Almost new boat and new to the forum

[Sea Lion]

I'm a homesteader. No, really one of the very last under the federal program. Here a few more pixs.

[Sea Lion]

Besides being a homesteader I have to thank Gary at Greatland Welding and Machine for a place to work and a great welder to work with. Some great conversations also. The guys worked on a rush job most of the day so I played with a couple other things, here are a couple pics.

[Sabs28]

Nice Work Sealion. If it wasn't for the grind marks, you couldn't tell the boat was lengthened. What will be the final finished look?? Paint or Good Old Raw Aluminum???

[Sea Lion]

I like the grey weathered aluminum look, but if Hewes supplies a decal that fits the space between the gunnel and the rub rail I'll put it on. I have a sea lion graphic that will go on the bow. I will keep the paint on the fort and deck areas and patch that.

Here is a pic of how the house batteries, new fuel tank and produce/beer locker will fill the new spaces created under the floor.

This weekend I'll bend up new material for the inside gunnel, cabinets and shelves. The port side will get a sealed propane locker for a 6lb. aluminum tank and regulator with a drain out the back of the transom and a locker for a kerosene tank for an Espar heater/defroster. The starboard side will just get a shelf to match the existing shelf.

I got rid of a bunch of the spray in foam with this modification, with the self bailing deck the bilge has never been wet, but I still don't like the stuff, though I do like rigid close cell foam sheets or even soda bottles.

[Sea Lion]

Computer problem and flu keep me down for a couple days. The Chines are on and we are working on the deck stuff now. Here are a couple pics.

[goatram]

My droid phone does not show all of the details. Should be going home from the Hospital and get to use the big screen. Keep the pictures coming

[Sea Lion]

Seems like I've been working on this project forever. This is were we quit today. Couple more days, I might have it back in my shop by Thurs or Frid. Then can I remember where all those wires go?

[Sea Lion]

Sorry I left my computer home last week but did have the camera so I'll make several post to bring you up to date.

The davit is extendable for lifting the dingy on and off the roof with the hauler. We put a ss gas shock in the tube for lifting the davit 16", up for the dingy and down for the pots.

[Sea Lion]

I added a filter for the kicker, anew fuel tank and modified the motor mount to lower the motors 2-3" because we built the transom box down to the bottom of the hull. The new fish cutting table is mounted on top of the lid of the live well, which was just to low,

[Sea Lion]

I painted the upper part of the boat where we modified it.

[Sea Lion]

We added a propane locker, a kerosene locker and a new compartment for the house batteries to the port side.

[Sea Lion]

Here is the new deck with the trim and hardware mounted.

[Sea Lion]

Last we replaced the bunks and I headed home to remount the motors and hook up the rest of the wiring. I'll let you Know how it performs after the 13th when I put it in the water.

[Sculpin]

Awesome update Sea Lion. I hope the folks at Hewescraft are looking at this. I sure have been enjoying the progression. Great work man. Keep it up.

That is a serious pot puller you have. Is it hydraulic?

What is under the carpet on your bunks?

Cheers,
John

[Sculpin]

I love those Interstate batteries too

[Chaps]

Awesome update Sea Lion. I hope the folks at Hewescraft are looking at this. I sure have been enjoying the progression. Great work man. Keep it up.

That is a serious pot puller you have. Is it hydraulic?

What is under the carpet on your bunks?

Cheers,
John

John, those pullers are electric Electra-Dyne from back east. I've got one mounted to my tow post during crab and shrimp seasons. My buddy with a decent pull 2 minutes from the harbor

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These things use a starter motor off of a 6-71 I think . . . pulls heavy commercial pots like pronto

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they're kind of designed to mount flush on a panel so the motor is hidden but out in the open is OK too.

