My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

[keepNitreel]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Nice job on the boat, you should be proud of your accomplishment.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Thanks for the kind words guys, I appreciate it. All the time working on the boat, sitting in it trying to figure things out, horsing it off and on the trailer, not until yesterday, while we were actually on the water, did I realize just how small 15 feet really is. Good thing I took my time in the planing phase or else I'd be right back in the shop today redoing things !

 

[Mark42]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Boat looks great. Yep, a 15' boat is not very big, so all your planning really paid off! Just wait until you get it on a bigger lake and go WOT. I bet you will have a blast.

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

One thing about a 15' or smaller, they can get in a lot of places where the big ones can't. After I finish my 14' I will look for something bigger in order to have the best of both worlds

 

[jpm666]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Man your getting really good at that photo-shop stuff Murph.
I can't wait to catch some hawgs in that thing!!!

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

That's great news Murph...she looks good. Might consider some upright guide-ons for your trailer...another project but they work like a charm and are easy to make/install. I used pipe flanges bolted to the trailer and one-inch galvanized pipe, with PVC covers on the uprights. Distance between uprights should be one-half inch to one inch wider than widest point on your boat.

I've already decided against the PVC lash up. Too much hassle with all of the brackets, clamps and U bolts I'd need. So, question on your setup: how tall are your upright/vertical galv pipes ? I'm thinking maybe 2 ' tall so there's not much stress on the flanges.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

One thing about a 15' or smaller, they can get in a lot of places where the big ones can't. After I finish my 14' I will look for something bigger in order to have the best of both worlds

I checked out your resto thread and it looks like your'e making good progress.
Look forward to seeing the finished pics.

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

I checked out your resto thread and it looks like your'e making good progress.
Look forward to seeing the finished pics.

Thanks JP, I'm making some progress, not as fast as you and the others though but it's geting there.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Hey Murph...my pipe uprights are 30 inches. Had to have both pipes tack welded to the flanges cause the starboard upright kept loosening up on the road. I think the flanges are easier to deal with, you have to drill your trailer for bolts but other than that it's easier. My pipe is 1-inch inside diameter.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Hey Murph...my pipe uprights are 30 inches. Had to have both pipes tack welded to the flanges cause the starboard upright kept loosening up on the road. I think the flanges are easier to deal with, you have to drill your trailer for bolts but other than that it's easier. My pipe is 1-inch inside diameter.

When you drilled the bolt holes for the flange, did you drill for every hole in each flange ? I'm thinking maybe 2 or 3 per flange (Trailer frame integrity)and some Thread Locker on all of the threads to prevent the loosening problem. My nearest "boatable" lake is over an hour away so I'll be doing a lot of towing and these Kansas roads are not the smoothest on the planet. Niether am I.

Thanks for your guidance TM...

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Man your getting really good at that photo-shop stuff Murph.
I can't wait to catch some hawgs in that thing!!!

Did a little road trip yesterday up to Kanopolios Lake. Wanted to explore and find the best ramps, which we did. Very nice park kept up by the Army Corps of Engineers. Nice clean swiming beach, covered picnic thingies. Be nice for the girls to cool thier heels while we be fishin. (Nanna's idea) I'm headed back tomorrow for some serious shake down and some solo fishing. I'll be checking out the other larger lakes over the next 2 weeks so we don't waste any time driving around blind. Providing the wind cooperates..

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

I have 2-3 bolts through the frame holding each flange to the frame/rail. I tried threadlocker and a big wrench, but my starboard upright kept wiggling loose while going down the road...then it would fall when loading the boat in a wind. Was tempted to try JB Weld on the threads...it always loosened at the flange threads, but having a neighbor fire up the welder only cost me about $10 and a cold beverage. No worries now and I can still remove the uprights by unbolting the flange from the rail if I want/need to.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

I have 2-3 bolts through the frame holding each flange to the frame/rail. I tried threadlocker and a big wrench, but my starboard upright kept wiggling loose while going down the road...then it would fall when loading the boat in a wind. Was tempted to try JB Weld on the threads...it always loosened at the flange threads, but having a neighbor fire up the welder only cost me about $10 and a cold beverage. No worries now and I can still remove the uprights by unbolting the flange from the rail if I want/need to.

Many Thanks...

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

When you drilled the bolt holes for the flange, did you drill for every hole in each flange ? I'm thinking maybe 2 or 3 per flange (Trailer frame integrity)and some Thread Locker on all of the threads to prevent the loosening problem. My nearest "boatable" lake is over an hour away so I'll be doing a lot of towing and these Kansas roads are not the smoothest on the planet. Niether am I.

