crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Jul 12, 2007 11:26:08 GMT -5
Picked up my new boat this morning. She's an oldy but a goody as they say. Seems that most of her substatial years have been spent at a family cottage, free of the wear-and-tear of trailering, dragging in and out of the water etc... That, unfortunately for her, is about to change! Weightwise I can handle it OK on my own, but I'm looking into transom wheels to make life easier, and still have to figure out a better system for the roof-rack. Gotta save my pennies for a motor now, or at least some oars to get me by for a while.   Anyhow - got my work cut out for me getting the dog used to it and getting the painting done in time for opener, but it'll keep me from going crazy in the meantime! -Croc |
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Post by chezz on Jul 12, 2007 11:30:17 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with that boat!!!
A little camo and a set of wheels and your good to go!!
Maybe you should have waited to cash in your Cabelas card to buy a cover for this one instead!!!
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Jul 12, 2007 11:38:33 GMT -5
Yeah, I thought about that when I ordered to camo cover (I knew that I was only going to get a 12 foot boat), but when I read the review on the Cabela's site several people complained about the covers not fitting at the upper end of the advertised size-ranges, so I decided that bigger was better, just to be safe and also to cover my canoe, which is 16.5 feet long. I'll see once I try it out I guess. I'll post pics as I progress on this project.
-Croc
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Post by justducky on Jul 12, 2007 14:32:17 GMT -5
that should work just fine,,,once its all green and camoed up....lol
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Jul 12, 2007 14:52:45 GMT -5
Yup, she may be "Miss Congeniality" now, but by the time I get done with her she'll be a muddly little bitch with a face only a mother could love, but hunkered down on the mud the ducks will see nothing but the whites of my eyes like Arnie in "Predator" lol!
-Croc
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Post by Deacon on Jul 12, 2007 19:26:53 GMT -5
Good looking boat. Should work fine for ya
Now it's time for me to find one.
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Jul 13, 2007 11:57:45 GMT -5
Deacon - I have noticed that there are many more posted in the Bargain Hunter each week than on Kijiji or Craigslist. If you make sure that you're free on Tuesday evenings you can pick up a sweet deal. The Bargain Hunter comes out on Tuesdays and if you're on teh phone to folks that day and ready to go check them out, cash in hand, that evening you stand to pick up a good deal. There were many more available at the tail end of trout season, but I wasn't ready then - hadn't make up my mind if I was going big or small. Quieter now, but I expect things will pick up again toward the end of the year. I was on the fence about getting a new jon boat from langille's boats in Eastern Passage. They have a beauty 12 foot car topper there that would be awesome for calm water fishing. Less than a hundred pounds. It's been there a few years and they knocked a hundred off before I even went to see it. 900$ with a 10 year hull warranty. All welded. The only reason I didn't go for it was the price was still a bit high for me and I wanted something that could handle a bit of wave action for mackerel and some of the big lakes.
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Jul 13, 2007 12:00:55 GMT -5
I've been looking into painting her - all of the gibberish on-line seems to be for people who want to see their reflection in the shiny paint, with all kinds of oxide primers, toxic epoxy and clearcoats! Anyone have any experience with painting aluminum? I was thinking that I'd just scrape the loose paint off, rough it up a bit, clean it all up with TSP and then spray on some tramclad primer and flat paints. Any other suggestions? What about non-slip for the inside? I was even thinking that some kind of rubberized stuff like pickup box-liner might be good.
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Post by Quack Ho on Jul 13, 2007 13:27:28 GMT -5
Hey Crock, if you like my crazy camo jobs I'd be happy to help you paint her. Come on up early in the week for some a.m. trouting and we'll hit the boat afterwards. Any metal primer will stick to that...tremclad will work fine. Then we can make it sexy with the flat camo sprays. Here's the last two bangers I did. The images are pretty washed-out, but you get the idea.  |
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Jul 13, 2007 14:51:48 GMT -5
Looks great! I will have to leave that project until after my holidays, but I will appreciate the help. As for some troutin though, let's plan for Tuesday if that works for you!
Croc
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Post by Quack Ho on Jul 13, 2007 15:10:54 GMT -5
Done.
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Aug 15, 2007 14:08:54 GMT -5
Think I found a motor. It's a 4 HP Mercury short shaft - perfect for the "Ruby-Doo". Apparently immaculate. It was stored in the bag that it came in as an emergency kicker for a bigger boat for a couple of years, then used last summer on an inflatable tender (3 tanks of gas through it). I wanted a 4-stroke, but if this one is in as good condition as is claimed by the seller and if I can get a good price on it she'll be coming home with me! Although I would have to make a sacrifice on the 4-stroke, the bonus is that this one would be about 15 pounds lighter which won't hurt when I have to drag the whole rig across the mud flats in the dark, as is so often the case when you just can't find that damned channel!!! A bit more oomph than the 4-stroke as well I suppose, although either way I won't be waterskiing with it.
-Croc
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Aug 20, 2007 11:56:54 GMT -5
I installed the transom wheels on the boat today. The flip between the two positions with a simple little lever and can be removed simply by pulling out a pin at the pivot point. They appear to be everything that the company claimed that they would be. Should make solo trips MUCH easier on the back. Even loading on the car is easier this way. I just flip them to the "up" position, wheel up to the back of the car and hook the bow onto the back roofrack, then go around to the back, lift and slide it on. Reverse for unloading, then flip the boat over, flip the wheels down and lauch 'er! I got the plastic hubs, which are rated for a bit less weight (but still far more than this little boat weighs, even with the motor on) but are better for saltwater than the model with the real bearings.   |
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Post by Goosetub1 on Aug 29, 2007 18:41:49 GMT -5
;)Helo Croc, welcome to the world of DIY. I have lots of exp. in alum & paint and will say one thing. When you sand down your boat with scotchbrite to remove the clad aluminun oxide layer,be sure to paint the whole boat with ALODINE(get at IMP marine) on the bare aluminum before you paint her marine grey.PM for more info. Later Goosetub
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crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
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Post by crockett on Aug 29, 2007 18:51:16 GMT -5
damn! I just primed her today on the outside. I still have to do the inside though, once I get all the baby blue off of her! I'll look into the ALODINE product that you suggest. Thanks!
-Croc
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