My $250 Polarkraft

[Pogo123]

I'm about finished with a total rebuild of a 1981 Polarkraft CGF-1444 and do I ever like it <br /><br />

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<br /><br />You can read all about it on my website, if you wish, at: www.pogo123.com

 

[DJ]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

Outstanding! I like it, nice clean design.<br /><br />Good job!

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

Looks great...just a thought, if you off-set the cooler to the port side then the boat may sit more level as it seems you have the seat mounted on the starboard side. This may balance out things a bit. Perhaps if you just made the cooler side braces movable, say with dowels, then you could shift it depending on the load. <br /><br />Also, I saw matched cooler top seat cushions for the igloo in the Boater's World Catalog, might make for a nice padded mid-ship seat, thus the snaps on the side of the cooler lid, but you may have already thought of this. Nice job.

 

[Pogo123]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

Thanks for the comments guys and the suggestions.<br /><br />Well, Purduebarry, I'm not a very heavy guy and, since these pictures, I've already made a battery box holder for the port side in a corner of a brace and the hull. It and the troller about offset my weight on the starboard side ... plus, I usually run the tank from the forward starboard side ... in front of the cooler. <br /><br />Additionally, and since I usually am out alone, my tackle box and other gear get stashed on the port side ... no problem with balance.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

very nice job. be safe and good fishing.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

Cool...

 

[michael-lagrange]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

Seat cushions I was talking about, we got one for our 72. It works as a great extra bench seat.<br /> <br />igloo seat cushions <br /><br />Great looking boat, post a pic of it in the water!

 

[Pogo123]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

Yes, Purduebarry, I figured that was what you were referring to and I have one. <br /><br />My local Marina can get me pretty much anything I want and since I bought the cooler from them, they cut me a deal on the Igloo cushion made for that cooler ... works great and looks good, too.<br /><br />The snap down straps are just a tiny bit long, though (about 1/2 inch each) which allows the seat to move a bit more than I like, but that's easily fixed in ten minutes on a sewing machine.<br /><br />That was in my plan from the minute I decided to remove those huge floation chamgers/seats that were originally built into this boat.<br /><br />BTW .. I sent the rebuild narrative and pictures to Polarkraft (Godfrey Marine) and got several good comments back.

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

Do you have a before pic? Was it a mess when you started?

 

[Pogo123]

Re: My $250 Polarkraft

No .. I wish I had taken some "before" pix, but I didn't think of it then.<br /><br />The boat had been in an accident while being towed on the trailer .. both were a pretty sorry sight.<br /><br />The bow had been dented in, the bow eye ripped out and the hull torqued about 15 degrees out of true .. then .. it had sat out for about 4 years being neglected.<br /><br />After geting the bow skin back to shape, I welded in the bow with two pieces of diamond plate aluminum bent to fit precisely ... 3/16" outer and 1/8th inner, then ran the bow eye through that.<br /><br />The transom was total rot .. so I made a new one.<br /><br />Then, after prepping and painting the hull, I totally rebuilt the trailer too straightend the frame, replaced a tongue section and lengthened it, and on, and on, and on <br /><br />You can read the entire narrative on my web site if you're so inclined ... www.pogo123.com