AluminumAlloyBoats.com

I have been wanting a Big Jon Boat for a few years now. It needed to be high sided, a little V, wide body. It also needed to be able to fit in my garage where the 162 Scout is now.

I found this SeaArk 1860 w/ a DF-70 Suzuki. I jumped on this boat pretty quick. I got a decent deal on it, but knew it would need a bunch of money thrown at it to be what I wanted and to bring it into shape.

This boat will be a dedicated Flounder Gigging boat.

I discovered some problems after I had it a little bit. Corrosion in the transom. :-|

So it was off to see the boys at B&D welding.

The trailer was a pile of junk. I will not own a trailer with Bearing Buddies.[They are Junk...1970's technology]
It MUST have Posi-Lube spindles, so that meant a Axle change along with everything else under this trailer.

I didn't like the deck thickness, it would oil can in a few spots that you stepped on. So this one is coming out. .125 Diamond tread is going in.







Flotation foam blocks under the deck.

I removed the motor to install a Bob's Machine shop Jackplate. This is what I found.







Someone had installed trimtabs at one time and then they were removed. The boat doesn't need them, but the holes were filled with stainless screws. So it was decided to plate the Whole transom, as there were some small pinholes here and there also.

Note the addition of a bracket on the Port side for a Anode and the plate on the STB for a transom mount X-ducer.

And the Trailer work starts.

New winch, winch strap, toung jack, coupler, safety chains, Bow Roller, U bolts to hold the winch stand on.







New Axle,Springs,Fenders, Galvanized Hubs, U-Bolts to hold the running boards in place.

That transom looks killer, is it welded all the way around? That should be one hell of a boat when your done with it if you keep going at it like you are. Nice
Nate

Damn Wart......

You been busy.

Dedicated Flattie poker huh. Can't wait to see it all done. I can just imagine it. Racks of lights, generator box, maybe a arch with a small fan and cage to get ya in stealthy. (we kinda have your number, Wart....)

Just like this but smaller????

We have a dude around here that actually does charters for them, at night and "supposedly" is selling fanchises????? :roll: :roll:
Can't tell if this is just a large seaark or a scully's or hankos type built boat.......most likely he didn't have it custom built, but just bought a hull and cabin boat from Seaark, I'd guess.


You can see he's added a bunch of stuff. Like radar on pedestal, more grab rails etc. "How much crap can ya stuff on a big azz jon-boat"......and the winner is......

I didn't see a photo of the diamond plate deck?
Wasn't done yet....?
Man, a shiney diamond plate console would be cool. (reflection problem, with deck??)

Do you suspect the corosion at the engine mount point also because of lack of zinc in saltwater??
99.9999% of all the jon's I see used in saltwater all the time don't have a zinc plate and the owners have not a clue, not to mention the wiring jobs they've done. Most people with jon-boats are not all that up on the TECH stuff anyhow.

Keep us updated, PLEASE

-don't forget to order them military night vision goggles :lol:

That transom looks killer, is it welded all the way around?

Yes....A lot of linear feet of welding.

Well the diamond deck is cut and laying in the boat, but not fastened down yet.

yes I think the corrosion was due to sitting around in a marina...Ya never know about stray current.

I want to raise the forward deck to be even with the Sheer of the boat. I also want to have aprox. 10in wide washboards/ covering boards down each side to run around on.
That stuff will wait for a while.

There will be no Air Motor on this one. To tall to fit in the garage and more noise.

It will have a 24V 80lb thrust Minkotta TM on it.

All that shiny Diamond plate will freaking blind you. So it will be painted Awlgrip "Moon Dust" w/ flattening agent in it.

Think Desert Storm Tan.


As to lights:

The start will be 2- 400watt HPS's [52,000 Lumes] and 2- 150watt HPS's [16,000 Lumes]

The 400's are BIG and heavy [30lbs ea]

Honda 2000 Generator to start.

Dang Warthog that thing is gonna be one jam up rig for Gig'in.

