The Journey Begins

[JETTYWOLF]

Sure.....I'd love it.

Yeah mean I could finally get a custom designed engine guard, a Jack plate, and a few of those folding seats?
Maybe a "snap on fort"....I've have that idea in my head.

Let me swing by the Lotto office and pick up my winnings first.

I know, believe me, I sound like a broken record. But not much is good here. Each day is a struggle. I am not visiting here (AAB.com) much anymore except to post a video here and there. If I didn't have that "outlet", I don't know what I'd do. It's very hard to hang with people who have it going on, when you feel like I do daily.

Months behind on bills, because after 17 brutal years I'm trying to hang on. And being a shelf stacker at Walmart isn't going to make much a difference either.

I hope to keep my boat. But if all else fails...I certainly can't live in it.

Damn, should have got a fort model

[goatram]

Dave the Lottery? Did you buy your ticket? Drawing is an hour away. Can't win it if your not in it!

A Dive door is to be installed on the Starboard Side. Door will swing aft.
I took Charlies advice on the Sliding Gunnel. Still a cool Mod though. Maybe for the Next boat that I build. Currently I am working on Paneling of the interior the boat. It is insulated and I am starting to put her go back together. I need to paint the floors and do some wiring upgrades. i.e. lights and relocating some electrical sh** that can get in the way on the floor under the helm and bed, finish the wallis heater install and defrost duct.

There will be a slight recess starting the first of the year. (another Hip Operation next Friday 27th of Dec) for two weeks at least. Boat will go outside under the carport and the shop will be freed to work on some Vehicles of my son. 85 Ford F250 needs a new motor and his 67 Cougar needs to go back together for paint and return to the road in time for Aug Ninth. His Wedding day. The Dumbshit wants to marry his Girlfriend for some unknown reason. The rest of the work can be done out in the open except for the painting of the floor some time in March.

Jamie aka Waterdog247 Thanks for the Sign for the Shop. Picture to follow.

[pjay9]

Great work! Re the seats...when you order the cushions make sure you specify 'CLSOED CELL" foam and a good higher density if only an inch thick...this isn't for long term comfort it is to take the bite out of the hard cold alloy seat on your butt. Closed cell is so it will not absord H2O. You can see this type of foam at camping stores...it is used to make inexpensive thin sleeping pads for backpaking, this will give you the idea of what I mean. BUT then again you may know all this already...I had some seat covers made and used a Sunbrella type cloth rather than a vinyl...but that is a matter of choice...nicer to sit on with shorts in the summer..my thought!

YES I vote for more rod holders go for the record...maybe Guiness will show up! Also like the tank windows and LEDS. SWEET! I wanted to meet up with you guys at the Workbaot show but was doing a remodel of fireplace and cabinets at house that needed to get done. Maybe next time. Capt PJ

[goatram]

Jamie's gift for the shop. It match's my desk name plate I got back in 1986.

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The door work has begun. It will be 20" wide by 18" tall.

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I had to make a press brake to bend the 5086 alloy .250" plate. The door surround is a 4" wide
strip cut from plate. It will have a 1" radius so it will not crack.

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A test piece that I bent Saturday Night after a 9 hour day at work.

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[goatram]

The size of the door is reveled in this veiw

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The door is cut out along the lines

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All the old lines are erased and the one that we figure will work is now marked

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Another view after the door is cut

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the inside of the door structure prior to the cover being installed

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the hinges were cut out with a Plasma Cutter from 5086 1/2" plate

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Coin slots were cut into the cover to insure that the cover will not move. A important feature that will be shown shortly

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another view

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A side view of the door.

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Still need to cut close out panels to cover all of the holes. Should be done tomorrow. Jim the Welder Is the master of this door build. He said he wanted to do it. and I gave him free rein on it and it turned out so looking great.

As some here know I have had both of my hips replaced back in 2011. This coming Friday 27th Dec. I am going back to have the Left hip reworked/Moded. For whatever reason I have had pain in it from day one. It pops and slams whenever I walk on it. This door will make getting in and out of the boat easier.

[Sabs28]

Looks great John. Just be careful, Too many more trinkets & the boat may be too heavy to float......

[goatram]

Well my surgery on my left hip went well last Friday the 27th. Doctor found metal to metal contact. He swapped some parts and sewed me up. The swapped parts should allow the joint to tighten up and heal. This will stop the movement that I feel when I walk. Long and painful story.


Now to catch up on the Journey;

Currently using 1/4" Threaded SS Bolts as the hinge pins. 1/2" Shanked Bolts will be used. That should help to reduce wear

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Another view of the top hinge. Jim can weld a bunch better than yours truly

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We had to make a rod holder to replace the SS 15* one that we removed. This is the SB Outrigger Rod.

