Kelly,

I'd keep that boat on the trailer and in the yard. After all that hard work to get it painted it will only get wet and yucky and you might hit a stump or something and scratch up the paint job.

Naw...I think it will be JUST FINE. Today I hope to primer it...but the transom will have to be taken off, if I can do that. I might need help with that.

Hey kelkay, I was wondering the same thing? OBTW how are you doing?

Hey, kelkay, still here, just a lot of side things going.

roofish, been a while since I heard from you. I am doing okay. Lysdectic, it is about time you showed up here again too...hehehe. Well the boat has been primered on the interior. It took about nine or ten cans of primer for the inside. I am probably underestimating the amount of paint cans I will need too.

That looks good. If it doesn't leak, don't worry about the transom, especially since you won't be putting a 257 HP motor on it. If it doesn't leak, don't borrow trouble by taking it out. By the way, this is why men don't like going to the doctor: if we don't know there is a problem, we can just motor on and be blissful in our ignorance.

Paint it if you must, but please put the seats back in it, slap some TX numbers on it and GO FISH! You're killing us here. If worse comes to worse, don't even paint it. You can paint it under a shade tree when it is too hot to FISH.

Wanna guess what my favorite card game is? GO FISH!

What do Miami football fans who are ignorant about marine biology yell out at games? GO FISH!

What did Jonah yell from inside the underwater creature who swallowed him when he wanted to get back to shore faster? GO FISH!

I know you want it to look good to help repay the folks that donated and helped with it, but I think a lot of them want you to just....well you know the rest.

but I think a lot of them want you to just....well you know the rest....>>>>>

Go fish? LOL...yes that is a good one. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm getting antsy....I want to GO FISH...hehehe.

If the transom wood it rotten go ahead and replace it. FYI it is not hard to do. I did it on an aluminum boat a couple of years ago. The cheapest way to do it is when replacing the wood use a 2X8,2X10,or 2X12 of treated lumber. Lumber yards always have a piece laying around that the end split out,warped, or cut down for previous customer. Take it home and cut to fit. I drilled 8 holes to attach it with SS washers,nuts, and bolts. If you are worried about leaks seal the holes with 3M 4200. That stuff is better than silicone(will shrink and crack). BTW I like the 2bys for my application because it equaled the metal lip over hang on the metal boat. That saved me time installing/taking off the trolling motor every trip.

The carriage bolts are what I am worried about partially. It looks like it will be a chore to get the wood out...the replacing is not what looks hard. My friend used a recipricating saw to get the bolts off the seats. But this area right next to the aluminum might be more difficult. (without damage) I am not sure what you are talking about by the 2x4s. Yes, I am worried about getting it to leak as well. The wood is not what I would call rotten, but it is worn.
This is the worst part.


The interior looks okay to me...especially if you put a sealant on it. But the whole thing was suggested to be replaced on the boat forum.

From those pictures I would leave it alone! Worn is not rotten. If it was rotten you could peel the wood from around the carriage bolts and cut them off with ease. Spray it with Thompson's Water Seal and be done with it. Go to the lake and have a blast!

Thanks for your opinion. I am still uncertain as to what to do. I may just try to take the wood off, and if it becomes too difficult, just forget it. I had someone offer to do it for me, but this person is in DFW. I hate driving in DFW...and the thought of driving the boat there in that traffic really is not something I would want to do. I am not experienced in driving with a trailer at all really. So this is a dilemma for sure.

This boat will look better redone than it did when it was new :-).

I am in the process of replacing the transom on a 10 ft Jon Boat. The plywood was totally destroyed by carpenter ants. I ripped out the destroyed wood and used bolt cutters to cut the bolts and used 5/4 by 8 treated deck board to replace it. The hardest part is getting it cut exactly right. Drilling, bolting, and waterproofing the holes is easy. I use silicone caulk on the outside, the inside beneath the wood and on the nuts on the inside of those close to the waterline. On an old boat like the one I am doing for a neighbor, too much caulk is not a problem. For you, I'd find some caulk the was paintable for the outside of the boat. I think they make paintable silicone, but I am not sure.

How big of a motor is your boat rated for?? There should be a plate that tells you this info. If all you plan to use on it is an electric motor, and the existing transom doesn't leak, I'd paint it pretty and leave it alone.

will your friend do the work for you on a Sunday?? That should eliminate most of the traffic. Pulling a boat on a trailer is not a problem. The problems begin when you try to back up. A thought about backing a boat - If you have a pickup, have someone mount a hitch plate and ball on the front of your truck. That way when you want to move it all you have to do is hook up to the front and its easy to manuver. Here on the ranch I have a ball in the bucket of my tractor for pushing trailers around.

Thanks, it won't look as good as it did when new, but should look like a good old fishing boat. There is no plate on the boat that tells ya that stuff. The boat was made in 1964. I am guessing a 5-10 horse power would be great. The person who offered to help is a TFF'r. I can pull the boat forward, but backing up is a problem. It is something I am going to have to learn. I drove the boat around yesterday trying to get the water out so I could primer. I cannot afford to do any more hitches. I had a receiver hitch installed, and that was high enough. I ended up using 8 cans of primer for the interior. Plus the styrofoam was about 25 dollars. It is all on my money now...and I believe I will be short on paint. I also had to buy more nuts, bolts, washer...most stainless steel. I had to get a bunch of carriage bolts too. So the expense is adding up.

Welcome to boat ownership!!! Of course it is much nicer if the expense is spread out over a year or two's time.

A front hitch ball is easy. Its simply a piece of 2 1/2 - 3 inch flat stock 3/8th thick that is bolted to the deer guard or frame. Drill a hole in it for the ball. You aren't pulling with it - just moving the trailer around. It also makes it easier to launch if the drive wheels of the truck remain on the dry pavement.