The old girl gets a face lift

[Brice]

Hi Guys,

Some of you may remember some months back I asked for advice on modifying/refitting an old half cab 6.4m De Havilland Trojan with an old 140hp johnson.

After a lot of work and a bit of coin she is almost there.

She is now a 6.4m centre console with a 05 225hp merc opti hanging off the back. Still a bit more work to go but had her first outing this weekend (just a creek test run). I was very impressed how well it has responded to the changes, very little fine tuning required.

Comments, advice and feedback whether it be negative or positive is encouraged and welcomed. :)


sum

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[Hornet Rider]

That's huge Brice, or sick as my grandson would say. Well done. Go fast fire engine red would have been my choice for colour, but the black (?) looks good too. Did you get a weight on the hull, less donk, after the remodel? I guess it has a full floor? What flotation do you have under the floor? Cheers

[Brice]

Thanks Hornet Rider.

Yes full floor with all new 2 pac poly urethane underneath (fun stuff to play with). Did a bit of research on floatation and got many peoples ideas and have now got the 2 pac up both sides under the floor and have also opted to fill the sides with the pre-fab sheets of 2 pac poly urethane. positive bouyancy?? Unfortunately I didn't get a bare hull weight, but I do know it is very light. Whole thing including trailer and fully loaded boat ready to fish is only 1500kg.

There is a funny story with the colour, I had talked myself out of black and was either going to go red or dark blue but when i said to the bloke at the paint shop what I was doing he threw a tin of paint on the counter it just so happened it was black so I went with it. Will probably kick myself for it later ;D

Cheers
Brice

[Hornet Rider]

That was very kind of the bloke to give you the paint & you should be able to get a good price for the boat, if you want to sell her some day, from gun runners or Custom's dodgers, but do take care in low light conditions when your zotting about with that 225 - for those with poor of sight, or average scanning discipline you could be a hard target to see. Look forward to seeing more pics & hope you get lots of satisfaction from her. Sounds like with all that poly, it's got to unsinkable?

[BREEZE470]

WOW ... that looks amazing ;D Well Done ...

[Pridey]

Amazing transformation mate. Beat boat.

[Az]

awesome mate! more pics needed!! Any from inside the boat?

[Lancair]

Awesome work.
Some more before and after pics and a story of mods done etc would be especially cool.

Andrew

[Jock The Rock]

thats bloody sweet mate awesome makeover :)

[Skusto]

a few of you guys finishing up your renos on your boats thats one big centre console know though!

[Brice]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

There is still a bit to finish off.

We have been very lucky to date.

We (my father and I) bought the boat about 3 and a half years ago. When we first looked at her I laughed and told him there was no way I was going out in it the way it was.......sure enough the water called so we made her sea worthy and safe and off we went. The first trip out I caught a 5 foot black marlin just off of North Keppel, it was magic, so that was it I was not missing a chance to get out in her. Over the last 6 months before commencing work she started to take on a bit of water (later found it was just at the bolt holes for the motor). This coupled with my fading confidence in the old Johno even though it never missed a beat I finally convinced my father that we needed to turn her into a centre console.

It just so happened that my father was speaking to an old friend of his, Vince from Cooee Bay marine and we picked the motor up for a very good price. What seemed to be a bad point at the time it has a 30" leg but after speaking with Vince and Terry (welding worx) it gave us an opportunity to build up the transom and get rid of the space wasting wash well.

So I dragged her up to Rocky and did what I do best pulled it to bits. Then dragged it back to the welder and ended up with:

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Seeing how the cabin was removed we needed to think seriously about storage. So the very front of the boat became the anchor well and storage before that.

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Time for paint, my uncle is a spray painter/panel beater by trade. So negotiations began.....how many fishing trips equal a respray. ;)


Now came time to cut out the new floor and bolt in the console my father designed and had Terry weld up.

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Then the fit out.....I don't have a final pic but just imagine there is a new GME VHF to the bottom left of the wheel ;D We have also fitted all ned hydraulic steering. I am also yet to pick up a new sounder/GPS.

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We do have to thank the guys down at Cooee Bay marine, Vince, Brad and Trev for their expert advice and quality gear along with Terry from Welding worx he is a top bloke and does a great job at a great price.


You have now seen the latest photos I have, I will update it next weekend.

Yet to be done:

Canopy
*New* Epirb
Live Well
Sounder/GPS
Battery
Prop
Interior lighting
Down Rigger


I hope I haven't bored you all to much.

Thanks again
Brice