21' Fishin' Barge upgrades & underskin project

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Blessed
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Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

21' Fishin' Barge upgrades & underskin project

#1 Post by Blessed » Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:02 pm

Just bought four sheets of FRP... gonna get started with the underskin tonight... will post more later. :biggrin2
Last edited by Blessed on Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

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curtiscapk
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Location: OP KS\Hillsdale Lake

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#2 Post by curtiscapk » Thu Sep 18, 2014 7:20 pm

more info please pics? Price? Where did you get it?
Craig and Paula
"THE FLOATER" rebuild Spring 2013
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94 Party Barge 24' 115 merc
Turning Point hustler 14 x 13 prop
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RcgTexas
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Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#3 Post by RcgTexas » Thu Sep 18, 2014 7:47 pm

We wait patiently!
1995 beachcomber conversion to tritoon with Honda 135 ,

Link to rebuild [url=http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19016][Knot Normal][/url]

God Bless America

Blessed
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 am
Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#4 Post by Blessed » Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:53 pm

Had to relocate sensor wires for depth finder... :x

Tried to cut FRP with jig saw...haha...epic fail :nono

Got the stuff at Lowe's. .. about $150.00 including rivets...
Last edited by Blessed on Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

Blessed
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 am
Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#5 Post by Blessed » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:09 pm

4' x 8' sheets... .090"... $33.00 each

3/16" x 1/4" rivets...$5.28 each

Using vinyl cutting shears now... works great... no dust!
Last edited by Blessed on Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

Blessed
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 am
Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#6 Post by Blessed » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:53 pm

3/16 drill bit...MIA!... will have to pick one up in the morning...

A few other things that I have done to the boat...

Added a Lowrance elite5-hdi Depth / fish finder, GPS / chart plotter... love the thing... one of the greatest things I have added to the boat...
Image

GPS Mount
Image

GPS Mount again...
Image

Wiring for the docking lights... all heat shrink connections
Image

Docking lights
Image

Also added a minn kota trolling motor and minn kota mk-1-dc charger for the trolling motor battery...will get pics of those on later.... the battery charger is awesome. .. charges the trolling motor battery when the engine is running...
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

RcgTexas
Posts: 2656
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:37 am
Location: Texas

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#7 Post by RcgTexas » Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:53 am

the battery charger is awesome. .. charges the trolling motor battery when the engine is running...
So it works thru the engine alternator?
1995 beachcomber conversion to tritoon with Honda 135 ,

Link to rebuild [url=http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19016][Knot Normal][/url]

God Bless America

Blessed
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 am
Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#8 Post by Blessed » Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:17 am

RcgTexas wrote:
the battery charger is awesome. .. charges the trolling motor battery when the engine is running...
So it works thru the engine alternator?
Yes...
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

Blessed
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 am
Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#9 Post by Blessed » Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:57 pm

Decided against the FRP... our boat is 24" on center cross members... I don't think FRP will be strong enough for how I want to install the underskin...

Was at Lowe's getting aluminum angle pieces this morning... and a drill bit :biggrin2 ... and ran into a guy I work with... told him what I was doing... about having second thoughts about using FRP... he tells me our local race shop (race connection) has aluminum sheeting! I go over there and sure enough.. they have it in stock... several sheets of .063 4' x 10'... he had atleast three sheets of plain aluminum and all kinds of other colors... anyway, I picked up 2 sheets ($90.00 each) and had to order the rivets ($13.00) for a box of 250... he can get the 3/16 dia. with the large 3/8 head rivets like they use on the race cars... they will be in on Wednesday...

Then I went to a local fab shop to get the sheets cut to size... their shop guys work Monday thru Thursday 5:30 - 4:00... what a coincidence. ..so do I... they wanted $60.00 to make the cuts... could have left the sheets there and picked them up on Monday.... but I had a better idea... we have several HVAC shops in town and I know they have hydraulic shears for making duct work...