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Door closed. You can see the threashhold below the door. the 1.25" tube does double duty; first to support the plate for the step. and second as a channel for my washdown hose that is being relocated aft two frames

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the first attempt to build the exhaust vent for the wallas heater

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.750" above the gunnel. We used 2 pieces of aluminum to get the height. We are currently building a box to mount the fitting facing out to the Portside instead of up. Water intrusion and flooding waiting to happen

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the tuna engraved in to the fwd door frame closeout panel

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[Napa Mike]

I'm jealous. I wish I had the skill to tweak out a boat like that. nicely done!

[goatram]

This last Saturday I spent the day in the shop. Over the last week the decks got painted. Last Saturday the cabin floor was cleaned primed and used deck paint with rubber particles. Mike aka Jambo bought the paint last year.A fellow BD member and a charter boat Capt running a Delta out of Neah Bay, WA. He passed on his unused gallon. I did run out of time last year so last week end it got done. Also the back deck was sandblasted for a care free surface. It needed more grip though.

Cabin Floor

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This past Wednesday we pulled the boat out and acid washed the aft deck. Dried it off and Thursday morning got it primed. Yesterday the deck was finished. After the second coat was applied; walnut shell grit was sprinkled on then sealed in by the third coat.

aft deck and Bait Tank

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aft deck

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Earlier this year we cut two 3"long X 1" tall drain holes to clear water and blood from the aft deck behind cabin. Today we installed the external covers on each side of the boat to prevent water from entering aka Chtucker's new Armstrong. Saw it at the Seattle Boat Show. Liked it and it was easy to duplicate.

Port drain cover

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Port drain cover

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For Christmas my kids got me a 50" Rigid LED Light. Last night it got mounted where my old fashioned Golight was mounted. The old light was rehomed to Dave aka Fogdocker's boat.

2" schedule 80 pipe cut to 2"tall at a 5 degree angle to match the roof angle. The light mounts were welded to two plates that were then welded to the pipe. Next to make it near on impossible to remove we welded end plates on top of the mounts. There is a hole drilled into access the mount bolts to do adjustments. The plates stop the bolts from coming completely out. Antitheft at its best. Still need to run the wire harness to it.

Light

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Light end cap SB Side

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Light end cap Port side

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At Christmas I bought a 25" XL Shaft BF15 HP Honda from Three Rivers Marine. It installed on the port side of the OS Bracket. Initial problem was unlike mains there is not a minimum distance listed for between the kicker and main. We screwed up and made the mount to short. The first rendition of the mount was modified after we found the clearance issue. Had to add 4" to the mount on the OB Port side. Also had to add a corresponding extension to the original OS bracket. The motor is mounted and just needs the fuel line hooked to the filter for it to be complete.

kicker mount

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kicker mount

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kicker mount

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[Napa Mike]

nice work John. How is your hip these days?

Take care,
Mike

[goatram]

I am healing and moving more each day. Two more weeks of the antibiotics.

Still need to go to Tapatalk. I load the pictures from my phone to BD with tapatalk then download to my computer then reload to AAB. SUXS

[welder]

I can load to aab from my phone, no problem.

[goatram]

My PNW Verizon phone is unlike your great state of Texas phone

[pjay9]

You are really building a battle wagon. Nice touches! When you going to run that baby across a scale? Did the issues with your truck get sorted?

[welder]

I can load to aab from my phone, no problem.

Just double checking that I can still do it. Now this is a picture that I took with my phone and I set the size to 640by480 on my phone.
By the way, that's 1000 9mm rounds getting loaded up on my Dillon RL550B, I LOVE that press.

[JETTYWOLF]

Goat,

BTW,,,,,,what did you use for ACID wash???

Kevin's world famous Zep-a-lume is unavailable unless I went thru a Dangerous chemical class or some other BULL SHIP because as always the US Government is looking out for my welfare.

So I used Sharkhide and ran out and now have nice streaks running down my boat sides.

(need 3-4 days to re-do it)

[goatram]

NAPA Auto Parts has Aluma Brite for around $11 a Gallon. Saw it at that this week. My last bottle came from the local truck stop.

[Napa Mike]

Hey John:
You must have some winter projects for your boat. what is the latest? (more rod holders?)

Cheers,
Mike

[goatram]

A few repairs as well as a few mods. The Boat needs to fish Next weekend for the Resurrection Derby in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA. 5th and 6th Dec.

After That the Mods and repairs start. Motors have to come off for the Swim Step to be repaired. The top sheet is .080" and it oil cans. The front wind shield stays wet when running. The front will have some spray rails that follow the side chines to a point in the front, the front cuddy window will be removed and the opening welded shut. There will be some relocation of some wiring and fixing my radio a Lowrance Link 8. Mine is a early modal that for some reason does not communicate with the FF 100% of the time. It is connected by NMEA 2000 cable. This is a reported problem on the Hull Truth for this radio.