Thanks for your guidance TM...

Nevermind. I got the 4 bolt-hole flanges nailed down with 3 bolts. It was pretty easy. Had I gone with the PVC idea I'd still out there messing with the damn things. This pipe setup is much easier I'm sure.

 

[chrishayes]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

You should post some pictures of this setup. I plan to do something similar to mine, but I own a welder so I figured I would go the fully welded route. However, if this is removable it would also be replaceable...which is probably a good thing. Progress looks great, how does it feel to be able to use it after such a long time?

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

SHAKE DOWN CRUISE A BIG SUCCESS

Spent 7 hours on Lake Kanopolis today. Motor performed like a brand new engine. Idles slow enough for deep trolling and yet jumps up out of the hole like a big basser. The lake is 15k acres and I did 3 laps at speed, trolled for several hours and just cruised a bunch on 3 gal of gas.

We do have a weight distribution issue though. At near WOT the whole rig leans to the right. The moter appears to be mounted correctly. The bracket bolt holes in the transom lined up perfectly when we nailed it down. I think I just have to move all of the batts to the port side and that will hopefully correct the listing problem. Other than that I'm at a loss on the listing problem. I tried leaning myself way to the right at the helm and this made a big difference with the listing but it's a little hard to control the boat leaning way over like that.

Launch and trailering were good. Well, launch was good. Trailering will take a little time and practice on my part. Heres a pic under 1/3 power. Couldn't find anyone who could keep up with me so no pic of us @ WOT.

It was an amazing feeling having other boaters compliment me on how much they liked our boat. Of course every compliment turned into a 15 min discussion on what and how long this resto took me. It was a great day. Just a bit hot @ 99+ degrees, but still a great day.

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Didn't here anything about you catching any fish though

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Didn't here anything about you catching any fish though

Well,,,, Jimmy Houston fishing sunglasses do not catch bass. Those big white ugly sticks do not catch catfish. I WANT MY MONEY BACK !!!!!!!

Nope, didn't catch any of those fishie things. Did catch more than my share of sunburn though.

Live bait, dead liver, artifical plugs, lures, spoons, frogs, minnows, plastic wormies, absolutely nothing worked. But, By the time I got a line wet it was about noon. Already 85+ degrees. Trailered about 5:30 pm and it was 98 degrees. Those fish aren't stupid you know. They know when it's too hot to eat. It's us guys with the boats and stuff that don't have a clue..........:redface:

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

That's great news Murph...she looks good. Might consider some upright guide-ons for your trailer...another project but they work like a charm and are easy to make/install. I used pipe flanges bolted to the trailer and one-inch galvanized pipe, with PVC covers on the uprights. Distance between uprights should be one-half inch to one inch wider than widest point on your boat.

Here's the deal on the trailer guides I built. Credit goes to tmcalavy as I followed his plan. I used all 1/2 inch galv steel plumbing pipe components.
4 pieces total. Flange bolted to the trailer frame. 14 inch horizontal piece ( standoff) . (Threaded on both ends of course) 90 degree elbow and a 36 inch upright.
Cover the two uprights with 1 inch pvc pipe. I cut a 10' piece in half giving me 2 5' pvc uprights. And there you are.

Use a plumb line at the widest part of your boat to determine how far out you want the guide uprights to be. One to two inches away from either gunwhale will keep you straight on when trailering. I highly recommend you weld the horizontal piece to the flange. My horizontal piece vibrated loose, the upright piece it was holding swung down horizontal to the road, the pvc pipe came off and bouncing down the road ground off 1/2 inch of thread from the top of the upright..This was on the way to the gas station Monday night. I'm heading to the lake Tuesday morning with no trailer guides.

You might consider welding every piece, except the flange @ the trailer frame. Bolt that on so you can remove it at some point in time. I painted everything before I mounted the pieces.

Thanks to tm for sharing his plan with me.

murph..

 

[5150abf]

Re: My Retirement Project (Chapt nine)

Glad to hear the sea trial went well, I know I was a nervous wreck my first trip after rebuilding mine, just waiting to find that thing you forgot to do.

My only problem was a leaky livewell fitting.

Getting a smaller boat to balance is kinda tough, my transom was to deep so I moved a battery clear up to the bow to balance it, worked out nicely.

I'm sure you have some tinkering to do yet, it will never actually be finished ya know, but sounds like it all worked out well.