas (some made it and alot did not).  Email me or PM me because I do not mind sharing all that I have.  I can also give you my phone number so if you have questions.  I will not dive into all the ideas at this time. Thanks for the post.

Also, tonight, my friend and I completed the center console box that will house the livewell and storage compartment that is removable when I need the space.  I finished waterproofing and bondo(ing) the edges on the box and 3/4 done with "glassing" the boat. 

Joey


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Done with the boat internals (with exception of stick steering mounts), so now how or what to paint the inside of the boat.

Please take the poll to help me with my decision.


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

Posted a CLASSIFIED ad for Honda 9.9 Tiller arm with extension.  Got great advice from several people about the ease and functionality of using tiller arm insteas of stick steering.  Thanks to everyone.

Please reply if you can help or know someone that has one.


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## blackwell (Feb 20, 2011)

The Gheenoe, motor and trailer is for sale. Just returned from Johns Hopkins Hospital following my daughters surgery. She had a fourteen hour surgery and stayed in the hospital for another 10 days. She had a bladder augmentation with stoma placement. Surgery went very well and daughter is doing well. However, the finances are now on life support. Having to sell the entire package. New pictures are available upon request. 
Recapping 1994 Gheenoe 15'4" Highsider, 2002 HONDA (EZ Glide stick steering) with about 23 hours of opeartion (new carb rebuild, water pump impeller and upper&lower oil change) & LENCO Electric JACKPLATE, trailer with new tires & bearings & pipe LED lights plus alot of extras.

Contact me at [email protected] or contact (912)673-7370. Serious offers only $2500.


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## JimCameron (Jan 3, 2010)

Thoughts and prayers are with your daughter and your family.


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## redgheenoe (Apr 28, 2007)

Prayers for your daughter


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