Budget boat buildup

[Dunks]

Is there a section for members boats on this forum. I couldn't find one. So I'll post it here.

This is my first boat project so it may take me a little while and a few questions but I hope to get through it. As the title says it is a budget boat (got it for nothing) and I don't plan on spending anymore than $700 at the most to fit it out. I already have another boat that has a 40hp Yamaha on the back with cable steering, sounder, and all safety equipment. So all I have to do to this one is put a floor and centre console in, transfer everything over and I will be fishing!!

Well that is the plan anyway.

The boat is a 4.5 mtr Swiftcraft and as you can see it is just a bare hull.

[Dunks]

The inside

[Dunks]

The motor

[Fishin_Dan]

Looks good Dunks! I'm in the process of getting my boat ready for rebuild of the floor, and have been doing as much research as I can first before I start. Go through this "Boating" section and read all the posts for projects/rebuilds/etc. There is SO much information here. I think we need to get one to keep it altogether, but....

Good luck, and make sure you post all the pictures as you go along.

[gavsgonefishing]

Hate to burst the bubble, but "budget" and "Boat" just does not go together.

Please prove me wrong at the end of the project.

Good luck with it

[mickey7]

Does'nt boat mean" Bring On Another Thousand".

Mickey

[Dunks]

Shouldn't be a problem to keep it under $1000 but I am aiming for $700. It is only going to be used fortnightly (hopefully) so I don't want to spend a fortune on it. It won't be anything too flash but if I cover everything with carpet it should look OK.

[NQCairns]

Great looking boat, luv the lines, the 40 will push it very well, should fly! will be a little ripper when finished.nq

[finga64]

looks like an excellent basis for a good boat.
Good luck with the project

[Dunks]

You won't beleive it. I put in a bid for a Bermuda fishing essentials centre console and won it. Got it for only $150 plus $35 postage. Not a bad price even though it doesn't help my budget at all. Thanks to Tomo's Marine at Marks Point in NSW.

Here's a pic.

PS. Who was I kidding setting a budget ::). I'll buy little bits at a time that way the missus won't know how much it has cost all together. I will keep a running tally and let you know how much I have spent as we go.

[Dunks]

Why is the ideal positioning of a centre console?

Am I on the money with it in this shot?

[tengals123]

Looks good!
Now, depending on what your going to do to the boat, ie, upholstery, seats, pait, fittings etc, i'm telling you $700 will not get you very far. Steering systems, wheel, forward controls, stainless hardware, screws, bolts, and the list goes on and on.

Good luck with it!

cheers

[NQCairns]

Great deal on the CC [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]
I have owned a tinny for around 15 years that would be a near aluminium equivalent to your boat in dimension just deeper in the v section, mine would also be quite unstable at rest compared to yours i suspect.
Mine is a forward CC and I think I am around 18-20 stone (105kg whatever that is in stone). The forward CC in this boat works well, I can only fish 3 up when dead flat nearshore 2 up and longer trips out I prefer just myself.

The reason it works well is because I can permanently pin-trim the motor with some positive trim. This lets me when the conditions are fine to obtain a reasonable cruise top speed but when in the rough or even with large launch wakes I can drop straight down to around 6-8kn which then forces a bow up attitude because of trim that can punch safely through even very large waves for this size of boat and still make enough headway to be going somewhere without too much green water over the front.

It means I can leave the ramp and arrirve back without touching the trim, it wouldn't be possible if it were a tiller steer in this boat with my weight and as a Middle CC it would be more of a compromise but do-able.

Anyway it might be worth considering how that particular boat will handle with your weight in it forward in both rough and smooth and position accordingly. No good having a forward CC that would like to bury it's nose when it gets tight because your weight is up front. Also forward is BLOODY BUMPY too bumpy to sit so forget about fitting a chair too dangerous you will end up on the floor or even overboard, sometimes it can only be described as a wild ride. If your boat has enough rearward buoyancy and you are not a heaveyweight consider also a position as far aft as possible.cheers nq

[Dunks]

Thought I would give an update on what I have done lately. Not much really. Put the cordless drill through my finger, with a phillips head bit on it, ouch :'(. Then it got infected and blew up and went purple ouch again :'(.

