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1650 Alumacraft Bowfishing build (saga?)
Hey first post since I lost my account in one of the switch overs/crashes awhile ago.
I have been slowly working on building a bowfishing machine out of my 16 foot all welded aluminum hull. I got this boat while I was in college at UNF. Any way here is the progression of this boat. I am going to be copying the build from another forum so if some of it is redundant or doesn't make sense you will know why. Alot of backtracking do to money issues... Its always about money haha.
Originally from other forum on 5/21/11:
Whats up guys first post, I have been lurking around on here for a while taking in all the basic info and I finally got my first Bowfishing/gigging rig. It is an 1650 all welded Alumacraft, my local stomping grounds are Jacksonville, Fl any way I bought it two weeks ago and Just went on the first voyage last night, the Genny pooped out after an hour so no fish but hey the boat didn't sink. This morning I got the Genny back up and made a couple of changes.
I Have been bowfishing on my roommates boat for about a year and it was OK (160 Key Largo) but there wasn't enough room for 3 to shoot nicely and the Genny smoke tore up the white fiberglass lots of scrubbing after every trip.
Done with the rambling on with some pics.
When I first got it the original plywood floor was rotted to hell so that was the first to go
Ready for the first outing last night
This afternoon waiting for tonight put the generator up on my casting platform and it frees up some room.
4 500w halogens and a motorguide 65v troller foot controlled soon to be stick
Ballast box for 4 400w hps that I got off Craigslist, still need to make fixtures for them
To be continued...
I have been slowly working on building a bowfishing machine out of my 16 foot all welded aluminum hull. I got this boat while I was in college at UNF. Any way here is the progression of this boat. I am going to be copying the build from another forum so if some of it is redundant or doesn't make sense you will know why. Alot of backtracking do to money issues... Its always about money haha.
Originally from other forum on 5/21/11:
Whats up guys first post, I have been lurking around on here for a while taking in all the basic info and I finally got my first Bowfishing/gigging rig. It is an 1650 all welded Alumacraft, my local stomping grounds are Jacksonville, Fl any way I bought it two weeks ago and Just went on the first voyage last night, the Genny pooped out after an hour so no fish but hey the boat didn't sink. This morning I got the Genny back up and made a couple of changes.
I Have been bowfishing on my roommates boat for about a year and it was OK (160 Key Largo) but there wasn't enough room for 3 to shoot nicely and the Genny smoke tore up the white fiberglass lots of scrubbing after every trip.
Done with the rambling on with some pics.
When I first got it the original plywood floor was rotted to hell so that was the first to go
Ready for the first outing last night
This afternoon waiting for tonight put the generator up on my casting platform and it frees up some room.
4 500w halogens and a motorguide 65v troller foot controlled soon to be stick
Ballast box for 4 400w hps that I got off Craigslist, still need to make fixtures for them
To be continued...
Replies
I moved all of the original controls from the pedal up to the top, I thought of an old r/c car remote that had the wheel to turn it and tool a similar idea to do the throttle mount up top. I also made a quick release mount for the whole pedal because I have to get under a really low bridge on the way to one of our spots.
Mount:
Preface, about 6 months ago the starter bracket cracked off of my Johnson 28 SPL originally on the boat, oh well no big loss, it was a long shaft on a short transom hull. I could buy a new bracket but as some of you may know that holds more than the starter on that motor and is more than i wanted to spend on this crappy motor. The trolling motor steering gave it up again also; i got pissed and yanked the troller and the engine off of the boat its not fun when something breaks everytime you go out. I also scrapped the whole 400w hps ballast box idea, they flickered on my genny at the time so I sold them
Right before all this I just finished the new front deck
And Got a used aluminum float on with a torsion axle for cheap So i had to fix that up
New 4x6 outer bunks, new 2x6 inner bunks, some fire hose and lots of stainless screws and washers.
A Little has been done to the trailer since then but no pictures
I Purchased a new welder, I still need a straight argon bottle this is a 7525 bottle now.
To be Continued shortly
Fast forward to about a week ago, I have settled in from a move to a new house and I was saving money and stock piling materials for my next move on the boat, I got a motor for real cheap that runs like a champ although dated,
Its a 20hp tiller but its a short shaft and should perform better than the 28 once i get a new hub pressed in my prop.
I also Got my hands on a Honda 2000I
So Today I started cutting up aluminum to make a light rail, this is what I can up with
Keep in mind this is purely mock up and may change so some suggestions would be nice. I am going to weld the light rail up as soon as I get my argon Bottle
I will cut the deck out tomorrow or monday and then rivet and 5200 the frame and deck down and then rivet it to the outer rail of the boat.
The Reason I am not in a hurry to finish the rail is because I need to order some HPS from e-cono light. But on the other hand if I finish the back deck I can still motor around and shoot with my current lights; although with only a 2000 now and not a 2500 I will have to cut my two side lights to 300w halos until i get my HPS.
I also still need to find a trolling motor I am thinking a transom mount that I am going to make a bow mount bracket for for a couple of reasons, it is alot cheaper, it will save a ton of room not having the stick and that long bow mount, third alot more people can drive a tiller, as I have found out only me and 1 other person I fish with can drive the stick steer good enough.
This part is out of order but I didnt feel like going back after all that to put it in order. But I also Built and fiber glassed and sprayed a new side console somewhere during all of this. Which is great now that I have a tiller. But I am planing on a 40hp soon.
Any way thats all folks let me here some opinions on whatcha think.
I got a little more done today after work and between rain storms.
First I fit the deck and squared it to the hull and scribed the curve of the hull to the deck
Then I placed it again and did the same for the other side, i also cut out te motor well.
