Rear floats added

[waltg]

I have a 18' aluminum boat and I want to add the rear float pods to it. Does anyone know where I can have this work done?
I would also like to raise the transom about six"

Thanks for any help

Walt

[JETTYWOLF]

It may be cheaper to get a new to you 18' boat.

Boat picz????

[peterbo3]

Hi Walt,
Welcome to the shiny side. We do need pics but beware. Putting half pods behind the motor can cause major changes to the way your boat will handle, mainly when turning. On smooth water this should not be an issue, but can cause problems if there is a decent chop.
If you raise your transom 6", which is a fairly simple job, will the OB leg be long enough to get clean water to the prop? As the Wolf said, it may not be cost effective. More info please.

[waltg]

Well here's the deal, I got this boat from the Game Warden auction. I fish shallow bay areas at the coast, I wade fish so the boat is for transportation to my spots. My last flat bottom I got from this auction I had for 15 years but was too small for my big friends so I got this one. I had it rigged out with a Hydraulic jack plate which really worked well but I never had to lower it so I just thought I could raise the transom or go with a manual jack plate which would get me the 6" in height and maybe the 10" out from the back to get better water. I was looking for the floats on the back to help out with the hole shot since the boat sits low in the back. Anyway I posted a picture of the my boat ($ 2850.00 boat motor and trailer) just to give you guys perspective on my world not like the boats you guys have (very nice by the way) but I'm just wanting to see what it would cost to do to see if it is do-able.

[welder]

How thick is the transom , 10 ga. ?

[JETTYWOLF]

Looks to be just a "Jon-boat" style with a center console??

I can't imagine there being much you could do, besides getting smaller friends and move fuel up front?

Gawd I hate the thoughts of remanufacturing the manufacture.

:lol: My dad has always called it "Doing Factory re-engineering". But shade trees with limited tools and parts usually end up making it look like "a tree" did the work.

We have a guy here that added pods to the stern of a Cape Horn 19' CC......what an abortion!!!!!
That boats value just fell to a whopping zero after he attempted to remanufacture it.

In F'glass and pourable foam. Imagine that picture in yer head!

[Bob5292]

Sounds like you may want something like these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/INFLATABLE-BOAT-ZOD ... 286.c0.m14

[peterbo3]

Walt,
Everything is "doable" but it may not be cost effective. As Les alluded to, the thickness of your transom & associated bracing is the key here. Could you position your fuel tanks up front? Anything else that could go forward? And a few more pics showing the transom & inside the hull would be helpful.

[JETTYWOLF]

Sounds like you may want something like these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/INFLATABLE-BOAT-ZOD ... 286.c0.m14

Damn, thats cool.....trim tabs for the "un-trim-tab-able"........like a jon-boat??

We have a few dudes around here that have these thangs hanging off their transoms also.
http://www.rocketflap.com/frame2.htm

OR

http://www.nauticusinc.com/

[waltg]

Thanks guys, that's the answer I was looking for. I'll put it in the forget it file. I do like the idea of moving the gas forward and the flaps. Thanks for the help

Walt

[JETTYWOLF]

Look into those tabs...I believe in skinny water Texas there's plenty of ya'll that have gotten clever no matter what the boats made of.

You want bow down and stern up, Right??

Is the boat a tunnel hull? If so try a whalestail on top of the cavitation plate if so. It'll help too to keep bow down and stern up with the big guys aboard.

[warthog5]

Actually the Pods are added to Jon Boats from the factory on tunnel hull's and are added to a lot of guys boats that Bowfish.

They actually sell them here: http://www.explorebeavertail.com/flotationpods.html You will then need a shop to weld them on.

Installation Instructions.

http://www.explorebeavertail.com/instru ... un2009.pdf

[JETTYWOLF]

Wart,

don't think he's real active here....I believe he came in to ask one question and then disappeared.

Hope I'm wrong.

[steve-r]

if its holeshots & planing assistance needed, don't move tanks or re-manufacture the boat, just add one of these to the engine leg. cheap , simple, and you can take it off if you don't like it.
http://www.boatingsolutions.com/Doel-Fi ... C1296.aspx
i use one on my 90 and it gets up on and holds plane at much lower rpm/speed, especially useful when i'm carrying a load of gear. it cost me 3mph in wide open top end speed (which i dont miss), but the fuel saving from staying on plane in a chop at lower rpm is the benefit.
although i guess if you raise the motor on a jackplate you might lose the effect of this when the cavitation plate is above water line.

[welder]

The problem Walt is dealing with is, He doesn't want the transom to drop when he takes off in real skinny water [ Like 12" ] So he is trying to keep the back end from dropping on take off.

They make boats just for this BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT he has less than 2K in this boat , or he could spend 30K and go to town, Walt, ask away brother , we are getting some great info. here.

[JETTYWOLF]

Or just drop the boat off at Warthogs place and come pick it up 6 months later after he's done his own flattie poker boat.
He's straighten ya right out.

C'C'mon......

[bassboy1]

I know the original poster is probably long gone, but for anyone else reading, before you decide to trash the idea of flotation pods on a flat bottom, take a look at this link.

http://tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10254

Slightly smaller boat, but same general idea. While I have no experience with flotation pods on bigger V hulls, they are quite amazing on many jon boats, and if I end up keeping my 15.5 footer, I am seriously considering adding them.

[JETTYWOLF]

Not all that appealing......
I think I'd look into a larger Jon, if it was me. But then again, I'm a rich entrepreneur , with lots of cash.

O.P.M. - other peoples money.

[JETTYWOLF]

Talkin about REAR floats.......add her and you'll be okay.

Ya just don't see these on the stern of this brand very often.....

[Sobie2]

I actually installed a pair on my SeaArk jet skiff and they worked great. I bought my boat, put the max hp on it and the boat sat stern heavy. Sea Ark 1 year later came out with the flotation pods for like $200 so I bought a pair and installed them and they work great!

Sobie2

[JETTYWOLF]

Problem is the top weight has to match the stern weight.....they look better, I mean drive better that way.