I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!

[HORSEPOWER]

I just picked up an '87 Hewescraft River Runner 18'.  The problem- There's no storage except the open space under the bow.  I've searched the internet for pictures to get ideas and all the website for different products but have come up empty handed.  I need to put something in there for pole storage and such.  I can fabricate just about anything as long as it's stainless or aluminum, the only thing I'm capable of doing with wood is burn it!

[huntnphool]

Post up some pics of the inside

[HORSEPOWER]

What I have to work with:

[huntnphool]

Looks like there is plenty of room to mount rod holders just about the anchor light, should be able to mount them on both sides.

[KFhunter]

if you got the time and $, and a small amount of handiman skills....


I'd gut it, yup.  Pull out the floors, they are just screwed onto the stringers and the "floatation" will be wall board insulation that'll be so broken down and degraded it won't do much floating but adds a ton of weight to the floors. 

yanks everything out of there, then do a good inspection of the fuel tank and put on new hoses/clamps and make sure the tank is seated very well so it doesn't move and rub holes.
also do a close inspection for cracks.

clean it all up good!

When you install new floatation there are some nice options, go with closed cell foam though.

Then install new flooring, I'd go with diamond plate.  But marine ply is good you can use your old floors as a pattern.

once you got new floors then do new seats, gobs of options there according to your $



I used to build those things in the early 90's

[HORSEPOWER]

I'm assuming that it is foam behind the panels, under the light in the pic, also.  What kind of foam is best?  This is what I've found-

Flotation foams are available in rigid billet; flexible sheets and rigid two part urethane spray-in / pour-in forms. Flotation billets are utilized to build floating docks and decks. Flexible foams are utilized for adding buoyancy to personal watercraft, seat cushions, and sound reduction. Two part urethanes foams are commonly use to increase buoyancy, add structural integrity, fill voids and reduce noise transmission. All of the flotation foams are closed cell and offer excellent thermal insulation value.
 
Handi Spray-In Foam
 •excellent for building floating docks & increasing buoyancy
 •multi-purpose, two-part polyurethane foam
 •tack-free in 60 seconds and cures in 2-5 minutes
 •60 lbs. of buoyancy per cubic foot
 
Pourable Foam
 •excellent for filling voids & increasing buoyancy
 •multi-purpose, two–part urethane foam
 •resist the absorption of water
 •available in 2 qts., 2 gals., and 10 gals. kits
 
Buoyancy Billets
 •excellent buoyancy performance for floating docks
 •lightweight extruded polystyrene
 •each billet floats 220 lbs.
 •7 in. thick x 20 x 48 in. billets
 
ULTRA FOAM™
 •excellent buoyancy performance
 •superior thermal insulation
 •fills voids, insulats bulkheads & cushions surfaces
 
Polyethylene Foam
 •closed cell foam used for flotation
 •in-stock colors: white, black & pink.
 •1.7 lb. density
 •available in 1, 2 and 3 in. thickness
 •2 x 4 ft. sheets
 
 
 

[huntnphool]

What is that that the light is mounted to? Is it hiding something?

[HORSEPOWER]

I haven't had it apart yet but I think it is foam.  There is one on each side.  You can kind of see in the pics that there was something attatched to them at one time.

[KFhunter]

There should be flotation under those panels, the boats are required to float the max rated horsepower + occupants as indicated on the coast guard plaque.  It doesn't have to float high up in the water though, think semi submerged.

I can't help you on foam suggestions, I've been out of it so long I don't know about the new stuff or how to apply it.  Any boat repair and supply shop would be able to give you a run down.  I'd stop by a shop that sells that stuff or give some distributors a phone call.

There are also online forums giving some nice run downs, just have a plan before you gut it or you'll be sitting there with a boat you can't use for an extended period - make sure your ducks are all in a row 






Dang, I should follow my own advice more 

[HORSEPOWER]

Dang, I should follow my own advice more 

Yaaaaaaa, I've got the same problem........

I sure wasn't looking for another project, so if I don't do this right away, I'll use it as it is for a year.

Thanks for the input guys!

[KFhunter]

ya, I'd use the heck out of it before I tore it down.

before you do though -and I hope you did this before you bought it- check the transom for wood rot. 
It should have 2 layers of marine plywood sandwiched together with aluminium screwed to it.

You don't want a transom failure

[HORSEPOWER]

It's in excellent condition.

[Grit dog]

From experience with heavier fiberglass boats, I see no reason you can't get the required amount of flotation completley under the floor.  That could allow you to build secure storage where the gunnel flotation is, or keep the gunnel flotation and build some under floor storage in lieu of some of that foam.  Under floor storage not as preferrable since it wnt dry out nearly as well as something up high and dry.
Is it not practical to build some sort of secure hatch or door behind the bow storage?  That's a fair amount of storage volume in itself.

[Special T]

not storage, but you need a Macs Skeg protector. 

[wildmanoutdoors]

I had a Macs Skeg protector. Its at the bottom of the Nootch with my Skeg! 

Skip it IMO. Its just more money you'll end up loosing.