Jon boat project

[catman529]

Thought I might post a couple pics every now and then of the progress on my fishing boat I recently bought. This will be mainly used in creeks and ponds, especially the Harpeth River. Bought it for $115 from a guy via Craigslist.

It's a 1971, unknown make, 14x32 aluminum jon boat. Has lots of patches on the rivets made from various types of epoxy or who knows what the previous owners used. I plan to scrape as much off as possible and re-do them with JB Weld.

Started work on it today.

The transom was bent outward a bit, which I fixed with my foot. The board of wood used to support the transom was in pretty bad shape.

Brand new piece of wood for the transom. I used stainless steel nuts and bolts, because the old ones were so rusted I had to hack saw them out. The transom is now rock solid, and I just need to get 2 new carry handles to install on the back.

Some of the seat rivets had been replaced by bolts which were rusted together. A couple were loose and I was able to hack them off, and put in new stainless steel ones and a bit of JB Weld on the small cracks at the edge of the seat.

I also put a little silicone caulk between each outer washer and hull to seal them up.

Next step is to get out the toxic chemicals and strip off the paint and old crappy patch jobs.

 

[TeamMainStreet]

Some Tal-Strip should do the trick

 

[catman529]

Already bought a can of paint stripper. Can't remember the brand but it should work. Lists "marine" as one of the uses too.

 

[stik]

you need something to protect that wood.

 

[catman529]

you need something to protect that wood.

that's what I was thinking, maybe a spray enamel or something?

 

[stik]

you need something to protect that wood.

that's what I was thinking, maybe a spray enamel or something?

maybe a good varnish or shellac?

 

[SilverFox]

Catman check Steelflex if you have a leak problem on the boat after you work on it. You can google search it or you can read about it on the forum link I sent you earlier. It is applied like paint and you can actually get it colored so you can use it like paint without having to paint over it.

http://www.fascoepoxies.com/ is the place that sells it. I've heard and read a lot of good things about it for sealing up the bottom-sides of an aluminum boat.

 

[buckdead]

This is a neat website that has a lot of cool ideas to modifiy jon boats.

http://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3156

 

[Big J]

Yeah I just became a member at tinboats. Modifying one myself starting next week.

 

[woodchuckc]

Good start! Just a piece of advice - keep your eyes open for an appropriately sized piece of white oak for your transom. It looks like you just used a piece of white pine, which will not last for very long before rot sets in even with painting it. It is pretty soft too, so you will need to tighten your bolts periodically as you use the boat since the bolts will imbed themselves into the wood and loosen up, even with the washers. White oak (NOT red oak) is very rot resistant, a lot harder, and will stiffen your transom up more than the pine. It doesn't have to be furniture grade - just a rough cut piece from a sawmill would be fine.

 

[catman529]

I've been reading some stuff on tinboats but haven't become a member yet. Looks like a great site.

Good start! Just a piece of advice - keep your eyes open for an appropriately sized piece of white oak for your transom. It looks like you just used a piece of white pine, which will not last for very long before rot sets in even with painting it. It is pretty soft too, so you will need to tighten your bolts periodically as you use the boat since the bolts will imbed themselves into the wood and loosen up, even with the washers. White oak (NOT red oak) is very rot resistant, a lot harder, and will stiffen your transom up more than the pine. It doesn't have to be furniture grade - just a rough cut piece from a sawmill would be fine.

Yeah it's white pine lol.... just cause I'm on a tight budget now, but I will remember what you said about white oak. Thanks for the tip

 

[woodchuckc]

I've been reading some stuff on tinboats but haven't become a member yet. Looks like a great site.

Good start! Just a piece of advice - keep your eyes open for an appropriately sized piece of white oak for your transom. It looks like you just used a piece of white pine, which will not last for very long before rot sets in even with painting it. It is pretty soft too, so you will need to tighten your bolts periodically as you use the boat since the bolts will imbed themselves into the wood and loosen up, even with the washers. White oak (NOT red oak) is very rot resistant, a lot harder, and will stiffen your transom up more than the pine. It doesn't have to be furniture grade - just a rough cut piece from a sawmill would be fine.

Yeah it's white pine lol.... just cause I'm on a tight budget now, but I will remember what you said about white oak. Thanks for the tip

If you would like, PM me the dimensions (width, thickness you want, and length at the top and bottom of the board) and I'll see what I can come up with. Your cost: coming over to Vanderbilt to meet and pick it up.

 

[catman529]

Well thanks, I will let you know on the dimensions.

 

[LA man]

Good start! Just a piece of advice - keep your eyes open for an appropriately sized piece of white oak for your transom. It looks like you just used a piece of white pine, which will not last for very long before rot sets in even with painting it. It is pretty soft too, so you will need to tighten your bolts periodically as you use the boat since the bolts will imbed themselves into the wood and loosen up, even with the washers. White oak (NOT red oak) is very rot resistant, a lot harder, and will stiffen your transom up more than the pine. It doesn't have to be furniture grade - just a rough cut piece from a sawmill would be fine.

i agree, that pine will not last long, if u keep it u really need to paint/seal all sides including the back

 

[holstonangler]

Looks to be an old Lowe, i used pine on mine, it split after not long, but has held up.

 

[holstonangler]

Looks to be an old Lowe, i used pine on mine, it split after not long, but has held up.

 

[catman529]

You think it's a lowe? I have no clue. Doesn't have the corner braces at the transom like most jon boats. Also the aluminum is a thin gauge and has a funny texture rather than being completely smooth. I'm thinking of finding something to brace the corners with to make it more sturdy.

 

[SilverFox]

Sounds like a Sears boat to me... but you never know.

 

[catman529]

Yup it is a mystery to me. Guy I bought it from did not know the make either. On the registration he had the make as "Jon" and model as "Open" so I copied that onto the bill of sale.

 

[catman529]

Well look what I found... looks like mine is most likely a Sears. Same dimensions, same textured aluminum, and no braces at the corners.

http://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18553

A couple differences though... support for the transom is different, and it has a drain plug. Mine has no drain plug which is weird. Also mine is a '71 and this is a '70.