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here's some college kids pulling 70 lb research packs up from 400 ft. the guy handling the rope is just laying the line into a tote, the big sheave grabs the line and pulls then a stripper at the bottom kicks it out. the girl is handling a trigger line for a mechanism on the pack

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[Sculpin]

Oh my that has my head thinking now. Very cool set up. Thanks for the edumacational info

[Sea Lion]

Sculpin I believe the bunks are laminated all weather wood.

[Sea Lion]

Thought I'd give a little idea of what this project took. I have about 300 hours over 5 weeks and another 3-4 days to get ready for the water, a lot of 10-12 hour days. I put the motors back on yesterday now it's finish up the wiring , etc.. There was at least 200 hours by 4 different people invested.We spent at least two full days on two occasions doing all sorts of things to get the parts to line up. I'd weld some bracing on each side of the cut if I were to do it again. At least 32 lbs. of wire was used in the welding. The use of the miller pulse welders were a real plus. Access to a big pile of aluminum and other parts made it go a lot easier. I'll go through the wiring next winter and clean it up, I'll have a better idea by then as to how I want to utilize the new spaces and where to put everything.
This is not something one should take on without a lot of planning and forethought, but given the right circumstances one should not be afraid to do a project like this. I spent about a year planning this and then the opportunity showed up.
Was it worth it, I'll let you know after the 19th when I get back from Valdez. If nothing else, I've torn just about everything on the boat apart and changed it or at least put it back together, that is a real plus in my mind.
I want to say that Hewes built a really nice boat to start with. The performance and ride was excellent. The amount of structure and the quality of the welds exceeded my expectations. I also want to thank Gary Feaster at Greatland Welding and Machine in Palmer, Alaska and his welders for their support and help, this would not have been possible without them.
What to do next? We could widen the boat, that may actually be easier than making it longer. Kidding of course I need a break to enjoy what I have, catch a few fish and shrimp and see what happens in the future. Thanks for following along, I'll up date the performance shortly.

[goatram]

Good update of a great project

[kmorin]

sealion, carpeted bunks over copper treated wood is not going to do your hull any good. The carpet has caused countless guys to get poultice corrosion cells under welded boats and the copper solution in the wood treatment is worse! Combining the two is just building in a failure point in your boat.

I think you may want to move toward some inert plastic bunk covers as soon as you can get that done?

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai

[Sea Lion]

Kevin
Thanks for the tip I'll check it out. There is plastic between the carpet and the hull but it isn't continuous, I don't believe.

I just looked at the second photo on page two of the post. It shows about a 6" gap between the plastic strips.

[jrogers]

Very neat project. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully I will see you out in PWS this summer.

[Sea Lion]

Well I got the boat wet. It didn't leak or fall apart, knock on wood.

When I first put the boat in PWS in 2010 and went out I opened it up and did 48 MPH at 5800 RPM and burned 35-37 GPH. Cruising at 22 MPH I burned 10.5-10.7 GPH at 3400 RPM. I now go 42MPH at 6000 RPM and burn 32 GPH. At 3400 RPM I am going 22 MPH and burning 10.6-10.7 GPH. The gear and fuel on the boat was similar in both situations. So adding 30" to the length and all the other things I've done, added about 800-1000 pounds, all I did was loose some top end speed. I'm using the same props. Getting on step; in 2010 getting on step was very distinct. The boat came up and planed at 18 MPH and I would trim it. Now at maybe 14 MPH I am on step but it isn't a distinct change. I can trim the boat to get better fuel economy and lower RPM at anything over about 14 MPH maybe lower. Reverse chines and more planing surface? The boat feels rock solid at both slow speeds and wide open, turns well and trims easily. I haven't tried it loaded down for a long trip yet. That's in a few days.
Only run it in 2' seas so far, both with and against the current
I'm all ears for more things to look for and try out in sea trials.

[goatram]

She Looks real good. Congratulations on a Job Well Done.

Hopefully spring for you AK Guys is just around the corner and that White Cold Chit behind your boat will give away to nice warm Sunshine Sir!