opening a closed bow project

[PlayDoh]

Hi, I have a cheap 12' fiberglass boat from the 60's. Its fine for me, its got a 50hp Merc on it and it goes good. Only once its at full speed the bow lifts out of the water too much and it will veer off if a wave hits it right. Makes for some heart stopping moments.

Now its a closed bow and the steering is the wire bogeys on both sides. Now I could run the cables, and re-configure the bogeys to accommodate an open bow.

I would like to be able to put my buddy up front when we travel, and then have a stool for fishing. I have a crack in the floor in the rear that I'm going to cut out and repair soon.

Now am I breaking a golden rule by cutting the bow out? I wouldn't think its providing any needed support to the hull, but it might. Even if I could only make it flat and lower it so I could sit in a stool.

Like I said, the boat does me fine for what I use it for. Yet I tore out the seats and been using a couple office chairs, which is a little to 'Mickey Mouse' for even me.

Could anyone give me advice on this? I can post a pic if anyone wants to see it.

Also, I've thought of getting a decent aluminum boat and building my own deck, live-well, and cockpit and saving the $30k in the process. I don't have a million dollar shop, but I can fab almost anything. I haven't done tons of fiberglass, but enough to know the basics.

I can't imagine I'm the only one whos thought about do it, anyone have info on custom fishing boat builds on stock hulls?

 

[Ezrider_92356]

Re: opening a closed bow project

quite a few people have converted closed bow to open bow not meany people have gone the other way

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: opening a closed bow project

you have pulley cable steering, the bow cover provides support for the bow gunnels, if you cut it all out you will have to support the gunnels, basically you sides become very flimsy. learn the angle the boat doesn't like, and do not do it. you can also move your tilt in one hole and that may bring the bow down.. also a 12 footer with a 50hp is quite a bit overpowered.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: opening a closed bow project

I agree with TD on the overpower and wave angles.

If you really want to do this, you will really need to redesign the front of the boat. Where will the steering wheel reside? Normally open bow boats have a dual console design. Your 12 footer will not have enough beam for this design. You will need to build a side console for the steering, and convert to a rack and pinion or rotary cable ($150). Now you need to reinforce the hull, where the bow wil be cut out. An raised floor is a good start to that. Also reinforce the perimiter of the bow with some wood or fiberglass. Test it and rebuild as necessary.

The bottom line is that you could get a larger hull, perhaps with an open bow, and drop the 50HP on it for a few hundred $, if you look around a bit.

 

[salty87]

Re: opening a closed bow project

Now am I breaking a golden rule by cutting the bow out? I wouldn't think its providing any needed support to the hull, but it might. Even if I could only make it flat and lower it so I could sit in a stool.

you're sorta removing the 3rd side of a triangle, esp with no deck up front. the bow walls wouldn't be separated from each other without some other reinforcement. with it being so small though, it might work...or at least improve the odds of success...if you keep the dash intact and make it a step-over. keep as much of the topside as possible, at least a couple of inches all the way around. hard to really say without seeing a pic. i think i'd still want more support.