Keep in mind it is just sitting on there and once attached it should look better formed to the hull
I still need to cut out for hatches and make a frame to stiffen the hatch itself once it is cut from the deck. I also need to go get some 2 1/2" pvc so i can use it to run all my wires through under the deck.
But it started raining and still hasnt stopped and i dont have any more rivets
The 1x material is temporary untill i can get some small alum. angle.
Heres an update,
I finally got the argon bottle and the lights so today i welded up the light rail. Keep in mind I do not have a tig welder or even a spool gun yet, This was done with my mig and just the regular feed gun, Also i only had about 20 minutes total time wildingon aluminum right before this. The welds do not look great, i improved greatly over the course of the weld up today overall I a msuper happy with the looks so far.
Cart with argon bottle
Here are 2 of the lights i got 2 250 hps and 2 150 hps
One of the earlier welds
Almost done
Closer to done
Done with the troller mount for the transom 101 built into the rail.
]I just finished wiring the side lights. I went out with just front lights friday night and we got 2 doormats.
Herethey are warming up
A view from the stern
My buddy with his doormat
Here is both of the, in a 72qt cooler[/QUOTE]
Well I bought a 2002 yamaha f60 today
On the ride home
Here she is hangin out in the garage
QUOTE=fishnfergie;448852]It rained thursday and friday afternoon so no real work was done on the boat.
I did manage to put the new running lights on.
And some speakers
I bought a new throttle key switch and wiring harness this morning so at least i can get that on. I also need to get some aluminum plate for inside and out of the transom, seeing as how this motor is double weight of what was on there and I would rather be safe than sorry...[/QUOTE]
QUOTE=fishnfergie;448884]Just finished mounting the throttle and key switch steering wheel is just sitting I don't have the no feed back system yet...
Key switch and throttle cut out
Throttle mounted
OTE=fishnfergie;448957]Another update, the rain stopped and so I went to get throttle cables and steering but the local West Marine does not stock under 15' so they had to be ordered, oh well.
So I made some adapters for some "gig" holders so they an be within easy reach.
Started with two squares of black starboard like this
Then routed a edge on them for looks
Mounted
Overall rail picture
Random but a while ago I got tired of losing my drain plug so I epoxied a copper draine tube into the back of my trailer bunk.
Thats all for today.[/QUOTE]
So I had to cut the plate to size...
All the pieces stacked
Test fitting outside view.
Inside view.
Sorry for the terrible pictures it was dark and the phone doesn't do so well. Hopefully I can hang the motor tomorrow could have tonight but the bolts I had were to short after the reenforcing
UOTE=fishnfergie;450365]Got it hung today, I cant wait to get steering and throttle cables and get out shooting fish again I am itching
Anyway on to the pictures
UOTE=fishnfergie;454296]I have been out on it all weekend day and night it needs a different prop then whats on itmasthe motor does notrev out all the way top speed fullyloaded (4 people, 4 batteries, 12 gallons of gas, cooler full of drinks) I got 32 mph so I am happy and it will only get better once i get the height dailed in and a prop.
Some pictures
We shot a nice flounder and a decent sheeps head and made freinds with the local marine patrol for being the safest wired boat for gigging around, he also said that we were the brightest...[/QUOTE]
OTE=fishnfergie;458475]So a while back I mounted speakers ont the rail but I did not have a cd player yet, so I finally killed the dewalt "boat" radio and needed some tunes....
Here is the deck mounted in the side of te console.
Showing mounting on inside of console
Two big ones
Sister with here first flounder
I forgot to take a first picture but here is a roughed shape
Taken a little more shape
Done
Push pole foot for a short push pole
UOTE=fishnfergie;972186]I have another update... Kinda of.
I decided it was time for new decks and to put the old girl under the knife yet again. The plywood decks that i put down unpainted and unfinished finally have had enough and gave it up, the rooffing aluminum works great but just looks like crap so that going too.
What I am going to do over the next couple of weeks is remove my rail and front deck, cut out the original front deck that I built over, make the front deck into two or three compartments with hatches. For the decks I am going to use marine ply and encapsulate it in epoxy and glass.
I want to keep my boat operational for the weekends so progress will be in sections starting at the front.
I am also going to can the large HPS housings with ballasts in them for some custom housings I am making and then a ballast box. They will be hinged so they face straight out, angled down or face straight down...
Anyway some pics of what I have done this weekend.
Plans of light and bracket
Laid out
Erase the lines to about half thickness of metal
Bend on kerfs that were just cut
After bending and before bending
Ready for welding.
This would have been alot faster if I just had a press and a break attachment... But gotta work with what ya have.
The over hang on the side plates is left because I am going to make some kind of heat shield so the lights wont burn the **** out of you.
More to come soon, I just moved again and the new garage doesnt have 220 for the welder yet... Soo i guess that is the next step.[/QUOTE]
On a side note this boat can still be hidden enough to shoot ducks out of.
And it still gets flounder...
Went out last night to see if it lost any strength and shot two flounder and a sheepshead. Boat was just as solid. No pics of fish though, got some video but cant upload it yet
Hope to get a decent amount done this weekend, will be out on the water tonight while some epoxy cures in the garage though.
Some pics
Last night i got the first deck piece fitted.
Drilled and Filled the holes for mounting the seat with epoxy and some 403 and chopped glass strands
Sanded the filler smooth and cut some glass.
Starting to wet out the cloth
Wet!
Now i gotta clean the boat of construction debris and load up to go straight gaff some fish.
https://www.facebook.com/CFDHSA
Keep us updated.
CMD
Took the railing off, took off the front deck and frame and then cut out the original deck I built over.
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