Canoe Modification In Progress.

[Insanity]

I've got a 14ft semi round bottom, three seat model BPS shop used to sell. Anyway I hate the way it's set up now.

The center seat was held in by four bolts. Removed them and gained a huge floor space.

I want to lay down a sheet of thin plywood. To make the center of the floor flat. I just want it a few inches above what I have now. As the higher I go the less stable it will become of course. I'm going to also loose the back seat most likely and build in a better higher siting seat. With behind the seat storage.

Problem being I don't no how to trace or make a template before cutting the plywood. I seen a trick for stuff like that one time but can't recall how. I also need to trace out the bottom contour to make a cradle for it to sit up right in my trailer. I'm decking it out somewhat like Goose52's Cadillac canoe.

I will be screwing a board down across the beam ( near center) to mount sonar and such to so I want loose the structural integrity of it. As it is a plastic model. 42" beam.

So does anyone have any neat tricks to transfer a round pattern. To a flat surface?

[ClackerBuzz]

for in interior: cardboard?

or duck tape the interior boarder. peel up half the tape and stick newspaper to it. connect all newspaper and tape and carefully peel off.  transfer that to cardboard to double check before transferring to wood.

for ur truck can't u just stack a few 2x4's till the canoe is balanced and use that height for ur rack.  really ur rack doesn't need to be contoured. just the right width and height. you could just screw together a rectangular 2x4' frame that holds it upright (and remove the frame when ur not using it)

[martintheduck]

For templates - cardboard or some of that blue foam insulation...

[Insanity]

for ur truck can't u just stack a few 2x4's till the canoe is balanced and use that height for ur rack. really ur rack doesn't need to be contoured. just the right width and height.)

I tried that first. It managed to do some weird things it isn't flat long ways either. After a few bumps in the road it will be on its side.

I had one cradle that worked well just didn't look good so when we moved i tossed it. Want to see if I can get the cut rite this time so I can carpet it. One ratchet strap holds it down and I'm gone.

[A-Jay]

I put carpet in my Old Town Predator.

 

I got the idea from my pick-up truck.  I have been putting a product called a "Bed Rug" which is a form fitted all weather bed liner in my past few vehicles.  It's a very good product. 

 

Used the indoor-outdoor stuff. It covers the entire length of the boat in 2 sections overlapping under the middle bench seat.   Used a card board template to form fit a custom cut.

 

 Also glued a thin water proof foam backing to the under side of the carpet. The blue foam is sold as a sleeping bag mat.  I think it was 3ft x 7 ft and perhaps 3/4" thick.  I purchased 3 and cut and pasted what I needed.

 

This keeps the carpet in place, is a nice cushion under the feet, provides insulation, make the canoe very quite and is easy to remove and clean. 

 

This same material has been down for six seasons now and is in good shape.  I'd expect to get at least 2 or 3 more years out of it before I'll need to replace it.

 

I really like it.

 

A-Jay

[Insanity]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I used a scrap piece of ply wood for a trial run today. It worked great, walking around is much improved in stability. Thinking now I'm going to remove the front and rear seat as well. And floor the hole thing.

I sure need a piece of carpet where I put my feet at least. I'm always getting muddy feet getting in. Then it gets on everything. Least some carpet would soak it up.

Thinking about using a simple one by six board across the beam in the rear and install a light weight folding john boat seat. Rod racks across the front. Unless I decide to go with a pedestal lean seat in front.

Installed old hummingbird 4D on a block of wood so I could move it around in the floor. I tried mounting it all over and finally decided movable was best. Lol

While surfing I ran across a platform with hand rail that bolts on the top front of canoes. Like they use on other boats for bow hunting man that would be cool. Didn't find a price for it but I'm sure it was out of my range.

[Goose52]

................ I'm decking it out somewhat like Goose52's Cadillac canoe.

 

Here's some detail photos as mentioned in our PMs.  Took the boat out today for probably the last time this year and got some pics of the boat rigged when I got back to the bank and was starting to tear it down. Plus - a couple file photos.

 

File photo of the connector for the TM and the cable conduit:

 

File photo of the Slidetrax Transducer Deployment Arm (old photo - I now have this arm rigged a bit different and it's got a SI/DI transducer on it now):

 

From today - view of the bow showing the dashboard, tackle trays, sonar, sonar power cable, battery box, and the other end of the TM cables:

 

From today - view of the "cockpit" showing the TM cable conduit:

 

From today - view looking aft - anchor system and rope can, seat, etc.  It was a short trip today so no cooler/lunch that is usually under the seat:

 

From today - view of the 3-rod holder unit. I can store up to 5/6 rods pointed aft if I need to. Only took 4 rods today.

 

Finally - from today - just to illustrate that the boat is NOT all show and no go.......

[Insanity]

Thanks Goose! Nice fish, big mouth!

I really like your dash board idea. It will work well behind the rod rack that member (Fishing Rhino) has in his canoe.

I made a quick rough rod rack based on his idea of the rods laid out front. Holds seven out front. With the tips pointed and inside the contour of the bow. ( I fish around a lot of trees and brush in spring)

Just tossing stuff together quickly to see how it works for me. Fasted my transducer to a 2x2 and dropped it threw a muffler style clamp to hold it over the side. That works so I'm gonna weld a piece of angle iron onto a piece of pipe and run the next size smaller pipe down it to adjust depth. Drill a hole threw the first an weld on a nut and wing nut bolt. So I can hand tighten to raise or lower the trans.

Moved my battery from back to front like yours. Duh that balances better. Need to run conduit and wires like yours. I'm gonna night fish to so I'll have a few extra wires for lights.

Think il fish it a time or two more and then redo it to make it pretty. But I still don't think it will look as good as either of you guys. Y'all's are like Cadillacs il just be glad to have a functioning ford. Lol

[Bankbeater]

Wow, that is one tricked out canoe!  Nice bass too.

[Goose52]

.............................I really like your dash board idea. It will work well behind the rod rack that member (Fishing Rhino) has in his canoe. I made a quick rough rod rack based on his idea of the rods laid out front. Holds seven out front. With the tips pointed and inside the contour of the bow. ( I fish around a lot of trees and brush in spring)

 

I really like Rhino's rod rack but I am a bit "length challenged" to make it work on my boat...unless I used 4ft rods...

 

Wow, that is one tricked out canoe!  Nice bass too.

 

Thanks! It's just a 'lil 'ole fishin' boat.  It WAS a nice cold-water bass! 

[Insanity]

Lol length challenged. Yea I hadn't noticed the difference.

Now I've got to keep mine out of the weather. My shop is huge but I keep the floor space full somehow.

Il have to take pics of my canoe and post when I get it fixed. So Il also take a pic of the pulley rope system I'm going to put in the rafters so I can lift it over head out of the way. Roofs about 20 ft high in the center so it can hang there out of my way. But it's gonna look scary when friends walk in, look up and see that monster looming over there head. Lol.

[bassinshankles]

I have a Coleman 15' ramx canoe I used a 2x10 fir a dash in mine its so sturdy I can stand on it at 230lbs underneath I have one tackle tray stored using metal straps and I took a lot of ideas from the kayakers using bungee's to lock stuff down for storage there awesome I have a video on YouTube (bassincanoe) its just shows my redneck bass boat.