My Project W/ Pics

[ck33181]

I bought a 1987 Grumman Champ back in April. It is 15' long with 42" bottom and 20" sides and has a 1987 30 horse johnson OB.

It floated lopsided in the water, so I got the idea of rearranging things in it and it snowballed on me from there. Since I had everything out, I decided to pull the seats and redo the rotting carpet. At that point I had everythign off, so i figured I might as well flip it over and paint it. Then I had it off the trailer and figured I should go ahead and replace the rotting boards and bent brackets on the trailer, as well as paint it too. As of now, I have the trailer painted and the boards and brackets replaced....getting a new tongue welded on sometime this week. I have the boat painted camo and back on the trailer. It's a work in progress and pics are coming with more coming later

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

Here is us removing the carpet after taking the seats and everything out.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

Here is the boat cleaned out a piece of astro turf down in what will be a storage area after I add some decking in the front.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

Here is the pattern I have painted on the boat. I used Krylon Camo paint. I'll get pics taken with the boat back on the trailer today hopefully with pics of the trailers paint job. The trailer was a dull faded blue and is now Olive Drab Green with the fender wells painted camo to match the boats paint job.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

Here are some pics of the boat back on the trailer. They are a little better quality as I broke out the wife's digi cam. I had the wheel off painting it black.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

Here are a few more.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

I had that same boat back in 1987, bought it brand new.
I wish I never sold it. I had some idea back then that bigger was better.
It was one of the most abusable aluminum hulls I've ever seen.
I had a 35HP Mariner (Yamaha built), on mine, it would almost take flight in rough water. The boat was only rated at I think, 25 HP but the 35HP was redecaled at a 9.9 to meet local rules. I don't think it really fooled anyone but they never bothered me even when running 40 or so mph across the lake.
Mine came new with an olive/gray looking paint with orange carpet.
I'm not sure what they were thinking back then but it was definitely bright.
I sold mine for $1800 back in the early 90's when the motor started to get tired but I should have kept it. That hull was great for running wide open up river, I used to tie off the steering and fish from the rear while steering the boat by just leaning side to side. The same feature that makes them susceptible to leaning made them great handling boats on the water. They were a bit heavy for their size but super rigid with a super strong gunwale rail. I have always kept my eye out for a larger version of that hull with no luck. They weren't sold locally, so they're a bit rarer around here. Grumman changed hands or reoranized several times since that boat was made, construction changed over the years too. They no longer make that hull.
That was made back in the day when Grumman was top choice in the rental boat market.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

I can say it is for sure a heavy boat! I've only owned jon boats until now and there is a major difference between a 14' Jon and this. Two grown men Struggle with this thing!

The hull looks to be in good shape. No cracks in any of the welds either. The construction is solid on these older Grummans.

It planes out pretty dang good with the 30 horse on it. It goes faster than I care to go on the water I usually fish on.

I got a pretty good deal on it for around here. I gave $1400 for it after it had been sitting wrapped for two years. Carpet was pretty bad, needs some maintenance, and it was nothing pretty for sure, but a little sweat, blood, and a lotta money can take care of that.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

Well, sanded, washed, and painted one wheel yesterday before WWE "wrasslin" came on. I'm about to go get a new tongue welded on as the old one is bent pretty bad. Im gonna try to get the other wheel painted and put back on today if I can. I'll get some pics too. Gonna need new wheel bearings on the trailer as well.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: My Project

Re: My Project

Nice deal... looks like you'll have a solid boat there. You waterfowl hunt off it too, or you just like the camo pattern?

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

Thanks. I just like the camo pattern. I think it's a redneck thing.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

I got the new hitch welded on the trailer and got my other rim painted black. I couldnt get any pics online cause the wifes digi cam had dead batteries. I am gonna try getting started on the dekcing today. I gotta figure out how to get it all flush and level! I am no carpenter for sure!!!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

I drove one of those with front stick steer instead of the console, it had only an 18hp motor but it did great since the weight was all up front.
It too had the same orange carpet as mine did.

You will probably never have to worry about any hull damage. Mine took all sorts of hits over the years running stumpy waters and never so much as showed a dent or ding. I remember getting caught upstream one time beyond what amounted to a stump field at low tide, the only way out without waiting for the next tide was full speed over the top on plane. The boat glanced off several obstacles but made it through. Somehow the motor survived too.
I treated mine as if it were indestructible back then, and somehow never managed to hurt it. I used to run mine out into the bay and up and down all the tidal creeks and rivers here. I can't count how many times it got stuck in shallow areas out crabbing and chasing bait but somehow never got any damage.
I don't recall ever hearing about any problems with those either.
They probably can't afford to build a boat like that these days.

The closest I've seen to that lately has been the Duranautic V hulls that are common now, they are made by the same company that now makes Grumman boats but I don't believe they're the same people that made Grumman back then. I have a 12' Duranautice that is built just as solid with all welded seams, but it don't have that heavy round gunwale that the Grumman boats did.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

Well, i need someting sturdy as I do alotta stump jumping.

This one had dark blue carpet in it when I got it. Im going with grey now. (what home depot had for sale)...

I havent got to get started on the decking yet. Work keeps getting in the way of the boat. Hopefully ill get it done this weekend.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

Well, this project is now on hold as the wife ran me off!!! Gotta love women.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

Well, i've managed to get to work on the boat a couple of times lately. Got most of the decking done. I still have to get the back decking closed in.

Then it's on to putting the trim back on! Still got some work to do though. The boat is at a friends house some 50 miles away..so I only get to work on it every couple of weeks.

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

more pics

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

The ole lady wants me to move back in with her....

Looks like i'll get to start back in again and maybe be back fishing before to long. YaY!

 

[ck33181]

Re: My Project W/ Pics

Ok, well, the boat is pretty much back together. Painted, decked, carpeted.... Everything is good to go except the motor/steering console. I am gonna have to get the motor serviced before I take it out again. I'll try to get a couple pics posted soon of the finished product so far. I'm in a money crunch, so it may be a while before I get to the motor.

My brother in law and I did take the boat out and she still floats. We have been trolling around in a ox bow lake off the Arkansas River. About 20 hours worth of fishing/yoyo'ing and not one bite.