Little Boat that Could build!! (1 Viewer)

[thangbom4321]

Yup, as many of you all know I enjoy fishing and have started fishing fresh water this year. It's been fun fishing the creek with my little one and we ate our first Crappie about a month ago. OMG, themz some good fish! I usually don't hoop and hollar about freshwater fish but them good eating!

Anyhow, so I Luckily found a little John Boat for cheap and brought her home. Now it's time to do some simple mods to her so that by little one and some friends can go catch some fish! My little one is super excited about going out on the boat.

 

[Subsea]

Cherish these times. both of my daughters grew up fishing with dad from a canoe. Now the grandkids are teenagers and camping & kayaking are a part of their lives. The adventure never stops.

 

[thangbom4321]

My little one and I have all sorts of adventures with her imaginative self. We have when went on a "bear hunt" but only found domestic animals.

The garage had to get cleaned up, things tossed, and rearrange to get the boat and trailer in, well almost. So first big mod was cutting the long tongue and installing a swing tongue so that it could completely fit in the garage. PIA!! Drilling multiple holes and fiddling inside the square tubing was a little tricky. The Drilling was the worst though. I'm almost finished with installing it though. I rerouted the trailer wires so that they are inside the trailer frame instead of dangling all over the place and held with a few zip ties.

 

[Subsea]

My little one and I have all sorts of adventures with her imaginative self. We have when went on a "bear hunt" but only found domestic animals.

The garage had to get cleaned up, things tossed, and rearrange to get the boat and trailer in, well almost. So first big mod was cutting the long tongue and installing a swing tongue so that it could completely fit in the garage. PIA!! Drilling multiple holes and fiddling inside the square tubing was a little tricky. The Drilling was the worst though. I'm almost finished with installing it though. I rerouted the trailer wires so that they are inside the trailer frame instead of dangling all over the place and held with a few zip ties.

The wonder & creativity of a child’s imagination should be fostered in ourselves, it makes for great adventure, As a member of kids outdoor zone, we organize outdoor adventure (fishing, hunting & camping) for “kids at risk”.

 

[thangbom4321]

Whew!! I took some quick measurements and rode to my brother house to use his saws to build me an electronics/dry storage box. I should of made it 1.5" or so shorter so that it lined up with that rib but oh well. I'm still not sure how I will make the top lid. I'm thinking of cutting it like a "d" so that I have space to put my legs when sitting on the back bench and cutting slots or cup holder holes on the other end. This will allow for placing fishing tools, drinks or whatever in an easy to access place while I fish. The smaller half will be where my electronic toggle switches will go.

I started working on cutting, drilling and installing the tongue swing kit last week and finally finished it today. Drilling all them holes took some work but it's installed. I need to once again rim to the hardware store to buy a long lag bolt and nut to attach the new safety chain.

Here is a picture of all the toys and stuff for the boat minus the swing kit. I spent more on the parts and everything else to customize the boat to my liking than the cost of the boat, outboard, and trailer put together! It's okay because I'm enjoying this little build and will have lots of fun with family and friends on/in it.

 

[thangbom4321]

She is coming along nicely. I'm almost finished. Navigation light are installed and mostly wired, electrical control panel roughed in, storage box laid out and trailer finished.

 

[webster1234]

Those little john boats are a lot of fun. Very easy to swamp though if another boat makes a big wave and it hits you just right, so make sure everybody keeps their life jackets on if you're on open water. We used to use one for duck hunting and there were a few times when we were weighted down with waders and heavy coats, decoys and dogs, that I actually feared I was gonna drown. It can be chaos at a moments notice. Enjoy these times though!!!!!! You only get one shot.

 

[thangbom4321]

I have 5 life vest already and no cheapie ones either. 3 of the vest are for water sports like the 4th picture (that's my baby's pink/blue life vest).

 

[Cody]

My little one and I have all sorts of adventures with her imaginative self. We have when went on a "bear hunt" but only found domestic animals.

The garage had to get cleaned up, things tossed, and rearrange to get the boat and trailer in, well almost. So first big mod was cutting the long tongue and installing a swing tongue so that it could completely fit in the garage. PIA!! Drilling multiple holes and fiddling inside the square tubing was a little tricky. The Drilling was the worst though. I'm almost finished with installing it though. I rerouted the trailer wires so that they are inside the trailer frame instead of dangling all over the place and held with a few zip ties.

That has got to be the most inappropriately long trailer tongue I've ever seen!

 

[foos]

My step dad had a flat bottom boat. We moved a dock across a lake once. The dock was too heavy so as soon as he started to move the water started coming over the back and he had to gun it to get the wake out far enough to not sink us. Full speed across a lake sitting on a floating dock holding on to a boat to keep myself and the dock from flying away. Full speed into the shore as well. Good times.

Moral of the story, get yourself a large engine and if you start to take on water, just go all out.

 

[thangbom4321]

Yeah, the trailer was home
Made and pass whatever regulations require by DPS so he could register it and get plates. I cut it and followed the instructions on the swing kit. Per the length of the tow ball to the swivel, i have it so that the tongue can carry 320# of weight, and the boat don't weight much so I'm well under that limit.

 

[thangbom4321]

I take it that this was not a floating dock. This little 14' john can only carry 440# or 3 passengers per the sticker. I'm not even going to guess what 2 people and a dock would weigh.

 

[thangbom4321]

Took the boat out to lake Woodlands to try her out. She did well and everything is functioning well. I still have to work on the outboard though but I think it will run well after a carb clean.