I been debating another boat for stream fishing, but don't have room for two let alone three, and I have a pretty deep 12' V that I decided to do a makeover on instead, and use it on small lakes and rivers. So while trying to fish the Lake Erie Walleye run and work on this project the past month I finally got the pieces all installed yesterday. still need to put the seats in and a hatch door for the front mounted battery box, mount the Hummingbird, the Garmin w/inland lake maps, 36lbs. thrust classic Johnson trolling motor, Johnson 15Hp outboard, and later a bow mount troller on the front, I may add 2 backup lights on the exterior for night fishing later also???

 

My starter for the project. 

 

The floor suports in and stood er on end to wash it out so the foam would adhear to quiet the floor stringers and help deaden noise.

 

 

one with the floor rough cut and laid in for final fitting.

one of six cans of foam being applied to the frame work for sound deadening. w/the center conduit for the rear power cable, the duct tape was to allow an air space under the 2 1/2" pvc conduit for drainage to the rear.

 

.the last one for now is with the faoming finished and the floor sheets installed and fastened and the center seat cut down and moved forward for the front "battery box-seat-deck layout" with everything riveted and fastened securely, I will have to put the access hatch in and install the battery with everything else later. The green grass carpet is just laying there, I don't know if I am just going to paint and put silica in the paint for grit, or use the green turf carpet????

 

 

id build a storage box off on one side so if it rains when youre out all your stuff wont get soaked.

id build a storage box off on one side so if it rains when youre out all your stuff wont get soaked.

The Battery box is huge under the front seats, deck,or whatever you call it now, as the center seat was cut down and put up against the front seat, riveted together and that is for not just the battery but things that you wont want to get wet, I just need to find the 15x 20 to 26" hatch now and it will be done  . I will post a couple new pic's on here maiden Voyage yesterday when I get back from my first fishing trip with her today, yesterday I made a 16 mile total run, and planes great with a top speed of 24mph at full throttle, that was with full gear, plus had her trimmed clear up and the depth finder reading zero while churning up silt, so she goes in about 1 foot of water!! I am very happy with my "Lil River Boat" 

Bob, get a couple lengths of pipe insulation, and slide it on the top cap of the gunwales, to protect your rods from scratches.  I'd skip the green carpet, and paint it white, and get real bass boat carpet.  That fake grass likes to eat small hooks.

it's done J and the pipe insulation is out! That stuff is not UV friendly at all, it gets crumbly and flaky and a real mess. I have very heavy cloth St, Croix rod wraps though that I put on all my rods for transport, when they come out there either in a rod holder or my hand or back in the cloth wraps. The floor is what I wanted, UV resistant and I only attach it with 7 round head screws with attached flat washers 1/2" dia. I can pull it out and back in in 2 minuets. I wanted to be able to do this so I can hang it and raise the tongue of the trailer and spray both out when they get cruddy from sand and mud being tracked in. This thing don't see many boat ramps, but any where I can back in the water and submerge the fenders it's easy on, easy off. Plus I get out a lot and wade fish riffles and sometimes may have to drag it over trees or big limbs. Thursday I hit a small creek about 3.5 miles up it off the river it drains into. I didn't do very well but 1-13" and 4-10" to 12" Crappie, very slow but these are the places I want to be able to go and getting in and out without a dock will be common. I like being able to conveniently hose it out when I want. Remember there is no wood in the boat so as soon as I spray it out, it is air dried in minuets! This was the neat little creek I was up yesterday, and totally by myself. NICE!!

I just wish I would have had the trolling motor with me for fishing some of the brush piles, I think I would have had a few more.but here she is trailer'd for the trip.

The boat realy makes time on the water when you gotta ways to go, altho no 60+ mile an hour bass boat, she scoots right along at 24MPH!! 

 

in the drive complete "EXCEPT" I need the two Starboard side rod holders, and the front hatch cover for the storage area and battery box.

My next boat purchase will be something very similar.  I fish a particular small lake that 5 mph limit, shallow, and loaded with pigs.  It's pretty silly launching a 22' bass boat at a primitive launch to fish it, lol.

My next boat purchase will be something very similar.  I fish a particular small lake that 5 mph limit, shallow, and loaded with pigs.  It's pretty silly launching a 22' bass boat at a primitive launch to fish it, lol.

Amen!! I don't worry much about bringing the bow in on the sand or even gravel, just float er in and step out, and the fuel cost will make it easier on the pocket book! I ran about 22 mile and haven't used 1/2 of that 6 gal. tank yet, sweet! you need a tin can it'l work!

Oh, I know the plusses all to well.  I'll keep the tourney boat for big water, but want to add a little tinny to the fleet.  Here's my old Sea Nymph:

 

Dad and I were on the sheephead.

 

 

That's a little bigger boat than I put together, nice but a bit to large for some of the waters I am going to have this thing in. My buddy has that same boat we take to Dale Hollow, very comfortable boat to fish out of!!!

Yeah, that was a 15' boat. I'd go smaller, and less complicated, though that was a great boat for Great Lakes smallie fishing. I could go out in conditions that kept a 20' bass boat on the trailer.