Need Your Deck Ideas!!!!

[BassBird]

Hey guys i'm going to be buying a boat similiar to this one...

Could you guys who have already decked out your boats post pictures here so i don't have to go digging through past threads to get ideas!!!!

Also what do you guys think about this boat? is it a good boat to use or not????

THANKS!! - Josh

[Gatorbassman]

Here's mine.

[Triton_Mike]

Here is my almost step by step tutorial

www.tritonmike.com/boat.html

T Mike

[BassBird]

how do you put the livewells in? is there a kit or something?  Sorry i'm completely new to boats! Not bass fishing just the boating part of it...-Josh

[Triton_Mike]

My livewell is the ice chest you see in the boat.  It's got aeration in it.

T Mike

[Gatorbassman]

An ice chest is the only way to go if you only keep fish some of the time. It is a great space saver.

[BassBird]

sweet....thanks....anyone else have boats with decks that you installed yourself?

[Okeechobee_Cracker]

I dont, but Im going to be starting a project and I will be sure to get pics of every single step.

[BassBird]

I also need to know about wiring the trolling motor...i don't have a TM yet but i will be putting one on this boat. Is there anything special i have to have like a fuse box or does the trolling motor just hook up to a marine battery? sorry for all the ?'s...very anxious to get going on this thing! thanks again- Josh

[tunnelengineer]

Put a fuse inline or use a breaker.  I personally like the auto-resetting 40 amp breakers from cabelas.  There is a sticker on the motor cable itself that will say how big of a breaker to use.

[BassBird]

Do you guys thing the front of the boat will be stable enough for decks?

[abelfisher]

I would suggest using marine plywood, or at least pressure treated.  I think standard plywood may cause you to have some mildew/mold problems.  

[JayDub]

#1. DO NOT use pressure treated wood! The chemicals react to aluminum and can corrode it.

#2. You can use marine grade plywood which can be expensive or you can get cdx and coat it in fiberglass resin to waterproof it. It won't last AS long but should last quit a while.

Whether or not it can take a deck depends on how it feels and acts on the water.  How wide is your boat?  I suggest you take it on the water and stand on top of the front bench seat (if this is how high your deck will be) and move around a bit.  If it feels alright, go for it!

[alhuff]

BassBird, i have a "V" bottom jon as well but the problem i have is that the supporting ribs, like the ones found in a flat bottom, don't extend up the sides of the boat.  i'm not sure if the decks can be higher than the seats.  i would think that making the decks higher than the seats will make it very unstable in the water.  

below is a link to a very nice "V" bottom boat with decks...i would love to do this.

http://www.myjonboat.com/gerry.htm

here the decks are seat level.

hope the site works and let us know how the project goes....

Alfred

[BassBird]

Where can i find Etching Primer? Wal*Mart does not have it

[jagdbdg]

I take your going to paint this boat because you are asking about a etching primer.  If you have a bennett paint store in your area they sale a two part paint (i think dupont makes it not sure) that you mix that does away with doing a seperate etch primer, its about 100.00 a gallon

[BassBird]

Never heard of the store...

[jagdbdg]

I live in VA, you may want to try any local paint store in your area im sure they can tell you or get it for you.  

[BassBird]

Well i finally got down to the guys house where the boat is that i will be buying...it's a mess. haha but i know that i can clean it up and it won't even look like the same boat, he's asking $300 for it but i'm going to see if he'll take $200...

So here we go, here's the beauty in all her glory...

What do you think? lol well i know what you're all thinking but i see potential and i can't beat the price...it has a trailer too that needs painted.

I was wondering what i had to do to paint the trailer? I'm pretty sure it's steel and not aluminum so do i still have to use etching primer or just primer made for steel?

Here is a picture of the bottom...

[BassBird]

just wondering how far to put the decks from the top of the boat? someone mentioned on another thread 4-5 inches...is that correct?

[JayDub]

On that boat, i would just put it on top of the bench seats, but i guess that's just me.

[Okeechobee_Cracker]

Man 200 or 300 hundered i think thats a steal

[flechero]

I would deck at the seat level.  It's easier to do because the seats can be used as support, it will require less work and weight to support.

Northern, or probably any Tractor supply or paint store will sell a metal primer that actually eats the rust.  I bought a rig like that many years ago and painted the trailer (by hand with a brush) with the rust eating primer and it was great... it actually smoothed out the rust and stopped the formation of more.

Since that boat has rivets, it might take on some water. (most old riveted aluminum boats will at some point begin to leak)  you can (and I would) glass resin all the rivet lines.  It will seal them and be watertight for many years.  You can get fiberglass resin at Home Dopot or Lowe's, or most auto parts stores.  It is as easy as painting.  Follow the directions on the resin can and prep the areas with a drill and fine wire brush, to clean and promote good adhesion)  My old boat leaked bad... it would fill up 2-3 inches per hour...  after the glass resin, I left it in the boathouse for 4 years, in the water and it never took on a single drop!

[stimpy17]

Ya know, I think I hooked that thing once. Almost got it to the surface before she broke my line.

Talk about a challange! Whew!

Is that an old Grumman?

[BASSINAL]

:)Years ago I had a similiar boat that I added a deck to.  It ran from the front to the back of the front bench.  I put hinges on the front so that I could lift the whole thing up to get to the storage underneath.  Good Luck!