Since the last post I have put the stringers in the floor and glassed them in. For the floor I am using 19 mm ply. I have built a casting deck with four storage compartments in it. One for the anchor well, one for the safety equipment and the other two I am undecided on yet.

I have put in the centre console and worked out the cable steering for it. I was going to build a seat box but have decided to use the pedestal seat I bought for my old boat, I have plenty of storage room anyway.

Down the back I have two compartments, one for fuel tank and other for battery and (maybe) built-in esky.

Everything is going to plan and I hope to have her on the water soon.

Just have to change the motor over to this boat and get her serviced.

Hopefully I'll see you all on the water again soon.

[Dunks]

Casting deck compartments

[Dunks]

Front view

[fishin_till_late]

boy its looking good :o i love the casting deck in it it should work well and good storage. Congrats on the great job on the boat and i hope you enjoy it for years to come
jono

p.s hope the finger gets better soon. Doesnt sound like it would be fun tying fishing nots with that!

[Jeremy]

19 mm ply will be very heavy. Usually 12 mm is used in most boats.

I would have gone with a built in esky for your helm seat. This would conserve space and help keep the weight forward.

Anyway, looks like you are doing a good job. I like your casting deck and storage compartments. You can never have too much dry storage on an open boat!

Jeremy

[Dunks]

Jeremy, you may be right about the ply. This is the first boat I have ever done so if it doesn't work out then I'll know better next time.

Cut all the holes for the compartments tonight and then hinged them all and put the deck back in the boat. Looks good cost a fortune in stainless hinges though. For eight hinges and screws it cost $80. I so don't want to add up my tally spent so far.

The only problem I have now is that I have installed all these hinges and latches but I was going to carpet it all, it is going to be a pain in the bum to do it all now.

I am still deciding whether or not to put in an esky in the helm seat, I'll leave it as is for now until I take her out for a run and see if I need it or not. Plenty of room around the boat to put a small esky but it does seem a waste not to use that space.

[Jeremy]

I would definitely go the carpet. Looks great, deadens sound, and is not expensive. Just a pain as you may need to trim the edges of the ply to make it fit again.

As you said, take it for a run and see how it goes. That is the best way to see what works for you and you can take you time deciding on what needs to be done next.

Jeremy

[revs57]

Love your work Dunks...a true visionary!!! ;)

You give us all hope, will watch with interest 8-)

regards

Rhys

[chemmy]

it looks great so far and it can only get better from hear

[Dunks]

Here's how he casting deck hatches have turned out

[Fishin_Dan]

Dunks:- Have you been taking photos of each step along the way? You should look at setting up a "ShareProject"...

My project is here http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,126,00.html, and you can then sign up and start your own one! It's a pretty good site!


Mate, keep this coming though! It's looking great! Would love to see the whole process of this!!! :D

[Dunks]

OK so far I have spent $765.00 on this boat but thats including some stuff that I had already bought for my old boat, and the centre console which I was going to build but got for a bargain $185.

Costly items I still have to buy are carpet and rubbers for the edge of the boat total cost about $250 plus any incidentals. So I will go over my budget (no surprise there) but for what I have spent and for what I am going to have, a boat that is set out exactly the way I want it, I am very happy. It may get a lick of paint later on down the track after a few test runs.

PS All the ply was kindly "donated" by my work so I have cheated a fair bit as this would have been expensive.

[Dunks]

Casting deck is finally finished and in the boat. Motor is on, centre console is in. Not long now hopefully.

[revs57]

Dunks...Maaaattte...Looking gooo-oood ::) You'd have to be happy with the result. I remember fitting out our last boat, a Bermuda 445 tinnie, raised the floor, built in the transom, removable Bait board with rod holders, Berley bucket, removed the sponson seats and centre consoled it, put a built a boat box/seat big enough to put a nullie in the top with all our gear and slide a nullie underneath for a kill box, put bow rails and spray dodgers, a bimini...and I did most of it myself, with help from welding guru Dave at Rip Tide. We came up with a cracker of a result and man what a sense of reward too. Seeing that carpeted casting platform with in built lockers...great stuff!!! 8-) I'm sure you will be visited often by Mr Barry Mundi or Mr Mangrove Jack...and perhaps their cousin Mr Yella Belly? and don't forget the Sandies and muddies! ;D

Keep the pics coming...its great to see a genius at work!!!

Rhys