Replacing Rotted Wood in Fishing Boat - Adding a Casting deck

[BronzeBrother]

I have a 1987 Crestliner Fishhawk 16 foot fishing boat that needs to have all the wood replaced inside, including the floor. I am also looking at adding a casting desk to this boat as it does not have one now. Some things that I am worried about is how high or if I can even add a casting desk to this boat without making it unsafe. I am looking at adding a 6 to 8 inch high desk.

Has anyone done this before and what or where can I find out info on how to do this?

Thanks...

[BronzeBrother]

I have a 1987 Crestliner Fishhawk 16 foot fishing boat that needs to have all the wood replaced inside, including the floor. I am also looking at adding a casting desk to this boat as it does not have one now. Some things that I am worried about is how high or if I can even add a casting desk to this boat without making it unsafe. I am looking at adding a 6 to 8 inch high desk.

Has anyone done this before and what or where can I find out info on how to do this?

Thanks...

[hawgchaser]

BronzeBrother,

I can't speak specifically to your boat, but I have two old 16ft. Lunds that I've customized to include floors, storage, livewells and casting decks. No comnpromise of handling/safety at all for me as I put a ton of foam in all the hidden spaces to give me far more flotation that existed before. The extra weight makes them must easier to handle in wind since the front end sits lower in the water and doesn't get pushed around as easily. I had fun doing both and the fish don't seem to care about being pulled into an old customized boat as opposed to a $50,000 Ranger. Two suggestions...don't overbuild and put about 4 coats of waterseal on your wood. Mine are both over ten years since customizing and still in great shape.

[TruthWalleyes]

I have an older 16' alumacraft Lunker

Here's a bad before picture of the front of my boat.

And here's a picture of the front of the boat after adding a casting deck. I stayed about 3" away from the top edge since there is no seating up there. This winter i'd like to add a casting chair up there. Two doors in the front to get to storage space.

[TooTallTom]

You might know this already, but if your boat is aluminum DO NOT use treated wood. Treadted wood will eat the aluminum.

Like one of the other posters said, seal, seal, seal, that wood. Keep in mind that the screws going into the wood are vectors for moisture to enter the wood and start it to rotting, so you might want to think about ways to seal those holes up.

I've been thinking of getting away from carpeting in my boat when I re-do it, and just putting down bedliner (in something much lighter-colored than black) or marine paint instead. This would avoid the hook-in-carpet problem as well as the carpet-holding-moisture problem.

[BoxMN]

Dot Deco vinyl instead of carpeting. Works great, looks great, wears great, cleans great. Also keep water from basically even hitting the wood.

Also, use marine plywood, a bit more spendy but worth in IMHO. I have done a boat and pontoon with the above products and turned out great, and they both sit out with no cover all summer long and no probs at all so far in several years.

edit - I see no console, so just bring front deck back to first storage box/rod box to give you more room up there, and probably not enclose the area under it - it doesnt need to be that high. You can use a cargo net and it would be nice place to store PFDs or other stuff you use often, and keeps it from getting moldy.

Be sure to add drains in the floor to help get moisture down to bilge area, and I put two bilges in our boats now, an auto one and an "extra" one, just in case. Run 8 ga. wire up to bow for trolling motor, we run it through those flex tubes for easier replacing if you ever have to - leave a nylon line in there to help pull new stuff in, old stuff out... works slick.

Be sure to brace under seat bases VERY good. We have had two pull out, and we thought we braced and backed them good, but not good enough.

Good luck, it is time consuming job, but take a lot of pics to look back on, and you will be proud when you are done

[BronzeBrother]

Thanks everyone for all the great info. I didn't know about the treated plywood eating away at the metal so that is a huge "Save my butt" info for me...

[TooTallTom]

Treated doesn't eat all metal. For instance, stainless steel is okay with treated, and I think hot-dipped galvanized. But treated is definitely not for use with aluminum, and probably some other metals.

[JbuZZo]

TruthWalleyes- I have the same boat...84' I think. I want to make that modification to mine as well... It's not a tiller is it?

[TruthWalleyes]

TruthWalleyes- I have the same boat...84' I think. I want to make that modification to mine as well... It's not a tiller is it?

Here's a pic prior to purchase

After replacing the front with a casting deck.

I want to replace all the flooring and add rod storage to the side opposite the live well, and replace the casting deck with 1/2 inch plywood instead of 3/4" and try to create a watertight seal for that front storage area.

Blew up the 40hp two years ago and replaced it with a 25hp. Hopefully repairing that 40hp this spring.

[BronzeBrother]

TruthWalleyes- I have the same boat...84' I think. I want to make that modification to mine as well... It's not a tiller is it?

Yes it is a tiller