No More Rod Holders for me.

Stand by for the continuation.

[Boatpoor]

Good luck in the derby John I will not be fishing in it but may be out and about on one of the banks in my new ride trying to get her bloody. See you on the brine, Boatpoor aka Wild Bill.

[wetwhopper]

Wow John, you've been busy. That's one stout looking tuna wagon. Glad to see you going for it!

[goatram]

Preliminary photos of the aft starboard corner downrigger mount. I drilled two 3.5" holes thru the funnel to run the battery cables thru.

Closed off the OB side of the mounts on both sides of the boat. .190" thick plate.

This will be the Inboard hatch cover. I have made 4 covers to close of the DR mounts. The other 3 mounts will be tackle storage compartments for the plastic storage boxes from Plano inc. Got them welded up and the hatch covers mounted and hinges sealed with 5200.

I did a little work today. The front spray rail/continuation of the reverse chine was welded up and crossed off of the list. The rails consisted of 4 pieces of .250" 5052al. The bottom Horizontal pieces had to be cut and fitted to the boat as in Cut for the Curve of the boat so that it would stay on the horizontal plain. The vertical are just flat plate welded in place.I am hoping this will keep my windows and aft fish deck dryer. Before the water would run up to the Anchor Pulpit and then blow back. A wet ride on the back deck Fo Sure.

The Fron Cuddy Hatch was removed and replaced to cure a Water Problem; in heavy seas the hatch would leak and get the cuddy wet.
I still need to install insulation and then make a new ceiling panel from FRP bead board.

The front area of the fishing deck was kinda unsafe due to the low gunnels. The seas can get a rolling and had a few near misses. The fix was to add a few railings to both sides. The Port side has a a rod holder that will still be able to be used. Plus another couple of seat areas with back rests are a side Bennift.

[goatram]

Well had a minor set back that is now corrected. In the process of moving/relocating my battery switch panel, I was removing extra battery cable. I found the copper wires of my cables black with corrosion not bright copper. Back in time around Thanksgiving my Port engine would not start. After verifying 12 volts at the starter on my Honda I was stumped and took the boat to the local marine mechanic. He found a break in the engine fuse panel power line in my control conduit tube. He sliced in a new wire from battery to fuse panel. Cost $980 with tax my motor ran and I went fishing. Monday I pulled the cable out and found that during the engine install the cable was CUT across all three cables. Green poo ozzing out. I have since made new replacement called. The new replacements from Honda are $462 a piece. Called up the shop that I got the engines from and they did the install offered me a DISCOUNTED PRICE @ $282 plus tax. Not a happy camper. Cost for the cable and supplies was just under $200. They are done and ready for the engines to be reinstalled.

I am now back to working my winter mods. This weekend I will be cutting out the cardboard pattern for my swim step deck an the angle floor supports. After cutting the cracked oil canning diamond plate original one off. I find not enough structure underneath. I knew that was an issue but with the deck off I can remedy it. I will also be completing the battery panel relocation.

I will need to cut and install the deck then go back and remake my bow rails. I cut those off to do a bigger Bow Fishing Platform but I have thought better of that. I was trying to come up with a way to add four feet of width to the front of the boat. More I thought of waves hitting the 2' side extensions on the bow the more I knew I needed a Carolina Flair on it to deflect the Wave Energy, the more it would weigh and the more work evolved. So for now I will take a step back on that

[dandmtritt]

John that is one very nice boat. I noticed you used the BEP battery switch setup, and earlier in the thread somewhere you said it sucks. I was hoping you could expand on why it sucks. I was considering installing this switch setup on my boat with twin Suzukis and a 3 battery bank system. Any info would be great. I can always go with the Blue Sea switches and automatic charging relays.
Thanks, Doug

[goatram]

A Common Ground tieing all of the Batteries together was the Cause for the VSR not to operate properly. Almost sunk my New Boat due to that issue. I have since corrected the Problem and I now consider the battery switches and VSRs great. They work.

The switch issue was due to both my electrition not understanding the system and Me not catching the issue.

My boat has a number of items that had to be made to work with each other. I have 7 fuse panels, 5 Bilge Pumps, 2 washdown pumps, 1 bait pump. Battery Charger/Inverter, 3 wiper motors, a complicated two part NMEA 2000 Backbone supporting my Lowrance/Simrad Electronics, air compressor, Multiple Light Switch panels Refrigerator, Microwave, Downriggers, Davit, a bunch of lights. all working off of the three battery banks. I think this year I got a handle on everything. The system works on the trailer now and hopefully it will work when I do my runabout this weekend or next. (Sunday Rain is in the forecast).

This weekend was when I planned to launch her but only if all of the Parts made it to my house today. (I found I was missing parts found last weekend, Monday I ordered them; scheduled to arrive today.)