Off to Redd's heating and air conditioning I go...they make all the cuts for $20.00!!! :alright

Including the miscellaneous aluminum, jig saw blades, drill bit from Lowe's... I'm at about $350.00... well, well, well worth the extra money!

Cut sheets...
Image

That's the protective plastic coating on the aluminum giving it that wrinkle look... not sure what grade it is... but it will work just fine...

They have the aluminum 3/8 rivets in stock. .. but the nail part was steel... I had him order the all aluminum rivets...

In the interim I can cut all the angle pieces and get ready to install when the rivets come in... :mrgreen:
Last edited by Blessed on Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:23 am, edited 7 times in total.
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

RcgTexas
Posts: 2656
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:37 am
Location: Texas

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#10 Post by RcgTexas » Fri Sep 19, 2014 4:34 pm

I like it when I see a man on a mission. You have it going your way!
1995 beachcomber conversion to tritoon with Honda 135 ,

Link to rebuild [url=http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19016][Knot Normal][/url]

God Bless America

TDJ2591
Posts: 358
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Location: Smith Lake, AL

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades...

#11 Post by TDJ2591 » Sat Sep 20, 2014 12:45 pm

That's a deal on the aluminum. I paid $402 incl. tax for 3 4x10 sheets. The. 3/16" structural aluminum rivets were $80 for 200, air riveter $35 from HF, drill bits, self-tapping SS screws (for side panels), bonded SS washers, sealant, etc. totaled almost $600.

I just posted before and after pics today.

Good luck! It will look great.
[color=#4000FF]2005 Crest Caribbean 25'
2006 Honda 135hp 4 stroke[/color]

Blessed
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 am
Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades & underskin project

#12 Post by Blessed » Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:05 pm

Made a little progress on the underskin...

Got tired of waiting on the big rivets that are on order... so I decided to use the small 3/16 rivets on the side panels. ..

side tabs
Image

top angle bracket and small two inch strip to tie everything together... the angle bracket and panel are both .060" so the finished thickness is flush with the existing pontoon bracket... that top 2" strip will give something for the 4' piece to attach to and prevent any major flexing on the sides of the big sheets...
Image

bottom angle bracket... makes it nice and sturdy...
Image

full panel... light weight... very strong... easy to remove... only have to drill out six rivets to take it off...four across the top and the two outside on the bottom... I'm thrilled at how it turned out... can't hardly wait to finish and take it for a test run! :mrgreen:
Image

I decided to make small panels for the sides instead of overlapping what is already closed in... and 4' pieces down the middle... if and when I have to remove it to run wires or plumbing it will be much easier and I should be able to handle each piece by myself...
Image

bought a pneumatic rivet gun... well worth the $45.00... as I used 27 rivets on that one panel! Ha Ha! :biggrin2 Good thing they are feather light.. even with the tabs and angle pieces combined it doesn't weigh much at all...
Last edited by Blessed on Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

RcgTexas
Posts: 2656
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:37 am
Location: Texas

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades & underskin project

#13 Post by RcgTexas » Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:55 am

Looks good :thumbsup
1995 beachcomber conversion to tritoon with Honda 135 ,

Link to rebuild [url=http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19016][Knot Normal][/url]

God Bless America

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redbeard
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Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades & underskin project

#14 Post by redbeard » Wed Sep 24, 2014 1:05 pm

Looking good keep up the great work. :thumbsup
Truman Lake
1986 24' Playcraft "The Georgia Peach"
1996 Evinrude 88 HP
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Blessed
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 am
Location: Tims Ford Lake, TN

Re: 21' Fishin' Barge upgrades & underskin project

#15 Post by Blessed » Wed Sep 24, 2014 8:53 pm

RcgTexas wrote:Looks good :thumbsup
redbeard wrote:Looking good keep up the great work. :thumbsup
Thank you... I've really enjoyed this project... it's a lot of fun working with aluminum... Lord willing I'll have it finished this friday and on the water Saturday... :biggrin2
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
2003 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
2000 Georgie Boy Cruise Master
Acts 16:31 (KJV)

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