Good start to the day; the end? not so much

[haggard]

A very good day.

 

How fitting it seems that on the final weekend of summer the old boat got an afternoon of attention it deserved and is ready for fall fishing. Got the motor mount shimmed in, flooring installed, tiller handle installed, cables dressed, sun top installed. It's a hideous looking mess put together with whatever I could find in the basement or the yard, plus $100 in new stuff at Home Depot. This 1966 Starcraft was my first boat and there's just something I really love about it. 

 

I didn't want to step on the bare aluminum hull so laid down three 2x4 ft PCV sheets with fake grass carpet stapled onto it - gets wet and won't rot, no slip grip and dampens the sound, smallies will never know I'm coming

 

The motor is a 1975 Evinrude 15hp 2-stroke electric start bought off Craigslist from a salt water sailboat, originally used as a spare/donor for my (now deceased) 1976 Evinrude. Start/stop switches and starter solenoid are mounted to the gunnel because, well, the gunnel was there. It fires up but needs some finessing of the choke and throttle until it's warmed up; after that it seems to stabilize. Mostly.

 

Sun top (critical!) is PVC pipe mounted on galvanized steel flanges and pipes, with canvas on top.

 

Gas tank and battery will be mounted (okay, just placed) as far forward as possible to balance things out while I sit at the stern.

 

Throttle control mounted on the gunnel. Milk crate seat.

 

Tiller handle is a steel floor flange with 12 in. pipe threaded in.

 

Motor mount screws are seized so I just wedged in some composite shims.

 

Trailer could use some love.

 

Intended purpose is for this outfit to get me through end of season. Next year hope to have a new boat.

 

It ain't pretty. Viewer discretion is advised  

 

[Johnbt]

Around here that's called First Class swamp carpentry - take what you have and hammer something together. Love the cork in the tiller. 

[haggard]

2 hours ago, Johnbt said:

Love the cork in the tiller. 

It's all in the details :D