BUt from what I know about you the whole boat will wind up with a new coat of paint/awlgrip before you are finished.

Will See? I got this boat so I can go places that I would not take a FRP boat. [Stumps,Oyster beds and rocks are areas that Flounder will lay]

I'm thinking Awlgrip "Moon Dust" w/ flattening agent added to it. Think Desert Storm Tan.

Got all 9 LED lights mounted on the trailer today.

Here is a little bracket that I made to tuck the Red Side marker out of harms way.

Bobby , ya need to talk to Mojomizer about some LED spot lights . I seen one out in Ca. a couple weeks ago and that sucker looked like a Aircraft Landing Light.

The cool part is , they don't draw squat for power but they aint cheap.

These showed up the other day.

400watt HPS [52,000 Lumes]

I think the corrosion on the transom has nothing to do with stray current or wiring, It's caused from salt being trapped between the transom and the motor mount. the traped salt with no oxygen ends up corroding

I could be wrong


JohnnyMac posted this on another thread that concernec corrosion


2. Crevice corrosion: marine grade aluminum will develop a protective oxide coating when exposed to air. As long as air (oxygen) is present, no worries. However, if aluminum is mated to another surface and salt water/moisture creeps in between, that dead space invites corrosion. The solution is again epoxy paint or another barrier to protect the surface. Note that this has nothing to do with metal contact -- any plastic/rubber/wood surface can trap the water to the hull where there is no oxygen. That is why wood is a particularly bad thing to attach to your AL boat -- it can stay wet and trap water against the AL. It's also why an unpainted hull is nice -- paint can eventually scratch and invite blistering from crevice corrosion.

Nat , that is a VERY good post and a good memory

Bobby -

Outstanding work as always! Keep us updated with pictures.

Wayne

Having a problem adding a few pix's. The size is 640 X 480 Photobucket, but turned 90deg's.

Don't understand?

Bobby, go to Photo Bucket , open the picture you want and EDIT it [ rotate ] and save. then post it on AAB.

Well as per usual...I can't leave it alone and put a saw to the boat today.

Boat manufactures are notorious for being cheap. After all they do have bean counters working for them.

This means that when it comes to installing rigging tubes, they either do not exist or are under size.

I want the deck flush with the Sheer. For those that don't know.....The "Sheer" is where the Bump Rail is.

Now..I also want wide Covering Boards that are at the same level as the Sheer.

This will all be done in 1/8in alum Diamond plate and then covered with Hydro-Turf Boat Decking.

The rigging tubes will hold 2- 4ga cables for the Trolling Motor. Batteries in the console. The other is for the Nav lights. The existing wires you see in the pix's will be removed.

Gotta love that "boat" port. I have one too. Makes outdoor work somewhat bearable in the summer.

That is normally where the X-Shark sits. It's 12W X 40L X 14H.

I don't want to enclose it, as it creates a Vortex of air moving thru there.......Well Sometimes anyway. LOL

I cut some more holes in the boat today. With those stupid "Stab In" lights that are always a PITA, I'm not putting up with that crap, so Shark Eyes are going in.



Riv-Nuts installed to accept a machine screw.

Good idea.
Can't wait to see more.
Thanks for the update.

Got a LOT done today. Picked up the new metal and cut it up to size. No pix's today.

Tomorrow will be something to see.

This is a little hard to get good pix's.

The bracing under the new storage area is done. There is at least 4 times the storage area that was original.

In the bright sunlight it looks like the "House of Mirrors".
'Ya need sunglasses, for sure. After I get it primed and painted it will be much better.

Billy of B&D welding the box that is the storage box. I drilled 68 1/2in holes to roset weld this box in.



Bracing in. This boat is 3 times stronger than it was original......Not that it needs to be.

This thing looks like a "House of Mirrors" when it's in the sun. Not to worry. All that blinding Bling will be covered up.

Billy @ B&D Welding has been logging some hours with me.